Gardening – Page 7 – Gardens For Goldens

Rain Glorious Rain

Rain. Glorious Rain.

A Pacific storm – an atmospheric “river” we refer to as the “pineapple express” – dumped a more than generous amount of rain in Northern California setting a record in Sacramento for most rainfall in a 24 hour period. It helped our nearby Folsom lake to rise nearly 3 feet in a single weekend, and the Sierras above us were topped with more than four feet of snow. While we are all soggy and practically swimming in it – we are rejoicing.

Homeward Bound might well be renamed “On Golden Pond.” Our banks have overflown…

And our parched Memorial Garden is a bit under water.

But what a glorious sight it is.

All the dogs got out despite the weather…

and Rocky, Lisa, Zoe and Eleanor managed to get adopted by devoted families that made their way to us despite the downpour.

The trees are practically bursting with joy.

“Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.” ~ John Updike

These Pacific storms – which have been absent all winter – typically deliver about a third of our annual rainfall. While this one only puts a dent in our deficit, it is a welcome gift and a hopeful sign of good things to come.

So many have shared a prayer and a rain dance for our golden state. Thank you.

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.”

Where Hope Grows

I took a trip to the river on Saturday. We sit at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers.

At this time of year, the banks are usually under water. Now, there is just dried grass and thistle.

One of my blogging friends said that nature has a way of protecting her garden. This week, she did. We had two days of actual water falling from the sky. When hope gives way, you rely on faith. When faith is not enough, even those with questions turn to prayer. However briefly, they were answered this week.

You could almost feel the budding trees and early spring risers saying “thank you.”

The groundhog saw his shadow and declared six more weeks of winter. We felt its shiver today, and will gladly welcome it if it brings some more wet weather. We may yet see some rain ahead, but not enough, unfortunately, for our ranchers and growers who have been told there will be no release of water this year. We forget that California was once desert.

Our garden is planted with many drought tolerant perennials. Their hardiness will be well-tested. In a supreme act of faith, Ina pruned the plums today.

Filled with fruiting buds – we all said another little prayer.

On the subject of prayer, could you say a little one for Ballou? This shy, scared boy has returned to us because his human mom passed away. It has been several weeks, and I have yet to see him smile. He needs a special someone who understands his worried heart and just wants to hold him close.

And raise a cheer for Ginger. Smiles all around for this gorgeous girl and her new forever home.

“Where hope grows, miracles blossom.” ~ Elna Rae

Spring in Winter

A declaration of drought has been made official in California – as if it were not obvious.

With a soil rich in clay, and an abundance of drought hardy perennials, the Memorial Garden has fared better than most so far.

We cannot count on that continuing…especially with temperatures in the 70’s in January. Ridiculous. So we’ll just revel in what we have today:

Signs of spring in winter,

birds in abundance,

beautiful snowy faces,

and the company of dogs.

Rain dances are, however, welcome.

Resolutions for Gardeners and Rescuers

A list of New Year resolutions gardeners and rescuers.

In the new year I vow to:
Nurture more. Feed the earth with organic nutrients; plant smaller to grow stronger; and mulch…mulch…mulch.

Protect more. Save precious resources with earth-friendly products, preventative pest measures, and judicious use of water – something that will be in short supply again this year.

Re-use more. One man’s garbage is gardener’s compost; cuttings and divides extend the garden and can be shared with others to create their own.

Welcome wildlife. The garden is for sharing with all.

Even those mischievous bunnies.

And appreciate the beauty of all seasons – including the dry, dead stalks of winter.

Resolution thoughts for my rescuer friends:
“Accept the pain, cherish the joys,

resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions – ‘If I had my life to live over again, I’d do it all the same’” ~ Joan McIntosh

Welcome the New Year with joy.

Bow to Winter

Just a week ago, the garden still managed a display of fading, but beautiful color. Then came the cold.

From west to east across the nation, the freeze is on. The garden has bowed to winter.

“Autumn to winter, winter into spring, Spring into summer, summer into fall, – so rolls the changing year, and so we change; motion so swift, we know not that we move” ~ Dinah Maria Mulock

Record-breaking overnight lows have burst pipes and snapped the flowers from their stems.

The frost lays like a blanket of crystal ice across the landscape.

The sun shines for a bit…until the icy cold blows in again.

Fur coats, shorter outings and warm hugs keep the dogs safe and cozy.

At home, white lights and frost covers protect sensitive plants.

But the Memorial Garden is in the country and on its own while this cold snap drags on…and on…and on.

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” ~ Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Rose

The Coming Cold

The squirrels know. It’s time to store away and prepare for cold.

The Sacramento Valley has true seasons; it’s one of the reasons why things grow so well here.

