Sunday, October 18, 2009

Bees are a buzzing in the Valley O!


A few weeks ago (Oct 4th to be exact) I got delivery of my bees from Kirk Anderson of The Backwards Bee group. They have settled in beautifully and are busy making new comb in the frames either side of the frames they arrived with. It is fascinating to observe them up close. Very clean creatures they defecate in flight and remove the dead bees with haste, unceremoniously dumping them off the edge of the landing area into the murky depths below. Its not easy to be a bee....

Monday, September 21, 2009

Shesez

Lovely healthy eating blog by my friend Linda Koones

http://www.shesez.com/

We had a little chat about how to ripen green tomatoes. One other tip I forgot to mention was: Pull entire plant up , shake off soil and hang upside down from the garage rafters. Tomatoes will ripen soon afterwards.

John

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Writing for Zester Daily


I will be writing for this wonderful new site called ZesterDaily.com. Check it out at



Enjoy!


John

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The High Line Park- a new jewel in the Manhattan firmament







On a recent trip to New York I was determined to see the new High Line Park on the west side of Manhattan having just caught the end of a report on NPR About the park while stuck in traffic on the 405. My son and I had a lovely morning wandering Central Park and then jumped on the subway getting off at 23rd st for the trek west to 10th ave.

The park currently runs from 20th st to Gansvoort St in the meatpacking district. The Park is owned by the City of New York and is administered by the not for profit conservancy Friends of the High Line. The High Line is the name of an elevated train line that ran from the west village to 34th and carried dangerous freight 30ft above 10th ave. 25 years ago it was closed and stayed idle and abandoned until moves were afoot to demolish the railway. A few local community activists mobilized and led a campaign to keep the structure intact. In 2002 the city of New York formally backed the plan to develop a public park on the site and it opened in June.



The simplicity of the design is oddly beguiling. The train track is left intact in large sections with a walkway of concrete meandering down the center between an array of plantings (210 plant varieties in all). Simple slatted wooded benches line the walkways and in one section there are large wide sun chairs where New Yorkers relax, read the paper and catch some sunshine. Beautiful public restrooms and elevators make for a really pleasant visitor experience.




Grasses and native flowers intermingle with sage , heuchera and sedum. No mechanical irrigation is installed and the plant choices were chosen with drought tolerance in mind. New trees are currently hand watered by the gardening staff and perhaps in time they too will be able to survive with seasonal rainfall. Seeds were collected from the wild flowers and grasses that grew in the abandoned space before the restoration began. They were grown out at a Nursery and replanted . The overall effect is stunning. A wild tapestry of colour and texture that catches the slightest breeze.




I was so taken by the beauty of it all that I stopped various strangers telling them how wonderful it all was. They were quietly amused I dare say.




It will be fascinating to see how this new creation will grow and mature. Very attentive staff weed and water taking care to keep the wildness under check but not allowing the landscape to look too manicured, This new treasure is a thoroughly modern Park and a model of how one can transform a relatively mundane space into a magical natural and green elevated mini beltway.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Perennial beds and benificial insect attracting plants











Here are a few photos of a garden I designed with a perennial cutting flower bed that has lots of beneficial insect attracting flowers. These insects readily take care of most of the pests that attack the summer crops.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Raised Boxes at The Woven Garden


The Woven Garden is pleased to offer organic raised planting boxes  (made from handcrafted untreated redwood) in 2 sizes.  

4 x 4 x 11" $159.  With planting soil add $99

8 x 4x 11" $289. With planting soil add $149

Also a beautiful rollaway planting box ideal for apartment dwellers, seniors or gardeners with disabilities. 
2x 4 x 18"  $289.  With planting soil add $75

Also, please see the enclosed planting menu if you would like your raised box fully planted out.  All the plant offerings are interchangeable.  Prices vary from $75 - $100 per box.

Call 323 793 3139 for orders and more details.



