About Me

Hello!

Like many of you, I got my passion for gardening  from working and playing in my mother’s garden. . I received an education in art, design and photography at Cypress College in Southern California and had a long career as a wedding photographer there.

 In 2000, Tractor Man and I surprised ourselves and bought property in a mountain community where we vacationed for 12 years. After five years of ‘camping’ here, I now work and play, tending two of  seven acres near the Sierra National Forest, while acting as the Madera County Gardening Examiner.

My friend, Maggie, and me

My friend, Maggie, and me

Impressed by the natural beauty and many community events here, I enthusiastically research gardening in snow and deer country and am surprised and delighted every season by my new garden. My Corgi, Maggie, is my garden companion. I’ve only been writing this blog since summer of 2010, but enjoying it immensely…always thrilled to read comments! How fun!  You may also email me at sierrafoothillgarden at  gmail.com

29 comments

  1. Ron Herron - Reply

    Hi Maggie–I am enjoying your web blog—my wife and I have a place at about 2900 feet near Somerset ca–have rolling hills oaks, pines, cedar–I’m becoming uncharacteristically more and more obsessed with the flora on my 15 acres. example–last summer I got out of bed at 7am and snuck out of the house to watch the sun rise on one of my meadows near the access road to my property –I stared at the most recent crop of STAR THISTLE–and promptly went back to the house–got 10 garbage bags and hand pulled that Australian (or wherever) foreigner out of my meadow—I filled up the trunk of my car and drove with it back to Walnut Creek where I put it in the Green garbage can. Amazing how GOOD I felt. Anyway I am looking to plant NATIVE wildflowers at my place in the foothills and from time to time –when I am not acting as a busy lawyer and family man, look forward to interacting with you for advice etc….you are way ahead of me on development of gardens–but you have inspired me—and thought I’d let you know–best to you in this late WINTER we seem to be having–I actually love it–I hide from the blistering heat–probably my Saxon /Scottish genes–best–Ron

    • Kathy - Reply

      Hey Ron, I just found this site. We are selling property we have in Somerset to move closer “in town” to Pollock Pines. We also have a home in Grizzly Flats! Got to love this area. Do you have any pictures of how your gardening efforts are coming along? Thanks, Kathy

  2. Sue Langley - Reply

    Hi Ron, yes we fight poison oak in the same way. Have to make it safe for kids running around. Wildflowers are better! I’ll have to look up where Somerset is.

  3. Narda - Reply

    Hi Sue, great to see you are a fellow traveler from Southern California who remembers “H” bees and do you remember eating “Sour grass?” I now live in Thousand Oaks and I have never seen an “H” bee. I had not see any where we used to live in Brea, CA. Where are H bees found now?
    -Narda

    • Sue Langley - Reply

      Hi Narda, thanks for visiting my blog. I’m not sure where the H bees are besides in my garden in summer. I was glad to see them again! From what the entomologist said, they are found many places,…it’s just a few that know them as H bees. I think you have to be a child.

  4. Sharon Muczynski - Reply

    Hi Sue,

    I read Dave’s Garden and I noticed your comment about Eriodictyon crassifolium. I have been looking for it for a couple of years. I would be HAPPY to pay all costs to have you ship me some for my garden. It grows here in seeps, but i cannot find it in a nursery to start for my home garden. I live in La Mesa, CA. Please let me know if you are willing to do this.
    Best,
    Sharon

    • Sue Langley - Reply

      Hi Beth, yes, once a month workshops,…I’ll add your email to our list. I send out notice about two weeks beforehand. Sue

  6. Deborah - Reply

    Hi,

    Enjoying your blog very much but all of a sudden it is filled with Google ads which detracts from the lovely photos! Did I catch a cookie or are others getting swamped by Google ads too?

    Take care,
    Debbie

  7. Mary Ellen Stuart - Reply

    I love your site and love monarchs.
    Are you still active with butterflies?
    I am from Yosemite but now live in North Fork

  8. Denice Williams - Reply

    Hello Sue,
    I am a Realtor in Auburn CA and have a monthly newsletter that goes out to about 300 of my clients. I would like to get your approval to link one of your articles on drought tolerant plants in my Newsletter for this May. I will send out the newsletter on Tuesday April 28th.
    I enjoy your site and think my clients will also.
    Thank you in advance!
    It there is ever anything I can do for you in my area of the foothills, please let me know!
    Best Regards
    Denice Williams
    Lyon RE
    denicewilliams.com

  9. Mary McHugh - Reply

    Hi Sue – I hope you have some advise… I have CA Fushia that without fail has bloomed, spread and gone crazy..I think it was planted in the garden by the previous owner and we have had the house 15 years so far. But this year it is not doing very well… as a matter of fact the tips of the plants look as if they are drying out and dying. Not sure what to do or what the matter is. We are south facing, with afternoon shade & at 4250 elevation. I use a drip system and do 15 minutes every 3rd day. I am stumped. any ideas???

