Cara Hanstein
Cara Hanstein is a head gardener at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. She has worked in horticulture for over 20 years. Before diving into the world of plants, she studied interior design and art in San Francisco. She loves veggie gardening and the native flora of Southern California.
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Southwest Regional ReportsShopping-List Plants for Southern California
Little kids have Christmas. Gardeners have spring. To anyone who loves plants, this is the most wonderful time of the year. As warmer weather approaches, gardeners across the country eagerly anticipate…
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Southwest Regional ReportsSouthern California November Garden To-Do List
The weather is finally reliably cooler now in Southern California, and our attention is shifting from heat and wind protection to tucking our gardens in with new plants and fresh…
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Southwest Regional ReportsIndoor Gardening in Southern California
Tending to houseplants can be a rewarding experience for any plant enthusiast. I discovered a love of houseplants while far along in my pregnancy here in Southern California. It was…
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Southwest Regional ReportsAn Edible Garden With a Twist
Within the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, where I work, there lies a secret, lesser-known garden. The James P. Folsom Experimental Ranch, named for…
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Southwest Regional ReportsFirewise Gardening in Southern California
With so many Southern California neighborhoods adjacent to the foothills, it's important to address fire safety in our landscape. Many residents near the foothills are forced to act on clearance…
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Southwest Regional ReportsNative Grasses for Southern California
Our gardens can be a tapestry of colors, shapes, and textures, and a fresh design takes all of these elements into consideration. But when I want a plant that hits…
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Southwest Regional ReportsNative Understory Plants for California Oaks
One of our iconic trees here in Southern California is the oak (Quercus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–11). Whether they are grown as stand-alone specimens or in a grove, the…
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Southwest Regional ReportsNative Salvias for Southern California
In spring, many of our wild spaces are in bloom, and many of those flowering plants are native salvias (Salvia spp. and cvs., Zones 5–11) that can be easily incorporated…
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Southwest Regional ReportsThe Best Citrus Trees for Southern California
Here in Southern California, many of us are fortunate enough to be surrounded by citrus trees. While many citrus trees are facing an unknown future with the spread of citrus…
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Southwest Regional ReportsFocal-Point Palms for Southern California
We are fortunate in Southern California to be able to feature a variety of striking palms in our gardens. Often used as solitary specimens, these grasslike plants are worth investigating…
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