Scott Flotre’s Napa garden is in full bloom. In addition to sunflowers, tomatoes, beans and pumpkins, he’s growing these impressive zuccarello squash.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The plant has been described by local residents as magical, its qualities almost mythical.

Over the course of many years working with trees, hundreds of people have asked me about “that  stuff” growing on the bark, or hanging from the branches of trees.  What is it?  Is it a disease?  Is it hurting the tree?

Talk about setting: When we met for the second time to survey the progress of the house David Horobin is building in the Montecito area of Napa, the sky was murky with smoke from wildfires burning in California, as Horobin was describing the steps he’s taking to make his house “as fireproof as possible.”

Gardening is an act of hope. I have a quote framed on my office wall: “Live as if you will die tomorrow; garden as if you will live forever.”