A Tour through My Garden

When we moved into our house ten years ago, the backyard was nothing to speak about. Sure, it had a nice redwood deck, but there was a lot of concrete and the flowerbeds were desert-like with a few fruit trees. You really couldn't call this a garden; it was a yard.

This is what it looked like the winter after we had moved in. Sorry for the bad picture.

However, it held a lot of potential.

Over the years I eventually turned the desert into a lovely colorful blooming paradise, going through a lot of trial and error - and I mean a LOT. I learned which plants worked in what location (and which didn't). The hardest part was amending the soil - we have mainly adobe and it needs a lot of compost to get the soil workable.

honeysuckle

calendula and sweet pea

salvia

But all the hard work eventually paid off, and I love my wild garden. Yes, I call it a garden now, even though there's still the concrete. That, however, is a great foundation for half barrels that hold most of my veggies, and huge colorful pots. The garden is full of wildlife - so far I have counted about 25 bird species who stopped at the bird feeders. There are lizards, squirrels, skunks and raccoons. And of course, the cats from the neighborhood!

poppies and Jacob's beard

foxglove

One of my favorites, hollyhock

Another favorite, abutilon

Clematis climbing up the pear tree

I love all kinds of decor and little trinkets in my yard...

I brought these lobster buoys from Maine.

...and, of course, birdbaths.

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