By Johanna Silver, Sunset test garden coordinator

Still haven't started your tomato seeds for the season? You're in luck! Check out the 5th annual Heirloom Tomato Sale this Saturday, April 3rd, from 8am to 5pm.

100% of the proceeds go towards supporting humanitarian aid in Haiti. Choose from more than 150 varieties of organic heirloom tomato plants.

The benefit is put on by the Bountiful Garden Foundation, whose mission is to "raise money for humanitarian relief efforts while promoting sustainable, organic, volunteer-run gardens for the good of mankind." 

8am - 5pm

110445 Orange Ave. in Cupertino

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

When my co-blogger Jim McCausland did a post about cats and toxic plants last month, he included a photo of his new cat Miss Marple.  And I added a rather snarky comment about her expression, which to me looked rather malevolent.  "I wouldn't turn my back on her," I think I said. 

His Tonkinese was still adapting, countered Jim.  Not yet secure in her surroundings.  She's getting mellower, he insists, and sent me this more recent photo to prove it.

By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

Few woodland flowers are as pretty as bleeding hearts (Dicentra), and few bleeding hearts can compete with 'Burning Hearts', which is on the market in quantity for the first time this year.

Just plant it in soil that's well amended with organic matter, then give it a partly shaded woodland location with regular water, and this herbaceous perennial will bloom from March through September and delight you for years. It is hardy to about -40° F.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

 Scouting gardens in Santa Fe a number of years ago I tasted padron peppers for the first and what I feared was going to be the last time at a tapas bar there. 

Padron peppers are a small, thin-skinned pepper traditional to the Galicia area of Spain.  Though an occasional fiery one randomly occurs, padrons are generally mild in flavor but definitely not bland.  The traditional way to serve them is to char them slightly in a little olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and serve still warm, which is how they were served in Santa Fe.  I gobbled them up in minutes, ordered a second plate, and only embarassment kept me fom requesting a third.

Then I came home and tried to find seeds for the addictive little pimento de Padron.  And looked and looked. And finally gave up.

So, naturally I was thrilled to see Padron tapas peppers offered by Renee's Garden this year. I'll be trying them in my home garden and we'll be growing them in our test garden at Menlo Park as well.  Stay tuned.  Renee says this is one of the most productive peppers she has ever grown so we're hoping for a heavy harvest.

Cook's Gardens is also offering a "piquant but not hot" tapas pepper from Northern Spain in their catalog for the first time this year.  But they call theirs a "Piquillo" pepper.  We're going to trial it as well.  I'm already looking forward to the taste-off.

How to grow peppers

My enthusiasm for the padron pales in comparison to food writer, Calvin Trillin's.  You can read about his quest to repeat his experience eating padron peppers in Galicia in this Gourmet magazine article.

Or take a peek at the chapter "Pepper Chase" from his book, Feeding a Yen.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Almost too much good stuff on Willi Galloway's blog, DigginFood, to choose just one thing.  But I thought her DIY project converting an IKEA bookcase into a seed-starting station was especially clever and useful.  Galloway takes you through the process step by step.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Photos by Lori Brookes

Seeing all the lawnless front yards on the Mar Vista Green Garden Tour website reminded me of a few that I've scouted but not written about.  Jack and Mel Phillips residence in the Mission Hills area of San Diego, to begin with.

When the Phillips approached Kendra Berger of Revive Landscape Design for help in renovating their front yard, they were looking for something more water efficient and self-sustaining but also something more stylish.  The Phillips wanted landscaping that was more compatible with their Spanish-style architecture and that also better reflected their lives, especially their interest in travel to exotic places like Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa.

Here's what the yard looked like when Berger first came on board.

By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

Photo by Darrel Cohoon

Finally, for Animal Poison Control (or your vet) to help, they have to know what exactly your dog ate. “A tall green plant with spiky leaves” isn’t a good answer. If you have pets or kids, know your houseplants by both common and botanical names, which usually come on a tag with the plant. Keep that info where you can find it.

This lists isn't comprehensive—no list is—but it covers the most common plants your dog might encounter indoors.

Flowering and fruiting house plants
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum species and hybrids)
Anthurium scherzerianum
Azalea (Rhododendron species)
Chrysanthemum
Clivia (Clivia miniata)
Crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii)
Cyclamen
Gardenia (Gardenia augusta, G. jasminoides)
Geranium (Pelargonium species)
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus species and hybrids)
Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

Leafy house plants
Arrowhead plant (Nephthytis, Syngonium podophyllum)
Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus)
Begonia
Caladium (Caladium bicolor)
Cardboard palm (Zamia furfuracea)
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum and hybrids)
Coontie (Zamia pumila)
Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans)
Cuban oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus)
Cycads (Cycas and Zamia species)
Dracaena species
Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia amoena)
Elephant’s ear (Alocasia macrorrhiza)
Fiddleleaf fig (Ficus lyrata)
Gold dust Dracaena (Dracaena surculosa)
Golden pothos (Scindapsus aureus)
Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron cordatum)
Indian laurel (Ficus microcarpa, F. retusa)
Ivy (Hedera species)
Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
Philodendron (most)
Polyscias guilfoylei
Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum)
Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Sago palm (Cycas revoluta)
Satin pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
Schefflera species (Schefflera actinophylla, formerly Brassaia actinophylla)
Shamrock (Oxalis)
Spathiphyllum
Split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa)
Taro (Colocasia esculenta)
Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa, formerly C. terminalis)
Tree philodendron (Philodendron selloum)
Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)

