Tuesday, May 3, 2011

How Does Our Garden Grow?

Although we're planning to relandscape it this summer, I do have a bit of a crush on our backyard.

California poppies and red clover Mr. W planted between his grape vines.

I love it for its serenity. I love it for its sounds of chirping and buzzing. I love its breezes and patches of filtered sun. But most of all I love it because it holds our garden. There is truly nothing better than being able to walk out your back door and come inside with the fixings for a salad.

The first time I ever gardened with Mr. W, I was appalled at the level of precision he used. We didn't just carve out a space and throw down some seeds. We graded the dirt so it was level. We mixed bone meal and manure into the existing soil. We set up irrigation lines. It was intense. But oh how it paid off...

These are the best artichokes I've ever tasted. They're almost sweet.
Grilled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and oregano—they're amazing.

We're very hopeful the family of skunks we discovered last week
in the backyard doesn't come feast on our baby strawberries.



Mr. W's old roommate grew corn a couple summers ago.
It was delicious but apparently when you only grow a few stalks,
you have to hand pollinate all of them. Anxious to see how ours turns out.

Practice for the mini vineyard we hope to own someday.


I didn't know that flowers had sexes, but apparently the zucchini
produces male and female flowers. The males fall off until a female
one is produced. We're still waiting for our baby girl to arrive...



In the summer, we try to get all the figs before the squirrels do.
And then Mr. W likes to do things like douse them in balsamic reduction
sauce or stuff them with goat cheese.




Hopefully the changes we make this summer will turn my backyard crush into a full-blown love affair. Until then, I'll keep enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of our labors.

10 comments:

  1. I want to come over for dinner in your backyard! :-)

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  2. That backyard? With all its many tiers? Gorgeous! But, how on earth does one mow the grass on the different levels? =)

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  3. Love the tiers! Our backyard is just a sad little shady postage stamp.

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  4. Siz - You have an open invitation for dinner anytime!

    Nilsa - I'm not really sure how the mowing goes. We have a gardener for that part. I know Mr. W used to lug a push mower up the back steps...I guess you just do it with a lot of back strength!

    Mandy - Postage stamps are easier to care for! The more yard, the more work. You may be the lucky one!

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  5. DUDE! You have artichokes?!?! And you never told me??? You definitely could have brought THOSE to wine club!!!! major garden envy. Major.

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  6. Since I'm now part of this blog by marriage, I will have to comment more frequently.

    I used to use a push mower, back when mowing the grass was a novelty. Now the gardeners do it with a weed whacker and in about 1/10 the time.

    Em, no artichokes until you schedule a tasting for when I'm in town!

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  7. Em - Clearly we need to have you over for a backyard field trip. When the figs become ripe, you can come for a BBQ figfest!

    Mr. W - I would like you to start mowing the lawn again. Shirtless. Thanks.

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  8. I LOVE your backyard. It's one of my favorite spots when I visit. I make a point of climbing to the top patio and just sitting there for a while, enjoying the weather and the view. Oh, and it's the only place I get cell reception.

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  9. Man, that's pretty awesome. I don't think I'll be able to have a backyard of my own... well, at least not until my income goes up significantly enough for the L.A. housing market!

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  10. I love seeing how your garden grows. It's such a nice beginning to this new chapter of your life.

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Well, whatdya think?