Dancing Fairies′ Garden

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I live in the Hilltop Enchanted Cottage, near a wilderness preserve in Southern California. For the past 5 years I have been rehabbing the cottage and flat roof barn to include a flower garden. We have too many critters to grow vegetables. Once they smell the growth they invade and destroy the garden overnight.

To attempt a garden in Southern California is like asking a duck to swim in a pond without water. We have been in drought conditions for several decades and are on rationed water. Nevertheless, I was undaunted and dared to dream.

There was a great learning curve and I thought to share a few of the things I have learned with you. If you are interested in planning a garden, I have listed four books for your consideration.

If you are in California then you need the “Home Landscaping” – by Roger Holms book plus the “Garden Design Made Easy” – by Tim Newberry.

If you are where it rains, have good soil and are in zones 1 through 8 then you will appreciate “The Perennial Combinations” book plus “Garden Design Made Easy”. If you would like to see stunning designs from all over the world then “The Gardener’s Garden” book is for you.

The “Garden Design Made Easy”, by Tim Newberry is the most fantastic little book you will ever find. It has layouts for any kind of garden you might want to consider. All of these books can be found as used on eBay and Amazon. I have read dozens of books on gardening, these are best of the lot.

If you are looking to plant herbs, or an herb garden, these two books are all you need. “Design Made Easy” – by Virginia B. Rady, and “HERBS”– by Emelie Tolley and by Chris Mead ebay.com Amazon.com

Starting out, I tried every kind of soil sold at Home Depot with very little results. A friend of mine is a landscape designer in Northern Florida and she recommended Miracle Grow. Once I started to use their soil the garden took off. The soil contains its own fertilizer and it makes keeping up with the garden much easier. I add a shovel full of new soil to the ground and to pots each fall and spring. I do not have to add more fertilizer unless, I want extraordinary blooms. Then I use the Miracle Grow Bloom water-spray in the early spring.

When I was trying to grow a vegetable garden I used Fox Farms soil. I felt it was the best for homegrown vegetables. They have potting soil and garden soil and a soil amendment. The only downside is that it is expensive and depending on where you live it will have to be shipped with a shipping cost.

If you have not gardened before, there are two things you need to know about soil that is purchased. There are 2 kinds. POTTING SOIL is for plants that are in pots. GARDEN SOIL is for plants that are planted in the ground. Be sure you take note of what kind of soil you are buying and make sure it’s the right one for your purpose.

When planting new plants or transplanting, I use the vitamin B1 liquid, purchased from Home Depot, to avoid shock and the worm castings, purchased from Amazon, to encourage growth.

Biological Pest Control w/o chemicals
ARBICO-Organics
1 800 827 2847
www.arbico-organics.com

When choosing the plants for my Dancing Fairies’ Garden, I chose plants that bloom most of the year. Thus, giving eye-candy all year. The most productive plants are the blue Plumbagos, tree form Abutilons, which comes in red, orange, pink, and yellow. I have them all. Additionally, I have the blue, California Native, Ceanothus “Julia Phelps” and a California native Redbud tree.

The other plants that are doing well and showing off are various forms of Jasmine and heirloom Pelargoniums. I have 14 different types. These require morning sun with afternoon shade. They can only be found at the following website: web http://geraniaceae.com

If you do decide to create your own oasis, just remember to be deliberate in your choice of plants, determined to make the dream come true, and add dedication plus deliberateness to your efforts. There’s really nothing quite like waking up on spring morning and walking outside, to see how much your little babies grew overnight.

Thank you, for stopping by my Dancing Fairies’ Garden.

Disclaimer: There no receipt of company funding for any recommendations made on this website