By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

You plant apple trees in winter, usually based on a distant memory of what you liked. Then you wait three or four years for fruit, hoping that it's what you had in mind.

For more certainty, choose garden varieties now, while there's plenty of tree-ripened fruit to taste and compare. The best place to do it is at one of the fruit fairs scheduled around the West during the next six weeks. Here are several to choose from.

British Columbia

Salt Spring Island. Salt Spring Island Apple Festival, Oct 2

Vancouver. University of British Columbia Apple Festival, Oct 15–16

California

Fortuna. Apple Harvest Festival, Oct 1

Julian. Julian Apple Days Festival, Oct 1–2

Springville. Springville Apple Festival, Oct 15-16

Colorado

Cedaredge. Cedaredge Apple Festival, Oct 1-2

Oregon

Clackamas County Fairgrounds. Home Orchard Society All About Fruit Show, Oct 15-16

Hood River. Heirloom Apple Celebration, Oct 22-23

Washington

Green Bluff. Green Bluff Apple Festival, weekends through Oct 30

Lynnwood. Seattle Tree Fruit Society Fall Fruit Show, Oct 23

Vancouver. Old Apple Tree Festival, Oct 1

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

As I mentioned in a previous post, Descanso Gardens planned to install two giant "paintings" composed of plants at their new Sturt Haaga Gallery.

When I paid a visit while construction was still going on in late August it looked like they had an awful lot left to do to meet their deadline.  (The Gallery opens this Saturday, September 17.)

I wasn't sure they were going to make it.  Clearly they have.

A closer look (click on the image to make it bigger) so you can appreciate the textures.

For a preview of the Sturt Haaga Gallery's opening show -- an exhibition of Andrea Baldeck's black and white botanical photographs -- click here.

By Johanna Silver, Sunset associate garden editor

You still have two days to make it to The Sonoma County Fair Grounds in Santa Rosa to check out The National Heirloom Exposition hosted by the folks from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. A team from Sunset was up there yesterday, and we were all blown away by the spirit of the event. It is NOT to be missed.

Here are a few shots I snapped on my phone.

Heirloom apples

Heirloom winter squash display

This guy won the giant pumpkin contest. 

A heritage rooster

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Sounds scary, doesn't it?  But the big bugs that have invaded Arizona aren't going to alarm anyone.  They're pure delight.  They are the way, way, larger-than life sculptures of insects created by the Long Island, New York artist David Roberts.  And they have been a hit wherever they've landed ever since Roberts introduced the series at the Dallas Arboretum in 1994.

Today the Big Bugs arrive at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. 

The ten giant sculptures--the ants, for instance are 25 feet long and 12 feet high, and the dragonfly has a wingspan of 17 feet--will be dispersed throughout the Garden waiting for you to find them. Shouldn't be hard.

The Big Bugs will remain in Phoenix through Sunday, January 15, 2012, and the Desert Botanical Garden has planned several events to make the most of the exhibit.  Big Bug Movie Nights sounds like the one not to miss. The series begins the night of October 1 with Ants and concludes with Arachnophobia on November 16. 

If this sounds like as much fun to you as it does to me--I'd put the 1958 version of The Fly on the top of my list--sign up now.  Space is limited and reservations are required for these screenings.  Call 480-481-8188.

The Moonlight Masquerade sounds like fun, too.

By Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine

It's been fun watching the heirloom edible movement regain momentum. A century ago, everybody grew heirlooms. Then hybrids and genetically modified edibles (GMO's) swept in and took over most of the market. Now the tide is turning. To see how much, go to the National Heirloom Exposition in Santa Rosa, CA, this Tuesday through Thursday (September 13–15).

The speakers alone are worth it. With names like Alice Waters, Amy Goldman, Gary Ibsen, Jere Gettle, Jeff Smith, Vandana Shiva, and Sunset's own Johanna Silver, they'll cover everything from pure local foods to urban gardening and heirloom tomatoes. In all, there will be 70 speakers, 250 vendors selling everything from seeds to tools, plus exhibitions of livestock, bees, chickens, flowers, hydroponic gardening, and even fruit and vegetable carving. There will also be plenty of food and music.

Tickets are $10 (free under 18) online or at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The event runs 11 to 9 daily.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

aerial photo by Scott Dressel-Martin

Above is the form the Corn Maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield will take this year.  The 8-acre!! cornfield pattern was inspired by the Exhibition, Native Roots/Modern Form, which is a tribute to the sculptor Allan Houser, whose pieces are showcased throughout the Gardens on York Street.

