Consider fire risk when selecting plants for garden

Like many in Marin, my mind has been on wildfires and electricity, or lack thereof due to the forced Pacific Gas and Electric Co. outages at the end of October. Because plants are often at the forefront of my thought process, it’s natural I think about plant selection on the peninsula. Mill Valley famously started telling residents to get rid of acacia, bamboo, Italian cedar and juniper and create a 3-foot hardscape around the immediate perimeter of each house, an obvious challenge on many properties. This created a big stir because issuing a blanket condemnation of plants that have been in people’s gardens for decades is bound to upset some. What Mill Valley failed to mention is there are ways to safely have some of these plants in gardens. The question to consider is whether they are worth the effort and the water necessary to grow them safely. (Diane Lynch photo / For The Ark)

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