The First Plums

I wasn't expecting the weeping Santa Rose plum tree I planted a year ago to fruit for at least another year or two. But surprise! I've spotted at least a half dozen plums so far. They're well camouflaged among the leaves while their skins are still green, so I'm hoping that there are more that I'm just not seeing. I can't wait to bite into the first one!

Now This I Like

Watch this short video to see a very resourceful, clever, and beautiful garden in Seattle. The composting fence idea is nothing short of brilliant. This is the kind of garden I'm aiming for.

(Hat tip: Empress of Dirt)

Welcoming Back Spring

Enjoy this brief (less than two minutes) animated film from Jeff Scher, courtesy of the NY Times. It's really lovely.

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Who Knew You Could Eat the Leaves Too?

I love plants that offer a two-fer. Like Amaranth--you can eat the leaves and the grain. Beets--roast the roots and saute the greens. Or grapes--eat the fruit, roll the leaves up into dolmas, and by all means drink the wine!

And this morning while reading the SF Chron online, I learned about another horticultural two-fer: fava beans. Not only are they great for the soil because they put nitrogen back into it, but it turns out you can eat both the beans and the greens. In fact, the greens are turning out to be one of the latest culinary trends in Bay Area restaurants. Move over, arugula!

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Recession Hits the SF Botanical Garden

The S.F. Recreation and Park Department is proposing the imposition of a $5 entrance fee to the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Facing an $11.4 million shortfall for the coming year, this is just one of the fees under consideration by the parks department. You can read more about the proposal in this article in the SF Chronicle.

I hate to hear about things like this because these are the kind of proposals that become self-defeating in the end. You take a venue that everyone can enjoy and appreciate because it's free and impose an entrance fee. Only then, there are many people who will never set foot in it again. Then it becomes a sort of "rarefied" spot, the kind of place that people think isn't really meant for the masses. Which is, of course, exactly what an urban garden should be.

I know a $5 fee doesn't sound like much, and these are exceptionally hard times, but it still sounds like a bad idea to me. Couldn't the city impose other, more worthwhile fees instead? Like for gun registrations, for example? Here's a bumper sticker I'd like to see: "Use a gun, fund an orchid."

We Have a Winner!

Sorry, I should have posted this last night, but I got distracted. So here's the big winner of a free pair of Ethel Gloves-- Christine! Christine didn't leave her e-mail address, however, so I've notified her by way of her blog, Through the Garden Gate. Stop by and congratulate her on her win.

And for those of you who didn't win, don't forget that you can get 10% off your entire purchase of Ethel Gloves when you place your order from their website and use the discount code ALAMEDA. I think you'll really be pleased with these gloves!

Don't Forget to Enter the Ethel Glove Giveaway

Don't miss your chance to enter the drawing for a free pair of Ethel Gloves! You can enter by posting a comment here, including your e-mail address. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow (Friday) at 5:00 p.m. PDT. (I'm extending it from the original drawing time of noon.) Don't wait!