tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308491552012-01-24T15:39:00.645-08:00Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.comBlogger2201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-48095687368682427862012-01-24T14:28:00.000-08:002012-01-24T14:28:31.440-08:00

I will most definitely be picking oranges soon...before someone beats me to them all.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-36970983017047694372012-01-15T00:05:00.000-08:002012-01-15T07:24:03.717-08:00

I know I've said it before, but there are a few plants here that are almost year round bloomers.  That is what I count on in January...that they hang in there until the spring ephemerals step in and take over. Rosa Flower Girl is one of the best of these...she blooms almost every month of the year. Even now, when many of the leaves have fallen off, there are several big clusters of the small

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-59395690866236237912012-01-10T17:48:00.000-08:002012-01-10T17:48:38.126-08:00

Many people talk about the length of the growing season in their garden. But what I find interesting is the length of the gardening season. I have gardened in the same town for over 37 years and the gardening season has gotten longer and longer until now it pretty much runs all year. And I am not talking at all about global warming here, this is more a case of a gardener's evolution. My first

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-62912057854595468472012-01-05T18:14:00.000-08:002012-01-06T06:34:51.376-08:00

The Fairy House was progressing nicely, even without a clear idea of what I was doing. To watch how I got to this point click here for Part One, The Fairy House Opens for Business and  here for Part Two, The Fairy House Roof Takes Shape.  After the roof was secure and the walls were totally stable the pieces made to be the original walls, currently being used as support for the new walls, were

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-41210245577303145432011-12-30T10:36:00.000-08:002012-01-06T06:35:34.439-08:00

Although the walls of the Fairy House (Part 1 of the Fairy House story here) were allowed to stand until they were well cured and sturdy, I worried that trying to top them with a concrete roof would be difficult and too heavy for me to manage. As it was, each wall was difficult to carry and get into position; I couldn't imagine moving something weighing twice as much. Therefore the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-18296672161876433392011-12-28T12:48:00.000-08:002011-12-28T12:48:41.943-08:00

It was a great Christmas for me...good family Rock Band and Trivial Pursuit fun, decent food, great cocktails (thanks Melissa!).  Now that the horrible rip-off-the-bandaid moment of departures has passed I find I may survive. Today the washing machine is going nonstop as guest beds are changed and table cloths and napkins are washed.  Time to check back in with the garden and see

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-7394189225143908892011-12-14T21:43:00.000-08:002011-12-14T21:43:35.499-08:00

The roses are blooming nicely despite night time temperatures that keep hovering at or just below the 32 degree mark. Not lots and lots of bloom but pink Flawless, above,  Flower Girl, below, and miniature rose Demitasse all have several blooms each. Osmanthus heterophyllus, holly leaf osmanthus, has just begun blooming. Planted as a possibly useful plant for holiday decorating, the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-355950577534551382011-12-12T14:36:00.000-08:002012-01-06T06:35:47.411-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, The Fairy House has opened for guests. Construction has been slow at times due to the lack of complete-or any-building plans. Instead the Fairy House has progressed as inspiration or desperation provided ideas. The opening has taken place because the handles on the front door are at last in place, but finish work will continue for some time to come, if not

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-87703169368362656452011-11-25T14:21:00.001-08:002011-11-25T15:02:46.339-08:00

Fall has arrived...the trident maple leaves decided to fall this week. Cooler temperatures, some rain, the first fire in the fireplace. Yes...it is that time of year. Not my favorite because it somehow makes me sad for no known reason. Maybe it was all those years growing up in snow country and thinking I am soon to be stuck indoors. However, that is not so true here in Central

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-60862210636081942742011-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:002011-11-15T05:56:43.334-08:00

It's time for Garden Blogger Bloom Day, November 2011! Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for inviting us to share what is blooming in our garden each month on the 15th.    A few of the pass-a-long chrysanthemums show no damage but many of them have been half eaten by the nasty earwigs.  This hollyhock has been blooming for months and shows no sign of stopping; I have no memory

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-50585794819096029212011-10-16T20:34:00.000-07:002011-10-16T20:34:11.999-07:00

Hollyhock nigra apparently reseed at some point and is just now, for the first time this summer, blooming. Nasturtiums were also slow to get going. Abutilon Pink Parasol, on the other hand, blooms many months of the year. This container of white wax begonias will soon die back to the soil, to return in the spring. These plants are in their 4th summer. Other bloomers include two

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-76702183667282493072011-10-03T19:44:00.000-07:002011-10-03T19:44:43.299-07:00

The passionvine, Passiflora caerulea, that grows next to my gate has been a lot of fun this year. First, it was covered in these fantastical flowers. And I do mean covered. Then each flower became a strange green fruit, which turned orange.   I planted this for the foliage and flowers but began thinking I might have a new taste treat that I hadn't expected. However, when I cracked

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-31842799837713647292011-09-23T18:54:00.000-07:002011-09-23T18:54:35.092-07:00

The calendar says fall although the weather, seeming to have just realized it goofed and needs to use up some left over localized heat, is still saying summer. It is the perfect time to go out into the garden and take a good look at what worked this year and what didn't, with an eye toward making changes. Of course, one year is not a deal breaker for many plants. The weather might have been a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-67618376681862709002011-09-18T14:26:00.000-07:002011-09-18T14:26:16.372-07:00

