Apparently the saying is true, “build it and they will come”. No sooner did we put plants in the pond, the frogs moved in and started laying their eggs. But even earlier some unwanted guests moved in, mosquitoes. Since I … Continue reading →
I forgot to mention in the garden tour one special plant that is blooming right now. This plant involves my entire family with the exception of my brother Derek. It has a long history and it doesn’t look like much … Continue reading →
The winters in Ferndale can be long and wet, so wet that it makes getting any gardening done nearly impossible at times. Even mowing the lawn becomes a challenge, and unlike what I was used to in San Jose, the … Continue reading →
One of the true eyesores of our yard was our driveway. Our yard to the south is bordered by our neighbor’s cow pasture, and it had a fence that was practical for keeping the cows in their yard most of … Continue reading →
One of the first things Lori and I did upon moving into our 1888 Victorian on Rose Ave was to plant some roses along the avenue. Logical right? We went to Miller’s Farm Nursery and selected enough Cécile Brünner and … Continue reading →
Most people who have lived in California any amount of time have become familiar with Eschscholzia californica, whether they know it or not. It is after all the state flower, and it grows almost everywhere, both natively and cultivated. Yep, … Continue reading →
I am really starting to hate the last two weeks of December, as it seems like the flooding just keeps getting worse every year. Our herb garden, our paths, everything that we worked so hard on this summer are now … Continue reading →
Speaking of deer resistance, or lack thereof, I offer our vegetable garden as proof that deer can really be pests. We planted a variety of vegetables, and so far the only thing we’ve gotten out of the garden is cucumbers. … Continue reading →
I was driving down Grizzly Bluff one day and saw the hedge that I want for our secret garden. I stopped at the house, and found out it was owned by the Silver’s. Kevin Silver is our cat’s vet. I … Continue reading →
One of the defining landmarks of our backyard was the buzzard tree. This was a 30-40ft tall snag that rose above the surrounding willow trees and provided a nice hangout for the local buzzards. The other morning as I went … Continue reading →
This photo reminds of one of the covers from a Yes album. Very reminiscent of Roger Dean’s planetscapes. (If I had my records, I could tell you which one it is. Hint, Hint John) This peachy yarrow is a favorite … Continue reading →
Just like humans, some catepillars seem to go through a rebellious stage. Such as this one. Judging from his apparel, he’s either into heavy metal or punk rock, but I’m sure as he matures he’ll mellow out. A couple of … Continue reading →
I caught this little tree frog napping on the Dianellas in mid-afternoon. Normally I don’t see them out at that time of day, especially in full sun. But I guess he figured he was sufficiently camouflaged that he didn’t need … Continue reading →
One of my favorite little flowers that came with us from San Jose. The flower is about the size of a fingernail, but on close inspection it is really quite charming.
Every once in a while we actually get a rose or two off of our rose bushes before the deer prune them. This is a tiny Cecile Brunner that showed up recently. I’ve been putting Liquid Deer Fence on the … Continue reading →
We see dragonflies quite frequently in our backyard, and they’re always fun to watch as the hover. This red one caught my eye and even stayed posed while I went back inside to grab my flash.
End of summer in Ferndale means it’s spider season. Just about every available space on the house, cars, and in the garden are covered with spider webs of one sort or another. When you walk around, the ground appears to … Continue reading →
A garden without baby tears just isn’t complete. Growing up with baby tears around the pond at my parents house, I’ve always liked them, and in San Jose we planted the shady side of our garden with them, along with … Continue reading →
This weekend we finished two projects that have been partially completed for quite some time. First we picked up another load of decomposed granite and finished the path that goes from the driveway to the back porch. Winter is going … Continue reading →
The herb garden has some new plants since you’ve last seen it. In the foreground is the beginnings of a boxwood hedge that will line both sides of the brick walkway that goes to the front door. We bought a … Continue reading →
Every spring the Ferndale Fire Department does a donation drive and we go door to door both in town and out in the country. I’ve been using the drive as an excuse to collect plants. This week while picking up … Continue reading →
Last fall we dug up and transplanted some iris and dianellas and moved them into this spot near the driveway. Then winter came and the weeds invaded like crazy, and by the time it got to weather where we could … Continue reading →
After recycling the parts of the old front fence into raised beds, Lori and I started planting the herbs and other plants that she started from seeds this winter. I also went to a couple of plant shows and picked … Continue reading →
After finishing the four paths in the herb garden, we still had a half a trailer full of crushed granite. So we started working on a path from the driveway to the back deck. We got about a third done … Continue reading →
Amazing what a bit of snail bait will accomplish. In the four years that we’ve been here, this is the first year we’ve had such a good display of iris.
I really love poppies, both for their cheerful color, and for the fact that they require so little maintenance. Combined with the cerinthe, which has similar characteristics, the backyard garden actually has a lot of color right now. Even better, … Continue reading →
We finally got a halfway decent Sunday weatherwise so we got the other two paths put in. We also placed some wine barrels in the front, and once the soil drys out a bit more we’re ready to start planting!
One thing we haven’t seen much of in our garden since our move to Ferndale is our red hot pokers. Usually the slugs chew them off before they bloom. But this year I cleared away some of the other plants … Continue reading →
I was pleasantly surprised to see that after the last deer raid, that they actually missed a couple of the Sweet William plants that were just about to bloom. So 32 plants planted = 2 flowers. I’m going to need … Continue reading →
This weapon has become our favorite weeding weapon. So much so that Lori and I fight over it. I went back to the store where we bought it to buy another one and they’ve been out of stock on it … Continue reading →
This is not an aerial photo of a pine forest, it is actually a remnant from the dinosaur age making its presence known in my yard. As much as I love springtime, with its profusion of colorful blooms, there is … Continue reading →
