Traveling soon? Here’s some travel advice.

Without a doubt, the most requested item I'm asked in the design process is to include low water-use plants and garden solutions that are low maintenance. We live in the west where rainfall occurs predominantly from late fall through late spring and the amount and duration vary tremendously. Whether you live in the shade or the sun, it's a smart idea to keep water costs down in the summer and to preserve this natural resource.

- Twins Rory Patrick Van Lanen and Riley Robert Van Lanen were born at 12:40 and 12:41 p.m. respectively on June 5, 2013 to Kassi Lynn and John Christopher Van Lanen of Scotts Valley. Rory weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces and Riley weighed 2 pounds, 3 ounces at Dominican Hospital.

- Submit Datebook items to [email protected] or drop off press releases or photos at 5215 Scotts Valley Drive, Ste. F, Scotts Valley 95066. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Entries are subject to editing, and publication is not guaranteed.

I’m often asked by patients how much water they need to drink each day. The Institute of Medicine has calculated that men need about 13 cups or three quarts of liquids and women need about nine cups or two quarts of liquids daily. We also ingest approximately 2 ½ cups, or 20 percent of our daily intake of liquids from food, especially fruits and vegetables. In addition, beverages that we commonly drink such as coffee, juice, milk and soda are composed mostly of water.

- Submit Datebook items to [email protected] or drop off press releases or photos at 5215 Scotts Valley Drive, Ste. F, Scotts Valley 95066. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Entries are subject to editing, and publication is not guaranteed.

Under blue skies on a perfect spring day I sat recently with Colly Gruczelak, my friend, fellow columnist and gardening enthusiast, surrounded by roses, roses and more roses. Next to an old apple tree and a gnarled cherimoya we enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch Colly brought while she shared stories about this rose nursery we were visiting called Roses of Yesterday.