I bought this Stapelia gettliffei just a month or so ago. I knew it was related to the plant commonly known as carrion plant, or at least that fact hit me just about when I was paying for it. I knew the name had sounded familiar. This Stapelia is an interesting succulent, with very soft, velvety stems, quite different from the average succulent, or at least from any that I have. I've been

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-59435596933519709452011-09-15T14:17:00.000-07:002011-09-15T15:12:23.517-07:00

Welcome to Garden Blogger Bloom Day! On the 15th of every month Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites garden bloggers worldwide to share what is blooming in their garden. Visit Carol to find links to a smorgasbord of flora!  Today in Davis there are few new bloomers. Summer stalwarts that continue to provide color include white 4 o'clocks, Mirabilis jalapa, blooming at the edge of the original

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-25663052508856805482011-09-08T21:31:00.000-07:002011-09-08T21:31:05.306-07:00

Everyday I think of something I should post about. The fairy castle that is slowly taking shape, along with accompanying cottages, inspiration for which goes in fits and starts. The tomatoes that are having their best year in eons, perhaps due to last year's solarization which presumably knocked back the evil root knot nematodes. The newly restructured and yet still rather makeshift secondary

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-63727205599377444822011-08-14T21:53:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:53:47.690-07:00

It's Garden Blogger Bloom Day again and while I am happy to share a few photos of some of this month's more or less new bloomers I wish someone would tell me how it got to be the 15th? Didn't I just flip the calendar page to August?  And if it is indeed mid-August why is everything looking relatively happy? Last things first...the garden is pretty happy right now because, unlike friends Cindy in

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-87463182870315321162011-08-05T19:31:00.000-07:002011-08-05T19:31:13.210-07:00

One of my favorite parts of the annual garden blogger meet-up is the chance to steal ideas. Or, maybe I should say, compliment other gardeners on their ideas. As in, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. This year was no different and when I finally came home from an extended vacation after Fling I had time at last to pore over my photos and start to make plans for intense flattery.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-90088014404006622272011-07-27T08:40:00.000-07:002011-07-27T08:40:33.682-07:00

I wasn't the only one strolling about the garden this morning, checking on things. This assassin bug family was out there too. Assassin bugs are considered beneficial insects and will eat many other insects in the garden, although they are indiscriminate feeders and will eat good insects as well as those you want them to eliminate. They will also bite humans so it is best not to try to handle

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-38730321699589690902011-07-19T23:14:00.000-07:002011-07-19T23:14:53.139-07:00

 While water features are a favorite garden addition, welcome for their soothing sounds and looks, not all fountains need be of the aqueous persuasion. A non-functioning pump meant money needed to be spent on either a rather expensive replacement or else plants. Already having another fountain for sight and sound enjoyment made the decision easy!  Since this is a fountain, after all, made to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-87415394023955607442011-07-14T21:59:00.000-07:002011-07-14T21:59:27.465-07:00

 I don't have only pink flowers blooming this month... ...although there certainly are a lot of them... ...and I'm actually sort of overwhelmed and surprised by how many there are... ...but then again, they are pretty... ...and somehow more just keep showing up. To see more than just pink flowers, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens who once again invites garden bloggers world wide to share what

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-41962651129012165022011-07-04T13:42:00.000-07:002011-07-04T13:42:55.285-07:00

Red...white... and blue.Happy Fourth of July!!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-20428609390199195122011-06-26T16:25:00.000-07:002011-06-26T16:25:17.730-07:00

 One of my favorite lavenders for length of bloom time is Lavandula pinnata buchii. It blooms many of the months of the year here, partly I think, because it has lived next to the potted Meyer lemon for a number of years. The lemon is protected on the coldest winter nights with piazza lights and I am quite sure they have played a part in the bloomingness of this lavender. I have now moved the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-7140421469112892672011-06-17T07:58:00.000-07:002011-06-17T07:58:03.335-07:00

The garden is finally beginning to get going after a slow, cool, rainy May. Therefore, I have been out there puttering and not keeping up on certain computer activities. So here is a quick little look at the new blooms, leaving the continuing bloomers for some other post...someday. Maybe not new...but the beginning of the lighter summer bloom. The wisteria blooms its massive total coverage

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-61525420069383585032011-06-07T21:51:00.000-07:002011-06-07T21:51:27.811-07:00

Much of the country is dealing with unusually high temperatures, but Central California gardeners are being kept out of the garden by unusual weather of a different sort. Rain. In June. Lots of it. It has been interesting to say the least. But today was a mostly sunny and bit warmer day...it may have even gotten into the 80s and I can see some of the soil drying out. I might even get to mow the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-75101301008835113552011-05-30T19:10:00.000-07:002011-05-30T19:11:30.908-07:00

 It's my first year growing poppies and I was happy to see these blooms...I thought they were lovely. That is, until this one bloomed! I have no idea why it is different...all the seeds came from the same place and almost all blooms were of the plainer type. Can anyone tell me if it was nature or nurture? I'd love to be able to get more of the more lush ones next year.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-63654958334908633002011-05-15T15:44:00.000-07:002011-05-15T15:44:34.317-07:00

