GARDEN TOUR » MOM'S HOUSE

After sharing my modest yard, it dawned on me that the yard I should really be celebrating doesn't belong to me at all. It is my mother's. If I have any sort of green thumb, or artistic bone in my body, it is all due to Mom.

Growing up we lived in a typical 70's ranch in a family-friendly neighborhood development. All of our homes looked alike. But our yard stood out even then. The back had a three-tiered garden, constructed from railroad ties, full of vegetables, flowers and trees. The front housed a Wishing Well built from a wine barrel. It was so fun for us kids. Then, once we all fled the nest, my parents did too and bought their then-dream home. Currently they are considering an even bigger move to Montana! But until then, they are most happy to live on a cliff above the Rock River in a rustic house with vaulted ceilings and a fireplace. It's a hidden gem on the edge of town.

And so in my mother's words (with interjections from me in italics because I can't help myself):

This garden started out as vast sections of open grass area, surrounded by mature Oak, Walnut, Maple and Pine trees. Under those trees are the ever encroaching Mulberry bushes. I set out to make beds to compliment the natural landscaping and began planting.  

{The house is surrounded by natural woods on three sides and open to the river on the fourth. It's situated on a busy street and the woods serve as much-needed privacy and sound barrier.}

The perennial plants in my garden all came from my previous home. One plant for each species. Each year they have been divided to fill in the flower beds. The pine trees were transplanted from the forest line into areas where they could reach more sun. I made the mistake of planting them too close together and will one day have to decide which tree will have to go, so the other can continue to thrive. Opening up the forest floor allowed for sleeping wildflowers to come to life.

{This entire area was grass when they first moved in. My mother is a gardening BEAST! At one point she relentlessly gathered grape vine from the woods and made a border around all of these beds, even edging a trail to the neighbor's house.}

This is the Southwest corner. It gets mostly filtered sun so anything grows well here. I planted all of these pine trees as seedlings.

{Mom and Dad love nature in all its forms and as such, have two big dogs and three small cats. There's a Yellow Lab named Norman in this shot.}

Each season brings a different color of the garden to emerge. Right now in mid-summer, splashes of purple, red/orange and white compliment the different shades of green. After 17 years of transplanting, composting and pruning, the garden is now mature enough that my only chore is to keep the wild edge of the tree line at bay. And of course weeding. The rest of the time I can lay in my hammock and enjoy all that I have done.

{This is arguably the best spot of the yard. It's the most sunny, the most open space and the BEST view. You can see Rockford's Fourth of July fireworks from here! To the right is also our little pet cemetary. My childhood cat Sam is here as well as other beloved pets and animals.}
 
This is the entry into my shade garden, a mixture of ground cover carpets the floor beneath a variety of Walnut, Ash, Oak & Maple trees. I've tried to plant Hostas, but they just seem stunted. Creeping Charlie runs rampant, but at least it covers the ground beneath the Walnut trees, where nothing else will grow. Other natural clumps of Lily of the Valley and Lambs Ear also grow well here. The vine growing on the pole holding the hummingbird feeder is Hops! Maybe I should learn to make my own brewed beer.

{Mom, you should! We harvested Lily of the Valley from this yard to make my wedding bouquet. I love this flower so much and it has meaning to us. It used to line the driveway of my Grandmother's house.}

Ok, I'm taking over from here. Let's head into the woods shall we? If I had one word to describe my parent's yard it would be "meandering." I love the whimsical, organic way you walk through.

There is no identifiable "front" and "back," instead you lean over here because something smells good, or you are drawn over here because, Mom, is that a giant frog?

It perfectly reflects my mother's personality. She is a free-spirit lacking order and rigidity. She just is that way. One idea is born of another, ideas are reactions to what one experiences at the moment, now. Yes, let's put a duck here.

Summer flocks blooming along side soon to bloom, Tiger Lilly. This, and then that.

This year she started a Fairy Garden in some corner of the woods...

...because these scream "umbrella," of course!

She is obsessed with nature and art. One of her biggest blessings, she would say, is that there are eagles in her yard. It has born a passion for photography, birds (which actually, she has always had) and downright eagle activism.

And this is relatively new, the turkeys. They march across the backyard every morning. Where on earth are they going? Show off.

I could go on and on because truly, there is an endless amount of detail we haven't even grazed. This yard is ever-evolving, nontraditional and truly loved. It will be amazing to see what she does next!

CATCHING UP » THE BACKYARD

I hate how often I don't get to post on here. It's a casualty of our current lifestyle, I suppose. Any time that is not devoted to my child, is devoted to my job. That's just how it is. Ever since becoming parents, Mike and I both have to squeeze what were 40+ hours/week jobs into 5 hours a day, more or less depending on urgency of deadlines. And lately, I've had a lot of deadlines.

As you know, the blog suffers.

