Marantos was key to the success of The Times’ plants coverage, making waterwise native plants a cornerstone of her reporting as drought and climate change worsened in California. As California’s water crisis worsened, recalling the constant swish of sprinklers throughout her childhood piqued her interest in native plants. Jeanette Marantos appears at the L.A. Times Plants booth at the paper’s Festival of Books on April 21, 2024. (Maryanne Pittman)In her role at work, she wrote the beloved L.A. Times Plants newsletter, her latest focusing on the resiliency of plants in burn areas. She also launched the popular L.A. Times Plants booth at the paper’s Festival of Books, working with the Theodore Payne Foundation, a nonprofit education center and nursery focused on native plants, and the California Native Plant Society to educate visitors about native plants.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 10, 2026 03:12 UTC