Friday, May 15, 2009

Virginia Robinson Tour


We had the Virginia Robinson 5 Estate Tour today.  Long day.  At least 300 people came through my vegetable garden during the day.  Time to relax.

Friday, May 1, 2009

LA Garden Show opens tonight



The garden show opened tonight and it was a really beautiful evening.  Perfect cool weather and great food and company.  My design was well received , especially by other designers.  This was really gratifying as I have never done a garden show design in my life.  I had a great crew to help me realize the plan.  I also got to meet Rosalind Creasy.....one my my all time favourite gardening people.  I recommend her books all the time to my students. http://www.rosalindcreasy.com/

Friday, April 24, 2009

Started LA GArden Show design today


We got started on our LA Garden Show design today.  It was a little daunting as this is the first time I have ever done anything like this.  Some of the designers have already been working a full week and have large amounts of their designs finished.  So we need to get really cracking tomorrow!  The peacocks were strutting around and not amused  by our presence.  They are in immaculate health because they have 130 acres to roam and feed in.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Earth Matters Gardening School will open May 29th

I am opening a gardening school for urbanites in late May.  Check out the website.  http://www.earthmatters.biz


Daily News Article

I had a food journalist visit my garden last week to do some reporting on the edible landscape.  I am not sure she was quite prepared for the unusual way I garden but she did leave the place with a new way of looking at how to garden!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Today my foal turns 2



Two years ago I delivered my first foal.  He is an Irish Draught and is owned by my friend Lisa.  A big strapping lad almost 16h and while he has his "moments" he is a big ole softy pants.  Mama and son.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Design for Los Angels Garden Show May 1st-3rd 2009

My front yard as of this week



A few photos of my front yard this week.  It is really in full bloom and quite chaotic with plants bumping into one another vying for space and attention!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Glorious Imperfection, the pesticide free garden.


Whenever I begin a new project I put my gardening cards squarely on the potting table: I do not advocate using chemical pesticides under any circumstances in the domestic garden. They are the large, dangerous gorilla sitting on the pristine, chemically drenched, worm-free lawn.  There is a paradox in our odd relationship to how we garden.  We have a tendency to obsess about pests and even the use of raw manures in our compost heaps, yet we do not consider the considerable damage that toxic pesticides do to the food we grow, plant life, soil, water, insects, mammals, birds and the unseen eco system that is the average urban garden.

Why do we feel the need to be at war with our garden and its pests? Can we not live with the occasional imperfect plant or food crop, safe in the knowledge that is truly toxin free? We do have choices that are clean and safe, and will result in a domestic garden with strong, healthy plants. By letting the natural order prevail in our gardens, they will produce plants that can fend for themselves.  A multi faceted approach is best.

 

Soil

Successful gardening begins with good soil. Healthy soil results in healthy, vigorous, pest resistant plants. We are notoriously lax in the care of our soil here in Southern California.  We expect it to produce 365 days a year, expose it to intense heat and winds, we sometimes allow our gardeners to blow the soil away each week with polluting gasoline driven blowers. Yet we wonder why our plants struggle!  Get the soil balanced, well composted, not over watered and mulched to assist in plant root development, good drainage and development of microbial life as well as a healthy worm population.  This alone can result in preventing many pests from invading your patch.  Pests would rather attack weaker plants. 

To aid in the development of your soil, grow a cover crop of vetch, buckwheat, clover or Austrian field peas.  These plantings serve many purposes.  They act as a rotational crop which can rid the soil of in ground pests that attack specific crops.  They attract beneficial insects.  When dug into the soil they prove a rich diet of organic matter and nitrogen (especially the leguminous crops), and they enrich the soil with a healthy dose of microbial activity.

