#hillside gravel water fountain landscape. water feature

[themesbynaeive]

Sacramento Landscape Gravel

[maxiwoodworks]

How to Create a Serene Landscape

Making a peaceful scenery in your garden is similar to painting a portrait of serenity. The task is about designing a relaxing space that allows you to enjoy the natural scenery. Yeah, seriously! 

Even if you have a small space to chill, you can use your creativity to create a serene spot. 

Decorative Pebbles for Gardens are great because they're versatile and easy to work with. They can create a calm atmosphere in any space, making your yard look more beautiful.

Incorporate Gentle Water Features

Water features are an important aspect of creating a peaceful environment in a landscape. Water sounds can relax us and make our minds calm down. You can also add a small fountain or pond in my garden. These features chaotically add a calming sound and wildlife. Thus, the ambiance is equally noisy and peaceful.

Just to make it more beautiful and eye-catching, we can use stones as a part of landscape design beside the water body. They not only add a natural touch to the make-up but also keep up with the facial features. Finding Custom Woodworking Near Meis not that hard; many landscape supply stores have a lot of pebbles choices.

Curate Mindful Hardscaping

Serenity comes from mindfully curating structural features conducive to mental clarity. Create designated meditation spaces by arranging pebbles landscape supplies around fire pits or open clearings. Or carve shallow benches into hillsides overlooking gardens for quiet contemplation. Hardscaping tailored to reflection centers attention inward.

Plant Restorative Gardens

Carefully selected botanicals also nourish the spirit. Relaxing, sweetly scented lavender paths welcome mindful strolling while vibrant roses, heliconias and orchids delight senses with joyful blooms. Trees like willows and Japanese maples artfully frame special vignettes for pause. Herb planters filled with calming chamomile, mint, and lemon balm infuse purposeful planting.

Border with Natural Stone Elements

Use local stones, rocks, and pebbles to separate restorative zones from busy play areas. The sandstone is local and sedimentary. It borders the garden beds neatly. It gives an authentic Aussie feel. White Pebbles for Landscaping or Pennsylvania bluestone can be used to indicate retreat boundaries with elegance. Integrating thoughtful stones creates mindset shifts.

Add Tactile Walking Paths

Wandering freely engages the spirit differently than static sitting. Create attractive paths using decorative gravel or crushed limestone. These paths can lead through gardens, fruit tree groves, or beautiful views. Use big pavers with sea glass, marbles, or ceramic fragments for foot stimulation.

Allow “Unfinished” Sections

Japanese garden design principles embrace natural imperfections. They foster organic essence and aged charm. They prioritize these over contrived embellishments. You can dedicate landscape pockets to unfinished native grasses, wild ferns, or mini pine groves. This speaks to the subtleties of wabi-sabi. The flaws welcome balance in contrasting areas.

Conclusion

Balance and harmony are the keys to creating peaceful surroundings. It's like a combination of everything that will make you tranquil and serene. The mission of landscape design is to make use of different elements like bamboo leaves, water features or purflings to generate a calming environment. Oz Pebbles provides everything you require for your landscape design, be it decorative Walnut Dining Tableor natural decorative pebbles. So, it's not just about the space outside but also how we treat it.

[bethestaryouareradio]

Wildfire Protection through Landscaping

https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1507/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Wildfire-protection-through-landscaping.html

Digging Deep with Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian 

By Cynthia Brian

“Fire is never a gentle master.” Proverb

This past year most of our conversations have revolved around the pandemic, masking wearing, and questions about recovery and normalcy. With the impending drought, an urgent topic that is on the minds of Californians is the potential for wildfires. With increasing climate changes and the trend of global warming, it is not a matter of if we’ll be faced with fires, it is when. 

We can do our part to protect our property as best as possible through firescaping, a landscape design that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfire. While enhancing the beauty of the property and creating a defensible space, we surround the house with plants that are less likely to ignite. Fires respect no boundaries and fires don’t honor property lines. With enough heat, almost everything burns.

Our neck of the woods is rural and wooded. We have minimal escape routes and must be extra vigilant. Many of the plants and trees growing throughout our area are highly flammable including pines, cypress, cedar, fir, bamboo, acacia, juniper, Pampas grass, rosemary, ivy, arborvitae, miscanthus, and eucalyptus. Coyote brush, although moderately fire-resistant when it is young and green, is highly combustible as it grows. It depends on fires to regenerate and grows everywhere in our hills. These plants need to be removed or carefully supervised. Since heat moves up, fire speed and severity are stronger on slopes where vegetation management is crucial.

A defensible space is an area around a structure that has been cleared of ignitable debris and botanicals that may cause a public safety hazard. A watered, green lawn can be considered a defensible space. A large brick, stone, or gravel area could be part of a defensible space.

No plant is fireproof. 

Under the right conditions, every plant will burn, especially those that are drought-stressed or not maintained. Pruning of all plants makes them less flammable. A “fire-safe” plant means that it tends not to be a significant fuel source with a chemical composition that resists heat and combustion. It is critical to keep plants around our homes well-tended and pruned as a fire protection tool. The closer plants are to the house, the more care is needed. 

Every homeowner is responsible for managing their vegetation to meet Fire District requirements. For MOFD requirements, combustible materials must be two feet away from a structure and plantings no taller than two feet high. Low-growing ground coverings and green grass are suitable as well as river rock, gravel, or crushed granite. Trees that are within six feet of the structure need to be removed, specifically eucalyptus, pine, bamboo, and junipers.

Neighborhoods are encouraged to form a committee to receive advice from local fire professionals on how to be Fire Wise. Being Fire Wise is dependent on the diligence of everyone in a neighborhood to keep a property fire safe. All properties become indefensible when one neighbor has overgrown bushes, brush, or low hanging trees. Neighbors must protect neighbors by making certain their properties are maintained. Again, fires do not honor property lines.

