What an ugly mess

How much reality is too much reality.....I guess if I am to remain true to this blog being my virtual `diary' of my gardening adventure, the "whole" reality it is.

It pains and embarasses me to display photos of the ugly mess my garden is right now. Being a part time occupant of our Temecula property, a very very part time occupant has meant many a time our garden is an ugly mess as it is right now. The winter rain sprouted lush green weeds and grasses that have over taken the property. Right now the weeds are feeding the aphids and major weeding is needed. The grass seed plumes are almost pretty as they sway in the breeze. Except then I remember that it means a million new grass seedlings will sprout and the cycle will begin again......

Horrors! Is it a wheat field I have grown in my courtyard garden?

Creating a path.......

We finally broke into the piles of slate slabs and used them to create a walking path within the wall courtyard, at the door and along the courtyard wall. We broke the slates into large pieces which we then laid like a puzzle pieces to form the path. We filled the crevices with small stones to create a stable path.

Doors and Paths

Our aim from the very start is to work with nature and not against it. Following with that principle, we are planning to use as much natural material as possible.We are also pragmatic and not beyond using high tech material if it suits the situation. 

We purchased a couple crates of slates which we are going to use for stepping stone.It works with gravel service road that leads to walled courtyard garden.The door of the courtyard garden is made of fiber glass to better withstand the intense heat of summer and the cold of winter.It is wood grained so it looks like wood but does not splinter and does not need the maintenance of regular painting.We choses some decorative square wrought iron decoration which we learn is called clavos.Who knew that those decorative thingii had a name!! Another thing learnt!

I LOVE WINDOWS AND DOORS! During my travels, I am always on the lookout for vistas of windows and doors. They are fascinating to me. They are portals to the what is hidden. So very often they have lead me to beautiful garden, heartwarming scenes of children playing, craftsmen making beautiful handicrafts or just pure beautiful views. I love opening the doors to my gardens, no less this one in Temecula. This day the door open to beautiful sky above and beyond the garden.

Rose of Sharon

I almost forgot that there was another casualty of the the Courtyard project - the Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus L. It belongs to the Malvaceae family. The bush was along the wall that backs the kitchen - between the two windows. It was a tall deciduous shrub between 10 to 12 feet high. As you can see from the picture below untrimmed, it was wild mess of a bush!

The bush was a favorite of the birds, particularly the hummingbirds. Look carefully at the picture below, and you will see a hummingbird resting in the cool shade of the plant.

When the petals fall off, a seed pod forms. It opens up to look like a miniature version of the flower- a five "petals" brown flower.

Currently, the plan is to use the space occupied by the Rose of Sharon for tropical plants which benefits form the warmth and protection of the wall. Maybe the curry leaf plant, some serai, kunyit and mint. The cement will prevent the mint form spreading to areas it is not wanted. The Rose of Sharon  will not have died in vain.

Walled Courtyard Garden

Temperatures in Temecula is extremely hot in summer and can get pretty cold in the winter. Frost damage to tender plants are a definite. Hot, I think will not be a problem as it will allow me to grow the tropical and sub-tropical plants I love and hankering to plant. Cold is another matter. My dream of course is to have a glass greenhouse that any self respecting gardener dreams of. Alas, it cost way,way,way too much. We priced both fabricated and build from scratch greenhouse of the size we wanted. We needed to spend at least $200,000!!! Not happening.

We compromised and decided to build a walled courtyard garden on one side of the house. It was the side of the house where we removed the roses bushes. It would provide protection from the  strong winds particularly in winter, that exaggerate the cold factor. We are going to see what we can grow under this condition before building a greenhouse. We increase the height of the garden wall from 6 ft to 8 ft for additional protection.