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"Where better to care for the soul than in the details of our daily lives?....The soul has an absolute, unforgiving need for regular excursions into enchantment. It requires them like the body needs food and the mind needs thought... An enchanted world is one that speaks to the soul, to the mysterious depths of the heart and imagination where we find value, love and union with the world around us. As mystics of many religions have taught, that sense of rapturous union can give a sense of fulfillment that makes life purposeful and vibrant." ~ Thomas Moore.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Permaculture Gardening Food and Flowers

 *Warning: lots of pics!



Greetings of Beauty, Beautiful People!


Today is a good day. I am not in pain for one thing, and for another I think I am finally seeing the end of exhaustive gardening that must be done on this property, work that built up alot due to a heavy growing season with tons of rain and not being able to do anything at all due to humidity...so catching up is work but I do love it.

You know when you have a moment ?.....a moment that is rather exquisite in its long contemplation? Like when you walk into your back yard and look around and realize finally that there was actually nothing to do back there but just enjoy the view?? That kind of moment! lolol
All of a sudden my  body relaxed, and a deep sighhhhhh ensued, and I walked around looking at all the new plantings and neat beds and after the rains they were well watered, the sun was peeking out and there was literally nothing for me to do but to love the views and anticipate the coming fruits of my labor. I took some pictures, but most of the veggies and flowers are in baby stage.

What I want to mention however, is that in my quest to grow as much food as I can organically and naturally, the permaculture way is proving to be the best amongst gardeners, because guess what.....it is the way Nature does it. Go figure lolol. And I want this property to be a completely useful and resourceful place and having food forests and flowers all year is my goal. Lucky for me the housemate is on board.

This past week on his day off he decided to help me do the last bed in the back yard for which there are 6 now, and it took only an hour. When I asked him why he felt he wanted to get it done, because normally this is MY work, he said because he felt he needed to do something. 'Why' I ask? 'are you feeling a need to do something all of a sudden?'      ....
wait for it........

 "Because I guess I'm taking pride in the house".

Now people, that is a *rocking the house, bring the house down* statement! From HIM!

And for me, because this man never really liked or enjoyed his house before, it was just a place to sleep at night etc, but after all the transformations I've been doing by myself, and the beauty that is resulting and all the dozens of little details for transforming even minor things, he is  
 n o w    l o v i n g    h i s    o w n     h o u s e !

Thank you GOD.
How wonderful is pride and joy taken from ones own home, which transforms the mundane to magical.

I smiled with a deep joy understanding full well where this man's new disposition lies after 10 years of being depressed, morose, sluggish, cynical and sick......he is now cancer free, joyful at times! and having pride in his home. Its been a very long journey to this moment. And is to be savored. Yes, thank you Pammie :D:D:D

So....in my desire to turn this yard and every green space into a Food and Flower Forest I decided to do my veggie beds in a permaculture way which partially means using up what is available, recycling, reusing and no waste. So dead leaves are incorporated into the beds because they add nutrients to the soil as they break down. Everything in nature has a purpose, and we are learning what it is and how to enrich it all and increase its output and longevity and beauty!

First I dug out all the soil in the one bed and put it into a wagon........




Then I added some, not alot of green weeds that were going into the compost and mixed it with some dead leaves and cut tree branches too....



On top of that I added an entire layer of already dead leaves.....important they are already dead and dried otherwise it begins "composting" and becomes too hot if they are still "green" and the heat can destroy the roots of what is planted




On top of the layer of brown dry leaves, I added two bags of top soil, stamped it down and watered alot!



then a layer of color free newspaper to keep weeds in check and I watered some more.



Then I added a layer of straw and watered again. Then I planted 2 types of lettuce........ butter crunch lettuce and red lettuce......dug with my fingers a hole to fit the plant, planted it then squished the wet soil around it and covered the exposed root area with the straw.  These are tiny.




But they grew in two weeks, and the bed did not get "hot" because it was not composting, since the dead leaves were already dried.

 





Last night as it was drizzling gently, I couldn't sleep and walked outside to see my plants, and I touched a leaf of this butter crunch lettuce and it broke off......but the scent was heavenly!! I ate the leaf on the spot and remembered having a really amazing sandwich with this flavor in it and I can't wait to do this again!

 






Lemons are turning yellow, thankfully not all at the same time! Drinking some lemon juice in my water now. Love Mama Nature who in her wisdom matures each plant and fruit in their own time.




