Garden

The first glimmer was long ago pictures of some New Zealand cottage gardens. Then the gardens at City of Hope Cancer Hospital near LA. And Mitta Angel’s front garden and riding around with David when he was learning to drive – in Old East Dallas, especially Hollywood Heights, seeing gardens in front of homes – cottage gardens… From my Cottage Garden page – put up in 2003.

Now I’m in Berkeley, which must surely be the cottage garden (and hippie garden) capital of the universe! We took out the front garden to revision the front – including putting in a fence to keep the deer out. Now, in addition to the beautiful flowers that were here in the front garden before, there is a kitchen/herb garden in front. A pretty curving stone path starts at the arbor and splits to go to the kitchen door (the one everyone uses) and to the front door. No lawn – all flowers and herbs.

Herbs in the front (kitchen) garden:

Thyme
Lemon thyme
French tarragon
Lemon grass
Sage
Chives
Oregano
Sweet marjoram
Lemon verbena

Lemon balm
Rosemary
Peppermint
Spearmint
Borage
Parsley
Basil (sweet, lime and Genovese)
Cilantro
Chamomile

Other good things in front include about 25 ever-bearing strawberries (Seascape and a few other strains). We have two blueberry bushes, which will give a few berries this year. Lemon tree. Lime tree. Garlic is coming up. Raspberries look strong. We put in one Sungold tomato in front. I planted cantaloupes (Ambrosia) and cucumbers yesterday.

I’m excited that this year is the first time I’ve ever grown sweet peas and foxglove. One of the sweet peas is blooming,

but I think the ones I planted from seed will need another 3-4 weeks to bloom.

Flowers in bloom right now. There is a beautiful clematis with white flowers on the arbor. Also, the aforementioned sweet peas, manzanita, coreopsis, sweet alyssum, lantana, rosemary, lavender, tansy, rose, blue salvia, butterfly sage, purple bell vine (rhodochiton), maroon salvia, orange-red salvia, iris (from Jean’s father and from Sydney), camellia, helleboros, calla lilies, borage, nasturtium, persicaria, loropetalum, Aztec marigold, and impatiens sodenii. Alstromarium, foxglove, and hollyhocks are budding.

And so the garden grows. Baked chocolate chunk cookies yesterday. Gave some to the people across the street. A few weeks ago we got a bale of straw for the strawberries (to keep the berries off the dirt so they won’t rot as they ripen). Now we seem to be growing a fine crop of hay alongside the strawberries.