Friday, June 29, 2012





If you were to come to my house, you would find 7 very full bouquets of flowers plopped between in-progress ceramics. In full swing for the Garden Conservancy East Bay Open Day is what's happening here. I spoke to Erin over at the Conservancy in the fall asking her why the East Bay has not been on 'open days' for awhile. Her reply of 'not enough interest' was met by me with well I'm intersted. A bunch of other gardeners came on board, even as it's scheduled for the awkward month of July. Thus bouquets. My garden is in full bloom right now. Weird. Huh! I nod my head in disbelif while cutting roses, snaps, calceolaria, clematis, scabiosa saying to myself..if not now l when?  Part challenge, part experiment, part foolishness I'm cutting back in the hope of cut and come again for a lot of things and making space for a new crop of 4 inchers mostly from Annie's Annuals. Annie has got year round color over there. There are a lot of flower friends that I like to see that just come in the summer. Zinnias, caliopsis, bachelor buttons, petunias, sunflowers to name some favorites. And then there are the vegetables. I'm still planting beans, tomatoes, various squashes along with a new crop of lettuce.

So hope that you come for the open day to see how it all turns out. July 22. There is much more info on the Garden Conservancy website www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/

Ann Leyhe of Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore has some color combo surprises for you in her garden as does Leslie Piels of Toad's Potted Plants (both will have their gardens on this year's tour) jJoin the three of us at Mrs. Dalloways on July 14th for a preview presentation, conversation and summer tea with berries at the book store. Check out. Mrs Dalloways..www.mrsdalloways.com.

This will be the last open garden here for a bit. The garden will not be open the first two Sunday's of July as I'm doing this prep work and also taking a few days hiking or glazing ceramics.

Next year I'm thinking of organizing some workshops or something instead of having the garden open. Not to say that this is your last chance, but it is for awhile so hope you can make it on the 22nd.

In the meantime, my garden adventure for the year here at home was making a small meadow of california natives, a mix of annuals, perennials, bulbs and shrubs in the front garden. Wanted to see what could be done with color and texture with a new palette. Made for a wonderful meadow up until now so we will see if supplementing with a few new additions from Annie's and a major cut back will extend the bloom time.

More garden notes to come on the blog and facebook.

See you in the garden, or nurseries,
Keeyla

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