WITH A GARDEN & A LIBRARY YOU HAVE EVERYTHING

With A Garden and a Library You Have EveryThing

Tre Soli is so pleased to announce that we are now the stewards of Little Free Library #13224.

We only learned of these wonderful community builders in a box a year ago.  When we first saw a Little Free Library in a residential neighborhood we knew we had to learn more.  The short history and the seeds for LFLs is nothing short of amazing.  Did you know that in the first "official" LFL was posted on a bike path in Madison Wisconsin in the summer of 2010?  As of January 2015 it was estimated that close to 25,000 LFLs had been registered.  You do the math on that growth rate!
To learn all about the beautiful boxes of books go to http://littlefreelibrary.org/ourhistory/  Who knows the book bug may bite you too!

Ours is not just a book exchange but a seed and recipe exchange as well.  People passing by are welcome to take a book, seed pack, or recipe as well as donate a book, seeds, or recipes.  We loved the option to have reproductions of old seed signs on two sides of our LFL.

Our LFL is actually to commemorate all of the women in who nourished our love of reading and learning - mothers, sisters, aunts and friends.  Book lovers all. 

On Saturday, February 7 we had a "Grand" opening to celebrate.  Even better we teamed up with SEEDs 4 Autism.  Their mission is "to nurture and grow the spirits and skill of our clients with Autism Spectrum Disorders through education and job training that promotes work ethic, pride and success in an environment that is tailored to the client’s individual needs and comfort. They brought many "lovingly handcrafted artwork of metal, wood, and ceramics for the kitchen and the garden.  And I bought many "lovingly handcrafted artworks"!

Side Table?  Plant Stand?  You decide.  To pretty to put anything on it?  Love the colors!

Walnut, Cherry, & Maple Woods make this smooth Cutting Board

 And they brought birdies to our potted plants.

Their art work is beautiful and practical.  And much of it now resides at Tre Soli and finds purpose in making our work easier while being beautiful!   Please visit their website to see what their students get out of the classes and what they put out...  http://seedsforautism.org  The artists who teach the students are all volunteers.  Maybe you could invite them to do a "Pop Up Shop" at your event.  Or looking for a place to volunteer?  This could be your new home away from home.



Contact Mary Ann and you too may fall in love with this organization.  For a first hand look at students and artists at work stop in at their Art Jam / Open House.  It will be a blast and Bonus...you can find wonderful gifts for Mothers Day.  If the poster below,  announcing their event, is not displaying please send us an email and we'll forward it to you.

SUPER BOWL? SUPER FOG!!! THIS BUD'S FOR YOU.

We don't get a lot of fog here in the desert Southwest but when we do it is to be treasured.  After spending a few hours just enjoying the quiet  muffled sounds it brings, we decided to try to document the effects of fog on our view from Tre Soli. All of the fruit trees and roses have been pruned.  

One peach has even begun to bloom.  

And the asparagus is delish!  Sorry we ate it before thinking to snap a pic.  

But here's a foggy look around some of the Tre Soli farm and neighborhood.

Just haven't quite learned the art of fog photography but you may get an idea from these posts.  

Next on the Tre Soli never ending list of things TO DO is feed the soil!  

But today is Super Bowl Sunday and we're taking the day off.  We'll make hearty soup, get the fires in the fireplaces going and be ready to watch the puppy and horse commercials.   

In the meantime enjoy the beginning of Spring wild flower season.

This bud's for you!

Seed Savers Exchange

A quote by Josephine Nuese  found on the Seed Savers Exchange website:
"Anyone who thinks  gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year; for gardening begins in January with the dream".   And dream I do!  So many edibles and flowers!  How to choose!

Next time I'll tell you about an Arizona Grown Company Terroir Seeds! 

It is that time of year when we, in the desert are not just dreaming, but getting ready to plant.  Actually we can plant year round here but we are about to swing into 1 of our 2 gardening high gears.   I'd like to highlight some of my favorite seed companies.  Terroir, Seed Savers Exchange, Native Seed Search, Renee's Garden Seeds, Johnny's Select Seeds and Territorial Seeds are at the top of my list of favorite places to get seeds.  If you don't know them you should.  I'll introduce you to one, Seed Savers Exchange.