 

Companion planting

The next line of defense is companion planting.  This approach is very effective in attracting an array of beneficial insects that prey upon plant pests by eating them or using them parasitically to reproduce.  There are a host of lovely plants that attract the good bugs.  Members of the Umbelliferae family (Fennell, Carrots Dill, Cilantro, Parsley and Queen Anne’s’ lace) with small flowers are favored by wasps, lacewings, dragonflies, ladybugs, praying mantis, hoverflies and spiders, all good bugs. Unfortunately, these insects are routinely killed by broad spectrum insecticides, which ruin the natural balance in the garden.  The marigold is reputed to act as a great sensory foil for pests.  The strong odor it emanates confuses certain pests, keeping nearby crops free of infestation.

 

Hedgerows

Grow a hedgerow.  A large or small hedgerow can be a fine way to attract birds and wildlife that readily eat many harmful pests.  Use California natives such as Berberis, California Wild grape, salvias, California wild roses, boysenberries or raspberries.  You can allow the hedgerow to grow wild, space permitting, or keep it manageable in a smaller garden by growing it on a trellis and pruning twice a year.  It will provide a safe, home to birds, lizards, butterflies and many beneficial insects, adding a rich and unusual aesthetic feature to your garden.  Do not forget to have a bird bath and feeder nearby.

 

Organic Pesticides

Finally there are organic solutions.  I have left this until last because while I do not choose to use these either they are a much better alternative to synthetic products.  Just because a product is non-synthetic and labeled organic does not mean it is 100% safe or non-toxic.  Some of the choices are as follows.

 

Pyrethins

Derived from Chrysanthemum, this is a quick acting low toxic spray that kills all insects on contact.  Use only when you have a major pest attack.

 

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis)

Many strains of these bacteria are used in powder form to kill insects in the immature larval stage.  It is very effective against Cabbage White larvae that attack brassicas.

 

Rotenone

A powder made from the roots of a tropical legume.  Very powerful when dusted onto plants, but it is a broad spectrum and will kill honeybees.  Use sparingly and only when really needed.

 

Neem Oil

This is made from the seeds of the Neem tree.  Applied directly on the plant it impedes growth in immature pests.  It is a broad spectrum insecticide so only use when a heavy infestation is present.

 

Diatomaceous earth

Finely ground fossilized remains of diatoms, which were a hard shelled algae.  It is very effective in killing slugs and snails.  Remember to not over-water around plants that are attacked by slugs and snails.  They do not like dry soil.

 

Copper

A strip of copper can also be effective in stopping slugs and snails by delivering an electrical shock on contact.

 

Insecticidal Soaps

These are by far the safest pesticides, and kill on contact.  Some plants can be sensitive to soaps. Avoid using them in high temperatures and in direct sunlight.

There is no need to use chemical pesticides in your garden.  I would also suggest using organic methods sparingly and only in cases of really bad infestation.  Your healthy garden ecosystem will be its own best defense.

 

 

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Blue day and green day...red letter day.

Had a close call yesterday with my son.  We were sitting at a light and two other vehicles decided to run into one another.  We got the secondary whack from one of the cars.    Both cars totaled and significant damage to my truck.  Woke up today feeling really blue and decided to take to the garden for a while to recover between idiot sessions on the phone with Insurance Co.  One question was "Do you think the car that struck you had damage to it before impact"?  Huh?  As it careened towards me at 50 miles an hour I had the sense of mind to note dents in the car before it ploughed into us!  

This was a first so I hope my quota of accidents is filled for a long time to come.

Weeding beckons....

Monday, March 23, 2009

Putting in a summer garden in Montenido


Montenido is one of those delightful little communities tucked away into a canyon off the road to Malibu.  I put in a small summer garden for a client there today and had such a lovely time revisiting the "spent" winter garden I put in last Oct and getting all the new plants in for the next season.  We are a two season gardening climate here.  Montenido has its own slightly more chilly microclimate so one needs to be a tad careful about not putting in summer veg too soon.

When I was done I drove up the road to my dear friend Suze to see her lovely newly planted hillside.  A grand mixture of CA and Australian native plants.  The mountain backdrop to her house/garden and farm is stunning.

