gardening – Page 2 – Gardens For Goldens

Elfin Magic

There are elves among us.

I don’t know where they hide, but they leave their mysteries and mischief all over the garden.
Bunnies that rearrange themselves to better smell the flowers…

beautiful sayings that magically appear in the beds…

stepping-stones crafted by small hands…

wind chimes and bird houses that find their way into trees…

and trees that are mysteriously deposited without so much as a note.

Can anyone identify this tree so we know what to do with it, please?

Each week, they leave little surprises in the garden to bewilder and bemuse. And gifts…they bring us gifts.
They brought us sweet, sugar-faced Hudson with his ever-outstretched paw,

And darling Nikki, also recovering from surgery.

They delivered Winston to us, with his crazy legs that go every which way but forward.

And magic. With barely a drop of rain and little water, they still manage to bring us flowers…

birds…

bees…

and butterflies.

There is elfin magic here.

“The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” ~ Eden Phillpotts

This summer, it seems the weather forecast is always wrong. Friday was 110. This weekend was supposed to hover near the century mark. Instead, someone ordered up a breeze and clouds. Rainless clouds. But clouds, nevertheless. We have been surfing temperature waves all summer. Peaks and dips. They are taking their toll on the garden.

The USDA declared a drought disaster for California, now listed as being in “exceptional drought.” Fires are breaking out everywhere. The forecast calls for a warmer than normal September through November. While our friends in the east endure soggy – we sizzle. And pray for rain.

In my favorite public gardens, you will find casualties of city-imposed water cutbacks.

Brown is the new green.

In our Memorial Garden, we have reduced our water use by nearly half.

We’re fortunate to have established trees to provide more shade…for the plants – and the dogs!

The soil contains a good amount of clay to hold the moisture in…and drought tolerant plants combined with heavy mulching have kept the losses to a minimum.

In sharp contrast to the brown, dry dog walking paths at Homeward Bound –

is this strange sight: the lush green of flooded rice fields which surround us.

Don’t ask me to speak with authority on this embarrassment of riches. Apparently, if you are a farmer high enough on the water rights ladder, you have the option of paying dearly for the water you use (up to ten times the usual rate) or letting your fields go fallow and selling your rights to someone else.

Those that are less fortunate are on long waiting lists to dig ever deeper wells – hoping and praying that the ground water will be replenished this winter with rain. If not – we are all in a world of hurt.

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir

Brown is beautiful and all of that. But please send rain.

The Birds and The Bees…and More

A fresh batch of new volunteers came through the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden today during their orientation.

Maria is smart enough to address the question proactively: no, there are no dogs buried here. Just a quiet place to remember, gather with friends and enjoy some peace and quiet with those in our charge.

We try to make the garden a welcome place for all – the birds and bees – and more.

There are plenty of warm places to sun or hide for lizards and our friendly snakes.

We leave bunny burrows alone as long as they only take their share.

Makeshift bird baths, seeds, worms and ample bugs (no pesticides) support a variety of feathered friends.

And we plant purposefully to attract bees and hummingbirds including butterfly bush, gaura, coreopsis, gaillardia, bee balm, dahlia, lavender, sage, aster, daylily, coneflower, verbena, yarrow, zinnia, delphinium, penstemon, lantana, milkweed and more.

Fittingly, Saint Francis – the patron saint of animals and the environment – watches over. Maria has just completed his new stone pedestal…a fitting throne and a beautiful addition to the garden.

He whispers to the pups – like newbies Chip and Cookie – ‘everything will be alright’.

And the garden whispers to us in the cheerful chatter of birds, the hum of busy bees, and butterflies gracefully gliding from bed to bed.

“Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.” ~ Author Unknown

Wordless Wednesday: Daylily- Fleeting Beauties

Wordless Wednesday: WPA Garden in Spring

Awe

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats

Walking into the Memorial Garden this weekend, I was overcome with awe.