Why-  Seed Savers Exchange knows that the future of our planet depends on a genetically diverse food supply.  Their mission is to conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants.   I agree with the importance of their work.   Clean water for all, as well as clean affordable food for all and of course healthy educated children.  Theses are the most basic of things all people need.  And Seed Savers is doing they part.  Now they also have a sense of humor.  Check out the prickly caterpillars for something fun to grow with the children: http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/caterpillar/Prickly-Caterpillar.html

Who -  Employees, member farmers and gardeners who sign a safe seed pledge.  You benefit and enjoy their work and get to utilize the seeds and plants.  Ladies you must go to find out how a particular Hollyhock acquired its name:  
http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/Flower-Seeds/Flower-Outhouse-Hollyhock-OG.html

What - Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.   The members pass on garden heritage by collecting and distributing thousands of samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners.  Their members are diverse, as are their selections.  Look at this for eating a rainbow:  
http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/swisschard/Swiss-Chard-Five-Color-Silverbeet-OG.html

When- They were founded in 1975.  While some of us were just wrapped up in listening to Bruce Springstein's album "Born To Run", or playing air guitar to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", or singing with  Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All Theses Years", or swooning to Fleetwood Mac or  Jefferson Starship's "Miracles", or10CC's "I'm Not in Love" or Barry White's "You're the First…" or putting on the headphones to listen to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album, or jamming' to Bob Marley's live concert album, or weeping to Janis Ian's "At 17", or getting all pensive to Joan Baez or  Bob Dylan or thumping to Linda Ronstadt's "you're No Good" David Bowie's "Fame", The Eagles "One of These Night", or dancing to Earth Wind and Fire's "Shining Star"as well as KC & The Sunshine Band, or Average White Band's "Pick up the Pieces".  Obviously I digress but what a time in American Music History!  And look what else came of that time!  Seed Savers Exchange!  These I loved & remember to be quite common from when I lived in the Midwest and have asked for repeatedly in desert nurseries:  They smell of summer to me.
http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/Flower-Seeds/Flower-Old-Vining-Petunia-OG.html

Where- Their 89 acre Heritage Farm, their headquarters, is located near Decorah, Iowa.  They are in the heart of the big agricultural country in the midwest.  Their Preservation Gardens are certified organic.  Additionally there is a historic orchard and ancient (over 2,000 year old) White Park Cattle, limestone cliffs, sparkling streams, pine woods, garden gifts and horticultural books.   their visitor's center is open from March through December.  They even have seeds from around the world.  Here's one from an old cold war foe that would look right at home in many of today's gardens:  http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/Flower-Seeds/Flower-Perfect-Mix-OG.html

How - All of their programs to preserve garden biodiversity are made possible through donations, membership dues as well as seed sales.  Twenty-five cents from each pack of seeds foes into an endowment to help pay the salaries of employees who maintain the seed collection.  Consider joining or purchasing seeds, won't you?  How do they do it?!  They even have 36 seeds from the US Slow Food Ark of Taste:
 http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/Ark-of-Taste/


Please, go to their website and see the colorful array of beautiful seeds for your dreams
www.seedsavers.org  
While you do that I'll go make a nice hot pot of heirloom bean soup.  It may not be freezing but it's cold enough for soup.  Our rare foggy day is perfect for souping' up for the SUPER BOWL XLIX

To All of You Dedicated Gardeners, Farmers and Fanciers…

…this bud's for you!

And this bud…

And this bud…

And this bud…

And this bud...

And these buds...

And these buds...

And these buds…

And these buds...

And these buds...

And this BUG!

I Can Tell By Your Outfit That You Are A Farmer...

…or a Gardener…

… A Fun Mudder

…A Tough Tootsie

… An Innovater

…Proud Winter Survivor

…A Hard Worker…With Proof on Your Hands

TEAM WORKERS

Yes, that is what it takes to be a Gardener, a Farmer, a Landscaper.   My thanks to all of theDesert  Botanical Garden's Desert Landscape School classmates and instructors for the most amazing year of learning.  It is through all of your team work that peace with the desert was made and love came to the desert.  A late bloomer…

 But "better late than never"!

"Our House Is...

…A Very,

Very,

Very

Fine House

With 2 Cats In The Yard…
"Yikes! 2 Cats?!
Not in these yards, please.  At least don't hunt the birdies, kitties.  Please.  Pretty please with catnip on the top?!   We need the birdies to help eat the bugs and pollinate and make music.
And no littering in our veggie boxes!


.

Perspective

Mine. 

Theirs!

Can you blame them?!

