Spring

Spring has sprung and as usual the most inspiring season of the year - no contest. Each season has it's merits and joys in the garden but all of the elements that inspire are abundant in spring. Renewal… transformation… hope… the list goes on.

A Kitsilano Community Garden in Spring 2014

As I must weed and transplant in this garden of ours,

perhaps you too will spend quiet hours

            In your plot

            Your special spot

That from this earthly soil

we look up at promising blue skies and toil

Before the moon has cast it’s pale into the night,

let’s meet with worms and pull out goutweed - the fright:

A tiny seed, a egg yoke yellow daff, an exquisite tulip about to burst

A hellebores more royally purple than a queen whose cursed

A garden basket waiting to collect, the promised bounty lovingly nursed,

We’ll try the secret garden waltz while secret magic happens

beneath our feet -- quietly -- creatures rule.

First Work Party of 2014!

The exciting first work party of 2014 took place on a rainy old Saturday - March 8th.The rain helped all the members to easily pull out weeds and do some transplanting. 

This year's experiment with the garden purchasing bagged soil energizer from one of the local garden suppliers (David Hunter) got underway so it will be interesting to see if we notice any difference this year. I think most of the members bought 2-3 bags for their plots which should definitely give a good boost to the health of the soil. And if all goes according to plan this season we are hoping that more efficient composting will happen and give us lots of garden produced good stuff to add to our plots and common areas to further build up the health of our soil. 

As they say in Texas, the back area beautification project continues and it was cleaned up 'real good'!  To continue in my inexplicable texas drawl inspired by one of this year's Oscar nominated actors is…"awlright awlright awlright".  

Buttons adorning part of a birdhouse, now on the back of the shed, are leftover
 from a 1960's olive green pants suit - guess what member?!

Ten Reasons To Grow A Garden

An excerpt from Jeanne Nolan's wonderfully inspiring book "From The Ground Up". I have jazzed up the list a bit! Not telling our members anything that they didn't already know eh? Nice reminder though.

1. Health
Eating organic veggies from your garden helps prevent diabetes, obesity, and some cancers.

2. Taste
Homegrown, fresh-picked veggies, herbs and fruit offer an unparalleled taste experience with a great depth of flavour and intensity.

3. Safety
Foodborne illnesses like salmonella and E. coli are routinely found on industrial produced farms. There is no safer source of food than your own community garden.

4. Exercise
Working in the garden is an antidote to our indoor lifestyles… Facebook :)…etc. We live in a technology-driven world with way too many emails!! The joy of physical activity in a natural setting to produce something tangible is not only good for your body but fulfilling to the spirit.

5. Focus
Gardening helps overstimulated humans focus and perform better at work and just in general!

6. Climate
Huge quantities of oil is used annually to feed our population. This accounts for the energy that flows into petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers as well as fuel for farming machinery, irrigation, food processing, and distribution. By comparison, an organic food garden can have a zero-carbon footprint or even a positive climate impact, due to the absorption of carbon dioxide by its leafy plants.

7. Budget
Gardens can considerably reduce grocery bills. A U.S. stat compiled by a recent Gardening Association study found that the average family with a vegetable garden spends just seventy dollars a year on it and grows an estimated six hundred dollars' worth of vegetables! Uh, if you shop at Whole Foods I would say probably triple that :). Just 'sayin.

8. Community
Growing food in our community garden brings us together in the garden, besides the random interactions with one another and our work parties... sharing of veggies, plants and gardening tips… our gorgeous garden continues to be a magnet that gets neighbours and passers-by talking over the fence and in the garden. A great connection.

9. Happiness
Dirt makes you feel good. A 2007 study from the University of Bristol in England showed that when injected in mice, a specific soil bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, targets immune cells that release chemicals, which, in turn, stimulate the serotonin-releasing neurons in the brain - the very same neurone activated by Prozac and other antidepressants.

10. Nature
Growing food and flowers offers an accessible way to connect with the natural world. The basic lesson that when we take care of the earth, the earth takes care of us is learned hands on. It's important to use and appreciate modern technology (gotta love the iPad) but it is so so vital to be exposed to the wonders of plant growth and natural ecosystems.

Spring is around the corner...

Spring is just around the corner…we are having our usual Vancouver weather where it seems like it's almost ready to garden again and then all of a sudden it's freezing again! The earth is sopping wet so those extra cold days and nights freeze the ground, then it thaws out for a bit, then it freezes again. Don't be tempted to get started yet. I have been thinking about planting my sweet pea seeds but I'm gonna wait until March. Although the 2014 gardening season will soon be here - enjoy the incredible end of winter beauty in our garden now - snowdrops are in their glory (lots this year) and the bulbs are already part way up. The grass is green as can be. Before you know it our first work party of the season will be upon us (March 8th).

Japanese Anenome fluffy seed heads - still in place after the winter rains! Amazing.

Okay - not at our garden - but the ducks at Jericho Park. Their partial skating rink the other day

Galanthus - snow drops - February jewels (see last year's post for this gorgeous botanical's provenance)

Our friend and fellow gardener - Marg Haga

Marg was one of those special people whose enthusiasm for life and good humour always had you laughing. She was a committed and highly valued garden member and I know that many people in the gardening community will miss her greatly. She had a straight forward style and tremendous kindness which will never be forgot. I remember when my personal schedule was a bit crazy and my garden was suffering… Marg... without fuss or muss offered to help me out so I wouldn't get in trouble!

She would always tease me about making 'the cut' and getting into one of the Kits Garden blog posts! I know she would be thrilled that she made star billing in a post dedicated to her memory. I can hear her laughing about it - RIP Marg.

Winter Phase I

Winter in the garden… it's time. Phase I - the dahlia's have finally given up the ghost, our first frosts although very mild have gently nudged our lovely garden into the first stages of hibernation. What a long season we have enjoyed… I think I tasted the last few raspberries but who knows - could a few more be coaxed to ripen?

Hydrangea blossom - faded beauty

Japanese Anemone seed head

Primula blossom - thinks it's spring

Exquisite Japanese Anemone seed head perspective - I will scatter & conquer

Frosty ground

Sunflower leaves - giving in to the frost

Resilient kale… beads of ice

Crazy HUGE mushrooms in east garden

Frosty grass 

Dahlia blossoms under ice in the garden birdbath next door

Ice bubbles

Fall Back… Winter is Upon Us

I would say that most of the leaves have fallen from the branches - and were they not spectacular this year? I think the incredibly long summer/fall sunny and warmish weather and the lack of rain contributed to making our town so colourful and beautiful this year. The garden still continues to provide us with subtle beauty and is even giving up a few raspberries still here and there! 

Someone made this charming serpentine arrangement with the little metal containers at the back table

Lovely leaves for a garden blanket

It's now time to start dreaming about next season and it's still great weather for dividing perennials and raking the last of the leaves onto garden beds to give everything a nice cosy blanket over the winter. You could still sneak in some fall rye no doubt, and oh yeah, bulbs and garlic.

This tussie-mussie was provided by the garden on October 29th!!
Shisho, dahlia, rose, cosmos, sedum, oregano

Biscuit recommends enjoying your knitwear during the upcoming winter season -  and having some nice walks on the beach while the garden is resting.

Stay tuned for some upcoming winter posts from the garden.