Native Plants

Perhaps you would like to check out how the California Native Plant Society is celebrating California Native Plant Week? For those of you who follow this blog you know that the author is committed to native plants whether in Sonoma County, California or in Santa Fe, New Mexico. While living in Sonoma County I have been a member of both the state Native Plant Society as as the local chapter. One benefit is a discount on plants purchased at California Flora Nursery where most of the plants were purchased for PageRefuge. 

During this post what is blooming in PageRefuge's garden will be featured. The first featured is in the West side yard:

Aristolochia californica (Dutchman’s pipevine)
with both flowers and fruit.

Strawberries in bloom

Moving North towards the backyard: 

Pink Pearl apple tree:

this is the tree that 

produces the pink

applesauce I make

with the ripe apples.

Fava beans adorned
with their stunningly beautiful flowers

Viola odorata (Wild violet)

Then walking East one encounters an area covered with lovely green tile. An antique wheelbarrow and various sizes of clay pots are located here. 

Viola tricolor (Johnny jump up)

I love these pansy related plants. They have a tendency to vociferously reseed anywhere and everywhere. Come each year about this time I walk around and pull out those that have relocated where I do not want them. Yesterday when I was delivering tomato plants I had started from seed, I dug up some of these, placed them in an empty 4" plastic pot and delivered them as well.

Then walking towards and through the East most gate to the front yard, and across the minuscule driveway:

Three Sisyrinchium californicum (Yellow eyed grass)

are near a down spout since these love water.

Lonicera involucrata (Twinberry honeysuckle)
is along the West side of the garage.
This is my and Dwight's all time very favorite native bush!

In the foreground 
Ceanothus (California wild lilac ‘Dark Star’)
and in the background 
Sisyrinchium bellum (Californian blue eyed grass)
Sitting near the house is Dwight's
sculpture he created in Santa Fe.
She is honoring the spot on Mother Earth
the pueblo peoples
came from below to above.

As I walk about my garden marveling at the transformation of the plantable space and growth of the plants, I

Johnny Jump Up

As is their annual tradition the International Herb Association (IHA) has named Viola the Herb of the Year for 2022.

To most of us Violets, Pansies and Johnny Jump Ups are a sign that Spring has arrived. I have always loved Johnny Jump Ups.  Often in the past I started them from seed to plant about. Unfortunately since I had no seeds here at PageRefuge, I purchased two plants in 4" pots from one of my very favorite local nurseries: Emerisa Gardens. 

One of the Johnny Jump Up (Viola tricolor) plants
transplanted and thriving just to the North
of our bubbling birdbath.

Since all of members of the genus Viola have so many amazing  attributes (including antibacterial and anticancer as researchers are finding), it is not surprising that violets are one of the all time treasured flowers the world over. Johnny Jump Up flowers heralding Spring bring joy and happiness to all who are fortunate enough to have them growing in their gardens. 

This "common European wild flower" is grown as an annual or short lived perennial in the United States. It has other names as well:

        Heartease

        Heart's Ease

        Heart's Delight

        Ladies' Delight

        Jump-up-and-kiss-me

        Wild pansy

         

The average height is any where from 4" to 12". It prefers full or partial sunshine, tolerating moist to moderately dry soil, cool to warm Summer temperatures, loamy or gravelly or sandy soil . . . an astonishingly adaptive member of the Viola family. It is a stunning little addition to anyone's garden OR even lawn as the seeds will "jump" from a bed edging one's grassy lawn onto the grass. It does have incredibly successful reseeding ability but it is not particularly aggressive. 

Their flowers are not only gorgeous but edible as well.  For our evening fresh lettuce salad I often harvest a handful of flowers to sprinkle atop:  beautiful and tasty too!  The more one picks the flowers, the more flowers appear. Definitely a win-win herb!

Johnny Jump Up with flowers,
flower buds and "spent" flowers
flourising in my herb garden.

Growing these plants brings me much satisfaction, overwhelming joy and happiness, all the while enjoying a hardy belly