Edibles

Strawberries ripe for tonight's dinner salad.

In 2022 bare roots of Albion, Chandler, Seascape and Sequoia were planted along the west fence.  Those purchased from Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery did the worst, some withering and dying before they fully leafed out. When I attempted to get a refund, it was refused since I did not bring the dead plants. Well, I now avoid shopping at what use to be my "go to place". 

At the North most destination along the brick abutting the shed two bare root Boyne (Rubus idaeus) Summer bearing raspberry were planted. Red raspberries are one of my very favorite berries to pick and eat immediately. Eventually the two bushes will produce enough to make jam.  

Then on the North side of the shed two bare root Rubus (subgenus Rubus Watson) ‘Black Satin’ Thornless were planted. They are thriving with many baby blackberries noticeable on the bushes now.

Since I and the hummingbirds love the bright red flowers of the Scarlett runner beans, seeds from last years' crop were dried. A few weeks ago the stunningly beautiful seeds were planted. The first leaves now adorn the plant. Unfortunately some BEing is munching on the leaves. Oh well, "they have to eat too" is my mantra.

Pink Pearl apple tree had many flowers which then developed into many teeny, tiny apples. Since the tree is young, all but a few apples were left on the tree to grow to their normal size. This is the apple I use to pink applesauce since the flesh is marbled pink in color . . . hence the name.

Cascadia peas are twining their way up the wire support. With this particular variety of peas the pods can be harvested OR they can be left to develop peas inside. The pods are great in salads or sautéed. I can hardly wait to begin picking peas! Many of the peas rarely see the inside of the house as I love to shell and eat them immediately after picking.

The raised bed was planted a few days ago with the lettuce. The seeds were started on April 09 in a Todd planter. This particular seed package contains seeds from every lettuce Wild Garden Seed grows. The diversity is stunningly beautiful to behold: there is head lettuce as well as red, green and oak lettuce, loose leaf lettuce. So when I scatter the seeds onto the Todd planter I am never sure what exactly will sprout. I love this kind of surprise! 

'Wild Garden Lettuce Mix' 
purchased from Wild Garden Seed.

 

Friday Three Sisters (beans, corn, melon instead of squash) were planted in three circles. When the sun is shining, this particular spot in the backyard receives full sun most all day. The Three Sisters thrive on the warmth of the sun. Radish seeds, to deter insects, were also scattered about. About an inch of soil mixed with chicken manure covered the seeds. Soil amendments was generously applied as well. Once the task was completed, remay was secured to prevent the pesky squirrels from digging in the moist soil.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a must have plant for Midwest girl. Luckily this plant resided in the backyard when we purchased this house some two years ago. I cook three or four stalks with just enough organic maple sugar to sweeten. This warm sauce I then pour over my organic blue corn meal pancake for a delicious breakfast!

The edible garden created here on Page Street is providing much food for both the human and canine who lives here. As I tweak the garden so it is "more perfect" (the albatross for a One on the Enneagram), I thoroughly enjoy the process and

Amazing, 2023

In the early morning, while doing several different sets of qi gong, I stand inside of the dining room's double doors. These doors open out onto my back patio and yard. During my practice I am often blessed to see the local woodpecker pecking away at its Woodpecker cylinder. 

While living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I shopped at the "local" Wild Birds Unlimited. All of the bird food used to feed the wide array of birds was purchased here. The owners, at the time, were two extremely knowledgeable women. They had speakers share pertinent information for the season at hand, a chalkboard listing sightings in and near the city and were available to answer any and all questions. BEing new to the area I always had numerous questions. Where we lived the elevation was near 8,000'. It was on a flyway regularly use by a vast number of migrating birds. Twelve different woodpeckers visited our backyard. Since I was the human that replenished their food, I noted that they greedily demolished two or three Woodpecker Cylinders each week.

This "ultimate bird feeding station" was
purchased from Wild Birds Unlimited in 
Santa Fe.
It was reboxed and move to its
present location in my backyard.

The singular species of woodpecker that frequents the Woodpecker cylinder in my Cotati backyard is the Downy woodpecker. This particular woodpecker is seen throughout much of the United States as well as much of Canada. 

I receive an online version of Bird Watching magazine. Recently they posted an article about woodpeckers and forest management after wild fires. Wild fires seem to be happening more and more throughout the entire western United States. Perhaps you would like to see how Black-backed woodpeckers are impacting forest management post fire?

Throughout the day I check out the Advanced Pole System (APS) for a bush tailed rodent (aka squirrel) scarfing all the black oil sunflower seeds from the tray. Noting its coloration it is probably an Eastern Fox Squirrel. If a squirrel is in the tray munching away at food intended for the birds, Shasta runs out the door to chase the squirrel away. With each "close call" I sincerely hope she does not actually catch a squirrel! As I observe the shinanigans I have a hardy belly

Ready

Pinus monophylla (Pinyon pine)

This slow growing pine tree is my all time

my favorite! And when possible cut ones

have been my traditional Christmas tree. 

