Spring will have sprung after March 20, 2022. Natural gardens everywhere, even the wild ones planted by God himself, will be bursting into new realms of new life in the next few weeks.
Especially during drought periods, our natural gardens become rich oases, each one a green bullseye on the big target for local songbirds, hummingbirds, butterflies and other beneficials. A simple water source like a fountain or bird bath proves to be an additional invaluable habitat in even the smallest garden space.
The whole ecosystem is undergoing a silent recharge beneath cloudy skies and the sun’s arc low in the sky. And we can take a break from garden chores for a personal recharge on a cold windy trail, or curled up with a good book near a warm fire.
Forecast: Continued dry and unseasonably warm with no chance of rain. After a decent bit at the end of October, we imagined the storm gates might officially open for winter. It appears that through November, we may have to enjoy only imaginary rain, good enough for a poet or philosopher but completely meaningless in the realm of soil moisture.
Join Randi Gunder, Tree of Life Nursery’s in-house landscape designer, as she goes over the basics of California native plant design. Randi wants you to walk away from this workshop feeling inspired and confident when it comes to your native plant garden.
As native plants become established and the garden starts to function as a whole, rather than a sum of parts, your involvement becomes that of a steward and participant. You will be tending the garden, not maintaining it.
Now let’s talk about those “many garden tasks” for fall. Gardening, like farming, is all about performing tasks today that will pay dividends in 3-6 months.
Happy New Year! At least that’s the word around Tree of Life today, as September 1 has always been the date we make all things
The California garden is tended nature in miniature. It’s not about the plants. It’s about generosity. It’s about giving back to the land and giving oneself the pleasure and satisfaction of loving, getting involved, and tending a garden modeled after the natural beauty of the region.
California native plants are well adapted to our climate and can tolerate extended periods of heat and drought in their natural setting. Many natives experience a drought-induced dormancy in the summer. They simply maintain their size and shape, add very little to no new growth, and sometimes even lose a few leaves toward the end of the season.This is how they “tough it out”.