Garden Blogger Bloom Day is here again! Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites all gardeners to share what is blooming in their garden every month on the 15th. Anticipating rain,  I took photos yesterday. I had a bit of a scare when it started hailing today, right after a huge boom of thunder, but the blooms prevailed. We here in northern California don't really do thunder so it was pretty exciting

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-38132628938820589002011-04-23T20:02:00.000-07:002011-04-23T20:02:16.225-07:00

Helping build the wall around the future fairy house The Sweet Granddaughter turns four years old today! In the last few years she has become a wonderful gardening buddy...she loves to pull on her gardening gloves and say "Come on Nonna! Let's garden!" Potting up pansies  She is learning to 'settle the plants in the hole',  'tuck them in gently' and then water them with her little watering

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-42528525379282610622011-04-14T21:48:00.000-07:002011-04-14T21:48:15.025-07:00

 The wisteria, in its 30th year, blooms on the west fence. Rosa banksiae blooms on the central arbor. Right now is when it looks its best; soon it will be so covered in blooms it is really too much. But when it looks like this I do love it.Lady Banks divides the back garden into two sections and provides some late afternoon shade. Daffodils continue to bloom although their days are numbered as

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-88644843587077197032011-04-13T20:56:00.000-07:002011-04-13T20:56:27.324-07:00

Fava beans have lovely flowers. They make a pretty addition to the spring garden and then when they are done you get really yummy, although prep intensive,  beans for great pasta dishes.  Today when I tried to take a couple photos of the blooms I found a surprise...war was being waged right in my garden without my even being aware. The first sign were the soldier beetles...one...two...three...

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-6205955445082916632011-04-11T22:01:00.000-07:002011-04-11T22:01:29.254-07:00

The garden is simply buzzing with bees, flitting from one bloom to another, practically pushing each other out of the way to get to the nectar. If I were my friend Gail at Clay and Limestone I would know which bee was which but as it is I know only the carpenter bees by name. The rest will have to be a learning opportunity for me.Borage is hugely favored today.    Geranium citrosa serving as a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-23167689109879665552011-03-31T00:05:00.000-07:002011-03-31T00:05:00.571-07:00

 My friend Cindy at My Corner of Katy invites us to join in on Three For Thursday and  share three of anything. So here are three things that made me smile this week! My new cymbidium blooms have opened! Is that lovely or what?! After coveting Ice Follies daffodils recently on other blogs I found out I had apparently done that last year too and rectified the situation. Baby fig alert! It's

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-3201387498994905702011-03-22T07:47:00.000-07:002011-03-22T07:47:55.835-07:00

 No one likes the d word. Especially gardeners. So when it rains in California in the winter we don't complain. Or we do complain but only because we think we should be able to garden every day and it should only rain at night. Although maybe that was a movie. Anyway, gardeners really do know that we need rain and in California that means we'd better get enough in the winter because we don't do

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-13283563784951149962011-03-15T07:47:00.000-07:002011-03-15T08:05:44.672-07:00

Today is Garden Blogger Bloom Day, that day when Carol at May Dreams Gardens asks each of us to share what is blooming in our garden! A very impressive cloudburst and other less torrential rain kept me out of the garden today so I was lucky once again to have some safety photos taken Saturday when I could have sworn it was just about spring. Above Tulbaghia fragrans is sending its sweet scent

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-76319383188523288862011-03-10T14:38:00.000-08:002011-03-10T14:38:01.169-08:00

Joining in with Cindy at My Corner of Katy and her Three for Thursday meme I present three blooms seen in my corner of Davis today... fava beans first Lady Banksia bloom of 2011 Osteospermum     And because I can't control myself here is a sneak peek at the very beginning of the wisteria bloom season...swelling buds promise future abundance!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-24261879494950555482011-03-01T13:46:00.000-08:002011-03-01T13:46:41.954-08:00

Late winter in Davis brings some beautiful days along with those of the rainy cold variety. The narcissus are blooming and spring is surely around the corner. This is the time of the year when my summer vegetable garden looks its best, because it is all still in my imagination. No failed seeds, no snail eaten zucchini starts. Gardeners everywhere are starting to feel the excitement of a brand new

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-25231996822949605992011-02-24T14:38:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:38:17.804-08:00

It's Thursday! I'm joining in with Cindy at My Corner of Katy and her Three for Thursday meme. Here are three photos of spring blooms in Davis...hopefully all things that will survive the cold storm blowing in even as I write.  The ornamental plum Krauter Vesuvius is blooming on its lower branches and the blooms are working their way up the tree. Lavandula pinnata buchii, leucojum aestivum,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-62470266783013559662011-02-14T21:13:00.000-08:002011-02-15T08:22:01.103-08:00

Narcissus Erlicheer  Rain prevented the taking of photographs today for the month that begins the fifth year of Garden Blogger Bloom Day.  Yes, four years ago this month Carol at May Dreams Gardens had the idea of garden bloggers world wide sharing what was in bloom in their garden. Possibly born out of a desire to see that there were blooms somewhere as she looked out at her own snow covered

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-30295894383795962112011-01-27T08:36:00.000-08:002011-01-27T08:36:21.876-08:00

