tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63165813470765429062011-10-19T03:44:18.554-07:00Idora DesignA tea party of California native plants, gardening advice, green building, yummy recipes and inspiration.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.comBlogger2521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-26663299988336598852011-05-24T18:03:00.000-07:002011-05-24T18:03:41.422-07:00Tiny Monsters
It's the little things in the garden sometimes that excite me. Little things, like the seed pods from Baby Blue Eyes, or Nemophila menziesii Hungry Hungry Hippoeing their seeds off into the world. It's hard to tell if they're spitting something out or getting ready to take a big bite. Flashy Spring flowers abound (and I do have plans to highlight my favorites here), but today it's the humble,Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-83463420581576871912011-05-17T12:07:00.000-07:002011-05-17T12:07:24.947-07:00A Happy Reunion with Home
Since last I was here, I have since: -become Mrs. Martin-explored the rainforests and sampled the warm sands of Belize
After the whirlwind the of the last few months, I'm rediscovering the miracle of home, the joy of domesticity. The paradox of meditative calm and excited anticipation in the act of replacing the Winter vegetables with the small, green stems that promise the bounty of Summer.
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-61072905780237375922011-03-25T14:06:00.000-07:002011-03-25T14:06:08.168-07:00SF Garden Show: Tiny Insights
I've got a head-ful of thoughts and impressions of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, but let's be honest: the children's miniature gardens were probably my favorite. That's not to say the professional gardens weren't spectacular, but how can anyone compete with the power of the googley eye?! Leave it to a bunch of third graders, I guess.
The eyebrows are a particularly nice touch. Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-75375618427935276702011-03-08T09:55:00.000-08:002011-03-08T09:55:24.398-08:00Ribes: For Those Impatient for Spring
While time ticks by slowly for most garden plants through the remaining months of Winter, California natives have emerged ready for Spring. Ribes sanguineum, Pink Currant, I'll admit looks rather lackluster at the end of Summer. Leaves turn rust-colored and sparse. But come February the garden becomes a fairyland of hanging pink ornaments. Delicate little earring droplets drip off the edges Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-34084787348941662022011-02-24T14:35:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:35:52.817-08:00Light Up the Night
If you manage the temerity to dash outside this evening, I would highly recommend plugging in a set of non-LED Christmas lights to tuck around the tender plants. Not only will it protect them from our incoming snow (?!?), but it will also be a nice sparkly alternative to that old Strawberry Shortcake comforter. Perhaps a quick check to remove dry, flammable material would be a good idea, too.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-16440433324837352102011-02-14T08:42:00.000-08:002011-02-15T08:41:00.224-08:00Things to Love
Since today is about love, I can't end the day without sharing some photos I'm obsessed with at the moment. Plant fans, please don't despair- I've been installing a few things to show you, but the rain and sun will have to take its course before things get photogenic!
Armed with the knowledge Saturday that we should enjoy our early Springtime before the clouds rained on our parade, we Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-908745925333728912011-01-31T10:44:00.000-08:002011-01-31T10:44:26.073-08:00A Twiggy Trellis
Introducing my latest twig trellis! I love this design because it allows me to practice my joinery, but since there are only four joints I can accomplish this much faster than a more complicated pattern. It also allows me to recycle long plum branches from my neighbor's tree, pruned last Summer (thanks, Janet!)
I picture this being more of a room divider than a privacy screen trellis, with Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-52069593586729827432011-01-21T09:11:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:11:35.553-08:00Lovely Weather We're Having... Shoreline Edition
Funny how much time wedding planning takes! I decided to take a little break yesterday, and armed with a chocolate milkshake I traversed to the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, one of my new favorite parks for its lack of people and abundance of birds and native plantings. Imagine my surprise when I found the parking lot half full! Apparently at high tides, the endangered Clapper Rail and other Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-58703379253308634212011-01-07T09:54:00.000-08:002011-01-07T09:54:43.645-08:00Where In The World Have You Been?!
Yes, yes- that was quite a blogging sabbatical. I'm sure you haven't been worried sick about me, but I thought I might explain what I've been up to lately.
Foremost, leaves. Oh, so many leaves. Thank goodness for that last storm, battling them off their perches so we won't have to fight them again until next year.
Enjoying the views, from a picnic in Lake Merritt...
...to sunsets right Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-44403636862940330312010-11-17T09:10:00.000-08:002010-11-17T09:10:00.500-08:00A Study in Texture
Tufts of grass undulate and hopefully hold tasty morsels for a hungry coyote. I love how this looks soft yet scratchy at the same time. This building facade in downtown San Rafael seems superfluous, but I find myself fascinated. How wonderful that the architect decided to add these aerodynamic rock-studded panels. The repeating pattern sets an imposing tone by visually elongating the heightChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-81895592774267637642010-11-16T08:35:00.000-08:002010-11-16T08:35:48.143-08:00Contemporary Admidst the Chaos
While most of the East Bay is awash in Arts and Crafts style homes, more contemporary spots peek through the dark wood shingles and redwood lintels that dominate our area. This '60s style home needed a garden to match its architecture. Out go the roses, boxwoods and Japanese Maples (poor things- Japanese Maples in a West-facing garden seems so cruel). The chaos of the existing garden becomesChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-91778427855434881842010-11-04T18:40:00.000-07:002010-11-04T18:40:50.061-07:00Updates and New Things to Click On!
Well aren't I just full of news today? Not only did Idora HQ experience the first Monarch sighting in the front garden (seen here sucking on a Malacothamnus flower), but the website's been updated with pretty new pictures and Facebook folks can now visit a brand new spiffy Facebook page. (You can also "like" any of the posts you see here with the button dealie at the bottom.)
I forgot how bigChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-62162022726513144972010-11-01T11:54:00.000-07:002010-11-01T11:54:27.887-07:00Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!!!!!!
