Mother Nature and A New Garden

36 comments:
 Mother Nature was in a very bad mood this last weekend
and she dropped over 6" of rain and hit us with some crazy winds.
 We lost one of the older Lemon trees.
It was really top heavy with fruit 
and a bit diseased.

 We lost a huge low hanging branch on one of the old Oaks too.
 Guess we will have some fire wood for next Winter, right?
 There is debris everywhere and lots of power out all over Ojai.  
All I have heard all day is the buzzing of chain saws.
 A few neighbors lost some really huge Oaks, so we feel pretty lucky.
 Today the sun finally came out 
and the little seasonal creek was so pretty full of water.
 How wonderful would it be if it was always like this?
After all of the rain if you want to dig a new bed, now is the time.
 The soil is heavy but can be worked fairly easily...well not really easily,
 but at least you can get a shovel into it.
 This new bed will be a lavender garden.
I like Lavendula "Grosso", 
which I have used in many other spots, 
but this garden will consist of about 100 plants grouped together. 
 Grosso is the "go to" Lavender for crafts 
and drying because of the smell and the vibrant blue flowers.

I have been wanting to do this project for a while, 
but knew that I would have to dig this when the soil was really saturated.
 I start these beds using a pitch fork.
  This works great because the fork doesn't get hung up on rocks,
large and small...which are everywhere. 
 I swear the rocks are having babies like bunnies!
 After the pitch fork process,
 I throw in a bag or two of this stuff...
I also use this in the veggie garden!
 Then we get to fire up my fave little garden toy... 
the  Honda tiller or "Tilley" as I like to call her.
She is a girl of course...she's really cute.
I love my Tilley
...she may even need a bow or some lipstick!
 The Lavender garden will be next to the raised veggie beds and adjacent to the English roses
 This took about 4 hours and I will finish the other side tomorrow...weather permitting.
 We rarely sit here, 
so I would rather see a beautiful bed of Lavender, 
instead of empty chairs.
I'm hoping to get the beds finished and planted next week 
and we are also still working on the Master Bathroom
...UGH!

Stay Tuned  
&
Happy Spring 

xo
kelley
36 comments:
  1. hi kelley,

    your garden is so gorgeous. i'm so jealous. love the idea of a lavender garden and the rain and wind was crazy yesterday.

    next week is supposed to be in the 70's all week. perfect for gardening.

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  2. This is fantastic, such inspiration here! Hey did you hear Brooke from Velvet and Linen is going to be your neighbor!

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  3. Kelley- It looks beautiful. I am so sorry that you had all that damage though~ There is just no replacing those old oaks that your neighbors lost though is there? I will look forward to seeing your garden finished! xxoo Diana

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  4. Your garden is so beautiful Kelley~I wish you could visit me in Seattle and help my horrible yard and gardens!~sorry to hear about your weather lately~ have a wonderful week!;)Hugs,Rachel

    French Farmhouse 425

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  5. Yes, it was a crazy weekend! We got over 4 inches and we arent even in the foothills like Ojai. You lucked out on the oaks....those can cause some MAJOR damage to structures when they fall over!
    How cool that you have a cute lil seasonal creek?! Love that. I am imagining the lavender scents wafting thru your backyard.....*sigh*
    Come on summer!! :)
    XOX

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  6. Oh Kellie! It all looks beautiful. The good part of spring rains is you can move a lot of soil fast and easy. Love the idea of a lavender bed. I am trying to simplify my planting, not growing so much variety but more of what we use in mass. this is a shift for me!
    xo
    Caroline

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  7. Kelley, Your yard is just beautiful!!!

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  8. Super pretty garden!
    My lavender is doing so well and the roses have lots of buds...more rain on the way.

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  9. HI Kelley...inspiring post, your garden will be a stunner! good work!

    xoxo

    Kit

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  10. I know exactly what you mean about the weather. We had horrible winds and 5 in. of snow. Fortunately, like you, we did not lose any trees. I couldn't sleep all night long though, listening to the wind outside whip. Did you ever find the place you bought the screen door?

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  11. Wow! What a lovely project and the end results look very promising. Yes, get rid of the empty chairs and do the lavender. I have no green thumb, but envy your days spent with Tilly.

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  12. I'm sure that lemon tree wood will smell wonderful on the fire. Love your garden! We have more snow today, so I'm just going to close my eyes and pretend that I'm perched on the edge of one of your raised beds. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. You are such an inspiration as always....just love this peaceful paradise you've created....
    I'm a gardener but have never operated a "tilly"....I assume they churn up the soil and prepare the bed? Would love to know more...
    I just might have to recreate those beautiful rock garden borders in the next abode!
    xoxo

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  14. Love the raised beds and serene beauty of the grass, trees and garden beds. This has inspired me to want to get started but we're in SoCal and the weather guy says more rain is on the way. ...must remember, patience is a virtue, right? :-)
    Karen

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  15. I adore your garden...and hopefully in a couple weeks we'll be able to start working on building one too...and I'll be using yours as my inspiration. Oh...I started plaanting lavender last year...and will be adding lots more this year...love how it looks in big groupings.