Midwinter succulents in the  garden...my contribution to Three for Thursday, sponsored by Cindy at My Corner of Katy.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-26086158691376439612011-01-24T07:46:00.000-08:002011-01-24T07:46:00.841-08:00

The plum tree is slowly becoming a memory...I've been taking it down bit by bit. One of the first things I did was to bring some of the small branches in and put them in jars with water. I liked the structural look of them and was hopeful they might bloom...one last time.  As you can see, they have begun to open and are giving us one last gift of beauty. Thank you plum tree!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-30622069179060100932011-01-16T21:44:00.000-08:002011-01-16T21:44:01.615-08:00

It is not unusual for a winter day in Central California to be foggy and gray. Even so, on a recent very foggy Saturday I overheard several conversations that began, "I am so sick of this fog!" Obviously knowing it is common and being accepting of it are not the same thing. Many years ago I dreaded the long, wet, foggy winter because I thought I couldn't get into the garden. With passing years (

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-34839533862772841352011-01-15T12:07:00.000-08:002011-01-15T12:07:26.270-08:00

Strawberry tower On this January Bloom Day, originated four years ago by Carol at May Dreams Gardens, I feel as if I need to do my part to keep the "bloom" in Bloom Day. There is always something blooming here, not huge swaths perhaps, but blooms nonetheless. Rosa Flower Girl  While some photos were taken yesterday this one of Rosa Flower Girl, blooming at the top of the Wedding Arbor, was

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-54717139115705337692011-01-12T07:54:00.000-08:002011-01-12T07:54:41.563-08:00

For someone who is not a big fan of red in the garden I certainly have an awful lot of it here right now. I will admit that on a gloomy gray Central California winter day some bright red accents can be welcome in the garden. It's here in the form of berries on nandina  and cotoneaster, flowers like cyclamen and these very welcome red items that we picked yesterday!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-20836577099057067922011-01-03T20:37:00.000-08:002011-01-03T20:37:03.056-08:00

Last July's visit to Buffalo for Garden Blogger Buffa10 may be half a year ago but I am still thinking about and processing ideas I got there. One of my favorite things was something I saw on Lancaster Street on the morning of the last day. It was a darling little garden in a box that the owner, Annabelle Irey,  called a touching garden and I liked it so much that the next week The Sweet

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-84449551110799769002010-12-31T15:58:00.000-08:002010-12-31T15:59:03.782-08:00

The last abutilon of 2010  The end of a year always brings thoughts of endings, yet beginnings are all around. Here is a look at some of each in my Davis garden as December 31, 2010 puts an finish to another year.  As the nandina berries reach their reddest, and just before I decide they need to be removed now that they they have served the purpose of providing holiday color, a new spray of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-50785594554811601012010-12-15T08:47:00.000-08:002010-12-15T08:47:31.303-08:00

The holidays are quickly approaching but that doesn't stop Garden Blogger Bloom Day!  Carol at May Dreams Gardens has, for almost three years, been inviting garden bloggers to join her in listing the blooms they have in their garden on the 15th of each month. Visit her to find links to Bloom Day posts from around the world! This time of year the pressure is on for those of us living in climates

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-56205521297380964952010-11-20T10:40:00.000-08:002010-11-20T10:40:39.545-08:00

One of my very favorite things about my garden is being able to pick something and eat it standing right there. One of my very favorite things to pick and eat standing in my garden is a plum. One of the oldest plants (second oldest only to the wisteria) is my Santa Rosa plum tree. One of my favorite garden ceremonies is the Ceremony of the First Plum. One of my least favorite things to think

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-28540289759721104232010-11-15T07:45:00.000-08:002010-11-15T14:22:52.214-08:00

The weather has cooled and it is decidedly fall. Day time temperatures stay in the 70s or less and one night actually dipped just below 40 to all of 39. The begonia richmondensis and 4 other new tender begonias have been brought inside to continue blooming there for the time being. Many plants are actually happier and blooming better now...Rosa Flower Girl, for one, blooms almost all year but is

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-1799929207847149362010-11-10T22:35:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:49:57.239-08:00

Every Thursday Cindy at My Corner of Katy invites us to , as she says, "Pick 3 pictures of plants from your garden ... tell us about 3 books you've read that you want to share ... rant about 3 things that bug the heck out of you ... show us 3 pieces of garden art or 3 photos of egregious crimes against gardening ... you choose what your three will be.  Just have fun, be creative and leave me

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-71072077392110792032010-11-06T18:48:00.000-07:002010-11-06T18:48:48.918-07:00

All good things must come to an end, or so I've been told. Today was a day for planting winter vegetables...fava beans, three kinds of peas, baby greens and spinach. Seeds for swiss chard, radishes, beets and carrots had already been planted and with rain predicted for tomorrow I wanted to plant everything else on the list. As it headed past noon I thought I would have a lunch break before moving

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-2990683268565216962010-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:002010-10-21T00:01:03.991-07:00

I recently made my first visit to Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco. What a fun place! The sales staff was ever so helpful, asking if we were finding what we needed but allowing us space to wander mesmerized. Northern California is fortunate enough to have many excellent nurseries and this is certainly one of those that deserve to be on your Must See list.  A carnival ride car is most

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-12041305663593401782010-10-15T10:59:00.000-07:002010-10-15T12:39:44.102-07:00

