By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

The Sunset Western Garden Book has a history of saying less than complimentary things about California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica, aka Epilobium canum canum).  We say, and I quote: "Most are a bit rangy, spread into other garden beds by invasive roots, go to seed and reseed themselves, and become twiggy and untidy looking in winter."  Reserve for summer cabins, banks or hillsides, or the informal garden, we suggest.

I think we might have to change that when we do our next Sunset Western Garden Book revision.  Garden tastes have changed, and this Zauschneria looks right at home on a very urban Venice lot, don't you think?  

In fact, I think its wildness is a beautiful contrast to this sleek modern home.

Garden design by Jeff Pervorse of Bent Grass Landscape Architecture

By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

Sometimes I walk into the hardwood forest behind my house just to stand under the magnificent old bigleaf maple pictured at right. For sheer venerability, it's hard to beat. Perhaps that’s why I’m such a fan of American Forests' National Register of Big Trees.

The program's goal is to find and document the biggest tree of every species in the United States. They've been on the hunt for 69 years, and located 733 trees that they think are the biggest of their kinds. Of course, you may not agree. If you think you know one bigger in any species listed, you can nominate it, and perhaps unseat the reigning champ.

There are also many species currently without champs. Just find a big one, and your specimen will be registered as the biggest until somebody finds one bigger. Among species without champs are several willows, oaks, western sumacs, and ceanothus. Pick one and go for it.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

What does it say about me that I'm attracted to these seriously mean shoes?  Oops, maybe I'm sorry I said that.  Please don't tell me.  At any rate I was. 

I picked up these three note cards, which are based on acrylic paintings done by Prescott, Arizona artist Carolyn Schmitz, at the Big Red Sun in Venice, thinking they would be fun additions to my inspiration board.

But then I noticed on the artist's website that these paintings and others along the same theme are also available as prints.  And I love the thought of having a big version of one of these on my office walls.  Should convince people I'm not as sweet as I look, wouldn't you think?  Now I just have to decide which one.

San Rafael Spikes, depicting agave leaves, San Rafael poppies, and yucca fiber

Scorpion Country, agave and sotol leaves, datura pods, scorpion tails

Agave Country, agave, sotol, datura, mesquite, globemallow, scorpion tails

If these are all too evil for your taste, you might like Schmitz's "Sunset Wedgies" or "Chilean Roses" mules. 

Me, I'm leaning towards "Scorpion Country."  They're just evil enough.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

You saw Venice garden designer Suzanne McKevitt's front yard on Monday.  Now here's what her inner courtyard looks like.  There's a little joke hidden in this sleek, sophisticated garden.  Can you spot it?

For those of you who didn't -- I certainly wouldn't have if McKevitt hadn't pointed it out -- here's a closer look.

Yes, that weed popping up out of her faux turf carpet is a real dandelion, deliberately planted.  McKevitt's little prank.  Funny thing, though, but this has proved to be the place her dog Boots, a sturdy Australian blue heeler, likes to sit most.  "Good thing dandelions are tough," says McKevitt, "because this plant gets squished often."

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

  I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  Writing about landscape designer Brent Green--shown opposite with our garden photography editor Linda Peters--was one of the most satisfying stories I've written for Sunset.

Brent's transformation of his own landscaping was pretty amazing, as you can see from the reprint of the story, which ran last April, linked to below.

But it was the fact Green didn't stop there that impressed us so much.  Green set out to improve his whole Mid-City neighborhood, planting street trees, making landscaping suggestions, getting speed bumps installed, lobbying city hall, and so forth.

So we were thrilled to see Green has gotten more press for his good work.  ABC 7 News did a segment about him last week.  If you missed it, you can see it here.  If you missed our story on Brent which ran last April, click on the link below.

Download Gsc0309g_BrentGreen

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Most homes are painted in neutrals -- white, beige, brown, gray -- colors that will go with any plant.  But selecting a paint color that picks up one of the foliage shades in your garden is a much more effective strategy, suggests Venice garden designer Suzanne McKevitt.  "If the house and garden flow together like one unit, they both look better," she said.  And then she proceeded to point out examples as we drove around her neighborhood.  A blue-gray house with lots of glaucous plants -- agaves, `Elijah Blue' festuca, aloes.  A dark mustard one that made the 'Yellow Wave' New Zealand flax used in it glow.  But none proved McKevitt's theory as well as her own front yard.

The dark grayish-purple paint color McKevitt chose looks stunning with her grove of Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' trees.  This acacia has long been one of my favorite small trees, but I find its subtle lavender-gray leaves can look murky against traditional pale homes.  I've never seen it look better than it does here. 

The deep purple paint shade is also proving to be a great foil for the lighter colors in her landscape, such as the light green bark and bright yellow flowers of the palo verde trees, the soft gray-green of the Dymondia ground cover, and the rosy-red blades of `Guardsman' flax, says McKevitt. She is also itching for her cup-of-gold vine (Solandra maxima) with its huge yellow flowers prominently striped in purplish-brown to bloom to see its colors against that purple.

Dark tones have other advantages, says McKevitt.  Because they recede they make a shallow space seem deeper.  If a house has architectural limitations, as she felt hers did -- undistinguished design, unattractive roof line, bad window placement -- a dark color tones them down.

Though watching it go on must have been a little scary, the more McKevitt lives with this brave shade of purple the better she likes it.  "Its dark, indeterminate tone just gets more mysterious as sunset approaches, until it looks like a shadow or seems to disappear entirely and become negative space," she says.

Like to try this paint color yourself?  The shade is Ralph Lauren's `Approaching Storm.'

By Julie Chai, Sunset associate garden editor

Gas blowers are obnoxiously loud. And ultra polluting. But people seem to have a hard time giving them up.

Including my dad. He loves his power tools, and even though I've explained to him that gas blowers have been known to produce as much pollution in 30 minutes as driving for 3 hours, he wasn't ready to let his go.

So I was hopeful when I learned about Black and Decker's new rechargeable battery–operated blower. It's emission free, the charger is Energy Star rated, and is supposed to be powerful. So I got one for my dad to try.

After the initial charge, he swept his backyard with the blower and was really impressed with the power and performance. "After years of using a gas blower, this one is a godsend," he said. Here's his comparison chart—maybe you'll be converted too:

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

photo by Yvette Roman Davis

Horse troughs is the answer.  This is from the garden of Corey Milligan in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  I found it on Yvette's blog, Beyond the Lawn.  There are more photos and details about Milligan's lovely garden on her post.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Most seed catalogs begin shipping garlic orders in September.  But if you are particular about your selection, it's best to order earlier.  Seeds of Change, which carries 21 different varieties, is taking orders now.