The Dry Garden

They're Back

Flocks of robins visit us at this time of year.  They come mainly to eat the holly berries. 
An American Robin by the Holly Hedge 

American Robins are 9-11" long.

Lots of Water

 
Santa Rosa Creek 19th January, 2010

The season to date rainfall total at 4 p.m. yesterday (21st January) was 14.79", just a little below the average of 15.34", and way above the total of 6.95" on 21st January 2009.  It's still raining!

Planting the Bench

It's early January and the Gardener's ready to plant the bench.  He digs two holes: 

and shovels fine gravel into the bottom of them to a depth of 2": 
 He drops the legs of the bench into the holes, and packs them round with more fine gravel:

 
 The Bench in Place

The Gardener Fights the Elements

Santa Rosa had 1.15" of rain in the 24 hours up until 4 p.m. yesterday.  In the early hours of this morning the heavens opened, and water rushed down.  

The good news is that the front yard drained as it should; the bad news is that a downpipe at the back was blocked and water was pouring down the side of the house.  The Gardener had to unhook the pipe and take it to the lawn to clear it. 

The Gardener Unhooks the Downpipe

 (This weather story doesn't compare with one I read on BBC News this morning:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8467242.stm)

I'm Keeping My Fingers Crossed

By 4 p.m. yesterday (Saturday January 16) Santa Rosa had had 9.20" of rain since July 1, 2009.  In a year of average rainfall we receive 14.29" during this period.  

Most of our rain for the year falls in January and February, and the weather forecast says we'll get a series of storms this week which will drop 6-12" of water. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the forecast is right.

The Gardener Goes Fishing

The Gardener and I decide to spend a January day at Point Reyes National Seashore. Fall and winter are usually the best times to visit the Northern California coast because the likelihood of fog is low.  

 
 Walking to Sculptured Beach

When we reach Sculptured Beach, the Gardener settles down to fish, while I spend my time pottering on the beach, reading and admiring the view.

 
The  Gardener Casts A Line Into The Ocean

It's late in the afternoon when we climb up from the seashore and walk along the coastal path to the Limantour parking lot . 

 
Leaving the Beach 

We see a pack rat nest under the trees by the path

 
A Pack Rat Nest 

 

The Gardener Turns to Carpentry

Daughter suggests that a bench would look well in the dry garden.  The Gardener and I discuss it and decide that a rustic appearance would be ideal.  Neighbor offers to give us redwood posts from an old fence, which has collapsed.  We feel enthusiastic about this as the wood will have a lot of character.  The Gardener sets to and builds the bench. 
 Bench

The posts are 38'' long as the Gardener intends to partially bury them in the ground.

Ouch!

It's December 9th and we've had two nights when the temperature has dipped to 17 F, a very low temperature for us.  The lime tree looks fine but some of the leaves on the other citrus trees have curled and discolored, and the bark on one of the tangerines has split.  We just hope the cores of the trees aren't damaged.

 
 Aloe 

The Gardener planted the aloe a few days ago.  After two frosty nights, it looks like a depressed character from a cartoon:

  
Frosted Aloe with Woolly Thyme and  Carpenteria in the Foreground 

We hope the aloe will come back from the ground in the spring.
 

Oh No!

It's December 7th, very low temperatures are forecast and we're worried about our citrus trees. The Gardener covers them all with frost blankets and places electric light bulbs at the bases of their trunks. He turns the lights on

 
The Lime Tree 

We bought a lime tree earlier in the year.  Because this is particularly vulnerable to frost, the Gardener planted it in a pot and made a wheeled platform for it.  

He wheels it under the eaves as a further protection against the freeze.

More Planting

A neighbor gave us some plants:

Bees' Bliss Sage

Ornamental Oregano

Thyme 

Epilobium

Aloe

In Emerisa Gardens end-of-season sale we bought:

Germander Sage

Lonicera

Daphne

Berberis Nana

 from Empire 1 Nursery:

Correa, Ivory Bells 

from Friedmanns:

Pink Thrift

Sedum, Golden Girl

Correa, Dusky Bells

Point Reyes Manzanita

(and Blue Elijah Fescue for later planting)

 
Aloe Plant with Three Berberis Nana, a Lonicera and a Correa, Ivory Bells in the Background

The Gardener finds a place in the dry garden for all the plants.