Now to dazzle your friends, all you have to do is commit this pattern to memory and race through the complex maze with impressive speed.  And, to be on the safe side, maybe download a map to hide in your pocket just in case.

Other options: enjoy the Corn Maze from one of the two 15-foot-tall illuminated bridges overlooking it. Or use a child as an excuse and tackle the mini-maze instead.

The Corn Maze opens to the public on September 9th and will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday thereafter through October 30th.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Photo of Gallery by Jill Mamey

The first strokes of the giant plant "paintings" have begun at Descanso Gardens.  See my previous post for more about the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Gardens' newest addition, shown below, and about the grids which in two weeks' time will be supporting dramatic vertical gardens.

While we're waiting for photos of the fully planted grids, let me share a few photos of Andrea Baldeck, whose giant prints -- not as big as the grids but still huge -- will be the subject of the first exhibition at the new Gallery. 

 Ranunculus

Moonflower

Garlic Scapes

Amaryllis

More about Andrea Baldeck

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge is less than a month away from the grand opening of their newest attraction, the Sturt Haaga Gallery.  The Gallery, adjacent to the Boddy House, is blossoming forth from the old garage.  

There will be two galleries in the footprint of the garage, as shown below.

The new addition to the garage, which burrows into the hill behind it, shown below, will hold a third gallery.

And those enormous--the larger is 20' x 10', the smaller 11' x 8'--grids?  They'll be supporting hanging gardens soon. The plants have been grown and are ready to pop in.

Modular units such as the one on the left will be planted and hung on the grids.   When finished the larger grid will look something like a kelp bed does when you snorkle over it, says Brian Sullivan, the director of horticulture and garden operations at Descanso and the designer of the Sturt Haaga Gallery gardens.  "

"A ribbon effect, loose and flowing."  The smaller grid will be "painted" in a complimentary pattern, also wave shaped but with tighter plants.

Because the support system for the modules is slightly angled, the finished products will look like giant paintings propped against the wall, says Sullivan.  And, like exhibitions in a gallery, the "paintings" will not be permanent.  New versions will be substituted every year or so.

Thought it looked to me like Sullivan had a lot to do before the grand opening of the Gallery on September 16, he says they're right on schedule. 

Though he promised to send me photos as soon as these grids are planted, I was too jazzed about the project to wait.  So consider this a teaser.  When his completion photos arrive, I'll do a follow-up.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

Would you like more information about using native grasses in the landscape to reduce irrigation needs, prevent erosion, and enhance wildlife habit?  If so, you might be interested in the workshops the California Native Grasslands Association is holding on September 29th at Fallbrook, CA and on September 30th in Arcadia,CA.  The all-day workshop is open to both professionals and homeowners.   There is more information on the CNGA website and you can register there as well. 

Need a landscape designer but don't know any?  Monrovia can help.  The wholesale grower has added a new feature on its website to help homeowners and landscape professionals connect. 

Enter your zip code, narrow the search by choosing a style (Contemporary or Cottage, for instance) or an expertise (edibles, meadows) and a list of professionals comes up with links to their websites.  Pretty handy.  Click here for a trial run.

Wish you could visit the gardens of some of your favorite garden bloggers?  I have.  Rueben Munoz of the Rancho Reubidoux blog is high on my list.  The below photo, shot by TK, shows why.  I love the way Rueben makes arid look stylish. 

Photo by Mitchel Maher

Maher shot more of Reuben's garden and turned the results into a cool video.  Click here to take a look.

While you're on Reuben's site, read about this wonderfully shaggy living wall he saw at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Los Angeles.  More about it here.

By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

The Garden Designers Roundtable (a panel of professional landscape and garden designers who blog monthly on a chosen topic) are joining forces with the Lawn Reform Coalition (a group of gardening and environmental advocates promoting change in lawn use and maintenance) are joining forces today to discuss alternatives to the common lawn. 

A total of 21 bloggers from all corners of the US and from England will participate, including several from our blog roll -- Billy Goodnick of Garden Wise Guy; Ivette Soler, the Germinatrix; Susan Harris of Garden Rant, and Susan Morrison of Blue Planet Garden Blog.

Lots of opinionated people--and that's a good thing.  Should be interesting. Click here to go there now.

When you're through, come back and look through this portfolio of 21 "Lose the Lawn" projects on our website.