I had acres of gardens once, but the last 15 years have been an apartment dweller. I have been fortunate to have raised beds available to me. I have focused on herbs - and particularly lavender. Yellow, white, shades of purple. I created my own blend of lavender “tea,” a tisane really, that I love. I live vicariously through my sister’s organic garden, and visit gardens here in Northern California (Burbank’s, for example http://www.lutherburbank.org) I really enjoyed this post, thank you!
Lavender is such a glorious plant, and I would imagine that tisane is wonderful. Also, thanks for the tip on the garden--I plan to eventually visit everything within a decent drive.
I planted petunias last May and some of them are still alive (I live in Las Cruces, NM). We moved here about 18 months ago from a town where we lived for 13 years. I don't miss the town but I do miss my plants! Starting from scratch over here is taking lots of patience because it was so hot here last summer that a lot of the plants we planted in the spring struggled to grow. Hopefully next summer won't be as bad. But I do plan to plant more petunias which somehow managed to thrive!
Las Cruces is a hard climate for gardening, for sure. That dry air and high altitude and harsh sunlight. Petunias are such a great choice. Geraniums will thrive, too, as well as lavender, lilacs and probably irises. (Hope I'm not being too bossy! You probably already know that.) Where did you garden before?
We lived in Clovis which isn't far from the Texas border. I think we just had such a hard time last summer because we had months of 100+ temperatures. Once it finally cooled down, the new plants finally started doing much, much better! Sunflowers are very easy to grow here too.
I had gardens in Boston--one big one, mostly vegetables and fruit, one much smaller, mostly decorative. Now I have a few raised beds in a back alley that gets about a half-day of sun and is haunted by rats (who like to nest in the raised beds) and the occasional skunk I miss the garden, but we travel so much I doubt I could keep it up anyway, and the stuff I grow here is, by grim necessity, very hardy and tolerant. The thing I really noted about your post, though, is how much gardening is like writing: a lot of hard work you're not sure is going to turn out the way you'd planned, but you do it anyway because it's satisfying in and of itself and it just might turn into something beautiful.
Oh, hey, rats nesting in my raised beds are not something I've considered. They do live around here. I'll have to start small and experiment some more.
And yes, gardening is so much like writing, but like two sides of a coin. One is color and shape and non-verbal while the other is conjuring things out of the air and trying to capture them in words. Which I'm not saying very well, but I feel it.
Laying down some kind of wire over the surface, planting your seeds (or setting your seedlings), then covering with soil keeps them out. It's a bit of a fuss to work with (and around), but keeps the rodents from moving in.
I'm from the Coast Range near Newport and miss Oregon every minute of every day. You HAVE to visit the Thyme Garden in Alsea OR. They have a moonlight garden that glows at night (just one feature) . BEAUTIFUL place; special events - MOTHER's DAY!! - seed catalogs etc... https://www.thymegarden.com/
We are building our gardens here in TN. I don't like the dirt on my hands, but I love a good herb garden. I'll be adding to it this year including a healthy strawberry patch. My one hope is that the lilac we planted last year comes back. I love lilacs and haven't had one in years.
TN seems like a great place to garden. Lilacs are one of my favorite plants, too. Not sure they'll thrive here, but I have to try irises and lilacs wherever I go. Do you wear gloves? I make resolves and then end up with the gloves on the ground and my bare fingers in the dirt no matter what. Same with painting.
Barbara- This is really making me long for spring (and summer). Some people have successfully garden in colder climates, so it seems like you have done so as well! Bravo!
Barbara you have such a powerful voice. I don't want your writings to stop...Maybe you could write a book. Hahaha.... As for gardening, I SO get the healing. I was getting sober when I first built some cedar planter boxes so it was a place I could not just dig my hands in the dirt, but also time for me to dig into my interior and think about my past, present, and future. I too made lots of mistakes in the gardening, but learned enough to produce some food and pretty flowers that fed moths and butterflies. I'm moving to Anchorage soon, so like you, will have to learn how to garden in a totally new and foreign climate. But my realtor is a master gardener, which gives me hope - things can grow everywhere, just like we too can grow wherever we live. If we give ourselves enough love and attention. Thank you for the reminder of how gardens heal us.
They are so peaceful! The native gardening movement is really gaining momentum, and I was surprised to find several here that are really hated: gorse and pampas grass. Gorse is dangerous here because it dries out and catches fire, but the pampas grass just takes everything over. (So pretty, though!)
Sissinghurst Gardens are one of my favorites. Thanks so much for sharing these, Barbara- As a landscape and architectural lover--the formations really stood out to me. The flowers and plantations just add an extra something special. When did you start getting interested in landscapes, Barbara? :)
I had acres of gardens once, but the last 15 years have been an apartment dweller. I have been fortunate to have raised beds available to me. I have focused on herbs - and particularly lavender. Yellow, white, shades of purple. I created my own blend of lavender “tea,” a tisane really, that I love. I live vicariously through my sister’s organic garden, and visit gardens here in Northern California (Burbank’s, for example http://www.lutherburbank.org) I really enjoyed this post, thank you!