The title of this post is the soundtrack anyone within a mile radius was treated to as I experienced my first tarantula sighting on Mt. Olympia in Mt. Diablo State Park yesterday!!!!! We walked along the North Peak Trail/Road, hoping for spectacular views on a clear day and maybe, just maybe a chance meeting with a fuzzy-legged spider. How perfect that we encountered both!
After a warm Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-42365523106087293492010-10-29T10:43:00.000-07:002010-10-29T10:43:26.130-07:00Garden Clean-up Becomes Halloween Decor
The rains last weekend decimated most of the Eriogonum flowers (that's California Buckwheat for those not Latin-inclined). A quick snip of the spent heads revealed a neat mound of green underneath. Pretty amazing for a plant that looked completely dead two weeks ago. I saved an armful of the dried flower stalks, however to aid in the Halloweenization of the house. They're not exactly spooky,Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-32476615866432790352010-10-22T09:15:00.000-07:002010-10-22T09:15:05.307-07:00Bee House Bundles!
Don't you just want to shimmy inside one of these cozy little bee residences? After harvesting an armful of Festuca stems topped with airy seed hulls, I saved the trimmed stems which looked like little straws and decided to bundle them up into tiny native bee condos.
After attending the "Gardening for Wildlife" class at Tilden Park a few weeks ago with the Meeses, I've been stepping back to Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-8068788909299665922010-10-18T14:56:00.000-07:002010-10-18T14:56:53.144-07:00Adding Greenery to the Green Fair
Turnout might have been light, but my booth rocked the green fair! I planted a couple of my vintage ballot boxes with the hot colors of Autumn- 'Tuxedo' Ceanothus, California fuchsia, and Dudleya pulverulenta surrounded by tumbled porcelain. I had quite the convergence of rusty things, graciously lent out by Aunt Joyce as well as a sidewalk chalk area rug.
I'm especially excited about my Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-28271039251561054592010-10-13T09:06:00.000-07:002010-10-13T09:06:35.149-07:00Did She Say 'Plant Sale'?!
Monardella micrantha 'Marion Sampson'
Just in case you haven't left the cave recently, the East Bay California Native Plant Society plant sale is this weekend! I'll be volunteering on Sunday in the loading area. It's such a festive atmosphere with so many happy people- I highly recommend stopping by! Make a day of it by strolling through the Tilden Botanical Garden (which I still can't Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-52969729111384559532010-10-08T10:16:00.000-07:002010-10-08T10:16:48.650-07:00Come to the Fair, the Green Fair!
You haven't heard a peep from me lately as I'm preparing a table at the Greening Oakland Homes Fair next Saturday the 16th at Ashby Lumber (the one on Ashby). I'm so excited about the event that I'm constructing a new trellis design and will be putting together fun containers of splashy-looking native plants!
If you're wondering about doing some remodeling or just want to be a lookie-loo, Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-22796336481200320042010-10-04T10:57:00.000-07:002010-10-04T10:57:49.555-07:00Obsessive Squirrel Mode Begins Tomorrow
Brodaiea californica
So the fact that I'm expecting a box today that contains 39 pounds of bulbs isn't excessive or anything, right? I mean... right?!?
(Most of them aren't for me, I swear!) Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-66466026590356940142010-10-01T13:29:00.000-07:002010-10-01T13:29:42.204-07:00Best Aphid Control Ever
I've been working in the shop of late on a new trellis design, but I had to share the magical experience of standing on the front porch yesterday afternoon. Soaking in the late afternoon sun and dusting off errant flecks of redwood, I observed in wonder a gang of Bushtits who one by one zipped to the Malacothamnus and delicately picked off the aphids that had taken up residence. I reveled in Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-41072640161884972852010-09-27T17:43:00.000-07:002010-09-27T17:43:47.613-07:00I've Caught Fall-Fever
Many folks don't realize that us Californians have the advantage of two "Springs." The conventional one that begins in March and the California Spring which begins when the rains come. Manzanitas, Silk Tassel trees, Gooseberries and Currants begin blooming as soon as December and leaves begin to emerge after the sleepy late Summer heat has left us. What does that mean for the significant Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-57408099018981941122010-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:002010-09-24T09:01:54.872-07:00Field Tripping Through Google Images: Veggie Edition
I'm preparing myself for the Winter veggie season and by preparing I mean obsess over my Seed Savers book and dream of having a neat, orderly set of plantings (really this time! I mean it!) I keep picturing a little knot garden, but I would substitute boxwood for lettuces or radishes as the delineating boundries and filling the remaining spaces with squares of perky Carrots, Golden Chard and Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-77407457235313442952010-09-21T08:49:00.000-07:002010-09-21T08:49:02.081-07:00A Breath of Fresh... Fog
Saturday presented a magical day in the garden; a fine and unexpected mist gradually descended on the leaves, on me, on the sidewalk of which a fresh rain scent refracted back in thanks. I'm not the first to note (by "note" I mean complain bitterly) the erratic weather patterns of this year (I found it oddly fitting to tear out the last of the still-blooming sweet peas on the first of SeptemberChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-57420749119022148122010-09-15T08:50:00.000-07:002010-09-15T08:50:04.592-07:00Field Trip: MLK Regional Shoreline
Can you imagine taking yourself next door to the airport to look for some peace and quiet? Well, per Lisa's recommendation I did. Improbably situated, the MLK Regional Shoreline ringing the San Leandro Bay is the eye of the storm, surrounded by the Oakland Airport, industrial complexes, and Downtown Oakland. Take a stroll up the ramp of the Observation Tower above and look out over ArrowheadChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-39583524424491666902010-09-09T11:45:00.000-07:002010-09-09T11:45:07.526-07:00The Philosophy of Bees
Just when I thought I was soo cool and knew all about the little visitors in my garden, this little green bee popped up and turned me into a gaping novice. Oh. My. Stars! A Metallic Green Sweat Bee! In my garden! Frantic snapping of photos insued, hence the blurry photo below. Note also the white insect egg cases in the flower pom-pom in the background of the photo above.
