Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
April, 2007
Regional Report
Shows & Events
5th Annual Going Native Garden Tour
At the 5th Annual Going Native Garden Tour on Sunday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, in Santa Clara Valley and the peninsula, you'll visit home gardens that are water-wise, low maintenance, low on chemical use, bird and butterfly friendly, and attractive. Admission is free but registration is required at http://www.GoingNativeGardenTour.org before April 28 or until the tour reaches capacity, whichever comes first. Volunteers receive invitations to visit native gardens throughout the year. For more information, e-mail: info@GoingNativeGardenTour.org.
Favorite or New Plant
Nasturtiums
Have you tried growing nasturtiums from seed? They grow really well in this area and are very rewarding. The flowers are edible and have a peppery flavor, the foliage is vigorous and handsome, and the plants are almost bullet-proof. Overwatering, underwatering, overfertilizing, light foot traffic -- nothing seems to bother these hardy annuals. If you are feeling dejected about recent gardening failures, plant some nasturtiums. They take a while to germinate, so be patient. Once they get started, stand back! Partial shade, full sun ... they don't care. This is my kind of plant.
