Soul Gardening

So not every aspect of my love for gardening happens out in the dirt (though most of it does). A lot of gardening, weeding, planting, caring for, singing to happens on a more ... metaphysical plane.

I just had to share this. Last night, Tim swept me into his arms and said, "I'd love you even if your head fell off and you were somehow still alive. I'd love your poor little decapitated body."

And strangely enough, my little heart just swelled. I love my Timmy.

Garden Fever!

Well I don't know about the rest of the world, but spring is on its way to Sacramento. I have to say this is my favorite time of year here. It's the only time of year that I can say, "Well, the weather's beautiful here!" Along with the exhilaration of warmer weather comes the anticipation, brooding, plotting and planning for a new garden.

One of the most beautiful things about gardening is the way it's the same and new each year. I never know what will flourish this year and what has died away. There always space to squeeze in a few more annuals or get rid of straggling dud. The combinations always showcase new plants, new areas and make it feel .... well, new!

This year I was especially excited to see that our house finches from last year have returned! I went out this weekend to bunch up and trim back the chaotic honeysuckle they nest in before they get too cozy in it. (btw does anyone have any tips on taming an overwhelming honeysuckle without sacrificing some of its spring blooms?)

I'll try to get more pictures up soon of how the garden  is coming together. I suppose at this time of year there's not a lot to show, but as it's mother, I can foresee how beautiful it's going to be!

Embracing Spring!

Spring has arrived in Fair Oaks, and I have welcomed it with open (and slightly sunburned) arms! To all my Washingtonians, enjoy the sun and color vicariously through me!

The entryway bed: Tulips (not sure what varieties--bought them out of a bargain box last minute!), daffodils, ivy geranium, wall flower and honeysuckle all do well in Sacramento's clay soil.

A surprise tulip echoing an ivy geranium behind it.

My personal favorite photograph. I've never notice the frills around the edges of the daffodils before.

"Sisters"

Beautiful Green (Ivy Geranium)

I forgot to take a picture of them, but we also have potential roommates surveying our honeysuckle! Yesterday and today, Tim and I spotted two house finches exploring the honeysuckle by our entryway! We're hoping that they approve of it enough to build their nest there this spring. How fun. Even nature approves of your garden --Tim

Accessorizing the Alcove

Accessorizing is always fun. Especially when you can marry two loves like accessorizing and gardening.

Recently, I adopted a beat up, rusty old bistro table and eagerly began planning its future in my garden. The structure of the table is adorable but possibly difficult to appreciate through intense rust and a fading paint job. I took it upon myself to give this table a second life and put its hidden beauty on display.

I have also been avidly searching for an affordable garden bench to create an inviting destination for garden wanderers. I found my answer in a sturdy (but plastic!) bench that a fellow gardener was phasing out of her patio. The only misgiving I had about it was its boring beige color.

So my fun project for both of these fine accessories was to paint!! A closet painter, I relished the idea of an additional outlet for my painting endeavors. I chose bright royal blue for the bench and mustard yellow for the table.

I'm hoping to plant bright yellow Black Eyed Susans (Rudbekia) and crimson geraniums to really make the bench pop. I was inspired by Chris' garden colors. Amazing.

Ideally, I'll accent the table with fun printed throw pillows on the chairs and on my new bench! Tim built this beautiful bench for me for additional patio seating that will double as a wet-bar/buffet.

The Project:

1) Wash: I began with thoroughly washing down both items with soapy water (I just used dish soap). The plastic bench proved much more straightforward than the rusted metal table.

My water loving labrador, Ellie, was convinced all this activity was a game and decided to spread her enthusiasm for the water :)

...to my face

For the table:
I began with an initial wash to remove some of the exterior grime and weather wear.
Next, I used a sharp object (I had a screw driver and a hand triangle garden hoe) to scrape off as much of the rust and old paint as possible. It's really important to focus on the areas where the paint is bubbling, as that is an indication that rust is growing underneath. If simply painted over these areas, the rust will eat through both layers of paint and your new coat will flake away. This stage took a bit of time and effort, but it's an important step!!

2) Prime: Use a primer to give a base for the glossy paint. For any metal object (my table), make sure you use a rust-stop primer.



