This prickly pear is a heritage cactus from Humboldt County, California. For many years, it lived in a container on the porch of a house less than a mile from the ocean in the north coast town of McKinleyville, CA, until it was brought over to Reno as a gift. For several years, it was assumed that since the cactus had been growing in the mild, wet climate of the north coast, it would need to be brought indoors each year before the killing frost. One year, as an experiment, a cutting of the cactus was left outside. This led to the discovery that this fleshy, soft green cactus does indeed take the cold Reno winters, no problem.

It takes a certain interest, but growing cactus plants can be incredibly rewarding as they are strange and amazingly varied and surprisingly easy to take care of. We carry hardy cactus that thrive outdoors in our part of the world. Come in and see our selection.

If you find the tape too tight, as it is in this photo, you can replace it with new tape, or if the tree is now well trained and strong enough to stand up on its own, you can remove the tape and the support pole all together.

Many young trees are planted such that they are susceptible to wind. In such cases, support is often needed. But, if your tree is protected from the wind, support might be unnecessary.

If you are planning on planting trees, come talk to us.

Gaillardia pulchella (Blanket Flower or Indian Blanket Flower) is a favorite amongst xeric gardeners as the plant is drought resistant, easy to grow from seed, and it produces a nice sized, beautiful flower. This plant also blooms late, usually mid-June, and blooms constantly throughout the summer into the fall.

Blanket Flower will self-seed, too, but is also easy to control. Gardeners and landscapers often grow Blanket Flowers in mass, for the wild field or meadow effect.

We sell Blanket Flower seeds and starter plants. Supplies are limited. Stop in to our nursery and see what what we have today.

It is easy to grow Ratibida Columnaris from seed. To get a jump start, you can sprout the seeds indoors early March. By May they should transplant easily.

Like many wildflowers, Ratibida Columnaris demands full sun and enjoys hot, dry, south facing locations. Truly a xeric plant without a need for excessive water or rich soil. This wildflower also attracts butterflies and blooms well after many wildflowers have withered and died. The flowers are good for cutting, too, and will last a week in a vase of water.

We carry Ratibida Columnaris seeds, but quantities are limited. We carry many native wildflower seeds in single specie packets or mixed. Come in and see our unique selection.

The rose petal sauce has a creamy texture with a sweet, nutty taste, especially with distinctive hints of spicy rose and almond. The chef stressed that a successful sauce depends upon several factors, not excluding the mood the chef is in when the sauce is prepared. The roses need to be fresh, long stemmed, fragrant and perhaps most importantly, chemical free. Also, in the tradition of the mythology that surrounds this rose sauce recipe, the guests were warned that they might fall, again and maybe repeatedly, in love.

This red yucca is now in bloom. The flower is from an eight year old plant. This year it has sent up seven, 4' tall flower stalks. Its biggest production was nine stalks a few years back after a Truckee River flooding winter in Reno. Our recent spring had good water so seven stalks is expected.

This beautiful yucca enjoys a well drained soil in a sunny location, preferably with a southern exposure. When young, it transplants easily and is perfect for rock gardens and xeric landscapes. It also works well as a bush, offering an interesting contrast to an otherwise conventional garden layout.

Certainly, if you like the desert look, this yucca, with its long lasting flowers in the summer and its interesting foliage in the winter snow, will give you enjoyment for years to come.

We have several varieties of yucca, euphorbias and cacti. Come in and see what we have.

Some gardeners prefer the Black Hollyhock flower because of its strange deep red-wine shadows. The flower, some say, compensates for the so-called "weed-like" appearance of the foliage. Other gardeners love the foliage, taking the Hollyhock for all that it is.

This particular flower began opening today. Once a single stalk, now spread to five tall stocks covered with buds, this Hollyhock adds interest to a retaining wall, poised to offer many days of new summertime blooms.

This particular plant had its first home away from the nursery on a slope facing south with a full day of hot and dry exposure. It became obvious the first season that the plant would enjoy life some place else. Next year, the plant was relocated to a full morning sun spot against a retaining wall on the western edge of the property. Enjoying its third season in this spot, the Hollyhock has done much better, filling in a four foot swath. Here, though, it's obvious the plant would like more sun. It now gets more water and is cooler, but it wants more sun. Nonetheless, it does get along quite well without a full day's sun, even though perhaps the plant is a bit taller and the leaves more sparse than they might be otherwise.