Can you Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-79265559268850001342010-09-08T11:15:00.000-07:002010-09-08T11:15:21.085-07:00A ConfessionBlog, I have to tell you something. I... I've been cheating on you. It's true. My unquenchable desires to create a park in my neighborhood have driven me to start a blog for the Idora Park community and I just haven't been able to spend as much time with you as I'd like.
I'll make this work! I can have two blogs at once! Just don't be hurt, okay?
Friends of Idora ParkChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-34741610843090848162010-09-02T16:57:00.000-07:002010-09-02T16:57:32.574-07:00Snowy Flowers to Cool Late Season Summers
For those folks who have spent the last couple of days cursing the sun and its hot, hot rays, this post I dedicate to you. To temper the heat, cool your jets with these white blooming natives. Feel that icy chill as you witness the massive snowball otherwise known as Eriogonum giganteum 'St. Catherine's Lace'. Growing to 10 feet wide in one year (from a 5 gallon container, but still!), this Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-16800454916906747212010-08-31T08:49:00.000-07:002010-08-31T08:49:55.736-07:00Breaking News! Blow-out Plant Sale of the Year!
Alright, Fall planters get ready! This weekend I received the following email from Pete at East Bay Wilds (via the EBCNPS google group):
Due to the sale of the property where my nursery is, I'm going to close my castro valley location in September.
I will have a big sale - 50% off everything on saturday and 75% off everything left on sunday until 3 pm on sept 25th and 26th. most everything Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-88965101913726226242010-08-27T12:45:00.000-07:002010-08-27T12:45:42.867-07:00Next, Please! Brodeaia found at Castle Rock (Mt. Diablo)
I wouldn't be a fanatical gardener if I didn't almost totally neglect the fabulous late show of Zauschnerias and Eriogonums currently dazzling the garden to ponder the age old conundrum, "What's next?" The answer? Why, bulbs of course! Bulb purchasing always whips me up into a frenzy while turning the pages of my catalog or comparing bloom times in Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-32690696803027568232010-08-25T16:21:00.000-07:002010-08-25T16:21:00.590-07:00Happiness Is...
Happiness is Clematis ligusticifolia sweetly blooming in honor of your birthday. So lovely!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-70818179633121707862010-08-24T08:03:00.000-07:002010-08-24T08:03:02.296-07:00Relax! It's Time For Arnold Palmers
Ah, the official beverage of hot weather! Make half a pitcher of sun tea (I use Earl Grey and this time tossed in a pinch of dried lavender flowers) and combine with half a pitcher of lemonade. Ice well and drink throughout the afternoon.
I couldn't detect the lavender; perhaps next time I'll go to the trouble of constructing a cheesecloth bundle and adding more in.
The weather on my phoneChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-13150439290709179682010-08-23T12:09:00.000-07:002010-08-23T12:09:01.276-07:00Harvest Year In Review
Harvest time has come upon us and what a strange season it has been! While peppers and tomatoes have suffered our el Nino year, I've received a big bag of green beans from one neighbor (ah, the taste of summer!), a big bag of apples from another (which I made into apple pie last night and have eaten two slices so far today!) and this incredible jar of homemade pickles from homegrown cucumbers Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-86048798232836901242010-08-19T09:20:00.000-07:002010-08-19T09:20:59.698-07:00Coming Soon To A Garden Near You...
It's the Idora-mobile newly decked out in fancy decals so handily done by Leslie of Hamilton Broadway Signs! The only problem is that now I'll have to curb the road rage and perhaps stop singing to the radio so loud (and bad). Wish me luck with that!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-91292635875721444892010-08-17T08:38:00.000-07:002010-08-17T08:38:18.870-07:00Painterly Landscape
I'm doing a drive-by blogging here, but just wanted to share this photo I took at the Berkeley Botanical Garden. I love the wide field of wind-swept grasses paired with the geometric Monkey Puzzle Tree- it's like standing in a painting where the artist swipes mounding swashes of thick paint over the canvas.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-15694946875489348542010-08-12T11:48:00.000-07:002010-08-12T11:48:22.402-07:00Plant of the Week: California Fuchsia
Folks in other parts of the country may not believe me, but I'm typing with cold hands, wearing a scarf at the moment. The hood on my hoodie is firmly planted over my head and I'm giving dirty looks to the thermostat, which calmly continues to tell me it's 66 degrees in the house. What happened to August?! It's a good thing the Zauschnerias are adding some heat with their spicy blooms as Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-21214150388160317102010-08-11T15:44:00.000-07:002010-08-11T15:44:16.405-07:00Lost and Many Other Things Found
It all started when I couldn't find my French curve that I needed to complete a drawing. Oh crap, that means I have to enter the black hole that is my office to look for it. What a complete mess! On the grand journey of finding the French curve, I had the fortunate experience of uncovering archaeological discoveries from my recent history. Enjoy!
Visualingual's Seed Bombs are made by Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-77366032940731208132010-08-05T14:36:00.000-07:002010-08-05T14:36:03.798-07:00Getting Us Through the Gloom
This has got to be one of the gloomiest summers, but how can anyone let that bring them down when the sunflowers are so exuberantly making up for the lack of sunshine?! This Titan sunflower is stretching to grow so big, it's shape has become curved! I'm looking forward to finding little birds munching on the seeds later in the season, too. Happy foggy Thursday, everyone!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-26889017897960593782010-08-02T09:49:00.000-07:002010-08-02T09:49:13.106-07:00Plant List: Dreamy Cottage Gardens
English-style cottage gardens seem to be a popular style amongst many gardeners and who can blame them? The British transcend garden geeky-ness to a level not seen elsewhere. However, many of the plants that thrive across the pond take way too much water and fertilizer in these parts. But us Californians are in luck- we've got an army of gorgeous flowery natives that not only run rampant in Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-85809251613441120742010-07-29T10:22:00.000-07:002010-07-29T10:22:56.099-07:00Hangover in the Garden
You know the kind of night out where the next morning you wipe the crust out of your eyes, grab your head and wonder what. in. the. world. happened?* Well, that explains the current state of the front garden. The photo above shows the garden in full party mode. Yeah, more Clarkias! This is amazing! Par-tay!
