Quite the thistle patch, yessirree. Somewhere in there are gojis, autumn olives, currants, and even an elderberry shrub.
Brambles are taking over the little greenhouse. Inside, the wasps have taken over. I give up.
If you look closely, you will see some sedums here and wormwood. This area was covered with wild chervil, which I yanked out on several occasions. It was the least I could do. My mother is buried somewhere back in there, along with several dogs and cats. I am serious.
Garden Chaos! What is this? There is a hazelnut tree back there. Also some currants, scorzonera, and spiraea. Even an elderberry if you go back a little farther. In front, nettles, and a thick stand of lemon balm prevent me from accessing the area. No wonder the jay birds get all the nuts!
There are currants & gooseberries under here ... somewhere ... also possibly some codonopsis ... I hope ...
Bindweed climbs up and over a hollyhock. Just because it can. Grrrr.
You gotta admire the way the bindweed can just swoop in and take over a whole cluster of artichokes like that. Garden chaos? Or garden thugs!
We couldn't even see this Contorted Hazelnut in early spring, it was so overgrown with thistles and weeds. Perhaps not the best picture, but you get the idea. I see a clear space to walk forward, and some Lavender and Golden Margeurite. This became a quite beautiful guild. We added Horehound, Oregano, and may other plants.
This was once completely thick with thistles. I pulled them all out and found Golden Margeurite, Lavender, Maximilian Sunflowers, Feverfew, a Contorted Hazel tree, and much much more. Yay! But here it is again, thistles back on their way and grass thicker and greener than ever. Groan.... (In the background is a worm composting bin)
Technically, this is the strawberry bed - or what used to be one. This is after I cleaned out the 4-ft high grass that had taken over. I managed to save 9 blueberry shrubs, several lingonberries, hollyhocks, mullein, and even a few strawberries. I mulched it with woodchips and vowed to do better.
And here we are again in the strawberry bed, like I never did anything at all... and this is after applying several inches of woodchips.
If you are into Permaculture, you gotta make a spiral garden, right? Can sedums out-compete grasses? Apparently not. And the spiral hill has flattened considerably, just sayin'. Makes me want to open another bottle.
Not a total fail, but close. Flowering oregano and thyme cascade down the mound of this spiral garden, heavily infiltrated by grasses, but still able to survive.
This adorable spiral garden was invaded by grasses and ants. Underneath it all, I swear, are some really cool groundcover thymes that are supposed to spread out like a soft carpet. Perfect for a frog & fairy domain. (Or not. Garden Chaos reigns.)
One might wonder what this is. I wonder, too. Actually, these are plants in a blue kiddie pool that have been waiting all summer to be transplanted. Fall is a better time to transplant anyway, right? Adding to the garden chaos...
This is actually horseradish and comfrey. They seem to keep each other in check on the edge of the orchard. At this time of year, they both look a little worse for wear. So it goes at Barbolian Fields.
I know this is the rose bed because of the tall golden yarrow in the background. I dug up these roses from my mother's garden; she loved her roses, and I wanted them to live on. They are in there, somewhere. Epic fail. Fancy hybrid roses are no match for wild grasses.
The bees can still find this flowering oregano, despite the thicket of grass.
This pathway goes through cycles of being clean, impassible, more-or-less identifiable, and then overgrown again. It provides several harvests of mulch material. That's a good thing.
Here is the same path earlier in the year, bordered by hyssop, thyme, sage, wild plums, currants, and so much more... I love this side of the everchanging garden. Garden chaos? Yes! Of course!
I pruned the heck out of this weeping mulberry tree this last winter. It looked quite naked and exposed after pulling out all the thistles that were so thick, they threatened its very existence. If I didn't kill it, I was pretty sure the thistles would.
But it grew more lush than ever! Even when the grasses and thistles continued to threaten its very existence.
Before: This area by the willow dome was just a pile of compost over some prunings. The currant bush is in the cage because the deer found it rather tantalizing.
This chaotic-looking area is actually a restoration success. In the background is the willow dome. Kiwi berries are using it as a trellis. In the foreground are pineapple sage, scorzonera, some wild mallow, and mugwort. Off to one side are currants, flowering nutmeg shrub, catnip, and purple goosefoot. Weaving at the front is a malabar squash (fig-leaf gourd) that has found its way all the way back into the orchard. Everything thrives. Chaos that works!
Oh yeah. These bad-assed Bald-faced Hornets are like my garden gangstas. And take a look at that nest! Zowie! In the Medlar tree. I figure by the time the medlars fall, the nest will be quiet.
Ah, but look! A frog just resting there on a giant grape vine leaf! Thank you for small miracles!
I will garden until I croak.