The Black Hollyhock will most certainly give your garden party guests something to admire, enjoy and chat about.

We've had an incredible spring this year here in northern Nevada with plenty of rain and cool weather for growing our springtime vegetables like peas, spinach and the various lettuces. For the garden peas, the pods ripen up the plant. For edible-pod peas, you can eat them at any time before the peas even begin to ripen.

If you've never grown peas -- either garden peas or edible-pod peas -- when picking pods from the plant, be sure to use both hands when detaching the pod: hold the stem with one hand, pull the pod off with the other. If you don't support the stem with your hand, you can easily pull the entire plant out of the ground. Unless this is what you intend, as by the last harvest, it's easiest to simply uproot the entire plant. This makes picking easier and also creates space for new, more heat loving plants to grow.

The proud owner of this fine, potted Beaver Tail Cactus was so happy this spectacular flower opened on the first day of summer. "That it just so happened to bloom on the first day of summer," he said, "after all the hootin' and hollerin' we did on the solstice, just makes me happy."

This particular specimen lives in a medium sized, 14 inch clay pot on a ledge that gets only morning sun. Due to the sun limitation, this plant didn't produce an abundance of flowers like others in the ground just feet away, around the corner on a south slope. In fact, this flower is the only flower it produced this year, and it's perched on the furthest branch towards the sun.

Once established, this hardy cactus will propagate easily by clipping. Wearing garden gloves, simply snip an entire branch (a single 'beaver tail'), let it harden for a day or so in the shade without soil, then plant it in a porous planting medium made especially for growing cactus. If you're going to plant it in the ground, make sure the soil is well drained, not clay. Cactus will drown if they sit in soggy soil. If the soil tends towards clay, don't try to mend the problem by adding pure sand. Instead, dig out a space large enough to completely replace the clay. Brew up a nice recipe for an average, sandy soil; replace the old clay with your new Cactus Delight, a soil especially delicious to Beaver Tail (and other cacti). They will pay you back with flowers like this!

In the spirit of Wikipedia, we conjure up the past to speak about an event that our myopic post-postmodern society typically shields us from experiencing: The solstitium, the sun's momentary standstill.

The ancient philosopher, natural historian and astronomer, Pliny, wrote about the solstitium in his now famous work, Natural History. The word literally means 'The sun stands still' and from a certain perspective, maybe from a geocentric, existential phenomenological perspective, perhaps it's true.

Now, Pliny was a citizen of the ancient Roman Empire where their philosophers were known to stare at the sun, but for gardeners all over the northern half of the globe, today is a major day of celebration, full of water witching festivals, bonfires and barbecues, the harvesting and perhaps most telling: the venerated feasting on the last of the cool weather, springtime vegetables.

Most of us no longer look at the sun, at least not directly in the eye. But we still turn to the sun for its power to make us happy. As with many traditions dating back to the first cultures, we learn a few things, one being how to grow food enough for feasting. To which we celebrate each year, the "return of the sun" full of promise that all our warm days will be filled with happy, productive plants leaving humans with much time and health for singing, reveling and all types of dancing.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Stanleya pinnata -- Prince's Plume -- is a beautiful flowering subshrub native to the west and often seen growing in the rocky mountains of the Great Basin desert. A perfect xeric plant because of its ability to thrive in very arid, rocky and sandy soils.

This image was taken this week in a dry canyon in Hidden Valley Park, just east of Reno. The flowers appear in early May and last past the summer solstice. Give it a couple growing seasons in a sunny, dry spot and you'll have a local favorite soon showing off each spring for your friends and neighbors.

The beautiful, adorable Armadillidum vulgare, such a whimsical and appropriate name for this little garden go getter. Although they are not related, the Armadillidum does resemble the Armadillo, especially in the ability to roll up into a tight armored ball when messed with. Not an insect, but rather an isopod, more like a lobster, the love of moisture being one of their big characteristics in common. The meaning of an Armadillidum can be summed up in a single word: decomposition. This word describes the product of their labor. They are in cahoots with the earthworms in their sheer dedication to the creation of richer and richer soil. At night they work tirelessly at cleaning up the layer of debris at the soil's surface. Supply the tidy Armadillidum with some organic debris and sufficient moisture and be assured, your garden soil wins.