Begonia richmondensis, with its lovely foliage, has bloomed continuously for the several months that I've owned it. It can reportedly survive temperatures down to 25 degrees which would work most any winter here but I'm still debating where it should spend the coldest months. I might bring it in. Or it might just go under the patio cover with the potted succulents. The plumbago that has been

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-18217920729937243612010-10-09T21:15:00.000-07:002010-10-09T21:15:38.143-07:00

Here is a list, in no particular order, of things that make me happy I'm a gardener.    #1. A nuthatch  that has come to stay..at least for a few weeks.#2. Gardening with my favorite helper who always says "Come on Nonna! Let's garden!"  #3. Colchicums shared by my friend Kathy at Cold Climate Gardening...look closely to see the checkered pattern!  #4. My first fig...of 12 this year. I'm

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-60369410560525274472010-09-30T07:57:00.000-07:002010-09-30T07:57:04.362-07:00

It's fall and seeds are everywhere. Here are three reliable (if at times over-enthusiastic) reseeders in my garden. I Mirabilis, or four-o'clock, has been in my garden for years. Returning from tubers as well as seeding itself enthusiastically it will never be gone. Fortunately, I like them...they remind me of my childhood in Ohio.  Hollyhock Chater's Double is not nearly as invasive

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-90955290104618327012010-09-04T18:00:00.000-07:002010-09-04T18:00:00.575-07:00

I usually use the sprinkler system or the hose end sprinkler for watering much of the garden. Today I was watering pots with the hose and wandered over to the fig tree to give it a good soak. The figs have been plumping up and I've been keeping a watch on them. I had one fig last year when the tree was newly planted but this year the crop is MUCH larger. There are 12 figs of various sizes on my

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-24969412996269934962010-09-03T11:01:00.000-07:002010-09-03T11:01:57.617-07:00

I've seen this type of caterpillar at least once before in my garden...several years ago on a potato plant that oddly enough disappeared by week's end. Today as I sat at my patio table I noticed that the parsley plant I had tucked into the bay laurel pot had lost its leaves since yesterday. Upon closer inspection the culprit was discovered and a quick Google search identified it for me...this is

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-25509152264110943282010-09-02T07:13:00.000-07:002010-09-02T07:14:41.048-07:00

Today is Thursday and Cindy at My Corner of Katy invites us to join her in posting three of something...photos, thoughts, whatever we like. One of the things I like best about summer is my wisteria. It's where I can see it from inside or sitting out on the patio, it blooms all summer, and it softens the fenceline along my side yard. Although I had to cut it back last winter due to fence

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-75516086635232401302010-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:002010-08-26T08:27:38.000-07:00

Every Thursday Cindy at  My Corner Of Katy  hosts "Three For Thursday" when bloggers are invited to share three of something...photos, reviews, comments...anything! Today I share my three current favorite succulent pots. I've changed over lots of my pots to succulents...they just do better in pots than most things in our typical summer heat (not that we've seen it much this year!) and the fact

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-19234027966888041752010-08-19T07:05:00.000-07:002010-08-19T07:13:29.224-07:00

There are three varieties of tomatoes ripening in the garden...not my favorite Costoluto Genovese but I'm still hoping for those. Today there are Black Cherry Early Girl and Nyagous, this years experimental variety. The tomatoes have been small and slow with our cooler than normal summer but as long as I can walk out and pick a couple I'm happy! Cindy at  My Corner Of Katy invites you to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-33811038602824381042010-08-15T21:29:00.000-07:002010-08-15T21:29:08.013-07:00

 The under-the-plum-tree bed is a collection of pots (as well as home to the wisteria roots) and right now the succulents are happy and the potted begonias are all in full bloom. I love these begonias...they've been in these pots for about four years now, dying back each winter and popping back to life each spring. I really need more of these. Of course, part of the reason they are so happy is

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-64019476680427223442010-07-16T08:22:00.000-07:002010-07-16T08:22:50.990-07:00

This darling little garden in a box was seen on Lancaster Street. The owner called it her “touching garden” and enjoys having children rearrange the scene. It is furnished with little benches, tiles and tiny succulents in equally tiny pots and even a miniature arbor with a tiny plant growing up its sides. I am most definitely stealing this idea. As a matter of fact, the Sweet Granddaughter and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-24938071916804137302010-07-13T15:35:00.000-07:002010-07-13T15:35:22.743-07:00

One of the constraints of a small garden is that you can’t grow all of the plants you’d like to grow. As if being held back by soil type and climate limitations (not to mention those of a financial nature) wasn’t  enough, when one has limited space one must constantly edit one’s desires simply due to lack of exposed soil surface. When I was in Buffalo last weekend for the third annual

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-20548100848681194432010-07-11T14:45:00.000-07:002010-07-11T14:45:05.894-07:00

I'm on vacation, or as Carol from May Dreams Gardens calls it, at summer camp. In Buffalo for the 3rd annual gathering of garden bloggers I am closing in on vegetative overload. Who knew that was even possible? I'll be explaining about that in future posts but before I arrived here (along with about 70 other bloggers from around the nation and Canada) I kicked off my personal garden tour

