gardening Archives - Northern California Style

We just got back from a little getaway. So much to catch up on like laundry, but yesterday morning I spent four hours working in my yard. After seeing the gorgeous gardens all over Santa Barbara I was motivated to get back there and clear things out. I could have worked out, but this was far better than a workout. I challenge anyone to give up working out one day a week and do a few hours in the yard. It’s a fantastic workout for the legs, back, arms and core. Seriously.

We used to have a ‘gardener.’ I use that term lightly as these gentlemen were more what I call, the mow and blow guys. It was questionable what they actually did besides make a lot of noise and blow dirt around. I saw then occasionally clip things. Yes they mowed. Occasionally they would hack something to nothing to my horror, usually one of my favorite plants. I was nice to these guys who had a limited grasp of English, but no horticultural skills at all. They also insisted on spraying weed killer in my yard, which I repeatedly asked them not to. I love having frogs, lizards and all the good things a yard needs and those poisons hurt birds too. Finally one day I returned home and they had hacked away a very old vine I loved. That was it. I finally said goodbye to them.

Now my sons do the lawn and weed pulling. It’s really how it should be. They put plants in for me and sweep up when I ask them. Teenagers need to experience more physical labor jobs! They learn how to take care of plants and weed…These are all satisfying and a life skill. Not enough of those are being learned. Nothing worse than a man who has no clue about his own yard, or other home things. I don’t find it very appealing when a man has to hire someone for all his home tasks, but that is the kinds of people we are raising if we only focus on school as what kids need. They need both!

Anyway, it seems the gardeners did do a little… My back was about to snap after 20 trip to the green bin with leaves that were below my trees I hadn’t noticed. However doing it myself I saw there was an old David Austin rose back there getting swallowed up by a neighbor’s vine. I untangled it and noticed a few baby strawberry plants, some hidden bulbs trying to poke through, and buds of some other lovelies as well as a hole in the fence. I moved geraniums about, repotted a few things, threw out a ton of plants that had given up the ghost, and generally fluffed and cleaned. Something so satisfying about it all.

Love this!

That was only half the yard. No time to barely clean up, I ran to do a ortho appointment for the teen, getting school supplies and then baking some promised cookies and tacos. I looked like a disaster, ruddy skin, crazy hair and all. My husband came home and said you look so pretty today. Seriously? He says he likes me like this. So gardening is not only good for the yard, but good for your looks? Not sure about that one, but I did feel great at the end of the day and slept like a rock.

I am lucky to have inherited the garden gene from my dad and grandmother. Dad had his first garden at 18 months old and is still growing beautiful flowers and organic vegetables at age 75. I think that’s why he and my grandmother are so healthy, she almost 98!

So tell me have you gardened lately? Would you give up a day of working out to work in the yard? I highly recommend it. You can’t think of anything. but what you are doing and it clears the mind too.

Plus you get a beautiful yard if you keep at it!

Have a great week!

Kim

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I just am shocked it’s June already.

How the holy heck did that happen so fast?

Today I drove down the street to find a mess of tree trimmer’s trucks and a giant wood chipper in my front.. The neighbors decided to remove most of the trees in their yard, or what is left of them after building a huge home that takes up most of their lot!

Those chipper machines always give me anxiety. I hate the horrible noise, the extreme dust in the air and every animal in my house was cowering under something..Poor guys. Also some pretty trees that we can see and give some shade are now gone. Hmmm. I have no say in this, but trees are one of those things I really love and hate seeing removed…

A view from my garden gate…

This house is about 45 years old and the yard was landscaped about 20+ years ago.

We have a funky pool that has a lap pool attached that wraps around the yard.

It was originally built for a family that also had two boys and they played water polo and swam.

When we bought this home 5 years ago the right half of the backyard was all shaded by a huge Monterey Pine. The tree was the neighbor’s behind us and 2 years ago it too was taken out because it was dying.

That changed up the whole yard environment as there were many shade loving ferns and others who went into shock… Many have come back, but some still haven’t.

It’s been challenge to find the right plants! I am my own landscaper for now as we are on the start-up budget, so I have been using the hit and miss method, coupled with child labor.

