art of flowers...a blog by The Bonny Doon Garden Company

Rose Garden Renovations-Chapter 2

I've always felt that when I'm in the garden - time stands still for me.  I stop and ponder things I wouldn't normally give a split-second thought to otherwise.  However, this past month-July 3, 4 & 5 to be exact - time flew by in the garden because we were trying to move over 200 rose bushes in the morning hours before the sun came down on them with a vengence and stressed the *?))>>> out of them. Boy did time fly by those morning hours!  Talk about a stressful thing.  I thought I killed my favorite rose bush, but after they settled in, complained, dropped a few leaves, withered & drooped, they began to come into their new spots quite nicely.  I had cut them back a fair amount and watered generously before they moved, and after, and put some GREAT organic fertilizers -Dr. Earth Organic 3 in their new holes.  I am SO happy to report every bush is settled in nicely with lots of new bud growth and blooms!

Rose Garden Renovations-Chapter 1

On my previous post, I mentioned that we will be renovating-or remodeling our rose garden.  Well we started this monster project this past Saturday.  It isn't the best time I know to be moving roses, but I'm dealing with the fact that the irrigation needs repair, I don't like the general layout becuase they're spread out WAY too far from one another.  This makes it difficult (more so) to care for them because just the roses alone in this current layout covers about an acre!  It's too time consuming for me these days, and also, I've got a HUGE long lavender hedge that has become so robust that I cannot see my somewhat little English Roses.  So there...that's why I'm moving some of my roses in July. 

So here's my dear husband...preparing the soil for the new beds that will wrap around a fountain.

The new Rose Garden design will be more compact- I'm planting my english roses in groups of three per variety for a better effect since they're quite small. I'm combining different varieties in each bed....yes, I know I'm not supposed to do that, but in my book, I like it. The taller Hybrid Teas and Hybrid Perpetuals can be in the middle, and I've even planted some of them in groups of 3-5 for a 'wow' effect.  The smaller musks, damask, rugosas, gallicas, and english will be around the borders, and the beds are all color coordinated.  I love this because it makes the bushes seem they've been there for a hundred years.  Speaking of hundreds of years, we're inserting an antique lead fountain in the center (where you see the brick pool) that I found at an old antique/garden yard.

Here's my all-time favorite rose.  Her name is 'Evelyn'.  A David Austin rose.  I wish I had more of her.  You know 'Crabtree & Evelyn stores?  This is the rose they got their name from.  It's fragrance is out of this world!

I'll post more 'progress' later!

Rose Garden Renovations

Well-some exciting things are happening coming up later this summer. For one, there will be some filming in the garden for a PBS documentary-The Botany of Desire. So now I've got it in my head that I need to do some renovations in the rose garden-which is currently in all its glory right now.  Year after year these roses just amaze me with their incredible beauty.  I have approx. 200+ bushes of mainly David Austin, but also a few teas, rugusas, and moss.  I'm addicted this year, and I've spent so much time beginning in January pruning, spraying (just Neem), hand-picking (slaughtering)Japanese beetles,and just talking to them and feeding them lots.  I'm going to post before and after pictures because I've decided to move them-a few of them. I know it's not the right time -but it looks like a drunk indian layed it out! What was I thinking? More to follow...I've got to turn on the irrigation.

Happy Spring!

It's finally here...spring!  I've got the blown-out knee to prove it too.  Whenever the weather breaks I all of a sudden think I'm wonder woman in the garden. Pulling weeds, digging holes, planting, moving boulders, and whispering sweet nothings to the pretty little peeps of green emerging from the ground.  Its such an emotional time of year for me too. I think of my daughters, how fast they're growing, what summertime entertainments we'll be doing, and man...they're growing too fast!  Ok, enough gushy stuff. Nancy came up with the idea of a flower give-away at the shop to celebrate the first day of spring.  We were going to give away daffodils, but I've sold all mine already! They were a big hit this year! So I think we gave away some ranunculus this year.  Anyway it's nice to mark the first day of spring with something nice, beautiful, and a good gesture. Here are some photos of my garden I would like to share with you...the beauty of nature unfolding, triggered by the warmth of the spring sun.  All of these photos were taken by my daughters...Alania & Antalia. Enjoy!

News from the local perspective

The Santa Cruz Sentinel will be coming to the shop tomorrow to shoot some photos.  They will be opening (I think) their story about Amy Stewart's new book, Flower Confidential with some talk about me-and the shop and what we do here that's so special!  It's really such an honor for us to be a part of this!  Amy will be coming here-to Santa Cruz on 3/22 to do a book-signing event at Capitola Book Cafe and I can't wait to see her again. 

Also, on Monday of next week I'll be giving an interview to Peter Coates of Good Times Newspaper.  They are doing a feature article on our shop in the Home & Garden issue featured on 3/22/07.  Look for us!

You are my Valentine-2007

Look at how decked out the kiosk is!

The lines formed all day long...

And we're gratefull for that.  We were able to serve hundreds of people both on the phone and at the shop.  It really helped us having the Studio at Squid Row this year because we organized all the deliveries from that location.  This allowed us more space at the kiosk to really put on a nice show.  Everything was just beautiful layed out...we sold quite a few Valentine Posies, and lots a mixed designer choice arrangements.  Many, many single stem roses.  Those organic roses from Ecuador were just a huge hit!  Not too many people were interested in the fact they were organic, but a few were.  Mainly, people were just impressed with the size of their heads.  Gorgeous, and I've still got some at home and they look ok! Amazing.  It was a good Valentine's Day, and I'm pleased with the way it went. 

Now, I look forward to our next big shin-dig..Mother's Day!

Squid Row Studio...Now open!

December 16th was a GREAT FUN day! Thank you to all who participated, attended, and contributed in any way! What a wonderful way to commemorate our new location. 

Squid Row Alley is full of really awesome, artistic, and friendly people...it's a culture, and we're happy to be there.  Our little studio will be providing us a beautiful workspace first of all, but also the ability to provide our clientele a highly unusual selection of fine botanical-oriented gifts, and ideas.  We're also hugely delighted in our outdoor garden area.  We are offering the best in garden urns and structures, as well as garden design consultation! 

Stop by the studio and see us!  Our hours will be Mon-Sat. 10-2

Check out the open house photos!!!!