Lemons hanging low close to the ground even.....:D







The herb bed. Sage, tarragon, chive, culantro, Thai basil, sweet basil, rosemary, parsley dill, mint and oregano. Aloe in pots against the fence and grapes growing above it.
It is with great pleasure that John and I go out to cut herbs whenever we cook. I use herbs in everything because I love their flavors..... their infinite combinations to make variety the spice of life!
Also a miniature rose in a giant teapot! lolol

 

 




This is Lamp Post Square lolol.....has two kinds of cabbage, one in a larger circle pattern and inside it the purple cabbage in a square, and marigolds for prettyness. Lemongrass flanks this Square like majestic loyal guardians, and I've been making lemongrass tea and gobbling it down like it was water! It is really great to keep one cool in the heat....not temperature cool,  but it is medicinally a cooling herb and works great. It is also the best scent for the house when making it! Love!

 
 








A nearby huge elephant ear holding droplets of rain water..... so beautiful !!


 






A new Bed....holding some homeless potted plants, but the ground  is planted with mint and oregano to hopefully grow like crazy, and a few mustard plants, some yellow snap dragons I hope grow big!......and in front is millet which the birds do love and this plant is self seeding in this spot and just keep going and going and going.....lolol......love those!!


 




A nearby potted plant with various coleus.....I love this plant!








In Tomatoe Square I have mustards and cabbage, some vinca flowers for color.....the leaves of the mustard are beautiful and are amazing in sandwiches too.....they really have a mustard flavor! Love! :D










 
New bed of arugula, 2 different kinds of cabbages like napa, yellow snapdragons and pink vinca. We eat alot of cabbage, they are very healthy rich in sulpher. To the left is a lime bush which makes tiny but juicy limes!








 



Pitcher plant under the arbor.





Purple Vanda Orchid and my whimsical white chandelier with rust!......beneath the orchid is the delicate yellow flowering Thryalis which is heavenly fragrant!

 







Huge begonias beneath the huge australian fern.






A very GREEN spot with sweet potato vine and asparagus fern.....










A Victorian Corner.....










I walked in from the humid and bright sun.....to cool dimly lit white serenity.....neighbors came by and said exactly the same thing I sensed :-)
















Then out the front to take a picture of Mussenda Square, which is filling out with azaleas, vinca, coleus, and a few odds and ends.......gardens in Florida have different kinds of flowers.....it will always look "different"






I turn to the right to take a picture of these gorgeous purple neon bromeliads beneath a staghorn fern....










I walk back to the front and take a picture of the front gate which now has pots and the lavender bougainvillea is blooming a bit.....wish the sun was on it but not until much later and I am not waiting lolol


 



That's it for today. I'm going to make a sandwich with some buttercrunch lettuce and to prepare for dinner. I hope you are all well and happy!. Thank you for visiting!




5 comments:

  1. Gardening is alot of work but so worth every drip of sweat. Yours is looks large and so wild...we have such a dry climate here that it is difficult to have so much green and wildness which I love. But I try to grow what is local so that we do not have to water so much...which means lots of drought resistant plants. We have been planting trees to create a canopy of shade and closed in feel to our garden. Keeping the potager corner open to sunshine though. Our weather has been low 80's for two weeks now, just perfect to be outdoors all day long. Enjoy your lettuce laced sandwich!

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    Replies
    1. lol, worth every drip of sweat, yes it is indeed ! lolol
      it is large and wild in areas I leave that way on purpose. Not everything in a garden should be 'manicured', some should be left wild and natural to observe natural changes and to learn from them. Also the animals need them, so I have corners of ''wild''. Some does go wild even when I try to keep it livable, but oh well. :D
      If you plant a canopy you can create a micro environment that WILL hold more moisture and even attract it from the air and the ground so that would give you more water and humidity for watering. Also collecting dew can be both a magical and sacred experience when handling those precious essences created by the elements of water and plants.
      My ''lettuce laced sandwich'' lolol, loved that name, was superb! thank you for visiting and commenting.
      blessings, lady

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  2. I can almost feel the humidity, smell the rich earthiness, what a beautiful garden, so much love.

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  3. What a wondrous green thumb you have! Your garden is completely enchanting.

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  4. OH MY GOODNESS, THAT FRONT GATE IS BLISS! Dearest Lady,

    Your life in the garden is a lovely balance to the darker side I have shared today; I am truly a HAPPY person, but my poetry takes me to a darker side that I HOPE helps to lift all things to THE LIGHT. I appreciate you coming, and most of all, commenting. I had a terrible time with Blogger today, uploading photos. I was hoping to counterbalance the maudlin nature of the poem with photos, but it is what it is....my mum died 27 years ago, but you know, love never dies. So what we carry in our hearts lives on, in poetry.

    MY GOODNESS your world is magical, and that gate....I WANT ONE JUST LIKE IT! Love to you dear one, and forgive me for breaking your heart....

    ReplyDelete

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