Gardening in Oz

Has it been that long???

2011-08-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

I can't quite believe it has been two and a half months since I posted on this blog. I apologize. Been busy trying to find a new job and also doing work in the yard. Things are actually beginning to look much better.

Thanks to a friend, also named Brian, Most of the upper north bed has been dug and lined with hardware cloth and plants transferred or planted for the first time. It actually is beginning to look like there is some kind of plan for the area.

The first thing we did when the bed was ready was dig out the Princess bush from the lower yard where it was dominating the bed and move it to the back corner. The clump of oat grass that had grown large was divided and planted up there, along with the New Zealand tee tree, and the variegated fortnight lily. To this I added 3 new plants. A coastal lupine, a dark red Mexican sunflower that is supposed to get 4-6 fee tall, and a very special new plant that I can't wait to see grow and bloom. But, before I introduce you to that plant, here's a brief look at the upper bed as it is now.

This is the upper bed looking toward the back wall now.

and the Princess Bush in it's new home.
To the left of it is the NZ Tee tree, to
the Right the variegated fortnight lily and
in front in the picture the coastal lupine.

Here you see the two clumps of
Oat grass I made from the one plant
in front of the floweringQuince bush and
the new plant I was speaking about.

Have you ever seen a plant that you just have to have in your garden? Well, I was on the way to pick up some prescriptions a few weeks ago and in crossing a broad thoroughfare was stopped in the median because I saw a plant that just fascinated me. I, of course, being from the other side of the country, had no idea what it was. So I took out my trusty cell and took a picture.

It just fascinated me. It took awhile to find out what the plant was, but it was finally identified by my friends at Sloats Garden Center. It is a diorama. But, I much prefer its common names, Angel's fishing pole and fairy wand. With names like that, I just had to have it. And that's the new plant between the oat grass. I can't wait to see it blossom in my yard!

The fence is about 4 feet high
so that gives you some perspective.

I have learned in this process that one should be careful of picking plants simply on color or pictures of their blossoms. A plant in point is the Mexican Salvia which I wrote about in an earlier post. This plant dominated the lower bed it was in last year, so this year I moved it "upstairs" as it were. It is really huge as you can see.

But what is really unique about it is that the Hummingbirds love the blossoms. They are beautiful spikes of blue flowers and it will bloom for the rest of the season. I will cut it back late in the Fall and it will grow up again next Spring.

Now I know you are wondering, "What did he do in the bed where the princess bush was??" Well it now has been nicely replanted with impatiens!

In the middle of the bed is a small azalea plant that should grow only a foot or two high. At the back are my colored callas. I'm pleased to see some are blooming this year.

I've also been working on the walkway to the upper yard, but more on that later. In the meantime, enjoy some of the blooms from the garden.

A Place of Relaxed Beauty

2011-05-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

I have written previously about my friends Tom and Al and their wonderful country home. Once again it was time yesterday for the Spring Pool Party. It was sunny and warm in the sun, but a cool breeze kept some of the less adventurous, like me, out of the pool. But the die hard volleyball players had no problem with the temperature.

Tom's and Al's home is a beautiful example of the results of the love of gardening. Located next to a State Park, from the time you arrive you are greeted by their attention and love of gardening.

The explosion of orange of the California Poppies that spread from the entrance to their drive can't help but bring a smile to your face. Pulling into their home, you are greeted by a whole "wall" of various Rhododendrons in bloom along the side of the driveway.

Color and beauty is everywhere testifying to a couple who are dedicated gardeners. Keeping with the wooded nature of the property, Tom and Al have left the area natural and it creates a wonderfully natural, comfortable and informal feel to the property. There are splashes of color everywhere, including over the septic area in the front yard where more California Poppies are scattered over the area.

The California Poppy has become one of my favorite plants. It's simple, feathery foliage and bright orange or yellow orange simple blossom adds all kinds of sparkle to any area. One of the sure signs of Spring in this area is when you see these wonderful little plants in bloom along the sides of the road and in the fields everywhere you go.

As you step onto the front deck you are greeted by
a gnome and one of Al's
bonsai creations and you know that your visit will
be warm, whimsical and relaxing.

One of the outstanding aspect of this home is the rose garden with it's extensive collection of roses that get tended lovingly. The first blooms of the season are spectacular. Every time I visit, I am in awe of the planning and ongoing care that these men take in this particular garden.

From the cherub fountain one can't help but have your breath taken away by the beauty and color of this wonderful creation whether you are viewing the entire garden or taking in the beauty of each plant. Here are a few examples of the beauty of the rose.

Ginger Snap Rose

Midas Touch Rose Sally Holmes Rose

Sentimental Rose

These are but a very few of the many varieties of roses that populate this wonderful bed. Everywhere you look on the property you find surprises. One of the wonderful things they have done is to install a path through the woods that make up most of the back part of the property. A walk through here is a continual surprise.

You see the wonderful art they have taken in adding plants yet keeping the natural wooded area feel. It's a wonderful blending of this type of planting. As you walk on the paths you constantly come across wonderful surpises, from the Azaleas that are currently in full bloom.

Yes, that is me standing next to one of the magnificent Azaleas.

You also will find many native plants that have grown their for eons as well as some that Tom and Al have added like the California native Douglasiana Iris, with it's vibrant purple blossoms.