And now? Well, see for yourself...
Aaah, make the pain stop! You'd think Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-29031370584736668312010-07-26T15:08:00.000-07:002010-07-26T15:08:56.055-07:00Show and Tell: Tea Party Terrace
I've been sketching up a storm lately and just had to share this one. We decided to go ahead with the other design, so this one will just live in my mind for the time being. The privacy screens have frosted glass panels and open spaces to allow for light, but to obstruct the view of neighboring houses. The dry-laid stone terrace has Armeria maritima popping through the spaces and Penstemons, Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-82291433788934985492010-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:002010-07-26T09:23:58.773-07:00Mystery Mud-Dauber
And who might you be? I've seen this one flying around a few times and the orange body combined with the thread waist is just lovely! I guess it's some kind of mud dauber? Whatever it is, it really enjoys hanging around the Eriogonum giganteum 'St. Catherine's Lace' and doesn't like its photo taken! Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-52276259708525051762010-07-21T18:30:00.000-07:002010-07-21T18:30:07.305-07:00Plant of the Week: Britton's Liveforever
When the annuals start looking crispy, Dudleya brittonii stays cool as a cucumber. A sweet rosette of gray-white leaves, this succulent glows radiantly when paired with grasses and small-leaved natives. From Baja, she's sort of pushing the boundary of CA native, so not on the wishlist of the purists out there. Pink tinged stems rise Winter to Spring, bringing little yellow flowers with them.
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-22317746494095054372010-07-19T13:54:00.000-07:002010-07-19T13:54:55.993-07:00Sea Scenes on the Seashore
Asilomar, on the Monterey Peninsula sits at the edge of the world, buttressed by kelp forests and craggy pools filled with fluttering sea urchins. An exploration at low tide yielded eye candy to give my brain a sugar coma! The dunes surrounding the beach received careful restoration and became a moonscape of soft gray-greens and off-beiges. Pops of pink Sand Verbena and yellow Lupines looked Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-57154306775655208482010-07-16T10:00:00.000-07:002010-07-16T10:00:20.760-07:00Inspiration: Musical Compositions From the Creek
Imagine a wee bit of an adventure, roaming a creek bed and recording the sounds discovered there. Part documentary, part art exploration, I tagged along with my friend Hugh to record the sounds of the creek in Leona Canyon. I can't find the name of the creek now, but it does seem to be part of the Sausal Creek watershed. Here's a fabulous teacher's guide that discusses the native plants foundChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-60791972888073443322010-07-14T18:53:00.000-07:002010-07-14T18:53:39.629-07:00Good Things Come in Prosciutto-Wrapped Packages
Remember last summer's melon and prosciutto tapas dish? Ready for version 2.0? A monstrous bag of figs from my friend Hannah's tree led me to ricotta, which led me to prosciutto.
Slice figs in half, spoon ricotta cheese on top. Sprinkle generously with fresh-cracked pepper and tie it all up with a ribbon of prosciutto. Enjoy!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-285172798845985112010-07-10T19:15:00.000-07:002010-07-10T19:15:19.074-07:00AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
Here's something you never want to hear: "What is a (expletive)ing scorpion doing in our bedroom?!" I thought he was kidding until he started repeating his sentence about five more times. Sure enough, this little lady found her way onto the floor of our room. I'm all for gardening to attract wildlife, but this is going too far!
After a google attempt or two (and after securing her under aChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-38262216743270048892010-07-07T17:00:00.000-07:002010-07-07T17:00:13.973-07:00Very Vegetable
An explosion of edibles from the garden installed earlier this year. I had forgotten how incredibly easy and satisfying veggie gardening can be (and I'm saying this even before the tomatoes have ripened!) The peas trail along a plum twig trellis, generously made especially for me from my Dad. I love the three pods in the photo above- I just think of a xylophone dinging "dink, dink dink!"
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-66084497340126315632010-07-06T18:21:00.000-07:002010-07-06T18:21:13.115-07:00Alchemy: Turning Ivy Into a Community Gathering Place
I really need a bigger scanner if I'm going to continue doing silly things like designing neighborhood parks! The ivy covered lot under the freeway and BART tracks a block from my house would make an incredible dog park/playground/basketball court/outdoor art gallery/community garden, wouldn't it? Well, it's in the works! Join this google group if you're an interested Oaklander.
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-89070284979927802912010-07-02T17:17:00.000-07:002010-07-02T17:17:54.269-07:00Oakland: We're More Than Just Violent Thugs! photo from nytimes.com and taken by Adithya Sambamurthy of the Bay Citizen
All of this talk of the Johannes Mesherle/Oscar Grant trial has got me down. Setting aside opinions on the case itself, the national coverage warning of riots in the streets convey an image of Oakland that clearly does not define what Oakland really is. Oakland is many things, some wondrous, some ordinary, some not so Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-13748290916464656212010-07-02T13:57:00.000-07:002010-07-02T13:57:48.865-07:00Plant of the Week: Bleeding Heart
Bang! Ka-pow! Ooooooh! Aaaaahhh! What better way to usher in the holiday than with this firecracker of a plant? Dicentra formosa, a California native for shade, at first glance seems more at home in the Japanese garden amongst Hostas or even Coleus, yet thrives in areas alongside Yarrow, Columbines, or Snowberry. This particular plant, 'Burning Hearts' is a hybrid with blue-green, divided Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-24307918074971450112010-06-28T18:47:00.000-07:002010-06-28T18:47:16.824-07:00Summertime Experienced Indoors
Perusing the flower stand at the farmer's market yesterday, the weather was just too perfect to confine myself to just one handful of blooms. The Delphinium I knew would open its winged buds throughout the week, but the sunny Coreopsis with their chocolate-stained faces could not be left behind either. They weren't exactly compatible for a bouquet because their size and airiness seemed too Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-42078236991933001142010-06-25T07:55:00.000-07:002010-06-25T07:55:57.361-07:00Scenes From a Lingering Garden This promises to be quite amazing and perhaps even a little magical. A very rare opportunity to see this incredible garden in the middle of downtown Oakland. Do you know there was a 3.5 acre private garden in Oakland? I sure didn't! Here's a preview video of what you might expect. Love the cuckoos! The following was emailed to me by my friend Hugh Livingston, who is responsible for this Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-74040147988902151272010-06-23T09:49:00.000-07:002010-06-23T09:49:33.376-07:00Backyard Archaeology: One Dime
Planting a Ceanothus 'Tassajara Blue' in my wonderful neighbor's back garden, a small object turned up in the soil. I had been finding all sorts of things the past few days, mostly bits of glass and terracotta. This however... ONE DIME. Why, yes you are! It looked so old that it seemed fake, so I instantly turned it over to find a date. 1901!
