Fionuala Campion
Fionuala has loved the outdoors her whole life, with her passion for gardening beginning while playing and growing in the childhood gardens of her native Ireland. After moving to California over 30 years ago, she is the owner/manager of Cottage Gardens of Petaluma, a specialty nursery in NorCal. From this platform she shares her love of growing plants and transforming landscapes, while continuing to design and maintain gardens for clients. Having raised four kids with an appreciation for nature and the outdoors, and successfully sent them on their way with remarkable weeding skills, Fionuala now lives in the countryside of Petaluma with her dogs, hens, ducks and heritage hogs.
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Northern California Regional ReportsClay Soil? No Problem!
Soil is a complex mix of organic materials, mineral particles, living organisms, moisture, and chemical nutrients. Its texture and ability to support plant growth depends on the size of its…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Northern California: January Garden To-Do List
Though January is often the coldest and dampest month of the year for Northern Californian gardeners, it's also the perfect time for tidying up after last year, readying your garden…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Deterring Gophers in Northern California
Sadly, many Northern California gardeners have watched in dismay as a much-loved plant was hauled underground, disappearing before their eyes as it became a victim of a pocket gopher. This…
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Design
7 Easy Fruit Trees to Grow Right in Your Own Backyard
The main problem with many of the dwarf fruit trees available is that the fruit they produce rarely matches up to that of their full-size counterparts. Research continues, though, with…
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How-To
How to Grow Dwarf Fruit Trees
Growing your own orchard fruits in the backyard is extremely rewarding and gives you an empowering sense of resiliency. It reduces your carbon footprint (that luscious peach you’re biting into…
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How-To
How to Prune Dwarf Fruit Trees
Given the challenges of true dwarfing rootstocks (toppling and high moisture needs), many gardeners may choose a variety with a semi-dwarfing rootstock instead. That can be a good move. Semi-dwarfing…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Northern California December Garden To-Do List
December is a quiet, restful month for most gardeners in Northern California. It’s a time for browsing seed, rose, and dahlia catalogs, reviewing the past year's gardening successes, and dreaming…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Northern California November Garden To-Do List
In November the days are even shorter, the cold has set in, and with any luck, rains are a regular occurrence. Most gardeners are less inclined to spend time outdoors,…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Spectacular, Stress-Free Salvias for Northern California
Salvias (Salvia spp. and cvs., Zones 5–11), or sages, can be grown for medicinal, culinary, or ornamental use. For gardeners wishing to beautify their ornamental beds and borders, there are…
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Northern California Regional Reports
Enchanting Evening Fragrances for Northern California
After a hectic day's work, a gardener unwinds quickest with a relaxing visit to the garden. We stroll pathways, peruse perennial borders, and perhaps harvest veggies or blooms to bring…