There are wonderful splashes of color from Columbines, Callas, Day Lilies, Citrus plants, and others. Yet, it is not overdone and feels completely natural. Toward the back of the property, you come across something that assures you the owners' humor and whimsy is very much a part of the landscaping of this home. The Gnome Village is sure to bring a smile to the face of even the most disgruntled person.

Throughout the wooded area there are splashes of beauty through added sculptures, birdhouses, etc. This Japanese pagoda statue
is surrounded by a beautiful ground cover of White
Rockrose. The beauty of the small blossoms add a serene and gentle accent to the wonderful green foliage.

There is also a wonderful blue flowered ground cover that is accented by deep blue columbines as well.

And when you once again enter the pool's patio area there is yet another wonderful Azalea plant as a focal point.

These photos give you but a taste of the beauty of this yard. Tom and Al have created a wonderful place that is always a relaxing "retreat" from the hustle and bustle of the City. From time to time I'm sure you will see more photos of their wonderful landscaping.

Don't forget, you can follow this blog by clicking of the "Follow" button on the right side. I hope you will join me as I continue my landscaping/gardening journey.

Spring comes to the Bay Area

2011-05-22T00:31:00.000-07:00

You can tell when Spring has really arrived in the Bay area by a couple of things. There is, of course, the ever present bright day when the waters sparkle and the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands beam their magic charm over the whole area:

But one of my favorite signs is when the wisteria on the arbor at the Universalist Church in the City bursts into bloom, raining down the spirals of blue flowers:

Then there is what has occurred in my own back yard over the past month. The two kinds of African Daisies have burst into blossom, bringing brightness to the South side of the yard:

The Callas are happily doing their thing along the North fence:

The Japenese Iris have just about all passed, with their gorgeous blue and white blossoms:

A special surpise this year was the blooming of the variegated Iris with four blossoms on the stalk. Last year it "limped" through the season and I really wondered it it would even survive. But as you can see it certainly has:

The Martha Washington Geranium, going on its fourth year, continues to blossom profusely. I have found that by cutting it back every winter I can keep it under control. But, I think this might be its last year for this pot.

And even the blueberry bushes are well into the season, with one bush already having a berry that is turning blue:

In my last post I shared with you the names of the plants which I purchased at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale. I also promised you pictures of my actual plants. So here they are.

Lewisa Dark Cloud with it's marvelous
pink clusters.

A wonderful light an airy potted plant with bright yellow buttercup like flowers callled the Frying Pan. It's a California native, & I haven't been able to find out why it has that funny common name.

One that is quickly becoming one of my favorites because it repeatedly puts out new blossoms on a daily basis is the Patersonias. There is a white and a blue Drummond ii.

Also next to it is the variegated Weigela. That will definitely end up in the back section where it can grow and bloom to its heart's content.

Then there is a pretty little plant that is a slow grower and perfect for one of my medium pots, the Shark Bay Boronia.

And finally, there is, as there always seems to be, the "mystery" plant. This wonderful red blossomed plant didn't have a marker with its name on it. Thanks to the Botanical Garden I have found out that it is a Geum Borisii "Georgenburg". It is a native of Chile.

So Spring if finally here with the mild, beautiful days, sometimes a bit too breezy, but who is complaining? With the help of a friend we have once again begun the digging and wiring process of the bed along the South Fence, which will hopefully be finished the coming week. Then I will be moving the Princess bush up there as well as a couple of other plants that are really too big for the lower beds.

I have also resumed reattaching the stones to the cement block walls now that things have dried out sufficiently. Look for some real progress over the next several weeks. I hope Spring is in full swing wherever you might be living as well.

I Can't Help it. It was on SALE!!!

2011-05-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Friday, was the banner day of Spring. That was the day the San Francisco Botanical Garden began its Annual Spring Sale with a "Members Only" evening sale! You know, I couldn't resist that. This annual event means that hundreds of marvelous plants from the Garden are made available to the public for purchase at very low prices. It is not to be missed if you are from this area. It is sort of like going to a department store sale. People are lined up waiting to enter. By 5:00 p.m. when the gate opens there are already more than 150 people in line. It takes dedication because some days, like the past Friday, are cold and windy.

When the gates open the rush is on. Pity the poor soul who gets in the way of customers grabbing a shopping cart! For the first several minutes it is pandemonium as people rush to and fro grabbing their cart while sweeping their eyes over the wide array of plants, hoping to see that one plant that just stands out from all the others and says, "I have to be in your garden!"

Very quickly things become orderly and customers greet one another and share what tips they know about plants with nearby individuals. Then the task becomes weeding out what you absolutely must have from all the many plants you would like to have. After all, you only have so much garden space!

My friend, Dudley, and I were near the front of the line, so our chances of getting plants was very good. After a half hour my shopping cart was full and I was ready to check out. What I ended up with were 13 gorgeous plants, most of which I had never seen before for a little over $80.00. You can't find that at any nursery!

What follows is a list of the plants with links to sites where you can see them. After I get them planted and they take hold, I will certainly be publishing photos of what my plants look like.Where I am able to discern the common name, I have put it in parentheses at the end of the plant name. The plants I bought are:
Anigozanthus 'Big Red' (Kangaroo Paw)

Boronia Crenulata 'Shark Bay'

Lewisia 'Dark Cloud' Because I couldn't find a picture online, here is what it looks like. It's really a spectacular plant!