But the overnight temperatures we are expecting this week can wreak havoc on sensitive plants and fruit trees.

True cold does not usually arrive until January, but this week we’ll see night-time temperatures in the mid 20’s..and that is way too cold for our newest orange tree. Planted in honor of the beloved Shelby, it should be well protected from the hard frost thanks to a special tent which lets the sun in during the day and keeps cold out at night.

Because the garden is on its own during the week, we just have to do the best we can to prepare it. This means we don’t cut our perennials way back until spring, with the withered leaves and stems providing some protection for the plant crown. We also ignore the blanket of leaves which serve as insulation until the danger of frost has passed sometime in mid-February. They also help to keep some moisture in with the water turned off.

Where do butterflies go in such cold?

The Dahlia bulbs have been tucked into a dark box and covered with vermiculite for cold storage in the garage. My favorites are labeled with gardener tape.

But we can pretty much say goodbye to these last hold-outs from the season. They have served us well.

Hello to winter grasses, pruning chores and dreaming of spring.

Good thing we have pups to keep us warm.

In Good Garden Company

“A garden is never so good as it will be next year.”~ Thomas Cooper

It seems there is always another project to prepare the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden for the next season. Last week it was the iris bed;

today, some 400 daffodil bulbs sat waiting to be planted for the spring.

So nothing delighted me more than to see a small army of our gardeners show up today. With Diane,

Peggie,

Ina and camera-shy Maria on hand, the garden was weeded, dead-headed and the bulbs got planted on a beautiful fall weekend day.

We continue to be in the company of frogs…

And these nasty things which have been munching on our Pluot tree.

Ina wanted to save the invaders, but I made caterpillar mush of them instead, and left a bit of evidence behind as a warning to their friends.

Of course, we’re always in the company of dogs, which makes our work a true labor of love.

Summer is another of the dogs from Taiwan. She arrived with a myriad of issues, including cancer.

We have hopefully dispensed with all, but there’s no way to be certain. Anna does not care. It was love at first sight.

An introduction to her Jenni was made.

With approval won, the deal was sealed and Summer went home today.

So did Rollie. There was no hesitation at all when that car hatch opened. Inside he found a fresh new bed and a brand new toy. Jackpot! Happy life Rollie.

Our youth volunteers were out in force as well. It is so encouraging to see a new generation involved in rescue. Henzi is a natural, doting on Ella and Maggie in the garden.

Our nights are getting cooler. The watering has been cut back. And our last Dahlia of the season put on a spectacular display.

The foliage is now as impressive as the flowers that remain.

Fall is on glorious display.

Divide and Conquer

“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.” ~ Elizabeth Murray

The garden looks especially beautiful and welcoming in the fall light.

Though the blooms are fewer, their rich colors pop against a canvas of turning leaves and warm brown grasses.

Ina’s asters have finally arrived, draped over the fence like a bee’s blanket of purple.

Maria, has of course, dressed the garden for fall.

Her holiday displays may not bespeak a memorial garden, but they certainly make a beautiful backdrop for our posing dogs. This is Ella.

Princess and Duke – all new arrivals.

With Maria and Ina both on hand, it was a perfect time to tackle the iris bed.

Peggy and Steve had a good start, but work has called them away. With three of us on scene, we decided to finish the lifting and dividing. From the size of the bulb clumps, it was pretty clear they had been left for years – a first, forgotten effort in the garden.

While Ina and Maria divided, I dug trenches and raised berms in a semi-circle.

We have decided to plant the sunflowers in the center next summer as the Willow Tree has taken their sun. During the other months we will fill with annuals to keep color in the garden year round.

It’s pretty amazing what the three of us can get done in a day when we put our minds (and backs) to it. We went home dirty, tired, but satisfied.

“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.” ~ Emile Zola

Wordless Wednesday: Petal Party

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Rob’s Work

Rob and his camera keep an eye on the memorial garden when we cannot. View more of his beautiful work here.

Friends Together

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

We did a training and post on the Homeward Bound blog recently on how to do a meet and greet with dogs. It seems everyone has gotten into the spirit of making new friends!

Butterflies…

Bees…

Butterflies and bees.

Frogs…can you count them all here? Hint: some are fuzzy.

Frog 1

Frog 2

Frogs 3 and 4

Frogs 3 and 4 getting a little too friendly!

Brand new recruits Liberty and Skipper were getting into the spirit as well –

with Apollo making them feel more than welcome.

You may have noticed that Apollo is not much of a Golden. We love him anyway – and hope he’ll find his special someone soon!

Even our gardeners came together today.

We’re prepping the Memorial Garden for a very special occasion next weekend. Can’t wait to share. Until then…try leaving your corner of the forest for a bit to see what new friends you might find.