The Lesson the Moonflower Teaches He showed her that everything he’d planted had grown: the cosmos, the tomatoes, the chamomile, the mint, the marigolds, the nasturtiums, the baby’s breath, the basil, the oregano, the anise, …
June 6, 2021
No one knows more about the subtleties of making things grow in San Diego County than Pat Welsh. Born in England, she settled in Del Mar in the 1950s, and in 1992 she poured her years of local gardening experience into Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening, a month-by-month guide to planting, pruning, propagating, watering, and otherwise tending to an impressive number of the fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants that grow here. Witty, opinionated, and crammed with everything from botanical principles to detailed, practical tips, this book serves as a Bible for legions of local gardeners. Dipping into it is almost as inspiring as hearing Welsh talk, something she does often at various local forums. Her passion for gardening makes you want to run home and get your fingers in the dirt.
In 1995, she was the subject of a Reader cover story: Pat Welsh, the Julia Child of Gardening.
Articles by Pat Welsh
Moon flowers, a romantic Ocean Beach garden, the Monterey cypress
Adventures with the Compost Pile, Part 2
Childhood experiences in England demonstrate composting as an easy, beneficial way to recycle organic waste, but in San Diego County the author encounters drought, animal pests, and the concerns of neighbors. Ancient compost piles were …
August 24, 2011
Adventures with the Compost Pile
Homemade compost adds nitrogen and other nutrients to soils. It improves tilth and contributes to microbial action that greatly enhances plant health. No wonder throwing good stuff from the kitchen down the drain or sending …
August 17, 2011
San Diego garden writer Pat Welsh watches her friends plant vegetables
A few years ago a friend of Lou’s and mine planted a vegetable garden for the first time. George and his wife Sally lived in an old house high on a hill with an ocean …
April 2, 1998
The heartbreaking Monterey cypress
The Monterey cypress is one of the worst trees for Southern California. It drips needles and sticky sap, is prone to beetles and fungus, and its roots are so invasive it’s difficult or impossible to garden under.
January 15, 1998