Gardening

Saplings of the City

LastNight: Tiger Lillies Spook Cafe Du Nord

DIY Vanilla Extract

Staycation Alert: Wine and Dine at Daffodil Restaurant

S.F. Parks Director: Examiner's Absentee Gardener Story Bogus

How about "The 86-Percent Gardener"? That's good too, right? Today's San Francisco Examiner story alleging that the city's park gardeners are AWOL half the time is bogus, and stemmed from a misreading of a controller's report that was actually complimentary of those workers' performance, according t ... More >>

City Gardeners: Grass Is Always Greener Than SF Examiner Says

The Gardeners Fire BackSan Francisco's maligned park gardeners have launched a defensive salvo against their most persistent foe. That wouldn't be bugs and weeds, but rather recurring news reports that they're corrupt. In 2004, workers for a city-funded nonprofit organization called the San Francis ... More >>

The Mission Blue Mission

Saving the habitat of an inch-long violet butterfly, the endangered Mission Blue, is the starting point of a many-sided battle for dominance of San Bruno

SLUGging It Out

Under the San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners, community gardeners get down and dirty

A Garden-Variety Debate: City Hopes to Charge for Entry to Arboretum to Build World-Class Facility. But Local Folks Just Want Place to Sit in the Sun.

Will folks pay to doze beneath this great cypress?When folks filed into an unpleasant Monday meeting regarding the city's plan to begin charging for entry to Strybing Arboretum, they were unhappy enough about what they figured was a plea for them to pay good money to maintain the previously free sta ... More >>

A Horse's Gift

City rules draw a fine line between manure and crap.

Camellias a Farce Only Theater Snobs Could Love

City rules draw a fine line between manure and crap.

An Inconvenient Plant

One of the world's rarest plants grows in the Presidio. Plans are under way to save it — and ax thousands of trees in the process.

Best Buy

One of the world's rarest plants grows in the Presidio. Plans are under way to save it — and ax thousands of trees in the process.

Psssst, Buddy: You Wanna Buy a Used Plant?

For sale, by owner -- where'd he go?There are some things you never, ever want to buy used: Undergarments, motel mattresses, or sex toys spring to mind.And while it's not revolting, the idea of purchasing a second-hand plant is certainly unusual -- what is the blue book value of a 1998 African Viole ... More >>

Soiled

For sale, by owner -- where'd he go?There are some things you never, ever want to buy used: Undergarments, motel mattresses, or sex toys spring to mind.And while it's not revolting, the idea of purchasing a second-hand plant is certainly unusual -- what is the blue book value of a 1998 African Viole ... More >>

Hear This

Maximo Park's Wire-y rock, the Mekons' many side projects, and the final installment of "Ace of Spades"

Bouncer

Where well-heeled snobs go when they need watering

Best Flowers

Where well-heeled snobs go when they need watering

Best Cheap Overnight Getaway

West Point Inn

Wild Wild Life

Invading the privacy of birds

Three Blooms

A trio of sharply acted New Yorker-style stories by Amy Bloom

Take a Hike

Mount Tam is a flower lover's dream

Remembrance of a War Past

An unfond look back at Freedom Toast, TV jingoes, and a pro-war bully called Tony Hall

Essential Pirate Sing-Alongs

An unfond look back at Freedom Toast, TV jingoes, and a pro-war bully called Tony Hall

SHOPS

An unfond look back at Freedom Toast, TV jingoes, and a pro-war bully called Tony Hall

(The Real) Tuesday Weld

Where Psyche Meets Cupid (Kindercore)

Best Florist

Fioridella

Best Flora

Blooming Wildflowers at Menzies Native Plant Garden

Best Alleyway

Macondray Lane

Best Lunchtime Napping

Alice Street Community Gardens

Language Arts for a New Millennium

Learning Spanish (for your gardener), Thai (your hooker), Bureaucrat (your scientist friends), and Digital (your enemies)

Dog Bites

Dance away the energy blues, then worship at Sunset’s gardening headquarters

Best Hike in the City

Glen Canyon Park

Best Plant Man on Mission and 24th

The Plant Man on Mission and 24th

Best Bookstore for Used Gardening Books

Black Oak Books

A Tree Grows in L.A.