There are complaints and reports of Armadillidum eating plants instead of garbage. This can be the case. They will occasionally enjoy a night out at the expense of a young strawberry plant, or some other tender delicacy. But, their dining of this kind is minimal in comparison to other pests in the garden. In fact, Armadillidum is often blamed for the damage done by insects better at hiding their presence from humans. If you have plants that are being attacked at night, wait up and inspect the plants while it's dark out. You'll catch the culprit this way and better know what to do about it. Earwigs and other crawling, leaf eating insects can be a much bigger problem than this little roly-poly, garden friend, the Armadillidum.

Note: Gardeners often use diatomaceous earth as a clever, organic, non-chemical pest control for ants, earwigs and other crawling insects. Be very careful if you are tending a herd of Armadillidum for their composting abilities, as they too will succumb to the awesome powers of diatomaceous earth.

This year is amazing, but every year seems to produce a spectacular display of wine-purple flowers. No fuss and you get a beautiful cactus with tips covered in blooms. The branches are spectacular, too. Classic Cholla. The fruit clings in yellow with green. Pick them off for various uses, including propagation. Plant this cactus in a well drained, southern slope with the intent of full direct sunlight. It will be bush size a few seasons from now. Truly Xeric.

In the southwest, cholla skeletons are used to make lamps, picture frames and other items. The cholla in the Mojave Desert is called "Jumping Cholla" or "Hitchhike Cactus" because the stems so easily dislodge themselves from the host, migrating on the backs of fur or wool bearing animals. The stems of this particular Cylindropuntia don't break off so easily.

This evergreen cactus adds winter interest to your rock garden. It can be grown as a barrier plant. It's also one of the last cactus blooms in our area, extending the cactus blooming season into the last days of June.

A few weeks ago, this small cactus began developing three flower buds on the very top of its single stem. The cactus has lived outdoors in a small terra-cotta pot for three winters and four springs. A slow grower, it is still only about two inches high by two inches wide. It is a very hardy little cactus that likes its winters cold and its summers sunny and warm.

After the recent night rain and next morning sun, the first cactus bud opened, revealing a big reason why throughout history, cactus plants have been thought to be gods. It was as if the fantastic world, for a short time, instantiated its presence by the surprising appearance of the little Pin Cushion Cactus flower, one of those moments when the world -- in this case, the Pin Cushion Cactus -- catches our attention and beckons us. So surely, if the various species of cacti are in fact, gods, then this flower is certainly the eye of this particular little god, a three eyed god, in fact, wide eyed for close to a week!

All gods aside, the privilege of having this miniature hardy cactus actually bloom, living outside all these years in a small terra-cotta pot -- it was sort of like an epiphany.

These roses opened this morning. It's hard not to feel that these beauties are reacting to that amazing night rain last night. It's hard to imagine a better day to wake up and be alive than a day after a night rain in June. These are for the famous Rose Petal Sauce, perfect because the roses are long stemmed, spicy fragrant, freshly opened and chemical free. The petals will help make a magical sauce that casts a spell on those who taste it.

Spring 2009 seems to be a happy year for Roses. They do like water and we've had a surprising amount of water the past few weeks. The roses you see here also got a nice dose of organic chicken manure early this spring. People are always 'treating the roses' as it goes, with one or other wonder chemical when for the most part, all they need is regular water and a periodic dose of organic chicken manure (we carry the manure). That way you can eat them, both petals and hips. As a side note: when inspecting your roses, if you see aphids, squish them by gently rubbing the rose bud between your fingers. Or feed the aphids to your pet Lady Bugs.

There are some very nice rose specimens on the UNR campus. Don't eat them.

By June, foresightful gardeners are in love with all their plants. The relationship between plant and care taker is by now in full swing of development. In many ways, the relationship becomes less complex; the plant is now able to take care of itself in ways that were not possible before. But the relationship becomes more complex, too, in how the emotional dynamics between plant and human deepen.

Having been provided real possibilities conducive to healthy growth, each individual plant, well fed and watered, is by mid June growing into their reserved place as the center of their very own Gartenwelt. The gardener observes this and through awareness of the growth and filling in of space, sees the void. At that moment, the roll of gardener becomes meaningful in a way unlike that of nurturer. Suddenly a teleological entity is present adding a thoroughly human, aesthetic dimension to the garden world. The discovery reveals yet another way the gardener gardens the garden's future. Who would have thought that the Gartenwelt would transform the gardener into an actual teleological force that conjures the future through decisions that materialize space with life? Our responsibility is great.