Characteristics of highly flammable flora

o Dry and dead leaves, twigs, branches

o Abundant, dense foliage

o Needles

o Low moisture foliage

o Peeling, loose bark

o Gummy sap

o Leathery, dry, or aromatic leaves

o Content of terpene, oils, or resin

o Dry uncut grasses

Characteristics of reasonably fire-resistant plants?

o Hardy, slow-growing plants that don’t produce litter or thatch.

o Drought tolerant natives with internal high-water content. Generally, but not always, California natives are more tolerant of fire and deer.

o Trees with thick bark that restrict the growth of invasive shrub species and hardwood trees such as walnut, cherry, maple, and poplar are less flammable. Deciduous trees and shrubs are more fire-resistant because they have higher moisture content when in leaf, lower fuel volume when dormant, and usually do not contain flammable oils.

o Supple, moist leaves with little to no sap or resin residue.

o Low growing ground covers.

o Bulbs with dried leaves cut to the ground.

o What can you do now to create a more fire-resistant landscape?

o Include pavers, bricks, pavement, gravel, rocks, dry creek beds, fountains, ponds, pools, and lawns. 

o Select high moisture plants that grow close to the ground with a low sap and resin content

o Plant the right plant in the correct location. Leave space between plants.

o Minimize the inclusion of evergreen trees within thirty feet of structures. Clear the understory. Keep trees twenty feet away from chimneys. 

o Remove invasive species or swaths of flammable plants including ivy, rosemary, broom, coyote brush, chamise, and juniper.

o Keep mulch moist. Create zones of rock, brick, or gravel. Bark and leaves are not mulches recommended near structures.

o Prune trees 6-10 feet above the ground to hinder fire laddering.

o Keep appropriate clearance to reduce the threat of burning embers from decorative features such as gazebos, fences, sheds, porches, and junk areas.  

o Irrigate and maintain all flora, lawns, and hillsides. Clover, groundcovers, and grasses that are kept low and green are excellent alternatives. 

o Due to soil erosion, bare ground is not recommended.

Prone to Ignite Plants

If you have these specimens in your garden, prune and maintain appropriately or eliminate them.

Acacia

Arborvitae or Thuya

Bamboo

Greasewood or Chamise

French, Spanish, and Scotch Broom

Ivy

Cypress

Eucalyptus

Juniper

Burning Bush or Gas plant

Pampas Grass

Palm

Pine

Rosemary

Cedar

Douglas Fir

Coyote Bush

Pride of Madeira 

General Rules of Fire Safety

HEED the checklist from our local fire departments to create a defensible space around your home.  Follow fire district recommendations:

o Prevent embers from igniting your home by clearing leaves, needles, and debris from gutters, eaves, porches, and decks.

o Mow grasses and weeds.

o Keep your garden watered.

o Prune tree limbs to keep the lowest branches 6-10 feet from the ground.

o Reduce “fire fuel laddering” by not allowing bushes or trees to touch one another.

o Keep combustible materials 15-30 feet away from structures.

o Maintain your property and be alert for any fire danger.

Weed abatement must be completed by June 1st. Get out there and get your landscape more fire-resistant. We all have a responsibility to one another to help keep our community from experiencing a wildfire. 

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Be fire safe.

Photos: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1507/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Wildfire-protection-through-landscaping.html

Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, is available for hire to help you prepare for your spring garden. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy copies of her best-selling books, including, Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, Growing with the Goddess Gardener, and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Receive a FREE inspirational music DVD.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures.

Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

Listen to StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are! on the Voice America Radio Network Wednesdays 4-5pm PT LIVE or in the archives at https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2206/be-the-star-you-are

[goddessgardener]

Scary, Scary Night

by Cynthia Brian

“Starry, starry night Flaming flowers that brightly blaze Swirling clouds in violet haze.” Don McLean

In 1889, post-impressionist, Vincent Van Gogh, painted one of his most memorable paintings, The Starry Night, as he looked out of his asylum east window. On October 10, 2019, when I looked out our east window, the starry night was aglow with flames and they were not the brightly blaze of flaming flowers. Normally, I look forward to the month October because of the frivolity of Halloween. Costumes, candy, scarecrows, black cats, ghosts, ghouls, jack o ’lanterns, and trick or treating offer children a scary evening of amusement. It was a scary, scary night, but it was not Halloween.

The power was off and a fire erupted racing down the hill to a neighborhood fast asleep. Firefighters were swift and efficient evacuating the community and containing the inferno. Police officers assisted in maintaining peace and safety. Fortunately, all structures were saved and no injuries were incurred, thanks to the professional first responders. Gardens and landscapes survived the blaze with only a few fences being torched.

What homeowners need to know to be more fire-safe: Lamorinda is rural, wooded, with minimal escape routes. Many of the plants and trees growing throughout our area are highly flammable including pines, cypress, cedar, fir, bamboo, acacia, juniper, Pampas grass, rosemary, ivy, arborvitae, miscanthus, and eucalyptus. Coyote brush, although moderately fire-resistant when it is young and green, is highly combustible as it grows. It depends on fires to regenerate and grows everywhere in our hills. All of these plants need to be removed or carefully supervised. Since heat moves up, fire speed and severity is stronger on slopes where vegetation management is crucial.

Autumn is a prime time to prepare your landscaping for the next season and create a defensible space around your property. A defensible space is an area around a structure that has been cleared of ignitable debris and botanicals that may cause a public safety hazard. No plant is fireproof. Under the right conditions, every plant will burn, especially those that are drought-stressed or not maintained. A “fire-safe” plant means that it tends not to be a significant fuel source in itself with a chemical composition that resists heat and combustion. It is critical to keep plants around our homes well tended and pruned as a fire protection tool. The closer plants are to the house, the more care is needed. Every homeowner is responsible for managing their vegetation to meet Fire District requirements.

Neighborhoods are encouraged to form a committee to receive advice from local fire professionals on how to be Fire Wise. Being Fire Wise is dependent on the diligence of everyone in a neighborhood to keep property fire safe. Fires do not honor property lines. All properties become indefensible when one neighbor has overgrown bushes, brush, or low hanging trees.

