A story behind every door

The Stanford Historical Society knows that old houses have wonderful stories to tell – and it plans to reveal them.

Gamble Garden tour features five gardens

The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, a community horticultural center in Palo Alto, has scheduled its 23rd Annual Garden Tour, “California Creative,” April 25 and 26. The event includes tours of five private gardens, a plant sale, a boutique, a luncheon, a visit with garden experts and a self-guided tour of Gamble Garden.

The tour showcases five private Palo Alto gardens, none of which has been open to the public before. All are located within walking distance of Gamble Garden. Each house and garden has been chosen for its style and design. All the gardens feature outdoor living areas. Their sizes range from small and intimate to larger gardens separated into several design areas. There will be guides at each location to answer questions.

Hot plants, hot sales and a new nursery

One of my favorite displays at the annual mid-March San Francisco Flower and Garden Show is the California Horticultural Society’s Hot Plant Picks. The 2008 list will be available soon at www.calhortsociety.org, but here I share a few that caught my attention.

A new manzanita shrub from Suncrest Nurseries is noteworthy because it’s an ideal size for small suburban gardens, about 3-5 feet high and wide. Arctostaphylos edmundsii “Big Sur” has a mounding form and medium green leaves. Suncrest plants can be special-ordered from any retail nursery that has a Suncrest account.

Hidden Villa hosts native plant sale

Using California native plants can help to mitigate global warming by reducing water and energy use for the household. Naturally waterwise and energywise, native plants add beauty, habitat value and a sense of place to any garden.

The local chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has scheduled its semiannual Native Plant Sale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 12 at Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills.

Make sustainability easy in the garden

You want to cut down on your water use, but you are worried that covering your front yard with Coyote Bush might lower your neighborhood’s property values. Moreover, your idea of an upper-body workout doesn’t involve shoveling manure into a compost bin. The truth is, sustainability doesn’t have to be ugly or difficult. If everyone takes a few small steps in their gardens, the Bay Area is going to be better off.

Raising eggs – a healthful experience

Interested in raising your own Easter eggs? The idea is catching on like wildfire. More and more suburban and urban families are bringing chickens under their wing. The primary benefit is the quality of the eggs – many studies have found free-range eggs to be a more healthful alternative to store-bought eggs.