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 As a landscape designer I try to stay abreast of the latest plant introductions and trends in garden design. Many of these new plants work well with our backdrop of mountains and naturalistic settings. Some new trends will appeal to those who grow edibles while some will appeal to the gardener who loves their garden but doesn’t have time to do a lot of maintenance. What’s new this year is a return to some old fashioned ideas.

I get asked sometimes how long various wines age and how you know when a wine is “peaking” or in its prime. The answer is somewhat complex, because different varietals and methods make for a vast variety of wines. Some wines should be drunk within a year of being made, and some can age for over a century.

During the long warm summer days, I love the easy no-dish cooking method of throwing everything out on the grill for dinner. But now that the days are getting shorter and it’s not so warm out, I’ve turned to my oven instead.