Rose Cottage

  This spring my son came with his small tractor to till the back lot while the fence to the S is open. While I prefer no-dig methods, and minimal soil disturbance, Mary wanted the lot evened out. Garden shed, greenhouse, artichoke and Rosemary - and on the right, the row of blueberries.  Freshly Tilled Garden I'd already put together several garden beds, and Mary helped me assemble another. Two were in the garden with chard and perennial kale - so I moved those plants out weeks before Josh came to till. Two beds with branches and straw Ideally, I'd cover the whole back with tarps and cardboard ... I had saved enough cardboard to cover the bottom of each bed.  Matt took out the grape in back, and saved the branches for my beds.  The black bag has goat bedding from Michael's house - two bags was enough for  a good layer in 1 1/2 beds. I harvested some of our compost for another layer. The mound of our native dirt to the left of the back bed it's loose enough to d...

  "Not all of us have an Ascended Master living in our neighborhood, but we all have access to flowers. The flowers have never forgotten they are One with the Creator! "Flower essences are problem solving tools for whenever we feel out of balance. They are like  road maps for our electrical systems. " - Molly Sheehan,  Green Hope Farm Essence  Guide. Fascinated by and in love with flowers all my life, I began formulating essences in 1991 after reading about them, & realizing how simple they are to make! The timing was perfect, as I had just moved to work at Breitenbush Hot Springs, and been initiated as a Reiki Master.  While I enjoy making and having single essences, it can be a special treat to 'bottle' the energy of a season of the garden into a bouquet. These essence bouquets can form a sturdy foundation for embracing one's next steps! Some folks wonder about the number that can be combined - in our current age, our energy systems are under constant...

 This spring I decided to join a group of volunteers who plant and tend raised bed boxes in the granery district along Alpine Avenue.   We met at Mac Market last week, and chatted about the project, what was planted in the beds last year, and chose from those available for tending and watering this year.  Alpine garden beds I'm one of 10 new volunteers, and my first bed (near the one in the photo) has raspberry, blackberry and strawberries. There's room for some Edible flowers, and perhaps a native Camas. I'd like to add an arctic raspberry, when I find some! We'll return soon for garden cleanup and spread a new layer of mulch. Many of the beds have cover crops, including a nice patch of miners lettuce!  Tea Garden Gal! There's a Tea Garden, and I was excited that one's now available, so I'll be tending it! I may ask for the herb garden next to it, and see if someone else would like the Berry bed.  The perennials don't require as much water as the annua...

 A new house includes gardening in a new spot!  My daughter and son-in law moved here 13 years ago, and have gardened off and on throughout that time.  It's a double lot, with the garden area fenced. Small fruit include a row of blueberries, raspberries, a couple of grape vines on arbors, and a rhubarb.  There's an artichoke patch, a lovely Rosemary and several other herbs. The border the veggie area, which has had several configurations.  Artichoke patch My younger grandson and I began a no dig bed last summer, and planted greens and tomatoes. They learned about food security and planted seeds each day at VBS (vacation bible school), so we gave the marigolds, beans and sunflowers a home. Plant station At my old house, I potted up perennial veggies and herbs, and kept new plants in pots - my dear son-in law brought them over on his truck - several loads! Some will remain in pots, and others planted out as the garden expands. I brought tender perennials into the ...