Guerilla Grafters

The guerilla gardening movement has turned a new leaf. And that leaf just may be growing on a grafted branch! The Guerilla Grafters is a group whose mission is to graft branches of fruit-bearing tree varieties onto their already established ornamental cousins in the neighborhoods of San Francisco. It's yet another creative method of agriculturalizing the urban landscape. Check out this article below:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2012/01/renegade-arborists-hope-sow-fruit-trees-san-francisco#.TwYlIVk2HJk.facebook

 Will it provide another source of local food or more street clean-up? Munchies or Mess?? I'm on team munchies, but what do YOU think?

Natural Ornaments

Nature has revealed her California Christmas Tree. Pomegranates ripen and harden into beautiful bright bulbs!

Oak trees may have lost their leaves, but only to show off bold minty green lichen and tree moss...much more stunning in person than this photo shows.  

Googly Eyes Gardener

I have so many houseplants; perhaps I should take some security measures as suggested!  :P

One man's trash bin...

...is another man's garden. Fun mobile garden downtown on the alley of the SFMoMa parking garage.

Marijuana Medicale!

These babies are a couple of medicinal marijuana plants in my backyard. California law allows a person possessing a medical marijuana card to grow plants for personal use only. Counties/cities have individual rules on how many plants one can grow. The rule in San Francisco: patients allowed up to 24 plants or 25 square feet of canopy; dispensary gardens capped at 99 plants in 100 square feet. Possession limit 8 oz. dried cannabis per patient.

 I have never grown it before, but it is looking exquisitely healthy and definitely has that pungent scent to it. Buds are forming already. I can already imagine what the harvest party will be like! I just hope my garden can provide other veggies for those in attendance. I'm sure folks will hungry.  :P

Harvested Today!

Grilling zucchini this afternoon...adding some spicy arugula to zap it up! I'm not a man of fortune or fame, but nothing makes me feel more valuable than a simple harvest. :)  Who's with me??

I'll be attempting to sautee' dandelion greens as well... experimenting keeps things interesting!

Industrial Greening

On the corner of Bryant St. and 10th St....nine blocks from my house in San Francisco, is a fantastic example of a very artistic green-wall installation. Comprised of mostly succulents, and with a wide array of shapes and flowering specimens. The cascading vines seen in the photo are actually wild strawberry plant trailers. 

With its myriad warehouses, this part of town is quite industrial and lacking much greenery, so what a treat to see this creative planting blocks from my house. 

Carrot Teen

First carrot I've ever harvested from the Tilthy Rich garden. Might get a couple more this season...starting small. :)

House of Salad

Put ur hands up if u know the feeling of eating straight from ur garden! Tri-color string beans, spicy arugula, & Thai basil...all harvested today.

Surprise Guest

This showed up in my garden this year. I don't know how it got there but she's a keeper!

PurpleYellowPurpleYellow!

Purple & Yellow string bean harvest started yesterday!

Keep Your Laws Off My Garden

Because I am a huge proponent of the "food not lawns" movement, I had to share this story outof Detroit demonstrating the struggle to change peoples', and governments', view of what is the "right way" to garden.  Let Julie Garden! Let Julie Garden!!!

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/julie-bass-of-oak-park-faces-misdemeanor-charge-for-vegetable-garden-20110630-wpms

Chocolate-scented Orchid

A sweet chocolate scent greeted me when I walked in the door today. :)

Fingerling Food

Small harvest of fingerling potatoes gathered while making room for a few new additions. Perfect when steamed until a fork goes through with the slightest give. Pepper and a dollop of sour cream. Yum!

The Black (foliage) Dahlia

The Black (foliage) Dahlia

Juanita Eats Out is Easy To Swallow

My dear friend Juanita MORE!...Performer, DJ, tireless Fundraiser, and Mother to many throughout San Francisco and beyond...has recently given birth to a blog about her true love - FOOD.  Find recipes, restaurants, and great reading presented in a simple, easy-to-swallow format.

Without further ado, I give you Juanita Eats Out.

Bottlebrush Tree

San Francisco has a varied array of sidewalk trees. One of my favorites is the Bottlebrush tree (Callistemon rigidus).

From the photos, you can certainly see why they named it as such. It's nice to re-explore the beauty of such a plant. I see them constantly around the city, and have admittedly become a bit immune to their striking blooms. I thought it a good time to become re-infected with their beauty. :)

Current Conservatory of Flowers Exhibit

Stre-e-e-e-tch It Out!

Nearly tripped over this guy on my walk to the grocery store!

Growing High

Can you spot the little rooftop veggie garden??

For My Snow Be-fallen Buddies Out There

In full bloom...

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Love Thy Neighborhood

The mission district of SF is known for its warmer micro-climate, Latin American cultural influence, and its many murals.

The sidewalk garden at the corner of Bryant St and 21st St is only a year old but as you can see the plants have really taken off to fill the space.

This building with its out-of-the-world mural is home to Asiento, a new bar/lounge/club with great Sunday brunch....one block from my house!

Most, if not all, of the plants in the garden are native to the bay area and/or drought-tolerant.

A wonderful treat to pass by on my way to grab a bottle of wine from the corner store.  :)

A Little Help From My Friends

My little helper today...

Undeniably Spring!

Sowing Spring

On this beautiful Tuesday afternoon I did some garden chores after work. I had a sprawling oregano plant (more like a bush!) that I plucked up and divided. The healthiest sections I potted up for friends and neighbors. In its place I planted a kangaroo paw I rescued from work. Straight into the earth I planted seeds: sweet onion, red carrot, and the spring classic snap peas. And my tomato seeds are planted in start pots in the greenhouse. :)

Less Concrete. More Jungle.

It just keeps getting better! I had previously posted an entry on Sidewalk Greening in San Francisco explaining that the city offered support in helping to expediate permits to take up sidewalk and offering a resource list. They have now gone a step further and offer FREE Saturday (9am-10am) workshops to any aspiring concrete gardener. They are held once a month from February through November 2011. Clicking on the photos should allow you to read the exact dates with a more detailed explanation of the workshops.

To the sidewalk on my block: Be afraid... Be very afraid. We're coming for you.

More Info visit www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/Grey2Green

Or Call: 415-661-1316 Ext. 456

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Blooming Magnolia sidewalk tree in San Francisco.

Nest Fest

This year the deck just might morph closer to its full potential. There really aren't many plants out there...a small lemon tree, some spider plants, a fern on the shady side, and since just yesterday, a few seeded pots. Perhaps this is the year it goes green. Lounging in lush surroundings just outside my door would be the best! I'm not going to go overboard and pretend I'll create paradise in one season, but will be happy with any further evolution of the space that I create.  :)