Nadia Knows Gardens

A Peaceful Ocean Front Meditation Garden

nadiaqh — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:36:56 +0000

Take a stroll with me through a Meditation garden in Encinitas, CA overlooking the pacific ocean at Swami’s Beach. Owned and maintained by the Self Realization Fellowship the garden is open every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM except on Mondays and is located at 215 K street. 92024. The entrance walkway is landscaped with a beautiful Strawberry Tree overhanging the stairway leading to the top bluffs. Once at the top of the stairs there are several koi ponds and benches in private little alcoves where a peaceful moment of solitude can easily be found. The top bluff is a mixture of palm trees, bird of paradise, cactus, succulents, pine trees, native and exotic flowers, etc. This is a beautifully maintained garden full of botanical interest at every step… a must see!

Thank you for your visit today… www.nadiaknows.com

Plant – Grow – Inspire!

Koi Pond

Swamis Beach Break below

Lotus Flowers in Koi Pond SRF Meditation Gardens

Palm Trees at the SRF meditation garden

Seabreeze Organic Farm

nadiaqh — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:53:37 +0000

Another garden road trip this last weekend took me to Seabreeze Organic Farm located in San Diego, CA about a mile East of the 5 Freeway in Del Mar. The property was purchased in 1978 back when the land was mostly eucalyptus trees and rolling hills and has been producing crops for the past 21 years. Owners Stephenie Caughlin and Kendall Cook had a dream to create an organic farm while at the same time fostering community awareness about where our food comes. Seabreeze Organic Farm is a CSA Farm: Community Supported Agriculture which connects local growers directly with the community that is consuming their food. In order for a CSA farm to be productive it must have a commitment from its supporters with a recurring monthly fee since the economic future of the farms depends on the ability to produce and deliver goods in a continuous relationship with them. Some of the challenges of a small farm are its ability to produce a diversity of produce while at the same time getting paid a fair market value for what is grown.

I was surprised to learn about the increasing economic and political challenges that the owners face on a weekly basis to keep their farm prosperous. In order to keep up with the financial strains they have opened up their farm as a sanctuary for tours, fundraisers, private events and nature walks to name a few. Deliveries go out on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to 27 cities in San Diego county including gift bag options, mixed edible flower bags and fruit deliveries to businesses. Online shopping is also available on the Seabreeze web site for a diverse selection of items like raw honey, coffee, edible flowers, eggs, oils, herbs, earthworms, etc. Emphasis on the ETC. there is much more available on the web site.

The Tour on Saturday was hosted by members of Slow Food San Diego with about 25 people in attendance and a cost of $35.00 a head. The tour included meeting the owners, an amazing sit down vegetarian lunch and plenty of time to ask all the questions we wanted. Owner Stephenie Caughlin was wonderful about allowing us to meander freely around the farm and was available to educate us every step of the way. The photos below show how lovely this farm truly is and hopefully conveys how vitally important it is for a community to know and support its local growers. Buy Local! Link to: Seabreeze Organic Farm Link to: Slow Food Urban San Diego

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com ♥ A place to grow ♥

Ocean View Vista from Seabreeze Farm

Made with hay -building on property

FLOWERS

Chicken Coop

Every area of the property has something growing in it. The farm produces an abundance for its size.

Squash growing on fences

Vertical Garden area of Bok Choy

Lemon Verbena and Lavender Tea served at lunch. Herbs were brewed in the sun just like sun tea. It was yummy!

Lavender Drying and Hanging in bunches

Simply Succulents

nadiaqh — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:06:35 +0000

A closer look at succulents…

- some of the favorites in my yard with a macro perspective -

Aeonium- Black Rose Succulent

Sempervivum

Kalancho luciae, Paddle Plant Succulent

Jovibarba heuffelii, Crassulaceae

Graptopetalum Succulents

Euphorbia

Rediscovering a Raised Planter

nadiaqh — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:00:32 +0000

A hidden planter covered up by overgrown trumpet vine gets a makeover in my front yard with a drip irrigation system and drought tolerant plants.

“Before” Fence covered with trumpet vine and raised planter is covered by shrubs. Raised planter is not visible.

In Progress: Clean up and new fence

Succulent Raised Planter repainted a darker brown and planted with water wise plants: Aeonium, Limonium perezii, Lavandula, Portulacaria, Echeveria

close up

Strawberry Tree: Arbutus unedo

nadiaqh — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:52:23 +0000

Arbutus unedo: Native to the Mediterranean region, western Europe, Ireland and France and commonly known as the Irish Strawberry Tree this is one of my favorites. A picturesque evergreen small tree or shrub in the Ericaceae family with serrated dark glossy leaves and fruit that looks like frosted glass christmas ornaments. The showy white flowers in fall and winter give way to yellow and red fruit .5-1 inch in the spring and summer. The fruit is edible and loved by birds and also used for making jams and liqueurs. A beautiful tree that can be included in an edible landscaping design giving it added value.