What makes flora highly flammable? ϖ Dry and dead leaves, twigs, branches ϖ Abundant, dense foliage ϖ Needles ϖ Low moisture foliage ϖ Peeling, loose bark ϖ Gummy sap ϖ Leathery or aromatic leaves ϖ Content of terpene, oils, or resin ϖ Dry uncut grasses

What makes flora reasonably fire-resistant? ϖ Hardy, slow-growing plants that don’t produce litter or thatch. ϖ Drought tolerant natives with internal high water content. Generally, but not always, California natives are more tolerant of fire and deer. ϖ Trees with thick bark that restrict the growth of invasive shrub species and hardwood trees such as walnut, cherry, maple, and poplar are less flammable. Deciduous trees and shrubs are more fire resistant because they have higher moisture content when in leaf, lower fuel volume when dormant, and usually do not contain flammable oils. ϖ Supple, moist leaves with little to no sap or resin residue. ϖ Low growing ground covers. ϖ Bulbs with dried leaves cut to the ground.

What can you do now to create a more fire-resistant landscape? ϖ Include pavers, bricks, pavement, gravel, rocks, dry creek beds, fountains, ponds, pools, and lawns. ϖ Select high moisture plants that grow close to the ground with a low sap and resin content ϖ Plant the right plant in the correct location. Leave space between plants. ϖ Minimize the inclusion of evergreen trees within thirty feet of structures. Clear the understory. Keep trees twenty feet away from chimneys. ϖ Remove invasive species or swaths of flammable plants including ivy, rosemary, broom, coyote brush, chamise, and juniper. ϖ Keep mulch moist. Create zones of rock, brick, or gravel. Bark and leaves are not mulches recommended near structures. ϖ Prune trees 6-10 feet above the ground to hinder fire laddering. ϖ Keep appropriate clearance to reduce the threat of burning embers from decorative features such as gazebos, fences, sheds, porches, and junk areas. ϖ Irrigate and maintain all flora, lawns, and hillsides. Clover, groundcovers, and grasses that are kept low and green are excellent alternatives. ϖ Due to soil erosion, bare ground is not recommended.

Helpful Websites ϖ National Fire Protection Association: https://www.nfpa.org ϖ Moraga Orinda Fire District: http://www.mofd.org ϖ University of California Cooperative Extension: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Prepare/Landscaping/Plant_choice/ ϖ Fire Safe Marin: https://www.firesafemarin.org ϖ Pacific Northwest Fire Resistant Plants: http://www.firefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fire-Resistant-Plants.pdf ϖ Las Pilitas Nursery (Located in Santa Margarita, this website lists deer and fire-resistant flora plus burn times.) https://www.laspilitas.com/easy/deerfire.htm

Sign Up for Alerts ϖ Location-specific alert is Contra Costa County Community Warning System: https://cwsalerts.com

ϖ General alert: http://www.nixle.com

  Having had warning of the looming PGE blackout, I had deeply irrigated my entire garden and hillside. An alert from EBMUD instructed that in a power outage, water must be used judiciously, so as a pre-emptive measure, I watered my landscape thoroughly, soaking the grass, shrubs, mulch, trees, and fences. Throughout the summer, thrice, I had weed-whacked the tall grass surrounding my property and that of neighbors, pruned low hanging tree branches, and a week before the fire I had, thankfully, cut the dry perennials to the ground. These are steps I encourage all homeowners to undertake. Maintaining our landscaping is a never-ending task mandatory for both our pleasure and protection.

Let’s participate in keeping the fire-breathing dragon away! Enjoy a safe and scary evening of Trick or Treating under the starry skies!

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy Halloween! Read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1318/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Scary-scary-night.html

  Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, raised in the vineyards of Napa County, is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy a copy of her books, Growing with the Goddess Gardener and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

[gardendesignsandlandscapes-blog]

Types of Gardens Designs at Garden Designs and Landscapes

Garden Design has landscaping services and designs gardens for all type of home, condos, and apartment buildings. We design all type of gardens Mediterranean, cottage, Japanese, English, rock gardens, Zen, hillside, and wall. As one of the Los Angeles landscape design firms, we offer the most versatile services to customers around. When customers want a garden design our staff consults with them by visiting the space and discussing details. We draw a detailed design before starting any work. What are some of the garden designs we do?

Mediterranean gardens are known for using a silver-green color scheme and drought-resistant plants. Popular plants are rosemary, lavender, fig trees, grapes, climbing roses, and olives. These gardens often have potted plants, gravel floors, benches to sit on; water features, hedges, and raised beds. Our designers can help customers design a small, medium or large garden with these features. This style garden is similar to those found in Italy and Europe. These gardens can be simple to elaborate in design with shady spots and topiary. As one of the special Landscape design firms in Los Angeles, we will design the garden to your specifications. Cottage gardens or English gardens are often designed for homes in the country with land. We need planning to look organized and work well. Many have fences and hedges to give them design and form. Some have stone paths and small patios to sit or entertain. Flowers planted are roses, foxglove, ground covers, dwarf conifers, peonies, columbine and other plants. Choosing a color scheme helps coordinate the garden. Herbs, fruits, and vegetables are often grown with other plants. Decorative objects are often added bird baths, sundials, and small fountains. Its design is organization among the chaos. Other English gardens are more formals and structured. A Japanese garden or Zen garden has simple lines that combine rocks, plants, and often water features to create a peaceful retreat. Plants that might be included are ferns moss, hosta, azaleas, Japanese maple tree, bamboo, cherry trees, camellia, iris, and lotus. Rocks play a central role in the design and represent power. Rocks of varying size and types are used to depict simple structures. Japanese gardens often have stone lanterns, small fountains or ponds with water to create harmony and balance. These gardens can be small and simple a retreat from everyday life or larger with bridges and elaborate water features. These landscape contractors Los Angeles know many different layouts. Rock gardens add design and interest to small or barren landscapes. Using rocks of different forms gives space to plant. Often rock gardens are built into small or large hills. Garden Design will sketch out a plan before beginning work. These gardens often use drought-resistant plants, and bulbs like tulips and daffodils. Smaller plants do better and creeping plants like moss, ice plants, smaller grass, mint, and succulents. Having the right soil mixture will help the plants grow and stay healthy. It can be designed using a stone wall with small conifers, shrubs, and perennials. From simple to Luxury landscape Los Angeles our designs are versatile. Vertical gardens are another popular design with customers. We are plants on a wall or displayed in rows on planter or display. There are container or pocket style designs. Plants can be grown on large wooden or plastic wall planters, recycled shipping pallets made of wood. Sometimes wire mesh is used to keep plants in place. A vertical garden can go inside or outdoors. The amount of sun and the amount of space often determines placement. Plants often used are herbs, vegetables, or flowers. Often we use a simple or more complex irrigation system for watering.

