When we moved into our new home, the land around the house was completely bare. During the last 23 years I have rarely missed an Arboretum plant sale and I have never left empty-handed. More often than not, my truck returned home loaded to the gills with native California plants, Mediterranean, South African, and Australian specimens. So that by now much of my garden resembles the Arboretum on campus.

And now, 23 years after moving to a sterile, almost bird-less piece of land, I have a garden that attracts an amazing number and variety of birds. Every nook and cranny seems occupied by bird nests, hard to count, but certainly over 100 every season. Planting the right plants was made easy by the folks at the Arboretum and their wonderful plant sales.