I've really been enjoying the garden this week. I harvested a few artichokes. They were delicious. I cook them with Italian salad dressing and fresh Meyer lemon juice. They are one of my favorite vegetables. Citrus grow very easily here in Southern California, so I have several varieties. I picked a few limes, as well. They made wonderful limeade and guacamole.
When I first moved into my cottage, I mulched over the lawn, and planted a potager garden. It's a mixture of herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees. I love the wildness of it. My neighbor says that it looks like a jungle. I bask in the healing vibe while sitting out on the porch. It's so lush. The birds love it, too.
Each year I look forward to the hollyhocks blooming. They are just spectacular. I think they will be opening very soon. I save the seeds annually and scatter them along the fence line. Hollyhocks are so tall and colorful. Old fashioned flowers have always been my favorites. I just fed everything compost tea.
I trimmed the conifers last week. I have an electric hedge trimmer. It's light and easy to use. I hated to remove the gorgeous light green growth, but the trees were looking raggedy. They give me privacy, and keep the porch cool and shady for most of the day. The oxygen that emanates from the trees is clean and fresh. I keep everything well mulched, and the soil is filled with red wiggler worms. It's so rewarding to have a healthy garden. How is yours doing?
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Your garden is absolutely beautiful Stephenie. I prefer the 'jungle look' as your neighbor says, I think it looks more natural. I too love artichokes. They are expensive at the store. You are lucky to have homegrown ones. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the jungle look, too, Nil. You're right, artichokes are expensive at the store. I bought a six flat last year. I'm excited about their growth and production. Good luck with yours.
DeleteA potager front garden sounds like a much better use of space than lawn to me! It looks like it's thriving at the moment. I've inherited a few globe artichokes with a new community garden plot so I'll be looking forward to harvesting them next spring.
ReplyDeleteHi Grow Gather Enjoy. Thanks for commenting, and congratulations on your new blog. Artichokes are wonderful plants. I love their impressive size. They make beautiful landscape plants, as well.
Deletea friend of mine today told me to just mulch over all the weeds & grass instead of trying to dig them out lol; i want to redo my front garden as it's just looking so sad lately & nothing is growing very well anymore.
ReplyDeleteyour gardens are looking very lush!
thanx for sharing
That's what I did, Selina. I layered composted manure, straw, coffee grounds, and leaves in my front yard. It has really worked, and attracted the red wiggler worms. They will make your soil black gold!
DeleteOoooooh, fresh picked artichokes and citrus.....luxury personified!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is so lush and healing. It's wonderful how when you care for and heal the earth around you, in turn, it does the same for you.
The red wigglers, birds and insect life all know a healthy and nourishing place to live and thrive....how sad it that your garden is the exception in the neighborhood.
Enjoy the growing season!
That's so true what you said about caring for the earth. It's amazing to see all the different varieties of birds that come to visit. There are bees pollinating the blossoms everywhere right now. We have some other wonderful gardens in the neighborhood, too. It's just that we are on a restricted watering schedule.
DeleteWow! It looks great Stephanie. I don't know that you've ever shown us a larger view like that. I love it. How rewarding. I'm going to try for an artichoke- planted it from seed and is about 4" tall, will have to figure out the perfect spot if it is to survive here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lady Locust. This is the prettiest time of year. I hope your artichoke does well. They are pretty easy to grow. They are a member of the thistle family.
DeleteIt is wonderful to be able to grow your own fruits and vegetables. You are lucky to have the space for artichokes. The business park on the other side of our area was once a large farm (the Ralphs family as you might recognize from the grocery store chain) and there are wild artichoke plants all along the open lots and the utility company easement land. I have always been tempted to pick some, but it is pretty wild land with lots of weeds and probably snakes so I just dream about it and buy artichokes as a special treat. We are growing turnips, beets, carrots, radishes, bell peppers, snow peas, basil and lots of different types of lettuce in the garden now. Things are doing really well. I just thinned out some rows this morning. We also have a Meyer lemon tree, but ours is in a large pot. We are up to our ankles in lemons now and it is starting to flower.
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, That sounds amazing! Too bad you can't get some of those artichoke plants. We have a Ralph's on our main drag. It's interesting to hear the history. Your garden sounds incredible! What a wide variety of vegetables you are growing...
ReplyDeleteYour garden is wonderful. I've never had artichoke, I've watched many programs were people cook it and dip the leaves into sauces etc but never had the opportunity to try it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tania. I love spending time out there. Artichokes are delicious. I dip mine into mayonnaise. Asparagus in another vegetable that I adore this time of year. Happy gardening...
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