Lithodora Diffusa 'Grace Ward'

Patersonia sp(white) [not a great picture of it]

Patersonia 'drummondii'

Salvia Microphylla 'Trinidad Pink'

Sisyrinchium 'Californicum' (Yellow Eyed Grass)

Sisyrinchium 'Wayne's Dwarf'' (Blue Eyed Grass) [No image, but same as yellow eyed only blue flowers]

Weigela Variegata 'nana'

Hope to have my own pics in the near future. Now to plant all those plants I got on sale.

A tip well worth having, even though it isn't directly garden related.

2011-04-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

My friend here, Marit, sent me this information in an e-mail today and it is such a wonderful tip that I felt the need to share it here so that more people can benefit from it. Although it isn't necessarily related to landscaping and gardening, it definitely is ecologically sound. I can see several uses for it related to the garden. air tight and waterproof seed or plant food containers for one. I'm sure each of us will end up thinking of others too. So, I hope you will start using this tip both in and outside of your house. It's one of the "Greenest" things I have seen lately.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA! NO MORE TWIST TIES OR RUBBER BANDS.

This method is WATER PROOF AND AIR TIGHT. GREAT! The guy who first thought of the idea should be given an award for originality!!! Zip-top bags are great, but sometimes you buy something in bulk and you're stuck with an unsealable bag. Home-centric blog Re-Nest shows us an easy way to give these bags an airtight seal with an old water bottle.

Cut up a disposable water bottle and keep the neck and top, as in photo. Insert the plastic bag through the neck and fold edges over top of the neck and screw the top to seal.

The bag is made to be air-tight, such that water will not leak, the secret lies with the top and screw cap! This is a great idea to share. Good for us and the environment too.

Do me a favor, leave me a comment on ways you find to use this tip. Also, don't forget to check the "Follow" button on the right to follow any new postings I make to the blog.

Ferdinand Frog Finds A Home

2011-04-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

One never knows where he will run into just the thing he's been looking for to put in his garden or yard. I volunteer twice a month cashiering at Under One Roof, a wonderful, non-profit store in the Castro section of the city that gives all its profits to 38 AIDS related organizations in Northern California. (www.underoneroof.org) I have done this for several years. I walked in a couple of weeks ago and saw the perfect birdbath for the yard. However, one of the eyes was broken. I thought, "I could buy that and get someone to fix it." But put it off. I went in again yesterday and it was nowhere to be seen. It turns out one of the other volunteers had taken it home to repair the eye and returned it while I was there. So, I grabbed it. It's absolutely whimsical and I can't wait to find the perfect place for it in the garden. Meet Ferdinand, the birdbath frog!

I'm sure Hermione, the Happy Hippo is going to love her new companion, to say nothing of the birds!

March showers bring April flowers and the hopes for a nice Spring!

2011-04-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long and wet winter out here on the Left Coast. The good news is that we have been officially notified that the drought of the past three years is over. The Governor announced that last week. Therefore, it must be absolutely true, right??? I mean a politician would never lie to us would they???

March really exited with a big bang. 4.5 inches of rain last week, with most of it falling on Friday and Saturday!!
Things are still drying out. But this past week was heavenly with warm (even low 80's), sunny days and this coming week promises more of the same.

The time has come to attack some of those early Spring chores that I have been putting off. There's the passionflower vine that needs another "haircut," several plants I have to move around to better locations and, of course more digging, wiring and preparing of additional beds.

The season began this past week with this year's initial battle with the persistent gophers. Found tunnel in bed where I had the yellow dahlia this past year. Out came the hose and we flooded the tunnel for awhile and also added some gopher repellent and hopefully drowned at least one of them. But, in the process I discovered that during the winter they had been feasting on the dahlia tubers. Fortunately, some small tubers were still attached and I was able to move the plant to a new location where it will hopefully be better protected from the little monsters!

The Frustrations of Winter

2011-02-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

Winter can be great fun. We all have had the times when we have had great joy in new snow and sledding. My son-in law and grandsons obviously enjoyed the snow this past New Year's Day in Maine.

I remember doing that and actually enjoying it. But often as we get older, what was fun previously is not as fun anymore. When I moved to San Francisco 16 years ago it was because Winter was no longer fun! It was just a very long, cold, messy period with lots of darkness. So, I made the decision to move where it wouldn't snow, or at least almost never.

I have never regretted this move. But, when you garden, Winter can still be a frustrating time even without snow. Yes, it's fun to have weeks like a few weeks ago where the temperature is in the 70's and 80's and shorts and short sleeved shirts are entirely appropriate in January. You never quite lose the marvel of seeing plants in bloom in the depths of the Winter Season, like my Cymbidium Orchid this year.

However, there is clean up to do and plants to move to better locations. And, if you are landscaping your yard, as I am, you want to get into it. But, the Winter rainy season interferes with your best laid plans. This Winter we have had 15 inches of rain from mid-November through December.

January was a much more pleasant month and I was able to reattach some of the stones to the garden walls. I've discovered, thanks to all the moisture, that there's a reason they suggest not to use construction adhesive on places that have a lot of moisture. It's no fun walking into the yard and seeing yet more stones have fallen off the walls that took you so long to attach. So, I have now switched to landscape adhesive. It seems to be much better and IS waterproof!

February has been a really mixed bag, with showers off and on and this past week with a whole series of Winter storms coming off the Pacific dumping a total of 4.5 inches of rain in the yard this past week alone. Today would be great to get out and work, but everything is so damp that it's just not possible. Unfortunately, the forecast for the coming week is showers for most of the week.

