April thru June
The lush green symmetry of a well-tended lawn is something I can appreciate. But I can’t be bothered fussing with it myself.
Just down the road our neighbors have a teeny tiny front yard. They chose something other than the classic square of grass. There’s something artistic about it that really appeals to me.
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© copyright 2012 SVSeekins
I like the saturated orange of the California Poppy bloom. It’s bright and happy.
Even more, I like that the plant survives well on roadsides & rocky areas. A plant that doesn’t need nurturing – bonus!
This little patch of poppies lives just down the street at Snake Rock. It blooms in mid-spring & continues well into the dry summer.
Of course, the thought occurred to me, “We NEED that in our garden!” Can’t you imagine how lovely a wave of bright orange would be in the shrub border?
Even C is encouraging. He really likes the bright orange blooms, too. So, for the past 5 years, I’ve gathered seed from the roadside, then spread it through our gardens.
There’s been the occasional reward, but mostly I’ve had little success.
The California Poppy has a long tap-root, so where ever it pops up, that’s where it has to stay. It does not like being moved. And it doesn’t seem to like being watered either. Nor fed. Nor coddled in any way.
The shrub border had a fair amount of fertilizer, mulch & water over the past few years, as the plants were all so new & getting established. Maybe that’s been too much attention for the poppy.
The most successful patch is on our rocky hillside. It’s a well-drained site and bakes in the sun. The California Poppy will grow in the soil, but seems even happier in the gravel of the pathway! Go figure.
So far, I’m resisting the urge to weed it out of the path. I’ve decided that it’s ‘whimsical’ growing there.
I’m happy about growing a local wildflower. I’m also delighted that the deer, who spend their afternoons on our little mountain, leave the California Poppy alone.
My plan is to keep spreading seed in the rest of the garden & be happy with whatever we get. That’s the true definition of ‘low maintenance,’ isn’t it?
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© copyright 2012 SVSeekins
Every spring, I pause to appreciate this blossom lined street. Granted, it’s not as wonderful as the earlier spring cherry blossoms, but I still think it’s awesome.
In the autumn, the chestnuts are pretty awesome, too. That’s when the nuts drop. On a street like this, can you imagine how often the car alarms go off?
That’s not the only fun. The nuts have a thick, fleshy cover – – and that’s covered in spikes! They’re called conkers. They remind me of some Ninja weapons seen in video games. It would be awful to step on one, much less be hit by it.
There’s an old story out there that chestnuts ward off spiders. One year I scattered nuts in corners & closets but didn’t notice any difference. I did feel a bit foolish cleaning house but leaving the nuts behind the couch. Perhaps it’s the spiked conker that spiders don’t like? I’m not about to leave any of those rolling around the house.
There are 2 common kinds of chestnuts used as decorative trees in Victoria. I’m told one is the kind we hear about ‘roasting on an open fire.’ The other is a horse-chestnut, which I’m assuming is for using the nuts as horse feed? Perhaps it’s like corn: some kinds are good eating, others are better for feeding stock.
Anyway, spring is the best time of year for me to tell them apart. One blooms a lovely reddish, the other a soft creamy colour.
As for which is for ‘roasting’ & which is for ‘horses,’ I just don’t know. Can you help out with that?
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© copyright 2012 SVSeekins
Garden Variety Life 