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-43727247831684424922010-07-10T14:30:00.000-07:002010-07-10T14:38:52.065-07:00

The Buffa10 tour of Buffalo's Cottage District seemed a virtual explosion of color and exuberance: flowers, foliage, garden art, architecture and umbrellas. Yes, we got rained upon. No, I didn't mind one bit. Meandering through lovely gardens in a gentle rain is just not a problem. Holding an umbrella and trying to take photos requires a bit of a learning curve but it was all so very worth it.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-1254999488527802062010-06-30T09:43:00.000-07:002010-06-30T09:43:36.640-07:00

I'll be heading out on vacation soon...first to visit my Aunt Elaine in Ohio. While I'm there we will get to go see Kim's Study In Contrast in person which I am so excited about! After that I will continue on to Buffalo where about 60 garden bloggers from around the country will be gathering for several days of garden viewing, tours, sharing, eating, drinking and fun. I think we're ALL excited

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-9909858288027307772010-06-14T20:49:00.000-07:002010-06-14T22:18:39.691-07:00

Shastas are beginning to bloom along the front entry path as well as in several other spots...always cheerful, always reliable, their only fault is they are so enticing to earwigs. They lose something when their centers are eaten up. So far this year the earwigs have not attacked, a wonderful and perplexing situation. I've certainly seen plenty hiding under things so I know they are there. I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-74566050271865597162010-06-12T13:22:00.000-07:002010-06-12T14:12:40.243-07:00

You never know what you might see in your garden if you are paying attention! Yesterday I lost a big branch from the normally well-behaved Bradford pear in my front garden and I went out to cut the pieces that were keeping it hung up in my privet hedge. Luckily it is a privet hedge because although quite a bit was broken and had to be cut out we all know it will return and be better for the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-51389869411484063392010-06-05T11:39:00.000-07:002010-06-05T12:11:19.122-07:00

I had my gate rebuilt a couple of months ago and have been working on making this entry to my garden feel more welcoming. I finally realized a small trellis to tie it to the color of the house trim was what it needed. So this morning I built a simple trellis out of 1x2 inch redwood, painted it and hung it on the fence with small spacers. Now comes the fun part...I need to decide on a small,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-68415297918939073412010-05-24T14:29:00.000-07:002010-05-24T21:18:52.420-07:00

No sign of sprouting bean seeds...The vegetable garden seeds were planted a bit over a week ago...two types of cucumbers, two zucchini varieties, melon, four kinds of beans, more parsley. Every day I check to see what will come up first, but the bottom line is that when it dips into the low 40s at night seeds just don't come up very quickly. I feel as though I'm on hold...this is not our typical

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-25384701166885337692010-05-15T19:30:00.001-07:002010-05-16T13:49:37.830-07:00

It's May! And there are lots of blooms here and elsewhere as we celebrate another Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites gardeners around the world to share their blooms on the 15th of each month. I see I have lots of roses, interesting for a gardener who doesn't much do roses. Guess that's changed over the years!Rosa Flower Girl blooms almost all year..but this time of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-71805944108578297382010-05-11T14:07:00.000-07:002010-05-11T16:43:37.893-07:00

The snails are the happy ones this spring. And the earwigs and the armadillidiidae...more commonly known around here as roly polies. We've had cool, rainy weather off and on for far longer than normal. So much so that I have yet to plant cucumbers, zucchini or bush beans. The tomatoes just went in last week. I do have three varieties that went into wall-o-waters a while ago although two of those

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-90636512561470608262010-04-22T14:27:00.000-07:002010-04-22T14:53:27.304-07:00

Here is my submission to the plant clinic over at Garden Rant.My Meyer lemon has been growing in a pot for a few years (maybe as long as six?) and for the last few years it just hasn't been as happy as it once was. I get a dozen or so lemons a year from this tree which is fine because I can get lemons from several friends with bigger trees in the ground. Maybe I should find a spot and stick mine

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-75140401028150185632010-04-14T21:12:00.000-07:002010-04-15T14:48:45.202-07:00

April showers have made April flowers burst into bloom. Some are spring ephemerals, some are winter blooms that will soon disappear and some are the first blossoms of the summer bloomers that will continue, barring any totally strange weather, for months. I'd grow the favas above just for the blooms even if I didn't like to eat them! Rosa Cecile Brunner is brightening up the fence in the new

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-31859598535250077092010-03-23T18:46:00.000-07:002010-03-23T22:08:37.536-07:00

The wisteria is ramping up, halfway to its big show, 2 dutch iris have color showing tonight, buds are swelling on the bearded iris, the biokova is blooming, and I see tiny, tiny baby plums on the Santa Rosa. It must be time to plant! Spring is here! I've seen tomato plants at the nursery, summer annuals too. But wait just a minute. This is one of those times of year that requires a gardener to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-63373053414556573872010-03-15T15:17:00.000-07:002010-03-15T18:36:24.326-07:00

In the front door bed cyclamen, primrose and snapdragons bloom. The cyclamen are from Christmases past...I always tuck them in the ground and they rebloom in following years, but never again in time for Christmas.The freesias in this pot bloom before any of the ones in the ground. Maybe this year I'll remember to plant them somewhere and put something I like the color of better in the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-31509980116727814022010-02-21T19:18:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:43:46.369-08:00

