Gardening « Dirty Girl Gardening

Forward Foliage

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

This could quite possibly be the most gorgeous cabbage in the world. I found her growing in my client, Janet’s garden, and fell in love immediately. It’s hard when you fall in love with things that are not people, since most of the time, you are the one having to pay for all the drinks and dinners. Sigh.

And now, for a little oriental poppy for your viewing pleasure!

This little gem sprouted up in an overly full pot of lineria and some how managed to grow into a huge, thorny, orange poppy. Not really my cup of tea, but pretty nonetheless. …Though the foliage was amazing.

Clipped to perfection! Loving this boxwood among the wild poppies, lavender and nepeta growing at Nancy’s house. There are few plants there that get really groomed, this boxwood being one of them. The juxtaposition between the few boxwood topiary’s and the messy, almost over blooming flowers that sprawl all over the landscape are fabulous.

Tags: blues, boxwood, ferns, Flowers, foliage, garden blog, greens, Organic Gardening, shrubs, trees
Posted in Gardening | 1 Comment »

I Heart Echeveria

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

This little picture is of my echeveria in full bloom. I love how the little flowers dangle into the perfect drop… and the color is incredible. My apologies for the picture… if it wasn’t so shitty small you would be able to see the fabulous coral coloring. As it is, I’m in the middle of moving, and as you can imagine my camera, books, notes on what to write, etc. are all floating around in the unknown.

Moving on… I Heart Echeveria. It’s so easy, gorgeous and interesting… and did I mention easy!? The blue ones are my favorite, but the dusty gray echeveria are nice too. In clusters the form the nicest ground cover under trees like crabapples, arbutus or even olive trees.

Looking for that perfect echeveria for your garden? Check out the resource page under annies annuals for some fun varieties…

Tags: echeveria, Flowers, garden blog, organic, potted plants, succulents
Posted in Gardening | 8 Comments »

2 wet 2 work

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

It’s too wet to work today. Plus, yesterday I picked up some wet burlap and my back decided to take a vacation from holding up the rest of my body. It’s works out ok, as it’s raining out and there is plenty of trashy tv to watch paper work to be done.

Including some designing…..

So, I’ll work on that until the wisteria drys off…

Tags: dirty girl, Flowers, garden, garden blog, organic, potted plants, soil, wet
Posted in Gardening | 4 Comments »

Earth Victory Day

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Earth Day, Halloween and Valentine’s Day are my favorite holidays. Well, those and any holiday that includes giving me lots of gifts, too. But today is Earth Day, and it’s cause for celebration! This month, I’ve noticed an out pour of interest in Victory gardens, from my client’s, friends, neighbors and even my sister – wanting to get a veggie garden going for the little sprout in her growing belly. I’m not sure if it’s this weather, the rise in vegetable prices or the fact that veggie gardening is in, but it seems to be the buzz right now. It’s so exciting to hear people not only interested in growing vegetables but actually going through the steps to learn how to do it.

During WW1 and WW2 the US Government initiated Victory Gardens as a way to provide for your family and help the war effort. Luckily, I have some of the relics from that era, a war ration book that was my grandmother’s and a Burgess garden catelogue from 1944. These are a few of my little treasures that show me of how intrinsic gardening is to our lives as a nation. Both relics are fabulous and full of American history, with simply wonderful phrases like, “If you don’t need it, DON’T BUY IT”.

I take them out from time to time and always find myself feeling nostalgic for a era I never experienced. Just something about simple, basic gardening, growing food for your family, and enjoying making a small difference – from the ground up. This to me is a wonderful reminder of how important Victory gardening is, and how we have the earth to thank.

Tags: earth day, garden, garden blog, organic, sustainable, victory
Posted in Gardening | 26 Comments »

Ingrates in the Garden

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Dear Lemon Verbena:

Why are you acting like such an as$hole? Last year I potted you in that new terra cotta pot, in the sunniest spot in the garden. You kind of grew, but nothing to blog about. Then this year I have fertilized the shit out of you AND given you lots of water. Now you put out these miserable little shoots that, quite frankly, don’t do a whole lot for me.

Please advise, Jenn

Dear Bean:

I understand it’s tough out there in the garden world. Coming out of your shell, so to speak, can be a rough one. But I’ll kindly ask you to perk up and show a little respect – or you’re compost, pal.

Regards, Jenn

Dear Tree Dahlia:

First off, I want to thank you for your profusion of growth last year. You managed to kill the cerinthe, yarrow and sweet peas that were planted with you. Bravo. And I thought nothing of your massacre since I was assuming it would follow with some amazing blooms – but you know what happens when you ASSuME.

xoxoxJenn

Posted in Gardening | 9 Comments »

Frog Findings

Friday, April 9th, 2010

There is a small gated community in Half Moon Bay called Ocean Colony. There you will find a huge golf course, said to be nice – but nothing I would know about due to the fact I can’t stand golf. Namely, men in ill-fitting shorts. In Ocean Colony you will also find a plethora of frogs! When we garden there, I also ways have to do a little sweep of the working area, so as not to smush these little green companions.

Here is our latest findings.

(more…)

Posted in Gardening | 32 Comments »

Fiddlehead Fern @ SF Ferry Building

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Ummmm, LOVES IT!

How fabulous is this!?

The other weekend I was at the Ferry Building in SF, doing my normal troll of all things fabulous. Really, if you haven’t been there – go! It’s pretty much like Mecca for those of us whose God is food. Yes, you will have to go early to avoid the dreaded mom’s with their entourage of strollers – or those coffee lunatics who create a line with as much depth and length comparable to the great wall of China – but beyond that, it’s fabulous.

Once I got my peas from Louie, some flowers from Cypress Farms, and all the cheese I can get my hands on from Cowgirl Creamery, I drifted over to my fav part of the market. You see, vegetables are great and everything but chocolates are better, and they are located inside. But it was the mushroom stand that had these fiddlehead ferns for sale. They are commonly used for cooking, but I’d love them just to keep in a bowl in my kitchen. Gorgeous.

Posted in Farming, Gardening | 18 Comments »

What do you see?

Friday, March 26th, 2010

"Weeds" on the side of Tunitas Creek Road, Spring 2010

I love this shot because there is so much going on in it. I was on my monthly pillage day, where I drive from Montara Mountain down to Pescadero to pillage for anything green that suits my fancy, when I took this picture. I found wild yarrow shoots in abundance and dug up a few of those along the highway. I collected some early blossoming columbine flowers for pressing, and some dandelion root for tea. Oh, and bark. Lots and lots of bark. For what, I’m not sure yet.

Anyway, in this gorgeous patch of weeds I see thistle…. what do you see?

Posted in Gardening | 7 Comments »