Feb 28, 2023
Gardening myths are rooted in folklore and legend. Deceptive and misleading, gardening myths swing from harmful to amusing. Either way, science and research are ignored for a fanciful tale or preposterous concoction.
For instance, an ant swarm is necessary for peonies to bloom. Not true. Ants are attracted by the bud’s sweet secretions and have no blooming superpowers.
Planting a bare butt on soil to test for the perfect temperature is a classic farmer’s tale. If the soil feels “comfortable” and neighbors have not called the police, time to plant! If you must test with a bare behind, get a second opinion from a more reliable soil thermometer.
Jan 28, 2023
Blake and Christine Dugger were married in 2000 and now have three children, Ashby, 11, Penelope, 8, and Crosby, 4½. The kids attend Sacred Heart Parish School. When the school’s fundraiser Holiday Home Tour returned this past December (after a two-year hiatus), the family was ready to showcase its newly remodeled house.
“Four years ago, we moved into this vintage home,” Christine says. “We lived previously at 45th and D streets in a small, two-bedroom home. We made plans to remodel and expand to accommodate our growing family. We were not even looking for another place.
“My youngest was just a baby, and on a stroller walk I spotted the open house for this home. After a quick tour I called Blake and said we needed to buy this house. It had charm, space and everything we had ever hoped for.”
Jan 28, 2023
Comfy bed pillow, cherished hoodie, coffee with a splash of cream are creature comforts. Familiarity and habits are not demanding. Change is the boogeyman that can stir anxiety and uncertainty.
Perhaps your Sacramento landscape has evolved into a relic, a ’65 Rambler in a Tesla world. Maybe it’s time for change?
Our beloved city enters another season of gardening, signaling renewal and an opportunity to plan for a modern landscape. Increasing cost, scarcity of water and changes in weather patterns make it obvious things aren’t the same.
Dec 28, 2022
Buried beneath a parking lot, compressed and denied sunlight and water for decades, this dirt presents a gardening horror story to send chills down a rake handle.
In the 1930s, Sutter Memorial Hospital was constructed at 5151 F St. The buildings were demolished in 2016, the land redeveloped and christened Sutter Park.
Cecily and Jim Hastings purchased a quarter acre lot and built a spectacular contemporary home where the hospital’s paved, overflow parking lot once existed. The home was designed by their friend and former neighbor Tyler Babcock, AIA.
Nov 28, 2022
Navel oranges, plump, juicy and begging to be plucked, are ripening in Sacramento. Anticipating a morning harvest, it’s not uncommon to discover hollowed-out orange peels clinging to the tree or scattered underneath. The nocturnal spoiler is probably a rat.
Desperate and unhappy home gardeners often pose this question to UC Master Gardeners and nursery folks: “What is eating all my (fill in the blank).” Few urban gardeners are spared the carnage of critters snacking on fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Rats, squirrels and birds are common suspects. We are spared, for the most part, by more voracious garden pests—deer, gophers, moles and rabbits.
Nov 28, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour returns to East Sacramento’s Fab 40s the first weekend of December.
One of the most historic and visible homes in the neighborhood will open its doors with new owners and beautiful upgrades.
After a long courtship, Cindy Ward Escott and Rich Escott married in February and purchased the 3,550-square-foot home in May. Cindy moved from 43rd Street, while Rich sold his home in Rocklin.
