Bahia, You are right it is a broom, Spartium junceum, a plant that would fit right in with your mediteranean theme. It is an accident where it is, we wanted a fountain there but couldn't find one we liked so we put this in 'temporarily'. I love the upward verticalness of it contrasting with the fountain like flow of the deer and pampas grass behind it and it is there to stay. And of course it has wonderful yellow flowers in the spring. You are right about this winter, anything marginal is gone or severly damaged. The cassias normally overflowing with bloom this time of year look half dead. The myoporium which looks ten times as good as any lawn as a ground cover was killed to the base but the salvias and penstemons are fine. Clevlandii had a little tip dieback but nothing bad and the Parrys Penstemon and P. triflorus are blooming with superbus close behind. I can't feel sorry for what you can't grow in San Fransisco as there is so much you can grow. You have a far broader plant palette to choose from than we do here. I grew up in Santa Rosa and often passed through and sometimes visited S.F. It's a beautiful city with immense character but I sure wouldn't want to have to get around by bicycle in it:) Your retama monosperma sounds wonderful but I'm sure if our furnace of a summer didn't do it in here, our frosty winter would. Maria

Hello, Bichonlover3, and thank you so much for your kind words. I know the photo isn't as clear as it could be, but to answer some of your questions: the walls are real plaster with integral color that's been burnished to show color variation; if you're referring to the undermounted sink in the island, yes, that is hammered copper, but the rest of the island is an antique french style end-grain butcher block and behind that is giallo reale marble, which is the same as the marble on the other counters. It has an antique finishe, not honed. The tile on the back splash is authentic antique Italian cement tiles. They were sourced by the person who designed and built my kitchen. (He, too, is Italian, John DiSanto 818.693.3777.) He does amazing work. In fact, my kitchen isn't the best example of his work as he was working with some existing elements as opposed to a clean design slate. I've seen other examples of his work in many different styles. I'm sure he works in your area because I know he did a wine cellar in the Chop House Restaurant in Palm Springs that's amazing. Also, let me add my two cents about the faux beams that are under discussion: in other parts of my house, we used real 200 year old beams, which gave it instant authenticity and my designer made some wooden box beams which he also did an antique finish on, that almost looked as good. As far as the styrofoam faux beams, in my opinion, unless you go over those with an additional finish, they tend to look pretty plastic.

TO SOW DIRECT IN SPRING (March-April) VEGETABLES Arugula Beets Carrots Collards Corn salad Cress Kale LambÂs Quarters Lettuce, head Lettuce, loose-leaf Mustard Onion (or "sets") Orach Radish Spinach "Transition" (sown late April-May) Chick-pea (garbanzo) French (green) bean Lentil Lima bean Runner bean Sunflower Sweet corn Black (turtle) beans Pinquito beans Pinto beans Peruana beans HERBS Anise Chervil Cilantro, coriander Marjoram Parsley Soup/leaf celery TO SOW DIRECT IN EARLY SUMMER (late May-June) VEGETABLES Drying beans (including: Black/turtle, peruana, pinquito, and pinto,) Bottle gourd ("cucuzzi") Chayote Chick-pea (garbanzo) Cucumber French (green) bean Lentil Lima bean Melons (only special kinds) Pumpkin Purslane Runner bean Summer Squash Sunflower Sweet corn Winter Squash HERBS Dill Epazote Summer savory TO SOW DIRECT IN LATE SUMMER (September) VEGETABLES Beets Broad bean (fava) Carrots Celeriac Chard Chinese Cabbage Daikon radish Dandelion Endive, Chicory Fennel "bulb" French (green) bean Kale Kohlrabi Leek Mustard Onion ("sets") Parsnip Potato ("seed potatoes") Purslane Radish Rutabaga Salsify Sorrel Spinach Turnips Tyfon HERBS Anise Chervil Fennel "leaf" Marjoram Parsley Soup/leaf celery TO SOW DIRECT IN FALL (October-November) VEGETABLES Arugula Beets Bok Choy Broad bean (Fava) Carrots Celeriac Chard Chinese broccoli Chinese cabbage Chinese mustard Collards Corn salad Cress Daikon radish Dandelion Endive, Chicory Fennel ("bulb" type) Garland chrysanthemum Kale Kohlrabi LambÂs Quarters Leek Lettuce, head Lettuce, loose-leaf Mustard Onion ("sets") Orach Pak Choy Parsnip Potatoes ("seed potatoes") Pea Radish Rutabaga Salsify Snow peas Sorrel Spinach Sugar peas Turnips Tyfon HERBS Anise Chervil Soup/leaf celery Cilantro, coriander Marjoram Parsley TO SOW DIRECT IN LATE WINTER (February-March) VEGETABLES Arugula Beets Carrots Chinese broccoli Chinese mustard Collards Corn salad Cress Daikon radish Kale LambÂs Quarters Lettuce, head Lettuce, loose-leaf Mustard Onion ("sets") Orach Pak Choy Pea Potatoes ("seed potatoes") Radish Snow peas Sorrel Spinach Sugar peas Tyfon HERBS Anise Chervil Cilantro, coriander Marjoram Parsley Soup/leaf celery TO SOW INDOORS IN WINTER (January-February) FOR TRANSPLANTING TO THE GARDEN IN SPRING VEGETABLES Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower TO SOW INDOORS IN LATE WINTER-EARLY SPRING (February-March) FOR TRANSPLANTING TO THE GARDEN IN EARLY SUMMER VEGETABLES (and one HERB) Basil Eggplant Pepper Tomato TO SOW INDOORS IN LATE SUMMER-EARLY FALL (September) FOR TRANSPLANTING TO THE GARDEN IN LATE FALL-EARLY WINTER VEGETABLES Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery ...

Thank you for the thoughts. I have searched and found some images, but most are more rustic or very grand, at least not in line with where I think my kitchen will end up. After posting yesterday, I searched high and low for inspiration. I love the Tabarka tile but the price is beyond our budget for a full back splash. I am not sure I can commit to a full Mediterranean back splash either and was thinking perhaps of accenting with a decorative tile- perhaps above the stove. I don't typically love accents but found an inspiration that I do like. Although this is way more grand than I will have, it's a mix of the tile style I like with a subway tile and a marble countertop. I do like these tiles from Somertile/Merola. I am ordering a sample of this and a few others to see if the quality is OK as they are easy on the budget. I found a kitchen that has similar features to what mine will have- white cabinetry, white countertops with walnut countertops mixed in and I did a little photoshop of this tile above the stove. I do like it but I'm not sure if having it in that one area is enough? My hood would be a different style, but my range will only be 30". I am having cabinetry built to look like a hutch off to the side of my kitchen where a desk currently is and I'm wondering if I should pull the tile over there or just leave it in one area? As far as doing away with the marble like countertops- I will think on that. I was thinking of a subtle quartz, just enough gray throughout for some variation.