I photographed this Strawberry Tree at the Meditation Gardens at Swami’s in Encinitas, CA. The bark of the tree has a shredded flaking appearance with a trunk that twists and bends with its growth habit. The warm multi-colors of browns and reds in the trunk will melt your heart.

Height: Average maturity 8-18 feet

Spread: Equal to height.

Drought Tolerant: Moderate

Sun: Full sun or partial shade. Can be potted and used as a patio tree.

* For the smaller trees try ‘Oktoberfest’ or ‘Compacta‘ (link) Arbutus unedo trees.

Soil: Well drained clay, acidic, loam, sand or alkaline soil.

Mature Strawberry Tree grown in full sun.

Beautiful Twisted Tree Trunk of the Strawberry Tree

Edible Fruit of the Arbutus unedo tree

Multi-colored fruit of Arbutus unedo

Thank you for visiting my garden blog today! www.nadiaknows.com

♥ sharing garden inspirations ♥

Birthday Sunflower

nadiaqh — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:11:42 +0000

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

A flower for you on your birthday… How lucky I am to have you in my life…

A sunflower growing on the side of the road near my home this week.

July 10th, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Green at the Fair

nadiaqh — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:23:17 +0000

S.D.County Fair

Last weeks road trip was to the San Diego County Fair which takes place each year from June 11th to July 5th in Del Mar, CA. This year the landscape and garden exhibits were water wise and full of really interesting succulent displays. I enjoyed the creativity that went into each design and came home with new inspiration and ideas for future plantings.

One of my favorites was this simple Coca Cola carrier with mixed succulents and a glass coke bottle wedged in the middle and pouring out a ‘string of pearls’:

Coca Cola Case with Succulents

Another crowd favorite were the xeriscapes of ‘living walls’ filled with sedum, aeoniums and echeveria etc. clustered together to create patterns and texture on the palates:

Exhibit: Living Wall including Sedum rupestre, Trailing Rosemary, Salvia officinalis, Echeveria rosea, Purple Sage, Tricolor Sage and others.

A clever use of fountains filled with a nice assortment of succulents~

Fountain of Succulents

Succulents fill a fountain

3 Tier Plant Stand with a waterfall effect

Using the same concept as the living wall, this display (below/middle) is filled with garden herbs and vegetables~ A Vertical Garden:

Living Wall: Succulent Tower

Close up View of Succulent Tower

Vertical Garden: Living Wall San Diego County Fair (Lettuce, Tomato, Cilantro, Sage, Basil, Herbs)

My husband even won me a koala bear at the basketball game booth~

Thank you for visiting my Garden Blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Seed Packet Printables

nadiaqh — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:07:31 +0000

- save seeds - give seeds- plant seeds- share seeds – grow seeds – package seeds – water seeds – eat seeds – harvest seeds – sow seeds -

Free online template:

LINK TO: Seed Packet Printables

An online web site offering a variety of printable seed packet templates. This is a great alternative to the usual ziplock bag/ sharpie marker labeling. Lately I’ve been doing “seed exchanges” with heirloom flower and vegetable seeds and these online templates will make it easier to organize and store them. For a sturdier seed packet try card stock paper when printing out the template.

Satin Ribbon added to packet

Pretty Patterned Template With Labels From M & Co.

These are a few photos of several templates offered on the web site, but check out the link above for other styles and sizes.

Great for kids seeds by using 'crazy eyes'

Template before cutting out

Seed Packet Freebie By Pamela Donnis Designs

Thank you for visiting www.nadiaknows.com

♥ a garden blog ♥

Nothing From The Garden Brownies

nadiaqh — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:16:24 +0000

Yummy 4th of July brownies did not have hidden grated zucchini or carrots in them so I could not call them “Garden Brownies” yesterday on our 4th of July BBQ. No flower toppings to decorate the tops either, but were frosted and decorated with a blue star and red sprinkles.

Sometimes deviation from the garden happens…

4th of July Brownies

HAPPY 4th of JULY, 2010

nadiaqh — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:04:03 +0000

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INDEPENDENCE DAY

“The things that the flag stands for were created by the experiences of a great people. Everything that it stands for was written by their lives. The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history.” — Woodrow Wilson

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Flag in Succulent Container

God Bless America Garden Sign

Patriotic Front Doors

Flag in Boston along the Freedom Trail

Roadside U.S. Flag in New Hampshire

Roadside U.S. Flag in Maine