Anyway.
We've had a lot of rain lately. And they said this would be a dry winter. Not yet. Heck, it's not even winter. But it sure feels like it. It's going to be a long haul to March.
Besides planting out a few foxglove starts, I haven't added anything new in awhile. No substantial changes.
Things are starting to attain mature sizes, however. I'm always in such denial about that when I plant. I feel like I might as well be. You never know for sure how things are going to work out. Plants do what they want. The more I garden the better I can sense their wants. Wants and needs. Too much anthropomorphizing?
I like to think things will be different in the next garden.
The plan is to move to the suburbs in two years. Like, Redwood City or something. We're talking about it anyway. We talk about it so much, a sense of inevitability has settled in.
We'll have a regular-sized yard. Maybe even slightly larger-than-regular. That would be awesome. It's not like there's anything else in the world I want to invest money or time in besides a garden. Summers will be warmer wherever we go, so there will be a lot more food gardening.
We'll have more artichokes, not just one.
It's likely there will be frost in the next garden, but not much. Here there has been none. That's been nice for me, but I'm a gardener who doesn't know anything about frost. It's probably not as big of a deal as I imagine it to be.
But I never think about frost now.
And a lot of my favorite exotics are not suitable for frosty situations.
But some are.
And some I just don't know.
We'll definitely have grapes in the next garden.
We'd have to be crazy not to.
I will always maintain a high level of commitment to including lots of California natives.
Maybe even some big ones. I'd like to have a buckeye again. I think I should cut this one down before we move. It'll become a problem in this small space without regular attention. A lot of the plants in this garden would be problems without regular attention. It's that denial thing I just mentioned.
More roses, too. I would love to have a lot more roses in the next garden.
I would like there to be less clutter,
And more groovieness.
What will the next neighbors be like? Could they be more problematic than the one I've got now? I'm happy with him today, actually. He cut his yard down again this weekend. I don't feel like putting a picture of the results on the blog, but you can see it here. Believe me it's a huge improvement.
14 comments:
Well yes, frost is that big of a deal. See that lovely Echium in your fourth picture? Toast. Stay where it's warm...you won't regret it.
I don't think you'll see a very noticeable difference with frost on the Peninsula if you stay close to the bay. Go up into the hills, and everything changes. Just as likely, you'll struggle with plants getting crispy as it gets hot...But for now, seems like you have a lot to enjoy.
love your photos. you have so much variety, in color and texture and light. thanks!
Ah yes, the future garden! I hope to have a new, bigger garden in two years too. Preferably one that isn't underwater every winter.
We get plenty of frost here in the valley, but I've never had to think about it affecting the garden. I suppose that's one of the benefits of growing natives. To the extent that frost has ever been an issue for my garden at all, it's just been a cosmetic issue: the first frost is what provokes many of the deciduous plants to lose their leaves, and heavy frosts turn the leaves of my foothill penstemons black for the winter.
Frost happens. It's a big deal before it comes, and then after it happens, it isn't.
Change is good and keeps you young. Go for it! Then again, change can occur even if you stay put. Whatever you decide I look forward to following your progress.
I would miss your photos of all the interesting things you find around your area.
btw- I found that a larger property only means a larger amount of clutter. (-:
Cynthia
I find it so frustrating that all the great botanical gardens, architecture, the details that make life fizz are found in cities, but the space a gardener needs is usually found elsewhere. Growing more than one artichoke, that right there makes it almost worthwhile. Love that backlit solanum.
I also dream of a larger garden, with more sun, but do not wish for more frost.
You just may need to move many of your plants to your new garden like the Buckeye to make your city house more sellable. Some potential buyers won't take a liking to your garden style. So buy a new house and give yourself two months to move the plants before putting the city house on the market if possible. Or start potting things up for a move well ahead of time.
Don't worry about frost. You will adapt. Trust me.
Finally, got what I was looking for!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it. Glad I stumbled into this article! smile I have you saved to check out new stuff you post.
I just discovered your blog, and really enjoyed the great photos of your garden. I have a small town garden here in Yucatan, and after several years of having to pull things out and decide not to plant things I want, I also am looking for a larger place, out of town. I want more trees, and more than one of the things I like, like fruit trees, bananas, papaya, things like that.
Like your blog. I'll keep reading.
Marc
Have you considered Oakland, instead of actual suburbs? There are scads of cute older houses with yards, and mature fruit trees.
Hi just came across your blog when I was googling red amaranth, the photos are great... and made me very nostalgic, had a great summer years ago in Berkeley... am now in London, snowed in, have an allotment and took lots of photos in the snow yesterday... your blog has inspired me to get round to starting up a blot in the new year and dreaming of green things ....
I would just be happy to have a yard at all. I am moving on Monday and at least I have traded up to a larger balcony.
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