Starting from scratch – Then and now Laying out garden beds in clay and decomposed granite is the way you start when faced with new construction in the Sierra Foothills. How do you possibly begin a garden? Many house pads are scraped clear of topsoil and planting is not easy without replacing all the soil.…
Becoming stewards of our forest For some of us, here in the California foothills, especially those who live near the national forest, nature provides the perfect landscaping. Using the existing trees and native plants can help your garden design blend smoothly into the surrounding landscape. Caring for a large forest property has its challenges and rewards.…
A common word in gardening this decade is ‘sustainable’; sustainable gardening is using the principles of ecological wisdom. When planting and puttering in my garden, which is two acres planted with CA natives, Mediterranean plants close to the house and natural groomed forest beyond, I think of this. How do I also create a long…
When landscaping in a fire risk area, like the Central Sierra foothills of California, you normally have to keep a hundred foot fire safe barrier around your home. There is quite a bit of research done concerning plants that ignite slower and burn slower. First, protect your property by grooming the branches and brush 10 feet…
Last year we had built a retaining wall and I couldn’t resist planting a few things like rosemary and lavender. We had no hose or water supply, so everything would get hand watered on our monthly(hopefully) visits to the property.
On this trip our objective is to have the lot graded and have a couple loads of gravel, or mine tailings, spread over the driveway. After some juggling of schedules, Dick comes Saturday morning early and started leveling out the area where the circle drive was. We also planned to fill in the drainage pond area.
We arrive with several objectives. I want to build a table of redwood somewhere, rake out the goat shed, attached the wooden goat I found on eBay and see a deer – on our land. Larry just wanted to be there and camp there with our trailer.