During the week, it seemed like everything was in bloom – like an orchestra moving from chaotic warm up notes to a full blown symphony…

only this symphony was of sight, color and smell. So overwhelmingly beautiful – I scarcely know how to describe it. Everywhere I looked there was a treasure from a previous season making its re-appearance. Our garden is back!

“These beautiful days … do not exist as mere pictures – maps hung upon the walls of memory to brighten at times when touched by association or will … They saturate themselves into every part of the body and live always.” ~ John Muir

The day was punctuated with other happy notes. Young Ava’s birthday present wish was donations of kibble for our pups. It was fulfilled in spades and delivered in person, along with 67 cases of canned food in response to our appeal for a dog whose jaw had to be rebuilt.

Two of our Reservoir Dogs found their forever homes; a third goes home on Monday. Amazingly, Michael – who was one of the shyest upon arrival, was among the first to bloom. His new “mom” Tara was smitten from the first time we wrote about him, checking in weekly on his progress. As soon as he became available, she was on our doorstep, clearly in love.

Joseph will enjoy the company of dogs in his ready-made family…just as soon as he finishes his nap!

Exhausted from a day of planting, hauling mulch and clearing foxtails and about to head home, I was overcome again. Our transport arrived with five more dogs…three with significant medical needs. To watch our team kick into gear, calming fears, reassuringly introducing them to their new surroundings, assessing and beginning to care for their needs…I was left speechless and filled with another kind of awe; esteem and admiration. The beauty of the garden pales in comparison to the goodness and dedication of these people. There truly is magic here.

Some Assembly Required

Gardens don’t just appear. They require constant tending and editing. With lots of effort, what begins as a blank canvas of earth and weeds, takes shape over time.

Sometimes, the progress seems imperceptible and the wait is hard to bear. There are always occasional setbacks and different approaches have to be attempted before it all comes together. Until one day – you look about you, marveling at what it has all become.

Daisy went home today. A five-year old girl who is never without her toys or sweet disposition – but she comes with occasional seizures. The seizures can be intimidating at first – but manageable once you learn what is needed.

She is a quiet, gentle, loving girl who just requires a little tending to. Another girl was recently returned to us. Despite our best intentions, we did not make a perfect match. It turns out that the family was really expecting a perfectly trained, well-behaved dog under two years of age. This pup is not a wild child by any means – but she does require someone who is committed to bringing out the best in her.

We have lots of perfectly trained, well-behaved dogs – but they tend to be older and have come to us because someone – who has put great love and care into the raising of their dog – has had a life change so significant that the dog had to be surrendered. We do get young dogs – but frequently as a result of insufficient initial shaping, tending and care. Adorable puppies can become unruly dogs without guidance.

“Gardening requires lots of water — most of it in the form of perspiration.” ~ Lou Erickson

Dogs – like gardens – or any creature/human, are a reflection of the effort we put in to them. Some assembly is definitely required. It’s hard work – with results that delight.

As I look around the Memorial Garden – drenched in rain and then in sun – I cannot believe that we are only entering our third season.

So transformed is it – from an unruly acre of weeds and a jungle of blackberries. The same is possible for our returned girl. Next time, maybe we’ll find her a gardener.

Wordless Wednesday: Iris

A little different kind of iris…

Hey! Who let a kitty cat in here?? 🙂

Wordless Wednesday: Tulips

From Darkness to Light

“Gardens are made of darkness and light entwined.” ~ F.T. McKinstry

Our Homeward Bound Memorial Garden was gifted with light, bright sunshine on Saturday…

And dark, grey skies on Sunday.

A blessing that means much-needed rain again tonight. Last week’s storms produced a profusion of blooms…

and delivered a huge undertaking for our rescue – one that we gladly take on. Two van loads; ten dogs; twelve hundred miles to bring them to safety. I’ll be able to share their full story with you soon (as soon as I finish writing it!) Gorgeous all…and all in need of significant care –

for untreated medical issues –

and human socialization.

From darkness to light. Like the spring unfolding around them –

the best is yet to be.

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.