Lavender is such a glorious plant, and I would imagine that tisane is wonderful. Also, thanks for the tip on the garden--I plan to eventually visit everything within a decent drive.
I planted petunias last May and some of them are still alive (I live in Las Cruces, NM). We moved here about 18 months ago from a town where we lived for 13 years. I don't miss the town but I do miss my plants! Starting from scratch over here is taking lots of patience because it was so hot here last summer that a lot of the plants we planted in the spring struggled to grow. Hopefully next summer won't be as bad. But I do plan to plant more petunias which somehow managed to thrive!
Las Cruces is a hard climate for gardening, for sure. That dry air and high altitude and harsh sunlight. Petunias are such a great choice. Geraniums will thrive, too, as well as lavender, lilacs and probably irises. (Hope I'm not being too bossy! You probably already know that.) Where did you garden before?
We lived in Clovis which isn't far from the Texas border. I think we just had such a hard time last summer because we had months of 100+ temperatures. Once it finally cooled down, the new plants finally started doing much, much better! Sunflowers are very easy to grow here too.
I had gardens in Boston--one big one, mostly vegetables and fruit, one much smaller, mostly decorative. Now I have a few raised beds in a back alley that gets about a half-day of sun and is haunted by rats (who like to nest in the raised beds) and the occasional skunk I miss the garden, but we travel so much I doubt I could keep it up anyway, and the stuff I grow here is, by grim necessity, very hardy and tolerant. The thing I really noted about your post, though, is how much gardening is like writing: a lot of hard work you're not sure is going to turn out the way you'd planned, but you do it anyway because it's satisfying in and of itself and it just might turn into something beautiful.
Oh, hey, rats nesting in my raised beds are not something I've considered. They do live around here. I'll have to start small and experiment some more.
And yes, gardening is so much like writing, but like two sides of a coin. One is color and shape and non-verbal while the other is conjuring things out of the air and trying to capture them in words. Which I'm not saying very well, but I feel it.
Laying down some kind of wire over the surface, planting your seeds (or setting your seedlings), then covering with soil keeps them out. It's a bit of a fuss to work with (and around), but keeps the rodents from moving in.
Great tip. Thanks.
I'm from the Coast Range near Newport and miss Oregon every minute of every day. You HAVE to visit the Thyme Garden in Alsea OR. They have a moonlight garden that glows at night (just one feature) . BEAUTIFUL place; special events - MOTHER's DAY!! - seed catalogs etc... https://www.thymegarden.com/
(and they are lovely people )
Kelly, what an excellent recommendation. I'm starstruck and will put this on the list for our explorations. Thank you!
I'm deeply in love with this place.
We are building our gardens here in TN. I don't like the dirt on my hands, but I love a good herb garden. I'll be adding to it this year including a healthy strawberry patch. My one hope is that the lilac we planted last year comes back. I love lilacs and haven't had one in years.
TN seems like a great place to garden. Lilacs are one of my favorite plants, too. Not sure they'll thrive here, but I have to try irises and lilacs wherever I go. Do you wear gloves? I make resolves and then end up with the gloves on the ground and my bare fingers in the dirt no matter what. Same with painting.
Barbara- This is really making me long for spring (and summer). Some people have successfully garden in colder climates, so it seems like you have done so as well! Bravo!
I’m not sure how successfully I garden here, but I have some compulsion to always try. Welcome!
I love gardens. I find them peaceful. I'm currently trying to redesign my garden and add more native plants to it and take out invasive species.
Two of my favorite gardens are Descanso Gardens in California and Elizabeth Park in Connecticut.
I’ll have to put those on my list!
Barbara you have such a powerful voice. I don't want your writings to stop...Maybe you could write a book. Hahaha.... As for gardening, I SO get the healing. I was getting sober when I first built some cedar planter boxes so it was a place I could not just dig my hands in the dirt, but also time for me to dig into my interior and think about my past, present, and future. I too made lots of mistakes in the gardening, but learned enough to produce some food and pretty flowers that fed moths and butterflies. I'm moving to Anchorage soon, so like you, will have to learn how to garden in a totally new and foreign climate. But my realtor is a master gardener, which gives me hope - things can grow everywhere, just like we too can grow wherever we live. If we give ourselves enough love and attention. Thank you for the reminder of how gardens heal us.
Thank you! :) I can't wait to see what you grow in Alaska. I would imagine the short season is the biggest problem?
They are so peaceful! The native gardening movement is really gaining momentum, and I was surprised to find several here that are really hated: gorse and pampas grass. Gorse is dangerous here because it dries out and catches fire, but the pampas grass just takes everything over. (So pretty, though!)
Sissinghurst Gardens are one of my favorites. Thanks so much for sharing these, Barbara- As a landscape and architectural lover--the formations really stood out to me. The flowers and plantations just add an extra something special. When did you start getting interested in landscapes, Barbara? :)