IT"S ALMOST HERE!  REAL GARDENS FOR REAL PEOPLE

The Maricopa County Master Gardeners are thrilled to announce tickets are on sale online for their key fundraiser

15^th Annual Real Gardens for Real People Tour

www.RealGardensforRealPeople.com

March 12, 2016

9:00AM TO 4:00PM

BUY TOUR TICKETS 6 STYLISH GARDENS GARDEN FAIR

Maricopa County Master Gardeners are proud to bring you the 15th Annual Real Gardens for Real People Tour.

This year's tour, the key fundraiser for the Maricopa County Master Gardener program, features five home gardens in Northeast Phoenix, created and cared for by people like you—real people! Plus, you'll see a very special school garden and outdoor classroom in Scottsdale that was created by and for kids.

5 reasons to tour these gardens:

• See what's possible, get inspired.
• Get expert DIY tips and advice.
• See common problem areas and easy fixes.
• Find great stuff at the Garden Fair.
• Support the work of Maricopa County Master Gardeners.

Presented by the Maricopa County Master Gardeners, the 15^th annual Real Gardens for Real People tour inspires home gardeners to responsibly create and care for their own gardens. 

Using their gardens as examples, five Maricopa County Master Gardeners show real-life problems and provide innovative solutions based on research specific to the low desert.  

In addition to selected home gardens, the tour also features a school garden created by and for kids, as well as a Garden Fair offering information, handcrafted items, and plants.  

Throughout the self-guided tour, Maricopa County Master Gardeners demonstrate how sustainably created, do-it-yourself gardens can inspire lifelong horticultural learning.

ANOTHER GLORIOUS MORNING!  TIME TO REST, RELAX, REPEAT.

Side by side, under a Palo Verde

How often do you hear at this time of the year…"Isn't this why we make it through the summer…to live here now."  The chill of the morning, the songs of the twitter pated birds, the brilliant blue skies, the peace and quiet.  To be outside.  To be in Nature.  To be here now.  To be.

Penstemon greet the Sunrise

A hammock under the shade of the tree doesn't get any better does it?!

At the end of a day the evenings are just delicious for strolling, sipping, grilling  quiet contemplating or jolly laughter.

While we at Tre Soli love growing fruits, flowers, veggies and herbs we also love inviting friends and family to join us here for food, fun and just 'laxin'.  Our down time is never enough and always treasured.  Ever aware of how very blessed we are to have this retreat!

Are you spending enough time with friends, and family just 'laxin'?

Are you looking for a way to accommodate more people at your gathering?  Is your outdoor space feeling drab or just not you any more?  Is your favorite space in need of a bit of spiffing up?  A Hummingbird feeder?  A new pot for your new plant…or your old plant?    Inspirational words to plant in the garden or hang on a wall?  An outdoor rocker for that new grand baby?!  We know just the place for you to find what you need and some things you don't!  Head to our friends at Southwest Gardener for an introduction to their new outdoor furniture line Fermob.  They are having their "Patios with Personality" introductory 10% off sale.

http://southwestgardener.com/fermob-outdoor-furniture-event/

Fermob is from Europe but it is soo Arizona!

We were tickled to see Southwest Gardener is carrying Fermob.  A fabulous nursery that we go to when in Omaha carries this line.  We can't tell you how many times we've thought of driving some furniture back to AZ.  We always leave for AZ jealous that Omaha has Fermob and we don't!  Now we, and you, don't have to be jelly.  The Fermob line has unique, bright outdoor furniture with contemporary and European flair that fits in with all styles.  If you like a traditional look then a bistro table may be just what you're looking for.  Love a rocker but you are sunny yellow and don't want the weight of so many rockers?  Fermob has one for you.   All about your intimate balcony in your contemporary loft?  Fermob has what you want too.  See you there today?

Rest. Relax. Repeat.

YES, VIRGINIA, 

THERE REALLY IS SPRING IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN!

And this is what it looks like

Peach Blossoms 

Scenting the Gardens at Tre Soli

&

Attracting the Bees

 +

Bees

Doin' Their Bee Thing

=

Peaches

And What Does Any Farmer Worth Their Salt Do Now?

Peaches

+

Brown Sugar, Butter, Oats, Almonds & Cinnamon

=

Make Peach Crisp!

So this is what we're looking forward to.  Peaches and Nectarines are in bloom.  The apples, apricots, plums and  figs will be coming along soon.  But while we wait for all of that luscious fruit we already have sweet juicy Oranges, Tangerines, Grapefruit and Tangelos.  Please stop by our Front Door Honor Market this weekend for you fresh squeezed juice supplies, aka citrus.  The CRR, Chief Rose Rangler was preparing for the sidewalk sale in Old Town Scottsdale at Savale Antiques and Flowers https://www.facebook.com/SavaleFlowersAntiques 

tomorrow but has a seasonal upper respiratory infection and we don't want to share it with you.  

Sorry we're stingy that way.

So all of the fruit picked for tomorrow's event will be available at the Tre Soli Front Door Honor Market.  Sorry no chatting, tours or custom orders this weekend.

