It is not unusual for people to stop in front of Carla Serra and Gary Ackerman’s home in Wilhaggin just to admire the corner lot’s lush landscape. Elegant Japanese maples dot a curving berm edged with decorative rock. Showy, colorful annuals and perennials, in varying heights and textures, take turns blossoming with each season. Grapevines twist up a white arbor that frames a stately row of windows, bedecking a comfortably appointed porch.
Last July, we had 11 triple-digit days, some topping 105 degrees. Such hot weather makes me want to stay inside, close the shades and sip a cool drink. However, gardeners know that plants need attention now more than ever. July is the peak time for water to evaporate from the soil and transpire from the plants, so we must be vigilant about watering. We also need to protect plants from heat and sun, monitor for pests, remove spent flowers, keep rampant growth in check and harvest regularly.
This month, Tim Collom Gallery presents “Go Figure,” featuring figurative works by Leslie Rock, Melinda Cootsona and Margarita Chaplinska and other gallery artists. Shown on this cover is a figurative work by Leslie Rock. Tim Collom Gallery is at 915 20th St.; timcollomgallery.com
“Raised in an agricultural community, my love of the land and countryside has not diminished, but has become the subject of my work. Whether the focus is on a single succulent or a view of the valley, my bottom line is I love to paint.” She studied Art at UC San Diego, Sacramento City College and UC Davis and lives and works in Land Park. Visit suetorngren.com
Eduardo Carrillo (1937–1997) Testament of the Holy Spirit, 1971, oil on panel, 47 3/4 x 60 in. This painting is part of a special exhibit of the same name at the Crocker Art Museum running through Oct. 7, 2018. Carrillo’s artwork has been described as mystical, realistic, surreal, and visionary. His imagery, whether grounded in the everyday world or infused with magical realism, reflects his relationship to his native California and to his Mexican heritage, as well as to his early religious upbringing and respect for European traditions in art.