So by now, the spaces without plants begin to show themselves. A trained eye can see it since not all empty spaces should be filled with more than emptiness itself. Still, in relation and calculation with or against the plants now there, thriving nearby, the gardener interprets such unintended empty space, and by doing so imagines the ideal companion plant. Not always adamant, and open to discoveries not yet imagined, the gardener sets out toward the nursery with a goal in mind.

Ah, to find the perfect plant. Visit one of our nurseries. Find what will fill in the last remaining uninhabited places of your Gartenwelt.

Yesterday we had more afternoon thunderstorms moving through the valley from the Southwest. The storms were making it over the Sierra ridge then floating Northeast, each one bumping against and rolling over the ridge above Hidden Valley Park.

We waited in the park under a metal canopy while the storm passed. After the rain let up, we started hiking toward the tail of the storm. Everything above us was with sun and broken clouds.

We hiked up quite a ways, far enough to be able to explore both stream beds after the confluence. From our report: The pinyon and juniper forest looks well watered. The grasses are green, wild plants are green and developing flower heads. The pussytoes are plump, vibrant and perky. We came across water seeps with grasses and what looked like a type of wild sweet pea. We also saw many flowering James Buckwheat and some spectacular Prince's Plume.

It was hard not to notice how much the plants were enjoying the recent rain.

Leaving Plants Alone

Many plants in Nevada are controlled. That is, there are laws governing ways in which certain plants in Nevada are treated. The spirit of this being that the desert is fragile. Scientists are in the field watching, gathering statistics for assessing the current situation. The scientists provide studied and informed recommendations that promote a rational approach to the wild/urban interplay. For those who want to protect fragile communities, the prospect of respecting protections are just that -- respect written into law. It's about supporting the intention to prolong and thereby protect the desert. The desert of whom the spirit speaks.

Even by now, if you've been growing parsley and cilantro this spring, even by seed, you'll probably notice that these plants begin to exhaust themselves early. The best thing to do is to replace the old plants with new starts.

If you cook with parsley and cilantro like most chefs, you use a lot of these two herbs. The thing to do is to keep two pots of each rotating between mid and late stages of maturity.

Between the two herbs, it's much easier to grow cilantro from seed. It sprouts readily and grows quickly. For either or both, some gardener/chefs avoid the patience necessary to grow plants from seed. Instead, they rotate with four inch starter plants. It's up to you.

There is something good about having parsley and cilantro growing close by, waiting for a moment when fresh ingriedients are especially important. Like any twilight evening right about now.

Reports are coming in that the Lady Bugs are now active. We have Lady Bugs for sale at our Reno nursery. Lady Bugs are veracious aphid eaters. Plus they're adorable and fun to watch.

Update

As of 06/16/2009, It's definite, Lady Bugs are out and about. Some gardeners release Lady Bugs into selected and/or enclosed garden spaces. Nothing guarantees that the Lady Bugs will stay where you release them. Some gardeners plan elaborate release parties. With release parties, if the Lady Bugs decide not to stay, or if they get blown about by unforeseen winds, at least everyone at the party gets the chance to see the Lady Bugs at least once before they're off defending the neighborhood.

Reports are coming in that the Praying Mantis pods are hatching. Keep an eye out. If you catch them just as they are leaving the pod, you can help them disperse. Gently approach them, letting them climb or hop onto your hand, then take them to different areas of your garden. Let them off in the foliage of a plant you hope they might protect. Praying Mantids tend to stay in the same place once they find a place they feel comfortable in.

The Praying Mantids are hatching in Reno. This one, about 1/2 inch long in this image (June 15, 2009), has found a backyard home. Once a mantis takes up residence in a plant, they typically will remain there until maturity, growing up to five inches in length by summer's end. Mantids will tolerate the presence of humans as long as they behave themselves. Find out more about this amazing garden predator. You will want a few of your own.

Primrose are hardy here, coming back year after year to open our hearts to springtime and the anticipation that the primrose brings.

This primrose blooms later, in June with strange, long lasting spikes of purple and violet. It's true. It's a primrose that can take a good dose of sun each day, but one that takes well to dappled shade or afternoon shade. Including the showy spiked flowers, this primrose grows to about 16 inches high with a 12 inch spread, but it can be crowded if you prefer.