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  16. Kelley,
    Your garden is so lush!!! I just want to lay on the grass and read a book! We've lost so many trees and shrubs for the last 2 winters, things are looking a bit sad, so I really enjoyed seeing all your beautiful efforts!
    ~R

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  17. That's so sad to lose that beautiful lemon tree. I had trouble getting one happy in my last yard, so I don't take them for granted. We were driving south on the Grapevine during that awful storm on Sunday. It was crazy scary. I had been thinking about big beds of lavender in my new yard. Thanks for the name of your favorite. I'll keep that in mind. Your beds are always beautiful and inspiring!

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  18. When life gives you lemons - make lemonade - and lots of it in your case.
    When life gives you broken branches - make cord wood!

    (sorry couldn't resist ;-)

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  19. ...Don't mind me. Just snoozing under a bed of lavender.

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  20. Kelley - I never ever tire of pictures of your garden. You are so incredibly talented!
    Melissa

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  21. Love the little creek. Too bad you can't get to run all year.

    Few things more exciting than a new garden. The possibilities are endless.

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  22. I have to say...I just found your blog...and I have a complete and head over heels blog crush on you!!! LOVE your style!!! LOVE it!
    Tracie

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  23. so beauTiful!! how i miss the central coast!! {used to live in Oxnard} i love what you did with your old house, and selling it fully furnished was brave & creative all at same time. well done! i'm a new follower & look forward to seeing what ya do with the new place! :)

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  24. I just found you via The Lettered Cottage. You have amazing taste and your home renovations are beautiful!

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  25. I've just spent quite a bit of time looking around your fabulous blog. I'm your newest follower
    Cheers!
    Rita

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  26. how sad to lose that beautiful lemon tree. Hopefully you have another...we eat many lemons and would love to pick right off of a tree. I dont think they grow well on the Washington Coast though.

    I have been planning a rock sitting wall since I moved into my farmhouse a year ago and haven't been able to find a tutorial or anything on building one. Would you want to clue a DIY girl on how to build one?

    You garden area is GORGEOUS and if I sat in the chairs they would be facing the other direction toward the garden ;o)

    Lori

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  27. your yard is always so inspiring. I have been looking for a garden border like the stick one you have. Where to you find it if you don't mind me asking?

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  28. Your yard is gorgeous. I'm from Cali and seeing your big beautiful oak tress is making me homesick. I'm so sorry about your lemon tree. Layla from The Lettered Cottage sent me over.

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  29. What? I knew about your blog before the lettered cottage did. I loved seeing the pictures of your old home, It was beautiful. she didin't post any pictures of your new living room, that I just love.
    I saw a movie recently called "Easy A" and It was filmed in Ojai, I hurried and looked it up and now I want to move there. looks lovely.

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  30. I'm so sorry to hear about your tree, Kelley, but the rest of your garden is looking beautiful.
    I'm looking forward to seeing your lavender field. Thank you for sharing the name of your favorite lavender. My friends at our local nursery always roll their eyes when I ask them for French lavender! Now I can say "I'd like Lavendula Grosso!"
    I hope the next couple of days aren't too stormy!

    xo
    Brooke

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  31. Your garden reminds me of the garden in It's Complicated (the movie). What a wonderful gift to play in the dirt on a sunny day! We hope to have those here again in the midwest... soon!

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  32. Hi! I just discovered your blog and I love it! So simple and beautiful. Your garden is amazing too, I hope to have one as nice someday. I'm not much of a gardener yet but you can't beat the beauty of a well groomed yard. Anyways just wanted to tell you how lovely your blog is ;) Stop by my blog sometime if you get a chance for a chat!

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  33. beautiful blog!
    The picture of the lemon tree is something! I have never seen one:) This is so inspiring. If we can get past the pollen in Atlanta, I will be ready to get out in the yard soon!

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  34. Hi...I'm a new follower and discovered your blog through The Lettered Cottage and I love. I would die for a garden like this. If I ever get one someday...I'll know who to turn to for inspiration!

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  35. Holy potato skins...that's one big garden you got going on there! I love it already and am so glad that Layla featured you at The Lettered Cottage so that I found my way to your blog. Your house (that you sold) was wonderful. What talent you have.

    Jan @ BellaCasa

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  36. Hi there I am new here...I love your garden !!! I am just a little south of you in Calabasas !!! The lavender garden is going to be fab...If the chairs you are not sitting on... are planning on getting rid of them ? If so I am interested !!! I would love to sit in that chair!! LOL!!

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