Black Oak Books

Petal Pushers

Orchid collectors, watch your back. Uncle Sam knows what you're up to.

Artists, farmers, and crafters dig deep at "Land. Liberty. Sunshine. Stamina."

Orchid collectors, watch your back. Uncle Sam knows what you're up to.

Retooled Lark Creek Inn to Open Next Week

After a brief delay following a last-minute scramble for chef, the Larkspur restaurant formerly known as Lark Creek Inn has an official opening date: next Thursday, June 4. Lark Creek Group culinary director Adrian Hoffman told SFoodie that the Tavern at Lark Creek (234 Magnolia at William, Larkspur ... More >>

Lark Creek's Annual Half-Off Bottle Promotion Starts Tomorrow

LFL16/FlickrIf you order wine by the bottle, dining at One Market should be a bit more affordable in July.Let your wallet feel as flush as your face. Starting tomorrow (and for the entire month of July), Bay Area winos can savor half-off savings on every bottles on le menu at all Lark Creek restaura ... More >>

Seen in San Francisco: A Fork in the Road

​This heavy duty gardening implement was seen locked to a bike in the parking garage of the Potrero Shopping Center right outside the entrance to the 24-Hour Fitness. Maybe an urban gardener stopped by to pump up his pecs before a hard day of slinging dirt?

Kind Buds

​This heavy duty gardening implement was seen locked to a bike in the parking garage of the Potrero Shopping Center right outside the entrance to the 24-Hour Fitness. Maybe an urban gardener stopped by to pump up his pecs before a hard day of slinging dirt?

Food Fight

​This heavy duty gardening implement was seen locked to a bike in the parking garage of the Potrero Shopping Center right outside the entrance to the 24-Hour Fitness. Maybe an urban gardener stopped by to pump up his pecs before a hard day of slinging dirt?

How to Win Friends

​This heavy duty gardening implement was seen locked to a bike in the parking garage of the Potrero Shopping Center right outside the entrance to the 24-Hour Fitness. Maybe an urban gardener stopped by to pump up his pecs before a hard day of slinging dirt?

Throw Your Own Shade

​This heavy duty gardening implement was seen locked to a bike in the parking garage of the Potrero Shopping Center right outside the entrance to the 24-Hour Fitness. Maybe an urban gardener stopped by to pump up his pecs before a hard day of slinging dirt?

eVe Goes Back to the Garden

350.org/FlickrKenney Cottage Garden.​Down and Dirty Dinner Where: eVe, 1960 University (at Bonita), Berkeley, 510-868-0735 When: Sun., Mar. 20, 6 p.m. Cost: $40 ($10 goes to Kenney Cottage Garden) The rundown: Picture the farmer, gazing out on acres of ripe vegetables as a handful of moist ... More >>

Digging the Dirt Dinner at eVe

Jesse HirschBags of soil from Kenney Cottage Garden were passed among the diners.​Californians love their dirt. Like poets of yore writing ballads to the sea, near-mythological reverence is given to the earthy roots of our local produce. At last night's Dirt Dinner event, local gardeners gave ... More >>

Urban Gardens Are Hot, but What About Urban Pollution?

Oakland, like San Francisco before it, is rushing to accommodate urban gardeners by revising its regulations to allow people to sell produce they grow in the city. There's one catch, says East Bay Express's Nate Seltenrich: Much of the soil in West Oakland is contaminated with dangerous levels of le ... More >>

Urban Gardening Classes Are Great Gifts for Green Thumbs

​What: Urban Gardening School Where: 18 Reasons When: Third Wednesdays and Saturdays, January-June Cost: Sliding scale: $350-$425 The rundown: 18 Reasons has compiled a series of new classes and owner Rosie Branson Gill says, "We think [they] would be excellent gifts this holiday season." ... More >>

Border Control Cracks Down on Immigration of Red Roses

CBP​Red roses will be getting the pat-down by border control this Valentine's Day to ensure those flowers you give your honey come Tuesday are free of nasty bugs.The U.S. Customs and Border Control will continue stopping every red rose over the weekend, scanning to see if any of those flowers are ... More >>