I'm on my way to Petaluma, California...along with two friends who have been coerced into driving a bit over an hour to buy garden seeds. They have been promised good food at Della Fattoria and time to wander the multitude of antique stores and other cute shops on surrounding streets. On a busy downtown Petaluma corner stands a 1920s bank building that has become the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-12372234045095483282010-02-18T01:00:00.000-08:002010-02-18T01:00:00.042-08:00

Lucky enough to have a beautiful navel orange tree hanging over my fence from the yard of the neighbor behind me I have been enjoying oranges for a couple of weeks. The crop this year is particularly large so I decided to try my hand at making orange marmalade...mostly because I've never made it and partly because I know my dad likes it.The first step was peeling the top layer of skin off with a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-91725041522383815122010-02-15T01:00:00.000-08:002010-02-15T01:00:02.932-08:00

The sun was shining today when I went out to look for blooms for Garden Blogger Bloom Day, our monthly bloom sharing day originated by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. I knew I would find a few blooms since I had seen several varieties of bulbs blooming for the past week or so. But I was surprised to see the first crocuses of the year, luckily snuggled up close to the cyclamen I planned to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-61901720606196450052010-02-07T11:16:00.000-08:002010-02-07T12:02:42.844-08:00

It's too wet to actually work in the garden but I wanted to check in with a few things out there...here's what I found...Summer snowflakes, leucojum, are beginning to bloom all around the yard.Grand Primo Daffodils, bought from Old House Gardens and planted last fall, are beginning to bloom. They are said to be "by far the most vigorous, persistent and floriferous narcissus in zones 8-9bS/11W"

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-71720239974414847702010-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:002010-02-02T00:00:08.479-08:00

My friend Barbara at Mr. McGregor's Daughter has invited us to post about our houseplants, perhaps allowing any snowbound gardeners to feel as if they are strolling through the garden. I believe the instructions are to post the total number of your current houseplants and so I did a quick count. I found exactly 30 plants living indoors today...down a few from a year or so ago. That reminded me

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-55785314904653743102010-01-31T17:15:00.000-08:002010-02-01T07:04:48.255-08:00

Potagers are very trendy right now...everyone wants one and if they have one they want to make it bigger. Why not? You can't get much more local than your own back yard, you can control what does or doesn't get sprayed on your delicate greens, and the varieties, allowing for zonal constrictions, can suit your tastes exactly. Don't like kale? Plant more swiss chard. Don't like habaneros? Plant

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-69358412030757791912010-01-27T19:55:00.000-08:002010-01-27T20:49:47.697-08:00

It's January and the wisteria is bare. This is a good thing right now as a problem has been detected. Most of the fence that supports the wisteria was replaced a few years ago. However, it has since wandered into old fence territory and the thing most feared by wooden fence owners has occurred. Three, if not four, of the fence posts from the end of the new fence section to the corner where the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-64840981095309761802010-01-14T14:59:00.000-08:002010-01-14T22:34:19.774-08:00

One thing about January in Davis...there is always at least something to post about on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ! The plants may look a bit worse for the wear and there may only be a bloom or two, but blooms there are. My Sasanqua camellia decided to more or less bloom one flower at a time over a period of weeks this year. Here is today's offering.Cyclamen purchased before the holiday continue

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-88110957951593953452010-01-10T14:23:00.001-08:002010-01-10T15:08:05.401-08:00

I'm really not complaining. When I read about the weather that Cindy at My Corner Of Katy and Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings have been dealing with...as well as many other garden blogger friends who are at least used to freezing cold winters...I really shouldn't complain. But our gray Central Valley January days are just so...gray. And January.In any case, on this gray January weekend I decided to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-70189755884423528242010-01-02T10:03:00.000-08:002010-01-02T10:38:20.622-08:00

This pelargonium often sails through the winter with no setback. The freeze in early December got it this year. This is a "don't touch" as in I will be looking at those dead leaves for at least 2 more months. Leaving the dead foliage will protect the underneath, healthy part of the plant should we have another freeze.Another "don't touch", this pelargonium stands less chance of surviving since

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-47787056314321232402009-12-29T15:23:00.000-08:002009-12-29T15:36:50.929-08:00

Nandina berries Leucojum and shasta sprouts Solar light in lemon grassDavid Perry has challenged bloggers to post three photos...one red, one green and one blue. Here are my offerings, taken on a

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-19685144225151289912009-12-20T10:52:00.000-08:002009-12-20T11:58:28.165-08:00

Mary Ann at Gardens of the Wild Wild West has asked the question "Why do you garden?" My answer is simply "Because I have to." There are a number of things I do because they bring me pleasure and I find them enjoyable. Things like reading, cooking, going to the gym, seeing new places. Gardening is different. It is the thing that gets me out of bed on a beautiful Saturday summer morning and the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-78569200778121277482009-11-15T15:02:00.000-08:002009-11-15T15:55:44.139-08:00

The miniature roses in the front door bed are having a little bloom fest. This unknown pink mini was given to me years ago by my good friend.Chater's Double hollyhock has bloomed off and on for months and the cooler November weather isn't a deterrent at all.Lavandula pinnata buchii has likewise bloomed for months...actually it's been blooming for over a year. Last winter it shared the warmth from