So all of you who live in the depths of Winter's snowy grasp. While not being there is pleasant in many ways, there are times that Winter can be frustrating for us "snowbirds" as well. Like all of you I will be very glad when it's over.

COMING FULL CYCLE

2010-11-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

It happens every year, and every year I try to put it off as long as possible. Fortunately, for me, in California, I can put it off for a very long time compared to when I lived in New England. But, inevitably the day comes for cleaning up the garden after a year of enjoyment. I compare it to cleaning the toilet in terms of tasks I like to do.

Today was that day. We have had 3 storms so far this year. That's an early and rather wet start for us. This weekend it rained all weekend and we had 2 inches of rain. In the previous two storms we had another 2 inches combined. That allowed me to put off what had to be done. So, today I cut back the dahlias, and other plants and basically cleaned up the bed. Like a clean toilet, I have to admit, all grumbling and procrastinating aside, the garden always does look oh so much better once it's cleaned up.

The added attraction here is that Winter rather than being gloomy and monotone in color, is our really vibrant season. With the rains comes the lush, verdant greens of the California hills and some plants, like the African Daisies and Passionflower continue to bloom. So there is always some color around. Somehow that makes the shortness of the days at this time of year a little more palatable.

One sad note to report is that after I completed the clean up and emptying the cuttings and debris into the green compost bin for pickup tomorrow, I went back into the yard. And there flying around and definitely looking for the blue flowers of the Mexican Salvia was a Ruby Throated Hummingbird. He kept diving to where he knew it had been and then withdrawing and hovering and then trying again for several times before giving up. I felt really guilty because I had delayed cutting it back because I knew that they liked that plant. But when I looked at it, there were very few blossoms left on the stalks and only seed pods, so I cut it back for the Winter. Ahh me, he'll just have to find another flower to go to until next Spring.

One note of good news is that the Cimbidium Orchid is coming into bloom. I am flabbergasted. This year it has 8 flower stalks on it as compared to 3 last year. It seems to be absolutely flourishing. I wish I knew what I did to have that happen so I can repeat it for next year.

Well, that's the update for now. With Thanksgiving around the corner, it's baking time starting tomorrow. I'm in charge of a deep dish apple pie for this year's meal. My best wishes to everyone for a Happy Thanksgiving, the most enjoyable holiday in the book, in my opinion.

Beautiful Plant in absolutely the wrong place!

2010-10-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

One of the joys and also the tribulations of landscaping the yard is the fact that I am not familiar with the growing patterns of many of the plants that grow in the Bay area. Coming from New England and living most of my life where there are four distinct seasons, freezes and snow, I'm still getting used to what will grow here and how it grows. That means I have planted a number of things in the wrong place initially and they will have to be moved.
A gardener's work is never done! :)

When I moved to San Francisco a plant that I fell in love with right away was the Tibouchina Urvilleana. Impressed I used the technical name??? :) Or, as we like to call it, The Princess Flower or Glory Bush. So, I had to get one for the yard. It's abundant, large purple flowers and reddish growth are maginificent. Who wouldn't want to have this in their yard?

I originally planted it in the bed just outside the garage door, not realizing how quickly it grows. Now I need to think about moving it. It is 3 years old at this point. This Spring it looked like this.

Now, of course that was with a bit of pruning and shaping. But it was only about 2 feet tall and about the same in diameter. So when I planted the impatiens I thought it made a really nice bed. However, 4 months have passed and it has grown immensely to it's current size:

It's now about 5 feet in diameter and height! and a mass of flowers! It is beautiful, but it has quickly gotten too large for the bed it's in and I will need to move it over the winter. The major problem is that it completely blocks the view when you are coming out of the garage.

So, as we get the upper portion of the yard ready, I will move it and put it where it can grow to it's heart's content. I love this plant and am so happy it is doing so well. It will be a focal point wherever it ends up.

Getting Prepared for the Winter Rains

2010-09-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Here in the Bay area our rainy season usually begins sometime around early November and goes through March or April. Of course, with global warming and weather changing, who knows what it will be in the future. If this year is an example, we will be adjusting to a changing weather pattern year round for awhile. This Summer has been colder and foggier than any other summer I can remember and we still haven't gotten those long string of warm, sunny days yet that we usually have from September through October.

When planning the yard, one of the things I had to keep in mind, as you always do was drainage of water. in the winter we can have some severe storms that can leave anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain easily. The way the yard is currently graded means all that water flows toward the house. It is, of course stopped from the upper yard by the retaining wall someone put in years ago. But, it still drains down the walkway and through the lower yard where the patio will be.

There have been three concrete sidewalks in the yard. Ironically all going nowhere in particular. I have removed these and have ended up with a sizable amount of concrete chunks. As indicated in an earlier post, I put some of those to use as drainage material at the step up into the upper yard as a base for the crushed granite. (See blog on June 2nd: "A time to Step Up in the World").

For the past few days, I have been using a jackhammer my landlord borrowed to complete the task of removing the concrete. It is a jarring job to do, but so much easier than trying to accomplish the task with a sledgehammer!

You have to admit, it makes anyone look butch doing this! LOL. Actually it went quite quickly! The next step was to gather up the chunks, which my roommate helped with. I would venture to say that he worked harder than I did doing that!

Finally, we dumped the chunks in the prepared hole at the base of the main wall in front of the trellis.