I had been carrying on a phone conversation Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-44752788752472852512010-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:002010-06-16T19:32:34.701-07:00Plant of the Week: Farewell To Spring
Around February, my garden came under attack from little sprouts of Clarkia amoena. Soon enough, a jungle of massive Clarkia plants created a new topography, towering over the Eriogonum grande rubescens, hiding the Dudleya hassei flowers and hey, wasn't there a Manzanita somewhere over there?
The almost neon flowers stun passersby, except the new populations of bees busily darting about Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-73289563319495283882010-06-15T10:43:00.000-07:002010-06-15T10:43:02.552-07:00Exclusive! Insect Paparazzi
I've been obsessed with the air traffic among the garden lately. Check out the detail of the wings on this honeybee making a mess of himself in the Clarkia pollen!
The Carpenter bees have finally begun to collect pollen, too as they prepare their nurseries. The exciting find of today, however... the first Dragonfly sighting in my garden- ever! (Yes, I realize I'm becoming a fanatic.)
It Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-39140882190217207882010-06-14T10:39:00.000-07:002010-06-14T10:39:03.072-07:00The Butterflies Have Arrived!
First butterfly picture of the season! A spunky little Acmon Blue impatiently flitting about the Eriogonum grande rubescens (San Miguel Island Buckwheat). This little one can be hard to spot since they typically measure a measly one inch across or so, but their restlessness can help if you look for movement among the flowers. This leads you, however to make you look pretty crazy, crouching onChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-14276275232837256302010-06-10T09:43:00.000-07:002010-06-10T09:43:57.975-07:00Plant of the Week: Matilija Poppy
Here she is, the Queen of the garden! Besides having a Latin name that is easier to pronounce than her common one, Romneya coulteri reigns up to ten or twelve feet above her subjects. Her sumptuous flowers span an unthinkable 8 inches across at times and the crepe-like petals create a soft dream across the landscape. Never mind that she can be invasive in sandy, over-watered soils.... she's Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-90187051208210489112010-06-08T11:04:00.000-07:002010-06-08T11:04:16.558-07:00It's Bloomed! It's... Orange?!
I had a breathless discovery this morning- the Corralitos hybrid lily bloomed! The label claimed it was a cross between Lilium pitkinense, L. kelloggi, and L. pardalinum and would be a shade between pink and crimson. Hence my confusion here. Where did the orange come from?! Regardless, I'm ecstatic that this little "orange sheep" has decided to join my riot of pink Clarkias and it does lookChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-17152399643362783642010-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:002010-06-07T08:14:00.066-07:00Spring Forward! I heart artichokes!
I thought I'd start out the week with some happy blurts of color to chase away the Summer fog! Enjoy!
Olive-Route Press' welcoming display
A handful of flowery confetti sprinkled throughout the garden
Tomato teepees keep Tulip poppies company. Wow!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-64838915014952136462010-06-04T10:41:00.000-07:002010-06-04T10:41:09.543-07:00Field Trip: The Fragrant Path of the Diablo Foothills
Using the holiday weekend to finally paint the kitchen (it looks great!), I realized on Sunday that we hadn't been outside to enjoy the best weather we've had in quite some time. Everybody in the car! We're going out! Impulsively, I grabbed a handful of maps taken from the local regional parks and settled on Castle Rock & Diablo Foothills in Walnut Creek/Pleasant Hill. Arriving around 5 pm, Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-91991291971596292852010-06-03T08:40:00.000-07:002010-06-03T08:40:51.048-07:00Mysteries of the Insect World
It's larva season! And with it comes the potential of a new hobby that I sooo don't need. Darn. I'd love to know what these little guys plan on becoming, but after perusing all of Bugguide.net's caterpillar images I'm still clueless. Are these even caterpillars? The striped fellow above sat on a plum leaf, surrounded by bits of webbing.
This one chilled out on a hybridized Columbine. HisChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-33259023710501370352010-06-02T08:12:00.000-07:002010-06-02T08:12:45.768-07:00Sketchbook: Mariposa Lily Seed Pods
Phew! So much to blog, so little time! I'll start out the week with some really fabulous Calochortus seedpods (these things just keep getting better and better! For blooms, click this). I was so taken by them, I had to do a little sketch and splash it over with wild colors. The discovery of water color pens- fun!
I should probably add: my work is copyrighted, so using my images without Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-10795352582620890752010-05-26T08:53:00.000-07:002010-05-26T08:53:44.608-07:00Plant of the Week: Firecracker Flower
Pop! Boom! Oooooooohhh! That pretty much describes Brodiaea coccinea (or Dichelostemma ida-maia), a California native bulb. When planted in the Fall, this scarlet beauty will explode with flowers by Spring. It's native to the North Coast and prefers part shade/redwood type environments, although mine are hanging out in my South-facing Oakland garden with no signs of distress. Apparently,Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-89121679860918306512010-05-25T08:50:00.000-07:002010-05-25T08:50:43.290-07:00Field Trip: Maker Faire, San Mateo Doggie Diner Talismans
We took a sojourn to the Maker Faire in San Mateo over the weekend and found a few things to oogle. It mostly consisted of a circus of circuit boards, metal fire sculptures, steampunk parades, LEDs and random bits of randomness. It's inspiring. I'm not quite sure how yet, but a good time was had by all.
