Garden Report, Part 1

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, the first of the month climate report is morphing into the Garden Report. One of the goals I had for my semi-retirement was to garden again, and to focus mostly on beauty rather than usefulness.

I have not gardened in any focused way in more than 30 years (no time), so this is a major new initiative. Last week, a landscape designer from Santa Fe Greenhouses came for two hours and worked with me to develop a plan. Now all I need to do is execute!

Like the before pictures in a makeover I am showing you my unvarnished garden at the start of the season--good bones (thanks to a hired landscaper last summer) but mostly weeds. The size of the weeds is embarrassing, but full disclosure is important here! I have four flower beds; the first two are shown in these photos. The third bed (just behind me in the bottom photo) looks just like the first two (weeds). The fourth bed (a narrow strip between the house and the driveway) has a few rosebushes in it and more weeds.

Here is my vision: I am sitting on my patio with a book--the garden (which is all around me) is beautiful and fragrant. Hummingbirds and butterflies are frequent visitors. Guests arrive at the front (which is stark and zenlike--rocks and trees only), come into the house and through to the back, and are stunned by the garden's beauty!

Right now, part one, I am weeding. You can see from the photo below that I have cleared half of the second bed (which is the weediest). I know how to pull weeds--otherwise I have very little idea what I'm doing--but I do have a plan, a book, a source for plants (10% discount all year at the SF Greenhouses), and a lot of enthusiasm. So stay tuned! Over the course of the next 6 months or so, I'll show you my progress with the garden.