Three for the balcony in autumn

Last Saturday morning, just before 8 am, I was beyond ready, eager and impatient to be on the road east to brighter skies, long walks & photo ops along Hope River Road and on Little Mountain, and, at the end of the day, a warm, tasty meal of homemade soup and pumpkin seed bread. But before leaving, I chose to exercise self-discipline (a weak muscle for me) and spent a good hour -- with the emphasis on good so it was really no hardship --  tidying and tending the balcony's plants, tools and surfaces.

After I'd finished clearing the dried leaves from the Japanese maples and sweeping the deck, sunlight began streaming through gaps between the clouds. Because I consider it a "sin" to waste a moment of good light in October, I dropped the broom and secateurs and picked up my camera so I could preserve the images of herbs that have delighted and nourished my senses through late spring, summer and now autumn.

Thymus 'Doone Valley' (Doone Valley Thyme) 

Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus (Red-veined Sorrel, Bloody Dock)

Origanum vulgare 'Aureum' (Golden Oregano)

This post contains an experience-based recommendation -- and perhaps some evidence -- for including these three "5-star" plants in the fall kitchen garden.

Each plant gets stars for: #1) attractive appearance, #2) container suitability, #3) ease of care, and #4) culinary potential.

Each plant gets a fifth and one or more bonus stars for these features:

Doone Valley Thyme -- scent.

Red-veined Sorrel --  other common name: Bloody Dock!

Oregano -- exuberant, lush growth habit: it spreads, climbs and trails to fill and spill over a container.

Most of all, my eyes enjoy all three along the balcony's railing where they look good in all levels and qualities of light, even today's overcast grey.

Growing tips from some favourite resources

It's about thyme - from You Grow Girl

Origanum vulgare 'Aureum' | Golden Oregano - an excerpt from Designing an Herb Garden

The Macabre Beauty of Bloody Dock - from Paghat's Garden

Note: I eventually made it to my destination but that's the subject of the next post.

Sunshine, bright colour...

... & other gardening delights from the past week. I'm skipping over the overcast, dull grey features that showed up & stayed far too long nearly every day.

Friday, June 18th: Harvested a few 'Sea of Red' lettuce leaves but left most to capture the sun's rays & make more anthocyanins.

Saturday morning: Indulged in a few moments of simply "being" in the lavender, followed by a serious work session in the beet rows....

... thinning the crowded sections & filling the open spaces with a second sowing to ensure plenty of plump, golden roots in a few more weeks.

Sunday afternoon: Contemplated -- but only briefly -- what to make with the 'Lacinato' kale. Decided quickly & easily: An Honest Kitchen recipe with lentils, tomatoes & plenty of spices.

Monday evening, June 21st: Realized the day was nearly done & I hadn't celebrated the summer solstice in a meaningful way nor taken my "365" photo.  So a little after 8 pm, searched for the best light. Found it on the north side of our condo, illuminating my new-favourite hydrangea colouration.

Tuesday evening: Encountered the unexpected while taking a round-about way home from Pilates. This single, pink poppy in a Green Streets garden stopped me in my tracks. But only for a moment. Then I quickly ran home, grabbed my camera, raced back...well, you know how I spent the next 15 minutes ;-).

Wednesday morning, before work: Closely observed the water droplets on the Calibrachoa.

 

Thursday, mid-day: Soaked up a double dose of sunshine, one from the sky, and one from the pots along the balcony railing. Sent telepathic thanks (again) to my gardening mentor Gayla for inspiring me to appreciate and acquire bold, bright yellow flowers and not feel guilty about adding a few more inedible plants to the garden.

 

Friday, late afternoon: I never drink while gardening & don't usually plant wine with the flowers but I couldn't resist placing this "innocent bystander" among the Calibrachoa. Its colour blended beautifully with the 'Compact Yellow' and 'Apricot Red Eye'. But now the bottle is back on the shelf, some day to be shared, I hope, with my blogging buddies from far-away places. (You know who you are ;-) XO. )

Happy weekend gardening, everyone.

Back to the blog...when I'd rather be in a warm, sunny garden

The flowers & foliage collected raindrops all day yesterday...

& sunlight has touched the green on & beyond the balcony only a times this morning...

Now it's overcast and my feet are cold. In socks! In late May! So no better time to come indoors and complete this post. I started writing it yesterday but have been working with the topic for the past month.

Before the seeds, the greens, the flowers, even before the new gardening books I love, I'm going to feature, appreciate and celebrate soil. Because, as Jeff Nield reminds us, "soil [is] the real black gold":

Farmers realize that the real goal is to grow and strengthen their soil. Along the way, they grow food for themselves and for the rest of us eaters. The by-products of their labour (manure and composted plant material) create a robust and resilient section of earth.

While doing research for my organic agriculture project, I stumbled across this article which evoked in me several "Aha" moments and a stronger commitment to and appreciation of this Good Earth. Please, if you have 5 minutes, go read Jeff Nield's essay now. Even if it means you won't have time to come back here. I think it's required reading for anyone who gardens. Well, anyone who eats. If you do read it, I think you'll understand why I'm putting even more effort into what goes into my pots before the seeds or transplants.

Everytime we eat, we owe a nod of gratitude to the soil for supplying us with nutrients that keep us alive...if we don't learn to protect what lies beneath our feet, all our talk about local food will be moot as we munch on dirt cookies.
~Jeff Nield, Soil: The Real Black Gold

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The soil & amendment (vermicompost) in my balcony garden:

This organic soil mixture has been nourishing the young plants that soon will nourish me:

My system for retaining organic matter:

 

Usually I just collect garden trimmings in this pail & then transfer partly decomposed material to my Mom's compost bin. This season, though, I've been adding fresh material to the pail daily, turning its contents regularly, and placing it in warm sunshine so it "cooks". And I think I may soon have some finished compost. Hurrah. I'm as pleased and proud of this as I am of any thriving plant in my garden.

While I've been writing this last paragraph during the noon hour, I've been aware of something bright to my left side. Yes, sunshine. I wonder how long it will last? Hopefully long enough to warm the soil. I'm off now to inoculate and sow some bean seeds.

Early April on the balcony

Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete'

Lewisia cotyledon forma alba

Left to right:

Acer palmatum 'Inaba Shidare' (Inaba Shidare Japanese Maple)
Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Black Mondo Grass) - peeking out from beneath the maple
Heuchera 'Obsidian' & Violas, 'SorbetTM Lemon Chiffon' & 'SorbetTM Babyface Purple'