Green Design designs Luxury landscape Los Angeles and gardens that are formal to simple. Our landscape contractors Los Angeles can design and build the garden that customer’s desire. We design vegetable gardens, rain gardens, flower gardens, water gardens and more. Call today to make an appointment at +1 310-295-9958

[bethestaryouareradio]

Renewal by Nature

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever” – Mahatma Gandhi

I popped the crunchy pods of my just-picked sugar snap peas into my mouth as I uttered a prayer of gratitude for the food I grow to nourish my family and the gardens I cultivate to nourish my soul. The past few weeks have brought the fragility of life into focus amidst the mounting death toll from the pandemic and the anxiety aroused by the political rampages.

We need to return to our roots to savor the sweetness of life. For me, Mother Nature has always provided renewal and refreshment in her simplicity and order. When I’m feeling stressed, I go outside to walk, listen, see, smell, touch, and taste…to reconnect with my senses and revive my spirit. 

I picked a few stems of jonquil which are now sitting in a vase on my desk as I write this column filling my nostrils with their elegant perfume. My step increases its bounce as I taste the tangy citrus of my newly ripe Navel oranges. Back in my vegetable garden, arugula, sorrel, Swiss Chard, assorted greens, and beets await my culinary menus. Orange and yellow calendula flowers season my salads and the unusual hued flowers of osteospermum elevate my chi as they decorate my hillside.

My journal indicates that this week in January the roses are to be pruned. My bushes are still filled with buds and blooms that enhance the landscape and my heart. I will complete this task when it is colder next month. Beauty is required as a tonic for joyfulness.

Winter is a time to regroup, to rest, to repair, to rethink. Deciduous trees are now bare, an indication that work in the garden is winding down, at least for a month or so.

We can use this period to dream and decide what projects and plantings we may want to engage in throughout the year.  What’s on your list of things that you’ve always desired in your backyard but never had the time, money, or inclination to accomplish? A sampling of suggestions to fill your vision boards could include:

Planting a pollinator garden or a cutting garden

Making a meditation meadow

Rebuilding a patio or deck

Erecting a retaining wall

Growing vegetables, herbs, and fruits

Retrofitting regions for relaxation and reading

Adding a trellis, gate, arbor, or gazebo

Creating compost piles or buying compost bins

Improving a perennials plot

Hanging hammocks for summer enjoyment

Switching to succulents

Increasing native populations

Including a play structure

Paving a path with gravel or crushed granite

Installing a pond, fountain, waterfall, or other water feature

Increasing your library of garden guides

Removing a junk pile

Stacking wood for a fireplace or firepit

Enlarging bird habitats

Replacing irrigation systems

Reseeding lawns in spring

Building a rain garden

Starting a small vineyard

Buying patio furniture and chaise lounges

Planning a rock wall 

Assembling an animal enclosure

Painting the fence

Shooting photos of your plants and the wildlife that visit

Ideas are endless as we daily take time to pause, brainstorm, and learn something new. Foster enthusiasm for the new year by paying attention to the enrichment of the natural world. 

Reawaken your senses and restore your passion. Design your future farm. Breathe!

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. 

Cynthia Brian’s Mid-January Gardening Guide

 RECORD your landscaping escapades by writing in a garden journal online or in print. Your journals will track trends and seasons for the forthcoming years.

 CLEAN your garden tools in a bucket of vinegar and water for 20 minutes.  Remove your tools and dip a sponge in a bowl of baking soda. Scrub off the rust.

 SPROUT onions and chives in your kitchen by cutting the greens, then putting the roots in a glass of water. Within a week you’ll have fresh greens for your salads and soups. (Change the water daily)

 START yams or sweet potatoes by rooting in a glass jar with water. This is a simple, fun growing opportunity for kids! When lush leaves emerge, it’s time to plant outside to produce more yams or potatoes. 

 REPLENISH bird feeders with nutritious seeds keeping our avian visitors nearby while supplementing their dietary requirements during the cold season.

 READ seed and bulb catalogs or magazines that feature gardens.

 HARVEST sugar snap peas, arugula, Swiss Chard, greens, and Brussels sprouts.

 REDUCE watering on houseplants as they rest for a winter’s nap.

 RESOLVE to spend a minimum of thirty minutes per day outside. Studies indicated that every person needs at least fifteen minutes of outdoor sunlight daily for necessary Vitamin D replenishment. 

 REFRAIN from heavy pruning of your rose bushes until buds and blooms are finished. 

 PLANT a container of aloe to use on burns and bites.

 RECONNECT and be renewed by nature.

Photos and more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1424/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Renewal-by-nature.html

Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, is available for hire to help you prepare for your spring garden. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy copies of her best-selling books, including, Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, Growing with the Goddess Gardener, and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Receive a FREE inspirational music DVD.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures.

Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

[bethestaryouareradio]

Scary, Scary Night

by Cynthia Brian

“Starry, starry night Flaming flowers that brightly blaze Swirling clouds in violet haze.” Don McLean

In 1889, post-impressionist, Vincent Van Gogh, painted one of his most memorable paintings, The Starry Night, as he looked out of his asylum east window. On October 10, 2019, when I looked out our east window, the starry night was aglow with flames and they were not the brightly blaze of flaming flowers. Normally, I look forward to the month October because of the frivolity of Halloween. Costumes, candy, scarecrows, black cats, ghosts, ghouls, jack o ’lanterns, and trick or treating offer children a scary evening of amusement. It was a scary, scary night, but it was not Halloween.

The power was off and a fire erupted racing down the hill to a neighborhood fast asleep. Firefighters were swift and efficient evacuating the community and containing the inferno. Police officers assisted in maintaining peace and safety. Fortunately, all structures were saved and no injuries were incurred, thanks to the professional first responders. Gardens and landscapes survived the blaze with only a few fences being torched.