 On San Felipe Circle in Santa Fe, New Mexico

I was lucky to have a full grown one 

in the front near the sidewalk.

PageRefuge is ready for her debut on the Water Wise 2023 garden tour. The Eco-friendly garden tour is scheduled for May 13 from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. I feel feel fortunate that two volunteers will be here in four hour shifts. The delightful woman who has agreed to the morning will arrive early to help me with the set up.

Below is a list of the eco-friendly gardens that are participating this year:

Cloverdale

Hummingbird Haven

Corte Madera

Wildlife Oasis – Neil Cummins Native Habitat Garden

Cotati

Color in Cotati

PageRefuge

Novato

Miles McKay Meditation Garden

Lemons and Lavender Homestead

Home Ground Habitats

Oaks and Sages

Petaluma

New Oak Woodland

Garden Sense Waterwise Garden

San Anselmo

Drought Resistant Garden

San Rafael

Planting for the Future

Santa Rosa

HOA Lawn Conversion

A Garden for Wildlife

Laguna Environmental Center Native Plant Demonstration Garden

Matanzas Creek Natives

Totally Unexpected Food Forest

PageRefuge's plants are cooperating big time to provide visitors with a wide range of colorful displays. Seems to me that each will certainly find something they will like to plant in their own gardens.

Viola tricolor (Johnny jump up)

The flowers are a tasty addition to lettuce salads.

I must admit this is my all time flower! The flowering is prolific and to me looks so cheerful. When I scattered a few (well, I guess there were far more that a few!) in the large clay pots sitting on the back patio, I noticed as I prepared the pots for planting tomato plants in them that they were FULL of Johnny jump up. On a flower planting day recently I dug them all up and transplanted them in the "milkweed bed" beneath the living room windows. To my astonishment when I had planted them all, the bed was covered. What a delight to behold!

Lonicera hispidula (Honeysuckle, aka Hairy honeysuckle)

Calylophus drum mondianus (Sundrops)

While living in Santa Fe, I fell in love with Sundrops. Luckily, when this property become mine to relandscape, it came with two of the above! I merely moved them so they would be together in a spot to my liking.

In New Mexico several varieties of Sundrops are indigenous. Along the front where the sidewalk curved, the two pictured below were planted after I purchased three of each from Plants of the Southwest:

Fendler’s sundrops (Calylophus hartwegii fendleri)

Dwarf sundrops (Calylophus serrulutus)

 

While the plants are not identical, they all have the cheerful yellow flowers. The Sundrops' extremely appealing flowers cannot help bring a smile to one's face. Thus my reasoning for planting them near the  walkway to the front door: a welcoming of sort to my home.

Mimulus aurantiacus (Sticky monkeyflower)

When the sun shines onto these clumps of grass planted near the driveway and road, shimmery is such an appropriate adjective! I had created a similar situation at MuRefuge. My goal when I planted grasses I had sprouted from Todd planters into the thickly mulched front yard was exactly what now exists. Often I am so pleasantly surprised with the result. Tanis shared she has planted these grasses in her garden but they did not flourish. This reminds me that we live in so many microclimates here in Northern California. Each possess conditions so different from one another.

Stipa pulchra  (Purple needlegrass)

Lepechinia fragrans ‘El Tigre’ (Pitcher sage)

The above plant was mentioned in an article I was reading . The pictures and description intrigued me so I checked around and found two plants for sale. I planted one in the front and the other in the back. I was so excited when I noticed the one in the back (featured in the picture above) was flowering. The flowers have a delicious smell and attractive to pollinators as well.

As I walk about surveying the readiness of PageRefuge's debut, I have a

May Day

One of the Celtic cross-quarter days, May Day occurs half way between the Spring equinox and the Summer solstice. May first is the day on which children deliver may baskets to their neighbors front door, ring the doorbell or knock then run and hide. When the door is opened, the person can hear the giggles erupting from the deliverer. I remember doing this and having such fun! Young children growing up in small towns in Iowa, as I did, learned with ease how to entertain themselves.

My May Basket for 2023

Now that I am older I deliver no lomger deliver may baskets. This past Sunday, however, I did purchase "may flowers" from Singing Frog Farm at the Sebastopol Farmers Market. And when I go out to my garden, I see "may flowers": 

Viola odorata (Wild violet)

Lonicera involucrata (Twinberry honeysuckle)
which was Dwight's all time very favorite bush.
There were a half dozen planted
in the creek bed at MuRefuge.

Penstemon heterophyllus
(Blue Bedder penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’)
I learned a funny (well to me)
thing about this name, principally 
that "BOP" stands for  "back of porch".

When I am out in the front, watering the thirsty plants like the Sisyrinchium californicum (Yellow eyed grass) and the Twinberry, I often have a frequent belly