Oak Park, California

2012 Side yard rose

Rose from the backyard 2011

June, 2012 Oak Park, Ventura County, California:

I LOVE TO GARDEN! Ok, I said it. As James Brown would say, “Say it loud!, I garden and I’m proud!”  Well, he didn’t garden but, you get my drift. I really do love to garden. I hated it as a kid when I had to mow the lawn because I had way better things to do living next to the beach in Venice, California but, now that I am entering my 54^th year, life is a gas and so is gardening. Of course I have other loves, kids, my wife, running and, CHOCOLATE! I always wanted to start a blog so, here I am!

Off just to the right is the Helianthus in summertime. 

So, about me, I have owned two homes and, in the 23 years I’ve owned these homes I’ve learned some things along the way about gardening which I look forward to sharing with you. I have failed many a time in my garden life which has taught me well. I will share with humor what got me through all the mistakes I made, and still do to this day tending the garden.  I hope you enjoy this dig along with offering your own trials and tribulations. Questions are necessary for this experience, both from me and from you. Humor, as stated above is an absolute necessity because I feel besides seeing the accomplishments in the garden, you need to just stand back and laugh about the failures as well.  I’ll share plants, tools, fixing sprinklers (Ugh, If they didn't make it easier!) from repurposing a container and wondering what should I put in that container (a shoe? why not!)  I hope to add a whimsical element to your garden as well as reasons to go out and get dirty. I occasionally will add 7 ways, 7 ideas, and 7 inspirations along with many other 7’s I hope inspires you to get outside and garden. Gardening came to me almost immediately when we purchased our first house in the San Fernando Valley, Sylmar, California to be exact. What an overwhelming thought of moving in and then the first Saturday came and I went outside. I thought who’s going to cut the grass? The story about not one, but, two Jacaranda trees that littered my yard from June to fall will be the topic for future blog. My current home in Oak Park, California has one which I am removing. It’s a beautiful tree but not made for a parkway location. Please take a moment and offer feedback. Thanks for stopping by. All photos are from my unless otherwise stated. 

Helianthus 2011