Spring

I never really related to the meaning of 'Spring is in the Air'....until this morning.  While enjoying a cherished morning walk in the garden before work with my camera and coffee -I could literally smell spring (yes, even over my strong cup of Turkish-style coffee!).  What does it smell like? Well here goes my try at waxing poetic-
Sweet, like earth soaked in sugar, new leaves pungent with chlorophyll, earthy,  sun-dried wood, musky wild plum blossoms, daffodil sweetness carried on a soft breeze of coolness, with warmth inside it, whispering hints of  summer-
OK, well how was that? Can you relate? :)

Then I snapped back into reality when I realized the weeds have overcome my garden again, but they're plants too, right? NOT in my garden...we'll have none of that business...they have plenty of other areas where they can congregate.  So I wonder how long it will take to get things back in order. Oh well! So the image at above is my Waterlilly Magnolia.  It's only about 5' right now, and 4 years old, but I can only imagine how spectacular the entire property will smell when it's really mature.  I love this tree.

And here's the new Snow Parrots (Astilbe too) forcing their way up through my wonderful Bonny Doon Vineyard grape pumice.  Grape pumice consists of the stems, skins and seeds left over from pressing the grapes, and it's very high in phosphorus. I have been mixing the pumice now with our animal manure and composting. I think the combined grape pumice and manure is advantageous because it adds vital minerals and nutrients to the soil -as well as added nitrogen.  I'm hoping this will work as a slow release fertilizer.
More on this later...

In the mean time- we're busy moving our studio from downtown Santa Cruz back up to Bonny Doon.  In some ways it's going back to the good 'ol days when I walked into the garden, cut a few things, and then threw together spectacular floral designs.  It's going back to forward thinking- inspiration, and it's settling a longing for me.  Like I always say, it begins in the garden .  I've built my business on that idea, and I look forward to spending more time in the garden as well as our little Kiosk on Pacific Ave.  It will be dressed in its 'garden' attire a little more now!