But when I get a hot minute to do something I want, and with "what to blog about" floating in the back of mind, I tend to gravitate towards gardening. I do love getting my hands dirty, the fresh air and the gratification of growing things.

When we first moved in to this little house back in 2009, the backyard wasn't too impressive. In 2010, it got a lot of love (reminisce here, here, here and here). 2011 garnered an infant and the yard was all but forgotten. I don't remember 2012, I think we mowed once or twice? Anyway, 2013 is the summer we kicked back into high gear. I've been a gardening fool. Let's go left to right, shall we?

The backyard is a big square, with perimeter gardening beds and one of those metal sheds in the corner. When you come out of the sunroom and look to your left, there is a long herb garden. Take a gander at that giant tree in my neighbor's yard. I have a love/hate relationship with that monster. I hate it because it is messy with its dropping of the leaves and seeds all the time. I love it because it offers up partial shade and makes a wonderful wistful noise in the wind. (Speaking of shade, our yard actually has three separate climates, something you can really only tell by living in your house for a few years and keeping your eye on the sun. This side only gets late afternoon sun. Bad for Kangaroo Paws. RIP.)

N'ere you mind the grass. I'm in the process of killing that weed factory with hopes of replacing it with soft sod goodness.

For food, we have two Rosemary bushes, Camomile, Mint (in the black pot, invasive you know), Lemon Thyme, Basil, Parsley, Sage and Oregano.

It's not all herbs though. I also have some Alyssum and succulents peppered throughout just for looks. The two big pots still hold Papyrus, which I think is just the coolest. Sadly, they aren't as lush as they used to be. I blame 2011. But they are on a comeback. I added Baby Tears to fill in the pots so the bottom doesn't look so much like death and neglect.

Check out that Oregano! Grew from seeds three years ago. I'm just a little proud.

The Mint was from seed too (as was the Sage). I've learned with Mint, it can't get too dry. And even if you aren't drinking a lot of Mint Juleps, you have to keep it trim otherwise it gets super leggy and just plain ugly. BUT, it is so resilient! Blows my mind. I have hacked this thing to bits and it keeps coming back. I'm impressed by plants like that.

Now look straight ahead and past the ugly yet highly-functional metal shed, here is our eating area.

We painted the arbor/trellis/death trap black quite awhile ago and it is starting to show it's age with a bit of flaking and things. I am not bothered, it still looks good. It's a spider haven however, man alive! We hit it with a broom quite frequently and that helps hinder the Munster vibe. The Ikea Ammero set still looks brand new despite being left outside all last winter.

Side note: When I watch HGTV and they redo an outdoor space with tons of seating and pillows and trellises and flowing fabric every which-a-way, all I think about: spiders.

I am so psyched by my Asparagus Ferns and Black Mondo Grass that runs along the fence. What a triumph! This spot is shady all the time and these plants, as well as the larger Fern in the corner, love it here. The way the fingers creep over the edge is exactly the look I wanted. LOVE. You can't really see in this shot but the Black Mondo Grass has been multiplying and one day should fill all of the gaps.

I planted this Jasmine Vine with the hopes of growing it up and to the left. But it is proving really hard to train. Every time I tie back shoots to go the way I want them, it chokes to death. My new strategy is to cut, no more forcing. We'll see how it goes. And argh, it almost never flowers. It grows like mad during the rainy winter, then the summer threatens to dry it up. I water it all the time.

Beyond the dining area is the veggie garden. I built those raised beds myself I did and they have held up fabulously. We also added a swing for Thora and an extra 4x4 beam to support it (which has yet to be painted black).

We got a late start in the spring, but everything is doing really well and of course, I'm on it now. Right in front of the bed is a Begonia which has yet to flower and a poor little hosta that is being devoured by an invisible nighttime predator. Hmm. Most of the bed itself gets sun all day long. We have Romaine, Beets, Carrots, two Green Peppers, one Jalapeno, Pole Beans (SO CUTE!) and a cucumber.

We also have straight squash in the pot.

To the right of all that are tomatoes in the Earth Box. Can they look more pathetic? I can't figure out what is wrong here. But they are producing and growing...

The right side of the yard is home to our two fruit trees, a lemon and an orange. Mike saved these trees when we first moved in. Both had huge suckers which rendered them freaks (i.e., football size lemons! huge spikes!) and he hacked them both down to less than 4' tall. It's quite amazing really. The lemon recovered relatively quickly while the orange took a bit longer. But today, they both produce tons of fruit. The kind you can eat!

This part of the yard gets the most sun, although under the trees is a different story. I've been through a few rounds of plants down here and am thrilled with what I currently have going on. It's a combo of native grasses, three in 'Olive Oil' and two a wonderful green with orange tips. It starts off with an Orange Nectar Agastache which I just recently planted for color and to attract humingbirds. The Dragon's Blood, which I am using as a ground cover and border softener lines the front edges. At the far end is a Lamb's Ear, a plant I've always wanted. It's growing really well but fighting a dusty white mildew. Growl.