What homeowners need to know to be more fire-safe: Lamorinda is rural, wooded, with minimal escape routes. Many of the plants and trees growing throughout our area are highly flammable including pines, cypress, cedar, fir, bamboo, acacia, juniper, Pampas grass, rosemary, ivy, arborvitae, miscanthus, and eucalyptus. Coyote brush, although moderately fire-resistant when it is young and green, is highly combustible as it grows. It depends on fires to regenerate and grows everywhere in our hills. All of these plants need to be removed or carefully supervised. Since heat moves up, fire speed and severity is stronger on slopes where vegetation management is crucial.

Autumn is a prime time to prepare your landscaping for the next season and create a defensible space around your property. A defensible space is an area around a structure that has been cleared of ignitable debris and botanicals that may cause a public safety hazard. No plant is fireproof. Under the right conditions, every plant will burn, especially those that are drought-stressed or not maintained. A “fire-safe” plant means that it tends not to be a significant fuel source in itself with a chemical composition that resists heat and combustion. It is critical to keep plants around our homes well tended and pruned as a fire protection tool. The closer plants are to the house, the more care is needed. Every homeowner is responsible for managing their vegetation to meet Fire District requirements.

Neighborhoods are encouraged to form a committee to receive advice from local fire professionals on how to be Fire Wise. Being Fire Wise is dependent on the diligence of everyone in a neighborhood to keep property fire safe. Fires do not honor property lines. All properties become indefensible when one neighbor has overgrown bushes, brush, or low hanging trees.

What makes flora highly flammable? ϖ Dry and dead leaves, twigs, branches ϖ Abundant, dense foliage ϖ Needles ϖ Low moisture foliage ϖ Peeling, loose bark ϖ Gummy sap ϖ Leathery or aromatic leaves ϖ Content of terpene, oils, or resin ϖ Dry uncut grasses

What makes flora reasonably fire-resistant? ϖ Hardy, slow-growing plants that don’t produce litter or thatch. ϖ Drought tolerant natives with internal high water content. Generally, but not always, California natives are more tolerant of fire and deer. ϖ Trees with thick bark that restrict the growth of invasive shrub species and hardwood trees such as walnut, cherry, maple, and poplar are less flammable. Deciduous trees and shrubs are more fire resistant because they have higher moisture content when in leaf, lower fuel volume when dormant, and usually do not contain flammable oils. ϖ Supple, moist leaves with little to no sap or resin residue. ϖ Low growing ground covers. ϖ Bulbs with dried leaves cut to the ground.

What can you do now to create a more fire-resistant landscape? ϖ Include pavers, bricks, pavement, gravel, rocks, dry creek beds, fountains, ponds, pools, and lawns. ϖ Select high moisture plants that grow close to the ground with a low sap and resin content ϖ Plant the right plant in the correct location. Leave space between plants. ϖ Minimize the inclusion of evergreen trees within thirty feet of structures. Clear the understory. Keep trees twenty feet away from chimneys. ϖ Remove invasive species or swaths of flammable plants including ivy, rosemary, broom, coyote brush, chamise, and juniper. ϖ Keep mulch moist. Create zones of rock, brick, or gravel. Bark and leaves are not mulches recommended near structures. ϖ Prune trees 6-10 feet above the ground to hinder fire laddering. ϖ Keep appropriate clearance to reduce the threat of burning embers from decorative features such as gazebos, fences, sheds, porches, and junk areas. ϖ Irrigate and maintain all flora, lawns, and hillsides. Clover, groundcovers, and grasses that are kept low and green are excellent alternatives. ϖ Due to soil erosion, bare ground is not recommended.

Helpful Websites ϖ National Fire Protection Association: https://www.nfpa.org ϖ Moraga Orinda Fire District: http://www.mofd.org ϖ University of California Cooperative Extension: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Prepare/Landscaping/Plant_choice/ ϖ Fire Safe Marin: https://www.firesafemarin.org ϖ Pacific Northwest Fire Resistant Plants: http://www.firefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fire-Resistant-Plants.pdf ϖ Las Pilitas Nursery (Located in Santa Margarita, this website lists deer and fire-resistant flora plus burn times.) https://www.laspilitas.com/easy/deerfire.htm

Sign Up for Alerts ϖ Location-specific alert is Contra Costa County Community Warning System: https://cwsalerts.com

ϖ General alert: http://www.nixle.com

  Having had warning of the looming PGE blackout, I had deeply irrigated my entire garden and hillside. An alert from EBMUD instructed that in a power outage, water must be used judiciously, so as a pre-emptive measure, I watered my landscape thoroughly, soaking the grass, shrubs, mulch, trees, and fences. Throughout the summer, thrice, I had weed-whacked the tall grass surrounding my property and that of neighbors, pruned low hanging tree branches, and a week before the fire I had, thankfully, cut the dry perennials to the ground. These are steps I encourage all homeowners to undertake. Maintaining our landscaping is a never-ending task mandatory for both our pleasure and protection.

Let’s participate in keeping the fire-breathing dragon away! Enjoy a safe and scary evening of Trick or Treating under the starry skies!

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy Halloween! Read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1318/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Scary-scary-night.html

  Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, raised in the vineyards of Napa County, is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy a copy of her books, Growing with the Goddess Gardener and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

[bethestaryouareradio]

FireScaping

“Some say the world will end in fire.” Robert Frost

A running crown fire came rolling down the hillside toward our Lake County mountain cabin, moving faster than any human could run. All exits were blocked. Trees vaporized. Sixteen civilians trapped in the valley were being gathered in the meadow around our house. This acre of lush green grass would be the safety zone, everyone’s last hope of survival. Ninety firefighters had been spread out along the roads, trails, and hillsides in the fire’s path. Their orders were to stay put until the fire was upon them, then to light a backfire and escape to our meadow.

The energy released was a hundred times that of a normal forest fire, with an explosive force nearing the intensity of a small atomic bomb. Everyone prayed. My sister and her husband said their goodbyes. Death seemed seconds away. Besides being a farmer, our Dad had been Captain of our volunteer fire department for forty-six years. Dad built the safety zone. “Daddy,” my sister prayed, “please don’t let us die like this.”

