Spring like

Clear blue sky here. It feels very Spring like rather than early January. The jade plant which is located on the west most side of the front of the house has flowers.

Jade plant
(Crassula ovata)

Even though the weather person, nor the weather app, does not predict freezing temperatures the jade plant is protected each and every night.

Salvia involucrata 
(Roseleaf sage)

Symphoricarpos albus 
(Common snowberry 
‘Tilden Park’)

The shed's roof is covered with a tarp, courtesy of a long time friend who brought the tarp. As you can see observe bricks were used to prevent the winds from removing the tarp. There have been some pretty fierce winds of late so rolls of wire were hung to prevent exposing the wooden shingles. Once Spring does actually arrive the wood shingles will be removed and replaced with shingles more the color of those on roof of the house.

Pink Pearl (Malus domestica) apple tree
purchased as bare root
from Trees of Antiquity.
   

The 'Pink Pearl' apple is a pink-fleshed apple cultivar developed in 1944 by Albert Etter, a northern California breeder. It is a seedling of 'Surprise', another pink-fleshed apple that is believed to be a descendant of Malus niedzwetskyana. 

Unfortunately, the planting instructions were not followed when the first Pink Pearl bare root was planted in September, 2021. Thus, the bare root did not root. When it was extracted from the gopher basket, nada a root in evidence. Since avoiding needing to purchase another bare root, this time the instructions were followed.

Fortunately, nearby is a huge pile of wood chips. All the empty containers in the shed were placed in the rear of the car. Being not as nibble as in younger years, care was taken to fill each and deposit in the car before filling another. The process was trouble free getting the chips to the backyard . . . wheelbarrows are such a fabulous invention!!!! 

When this post was initially started, Spring like weather was occurring. As this post is concluded, seasonal weather is present. Today it is sunny with clear blue skies but extremely windy.

So much to miss living in Northern California instead of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Shasta absolutely relished her time in the park just down the street from our house playing with Hobbs.

Shasta and Hobbs 
playing in the park 

Shasta's all time very
favorite playmate: Hobbs
whose owner sent 
this recent picture 

As a garden walk about and this post are completed, perhaps we can all enjoy a deep belly

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