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April 24, 2026

Jill Hunter’s beautification work inspires impact beyond the world of flowers

Jill Hunter
As you approach former Saratoga mayor Jill Hunter’s front door, you can’t help but notice her blooming backyard garden basking in the sun. Step inside, and her keen eye for plants is obvious. They are the center of attention. What else would you expect from someone...

Form follows function for gardening

juniper
Home gardens are components of the homes that they serve. They are the exterior of the interior. They are the environments in which homes exist. Some provide vegetables and fruits. Many provide flowers. Ideally, gardens enhance domestic experiences. Therefore, their design is as relevant...

Debris fills gutters during autumn

leaves
Autumn foliar color certainly is pretty while it lasts. Although less prominent locally than it is where cooler weather begins earlier, it is an asset to many home gardens. It generally appears a bit later within mild climates here, but might also remain suspended...

Irrigation technology can get complicated

horticulture photo
Old fashioned irrigation systems were quite thorough, and technically sustainable. They broadcast generous volumes of water over any vegetation that required it. Their systems were too simple to need much adjustment. Their metallic composition was very resilient. That is why so many old systems...

Living Christmas trees eventually mature

Living Christmas trees require attention after Christmas. Some can only be contained for a few years, while others need to be graduated to the garden.

Pollard and coppice during winter

horticulture
This is extreme dormant pruning. Pollard and coppice pruning involve complete removal of all new growth. They typically involve growth from a previous season annually. A two-year cycle involves growth from two previous seasons, and so on. This repetitive pruning to the same origins...

Dormancy facilitates survival through winter

leaves
Dormancy is not exclusive to vegetation. Many animals are dormant while they hibernate through cold winter weather. Some animals are dormant while they aestivate through hot and dry weather. Fungi and bacteria can maintain dormancy for many years or centuries. Dormancy is a technique...

Early spring bulbs start now

daffodil
Halloween seems to be an appropriate time to bury early spring bulbs in shallow graves. The season begins about now, and continues until about the end of the year. Installation of new bulbs might initially be ungratifying. There is nothing to show after their...

Bloom is bountiful for spring

Pride of Madeira
Bloom that was delayed by the unusually wintry winter is making up for lost time. Spring bulbs, flowering cherries and deciduous magnolias were amazing. Wisterias and lilacs continue their pastel display within some climates. More flowers bloom during springtime than at any other time...

Ornamental foliage augments spring color

macro image for green and yellow plant
Spring bloom is the most colorful color in the garden here. It is not the only color, though. Some deciduous foliage will provide color at the opposite end of the year. Bark can add a bit of color, particularly while deciduous trees defoliate for...

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