BUT

Savale is a charming store 1 block East of Scottsdale Road on 1st Ave.  The front courtyard is planted in lavender, white roses and rosemary!  You will love it!  The shop is full of antiques, art work and elegant lavender pillows and sachets made right there.  

Savale specializes in Annie Sloan chalk paints and tomorrow, in our gorgeous sun, they will be demonstrating the magic their paints can work on any of your furniture.  We've even seen what they've done painting signs on burlap, door mats and newspaper!  

And what they can do with flowers!   

They also have made beautiful loose weave hearts, wreathes and chandeliers from our grapevines.  

Gifts from Savale are tied with the loveliest fabric ribbons in town.  

Do yourself a favor and go meet the women at Savale.  They can guide you to a gift for your loved one, someone you want to celebrate or yourself!

https://www.facebook.com/SavaleFlowersAntiques

FAMILY TREES and FATHER UNKNOWN

So we have mentioned grafting a scion onto a rootstock and learning how to do that was so cool.  Here are some photos of the two that we grafted on January 30th.  There are five scions grafted on two root stocks.  All of the scion were from a beautiful old bush here on the farm,  We hope to give it more life.  Under each band of tape is a tiny bud from our scion rose.  It is to receive East Sun and be kept moist.  We were told that the strong buds will push through the tape and in four weeks be able to be planted in the ground!  Really?!  Stay tuned and watch us grow!  We'll post photos weekly .

Now a related topic near and dear to our hearts.  (no pun intended) Adoption!  At Tre Soli we are in the business of nurturing…nurturing our soil, our plants, our bees, our butterflies, our birds, and all those who receive the fruits of the Ranglers hand work.  Scions get adopted by the rootstock and in adoption families and individuals are the roots and the scions given an opportunity to add to the life of all by adding roots and branches.

If you've been touched by adoption, are a member of the adoption constellation, or just love a good flick or enjoy supporting creative independent film makers then you'll enjoy going to see "Father Unknown".  If you love a mystery, travel, love stories, surprises and happy endings then you too will enjoy "Father Unknown".  Did you love the movie "Philomena"?  Well this too is about a post adoption search.  Only you are right along for the ride, filmed in real time with the real people, no actors.  And you can't stream it or view it on line so don't wait for that.

Please reserve tickets to see  "FATHER UNKNOWN''.  This movie is all of these over the course of two centuries, two continents and one ocean.  Enough tickets must be reserved in advance, before Monday, February 8th, in order for the theater to screen the film.  You are not billed until it is a go.  But there are only 5 more days to make these reservations for the Scottsdale showing on February 15.  They need your help to make this event happen.  Spread the love by spreading the word.

https://www.tugg.com/events/81927

WHAT'S UP?  COZY UP!

Last of the 2015 Roses 

Is this Winter?…YES!

Is this Spring?…YES!

Or as some of our young folk used to call it this is Wintspring!  The shoulder season as Winter wraps up and Spring begins is where we find ourselves now.  We still have 1- 2 weeks until the average date that most danger of frost is gone so until then it's still Wintspring!  As photos from this morning show we had ice here at Tre Soli. some of the Rose Ranglers actually slipped on the ice on the wood mulch paths.

Ice - On the tips of tiny garlic chive seeds in a rose bed you can see the frozen dew drops.

Ice - In this bird bath the baby doves will have to wait for their drinks and baths.  

Did you know that a little bit of ice on a plant can protect it from even colder more harmful temperatures?  True.

Unfortunately for these first tiny sprigs of asparagus the ice did freeze them to the core so they will not grow any more.  Not to worry, they made a tasty nibble for Rose Ranglers lucky enough to spy them.  There'll be plenty more shoots come Spring.  I can't imagine a panda's bamboo shoots being as lovely as the first Spring asparagus shoots we enjoy.  But then have you seen their teeth?!  Meant for bamboo.

Great News!  The fruit tree buds seem unharmed.  The trees are still loaded.  

Peach trees where baby hummingbirds have been seen this morning, males squeaking to females.

Peach Blossoms where baby bees were seen yesterday afternoon.

But we questioned the viability of buds like the large peach bud below.  It was soaking wet where it connects to the branch.  We don't know the impact on buds like this.   

Rose Ranglers will watch it as the day warms up. 

And we'll do some research to see what the "experts" have to say.  Speaking of experts we're not but the folks at U of A Maricopa County Extension are and so are the good people at UC Davis.  When Tre Soli Rose Ranglers have questions these are two of our top go to wells of knowledge.

"Lifelong Learner" on loan from the one of the sons of Tre Soli.

We're planning classes and events here at the farm as well as out in the community.  To stay in touch and up to dat drop us an email to let us know you want to be on our list.  Side walk sale at Savale Antiques and Flowers on February 13,  March 12 is the Ral Gardens for Real People tour of gardens, flower sale third weekend in March at Sweet Salvage, Art in the Garden at Berridge Nursery, And

 you can buy our citrus from Maya at her farmers markets.