If you are ready to venture into the world of exotic tropical fruit, consider planting a tree from the annonaceae or custard-apple family. Several tasty species are available and grow well here in ...

When it comes to selecting a thriller plant for your mixed container, I think it is hard to beat a banana. They have the ability to instantly capture the imagination of all who gaze upon them and ...

The tropics is home to a great many plant species with flamboyantly colorful flowers and foliage. This may raise an eyebrow or two, but perhaps it’s time we temperate climate gardeners toss our ...

Now that the heat and humidity have our attention, so do tropical blooms. The queen of them all - the saucy hibiscus - takes the summer garden to another latitude. Of the more than 200 species in the ...

Matt Spinetta’s artistic eye and love of tropical, exotic and rare or endangered plants has boldly influenced his Novato garden. A San Rafael native and veteran ...

The first time you see a Japanese emperor oak (Quercus dentata ‘Pinnatifida’) you’ll be convinced it’s a tropical houseplant. That’s because the leaves on this amazing little tree are so heavily ...

LAGUNA BEACH Joanie Rowe had the walls at the back of her vintage 1951 cottage removed and replaced with glass just to have a direct and constant view of her backyard island paradise. “Whenever people ...