Garden as haven

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May I a small house and large garden have;
And a few friends,
And many books, both true.
― Abraham Cowley, 17th century English poet

At some point this summer, I hope to actually enjoy my garden. I mean resting and not pruning, pinching back buds, weeding, and so on, but actually sitting in one of the chairs in the garden and reading a book, thinking about a tangle in a chapter in my novel-in-progress, eating a snack or a meal, or just hanging out with family members, as if I didn’t have a million things to do, as if I had all the time in the world, as if I could have a really long sentence and not care where the period ends it.

In the meantime, I wanted to put together what the garden looks like this season. I’ll start with when our magnolia trees were in full bloom back in late February, when COVID-19 was spreading across our country and we had no idea we would find ourselves in shelter in place.

Our backyard isn’t that big (perhaps it is in the Bay Area), but a picture of one and a half of our magnolia trees makes the yard seem like a park. This is our magnolia tress in full bloom.
Our magnolia tress from the view of our intrepid, watchful angel.
Our tulips starting coming up in March, on the heels of the daffodils. And I see those pesky bluebells, which we thought we’d pulled all bulbs many years ago. They are persistent, I will give them that.
We always welcome the California poppies that brighten up our side yard and front yard.
I don’t know what the name of this beautiful shrub is in the backyard, but in the spring it explodes in beautiful purple flowers. We also have this shrub in the front yard. I failed to remember the name of flower bulbs I bought at Costco and planted in the fall. It was a colorful mix. But I also planted ranunculus bulbs.
Here are some of the mystery flowers that made that flower box really vibrant with color.
More colors.
Close-ups of this flower box.
Delicate flowers, vibrant colors.
Oh, hello, Sammy!
Behold the pink ranunculus!
Here’s the shrub in all its glory.
Here’s one of my favorite pictures of the garden. This is what I see when I step out from the family room’s sliding glass door to the landing. Good morning!
Our angel bathed in light and hammered steel drum garden art.
I had to replace the gnarly dianthus on the right of this flower box, but our Chomley Farran and red dianthus went gangbusters this season. They are starting to fade and peter out, but it was a really good season for them this year. I love how the morning light makes a grand statement in this picture.
Another shot of our angel and a sunspot.
Another morning before I pruned the miniature roses and uncovered our angel.
In April, the yellow columbine or aquilegia were ready to take off in flight.
Close-up of the delicate yellow columbine.
Looking at the corner of the garden with flower boxes.
One day, I will read a book in this corner.
I decided to redo my pathetic mini succulent gardens and put them outdoors.
Hidden under the magnolia tree in the corner garden are wind chimes, a white bird house, and one of my favorite garden art – the copper leaves.
A recent addition to the pots in the corner garden – viola ‘Karma Blue Butterfly” in front paired with calceolaria mexicana in the background.
If you keep going from the corner to the fence running to the side yard of dahlias, you will come across a pair of smiling garden sprites under the magnolia trees and above a stone bench and stone bird bath on a pedestal. I love these little stone guys. They bring a little interest and joy beneath the magnolia trees.
More garden art and a little succulent bouquet beneath the magnolia tree.
In the dahlia garden hangs a heavy stone sculpture. I’m not sure where I got it, but I love the Renaissance feel of it. The three headless nudes watch over the dahlias.
I didn’t take care of the dahlias early in the season when I should have, so this season I’ve been battling snails, cucumber beetles, and earwigs. I’m trying to catch up, but this season the dahlias aren’t lasting as long in bloom as they have in the past. We also had to deal with a gopher, which David took care of in quick order. We had dug up all the dahlias from the ground the winter of 2017, but nearly four years later, we will have to dig them up again and separate them and then put them back in the ground. This is no small feat, but we need to take care of our beauties.
A magenta dahlia. Hopefully I will be better about taking care of my favorite flower early in the season so they are hardier and longer lasting.
At the corner of the side yard of dahlias, three clay and metal versions of the sun watch over the delphiniums, ginger, and dahlias in pots.
From our front porch, you can look down into the dahlia side yard garden. A hint of what’s to come.
David captured a hummingbird in our alquilegia in the patio.
My favorite blue hydrangea greets me when I step out of our utility room into the patio area of the garden.
If you come around the other side of the backyard garden, you’ll see the patio.
What’s new this year? I had David and Jacob tear out the bushes in the planter in the patio that our landscape architect planted to hide the view of our neighbor house. But I wanted to see color and not bushes when I look out the kitchen and family room windows. I wanted the sweet smell of sweet peas when I sit in the patio.
So back in February, after the fall when David and Jacob painted the ugly red fence a more neutral stone color, I planted about seven varieties of sweet peas (too many for a small stretch!). One were from the seeds of my one vibrant bi-color blue and purple sweet peas from last year.
Originally I was going to put garden art across the top of the fence, but the sweet peas just kept growing higher and higher. David had to tie the vines to the fence and posts. They were so heavy and thick.
I can cut sweet peas for hours one day and then cut the same amount 3-4 days later. They are so abundant and prolific. I love it. I just wish I had more room.
Our fairy with a broken wing that we bought before we even got married, now resides with the sweet peas and the aquilegia.
Our little bird on a glass globe also watches over the sweet peas.
Delphinium and guillardia.
Our landscape architect didn’t prune the alstroemeria this season, so we had them in abundance this year in our backyard. And not only a lot of them, but Amazonian-size orange and pink alstroemeria. They made wonderful jumbo bouquets this season.
Miniature dahlias in a pot at the edge of our patio.
Violet scabiosa in a stone container by the edge of the patio.
I have red, white, pink and orange gerberas that come up reliably every year since I planted them four years ago.
One of my favorite flowers is the scabiosa – in all different colors and varieties. I have planted them in the front, side, and backyards, and I never get very many blooms. This year I am planting a variety of them in one of the planter boxes. We’ll see if I’m able to get a good crop.
Our garden attracts birds, bees, and butterflies. Isabella took a picture of this little guy enjoying the view from our fence. Thanks for taking a tour of this year’s garden. See you next year!