Can I hit you with some artsy shots of the Dragon's Blood? Because seriously. Dragon's Blood.

And lastly, as you come full circle, you are faced with this:

Ah yes, the sunroom. A sad and frustrating little reminder of all the projects that are not yet complete on this 1922 bungalow. Ripped screens are the least of my problems here.

But if I get up early enough, before my toddler and before my emails, I can sneak out in my pjs, with a cup of coffee and just maybe spot little creatures and moments like this, in the heart of the city:

I love our backyard.

THE TRIDENT MAPLE BLOOMS!

What is this, two posts in one day? I couldn't help myself because Spring has sprung! Look what done popped up on our new Trident Maple out front of the house? All that recommended watering (five gallons a week) has paid off. And along with a blue sky like this, I can't help but be in a good mood.

These little leaves, with their three points and red to green hues are just the thing our street needs. And we're not the only ones, baby trees are blossoming up and down the block. Go Oakland!

As you can see, we doctored up the planting strip with some compost and mulch. I plan to eventually fill this with ornamental grasses or something else modern and walkable. But that's down the road. And oh my, is that our front lawn all overgrown in the background? Embarrassing! Apparently, I need to sneak in a weed-wacking session sometime soon... and wouldn't it be swell if the city came and straightened that No Parking sign? A girl can dream...

Happy Holiday Weekend!

CONCRETE JUNGLE ON ITS WAY OUT

Isn't it nice when someone else does all the work? AND foots the bill?

One fine afternoon a teenage girl knocked on my door. I was already shaking my head and offering up my "no thanks yous" to whatever she was selling when she handed me a flier. A flier with the promise of a free tree. And not only a free tree, but also the cutting and removal of concrete in my front planting strip. And not only a free tree, but the planting of said tree and filling in with nice soil. And not only a free tree, but the tree of my choice.

She was an angel to me.

Eagerly I took her flier and that very night filled it out and dropped it in the mail. Then I waited. What followed was a few months of email back and forth and notes dropped in my mailbox because I wasn't home, or didn't hear the bell because oops, dead batteries. We'd come home from Gymboree or where ever to find the sidewalk had been spray painted, a rainbow of utility graffiti that I didn't mind at all. Then one sunny Saturday two guys showed up with a saw. Right at nap time of course, but I wasn't about to turn them away.

The cutting and jackhammering took about an hour and my little trooper slept right through it. Side note: best. baby. ever. Then a few days later someone gathered up the concrete rubble. And a few days after that, a tree was planted.

I chose a Trident Maple number one, because I can't wait to see the leaves turn bright red next fall. It's a medium-size tree that promises a long life, privacy from the apartment complex across the way, and not to tear up the sidewalk. I also like that it's branches seem to grow up instead of out. Because getting a toddler in and out of the back seat of a 1999 Jeep Cherokee with branches in your face is no picnic.

So I thank you Northern Alameda County Group of the Sierra Club. And thank you to Arthur Boone, your man in the field. I mailed a little donation, because of karma and all that. And I can't express my gratitude enough. This tree-planting program is amazing, especially for our little neck of Oakland in the midst of its revival.

She may not be much to look at now, but this tree won the adoption lottery. Once it settles in a bit I can't wait to plant and mulch around it, finally bringing some color to our front yard. It's a manageable little space versus the enormity of the projects behind it. Grow! Grow! Grow!

Working on an herb garden

While the kitties entertain themselves...

{Orange chomps kitty grass first thing after breakfast}

{Roosevelt, taunted by the squirrel who casually plops nuts on his head, does nothing}

I have been toiling away at the neglected left side of the back yard. There we have a nice rectangular border which once housed some sad little rose bushes. Roses are lovely and all that, but not really my thing. Besides, I really want the back gardens to be hard-working and roses are just so... LEISURELY. So I gave them away. Literally, a post on craigslist was flooded with requests. In the end they were excavated by a landscape architect. How perfect.

What I want is an herb border. I want it for food. I want it because it smells amazing. I want it because this is California and it's what. we. do. It's just cool. And I want it to be a nice mix of herbs and decorative plants. Like papyrus:

I have wanted giant papyrus ever since I saw them during a photo shoot for work. They scream California to me (even though they are from Egypt). I suppose my fascination stems from being a midwestern import. The crazy prehistoric plants they have all around here are new to me. Other obsessions: giants ferns and black bamboo. Once I saw hedges made of geraniums. What?! In my hometown (Rockford, Illinois) geraniums are reserved for your grandmother's porch pot. NOT a hedge!

