Vivariums add animals to jungles under glass
Vivariums take terrarium gardening to the next level. They simulate the habitat of reptiles or other animals. Learn how to make your own at Exotic Plants.
Read MoreArticles by Debbie Arrington
After a year off, Sacramento gets its bloom on with the Camellia Show
A beloved Sacramento tradition returns soon. But with so much recent heat, will there still be enough camellias for the 98th annual Sacramento Camellia Show? “I…
As Sacramento approaches one of its warmest Februarys, gains from recent rain miracles fade
A fierce early spring means ‘normal’ snow pack weakens, mosquitoes arrive with dazzling flowers That February sun sure feels good! As most of the…
This hobby really grows on you
“We try to get plants no one else has in the area,” owner Kifumi Keppler said. “What is an ‘Exotic Plant’ if not unusual or rare?”
Sacramento’s water rebates continue as warm, gorgeous December spells trouble ahead
Warm and dry; that’s our current weather outlook, and it has rain watchers worried. Can we complain about near-perfect December weather? Yes, if it means…
Adding instant impact
“An empty room can use some life. A few little flowers don’t have the impact. You add plants, you get instant impact.”
Kifumi Keppler
Owner, Exotic Plants
From bee to mead showcased at The Hive in Woodland
New experiential honey center opens this weekend This roadside attraction is sure to get people buzzing. Featuring the first varietal honey-and-mead-tasting room of its kind,…
Indoor gardening finds new fans
“Young people in particular are into new things and unusual plants.”
Kifumi Keppler
Owner, Exotic Plants
Virtual Village Feast celebrates, supports women working in Sacramento food and Ag
Registration is open for Oct. 9 farm-to-fork experience Here’s your chance to feast like a Dame – and support women who work in food and…
Where did all these yellow butterflies flooding Sacramento come from?
Orange Sulphurs invade city from Yolo County fields “Where did all these yellow butterflies come from?” That’s been a common question this week in Sacramento’s…
Corpse flowers: Sacramento’s summer just got stinkier
Second rare corpse flower blooms in Curtis Park Is Sacramento smelling more like Sumatra? For the second time this summer, the fragrance of one particularly…
As drought hits Sacramento, officials make it rain cash for ditching lawns and converting landscapes
Commercial customers can get up to $100,000 for taking their property in a new direction This could be a good time to downsize the lawn….
Protecting Sacramento’s gardens from the relentless heat
This month will be a trial by heat for many Sacramento transplants. That goes for tomato seedlings as well as newcomers. So far, Sacramento has…
In a nod to Sojourner Truth, a work of gardening art blooms in Sacramento
Nature doesn’t color inside the lines. What once looked like carefully crafted blocks yielded a crazy quilt of calico colors. Spring (and a little irrigation)…
Orangevale gets in touch with its food-growing roots
A local community with deep agricultural roots is reconnecting with its gardening instincts. Saturday, April 17, the Orangevale Grange will unveil its new CommUNITY garden…
A living quilt
A Santa Rosa-based artist creates an inspirational flower bed in Sacramento’s Sojourner Truth Park This “quilt” was sown, not sewn. Threaded with double meanings, it’s…
Finding a Way Home
What is Sacramento County doing to help people experiencing homelessness? Find out in this 8-page special publication.