The Garden Blog

The last six weeks I've done a lot of traveling -- Orlando, Austin, Scotland and Colorado Springs, to be exact. A theme running through my visits to these very disparate places has been that spring has come very late to all of them. To be sure, there were signs of spring, such as the gorgeous daffodils lining the roads in Scotland and the bluebonnets in Austin -- but all seemed to be coming out about a month late.

Even in Southern California, we seem to be experiencing a late spring. It's mid-May and the jacaranda trees are just now flowering -- as are the lilies in my garden. Although the lilies feel late, I note from last year's May entry that they're actually right on schedule. They're joining some beautiful red poppies and my roses (mentioned in my previous blog entry).

Late or not, they're a welcome sight, as is spring -- wherever we may be in the world.

Ah, spring. I've just returned from Scotland, which is having a late spring. Although it was still quite cool and occasionally rainy, the daffodils could be spotted blooming throughout the country. Just gorgeous. Interestingly, here in Southern California, which is temperate year-round, my lilies are also late -- but I expect they'll be blooming soon. There are, of course, other unmistakeable signs of spring, like these roses (left), which are just spectacular. Hard not to stop and smell these gorgeous flowers every time I'm in the garden (and then again at home cut and in a vase).

Spring also, of course, means the beginning of tomato season. After a visit to Tomatomania, I planted my first seedlings in early April. Here are two seedlings shortly after they went into the ground (shown here next to the arugula, which is still going like gangbusters). Now, in early May, they're already twice the size and I've since given them some marigold sentries. Next I'm planning to add some cucumbers and other summer fare.

With the days becoming longer and my travel schedule starting to slow, there will be more time spent not just watching the daffodils go by from a tour bus but in the garden enjoying all the beauty that spring brings. Enjoy!

Egads. How can it possibly be February 18th already? Here I was (in my last garden blog post anyway) saying goodbye to 2013 and now we're almost two months into 2013. The start of the year has been good -- including as it has a trip to Oahu and Maui (see posts on Oahu's KCC Farmers Market, Fresco's Bruschetta and Lumeria Maui, with more to come).

It's also been good in the garden. As you can see from this photo, it's the greens that are the star of the winter season this year. I've got various lettuces, arugula (a small wild variety and a bigger leaf version), spinach, kale, cilantro and the purple osaka mustard greens (although a number of those were attacked by some unwanted creature and I had to pull them out). Made for a particularly yummy fresh salad for Valentine's Day (nothing says love like greens straight from the garden).

I'm also seeing good growth by the onions and garlic I planted and my roses are still blooming (even though I've been cutting them back) -- and the poinsettia is still a happy camper. Perhaps it's the sight of the poinsettia every time I hit the garden that makes it hard to think we're already into February. Still, as the days get longer and the greens run their course, a gal's mind turns to spring and -- oh yeah -- Tomatomania. Starting on March 8, events will be held throughout California (plus Maryland and Virginia) through May. Personally, I'll be hitting the event at the Tapia Brothers Farm Stand March 22-24. Great start to spring, don't you think?

Ah, the holidays. As much as I love Christmas (and, as you can see from this photo, the poinsettia in my garden feels the same), I really love the week that follows, when things slow down, to-do lists shorten and it's possible to take a deep breath and just enjoy the little things -- like, for instance, having a cat on your lap while you write a blog post (hint: that's happening RIGHT NOW).

As I reflect upon this year, I keep coming back to an article that appeared in the New York Times on October 24. It was titled "The Island Where People Forget to Die" and introduced us to the Greek island of Ikaria, where people live into their 100s. Some of the findings as to why the people there live so long are not only important in terms of longevity but also in terms of quality of life, which is something I've been pondering a lot this year.

The good thing for gardeners is that the garden is a central part of the Ikarian lifestyle. In fact, their description of a routine day involves waking naturally, working in the garden, having a late lunch and a nap, and then in the evening sharing some wine with friends. Pretty ideal, eh? They also eat local honey every day -- some of them taking a spoonful each morning as if it was medicine.

So it's November 8 and we are finally (and I mean, FINALLY) getting a little rain in Southern California. Just three days ago it was in the 90s, though, so who knows what tomorrow will bring. Still, I'm continuing my work with the fall planting.

As you can see from this photo, the star of the fall garden has been my chrysanthemums -- which started as a small potted plant given as a birthday present four years ago and just take off every fall. I do love it how the flowers in the garden usually seem to take over during those times when I'm rotating crops between seasons (in the spring, it'll be the sweat peas and the lilies). Not only to they bring much-appreciated life and color to the garden during this transition period but they keep the bees particularly happy -- and when the bees are happy, I'm happy. The other happy plant among all the seeded beds is the Tabasco pepper, which has a few dozen white peppers just starting to turn red. And the roses. Always the roses.

For spring, I have just planted sweet peas and some nasturtiums, in addition to the garlic and onions sets. I've also put out seeds for lettuces, mustard, arugula, carrots, beets and radishes, some of which are already starting to sprout. So bring on the rain.