Anyway, I wanted papyrus and I wanted it to be the centerpiece of my herb border. Papyrus likes to sit in water. I do not have a pond, have no plans for a pond and I worried this might be an issue. The internet assured me I could grow it in pots, just no holes for drainage. Pots are best anyway because this plant is invasive, the same as bamboo. I set out for pots and found three amazing black plastic pots at Ikea, two large for papyrus and one small for mint (also invasive).

Then the deal of all deals, two giant papyrus for $14.99 each at Home Depot. I squealed. I had only seen this plant at boutique nurseries with hefty price tags. I snatched them up and wow, they are quite the showstoppers. People asked me about them as I walked to the register, people asked me about them as I walked to my Jeep. And people watched in humor as I set them in the back seat, sticking out the window. I laughed too.

They fit just right in my pots and I adorned them with two variations of potato vine, a purple and a vibrant green for color.

Then I could start to build the border. The papyrus took top position at two midpoints of the box. Mint was then placed in between but off-center. Some of my herbs are already nice little plants, including Mint, Thai Basil, Basil and Curled Parsley. Others I started from seed and they aren't quite ready for the ground:

Here we have Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage and Red Basil. I also started some Catnip for the kids. I chose my herbs somewhat based on usage and some for color. The garden can be a little bit leisurely, all work and no play makes a dull border!

While I was at it, I fancied up my hanging basket. The alyssum is supposed to be good for pest control and it smells fantastic.

Here it is, hard at work growing to disguise my old fence. What you can't see is the Kangaroo Paw to the left and what will be a giant fern all the way to the back. Oh my goodness, I love it. Papyrus is right out of a fantasy, a little bit of The Neverending Story here in my backyard

A garden update: those darned pests

While home improvements take a hiatus, our efforts are focused on maintaining the veggie garden. This is more work than I had imagined, but still rewarding and lovely and a pleasure. We are learning, no doubt about it, and what I thought would be a matter of water, grow, harvest, has turned into all out warfare. No, not with my favorite neighborhood squirrel! It's People vs. Bugs. Exhibit A:

That's my broccoli. What was once an adorable little baby, has grown into a pock-faced beast. First thing every morning I come out and inspect the bed, and when Mike wakes up I offer him my status report. On the arrival of these holes, I didn't even let him have coffee! We stood over the leaves scratching our heads, completely bumming.

The internet was our next step. I type in "who did this to my broccoli?!" and there I learn all about the Cabbage Looper. Growl... we head back to the leaves and start turning them over and well, what do you know, green caterpillars in various stages of development going to town.

Cabbage Loopers are common and really not that hard to control. You can literally pull them off and mush (Mike mushes, I carry them to the Green Bin for recycling). Or you can spray. We are opting for an all-organic garden so no pesticides allowed. Mike found a recipe for Garlic Fire Spray, whipped some up and we spray this nearly every day. Cabbage Loopers? Conquered.

The next invasion came in the form of Aphids, black and green. They began with the artichoke. On first site, my barf reflex kicked in. The base of the plant was covered in ants too, charming. This is an ongoing battle. They get the Garlic Fire Spray and repeated doses with the hose. It's amazing! If you can shoot them off the plant with a hose, apparently they die before they can make it back to the plant.

Back to holes. My beans! Now what?! The beans are the biggest failure. I think I bought bush beans instead of pole, because they never even reached the trellis before fading out. I don't know if it was the plant or the insect attack that lead to such a demise. But my attempts to save them were valiant. I was guessing it was slugs. We all know about the beer trick:

Not sure if they just don't like dark beers, are they the PBR type? But no one has landed here (see the weakened beans in the background?).

Next up was copper tape. Expensive business but I'll stop at nothing to save my beans! Copper tape is all science. A chemical reaction occurs if slugs or snails try to cross. It would be a suicide mission and they determine the beans aren't worth it. Of course, we ran out of tape before we could completely surround the box. A friend suggested we round it out with pennies. I hugged her for her genius!

In the end, after Loopers, Aphids and slugs, I relocated what was left of the beans to a pot. I planted seeds for new POLE beans as well as some pod peas for variety, both have promised to use the trellis. And the rest of the garden is moving right along. We've even had a small harvest!

We are loving the Romaine and are down to three bunches. We've also been harvesting spinach, Mike made a dip. Beets, carrots, onions and lettuce are troopers. We have red peppers on the way!

Why are they green? This was a matter of great concern so I looked it up. Oh, they start green and turn red. Phew!

Squash has finally taken over the ugly pot. It has aphids, I'm working on it. But its got crops!

Not sure what's going on with my Earthbox. Cherry tomatoes are insane, but what's up with the sandwich ones? It's not dead though and there are tomatoes on it. Just weird I guess.

All in all, things are doing well here. We have learned a lot and next year will probably be better. But still, this is fun. And we've actually made food! That you can eat! The yard is such a refreshing place to be. We have butterflies, bees, it's starting to smell good. It's our little oasis in the busy, busy city.