This could be a nice bit of irreverence in a formal garden. Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-78131231340339410312010-05-24T12:54:00.000-07:002010-05-24T12:54:40.718-07:00What's For Dinner? Aphids? Again?!
Soon after the ladybird beetles descended en masse to devour the bounty of aphids in the front garden, these little orange creatures crashed the party. Curious, I snapped a photo and decided to play insect detective. With all these beetles flitting about, I just had to think of this little snippet (quoted from Wikipedia, but related to me by my favorite naturalist Steve):
He [JBS Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-87339576748570101682010-05-18T13:50:00.000-07:002010-05-18T13:50:04.089-07:00The Buckeyes Are Blooming!
One of my favorite Aesculus californica (California Buckeye) trees in a neighborhood nearby has put on her Springtime dress. The perfect tree for an urban garden, she encompasses all of the basic needs: seasonal changes (including a flower show in Spring and bare silver branches at the close of Summer), shade to put your hammock under, smallish stature to conserve on space, and tolerance of Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-91130018731747546362010-05-17T09:57:00.000-07:002010-05-17T09:57:16.173-07:00Field Trip: Locke & the River Road
Oh, the River Road! Such a welcome respite from traffic and noise in the journey from the Bay Area to Sacramento. The road follows a wide ribbon of the Sacramento Delta high above on the levees, passing Sambucus (Blue Elderberry) sending out fountains of yellow blooms and roadsides of motorcycles neatly lined up, black and shiny. Smalll towns perch like dragonflies along the side of the leveeChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-76998167836317289562010-05-14T08:54:00.000-07:002010-05-14T08:54:23.042-07:00Plant of the Week: Bush Anemone
"A wooden cherry scent is faintly breathing the air" Tom Waits rasps in "Watch Her Disappear." A Carpenteria californica doesn't smell anywhere near cherry, but for some reason, this lyric comes to mind when I'm around it. It's not so much as a scent as it is a suggestion. The air seems cleaner, more pure with a softness that you can't put your finger on. The blooms turn this stately shrub Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-22768963172439550832010-05-12T08:54:00.000-07:002010-05-12T08:54:18.330-07:00Let's Play!
For reasons that will become more apparent in the coming weeks, I recently fell through the rabbit hole of this amazing playground blog and couldn't climb back out until I had gone through each and every darn thing in it! Playground structures I see around town seem so static and unimaginative, but there's so many inspiring images to see here! It makes me want to run out and climb a tree or Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-55145508116859387522010-05-11T08:27:00.000-07:002010-05-11T08:27:47.172-07:00It's Raining. Let's Go For a Hike! amphitheater benches, set aside during construction
So what else to do on a drizzly Monday afternoon than drive a couple hours to go hiking at Big Basin, huh? Driving through the narrow roads under a dense canopy of Redwoods, Madrones and Douglas Firs seemed like enough of an adventure in itself- wow, those curves!
We enabled each other to actually get out of the car and amazingly hiked for a Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-44371137075391168972010-05-07T10:59:00.000-07:002010-05-07T10:59:36.683-07:00Happy Birthday to You!
Oh, little blog- I can't believe I missed your first birthday yesterday! And what a year it has been! Full of new things to geek out on and incredible new friends that I'm so grateful to know. Thanks to friends, family and random strangers who say, "Oh, I think I've been to your blog"- I've had such a fun time.
To celebrate, I'd like to list the five most popular posts:
1. The Raspberry Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-84840670923293804752010-05-04T08:35:00.000-07:002010-05-04T08:35:38.446-07:00An Afternoon in Ann's Garden
I'm in heaven when I can spend the day gabbing on about native plants. Sunday was that kind of day as I wandered about Ann's garden for the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and answered questions for the passersby. Designed by Rick Alatorre and installed a year ago (although it looks much more established!), this garden weaves a number of floriferous natives around a central stone patio.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-68422962927203681802010-04-30T11:24:00.000-07:002010-04-30T11:24:33.535-07:00Plant of the Week: Lilac Verbena
Many plants I just don't get what all the fuss is about. Petunias. Huh? And those garish Verbenas! Yikes, too much. Well, enter Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina.' I decided to give her a chance in one of my latest gardens- dense clay soil, ravenous deer, furnace-like full sun against the house and lots of hungry bees. She didn't even flinch and bloomed so impressively right out of her one Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-61472577969307025972010-04-28T15:56:00.000-07:002010-04-28T15:56:34.674-07:00A Respite From the Rain
An icky, windy, rainy day like this warrants a few pretty pictures, like this Carpenteria californica who can hardly contain itself.
Or this show-stopping Iris fernaldii, a gift from my favorite farmers, Curbstone Valley.
What about this guppy-faced Penstemon palmeri about to release its Springtime fragrance?
Oh, that's where the sun went! It got swallowed up by this luminescent poppyChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-51017589190330131022010-04-27T16:38:00.000-07:002010-04-27T16:38:41.208-07:00Bee Friendly, Play Nice!
A miracle happened the other day in the form of two little bee hives perched solidly in the overgrown backyard. Steven, of swarm catching fame, delivered them last week and I've been sitting a few feet away from the entrances on sunny days like a silent air traffic control, watching them zoom this way and that. I also check on them in the morning to see if they've begun their day's work (evenChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-68913983016007424672010-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:002010-04-26T08:30:31.945-07:00An Afternoon in Town Mouse's Garden
Gracious, Spring has been a tornado of activity! I'm finally getting to tell you all about the amazing native garden of one Town Mouse. Maybe you've heard of her? She participated in the Going Native Garden Tour last Sunday and certainly erupted bubbles of envy and wonder in me!
