Arbor Walk Update 2

It was an absolutely gorgeous day in Benicia. A bit breezy and not quite as warm as I like, but so lovely. A nice day for gardening, or working on the Arbor Walk. Above is one of my favorite flower beds. To the right of the stepping stone is a Sea Thrift. It's a little grassy mound with pink puffy flowers at the ends of long stalks. In front of that is a johnny jump up. To the left of the stepping stone is one of the many salvia greggiis. I have a lot of these because I just love how they look in a flower bed. I have a couple of them in this bed, and many more throughout the garden. Another favorite salvia is Pineapple Sage. I have three different kinds around my yard, and one more, a twig plucked from an unsuspecting sidewalk pot, trying to grow his very own roots (updates to follow). Far left, just out of the picture is a gorgeous bougainvillea - pink/light green flowers. I also have a new currant bush that isn't quite ready for The Blog, but it's coming along nicely.

Speaking of coming along nicely, at first glance you might not notice this little baby fir tree. The Daughter had a teeny terra cotta pot with some fir tree SEEDS that a friend had given her years go. She saved it all this time, and brought it out when we moved into Wellington. Last year we planted the seeds, two sprouted, and this one is thriving! (Don't ask about the other one.) It's only about an inch and a quarter high. But I never even knew you could grow a little pine tree from a seed. But here's proof. Pay no attention to that weed underneath him. Better go pluck that thing out.

Now for the Arbor Walk Update! This photo is taken in the middle of The Walk. In the distance is a small redwood deck as sort of a landing when you come through the front gate. Limestone stepping stones meander through what will soon be planted with little trees and grasses. Then a second, larger deck will have an outdoor table and chairs. Right now we have these two adirondacks. This little deck is beautifully situated for dining. In the morning the sun shines on the right side of this deck, in the evening it shines on the left. If one of us is cold, and one is hot, we can sit at opposite ends. That window leads to the kitchen/dining area inside. I'd like to put a shelf right outside this window for passing food out. From where I'm standing, more limestones finish out The Walk, along with two more decks - one against the house and one on the other side both with gliding benches for sitting amongst the trees. So far the Arbor Walk has the following trees: nectarine, apple, lemon, apricot and two weeping Japanese maples. I'd like to get one more large tree and a couple more small ones.

I have been busily propogating lots of plants for this area. Most I bought in tiny six packs, some I snagged from neighbors and rooted. I have a lavatera, which I grew from a little teeny (stolen) cutting (more like plucking) last year, right after we moved in. It's now three feet tall and full of blooms. I'll be planting lambs' ears, lavender, blue fescue, snow in summer, variegated St. Augustine grass, two kinds of sedum and maybe some glechoma.

Finally, look at my kitchen mid-dinner prep. I had just finished making a pie (it was baking). This is the first time I rolled the pastry out right on the granite countertops and it came out very flakey. The chicken was washed and waiting to be split and made into Chicken Adobo. It was a good day at Wellington.