Then, almost imperceptibly, the roar began to diminish. The fire continued to rage for fourteen days in nearby canyons, ultimately burning over eighty-two thousand acres. At the time, it was the second-worst firestorm in United States history, the subject of national training videos for firefighters and showcased on an episode of the TV series, 20/20.

I chronicled this epic true story in my book, Be the Star You Are!® 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference. The chapter is appropriately titled The Gift of Survival. (First Editions available from http://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store).

When a town called Paradise is transformed into burning hell incinerating everything in its path within twenty-four hours and becoming the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California and United States history, it is prudent for Lamorindans to make fire safety a priority.

A few months ago an Orinda resident reached out to me asking if I would write an article on how to landscape with fire prevention in mind. Melanie and Ken Light had contacted Orinda Fire Chief Dave Winnacker to find out how to become a Fire Wise neighborhood. Being fire wise is dependent on everyone in a neighborhood being diligent about keeping their property fire safe because fires do not honor property lines. If one home’s landscape is pristine and the neighbor next door has overgrown bushes, brush, or low hanging trees, all of the properties become indefensible.

Lamorinda is rural, wooded, and has minimal escape routes. Many of the plants and trees growing throughout our area are highly flammable including pines, cypress, cedar, fir, bamboo, acacia, juniper, Pampas grass, rosemary, ivy, arborvitae, miscanthus, and eucalyptus. Heat moves up and many homes are on hills. Fire speed and severity is stronger on slopes where vegetation management is crucial.

Just as there is no such thing as a deer-proof plant, a fire-proof plant is a myth. Under the right conditions, every plant will burn. Referring to a plant as “fire safe” means that it tends not to be a significant fuel source by itself. Some plants chemical compositions resist heat and combustion. It is critical to keep plants around our homes well maintained and pruned as a fire protection tool. The closer plants are to the house, the more care is needed.

Firescaping is simply a landscape design that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfire. While enhancing the beauty of the property, we surround the house with plants that are less likely to ignite and create a defensible space.

Characteristics of Highly Flammable Flora ϖ Dry and dead leaves, twigs, branches ϖ Abundant, dense foliage ϖ Needles ϖ Low moisture foliage ϖ Peeling, loose bark ϖ Gummy sap ϖ Leathery or aromatic leaves ϖ High resin, terpene, or oil content ϖ High, uncut or dry grasses

Characteristics of Fire-Resistant Flora ϖ Hardy, slow growing plants that don’t produce litter or thatch ϖ Native plants that are drought tolerant with internal high water content. Generally, California natives are more tolerant of deer and fire. (see Nature’s Natives: April 17, 2019, https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1304/Digging-Deep-with-Cynthia-Brian-for-April-Natures-Natives.html) ϖ Trees with thick bark that restrict the growth of invasive shrub species and hardwood trees such as walnut, cherry, maple, and poplar are less flammable. Deciduous trees and shrubs are generally more fire resistant because they have a higher moisture content when in leaf, lower fuel volume when dormant, and usually do not contain flammable oils. ϖ Supple, moist leaves with little to no sap or resin residue. ϖ Low growing ground covers. ϖ Bulbs.

How to Create a Fire-Resistant Landscape: ϖ Include fire-resistant features such as pavers, bricks, pavement, gravel, rocks, mulch, dry creek beds, fountains, ponds, pools, and lawns. Water features including ponds, streams, and pools can be helpful fuel breaks. ϖ Select high moisture plants that grow close to the ground with a low sap and resin content. (See an included list of plants, shrubs, and trees) ϖ Maintain all plants and lawns. Clover, groundcovers, and grasses that are kept low and green through irrigation are excellent alternatives. Mow, prune, water, and space appropriately. ϖ Leave space between plants. ϖ Minimize the inclusion of evergreen trees within thirty feet of structures. Clear debris and understory. Have clearance of all trees within twenty feet of chimneys. ϖ Remove invasive species or swaths of flammable plants including ivy, rosemary, broom, and juniper. ϖ Moist mulch, rocks, or gravel can be used for firescaping. (Bark and leaf mulch can ignite unless sufficiently wet. Usage not recommended near structures.) ϖ When planting trees, identify the tree size at maturity. ϖ Prune trees carefully to remove the possibility of fire laddering. ϖ Arrange plantings in clusters and islands, with those near structure being smaller. ϖ Consider the combustibility of decorative features such as gazebos, fences, sheds, porches, and junk areas. Keep appropriate clearance to reduce the threat of burning embers. ϖ Bare ground is not recommended due to soil erosion.

General Rules of Fire Safety HEED the checklist from our local fire departments to create a defensible space around your home. To reiterate fire district recommendations: ϖ Prevent embers from igniting your home by clearing leaves, needles, and debris from gutters, eaves, porches, and decks. ϖ Mow grasses and weeds. ϖ Keep your garden watered. ϖ Prune tree limbs to keep the lowest branches 6-10 feet from the ground. ϖ Reduce “fire fuel laddering” by not allowing bushes or trees to touch one another. ϖ Keep combustible materials 15-30 feet away from structures. ϖ Maintain your property and be alert for any fire danger. For further safety tips visit http://www.mofd.org/fire-prevention/abatement

Through proper plant selection, placement, and maintenance, we are able to diminish the possibility of ignition, lower fire intensity, and reduce the spread, helping our homes to survive the blaze. A fire-resistant landscape reduces the risk to our homes while enabling firefighters a place to defend our structures.

Helpful Websites: National Fire Protection Association: https://www.nfpa.org

Moraga Orinda Fire District: http://www.mofd.org

Fire Safe Marin (We are not in Marin, but this is a great resource): http://www.firesafemarin.org

  Pacific Northwest Fire Resistant Plants: http://www.firefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fire-Resistant-Plants.pdf

  University of California Cooperative Extension: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Prepare/Landscaping/Plant_choice/

  Las Pilitas Nursery (although this nursery is in Santa Margarita it has the best website that gives burn times for various plants. Plus it also has deer resistant information as well.)https://www.laspilitas.com/easy/deerfire.htm

  Sign Up for Alerts: Contra Costa County Community Warning System: https://cwsalerts.com

Alerts for Your Specific Area: http://www.nixle.com

  Sample Listing of Plants that are Fire-Resistant (I reiterate, NO PLANT is fire-proof. Maintenance, pruning, watering, spacing, location are all extremely important elements for fire safety.)

