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This is the story of a holiday tradition and how it all began. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Prune orchards once reigned supreme in the Napa Valley. Pears, walnuts and fodder for grazing sheep were also grown where now 45,000 acres of premium wine grapes flourish.

Electric orange trees decorate our gardens and forest paths this time of year. During the summer, when trees are quietly green, we almost forget they are among us, but then, seemingly overnight, they turn on the lights and glow with flamboyant fall colors.

The unusually warm January weather has made the early flowering trees and shrubs bloom even earlier this year. Actually it's not so unusual for us to have a warm streak around here in January. What is unusual is the prolonged dry and stable conditions we have encountered. The high pressure system that blocks our usual winter rains does not usually last more than 2 to 3 weeks even in the heart of the rainy season. The persistent ridge has not behaved in a typical manner. We can only hope the ridge breaks down in the next few months and brings us more than a smattering of rain here and there. What should a gardener be doing in February?

I get a lot of calls from homeowners who need help seeing their property through new eyes. Maybe they've lived there for a long time but the landscaping needs an update. Or maybe they're just moving in and the landscaping has been neglected for a while. Whatever the reason, there are techniques I use to bring out the best in a space.