I decided in summer 2009 to start a garden watch blog, including some thoughts on nature in general. I have lived in this location for twenty-seven years and the last few years have presented a few challenges for me as a gardener. My garden has changed along with my lifestyle: change going from a huge vegetable garden to a small herb garden and mostly flowers. For many years bees buzzed almost non stop in my lavender patch, then one year they were suddenly gone. Last year my huge apple tree produced only two apples. As the summer progressed I noticed that we had some bees back again, this time at the clover in my grass, at a plant we call "the rootless wonder," and at my lavender plant. In the Spring I decided to plant flowers to attract insects. I had many butterflies visit, and a few dragonflies. Best of all, I managed to have a few hummingbirds visit my garden every day to feed on my fuchsias which were free standing on the rail of my deck until the end of October.
I have had the same compost box going now for twenty years. I mix the composted soil with my garden soil each year. The compost box is having a hard time producing fruit flies.
I decided to look at what I had in my garden that would reduce the need to water and decided to cover all my planters with a layer of moss, which grows in the lawn. This worked out really well: watering was reduced greatly.
Each year I line a wire hanging basket with an old coffee bean sack. I also put a layer of moss in before the sack, and cover the top with moss for another water reduction.
Fall gave me some new ideas. I saved some of the leaves that are removed each fall and instead used them as mulch on top of the soil. The squirrel is having a great time rummaging in these leaves and finds things to eat.
Amazingly, the hummingbirds have stayed over the winter period feeding from our feeder, which is great news. We have been able to observe them at close quarters from the office window upstairs, and from a workstation window downstairs, as they feed then rest in the apple tree. Their iridescent colors are magnificent.
Our bird feeding area has been great this fall and winter. The biggest surprise was seeing a hawk sit on the garden fence last December.
I have included some older pictures from my garden at the end of the blog