Bulbs (tulips, daffodils, iris, hyacinth, freesia, etc. Cut stalks to the ground when leaves are dry) California redbud Sage Penstemon Heather Fuchsia Columbine Thyme Poppy Wild strawberry Common yarrow French lavender Lilac Coreopsis Ajuga California lilac Society garlic Alliums Dianthus Yellow or Purple ice plant Creeping phlox Lamium Sedum Succulents Veronica Armeria Agapanthus Trumpet Vine Daylily Heuchera Hosta Red hot poker Lupine Delphinium Echinacea Lamb’s ear Yucca Roses Salvia Evening primrose Daphne Boxwood Rhododendron Spirea Dogwood Mock orange Azalea Current Viburnum Horse chestnut Liquid Amber Honey locust Crabapple Purple robe locust Fruit trees (varieties of cherry, plum, pear, peach, apricot) Black oak Hawthorne Birch Aspen Poplar Maple Manzanita (prune without dead wood) Walnut

Harry Houdini wrote, “Fire has always been and seemingly, will always remain, the most terrible of the elements.” Use your common sense. If you need additional help, consult a professional. Contact your fire department for a Fire Wise walk. Invite neighbors to a meeting. Come talk to me at the Be the Star You Are!® charity booth at the Moraga Community Faire on Saturday, May 11th from 11-3pm. Buy garden gifts for Mother’s Day. (Https:/www.BethestarYouAre.org/events)

Fires are in our future. Hopefully, we won’t require a green meadow safety zone for survival, yet we need to be prepared. Make firescaping an ongoing conversation.

In the meantime, get out to weed, water, prune, and maintain. Do what you can to be fire safe.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy Mother’s Day! See photos and read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1305/Digging-Deep-with-Cynthia-Brian-for-May-FireScaping.html

  Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, raised in the vineyards of Napa County, is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are1® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s Radio show and order her books at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Buy a copy of her new books, Growing with the Goddess Gardener and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Hire Cynthia for projects, consults, and lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

  Donate to Fire Disaster Relief via Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 at www.BethestarYouAre.org

  Keywords: #firescaping, #preventfires, #fire-safe plants, #landscaping, #gardening, #cynthia brian, #starstyle, #goddess Gardener, #growig with the goddess gardener, #lamorinda weekly

[goddessgardener]

FireScaping

“Some say the world will end in fire.” Robert Frost

A running crown fire came rolling down the hillside toward our Lake County mountain cabin, moving faster than any human could run. All exits were blocked. Trees vaporized. Sixteen civilians trapped in the valley were being gathered in the meadow around our house. This acre of lush green grass would be the safety zone, everyone’s last hope of survival. Ninety firefighters had been spread out along the roads, trails, and hillsides in the fire’s path. Their orders were to stay put until the fire was upon them, then to light a backfire and escape to our meadow.

The energy released was a hundred times that of a normal forest fire, with an explosive force nearing the intensity of a small atomic bomb. Everyone prayed. My sister and her husband said their goodbyes. Death seemed seconds away. Besides being a farmer, our Dad had been Captain of our volunteer fire department for forty-six years. Dad built the safety zone. “Daddy,” my sister prayed, “please don’t let us die like this.”

Then, almost imperceptibly, the roar began to diminish. The fire continued to rage for fourteen days in nearby canyons, ultimately burning over eighty-two thousand acres. At the time, it was the second-worst firestorm in United States history, the subject of national training videos for firefighters and showcased on an episode of the TV series, 20/20.

I chronicled this epic true story in my book, Be the Star You Are!® 99 Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference. The chapter is appropriately titled The Gift of Survival. (First Editions available from http://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store).

When a town called Paradise is transformed into burning hell incinerating everything in its path within twenty-four hours and becoming the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California and United States history, it is prudent for Lamorindans to make fire safety a priority.

A few months ago an Orinda resident reached out to me asking if I would write an article on how to landscape with fire prevention in mind. Melanie and Ken Light had contacted Orinda Fire Chief Dave Winnacker to find out how to become a Fire Wise neighborhood. Being fire wise is dependent on everyone in a neighborhood being diligent about keeping their property fire safe because fires do not honor property lines. If one home’s landscape is pristine and the neighbor next door has overgrown bushes, brush, or low hanging trees, all of the properties become indefensible.

Lamorinda is rural, wooded, and has minimal escape routes. Many of the plants and trees growing throughout our area are highly flammable including pines, cypress, cedar, fir, bamboo, acacia, juniper, Pampas grass, rosemary, ivy, arborvitae, miscanthus, and eucalyptus. Heat moves up and many homes are on hills. Fire speed and severity is stronger on slopes where vegetation management is crucial.

Just as there is no such thing as a deer-proof plant, a fire-proof plant is a myth. Under the right conditions, every plant will burn. Referring to a plant as “fire safe” means that it tends not to be a significant fuel source by itself. Some plants chemical compositions resist heat and combustion. It is critical to keep plants around our homes well maintained and pruned as a fire protection tool. The closer plants are to the house, the more care is needed.

Firescaping is simply a landscape design that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfire. While enhancing the beauty of the property, we surround the house with plants that are less likely to ignite and create a defensible space.

