B&B for the Bees!

Mason bees are the lesser-known relative of honey bees, and are fascinating!  A mason bee can visit as many as 1000 blooms each day, which is 20 times more than a honeybee.  And major bonus for the wary...they don't sting!

If mason bees pollinate 20 times more than honey bees, sign me up!  I've recently received a Bee & Bee (cute, right?) to help attract mason bees to my garden and am excited to invite them in.  

Cooking with Bee Pollen

Wait...you can eat bee pollen??

Those were my thoughts as I first thumbed through a cookbook I'd received (more on that here).  How could that be a good thing?  And it sounds like way more work than it could possibly be worth...

So when I saw the beekeeper selling honey at the farmers market the next morning, I was filled with questions.  How is the pollen collected?  Does it hurt the bees?  How long does it stay fresh?  How much is it?

Water Patio Plants Less Often with this Surprising Tip!

This spring while planting the garden, I wanted to try out new ways to help keep my container flowers blooming throughout the heat of the summer.  That is, without me standing over them and watering them every day!

A high school chemistry teacher waaay back in the day had beakers of gel around the classroom with flowers growing out of them.  She explained to us that it was the same water-retaining material found in diapers...and period pads.  That little bit of trivia stayed with me and this spring it's found its way into my coir-lined hanging planters.  Here's more on this unexpected repurposing...feminine pads in the garden!

Garden Tour: Studio City, California

What a gorgeous spring day, perfect for a walk around Studio City, California!

This LA suburb is home to a cute cafe street, charming neighborhoods, CBS Studios, and if rumors are correct...the Big Brother House the exterior of the Brady Bunch house, Miley Cirus, Zac Effron, Bruno Mars, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Trebec, Sophia Vergara, William Shatner, Seth McFarlane and Ryan Gosling all call it home.

Why I'm NOT buying plants from Home Depot or Lowes

This weekend I stopped at Home Depot to pick up a few supplies for our latest DIY adventure.  I wandered to the garden center with hopes of picking up a new lemon tree and maybe a few new flowers for the garden. 

I was puzzled by a plastic label popping out of each of the plants.  "This plant is protected from problematic Aphids, White flies, Beetles, Mealy Bugs and other unwanted pests by Neonicotinoids."

That name sounded familiar...and why did their choice of wording sound like such a hard-sell?  Like the waiter who comes asking 8 times if I'm really sure I don't want dessert.

Wherever life plants you...

This quote really resonated with me - I love it and had to share on this beautiful May Day.