Just look at the graceful stream-bed and the comfy chair behind the Salvia apiana (or White Sage/Bee Sage). So Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-82858959720169979382010-04-22T09:29:00.000-07:002010-04-22T09:29:22.709-07:00Plant of the Week: Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry
Let's face it- dangerous plants are pretty sexy. (at a distance, anyway) Take for instance, the Ribes speciosum or Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry. Red spikes, bright green leaves, dangling fuchsia flowers that turn to glowing red berries in the Summer...
I'm in love as long as I have a pair of thick gloves on. Needless to say, it's best to position this beauty in a low traffic area or as a Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-92023417454611225162010-04-21T10:19:00.000-07:002010-04-21T10:19:06.013-07:00What Is That Thing?! photo by Matthew Field and found on Wikipedia
So another amazing weekend adventure involved driving down to the South Bay to attend the Going Native Garden Tour and to meet the Meeses in person! (and see the Curbstone Valley crew again, too!) The first garden where I stopped had some amazing bees buzzing about the blooming poppies, lupines, and other incredible natives. Wandering around, all Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-1109850756091680642010-04-20T08:54:00.000-07:002010-04-20T08:54:42.516-07:00Mariposa Lily: An Abrupt End to the Story
This weekend consisted of waves of adrenaline, constant amusement, and well-earned sleep at the end of it all! One of the many excitements resulted in the photos here: the journey of the Mariposa lily, which I am now so totally obsessed with.
She opened up right before the compost delivery truck dumped three yards of compost on her. Yeah, ouch. I'll always have pictures to tide me over Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-50224067722159029222010-04-15T09:48:00.000-07:002010-04-15T09:48:05.142-07:00Presenting: Mariposa Lily in Four Acts
I'm trying to embrace my impatience with the reluctant Mariposa Lily, instead focusing on the ever-changing story unfolding in my garden. I'm beginning to learn that the other parts of the story besides the climax can be important, too as this Calochortus slowly unfurls her party dress in the sunshine. She's striking quite the vogue-style pose in the photo above!
The drama builds...
An Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-85596923663944449822010-04-14T13:32:00.000-07:002010-04-14T13:32:15.766-07:00Show and Tell: Kicks of Color
Here's one of my latest drawings for a bungalow garden. Circles rarely communicate what I'd like them to, so I've begun adding color spots showing the approximate foliage and flower color. It ends up resembling a bunch of little cells floating about!
I really enjoyed creating this design, with bright kicks of red and yellow amid bits of blue, with varying shades of gray foliage all around.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-2805705379871924282010-04-13T09:25:00.000-07:002010-04-13T09:25:42.421-07:00Feed 'Em To the Worms, Boys
Jan over at Thanks for Today has created a monster of a blogging theme: the Garden Bloggers Sustainable Living Project, where folks can discuss their favorite environmental issue for the upcoming Earth Day (that's the 22nd of April, folks).
So let's talk about worms. Worms?! You can't go anywhere without hearing all about the benefits of growing your own food, right? Healthy eating, less Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-28283594004775839932010-04-12T18:06:00.000-07:002010-04-12T18:06:19.382-07:00Me, too! Me, too!
I've been jealously viewing everyone's gorgeous photos of the wildflowers blooming on their respective blogs, so naturally I had to take a day trip to Sonoma and see a few for myself (tough life, huh?).
Soon enough, I happened upon a serpentine meadow in the hills above town. I'm guessing it's serpentine because the soil is quite rocky, there aren't any shrubs, the plants look stunted in Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-65254969260549998962010-04-09T07:32:00.000-07:002010-04-09T07:32:39.496-07:00Random Acts of Art
Few things along Alcatraz Ave. make me stop, U-turn and dash out of the car with my camera. This, however. Wow. A bit of guerrilla art with a tree stump. Another reason why I hella heart Oakland!
Up close, pencil marks and the trail of a handsaw reveal the care and thought put into something so seemingly random. Does anyone know the artist?Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-87440531249976178442010-04-07T08:11:00.000-07:002010-04-07T08:11:32.944-07:00Plant of the Week: Mariposa Lily
I'm getting tempted to gently pull apart the bud of this lovely Calochortus superbus just to see inside as my patience is that thin. Ok, I won't, but the suspense is terrible! It is with that anticipation that I preemptively name the Mariposa Lily "Plant of the Week."
A native bulb, Mariposa Lily emerges in the Spring, with lackluster foliage and a knock-out of a flower. Very Impressionist,Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-90530865497629751682010-04-06T08:59:00.000-07:002010-04-06T08:59:45.941-07:00Waiting for the Big Show
Oh, the suspense! Everyone is budding up for Spring and it's getting so hard to be patient! Take this Dudleya hassei branch, for instance. It's so rewarding to have seen it quadruple in size the past year and it will be quite the celebration when he blooms! I'm hoping a hummingbird will come to join the party.
The Carpenter bees will be so excited when this Collinsia heterophylla comes outChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-37338063602912411222010-04-05T10:04:00.000-07:002010-04-05T10:04:01.736-07:00SF Garden Show: Papillon Pad
Ok, I swear this is the last post on the SF Flower and Garden Show! I had to make sure to include this wonderful garden- a celebration of wood and stone in the most elegant of ways. Mariposa Gardening and Design teamed up with Thomas Pedemonte Fine Woodworking to create the Papillon Pad, the perfect place to flap your wings in the sunshine and sip nectar.
