One of my favorite parts of driving into Yosemite valley in the Springtime is the iconic image of massive dogwood flowers sprinkled throughout the native landscape. A beautiful shade tree found in the high Sierras, the Dogwood tree is the perfect mix of function and beauty in both wild and curated landscapes. Types of Dogwoods Yellow flowers of the Cornelian Cherry Dogwood There are several different types of dogwoods: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Korean Dogwood (Cornu

I think at this point everyone has heard of this hip and magical fruit - elderberry! Often used as a holistic medicine during flu season, this berry’s syrup can be seen on the shelves of most health food stores. While you may have seen its products in stores, you likely have also seen this plant out in our local wilderness! The Blue Elderberry (Sambucus cerulea) is native right here in our backyard all over the Sierra Foothills. What does blue elderberry “do”? The Blue Elderb

I have been pondering what I could possibly write about for my very first blog post and have been at a loss. As I bounced ideas around both in my head and off of my husband, I found myself admiring the incredible cotton-like blossoms scattered around town and decided that there is no better way to open this blog than spotlighting one of my favorite ornamental trees: the flowering pear ( Pyrus calleryana) ! I am personally a big fan of any of the flowering fruit tree varietie