Succulents and More™

Patricia Carpenter is one of the busiest and most dedicated gardeners I know. In addition to sharing her knowledge with the local community as a docent at the UC Davis Arboretum , Patricia used to be a UC Master Gardener , volunteered as a coordinator for school gardens, worked as a garden coach, and led countless workshops. She has written about the native plant gardens under her stewardship in a 5-part series for Pacific Horticulture . I first featured her garden on the outskirts of Davis in this October 2022 post , Patricia is also a Garden Ambassador with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and opens her garden to CNPS members and the public five times a year: in winter, early spring, late spring, summer, and fall. These “seasonal rambles,” as Patricia calls them, are a great opportunity to see the changes happening both in the California native garden Patricia takes care of and in her own garden, which features plants from around the world. This year’s early spring ramble ...

Patricia Carpenter has been a gardener for almost 50 years. She created her first garden as a student in the UC Davis Community Garden. Since then, she has accumulated a lifetime of experience, knowledge and, yes, wisdom. And yet, after having seen and done it all, she’s as excited about plants as somebody just starting out. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and she and I have become fast friends after running into each at various UC Davis Arboretum functions and events. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Patricia’s garden out in the country west of town. It’s a peaceful spot, bordered in the front by fields and in the back by a slough and more agricultural land beyond. And the neighbors on either side are far enough away that she enjoys a level of privacy we city dwellers can only dream of. Patricia’s own garden (the focus of this post) is 1 acre, divided into multiple areas with plants ranging from natives to exotics and vegetables. It’s a lush and exuberant testament to Patricia’s ...