Laurel Busch, Gardener: My Place

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My Place

Welcome to my natural world. I hope the name Rabbitbrush Ranch isn't too pretentious--it's really just a half acre in the suburbs of Reno, Nevada. This is actually the second Rabbitbrush Ranch; in October 2010 we bought the house behind us and I started all over in a yard that hadn't been watered in at at least a year. (Needless to say, lack of water didn't inhibit the weeds.)

I was excited about rescuing the place, but reality has since set in. Because of illness in the family, I don't have the budget or help I was assuming I'd have. I've been doing what I can according to priority, and I'm developing long-term plans. I'll provide progress reports in my blog as soon as I have visible progress.

Survival of the Fittest

I take the path of least resistance when choosing plants. I always try to choose things that are adapted to the conditions I have and that grow and spread vigorously. Whenever I hear someone complaining about an invasive plant, I'm interested in growing it (wonder if I ought to try bamboo?). Plants that were nuisances to my mother-in-law--Mexican primroses (Oenothera speciosa) and grape hyacinths (Muscari), for example--are some of my favorites.