It was the statue that caught the eye first. This large, neo-classical lady adorned mostly in roses standing on a a pillar in the corner nearly reached the ceiling.

Floyd Loomis shows strawberries grown in his backyard. Floyd has been a UC Master Gardner since 1998 and this is his first year growing strawberries.

Harms Vineyard and Lavender Fields will donate 10 percent of the proceeds of the sale of their lavender products at their open house on June 13 to Napa Firewise.

In late May, I had the pleasure of visiting New York City for my older son’s college graduation. In addition to the joy of being together with family and friends, I took the opportunity to do some tree-spotting at the parks and community gardens that are sprinkled throughout the city, including a visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a beautiful place I had first learned about more than 25 years ago.

The Napa Valley has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Last summer was particularly dry, with virtually no rain from March through August.