Category Archives: Garden

Jacarandas blooming

Seven years ago we had written in this blog: “Dozens of jacaranda trees have been blossoming in Reynier Village for the past few weeks, their violet purple flowers brightening the neighborhood and blanketing our streets…” Click here to read. And … Continue reading

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Meditation Gardens

I had read about the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens, located at 3500 West Adams, in the online magazine LAist over a year ago, but did not visit it until yesterday.I planned to meditate about the end the year in … Continue reading

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Native Gardens

Yes, Southern California experienced lots of rain this winter and the long drought may be ending, but that does not mean you should keep that water-thirsty lawn in front of your house. In 2009, when we started this blog, we … Continue reading

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Freeway Garden

This warm sunny morning, only one week away from the beginning of spring, I took a walk from my house to meet up with my neighbor Steven, who wanted to show me the colorful flowers blooming in his freeway garden.  … Continue reading

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Jacaranda

Dozens of jacaranda trees have been blossoming in Reynier Village for the past few weeks, their violet purple flowers brightening the neighborhood and blanketing our streets; but they will soon be gone, so you may wish to walk around and … Continue reading

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Good Karma Gardens

Our good neighbor who grows bananas in his backyard, tipped us off about the Good Karma Gardens (GKG) in Mar Vista. They provide free guidance for people who wish to grow sustainable food in their backyard. Check it out! Visit … Continue reading

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Garden nurseries

As we were searching for plants to replace the old bamboo and create our new garden, we visited several nurseries. Here’s a list of some we liked. Rolling Greens in Culver City, 9528 Jefferson Blvd, was the most amazing.  Too … Continue reading

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Redwood fence

I had seen inventive redwood fences with horizontal slats around the neighborhood (Holt and Halm), so, when it came to replace the old wood fences behind the thick bamboo hedge we had removed, I inquired about those custom choices, but … Continue reading

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Bamboo removal

I chose Larry Hess of Bloom Landscaping to clean up my bamboo hedge, remove the morning glory and replace a portion of the decaying picket fence, because I knew him from the SORO Green Team. With Paula Waxman he had … Continue reading

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Bamboo

For 25 years, since I bought my home in Reynier Village, I loved the tall and thick bamboo hedge that surrounded my backyard and protected my privacy through its impenetrable branches.  It was planted decades ago, in a time when … Continue reading

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Outdoor rooms

We were so impressed by the landscaping of the outdoor spaces of a Reynier Village home now for sale that we asked the owners for some tips on how they accomplished this result, in case other neighbors wished to do … Continue reading

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Rain barrels

Don’t you wish you could have collected some of the rain that fell yesterday to use it in the coming dry weeks to water your garden? Well, now you can by installing rain barrels under your downspouts. Tree People has … Continue reading

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Schools on Robertson

Did you know that you could find so many learning opportunities for yourself and your family on our very own South Robertson Blvd? If you have teenage children, they may attend Alexander Hamilton High School, and qualify for their excellent … Continue reading

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Farmers market

We all know by now that locally grown fruits and vegetables are better for our health (more nutritious) and for the environment (less pollution). So why don’t we make it a weekly ritual to visit the Farmers Market at 1801 … Continue reading

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Garden Class at Hami Garden

Good News! Master Gardner George Pessin will conduct another series of classes. The 4-week session is every Sunday Dates: Sept 18, Sept 25, Oct 2, Oct 9 Time: 1:00PM – 4:00PM Hamilton School Garden 2955 S Robertson Blvd (entrance on … Continue reading

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Backyard farming

You want to grow vegetables in your backyard, start your own small farm, but don’t know how to begin? Take a look at what Farmscape Gardens can do for you. We went to see how they work at a demonstration … Continue reading

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Mar Vista Gardens

You don’t want to miss the expanded 3rd edition of the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase, which has now become a giant eco-festival, celebrating Earth Week, Saturday April 30 – 11am to 4 pm Explore examples of drought resistant landscaping … Continue reading

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Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens, once a government program created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor to help feed Americans during World War II, are promoted again today by various organizations, such as Edible Gardens and the community garden movement, … Continue reading

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Water saving tips

A couple of weeks ago I attended the last class of the Green Garden Academy, a free seminar series organized by the Office of Sustainability of the City of Santa Monica; the topic was “Showers to Flowers. Learn the proper … Continue reading

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Green Living

On September 23 we attended a Green Living Workshop, sponsored by speaker Karen Bass, presented by Sustainable Works and the Culver City Garden Club. Many members of the SORO Green team were present. Mini-seminars were offered with useful tips on how … Continue reading