Succulents
Aloe vera
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Kalanchoe species
Silver jade plant (Crassula arborescens)
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Plants used in centerpieces, vases, wreaths
Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Daffodil (Narcissus species)
Dahlia
Gladiola (some Gladiolus varieties)
Holly (Ilex species)
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus species and hybrids)
Iris species
Mistletoe (many genera)
Naked lady (Amaryllis belladonna)
Peony (Paeonia species)
Rhododendron
Tulip (Tulipa species)

Fruits, nuts, vegetables
Apples and crabapples
Apricots
Avocado fruit and pit
Cherry
Elephant garlic
Garlic
Grapes
Lemon
Lime
Macadamias
Onions
Orange
Peach
Raisins

Sunset slide show: 100 of the West's best pets

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

The Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase is not a garden tour of long-standing--this is only its second year.  But it sure is a big one.  There are 79 homes on this self-guided tour this year, including 22 with a native plant emphasis, 19 with veggie gardens, and 18 where you'll find the garden designer on the premises to answer questions.  What the gardens all have in common is drought-tolerant plantings suitable for our climate. 

The Showcase takes place on April 25 this year. The gardens on the tour will be open 2-6 pm on that day.  And the event is free. Education is the Showcase's motive.  They'd like us all to garden "green." and their aim is to provide inspiration.

To plan your tour--I'm assuming 79 in one day is a little ambitious to try and cover in 4 hours even for over-achievers--go to the Showcase's blog where all the addresses are listed and plan a trip based on your interests, time, or miles you're willing to drive. They've set it up to make that easy.

The garden at 11819 North Park Avenue on the website caught my eye, and I paid the homeowners, Cindy & Curtis Ripley, a visit in advance of the show.  Not only is the landscape very  pretty front and back, as you can see.  But, as if often the case with these tours, the homeowners were as interesting as their garden.

 

Cindy Ripley runs Luna Garcia, a handcrafted pottery dinnerware  store and studio, in Venice.  And the  Ripley's home is full of these colorful pieces. They remind me of Fiesta ware but with more intense colors, and, because they're handcrafted, more organic shapes.

Curtis Ripley is a painter and his garage is his studio.  It will be open the day of the tour, and, like me, you may surprise yourself by spending more time there than the garden. Below is a sample of Curtis's work.  You can see more here.

Nocturne #4

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

UC Irvine Arboretum Spring Plant Sale, March 20, 9 am to 3 pm

Tohono Chul Spring Plant Sale, March 20, 9 am to 5 pm and March 21, 10 am to 4 pm

Desert Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale, Phoenix, March 20, 7 am to 5 pm and March 21, 9 am to 3 pm

San Diego Botanical Garden Herb Festival, Spring Plant Sale, and Tomatomania, March 20-21, 9 am to 5 pm both days.

Tucson Botanical New Leaf Plant Sale, March 27, 9 am to 4 pm

U.C. Riverside Botanic Gardens Spring Plant Sale, March 27, Noon to 5 pm and March 28, 9 am to 3 pm

Elfin Garden Forest Garden Festival, April 3, 10 am to 4 pm

The Theodore Payne Foundation Native Plant Tour, April 10-11, 10 am to 4 pm, both days.

Encinitas Garden Fest & Tour, April 17, 10 am to 5 pm.

Fullerton Arboretum Green Scene April 17-18, 10 am to 4 pm.

Southern California Garden Show at South Coast Plaza, April 22-25

Santa Rosa Plateau Garden Tour, April 24, 10 am to 4 pm

Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club Spring Tour & Luncheon, April 24

***

Weidner's Gardens has a lot more San Diego area tours on their website.  Click here to check them out.

By Johanna Silver, Sunset test garden coordinator

We got a sneak peek of display gardens at the San Mateo Event Center which hosts the 25th Annual SF Flower & Garden Show tomorrow through Sunday.

It's always incredible to see the work the hard work that is poured into the gardens, and this year is no exception. The theme this year is, "Gardens for the Future."

Here's a glimpse of what you'll see:

The Living Room

 These designers decided to "think 'around' the box."

Succulent panels line the walls, and inside you'll find a formal dining room.

Salvaged Creole Jazz Courtyard

This garden left us dreaming that New Orleans was one of our regions...

Pulling up Daisies

We loved the concept behind this piece of actually peeling back the layers of destructive landscaping to reveal a lush new pallet of native plant possibilities.

And the winner is: The Papillon Pad

Sunset's criteria for the Western Living Award is that it be a garden filled with fresh, useful, and achievable ideas that enhance outdoor living in the West.

We found plenty of inspiration in the Papillon Pad.

We loved that plants were places together according to their water needs and included plenty of drought tolerant natives and pollinators. There was a bed of edibles, smartly planted close to the dining table. 

There were playful artistic touches and simple yet striking uses of permeable landscape.

We especially loved the planting reservoir created in between the rock walls. 

My pictures do NOT do the show justice. So be sure to check it out for yourself!