My Garden in Spring 2022

 Sharing my zone 10a spring garden with you.  We are having a nice spring time here in So. California. A few hot days but for the most part, very mild and a nice welcome.  The Sentimental tree rose loves these mild days.  She performs her best. 

The Yves Piaget rose in the background

I am so happy to have found a beautiful red nasturtium, "baby rose". I found the seeds from Select Seeds.  I also like that this variety is compact and perfect for my small raised beds and also great for containers.

CARROTS

I was happy to see t some nice carrots for my salad and roasting.  It can be a hit or miss in my garden.  The small round ones are Tonda di Parigi from Botanical Interest seed company. 

These two photos are also from Botanical Interests seed company, "Calliope Blend".  Next time to direct sow carrots in my garden will be mid-october - early november of 2022.  I have noted that in my calendar and a lot more too. 

Nero Toscana Kale

I love growing this beautiful green, Nero Toscana.  Seeds came from Botanical Interests

made a wonderful pesto too.  I really enjoy eating it blanched and sautéed. 

and of course the lovely lettuce.  One of the easiest to go grow in my raised beds and containers too.  I love all the beautiful colors too.

LEEKS! 

I really need to sow more leeks in my garden.  They have a long mature date but so worth the wait.  Roasting them along with carrots is a tasty side dish.  I have used them in frittatas and soups.

I hope you enjoyed my update of my garden.  There were a lot of vegetables that did not do well this time around, but I will keep trying.  I am always grateful for what every I can grow and I incorporate into my cooking.  

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I will be sharing some project using press flowers.  

Hello Summer

Fist day of summer.

Here in zone 10a we are having a grey day and its perfect for working in the garden.

This is my second attempt here.  I sowed my first set of corn back in April.  They did not do well. These in the photo were sown on May 19th and so far so good.  In between the corn rows, I sowed two types of carrots, why not.

I did not realize that corn produced suckers. I carefully cut them away and I read they may grow back a few times.  I will keep cutting them away.

I sowed two more rows of corn and they have already sprouted, just in 5 days.

 I transplanted the last three bush beans "French Mascotte", seeds from Renee's Garden. Also in this bed is a zinnia plant called "Dancing Girls", seeds from Burpee.

 In this bed I had three large Sweet William plants that were sown last fall.  They were transplanted into the rose area. I needed to make room for the Roma tomatoes and basil plants.  I will also plant one of the Roma tomatoes in a large container.  Not a lot of different summer vegetables this time around, but I plan to start cucumbers and squash in late summer.  I am trying something new.  I will post my alley way bed next time.

Tomato RomaVF - seeds from Ferry-Morse

From zone 10a in Southern California, have a great summer and thank you for visiting my blog.

May Garden Bursting with Color, Zone 10

A lot of photos to share, but I hope you will enjoy them.

 We start off with some beautiful visitors.  It is fun to watch them flutter around the my little garden patch.

 Last of the Tonda di Parigi, carrots.  I will sow more in late summer.  A favorite to grow.  Opie likes them too.  Seeds from Botanical Interests.

A container of Swiss Chard, nasturtiums and bush beans.  Lets see how this turns out. Love to experiment with containers. 

 My latest bouquet filled with a little bit of everything. Sweet Surender rose, Sweet Williams, larkspurs and yarrow.

 Red Yarrow

 Sweet William

 Pink yarrow

Thank you for visiting my blog.  

Wishing you a lovely day.

My February Garden 2020

I have a lot of photos to share with you.

So let me tell you first, that this was an amazing Fall/Winter garden for me.

I have not had a garden that produced like this in a long while.

I know it is due to  gardening in raised beds.

At the top, is just one of many harvesting of greens along with carrots and herbs.

The carrots are from a seed packet, "Tonda di Parigi", Botanical Interests. 

This amazing green plant is called " Nero Toscana" kale. First time growing kale and I can say it is delicious.  Blanch first for a few minuets and sauté. Smaller leaves do not need to be blanched. A wonderful taste and I am sorry that I did not sow more.  Being in zone 10, I can start to sow my fall and winter garden in late August.

 Amazing, right?

Most of the lettuce came from two types of seeds packets by Botanical Interests called "Sassy Salad" mix and "Gourmet Baby Greens" mix. 

Here is a beautiful spinach leave called "lavewa" also from seed (Botanical Interests).

I sowed two other types called Bloomsdale and Monstrueux de Viroflay.  They did not perform well in my garden.  The lavewa can take a little more heat, while the other two bolted or just did not grow at all.  My garden is in full sun.  I could shade the beds, but the 80 degree heat for a few days in a row just made them bolt.  

 I used the spinach in my omelettes, as a side and in salads.  I wanted to use them in more dishes, but the season for them was cut short.  I may try "New Zealand" spinach.  I have seen some gardeners grow them during the summer here in Southern California.

Here is a beautiful swiss chard leaf, "Ruby Red/Rhubarb".  I have a few plants growing in different places in my garden that seem to be growing nicely.  I'm not sure if they are a spring to summer here in my zone.  I tried them last year and had no luck.  So far I have harvested some beautiful leaves and sautéed them and added them into a whole wheat tortilla with a dollop of hummus.  I will sow more seeds because I have some recipes using swiss chard.

The parsley was also a big winner along with the cilantro in my garden. 

Parsley being used to make a very tasty Chimichurri paste. Its great on eggs, stakes, fish and quesadillas too. I used most of my herbs to make a paste or pesto when I could not use it fresh fast enough. You can store it in the freezer.

 Next comes these happy little Viola flowers.  I sowed them in late August.  I used two types of seeds, "Sorbet XP select blend", I do not see them in the 2020 Botanical Interests catalog this time, and the "King Henry" , the last photo shows me holding the King Henry.  They are a very pretty lavender color.

 These are the "Swiss Giants Blend" from Botanical Interests.

Thank you for taking the time to visit and I hope you enjoyed the photos. I hope to post soon.  Heres to spring.

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are [just] as beautiful".” - Abram L. Urban