Now what will be done is a layer of gravel and crushed granite will be placed on top of the cement chunks as a finished layer and the area will serve as a catch basin for water from the lower yard, the walkway to the upper yard and, when we get it in, any overflow from the pond.

August Update

2010-08-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

Can't believe how much of the year has gone by already! Wanted to update you on what's been happening in the yard.

One of the things that was accomplished in the last couple of weeks is that I built a box for the right side of the walkway into the upper yard. This gives sort of a matching aspect to the entry to that section of the yard between the raised bed behind the trellis and the box to the right.

Once the box was in place we filled it with cement chunks and then topped it with river stone and set the hydrangea pot on top. Then I "traded out" the pea gravel that was in the step. It was too unstable to walk on. Also, because the step up was still somewhat high, I included a 4 x 4 step up as well. The whole thing was then filled in with crushed granite chips. These are great because once you wet it down and tamp it, it has a stability of cement, but remains completely porous so water won't collect! I plan to finish the rest of the walkway with the same stuff.

The hydrangea continues to awe me both in its growth and color.

It's hard to believe that two seasons ago it was a table decoration! The blossoms, in addition to being a gorgeous blue, are approximately 6-8 inches in diameter!

Of course the dahlias are beating everything else in the garden for attention right now. They really are beautiful. The flame dahlia from last year has really begun to produce along with the Pinot Noir and Branken Lorelei that I added this year.

And the pansy bed continues to sparkle with color!

Well, now that I have had my pool party break, it's time to get back to work. Will update you again soon.

A Pool interlude

2010-08-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Boy! Time does sure fly when you are having fun!! This month began with a pool party at friends in Santa Rosa. What a great change from the gray, foggy days we have been having here in the city. Thought I might share a few pics from Sunday's party. First, of course, you want to see the pool! :)

And yes, it was a perfect California Sunday, not a cloud in the sky and 80 degrees!

A rose is a rose and always will be: and their rose garden is something to behold! This is only a small part of it. They enjoy gardening and plants as much as I do and their plants show it!

Of course, what's a pool party without food??? Our hosts did a Mexican theme and I was able to provide the centerpiece with flowers from my garden. Really turned out quite nice!

But, after such a relaxing time, it's time to get back to the construction!

I just love this time of year in the garden!!

2010-07-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Mid-summer is the greatest time in the garden. Everything is at its peak and every time I open the back door from the garage I'm met with a scene that can't help but lift my spirits!

The first thing that hits the eye when you open the door are the brilliant colors of the impatiens in the closest bed.

One of the real joys this year has been the hydrangea plant a friend gave me as a table decoration two Easter's ago. It has grown significantly and, this year, is blossoming to beat the band!

The blue color is just brilliant. How does that happen? I "feed" the plant aluminum sulfate 3 or 4 times a season and that maintains the blue color of the blossoms. Soon it will be time to remove it from the pot and plant it in a bed in the upper yard when they are complete. I probably could go one more season in this pot.

It's a Bloomin Palette!

2010-07-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

The garden is really becoming a festival of color and textures! I thought I would share it with you.

There is the bed of impatiens with the Princess Flower bush at the center.
Nothing like seeing your plans come to fruition just like you hoped it would!

The Dahlias are beginning to bloom. Currently 4 of the 6 are in bloom and becoming more spectacular by the day.

Pinot Noir Dahlia Flame Dahlia

White Dahlia

Bracken Loreli Dahlia

I can't wait for the the other two to start blooming. Dahlia's are some of the most beautiful flowers I know and with none of the issues that roses have.

And, there's nothing as pretty as a pansy! :)

Somehow it's like the flowers on the pansy all have a happy face. And nothing does color quite so spectacularly!

This year I have two colors of California Poppies. The traditional orange:

and one with a yellow edge to it: Both are spectacular!

And of course there is always the Passion Flower vine:

What can one say of a flower this elegant?

More to come.

I Digress About Fathers and What They Mean to Us

2010-06-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

I started this blog about landscaping the yard at the home I rent and gardening. But, tonight I want to digress about other things that grow in our lives.

This is the beginning of Father's Day. My Dad will be 90 five months from tomorrow. That, in itself, is an amazing accomplishment. This year I've found myself being more acutely aware of how much he means to my life. No, he isn't a saint! But, then, neither am I! He has, however, been a pillar in my life and , in many ways, a mentor.....and I have not told him that near enough.

My Dad is a self educated man. But he is also a very gifted man. He can fix just about anything and his grasp of anything electronic has allowed him to make a good life for himself and his family. Growing up I used to resent the time he spent on those things. But now I realize he wasn't doing it just for him, but to provide something better for my brother and I that he didn't have in his younger life. For that, I am grateful.

Dad has a temper and can be cantankerous and obstinate and he is extremely conservative. After all, he is from French Canadian stock! Sometimes that has been a wedge in our relationship. Our relationship has had a generous share of ups and downs. But, the bottom line is he has always been there for us no matter what. I love him for that. I know it hasn't been easy either. I certainly have played more than my share in the difficult aspects as I have struggled through life.

There are three times that are etched in my memory. The first was when I came out to him and told him that I was Gay. After sharing what turned out to be the "not so big news." I asked how he was doing and he replied that he was okay with it and asked how I was feeling. I shared that I was concerned that he might kick me out. He turned and looked at me and very gently said, "I would never do that!"