What's In Season, A Tribute to Wayne Matthews

Dear Ones

Baker Nursery devotees 

Fellow Master Gardeners and

especially Fruit and Rose Lovers

It is with bittersweet sadness, gratitude and delight that I write to you about the passing of Wayne Matthews.  Sunday evening I received a call from his Baker co-worker, Master Gardener Carolyn Hills, that Wayne had been found collapsed beside his car outside of his gym.  No one was able to revive him.  Since we were out of town we were not able to access our contact list to let you all know.  Here is some of what we have learned from him  All of what we have learned going forward.  Following  is the obituary  link.

Wayne had an effervescent personality, always a smile as big and warm as the Sun we often spoke under.  We first got to know Wayne while haunting what we called  "the annual bare root rose fest at Baker Nursery".  We bonded immediately when he learned that we,  like he had in California, grow and sell fragrant roses.  To Wayne and us, why buy no fragrance when there are so many lovely looking and fragrant choices.  He though was also adept at growing roses in pots here in the Valley of the Sun, a skill we have yet to learn.  In addition to working at Baker Nursery Wayne was caring for and living with his parents and often spoke of the 100+ roses he tended at their home in pots!  

One hot day at Baker's he asked if we'd still be at the nursery in 30 minutes. We answered , "Yes!".  We laughed that Baker Nursery was a second home.  When he returned from lunch, it was with  large icey cold tea  for us.  So touched by this gesture.  Bought while he was out for his lunch break.  Thank you, Wayne.

While we have been known to accompany people on rose buying trips, we knew we could recommend friends and clients to him and know that they would get a grand tour and education to find the perfect rose.  Thank you again, Wayne! 

A year and a half ago when we were unable to prune the roses due to injuries in a car accident. Wayne came on his vacation to help get the work done.  It was not easy work, but 2/3 of it was done by the time his back prevented him from finishing.  Thank you again, Wayne.

His knowledgable enthusiasm didn't stop at roses.  No!  Tomatoes were also big on his list.  So during what we called "the annual tomato fest at Baker Nursery" he also provided suggestions of various varieties that he was familiar with.  We told Wayne that we had discovered how to pronounce, the tomato "Stupice", formerly known as [stu-peace].  The "Stupice" tomato now known as  [stu-peach-ka].   Wayne greeted us during tomato season with a loud call, of "Stu-peach-ka!" fist  thrust into the air, a tomato war cry.  His joy and enthusiasm was contagious and so we returned in kind with the same "tomato war cry".  Thank you again, Wayne!  

Tomatoes and roses were not our only shared love - fruit trees -  purchased from what we called "the annual fruit tree fest at Baker Nursery".  Those of you who have been to Tre Soli know that we have about 4 dozen fruit trees and over 200 rose bushes and rose trees.  Many of those fruit trees were suggestions from Wayne of fruit that he believed you "have to have".  Right now the one that is most distinct in my memory is his waxing poetic for the "Peter's Honey Fig".  Unlike the more common "Brown Turkey" and "Black Mission" figs, "Peter's Honey" turns yellow when it ripens.  Our three fig trees are now in their fourth summer in the Tre Soli gardens.  As it would happen to my bittersweet delight the"Peter's Honey Fig" has just really started to ripen this week when we returned after Wayne's death.  After four years they have finally come into a prolific season.  They are so sweet and unexpectedly juicy.  Much like seeing Wayne at Baker's.  The figs are in but Wayne is not.   I would love to share them with him.  While it takes many hands, our garden is sweet in no small part because of you, Wayne.  Thank you so much.

Friday we will be attending the celebration of Wayne's life, otherwise our Front Door Honor Market would have been open to sell these lovely figs.  Instead we will be harvesting to share with Wayne's friends and family.  If you too were a beneficiary of Wayne's vast knowledge and big grin we may see you there.  Come share a hug.  His absence leaves a big hole in our and in the gardening community's hearts.

With Gratitude

For 
Generosity

Knowledge

Laughter

Enthusiasm

Smiles
&

You,

Wayne

How To Tell If You Are ...

...A Dedicted Gardener

Your smart phone has photos of ideas  from other people's gardens like this...

Or your smart phone is full of photos of your garden fruit ripening like this... 

Or your smart phone is full of photos of your flowers like this...

Or you even find yourself taking photos of a bucket of dead headed roses like this…

Or your car has passengers that look like this...

Or your cargo area continually has loads that look like this...

Or you find yourself needing to become a space puzzle master because of loads like this...

 

…and this...

And your purse looks like this!