The Blooms begin in June and last into July. The flower is even slightly fragrant. This plant works well in rock gardens and containers and contrasts well with yellow columbine and pink geranium. It prefers a rich soil that drains, but doesn't dry out. In the high desert, this primrose, like most primrose we know, does not like a hot, southern exposure. If you get the chance, you're lucky to get this primrose.

This yellow blooming Opuntia engelmannii (Cactus Apple) has been living in a container for over three years. The terra-cotta pot is shallow, with a 12 inch diameter. The plant has filled the space gracefully, growing its limbs over the edge, reaching out for more light and more land, if there were more.

What's nice about cacti in containers is that you can move them about the garden, showcasing them when in bloom, providing more light, etc. They don't take as much water as other potted plants, although they do enjoy a drink after drying out a bit.

This cactus, like most, do respond to the early spring weather. In april, some rain clouds make it over the Sierra ridge top. The desert gets a drink. With the perfect amount of water, the wildflowers and cactus flowers appear in abundance. Our magical desert blooms.

Coreopsis is that bright yellow-orange flowering perennial that starts its blooming extravaganza late May and blooms through the summer.

The bright flowers last for a couple days where deadheading does much to prolong the blooming season as well as make the plant look vibrant and at its peak. This plant will grow in a variety of well drained soils. It likes sun, but will endure some shade. This hardy perennial can be divided as well as propagated by seed.

If someone says to you that Coreopsis is common, don't take that to be something negative. Coreopsis is common because its preferences make it a companion plant for our local, a plant that, once established, can take care of itself. Coreopsis will delight you and your neighbors with happy flowers all summer into the fall.

Helichrysum augustifolium is a small, furry looking, very fragrant sage-green perennial that smells like curry cooking in your favorite Kadhai Paneer recipe. We received a small shipment of this unique plant recently and customers asked whether it's edible, medicinal or what.

So we did a little research. Come to find out, although nontoxic, Helichrysum angustifolium isn't known or used as an edible herb, especially one that would take the place of curry spice. Rather, it is known for its medicinal value. Native to lands touching the Mediterranean Sea, this delicious smelling herb has been used as a tea for tending to lung ailments, and steeped for essential oils to be mixed and diluted with other plant oils, such as sweet Imperial Valley Almond, to make skin creams for countering the effects of the sun or other burn sources. As a skin cream, it is said to have a positive, calming and preserving effect on sensitive skin.

That's what Curry Plant lovers say. For the love of simply growing Helichrysum angustifolium, it does well, both as a ground cover and as a container plant. If given ideal conditions (a good, well drained soil with plenty of sun, a periodic but controlled water schedule and some of that old time green interest and attention), it will produce little beautiful yellow flowers on top of its equally beautiful silvery foliage.

There is also Helichrysum Italicum, which may or may not be the same plant. This one, too, is not used as a spice for curry flavor; the essential oil is its utility. Both types work well and look great in a xeric theme. The added characteristic that makes this plant even more fun is that it makes its garden spot smell simply, gastronomically delicious, something you can consider when deciding its location.

The Cholla cactus grows big and bush-like here. There is one growing at the entrance to the Virginia Street nursery that has been there for many years. They are great for large rock gardens and grown as barriers against what ever needs to be barred.

This hardy evergreen perennial covers itself with deep purple buds and new growth, blooming in mid June for days on end.

The resulting fruit clings to the plant, but can be picked off with long tongs, then planted either in the ground or in containers. The branches can also be broken off using long tongs and thick layers of news paper, replanted. Newly transplanted branches are known to flower the very same year. Or you can separate branches just before the blooms are about to open. In fact, they will take just about any abuse when replanting. The thing they don't like is soil that won't drain.

There's an ode to a cactus flower; talks about how thorny life is, and yet exquisitely beautiful and gentle. There's a song that reminds us how happy we humans can be, especially in spring, in warm sunshine filled days with flowers blooming and songbirds singing.

This particular Prickly Pear has been living in its spot for over four years. It loves a well drained, sunny spot facing south. This is a perfect rock garden plant for Northern Nevada. And once established, it pretty much enjoys the weather here.

50 Great Curries of India, Tenth Anniversary Edition

by Camellia Panjabi

Twice as many recipes to conjure the perfect Indian curry dish. As you would expect, a continuum is represented here, from classic to obscure. The author attempts an introduction beyond simply following the recipe. Panjabi wants the chef to understand the philosophy and the alchemy of a factual curry.