  10. Vinita Bali - Reply

    Hello Sue, I have recently moved to Mariposa (part-time resident), and am starting to lay down a garden. I would love to consult with you, if you have the time. Also, could you please include me in your email list for the monthly workshops? I’m looking forward to the Fall planting season! Thank you. Vinita

  11. Jason Lizarraga - Reply

    I’m in Reno Nevada by Damonte Ranch High School. Your yellow jacket trap is incredible. I have pictures to share of what it did after one hour- amazing! I also have a wacky theory on how the nature of the yellow jackets that are caught by the pheromone traps are different from the nature of the yellow jackets caught by the food traps. Are we shaping nature by using pheromone traps because that is what the box stores offer? Are we selecting a more hunger driven self serving yellow jacket over a social hive minded yellow jacket? Should we use both traps to create balance. I think you would write a piece that would all enjoy reading about.

    • Sue Langley - Reply

      Thanks, Jason,…glad the trap worked in your area,…interesting theory!

  12. cheryl stanfield - Reply

    I found your blog as a result of searching ‘western homes’. My parents built one as a guest house back and in 1985. Great house! Now I’m considering building one on my property, in the foothills on the way to Shaver.So glad that you had success with your Western Home.

  13. Laura Colton - Reply

    I’m interested in starting a hay bale plantings in a new garden bed. Did you find a local source in Madera Mariposa, Merced, or Fresno counties for organic hay bales???? P.S. As a wildlife biologist, ‘living with wildlife’ is part of my life.

    • Sue Langley - Reply

      Laura, unless they are sprayed with pesticides, there’s not much that’s NOT organic about straw bales,…and I say straw, because, though you can use hay,…hay has the nutritious seeds for horses that you don’t need for this type of garden.
      Ask at any feed store in our area…they will have them…

  14. Jim Mickel - Reply

    Hello Sue,

    I have been meaning to email you photos of a Franklane Sewell oil painting (36″ x 60″). It is of a farm with a house in the background and of course, chickens in the foreground. From reading your post on Sewell, I believe he was a relative. I inherited it from a relative along with many poultry books. Let me know if you are interested and I will send a link.
    Thanks,
    Jim Mickel
    Sedro Woolley, WA

  15. Mark Fields - Reply

    Would it be possible to use your information on Franklane Sewell on the American Poultry Association History website? I am building a website to preserve the history of the APA and one of the prominent artists was your kinsman.
    Thank you for considering.

  16. Bea kell - Reply

    I really enjoyed your class you had ace hardware store I learned a lot and had fun just wondering if you are going to continue to have some more latter on? I agree yard art. Rocks

  17. GretchenJoanna - Reply

    Hello, Sue,

    I must have found your site when I was doing my own plant I.D. research, and I’ve been getting notifications of your posts for a while, but was too busy to read them all. Now when I have time and want to enter into the comment “discussion,” it seems that comments are closed for all but the most recent post.

    Does it have to be this way? Your subject matter is timeless, is it not, so why wouldn’t you want to get feedback forever? I don’t mean to complain – I think it is lovely that you share so much of your garden and experience and information with your readers in the first place. But for those of us who are not quick on the draw, it is a little disappointing. I suppose I could comment here on the About page if I think what I have to say is so important 😉

    I don’t live in the foothills but I do have California natives in my pollinator garden, and every time I am in the mountains or just in a different part of the state, I can’t help but want to know the names of everything. I like that you also mention the wildlife; at least, I noticed your post about the orioles. It was about the time that I also was quite surprised to see a Hooded Oriole at my hummingbird feeder! And like you, I put out oranges for the pair that still frequents my garden, but why would they want oranges when they can get the straight syrup 🙂

  18. Brian Garrett - Reply

    As a lifetime logger and son of a Pioneer Logger of Collins Pine Co. in NE CA I live among these Pines and can state which Pine is NOT a Bull Pine (Jefferson Pine) and that is Digger Pine…completely different tree, obvious different cone and Digger Pine only grows at lower elevation. Bull Pine here in the Woods Industry is Jeffery Pine.

  19. Sean Maloof - Reply

    Just found your site at the perfect Moment! I today put in an offer for a 7.5 acre lot in Shasta County near Shasta Lake- No utilities, not even a driveway yet, but 360 degree mountain views! I also have the 5 year plan to get a place built, but will start as you did little by little with a place for a trailer and garden on my hilltop… I love California natives and excited about the possibilities of the gardening I will get to do on the property- Thank yuo for sharing your story and your knowledge of native gardening. I have a feeling I will be a frequent visitor to the site as I learn.

  20. Jodi Bower - Reply

    Hello, my great grandfather, J. J. Bower owned Waldheim Game Farm in Roanoke, VA & was active in the poultry community even traveling to Cuba to acquire poultry. My grandfather had Franklane Sewell do a chalk drawing for him at a fair in 1942. It was done on brown paper and I had it framed several years ago. I would love to have it appraised but not sure how to go about doing it.
    If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it!

  21. Cathryn McKee - Reply

    Hi, my name is Cathryn. I live in North Fork. I found your site when I searched for Oracle Oak Trees. I really enjoyed all the information that you post about them. I have a large one on my property and really love it. I have small ones coming up underneath it and would like to know how and when I could transplant them to other locations on my property. Could you help me with information on this project?

  24. Madeline - Reply

    Hi Sue, Glad to find your website! I’m in Shingle Springs and have been looking for Dudleya cymosa for some time. I saw your post about planting it in a brick, and thought I’d reach out to see if you’d be willing to share seeds or know where I can purchase the plant ethically. Thank you!

Leave Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *