City of Sacramento employee Daisy Mah has a gardener's dream job. She is responsible for the planning, planting and maintenance of the WPA Rock Garden, located near Fairytale Town in Sacramento's William Land Park. As you can see, the rocks have become a secondary feature since Daisy took over responsibility of the Garden in 1988. Daisy, with degrees in art and horticulture, has transformed a formerly rock and annual-filled, one acre public park into a perennial plant paradise. "She is one of my garden heroes," says UC Davis Arboretum Superintendent Warren Roberts. Thousands of plants - ranging from miniscule ground covers to a majestic catalpa tree - jostle for space in Daisy's garden, where lilies are among her favorites. Something is always blooming at Daisy's garden.

Among the plants you will discover as you meander in this well-tended jungle (as compiled by Sierra College's Debbie Flower): Abutilon, Acanthus mollis, Aesculus X carnea, Agastache, Agave parryi, Arctotis venusta, Asclepia speciosa, Astelia neverosa chathamica, Brunfelsia pauciflora, Callistemon viminalis, Carex tumuicola, Cedrus deodara pendula, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Cercis occidentalis, Cerinthe major, Chasmanthe aethiopica, Chondropetalum capensis, Chrysanthemum hosmariense, Chrysanthemum parthenium, Clematis, Collinsia heterophylla, Convovulus, Cornus capitata, Correa, Cuphea micropetala, Cynaria cardunculus, Dasylirion wheeleri, Epilobium, Erigeron karvinskianas, Geranium 'Frances Grate', Geranium sanguineum, Glaucium flavum, Grevillea, Helleborus argutifolius, Heracleum lanatum, Lavandula stoechas, Leptospermum lonigera, Lupinus albifrons, Matthiola, Melianthus major, Michelia figo, Muhlenbergia dumosa, Nemophila menziesii, Nicandra, Nicotiana mutabilis, Nigella, Origanum tournfordii, Phalaris arundinaceae picta, Phlomis purpurea, Phlomis russeliana, Phlomis samia, Phormium, Ptilastemon afer, Rosa mutabilis, Rychelytrum neriglume, Salvia 'Melissa Dora', Salvia canariens, Salvia confertiflora, Salvia dolomitica, Salvia gesneriiflora, Salvia involucrata, Salvia mexicana, Salvia officinalis, Salvia scolarea, Salvia spathacea, Scrophularia 'Variegata', Senecio, Senecio vira-vira, Solanum pyracanthemum, Styrax japonica, Tagetes lemmonii, Viola labradorica and many, many more.

Horticultural surprises await at every bend along the trails of Daisy Mah's garden showpiece.