I propose a toast: To experiments

The Grow Lab started by the county's Master Gardeners has a circular herb garden (PDF page 2) built out of wine bottles. When I first saw it, I thought, "Wow, I want to do that someday. Good thing I drink a lot of wine."

You'd use wine bottles as a border for a number of reasons. Long wine bottles are a good height for raised beds, and raised beds are helpful with drainage and keeping the soil warm. Bottles don't decay or wear down. Bottles are sturdy and pretty. And, also, why the heck not?

Fast forward a couple years, and I still had the inclination, finally had secured the location, but didn't have enough of the bottles for the experimentation.

I put the word out to local friends (like Leslie at Tea with Iris) that I needed their help collecting wine bottles, plus I went by a wine bistro and asked them to save a few cases for me. Soon after I had enough bottles to start my project. 

 

With the first batch of bottles, I scrubbed off the labels with soap, water and steel wool.







It took a long time.

  

I inserted the bottles neck-down into soil that I had softened up with a shovel. 

To keep the bottles in a straight line while I planted them, I used long 2-by-4s left over from a previous project.

Then I piled up soil and mulch on the outside and put my best compost and soil on the inside. The interior level is about 4 inches higher than the exterior level. 

With the second batch of bottles, I didn't take off the labels. I know, lazy.

This is also a beneficial bug experiment. To draw out the good guys, I planted sweet alyssum, lobelia, pansy, borage, viola, calendula and chamomile, plus 3 sages, 2 basils, parsley and a thyme. Here you can see a purple sage (outside) and the top of a purple sweet alyssum (inside).

Oh yeah, almost forgot! I've also got three tomatoes, brussels sprouts, pak choi and red & white onions growing. Really cannot wait to see how the colors explode here. So far everything looks super healthy.

If there is any hint of frost, I'll cover the whole thing with a large sheet/blanket using the tomato cages. (I was going to make those circular tomato houses out of chicken wire this year, but instead decided to save money and use what I have.)

So do you think it looks better with or without labels?

We're moving

I feel like I can finally say it: We are moving to a house in a neighboring city, Palm Desert.

I suppose there is still a chance that it won't happen, but we are far enough along in the process that I am confident.

This means that my gardening dreams are going to come true. I've been advised by veteran gardeners to sit tight for the next few months, get a feel for the landscape and not plant anything new yet (exactly, it's going to be 110 degrees). But the planting will come soon enough.

I'll have room to compost the way I'd like to. A solar oven will be built. There will be spots for giant herb gardens. A shed for cuttings, seedlings and equipment. Fences on which to grow espaliered trees. My mind whirls with the possibilities. 

Herb garden

I love Southern California winters (and early spring). My front-porch container garden is growing beyond my wildest dreams. It's only going to last until around June though, when sizzling weather will force everything into the more protected back patio. But I'll enjoy it for now.
I changed this area from a 10x10x12-foot triangular, flat, 4-foot-tall shrub to a protected space big enough for about 25 different herb, vegetable and flower species in containers. I've got oregano, mexican oregano, chives, garlic chives, rosemary, rue, chervil, savory, viola (edible flowers), parsley, basil, English thyme, lemon thyme, pineapple sage, jerusalem sage, sage, 5 strawberries, sweet marjoram, dill, cilantro, a bunch of lettuce, radishes, spearmint and a tomato.
Couldn't do without? The chives, cilantro, lettuce, strawberries, oregano, parsley, rosemary and -- definitely -- the sages (gorgeous flowers).
Just for fun? Chervil, savory, rue, dill (don't really like it), radishes and thymes.