Note to self: When I earn a few more shillings I want to live in Montenido....

Paddy Tobin from the Co Waterford


An online gardening friend Paddy Tobin from Co Waterford recently sent me this aerial photo of his splendid garden.  He and his wife Mary are very keen gardeners.  One is really struck by how beautifully green the landscape is in Ireland.  I have not lived there for 21 years and I really had forgotten how lush it is.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Fava beans

My Fava beans are heaving with semi ready pods.  I could not wait anymore and shelled a few today.  Boiled them rapidly for 1 min in extra salty water, plunged them into iced water and took off the inner second shell.  The remaining  spring green bean is delectable. A sweet and smokey complex flavour.  The flowers smell great and the finished plant is a great source of nitrogen when added to the compost pile or dug into the soil directly.  Fava's rule.

Potting up....

I love the term potting up.  It has the whiff of something elicit but it is really all quite harmless.  I bought lots and lots of spring and summer vegetables and flowers in 6 packs and have potted them all up to one gallon size to hurry them along rather than growing in the earth that is still a tad cool.  They can have a month in the pots and go into the ground in early April.  Tomatoes by early June I think.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Earth smells

Tonight I went out into my front yard at 11.15pm and sat in the middle of a recently rain soaked flower/veg bed.  The earth was soft underfoot and oh the smell!  Rain and earth make for a happy marriage.  My yard is heaving up with  moisture and wriggling things.  All the plants, seeds and bulbs are growing.  This will be a beautiful Spring.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Tomatoes in January

I have had a very robust Roma tomato hang on into the cold weather and is loaded with green fruit.  I took the plunge today and removed it from my front yard because it was crowding a Salvia Clevlandii "Winifred Gilman" and a Buddleia Davidvii "Black Knight".

Now I have a gaping hole and two plants looking shellshocked, spindly and exposed.  They will fill out the space within a few weeks.

Now..what to do with a dozen green tomatoes...?

Ruth Stout on "Winter"

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself." -- Ruth Stout  

http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2007/stout.htm


Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Garden class

On Sunday last I had the loveliest experience teaching a gardening class "Composting and the Winter Kitchen Garden" to 22 very keen gardeners in Malibu.

We convened on the beautiful wide verandah of my friend Amy Pulitzers house in front of a wood burning fire and got into the finer points of composting.  Then I spoke about how to set up and maintain a winter kitchen garden, something people overlook here in Southern CA where our climate lends itself readily to growing a huge array of veg right now. 

Hot cider and cookies made for a really special afternoon.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Gardening in the depths of a Southern Californian winter....

Today was one of those wonderful early January days in Southern California.  Cool with just a hint of sun peeking through.  Ideal real gardening day.  By "real" I mean the kind of day you can break a sweat and not get dehydrated and in my case end up with a blinder of a headache that lasts 12 hours.

I planted a "Wonderful" Pomegranate tree today to honour the memory of John O' Donoghue who died one year ago today (See poem from Jan 1st).  Arugula, red cabbage, and Quinault strawberries (an everbearing variety) were tucked into lovely friable earth.  The soil in my yard is really superb right now.  This took 2 years of endless applications of organic material.

The day ended with the construction of a huge new compost pile.  Yards of horse manure mixed with about 20 huge bags of leaves I got for free from the local Park.  When this pile heats up it will be a real doosey of a pile.  Temp should easily reach 140 degrees.

Now..a hot bath to relax from 47 year old bones.


Thursday, January 1, 2009

A New Year.. "A New Day"

By John O'Donohue 
(1954 - 2008)
No one knew the name of this day;
Born quietly from deepest night,
It hid its face in light,
Demanded nothing for itself,
Opened out to offer each of us
A field of brightness that traveled ahead,
Providing in time, ground to hold our footsteps
And the light of thought to show the way.

The mind of the day draws no attention;
It dwells within the silence with elegance
To create a space for all our words,
Drawing us to listen inward and outward.

We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.

Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.

So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.