The second was when I visited he and my Step-Mother during her final days battling pancreatic cancer and I saw a man who I had always thought was distant being caring, loving and ever so gentle with the woman he had shared 49 years with. That love was so plain to see and so wonderful to be able to witness.

The third was when he visited me in San Francisco while I was dealing with Lymphoma and we were sharing some memories and he shared the fact that the thing he had feared most about my being Gay was that I would cut myself off from them.

These times remind me that we often sell out parents short over petty things that really are more about our personal issues than with them. We don't tell them as often as we should how much their love and caring and support mean to us. I am so fortunate to still have my Dad and to be able to say to him I love you so much and am so proud to have you as my Father. We may not always agree on things, but we know that we will always love one another, and that's what counts. Happy Father's Day, Dad.

The Rites of Spring

2010-06-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Over the past week I have continued working on attaching stone facing to the concrete block walls. So far I've completed the curved bed by the back door and the walls for the walkway area. Now I'm concentrating on the circular bed. The process is simple. Choose a stone and hold it for visual confirmation that it is correct for that position. Apply heavy duty construction adhesive to the back of the stone, press into place and brace for at least 24 hours so that it sets. The process works well, but isn't very neat looking with the supports. :)

As I have worked, I have had some new company on several days. This Spring there has been constant activity from mockingbirds. There have been flying attacks several times each day with crows flying over and a constant presence of these noisy, but friendly birds. I couldn't help but come to the conclusion that their nest was a part of mine or the neighbors yard. After careful observation, I knew it wasn't my tree that they were nesting in. The closest I could figure is some tall cedars in an adjoining neighbor's yard.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been able to enjoy one of the rites of Spring. That time when the young birds are big enough to fly, but still are being fed by the parents. Three young mockingbirds have been using my fences as resting places as they venture into the world outside the nest and practice flying routines. Meantime, the parents continue the routine of finding food for their young and flying in to feed them. It has been enjoyable to be a part of this yearly process.

Another rite of Spring is the blooming of more flowers in the garden. So, enjoy some pictures of them:

HAPPY SPRING! SUMMERS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!

Why I garden

2010-06-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

Gardening is an exercise in patience. Despite the constant need to do more. Despite the various critters who seem to enjoy ravishing whatever you do. Despite the evil gophers or the rains. There comes a point when suddenly you realize why it is that you like getting your hands dirty, you back and knees sore and spend so many hours preparing and planting.

Once the weather begins to turn warm and the days are sunny, the garden starts to come alive and all those plants that you had no idea of how they would turn out start to bring daily beauty into your life. There's nothing quite as wonderful as walking out into your yard that you have worked so hard to create and to begin to see beauty that only nature can create. Today, I want to share some of the beauty that is unfolding in my back yard. The links in this blog are to pages about the care of the particular plant mentioned.

First, it's nice to see that what you hoped would happen with the impatiens actually is happening as they fill the bed with color around the Princess Flower bush.

As a backdrop at the wall, I have planted colored mini calla lily bulbs that are now beginning to show.

Speaking of callas, the wonderful Green Giant Calla that I transplanted earlier this year has recovered and is now producing some wonderful blossoms.

The daylilies are starting their annual show with more and more of them bursting into bloom with each day that goes by. Their variety of colors and size makes for a new surprise every day. The only sad thing is that each blossom, though absolutely gorgeous lasts for so short a period of time.

Some of the other plants that are blooming are Nicotina:

Painted Daisy

Pumpkin Spice African Daisy and

Martha Washington Geranium

Among the new plants in the garden this year I'm really pleased with the delphinium

and one I had no idea would be producing purple columbine-like flowers on two foot stems is called Three Birds Flying

And not be be left out, the blueberries are loaded this year!

The great thing is the season has really just begun. From here the garden will continue to burst forth with color as the dahlias, fuschia, mexican salvia as other plants start producing their blooms. I'm looking forward to it all.

Time For A Step Up In The World

2010-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

For the time being, the rains seem to have stopped. We have begun our Summer pattern of warm days and cool foggy nights....some say downright cold nights. It is really refreshing. The other advantage of the Fog Season and being a resident of the Fog bank is that on days when others are roasting in the sun, we have overcast, but warm days to work outside. Today, was one of those days.

It began around nine because my Landlord, Tom had gotten the requested cement blocks, sand and gravel I requested. I began by placing the two blocks where I wanted to have a 4x4 step up to a platform to get up over the retaining wall into the upper yard. Then I cemented in some retaining rods to hold the 45x4 in place and finally pounded in a couple of rods on the other side to secure everything.

Since we get lots of rain in the rainy season, I am concerned that the water doesn't puddle in basically level areas like the step up to the back yard or that excessive runoff will remove any gravel or sand I am going to put on the angled portion of the walk. Therefore, before beginning anything else I broke up concrete I had removed from the upper yard and filled in the platform area with the chunks to provide extra drainage for this area. Then I put hardware cloth and some chicken wire on top of it as a "cover" for the chunks. That way if the intrepid gophers do somehow burrow through the concrete they won't be able to get above the wire anyway.

I then placed landscape cloth on top of the wire to prevent sand and/or gravel from seeping down into the spaces in the concrete chunks. The landscape cloth lets water through, but also keeps weeds from growing up through into the sand and gravel. Once the landscape cloth was in place I added 150 lbs of all purpose sand as a base for the gravel. I leveled this so that it was approximately 2 inches deep and then wet it and tamped it. You can see the edge of the landscape cloth here.

