"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."
Robert Louis Stevenson




Tuesday, January 4, 2011

"Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own." William Wordsworth

This line came to mind when I walked around the garden yesterday.  It was cold and wet to me, but so many of my plants looked happy.  The raised bed winter veggie gardens are thriving. I did need to cover them with plastic one night last week as the forecast was for 32 degrees; so very cold for us.  I am happy to report that it only went down to 34! Our area rarely has a temperature below 40 in the winter months and most nights range 42 and higher.

Mother nature on a rainy day....


Portulacaria afra (small leaf jade) bent by the wind and heavy rainfall.
Euryops chrysanthemoides
Our rose arbor blew down one day last week.  This is the second rose arbor I have lost to wind in this location. I think it is time for a new location.
Huddling together to keep warm on the Mexican patio.
Hiding out under the eaves. An Aloe plicatilis (Fan Aloe) and Aloe Vera, the medicinal plant we all use when injured in the garden.   Also a  Cleistocactus winteri forma cristata (the funny looking cacti in the back, left) and a Senecio rowleyanus (String of Pearls).
More huddling for warmth. Some of my geraniums and a few more succulents; a Plumeria, too.  I have two Christmas cacti that have been blooming since early November, that's one on the table with the pink buds.
Borage plant looking very happy. But..
the succulents are having a tough time.

Leaves have all fallen from the Liquid Amber Trees.

Mushrooms growing on an old Silver Dollar Eucalyptus stump.
One of four raised veggie beds.  This one includes green onions, red onions, yellow onions, sorrel, mesclun mix.
This bed has onions again, watercress, spinach, leaf lettuce, radicchio, oak leaf lettuce and endive.
Beets, Swiss Chard red and green and also Bright Lights chard

This bed of onions really got pounded with the rain.
That's it for me, my feet are getting wet, I am going inside!  Note to self...do not wear your leather Nike shoes on a rainy day in the garden.


7 comments:

  1. I love your walk through the garden. It was beautiful an I didn't mind getting wet! Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the quote Carla! Your garden is the perfect illustration. Do you mind if I pick a few of those greens! Yummy. Everything looks so lush!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad to hear your garden is doing so well in the cold wet season. I love your raised vegetable beds.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wish my garden was as green as yours! But the spring will come again soon, even if everything is white and covered in snow right now.
    I wish you a wonderful new year!
    xx
    Lene

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have a very beautiful garden here and I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to link in with some photos...either current or past (during the dormant seasons) to Flaunt Your Flowers on Friday with me. Many absolutely gorgeous gardens participate in this party, and yours would be a welcome visit for them all to make!
    I have enjoyed my visit here today...happy gardening!
    Tootsie
    www.tootsietime.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow that is a lot of moisture for you guys. Looks like Oregon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your garden has so much rich colour! Even if it's soaking wet there at least it's not covered in white!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking time to visit my blog, I love hearing from you, stay as long as you like, Carla