I have heard tales that long ago humanity lived in a totally different environment. A different configuration in our solar system (it is said) gave rise to a climate that had a purple hue and a constant subtropical climate. This was the "golden age" of humanity ruled by Saturn and, later, by Jupiter.
Those times, however, have passed. This is no golden age. Yet, here we are with a desire to grow despite less than ideal conditions.
Today I want to share with you all an on going project of creating a beautiful garden in a very, very dry climate.
This is my parent's suburban backyard in a town in Northern California. It gets some rainfall in winter and scorching sunshine the rest of the year.
Through tons of trial and error my mom and I have turned this landscape from dead and desolate to a refuge of herbs. There is still so much to do. There are still many blank spots where my trials have failed though I am glad to say we have had many successes. Just look at the lantan and hummingbird sage growing in the image above.
Over the past week I have been populating this semi-circular garden bed, a project I began during a visit last year. Off to the corner the aloe plants, sages, lantana, and even hops are growing quite well. But, the focal point of this dry-land garden remained sadly bare. So, I added a couple of bags of fresh soil to cover the barren ground.
I also transplanted a few succulents that had outgrown their pots elsewhere and baby aloes that wanted more space.
And being an herbalist I could not help but add two medicinal plants. Pink yarrow that we bought at a local nursery and white sage that I was given during my volunteer work at a native plant nursery. Both are also great for pollinators too!
We have white yarrow growing in a few other locations around the yard and decided to give this pinkish yarrow a try. In the middle of this semi-circle my mom wishes to plant a Meyer lemon tree which we should wait on until the weather cools off a bit.
I personally believe that a big factor if the intense heat and prolonged droughts in this part of the world are due to the rampant deforestation of this once tree-covered land. Luckily a few magestic oaks remain in this neighborhood and I plan to fill in more fruit and native trees. Maybe someday we will have a garden'o'plenty back here and even, I dare say, a human-made golden age.
Now the sun is high in the sky and temperatures are reaching 95 degrees (Fahrenheit). Time to head inside for a while and maybe do some indoor gardening with my collection of potted succulents in the office to which there are two newcomers! More on that in a future garden journal!