Once that was in place I then topped it with all purpose pea gravel. to finish off the step up platform.

It's nice to once again have a regular step up to the upper yard, rather than the immense hole that was there before. Now I can finish attaching the stone facing to this section of the wall so that they meet the gravel and it will be all done.

The top edge of the cement blocks that you can see will be the level that the gravel and sand will be on the graded section of the walkway down to the main patio area of the lower yard. It was a long day's work, but it sure feels good to have that portion finished.

Another Day Off

2010-05-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

You know what they say about all work and no play? So today, my friend Anthony and I took a little road trip. Our first stop was at a place many of you may find familiar looking:

Figured out why it looks familiar?? If you do, you are older than you think. :) This is the Filoli House in Woodside, CA. A tiny place with 45 rooms built originally for one of the "Gold Barons." However, it is recognizable to us because it has been a movie star and, more importantly, it is the house that was used for the Dynasty TV series. We went mainly to see the gardens, which are very beautiful. One would have to go several times to really appreciate the different plants as they flower.

We went from here to Hakone Japanese Gardens in Saratoga, CA. A wonderful Japanese garden with many bonsai trees and bushes and a marvelous, huge Koi Pond that contains some of the largest Koi that I have yet to see.

And also a couple of additional tenants as well.

It was a gorgeous California Sunny day in the low 80's and the drive home over Skyline Drive was the perfect ending of a day away. Tomorrow it's back to work on the yard.

Oh the Pansy

2010-05-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

The beauteous pansies rise

In purple, gold, and blue,

With tints of rainbow hue

Mocking the sunset skies.

- Thomas John Ouseley,

The Angel of the Flowers

Is there anyone who doesn't love the Pansy? This common flower provides an array of colors and fills in beds nicely. It's true that it is a veritable rainbow. You can't help looking at this marvelous little flower and see some story of beauty, love and romance in each blossom.

I am showing these today because on the 11th I reconstructed the circular bed and put in a total of 35 of these wonderful plants and cut them all back so they weren't putting energy into blossoming, but into getting settled in and growing. It looked like this:

and a mere two weeks later the pansies have taken off and now the Pacific Coast Azalea bush in the middle is surrounded by a rainbow of brilliant color!

I can't wait to see what it looks like in another month or two. I promise to make sure you know, too!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all!

Hermione Gets Her Nails Done!

2010-05-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

What's a girl to do?? There comes a point where your old nail job is just plain worn out. Poor Hermione, had her nails done last by Donnie who gave her to me when I moved here. That's at least 3 year's ago! No wonder her nails needed work!

One can only stand it for so long. So today it was time for Hermione to have her nails redone. While she was doing that, I continued to work on the gardens with various tasks.

One of the joys of this climate is you can grow many types of plants with different soil and water requirements. One of the nice pots I found when I moved in is a circular one on legs that is shallow. Last year I put a couple of succulents in it. Unfortunately, with the wet winter we have had, the composted soil I used proved to hold too much moisture. So, I emptied it out, and refilled it with cactus soil and added a few more succulents. Once planted I covered the whole thing with sand. It really turned out quite well!

It will be fun to see it fill in and serve as an accent piece in the yard.

In addition, I finished off the impatiens in the curved bed and top dressed the iris bed.

Finally, I worked on the North bed---the one that is still incomplete to get the last of the plants I purchased at the Botanical Garden sale in the ground. Did a bit of sifting of soil and adding more compost to the bed. This bed still functions as the place where I put in plants that I'm not sure where I want them to end up in the yard, so it continually changes. It will, however, be a bed where I plan to have several Dahlias in the future.

One of the nice surprises this year has been the blooming of the Cimbidium orchid. I got the plant from the office where I worked and put it into a planter, but didn't expect it to begin blooming for a couple of years. I figured it would take that long for it to get pot bound enought to do that. Lo and behold, it didn't take that long at all.!

Finally, the day ended with Hermione, the Happy Hippo, resuming her place of honor in the garden with a brand new, dark red, nail job! No wonder she looks happier and more satisfied!!

And so the day ends, with all being well in the garden once again.

Getting Closer---The Circle is Unbroken

2010-05-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

In case you have been wondering where I've been. I've been out in the yard finishing off the brickwork and doing more stonework. As of now about 80% of the brickwork is complete! At the end of last week I finished the circular bed. It actually still is a circle, too! I'm quite pleased at both the progress and my masonry abilities.

The only section unfinished is a small segment of wall on the North side of the yard that the stones are in front of. I will complete that as I use up the stones that are there. It's just too much trouble to try to accomplish that with the pile of stones still in front of it.

I delayed posting anything on the circular bed for two reasons. First, it was supposed to rain on Mother's day. It didn't, but threatened to all day. Then Monday we got the promised rain. That added one-half inch of rain to the total for the year, which now stands officially at 22.79 inches for the year so far. That's 108% for the normal for this date and 102% of normal for the entire rainy season, which officially continues through June. While that is great, the lower rain totals for the past few years means that we still are a bit under where we should be as far as classing things as a drought. But, we will take whatever we can get!!!