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-42597653652509889222009-11-02T20:59:00.000-08:002009-11-04T18:59:23.370-08:00

L'Orto Botanico di Roma is the botanic garden in Rome. It belongs to the University of Rome and is the former garden of the Palazzo Corsini. We visited the garden last June on our first day in Italy. It was a lovely morning but by the time we arrived we were a bit tired as we had taken one wrong turn and walked up an unnecessary hill or two before regaining our bearings. I found the garden

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-6527336606883243062009-10-27T14:35:00.000-07:002009-10-27T18:14:04.064-07:00

Last night on Facebook I saw that my daughter had made basil simple syrup. It reminded me that I've been planning to make some simple syrups myself before the herbs were done for the year. The more I thought about it the more motivated I got so before I thought too much about it I grabbed a flashlight and went out to get some basil and lemon grass. I decided to make a batch with the licorice

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-80115192465447260962009-10-18T16:23:00.000-07:002009-10-18T16:44:24.307-07:00

From this angle it is obvious...but I walked past this tree twice on the way to the compost pile without noticing that a good part of my ornamental plum, Prunus c. Purple Pony, was now in the neighbor's yard.The storm had softened the soil and the winds finished the poor thing off.I decided it needed to come down before it took the poor old fence it was hung up on down with it.It was actually

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-50613569357921800242009-10-15T00:05:00.000-07:002009-10-15T00:05:00.433-07:00

Abutilon Pink Parasol is slowly filling in and blooms Tuesday in the back border.However, she is going to need a bit of help if I think I want her to make it through the winter. Miss PP, stake and all, was horizontal after the storm that blew through here yesterday. OK...I admit I meant to get a decent stake and was making do with a lightweight one...but it's only October! Oh. Guess I said that

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-25250635369088667812009-10-13T20:17:00.000-07:002009-10-13T20:39:08.360-07:00

One of my favorite little vignettes in the back garden was this small table where various succulents have decided to hang together and be happy. They really needed to have been put away for winter but fall has just arrived and I was so happy with the way they look that I was trying to squeeze a few more weeks of enjoyment from them. I mean...it's only October! Once they are relegated to the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-38558001718421310792009-08-30T14:39:00.000-07:002009-08-30T15:36:04.441-07:00

Carol at May Dreams Gardens had a contest recently for which the prize was to be a CobraHead Weeder. Having seen these weeders and lusting after them at Spring Fling last May in Chicago I of course promptly entered the contest. I wanted to try one out against the bermuda that infests my yard. As one of my previous neighbors said, the only way to completely get rid of bermuda is to move. Which he

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-50569332364311255552009-08-22T17:04:00.000-07:002009-08-22T17:33:56.109-07:00

I have a confession to make. Something is wrong with my garden. Not the ornamentals. I'm talking about the summer vegetables that love the Central Valley weather and are made to grow here. The ones I used to be really good at growing. The last few years I've tried to ignore the signs. The zucchini plants that didn't set much fruit. The peppers and eggplant that just weren't happy. The tomatoes

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-62503057961874851072009-08-15T17:35:00.000-07:002009-08-22T16:57:50.671-07:00

There was plenty blooming here on Garden Blogger Bloom Day and I took photos and uploaded them...then did nothing. I just couldn't get too excited about most of the blooms. Why?Ornamental oregano, O. laevigatum Herrenhausen. I'm really happy with this cute filler that flows over the rock edging. I'm happy that it's happy but... Dragon wing begonia is bigger than I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-33337567006558840582009-07-15T13:57:00.000-07:002009-07-16T06:38:50.586-07:00

Just in time for Bloom Day summer decided to make itself noticed by sending the thermometer over 102. We have been so lucky this year...the temperatures have been below average and really quite lovely. This week I remembered where I live...in the California Central Valley where the best descriptive word for summer weather is hot! We can live with it though because it is a dry heat and because we

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-84915406963085906642009-06-15T14:00:00.000-07:002009-06-15T14:57:33.437-07:00

The big spring bloom had slowed down here in Davis as we move quickly towards summer. Many of the bloomers from May continue at a reduced level of bloom, such as the cranesbill. But shastas abound and the plumbago I am training up into the banksia arch have begun to pick up the slack.I love the look of the onion seed heads...they remind me of all the lovely alliums in Chicago at Spring Fling and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-10382458145534922432009-06-11T17:44:00.000-07:002009-06-11T18:10:22.913-07:00

I garden all the time...if not actually caring for my garden then thinking about it, planning for future projects and pondering past successes and mistakes.But Carol at May Dreams Gardens asked the question "When did you start gardening?" and it prompted me to try to remember.I've always gardened, even as a child, and have had my own garden since I was in college.Some of my best childhood

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30849155.post-527653457319285322009-06-11T08:16:00.000-07:002009-06-11T14:43:42.092-07:00

I love plums. The Santa Rosa plum tree was one of the first things we planted when we bought our home (along with the wisteria). For almost 29 years I have enjoyed several weeks of fresh plums right off the tree each June. I even have a special plum tradition and this week marked the beginning of plum season in my garden. Yes, earlier this week I picked a plum, polished it up and sat down to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15959600840504166899noreply@blogger.com7