My Santuary

I have done a few posts on my garden already about how I have accumulated treasures over the years to really make my garden a sanctuary, and I do mean sanctuary.  I love to be outside wandering about and eating breakfast on the patio.  It's one of my favorite places to be in the morning except in the winter.

When my daughter decided to have her wedding in our back yard a couple of years ago, I took that opportunity to convert a lot of my rose bushes to an all white palette.  Pretty much the only color I have in our yard is the blue agapanthus plants that bloom right around 4th of July.  Perfect timing.   We live in Southern California and our soil is not the best.  It is clay soil with very poor drainage so I am constantly trying to amend the soil to get more earthworms to do the aerating for me.

The above photo was taken last weekend.  This look is a little too jungle-like for me, but this is what it turns into during the peak growing season.  You can see how lush and green everything is and this is a pretty drought tolerant yard too, especially since I added the succulents where my very thirsty annuals used to need hand watering every day.  I do have one little rose bush that died almost overnight and I will have to investigate why that happened.  I have never experienced that before.  Maybe its root system had a problem.

 I mulch every spring with Gardner & Bloom soil amendment.  I apply it like a mulch on the top of my soil.  It has bat guano and chicken manure and all kinds of good things in it to feed my soil.  About 14 bags does my whole front and back upper yard.

 I really need to get the hedges on the hill trimmed back.  They were evenly trimmed about a month ago and look how much they have grown.

 I've had this rose bush for about 20 years.  Just a hint of pink against the white.  I don't even know what it's called.

 Here is the long view of our patio.  I usually do my tablescapes right in front of those hanging windows.

 I love rustic lanterns hanging on Sheppard's hooks.  I have them everywhere.

 It may be time to thin out my treasures (or at least relocate them).  It's hard to resist when I find them at yard sales.  I quickly become attached.

The other thing I do to feed the yard is organic rose food.  I'm not particular about the brand.  I just scatter handfuls around the roots of my rose bushes in the spring.  If I am not getting very many blooms, I will mix fish emulsion, one tablespoon to one gallon of water, and water that into my soil.  But the last couple of years I have not needed to do that.

 My garden is a place for me to rejuvenate when I am tired or feeling stressed.  You might say it's good for the blood pressure too.  So if you don't have a garden to regenerate your soul, visit a public garden in your area.  I bet you will feel totally refreshed.

Don't forget about this week's Hot Fun in the Summertime link party.  It starts tomorrow night at 8:00 eastern time.  You can link up on any of our blogs and show up on all five.  Have a great week and stay cool!

I'm partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Tutus and Tea Parties       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style         Ivy and Elephants  
                                     Faded Charm Cottage       Fine Craft Guild      
Thursdays        Embracing Change     The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    Fishtail Cottage
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    At the Picket Fence     Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Decorating Insanity   Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           It's Overflowing