Gardening Success and Failure

As I reflect on our garden over the past year, as usual, there were highs and lows. I was appalled when a grasshopper ate most of my husband’s prized Chinese maple. Fortunately, the tree managed to replace at least some foliage and actually appears less “fried” than it usually does at the end of summer.

This is a true prize. We have one perfect, ripe pomegranate. There is the possibility of two more. I know this doesn’t sound like much of a success, but a squirrel ate our bumper crop last year. The fruit was eaten piecemeal with shells left hanging. Something larger—perhaps a raccoon or opossum—stole whole pomegranates this year. Success is a relative thing.

Something ate our entire pea crop, leaves and all. Our tomatoes never looked anything but pathetic. I’m not giving up. I planted various veggies from seed including Brussels sprouts. Carrots are easy to grow in our raised beds. Pea seeds barely hit the ground and started growing. I bought an onion set since nothing eats those and we will, at least, have something to show for our efforts. Anything we get is a bonus. We would have been watering a lawn, anyway.

I tried artichokes for the first time this year. It was delightful to go outside and pick an artichoke for lunch. I let a couple of the artichokes flower. Their vibrant purple color drew my eye for several weeks. Then something shocking happened. The whole thing turned brown and croaked! Here, I thought artichokes were perennials. But surprise! Since I chopped that dead thing to the ground, new shoots are sprouting. Looks like I’ll be in for a bumper crop some day. So far nothing has nibbled at artichokes. That seems to be my main requirement when I shop for plants—how likely they are to be eaten. I’m only giving the peas another chance because they are such beautiful plants.

Trips to gardens always put me in a horticultural state of mind. On a recent trip to the Huntington, we visited the “Ranch,” open on Saturday mornings. The kindly docents give home gardening advice in the midst of demonstration gardens. I love their tool shed. The sign above the door reads, “Trespassers will be composted.” Visiting this area also put me closer to the Huntington mausoleum than I’ve ever come before. It was designed by renowned architect John Russell Pope to resemble a Greek Temple. I understand a redesign of the surrounding garden is underway.

If you’ve never been to Otto and Sons in Fillmore, I recommend it highly. They have a rose sale in October and there is a David Austin rose I have my eye on. Their selection, though depleted in fall, is still astounding. We recently went to do a bit of research and were surprised to find the orange trees behind the current sales area have been removed. Otto’s will soon showcase at least double the roses they now display. See our new “Incendio” rose, below. We got a recommendation for Yanni’s on Highway 126. Their food proved to be yummy. What could be better than a day filled with roses and good food?

And one more Otto’s find—this striking geranium. So far, rabbits don’t bother the roses or the geraniums, so we will soon have a yard full of those!

Fall is prime planting season in Southern California. I’m hoping to fill in a few blank spots and rejuvenate my succulents before getting caught up in holiday preparations. Good luck on your current gardening efforts!