December 1, 2023
I see red and it ain’t Santa. My goodness Fall Colors are lasting a long time this year. I hope you see red in your landscape to enjoy while in your yard or looking out your windows.
I 'm Sheri Burke, plant lover, and let me say that if there is a plant nursery on my daily path of errands, I stop. If there is a nursery on my path to my BFF’s house, I stop. If there is a nursery on my path to visit family, I stop.
This stop-for-every-nursery path of mine led me to the idea of making yearly trips with my Aunt Patti (just as crazy about all things plants as I am) with no objective except to visit nurseries and public gardens. We pick a general destination, let’s say Oregon. We make a list of all the nurseries on our path, depending upon which freeway we decide to travel. And we head out!
We rent a small SUV. I drive, Aunt Patti navigates. And we have a rule: she has her side of the vehicle, I have mine, and the two cannot encroach on the other without paying rent or a free plant. We take food and drink with us because stopping somewhere to eat means less time at a nursery!
Only after we have been thrown out of the last nursery for the day do we start looking for a hotel. Luckily, we have not had to sleep in the car. We love living on the edge. So come along and enjoy with us our journey of plant nursery joy!
First Visit?
JUST A SUGGESTION! Begin with post 01 Dragonfly Farm. Find my archives here.
October 27, 2023
f the seasons didn’t change, would you get bored with the look of your garden? Probably. We need change! I do my share of digging up and relocating, switching up container plants, hunting for new plants to freshen up a garden’s look. But no gardener comes close to the makeover that nature gives a garden every season.
July 28, 2023
Good gawd almighty it is freakin’ HOT!!! If you live in the Sacramento Valley or other sweaty location you know what I’m talking about! So here’s the hot question of the day: in these sizzling temps, how can anything in the garden be looking pretty right now?! As always (no apologies) I’m here for you with answers!
February 24, 2023
am out in the landscape doing chores to prevent overload once Spring comes. Because then it’s “squirrel time” and I’ll be scampering here and there in my garden, in the gardens of clients, trying to manage so many chores at once doing my part to help Spring to do its thing!
September 1, 2022
I love annuals. But unlike AP who lays down serious money at nurseries for already-grown annuals, I grow my own. I mean—literally—buying annuals is like burning $5-bills! Annies Annuals & Perennials, one of our favorites, loves AP! They see her waltzing into their nursery and rub their hands thinking "Burn baby, burn."
February 11, 2022
During this time of year, the garden is quiet. The leaves are finally raked up and the pruning is done. And before new growth comes to partly cover it, I get to see my garden art exposed in all its glory. Which also means, okay, time to move things around again. Because it's easier now. And because when things are nearly naked you notice what can be improved, right? This is also the time of year I just ignore Mike when he says, "When did you get THAT?"
October 1, 2021
During the days between end of summer and beginning of fall, gardens can look less than appealing unless you plan ahead to beautify that Summer/Fall Gap. Seems people like to put most of their gardening efforts into making only spring and summer beautiful. Oh! Not me! I am outdoors more than indoors and I want to see pretty plants year round. So I plan for every season including the gaps between.
June 4, 2021
In 2005 Mike and I made the huge decision to build our dream home on our property and tear down the old one. With that decision, he had the nerve to tell me we would have to focus our money and energy on the build such that I would have to stop buying plants. I damn near had a heart attack!
March 27, 2021
In the garden, Spring is about colorful flowers flowers flowers. I could write pages pages pages for this post, but where to start? You could simply go outside or visit a nursery and open your eyes! Then I visited Aunt Patti's place and I knew what to write about.
Sheri Lynn Burke
My journey began as a small child watching and helping my mom in the garden. Years later, I bought a home, had those kids, had an ugly landscape and thought, "I can do better." So for the next 10 years, thousands (and thousands) of dollars went to plants. But I became a serial killer as 80% of them died. "Screw this!" I said. I had an eye for design but didn't know how to keep the damn plants alive! I procrastinated for 5 years ('cuz I wanted more death) and then became a certified Master Gardener. Four years and three pieces of paper later, I got a Horticulture degree. No longer a serial killer, I'm now a landscape designer and contractor with my own business. I had to train this green thumb that I got from my mother. But, Mom, I owe it all to you!
December 1, 2023
I see red and it ain’t Santa. My goodness Fall Colors are lasting a long time this year. I hope you see red in your landscape to enjoy while in your yard or looking out your windows.
October 27, 2023
f the seasons didn’t change, would you get bored with the look of your garden? Probably. We need change! I do my share of digging up and relocating, switching up container plants, hunting for new plants to freshen up a garden’s look. But no gardener comes close to the makeover that nature gives a garden every season.
July 28, 2023
Good gawd almighty it is freakin’ HOT!!! If you live in the Sacramento Valley or other sweaty location you know what I’m talking about! So here’s the hot question of the day: in these sizzling temps, how can anything in the garden be looking pretty right now?! As always (no apologies) I’m here for you with answers!
February 24, 2023
am out in the landscape doing chores to prevent overload once Spring comes. Because then it’s “squirrel time” and I’ll be scampering here and there in my garden, in the gardens of clients, trying to manage so many chores at once doing my part to help Spring to do its thing!
September 1, 2022
I love annuals. But unlike AP who lays down serious money at nurseries for already-grown annuals, I grow my own. I mean—literally—buying annuals is like burning $5-bills! Annies Annuals & Perennials, one of our favorites, loves AP! They see her waltzing into their nursery and rub their hands thinking "Burn baby, burn."
February 11, 2022
During this time of year, the garden is quiet. The leaves are finally raked up and the pruning is done. And before new growth comes to partly cover it, I get to see my garden art exposed in all its glory. Which also means, okay, time to move things around again. Because it's easier now. And because when things are nearly naked you notice what can be improved, right? This is also the time of year I just ignore Mike when he says, "When did you get THAT?"
October 1, 2021
During the days between end of summer and beginning of fall, gardens can look less than appealing unless you plan ahead to beautify that Summer/Fall Gap. Seems people like to put most of their gardening efforts into making only spring and summer beautiful. Oh! Not me! I am outdoors more than indoors and I want to see pretty plants year round. So I plan for every season including the gaps between.
June 4, 2021
In 2005 Mike and I made the huge decision to build our dream home on our property and tear down the old one. With that decision, he had the nerve to tell me we would have to focus our money and energy on the build such that I would have to stop buying plants. I damn near had a heart attack!
March 27, 2021
In the garden, Spring is about colorful flowers flowers flowers. I could write pages pages pages for this post, but where to start? You could simply go outside or visit a nursery and open your eyes! Then I visited Aunt Patti's place and I knew what to write about.