Characteristics of Highly Flammable Flora ϖ Dry and dead leaves, twigs, branches ϖ Abundant, dense foliage ϖ Needles ϖ Low moisture foliage ϖ Peeling, loose bark ϖ Gummy sap ϖ Leathery or aromatic leaves ϖ High resin, terpene, or oil content ϖ High, uncut or dry grasses

Characteristics of Fire-Resistant Flora ϖ Hardy, slow growing plants that don’t produce litter or thatch ϖ Native plants that are drought tolerant with internal high water content. Generally, California natives are more tolerant of deer and fire. (see Nature’s Natives: April 17, 2019, https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1304/Digging-Deep-with-Cynthia-Brian-for-April-Natures-Natives.html) ϖ Trees with thick bark that restrict the growth of invasive shrub species and hardwood trees such as walnut, cherry, maple, and poplar are less flammable. Deciduous trees and shrubs are generally more fire resistant because they have a higher moisture content when in leaf, lower fuel volume when dormant, and usually do not contain flammable oils. ϖ Supple, moist leaves with little to no sap or resin residue. ϖ Low growing ground covers. ϖ Bulbs.

How to Create a Fire-Resistant Landscape: ϖ Include fire-resistant features such as pavers, bricks, pavement, gravel, rocks, mulch, dry creek beds, fountains, ponds, pools, and lawns. Water features including ponds, streams, and pools can be helpful fuel breaks. ϖ Select high moisture plants that grow close to the ground with a low sap and resin content. (See an included list of plants, shrubs, and trees) ϖ Maintain all plants and lawns. Clover, groundcovers, and grasses that are kept low and green through irrigation are excellent alternatives. Mow, prune, water, and space appropriately. ϖ Leave space between plants. ϖ Minimize the inclusion of evergreen trees within thirty feet of structures. Clear debris and understory. Have clearance of all trees within twenty feet of chimneys. ϖ Remove invasive species or swaths of flammable plants including ivy, rosemary, broom, and juniper. ϖ Moist mulch, rocks, or gravel can be used for firescaping. (Bark and leaf mulch can ignite unless sufficiently wet. Usage not recommended near structures.) ϖ When planting trees, identify the tree size at maturity. ϖ Prune trees carefully to remove the possibility of fire laddering. ϖ Arrange plantings in clusters and islands, with those near structure being smaller. ϖ Consider the combustibility of decorative features such as gazebos, fences, sheds, porches, and junk areas. Keep appropriate clearance to reduce the threat of burning embers. ϖ Bare ground is not recommended due to soil erosion.

General Rules of Fire Safety HEED the checklist from our local fire departments to create a defensible space around your home. To reiterate fire district recommendations: ϖ Prevent embers from igniting your home by clearing leaves, needles, and debris from gutters, eaves, porches, and decks. ϖ Mow grasses and weeds. ϖ Keep your garden watered. ϖ Prune tree limbs to keep the lowest branches 6-10 feet from the ground. ϖ Reduce “fire fuel laddering” by not allowing bushes or trees to touch one another. ϖ Keep combustible materials 15-30 feet away from structures. ϖ Maintain your property and be alert for any fire danger. For further safety tips visit http://www.mofd.org/fire-prevention/abatement

Through proper plant selection, placement, and maintenance, we are able to diminish the possibility of ignition, lower fire intensity, and reduce the spread, helping our homes to survive the blaze. A fire-resistant landscape reduces the risk to our homes while enabling firefighters a place to defend our structures.

Helpful Websites: National Fire Protection Association: https://www.nfpa.org

Moraga Orinda Fire District: http://www.mofd.org

Fire Safe Marin (We are not in Marin, but this is a great resource): http://www.firesafemarin.org

  Pacific Northwest Fire Resistant Plants: http://www.firefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fire-Resistant-Plants.pdf

  University of California Cooperative Extension: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Prepare/Landscaping/Plant_choice/

  Las Pilitas Nursery (although this nursery is in Santa Margarita it has the best website that gives burn times for various plants. Plus it also has deer resistant information as well.)https://www.laspilitas.com/easy/deerfire.htm

  Sign Up for Alerts: Contra Costa County Community Warning System: https://cwsalerts.com

Alerts for Your Specific Area: http://www.nixle.com

  Sample Listing of Plants that are Fire-Resistant (I reiterate, NO PLANT is fire-proof. Maintenance, pruning, watering, spacing, location are all extremely important elements for fire safety.)

Bulbs (tulips, daffodils, iris, hyacinth, freesia, etc. Cut stalks to the ground when leaves are dry) California redbud Sage Penstemon Heather Fuchsia Columbine Thyme Poppy Wild strawberry Common yarrow French lavender Lilac Coreopsis Ajuga California lilac Society garlic Alliums Dianthus Yellow or Purple ice plant Creeping phlox Lamium Sedum Succulents Veronica Armeria Agapanthus Trumpet Vine Daylily Heuchera Hosta Red hot poker Lupine Delphinium Echinacea Lamb’s ear Yucca Roses Salvia Evening primrose Daphne Boxwood Rhododendron Spirea Dogwood Mock orange Azalea Current Viburnum Horse chestnut Liquid Amber Honey locust Crabapple Purple robe locust Fruit trees (varieties of cherry, plum, pear, peach, apricot) Black oak Hawthorne Birch Aspen Poplar Maple Manzanita (prune without dead wood) Walnut

Harry Houdini wrote, “Fire has always been and seemingly, will always remain, the most terrible of the elements.” Use your common sense. If you need additional help, consult a professional. Contact your fire department for a Fire Wise walk. Invite neighbors to a meeting. Come talk to me at the Be the Star You Are!® charity booth at the Moraga Community Faire on Saturday, May 11th from 11-3pm. Buy garden gifts for Mother’s Day. (Https:/www.BethestarYouAre.org/events)

Fires are in our future. Hopefully, we won’t require a green meadow safety zone for survival, yet we need to be prepared. Make firescaping an ongoing conversation.

In the meantime, get out to weed, water, prune, and maintain. Do what you can to be fire safe.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy Mother’s Day! See photos and read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1305/Digging-Deep-with-Cynthia-Brian-for-May-FireScaping.html

  Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, raised in the vineyards of Napa County, is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are1® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s Radio show and order her books at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Buy a copy of her new books, Growing with the Goddess Gardener and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Hire Cynthia for projects, consults, and lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

  Donate to Fire Disaster Relief via Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 at www.BethestarYouAre.org

  Keywords: #firescaping, #preventfires, #fire-safe plants, #landscaping, #gardening, #cynthia brian, #starstyle, #goddess Gardener, #growig with the goddess gardener, #lamorinda weekly