So, on this sunny, 70-degree day I went back out in the yard and worked on finishing the beds so I could get them planted for the season once and for all. The circular bed needed an additional bale and a half of E.B. Stone Redwood Compost. I swear I should buy stock in that company! Because that bed seems to be affected by dryness to an extreme degree, I felt the need to significantly increase the compost to help retain moisture and also to raise the level because of the addition of bricks. Last year I discovered that in spite of regular watering, the Meyer Lemon plant I had in the middle was completely dry and almost died by the time I moved it. Live and learn, that's one of the main maxims of any gardening project. Therefore, once I had removed all the plants that were in the bed, added the compost, I also decided to add a new product that I had not used previously to help maintain moisture in this bed. I added 16 ounces of Soil Moist Granules. I thoroughly dug them into the compost and soil mixture so that they are completely incorporated in all depth of the soil. With soil as sandy as mine is, you can water deeply, but if you just do regular watering from then on the lower layers dry out and it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a good depth of moisture. The amazing thing was that after I thoroughly watered the bed prior to replanting, I took a break for lunch and when I returned the crystals had increased in size at least four or five times! It looked as if the bed had small hailstones all over it. So, more turning it into the soil was required. I then replanted the bed. Here's what it looks like now:

Those of you who have followed this blog from the beginning might recall that last year I had tulips and daffodils in this bed. They never did produce very well last year and also did poorly this year. It is not easy to grow bulbs that require low temperatures during the winter here. Therefore, I had earlier dug all the bulbs up and threw them out and replaced them with some pansies that I had in the curved bed that were doing okay, but not great. They absolutely took off in this bed!. I added additional pansies today so what you see in the bed now that it is completely finished is the Coastal Azalea bush in the middle and it now has 35 pansy plants!

You may wonder where the flowers are. I have found that it is much better to remove all blossoms when you initially plant flowers. This puts the energy into establishing the plant rather than producing flowers and also makes the plant bushier as it grows. Most people don't get the kind of plants you see in magazines because they don't pinch back old blossoms enough. Pinching is absolutely essential to good plant growth.

In addition, I also raised the soil level in the curved bed outside the yard door so that it filled in behind the bricks. Along the back wall I replanted the colored calla lily bulbs that I took out last fall. These will remain low, but will be very colorful later in the season. If you want to see what they will look like, go back to to my post last July called "Crazy About Callas." One word of advice though, the Picassa link in that blog is no longer active. Sorry.

The Princess Flower Bush is still the center of that bed and will be it's focal point. This year, because it's shaded most of the day, I am filling the bed with impatiens plants. So far there are about three dozen plants in it. Withing a month or so, the bed will be completely covered with the impatiens plants and flowers. Until then it's lots of patience and hope that they don't get devoured by insects or slugs.

I still need to add about a dozen more impatiens to complete this bed.

Between May Day and Cinco DeMayo

2010-05-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's May, that means it REALLY is Spring!! Although this year we have been having some "extra" storms this Spring. That's okay, because the more rain, the less possibility of drought! So far we have had over 26 inches of rain this season, which puts us slightly over 100% of normal. But, with the past several years of being under normal, we are still catching up. Well enough of the weather report. More at 11! LOL

I have been working away at getting the brickwork done along the South Wall and also some stonework. Since the last posting I have finished the South side bricks. Now I can complete the stone facing and have that whole side done! Here's what it looks like right now from my bedroom window.

And from the back door into the yard.

I love this time of year. Everything is taking off and really starting to fill in. The main bed by the trellis is really starting to look good now as you can see from the North beds and South beds below.

And one of the dahlias I planted from the Flower and Garden show is already starting to bloom!

This is a Pinot Noir Dahlia cutting that was planted and is what is known as a "cactus" Dahlia because of the spiked blossoms. It should grow about 2 to 2.5 feet high and not require staking. Right now I have it in a pot. It was the container and border dahlia of the year in 2007.

The miracle of the year, though is the recovery of the Passion Flower vine. If you remember, I had to dig it up to rewire the bed last year and we thought it was dead. But, it has come back in full force and now I can enjoy the wonderful blooms of this vine.

The end of April and beginning of May also marks the Annual Spring Flower Sale at the Botanical Garden. This year we were able to attend a day prior to the public because of our membership. I got several new and interesting plants. I just don't know where I'm going to put them yet. One of the most colorful is the Tea Tree. It needs room because it gets 6-8 fee high and wide. I may end up putting it in the front bed since it is nicely drought tolerant.

Well, Happy Cinco De Mayo to everyone. I hope your month is as sunny and bright as ours is here.

And The Wall Goes Round, Round Round!

2010-04-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Another absolutely gorgeous San Francisco Day, so it was back to the brick work. Today it was putting bricks on top of the curving wall on the South Side of the yard. I'm absolutely amazed at what I did today because I had to work the bricks around a curve and still have them look good.....and I was able to do it!!

I did have to repair some of the stones I put on under the bricks yesterday because they didn't hold. That's why those sticks are in the foreground. I finished after about 5 hours of work and looking at the wall was flabbergasted at how well it came out.

My choice was to either cut the brick diagonally as they moved around the end of the bed or to angle them leaving a wider cement bond at the front. As you can see, I chose the latter, mostly because I am not overly skilled at cutting bricks on an angle.

By positioning the back of the bricks right next to each other and adjusting the front I was able to get the curve I was after and although there is a fairly wide band of mortar on the front, it is not overly so.

And it really looks good! I am very pleased with the results. However, due to forecasted rain this weekend, I don't think I will be able to get back to working on the rest of the brick work until next week. Oh well, the weekend is here. Time to relax!!