Try it friends! It’s good for them too. 😀

Teenage boys can be pretty competent diggers if you pay them..

You may need to micro-manage a bit.

This back area behind the pool was allowed to die when the past owners moved up to their newly remodeled home Los Altos and put this on the market. They didn’t know the drip was off. To fix it up to sell, I believe they replaced the back area with agapanthus.

To me that is a business park flower. It’s pretty generic. The flowers come up once a year for a couple weeks. That’s it. Taking them out is like removing a huge underground octopus- not easy.

Slowly I’ve been replacing them with French and English lavender, rosemary, and California perennials that looks pretty and tolerate hot and dry, like sage and yarrow.

I would eventually love to have the whole pool have lavender hanging over it with a combination of some trailing vines and creeping fig along the fence.

There are some lovely old roses that still survive along the back too.

Want to see a backyard to die for? Check out my friend Elizabeth’s roses and yard in Orinda on her blog the Vintage Henhouse. She recreated her yard into an Italian villa’s garden!

I love this very old Cecil Brunner that covers our garden gate.

My dad kindly came by to help get my garden beds turned over and he planted tomatoes and cucumbers and green beans for me..

There is nothing better than green beans from the garden or a home grown tomato!

Already they are doing well thanks to the warm weather and good soil he added.

The time spent tending the backyard is so relaxing. Here ‘s my neighborhood buddy, Luke the cat who hangs with me.

I love how he shimmies under the garden gate like a little rabbit to come in..

This is him grabbing some rays while I water. The guy can nap anywhere.

He especially digs the pool lounge chairs! He knows a good thing.

I’m excited for all the lovely tomatoes and the caprese we will make.

Last year I got tomatoes until November. Crazy!

Currently the garden is covered in dust. Grr those blowers. The tree people have blown it all neatly about to other corners of the world..i.e. my place. Our town is about to possibly enact an ordinance against blowers and I hope it passes. It seems there is no day morning or night that they are not going around here. The air pollution is also terrible from them and they blow heavy metals from the ground into the air as well. Okay sorry done ranting.

I got a new table and chairs for alfresco dinners.

I am hoping this will motivate me to entertain more often.

I love these chairs from Pier 1.

So comfy. light, stackable and I can use inside as well if I need to.

Here it is set for Mother’s Day Dinner.

My eldest found a way to string the cute battery operated twinkle lights I bought at Restoration Hardware at Christmas around the umbrella pole and along the top.

I love it and the lights have timers.

I just wanted to make it a little more fun and funky out here.

The table was a great steal as well for a $179 dollars.

Looks like neither is on the website anymore, but stores may still have the table and chairs.

I am so inspired by my friend the sweet Tamera Beardsley, and all of her gorgeous home, but especially so this post with her succulents and outdoor areas.

I tried to step it up a bit this season and make my outdoor area as pretty.

I like these dark urns I found at Home Depot. I wanted stone, but they are quite pricey..

These looked better than the light colored faux stone.

A little more dramatic I thought for a mix of succulents.

I think they came out pretty cute.

Trader Joes has good prices on these little guys and so does Home Depot.

I snatch up a few each time I’m out.

Gosh I am loving succulents more and more.

They are beautiful for inside as well and so easy to keep alive!!

I was thrilled when this former strawberry pot flourished as a succulent apartment.

Some of these cuttings I just snipped off and stuck in the soil here.

They are super to tuck into pots in the corners as well, like I did here with some begonias.

This olive tree from my friend Jen is at least 6 years old! Love it so much.

My other favorites that grow well here are hydrangeas.

Jasmine I adore and also star jasmine we have on another fence.

My husband hates the smell of these.

I would love to add some of those outdoor striped curtains around these French doors. I think they would be so cute and cabana like.

With a pool, the one thing I am loving is this row of hooks from Pottery Barn that my friend Wendy gave me last summer. They have been brilliant for out here and we hang a ton of wet towels, goggles and swimsuits on it.

It’s still looking great after a year of sun and salt water.

The little blue bucket was a find from a little antique shop in Soquel.

They had bought a mass of these old blue enamel milk pails found in Belgium.

For $20 it’s cute for the rest of the pool toys, flip-flops and diving toys.