All Flourishing Is Mutual
What can corn, beans, and squash teach us about cooperation? This week we explore the story of the Three Sisters, new research on monarch butterflies and milkweed, and the idea that healthy ecosystems — and healthy communities — are built on reciprocity.
A Garden Needs People
What actually keeps a garden alive year after year? Not just compost and water - but people. This week I’m sharing updates from class, progress on my parents’ backyard project, and a reflection on why community may be the most important regenerative principle of all.
Things Don't Always Go According to Plan
This week’s newsletter is a quieter one. I’ve been recovering from a cold, which pushed back some garden plans and class prep. In this update, I share what to expect in the first week of the spring semester and a few thoughts on handling setbacks when things don’t go according to plan.
Making Space for What Comes Next
After years of decline, we’re saying goodbye to an old avocado tree - and reimagining the garden for the season ahead.
When Nature Has Other Plans
Weather whiplash, confused plants, and ingredient lists that make you pause - this week’s newsletter is about rolling with the punches. We talk about what sudden winter warm spells mean for your garden, how to make sense of what’s in your body products, and how to respond when things don’t go according to plan.
Plants Made for Here
A look at California native plants, from planting and establishment to the deeper lessons they offer about resilience, biodiversity, and gardening in harmony with where we live.
Tending What's in Front of Us
This week: enter to win a California native plant, discover how easy it is to grow fresh herbs on your kitchen windowsill this January, learn simple ways to cut your electricity bill, and find a gentle reminder about tending what's in front of us when the world feels big.
Winter Is a Season for Slowing Down
Winter is a season of quiet work. We explore what winter means in Southern California gardens and how slowing down can lead to healthier, more sustainable systems.
One Year Later
One year ago, the Altadena fires changed how I understand loss, community, and resilience.
Let the Rain Do the Work
Issue 1 – January 4, 2026
Class updates, winter gardening guidance, and a short reflection on sustainability and small, meaningful change.