NOTE: It is extremely important to begin painting when there is little to no moisture in the air. I waited for a time when rain was not predicted for 5 days. This also applies to being patient after you wash the items; if they are even slightly wet, the paint will not adhere.

3) Once the primer is completely dry, the fun part begins! Make sure you paint in an area where lots of dust or other items will fall on the wet paint. You will need to do a 2nd coat to really ensure the shine! For the paint I used, I had the option of doing the 2nd coat almost immediately or waiting for 24 hours.

Here's the finished product! I was pretty excited for how they came out!

So pleased with how they turned out!

Flowers of the Day:

Friend I found next to a budding Hyacinth

Blooming Hyacinth

Drainage Endeavors

Another warm and sunny day in Sacramento. How could I not feel inspired to meander through the yard and enjoy the fresh air? And I would be remiss in not sharing my newest endeavors and delightful discoveries!




We have a section of our yard that is a lower grade than the rest of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, this means that on the occasion that it actually rains in Sacramento, a swamp forms on the clay-like soil that is native to this area. Aside from re-grading the entire backyard (which would be a HUGE investment of time & money for a place we're only renting), Tim and I were stumped as how to solve this dilemma. It was accentuated when our puppy, Ellie, discovered the joys of rolling in these large mud puddles and tracking her little paws throughout our house. :) She's much more mischievous than she looks.



Recently, I found an ad for free landscaping rocks. Thinking this might be the answer, Tim and I jumped in our little Civic and filled our trunk as much as we dared! Upon arriving, we remembered that we don't own a wheelbarrow. So...when you're poor, you use what you have! We found a discarded grocery cart in our seedy neighborhood and made good use of it! (Of course, we called the number to return the cart once we were done!)



Once all the rocks were in place, it had a vague resemblance to a french drain! I'm sure I'll do some re-arranging to even out the rocks and create a more defined border. We'll have to wait and see if it really does help with the drainage problem, but I'm planning on planting creeping jenny in and amongst the rocks. I think it will add an old, established garden feel, and the roots will help with additional drainage through the soil! Perhaps I should plant a wall climber to hide some of those unsightly cords....







Today is wonderfully warm here, and I just had to share these glorious beauties I found hiding in the corners of my awakening garden!














Climbing Geranium

Red Geranium

I believe these are Periwinkles

Adventuring Out

Winter is almost over here. And I can already feel the anxiousness to get outside and begin planting and refurbishing my garden. So far, I have taken it out in sketching, graphing out my new layout and the fervent reading of my gardening bible, Fine Gardening.

Last year was my first attempt at creating spaces out of raw area. It was an adventure and more overwhelming than I first thought, especially with virtually no budget. (As a side, freecycle is a great way to get in touch with local gardeners and get starts of free plants. I started almost my entire garden this way!) I ended up mostly planting straight borders, lining my house and fence. It looked lovely, but didn't quite capture the vision I had of sanctuary.




I want to walk into a place of peace, retreat and quiet reverie. Somewhere that is not in the middle of low-income suburbia.







So this year, I do have some new ideas for our modest space outside.

I'm working with the idea of 'eye reliefs', a theory that a change of pace for your eye creates interest (i.e. a bench in the midst of the garden, pots, fountains, etc.). These break up the border and provide movement. I've sectioned off a piece of my border (right) and am going to put a flat wall fountain I found at a garage sale there! I intend to use natural river rocks to replace the orange bricks to section off the border gradually.

I am also putting a bench in on the other side of the border, along the house. I think benches give the eye an invitation to venture further into the garden to explore, especially to those not naturally prone to wander through. I found this boring white, plastic bench and I'm going to spice it up with a bit of color!! Tim is going to help my paint it royal blue as soon as the weather permits.
Unique color is another element I'm excited about incorporating outside. The blue of the bench will make the greens and vibrant reds around it pop, as well as simply being a fun eye catcher. I hope to tie this color throughout in pots and shepherds hooks.

My patio table is also going to bear the brunt of this new enthusiasm. It sorely needs some love after being tossed out of my neighbor's house last fall. Tim and I are going to sand it down and refinish it with this lovely mustard yellow! I can't wait!

More projects and ideas to come!