Rachel Young
As an ecologist, who studied California native plants before working in horticulture, Rachel approaches landscape design and maintenance from a holistic perspective, taking into account the overlapping needs of people, plants, and wildlife in urban ecosystems. She is the former director of horticulture and garden operations at Descanso Gardens, in La Cañada, California and is currently focused on teaching and researching in the fields of organic horticulture, rainwater and watershed conservation, and public parks and urban green space planning and management.
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Southern California Regional ReportsRegional Picks: Short Plants – Southern California
See regional picks for short plants, and read the article by Steve Aitken for even more ideas. “As I began amassing countless short varieties, only some of which worked in…
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Southern California Regional ReportsStarting Fall and Winter Vegetables From Seed
By midsummer you should be knee-deep in tomatoes, beans, zucchini, and peppers, so it can be hard to remind yourself to shop for seeds for your next season of vegetable…
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Southern California Regional ReportsGrowing Succulents for Color
As temperatures soar, all the grass in the neighborhood begins to brown, and you have to deadhead your flowers a day after they bloom, it feels like you’d do almost…
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Southern California Regional ReportsFall-Planted Bulbs and Corms for Southern California
Bulbs and corms that originate in a Mediterranean climate are some of the best-performing but least-known plants for Southern California. There are hundreds of species of incredible bulbs from California,…
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Southern California Regional ReportsRepotting House Plants
July weather is hot and dry, so why not stay inside with the air-conditioning or a fan and catch up on your indoor gardening? Indoor plants need love too, so…
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Southern California Regional ReportsCare Tips for Drought-Deciduous Native Plants
As the rains end and June gloom rolls by, things start to dry up in the garden, and many of your favorite drought-deciduous native plants, such as ‘Bee’s Bliss’ salvia…
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Southern California Regional ReportsCaring for Camellias
Spring has arrived, and we are on our way to summer, so most gardeners are not thinking about their camellias (Camellia spp. and cvs., Zones 6-10). However, May and June,…
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Southern California Regional ReportsWater-Wise Rose Care
Gardeners love cut flowers. And there is nothing more satisfying than growing your own cut flowers. With the heavy carbon footprint of imported roses, as well as the difficulty in…
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Southern California Regional ReportsFour Plants For Early Summer Color
It may feel odd to think about summer right now. But, there are several plants that you can plant out now that will ensure that your early summer garden is…
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Southern California Regional ReportsSeed-Starting Tips for Southern California
It’s April, and as the soil starts to warm up after winter, it's time to get your vegetable seeds planted. The tricky question is when to plant. The Los Angeles…
