A guild of sorts

This selection of plants happened to come together in a rather unplanned way. Leeks, chard, borage, fig, parsley, clover, and alpine strawberries. I also grew daikon and fava beans as cover crops. I feel like something is missing from this guild, but I am not sure what it is. This area is located near the oaks and the plants benefit from the oak leaves. I usually don't dig the leeks when I harvest them, rather I cut the below the soil line and they do grow back from the roots. Borage is a mineral accumulator and bees love the blossoms, which are edible, as are the leaves. I think maybe it needs nasturtium or perhaps a melon for the summer. Something to cover the ground after the daikon, fava, and borage are cut. I don't want too much clover since it is known to attract gophers (they also love fig roots and alium roots too).
I loved looking at this planting progress through the fall and winter
Here is a photo of the same spot in November 2008. Note the droopy chard plant, fungi, very small borage plants, lots of blossoms on the alpine strawberries.

Garden in April

This is a photo of the SE section of the back yard.
Fig tree at far left, mature peach tree further back, cherry tree is at the right.

Warm April Day Pictures

A few 80+ degree days have finally arrived and the garden is starting to explode in growth and flowers. The bees are still loving all the borage and now they have the neighbor's mature orange tree to visit (the smell is magical) along with salvia officinalis, lots of daikon is still blooming, lots of calendula too. I've harvested some artichokes and fennel bulbs that I steamed and ate and shared with friends. Some of the leeks are starting to form flower heads, the arugula barely had a chance before it bolted, but I managed to have a few salads with it before they bloomed. Some of the red chard is starting to push up flower stalks. Apricots are filling out and I've been thinning the tiny peach fruits on the white peach tree. Strawberries are just starting to ripen, and I have been forced to share most of them with pill bugs and slugs so far. Melon seeds are germinating in the ground and in pots, as are winter pie pumpkins. Here are some photos of various things from today, which is called Earth Day. Why have a special day? Everyday should be Earth Day.

Fennel blossom (yellow) and borage (blue)

Carrot Blossom


California Poppies


Artichoke - ready to pick

Bees & Butterflies with Alliums

Ishikura scallions blooming. The scallions overwintered and grew thick, similar to leeks, but the green portion of the plant has a good onion flavor.
Bees and butterflies are always visiting these flowers.
I'll save the seed heads and disperse them with the autumn rains.
These seeds came from Turtle Tree Biodynamic seeds. They are a non-profit seed company based in NY.

Compare and contrast

Last week I posted a photo of the backyard at the end of March 2009.
I recently found this image of the backyard from late February 2007 – before we started any work on the place.
You can make out the leafless oak trees in the right side of the frame, and of course the evergreen tree in the center.
The sea of green is English Ivy covering the ground and fence.

Ginkgo Tree leafing out

The Ginkgo Tree is one I grew from a seed a few years ago. I planted it in the ground two years ago and it has grown about 12" each of those two years. Eventually it will offer shade and leaf litter for the planting underneath it. The leaves can also be used medicinally I've read. Blooming Daikon in the background.