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Lawn alternatives

Last Saturday (August 21), we went on a fun tour aboard a Santa Monica Blue bus to look at examples of how to plant, in your backyard or front lawn, new types of grasses, which require much less water and … Continue reading

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Green preschool

A brand new preschool has opened in our neighborhood! Welcome news to those of us who remember the now defunct but wonderful Palms-Westminster Nursery School. And this school is amazing! The building is painted green, it’s called Green Beginning, and … Continue reading

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Mar Vista gardens

After picking up a map, and a green bag, we went on Tour # 4 of  the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase. We met proud homeowners and landscape designers, we learnt many new things about drip irrigation, solar panels, garden … Continue reading

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Mar Vista Gardens

The Mar Vista Community Council celebrates Earth Day on Sunday April 25, from 2 to 6 pm, with the second edition of the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase. We attended the first one in April 2009, see video by Samantha … Continue reading

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How to remove your grass lawn

LAWN BE GONE is the clever title of a class from the GREEN GARDEN ACADEMY. This fun and informative series on Sustainable Gardening, organized by the City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment, takes place once a … Continue reading

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Happy Holidays!

We want to thank all the neighbors who put up colorful lights and festive decorations. They bring warm holiday cheer to our Village. Best wishes to everyone and Happy New Year! Elisa Leonelli and Deni Mosser

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Free trees from DWP

We are blessed with a wide variety of trees in our neighborhood; at this time of the year, they delight us with a gamut of colors, from reddish fall leaves to pink flowers. If you would like to add some … Continue reading

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Home composting

Did you know that the green garbage bins supplied by the city are not just for garden trimmings and clean wood? You may use them to dispose of fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, egg shells, tea bags. I set up … Continue reading

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Wall insulation

Now it’s a good time to get that insulation project done, walls and attic, to keep your house warmer during the coming winter and save on your heating bill. The Gas Company is offering a rebate until December 31 of … Continue reading

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RAL Reynier Park clean-up

The boys and girls of the Robertson Activity League (RAL) were at Reynier Park on Wednesday July 29  picking up trash and litter. The participants to this 10-week summer program at the Robertson Recreation Center, aged 12-16, perform community service … Continue reading

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This old house new rose garden

We recently met new residents of  Reynier Village.  Huli and Raphael Sloane, a wife & husband of considerable artistic talent are transplants of Mar Vista. They brought with them 28 of their mature rose bushes and a large Bird of … Continue reading

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DWP cash for grass!

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is on a mission to convince consumers to save water in these years of record drought in California, due to the global climate crisis. On June 1 they passed an ordinance that … Continue reading

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Garden sharing

The waiting lists for community gardens in the Los Angeles area is growing longer.   It seems that there are many would-be gardeners willing to work with no land available for their passion. Why not offer your backyard to someone who … Continue reading

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Gardening in small places

From our neighbors Lew and Lynn Rakowsky LEW: When we bought the house in 2002, we were drawn to the its Spanish Revival style. Unfortunately, the small backyard was entirely covered in concrete, surrounded by a 4-foot tall brick wall … Continue reading

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Organic garden for your health

A note from Dr. Carl Rothchild “There is probably no better way to gain access to the healthy organic foods your body craves most than by growing them yourself. More and more people are getting on the home-gardening bandwagon as … Continue reading

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Drought tolerant plants

From our neighbor Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times writer “Many years ago, with memories of the late 1980s drought fresh in my mind, I asked Susan, a horticulturist friend whose Santa Monica company is called Suzie’s Scapes, to help me … Continue reading

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Raised bed garden

From our neighbor Barry Levine, photographer “I was reading the Los Angeles Times and this article about an Australian garden caught my eye. This vegetable garden is above ground, requires no removal of the lawn and seemed easy enough even for … Continue reading

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Front yard solutions

There’s such a variety of solutions that people have created for their front yards in Reynier Village. Many people have kept the traditional grass  lawns, but are becoming more aware of the necessity to save water during the state-wide drought … Continue reading

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SPANISH HOMES, CREATIVE GARDENS

It is truly amazing, when you go for a walk around Reynier Village, to see how many of our neighbors have replaced the water-wasting green lawns with colorful and inventive arrays of drought-resistant plants and flowers. It makes you wonder … Continue reading

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While walking through the neighborhood, an idea was born

While walking through Reynier Village with my neighbor, we were admiring the beautiful spring gardens and architectural details of the 1930’s homes. We were discussing what we could do for volunteer work and started talking about community gardens. One thing … Continue reading

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