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.

  • Shrubs for Small Spaces in California
    Southwest Regional Reports

    Shrubs for Small Spaces in California

    Mark Weathington, director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, discusses several small shrub varieties that provide big interest in a petite package as…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Regional 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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Starting 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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Growing 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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Fall-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,…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Repotting Houseplants

    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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Care 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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Caring 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,…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Water-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…

  • Southwest Regional Reports

    Four 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…