The open design of the terrace Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-70510010563458185092010-04-02T09:57:00.000-07:002010-04-02T09:57:09.737-07:00Greenery amongst the Plants
Here's just a blip of a post to enter my hat into Gardening Gone Wild's Picture This photo contest. I had to repost the photo to meet the size requirements, but you can read the original post here if you're curious. The theme of this month's contest is "Green World" and I wanted to include something more architectural and even a little industial. Good luck everyone!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-35886979678578412942010-04-02T08:24:00.000-07:002010-04-02T08:24:38.712-07:00SF Garden Show: The Living Room aka Succulent Cube
Since the nice guys at Cactus Jungle's Cactus Blog took the time to actually link to me (thanks Peter and Hap!), I should at the very least show some photos of the incredible succulent cube that everyone's buzzing about.
The photo above was an accident, but a happy one. It's the light sculpture inside the cube and I. Want. One. Now!
This "Living Room" by Organic Mechanics encapsulated Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-18540364459259086572010-04-01T09:15:00.000-07:002010-04-01T09:15:52.574-07:00Show and Tell: Easter Egg Parade
With Easter just around the corner, I'm excited to break out all my tools to make some eggs. It's also time to break out eggs from years past (sans gooey contents, of course) and admire their beauty.
For the egg above, I layered rubber bands, dropped the egg in a dye, then added more rubber bands, removed others and dyed in a darker color. I love the areas where the dye slightly eeks through Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-48131115413077055892010-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:002010-04-01T07:23:39.455-07:00SF Garden Show: the Victory Garden
Updated to give credit also to Garden Fare, who co-designed the Victory garden. Thanks, Leslie!
I have to admit that the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show was pretty cool, but I think that the best part was meeting Clare and her husband of Curbstone Valley Farm fame. It's so satisfying to meet a virtual friend in person!
We walked around the show and ended up chatting for quite some time Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-2582425448955843172010-03-30T08:51:00.000-07:002010-03-30T08:51:32.490-07:00SF Garden Show: Natives 3.0
I'm the newest member of Tierra Seca Landscape's fan club! Natives? Check! Contemporary and thoughtful design? Check! Stuff that glows? Check!
What I love about this design is that it doesn't advertise the fact that the plantings are native. The natives are only a piece of the full landscape, bringing all the elements together cohesively. It also doesn't fall into the "if it's native, Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-11241780935040105562010-03-29T09:01:00.000-07:002010-03-29T09:01:57.152-07:00SF Garden Show: Stuff in Bowls
Goodness gracious, I'm on an adrenaline and sensory overload after the SF Flower and Garden Show. I'll be posting images of the show throughout the week, but my lack of focus today has led to a photo tour of little details that I found pretty cool.
The image above is a detail of a sculpture by who else, but Paul Discoe of Live Edge LLC, although most folks know him from his other company Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-68385430598811766382010-03-26T08:57:00.000-07:002010-03-26T08:57:27.652-07:00Plant of the Week: California Lilac
When you run into someone who says native plants all look half dead and boring, show them a Julia Phelps Ceanothus in full regalia. Oh yeah?! Take that! She's gorgeous! Plant a Ceanothus and you've extended an invitation to the native bee population. Have a picnic anytime, guys! Quail and other birds love the seeds and butterflies often drop in for a sip of nectar, too. The amazing thing Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-21645720878270698402010-03-25T08:40:00.000-07:002010-03-25T08:40:45.478-07:00Rest in Peace Little Allen
How sad that we rarely get to examine hummingbirds closely unless they've passed away. While I wish this little one was still flitting about, it's exciting to see his feathers and markings (and little hummingbird feet!). It's an Allen's Hummingbird, by the way and my client found him on her porch. Poor little one.
I notice that I'm focusing on fauna more than flora lately, but then again IChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-55248408724980917642010-03-24T08:37:00.000-07:002010-03-24T08:37:46.885-07:00Swarming Bees!!
Here I thought I was so cool yesterday, seeing a young Red Tail Hawk getting chased and pestered by a blackbird whilst working on the other side of the tunnel... Wow, so much more interface with nature out here, I thought. Then I got the phone call from my neighbor in Oakland- a swarm of honeybees had found themselves in her front yard. (!!!) I dashed home to witness the spectacle and sure Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-55198023181233234332010-03-23T08:05:00.000-07:002010-03-23T08:05:57.227-07:00A Quick Bit of Ephemera
Remember those Halloween centerpieces I was so proud of? I was struggling for a bit to figure out how to incorporate those plants into my client's garden, but also to carry on the found object-ness (it is too a word!) of the piece as well. Out came the baling wire and a few twists and turns later, a tiny succulent cage emerged from the tangled pieces.
It was a snap to make- Take a small 4" Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-8545645668227490192010-03-18T18:58:00.000-07:002010-03-18T18:58:50.984-07:00It's a Ladybug Picnic!
Hey, does anyone remember Sesame Street's Ladybug Picnic song? One of my favorite Sesame Street skits!
I can't help but tiptoe outside and check on the progress of the garden. The latest saga? The ladybird beetles have arrived! They've made lovely little apartment houses out of my Eriogonum giganteums, making it pretty difficult to go without finding one. I'm fascinated by all the Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-83898568065460270092010-03-17T10:22:00.000-07:002010-03-17T10:22:31.763-07:00St Pat's Day, California style
Quick, it's St. Patrick's Day! We need greenery! How about a nice little corsage to wear throughout the day to prevent would-be pinchers? One leaf of Eriogonum grande rubescens, one baby Malocothamnus leaf and a couple blades of Muhlenbergia rigens. Add a ribbon, a pin and a small puncture wound from adhering it and you've got yourself instant California-Irish style.
Picture from WikipediaChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316581347076542906.post-80024287076556491452010-03-16T09:01:00.000-07:002010-03-16T09:01:02.435-07:00Pink Succulents From Outter Space
I've got a soft spot for pink rosette-style succulents, but this beauty bowled me over! I planted her last summer in what is apparently the perfect spot- full, indirect afternoon sun. I planted it when it was 8" and now it's inching closer to 2'. It's twin gets more direct sun, but is certainly holding her own. She sent up the most amazing flower stalks that were the same pink/purple color Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.com3