Learning to See the Beauty of Nature in Our Gardens
Lifelong lover of nature.. I enjoy writing about what I see around me & photographing it. I garden in Southern California where I have lived many years and have enjoyed all of them. Happy to share tips on native gardening and lessons learned, as well as critters met. Follow @nativegardener on twitter
An Amtrak train announces its arrival at Grand Avenue Station. The familiar whistle tells us it is 7:10 am. At the same time, I can hear the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing in. I take a walk on the Boardwalk.. it is early… fog is drifting in from the Ocean in large sweeps. Silver [...]
On my recent visit to the spectacular Joshua Tree National Park, I got an opportunity to visit the Oasis of Mara and learn about Desert Fan Palm Oases. The Oasis of Mara is located at the Northeast corner of Joshua Tree National Park. The oasis was created by geological movement a very long time ago. The [...]
After my stay in Butterfly Town near Monterey Bay, my travels took me to the High Desert, to Joshua Tree National Park, located Southeast of Los Angeles. Going from the sea to the desert, I felt like a lizard warming up. No fog here; no gray clouds. Sunshine & breezes greeted me instead. I was [...]
Here I am, as promised, moving up the West Coast to the lovely town of Pacific Grove, next door to the more well-known Monterey, CA. Of course, the Native Gardener would end up in a town named “Butterfly Town”. This town is an overwintering site for the West Coast Monarchs, just like Pismo Beach. Unlike [...]
Walking along a trail with my camera, I was hoping to come upon some wildlife to photograph, when I felt eyes upon me. I looked up and there, right in front of me, were the warm, gentle eyes of a deer! I couldn’t believe how close I was to him! I thought, “Please don’t move; [...]
I wake to the sound of a toad, quietly bleating from the lagoon behind me, then ducks chime in, calling out noisily until toad is all but drowned out. The air smells of moisture from overnight rain. It smells clean from the ocean, and full of life from all the plants and animals here. I [...]
It is an unusually warm Southern California winter evening, as I contemplate this Urban Park laid out in front of me, here in Woodland Hills, CA. I have been able to spend a lot of time at the Park while in town visiting friends, and I have noticed a definite lack of birds in the [...]
I discovered that I miss lizards. The other day I was visiting the Top of Topanga Overlook, a park owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. This was my first step back in Topanga since I set out travelling the Central Coast of CA some 4 mos ago! I walked through the small native garden [...]
Back to the Earth~ The air was smelling fine and salty, as I set out for a morning walk on the beach. I was deep in thought when I noticed my shoe was untied. As I stopped to tie it, I saw something in the sand… a wooden handle buried near the tideline. I pulled [...]
I am a female Monarch butterfly, flying high above Pismo Beach, flying from the tall Eucalyptus trees, where I have been sleeping this winter. How I love the California Coast! It has everything I need here: moderate winter temps, clean air, and I am making friends to help me keep warm. The sun comes out. [...]
Monarchs in the Wintertime~ Walking through the tall stands of Eucalyptus trees (Monarch Grove, Pismo Beach), I came upon a Monarch butterfly lying on the ground on some wood chips. He blended in so well, I could easily have stepped on him! But he wasn’t moving. Very carefully, I picked him up and placed him [...]
News from Team Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens
