8 years ago my husband and I bought our future home, a condo in San Francisco, right in the heart of everything, where we could go almost everywhere we wanted on a daily basis by foot, or by public transit if need be. The only drawback: no space in which to have a tiny garden.
8 years ago I put my name on the waiting list for a garden plot at Fort Mason Community Garden, a nice 20-minute walk from our condo.
6 years ago we moved into our condo, and our new lifestyle.
6 months ago--after a 7-1/2 year wait--my name made it to the top of the list, and I had my plot of ground, to plant as I saw fit!
I have many gorgeous examples of what people have planted in their 5' x 20' plots. (Like the dahlias shown above, San Francisco's city flower I'm told, or the roses, below.)
Many of my initial thoughts were scrubbed since my plot has more shade than some plants would like. Finally, last weekend my teen-age granddaughter and I set out some plants that I hope will do well.
This year I'm working primarily with flowering plants, with a couple of strawberry plants and some herbs (rosemary, oregano, sage) which I inherited and some free bok choy seedlings. Using the Sunset Western Garden Book as a guide, we added:
Abutilon (an evergreen shrub known as Flowering Maple, or Chinese Bellflower) (pictured at right)- Gardenia (evergreen shrub with fragrant white flowers)
- Gaura (a perennial that has pink/white flowers branching off stems that wave in the breeze, reminding me of butterflies) -- this is a "keeping my fingers crossed" choice, hoping I have enough sun.
- Begonias - with big, showy red flowers
- Fuchsias - ones I can train upright, with red & white blossoms. These have long been favorites of mine, and make me think of ballerinas or fairies!
If I'm fortunate, and if I put in the time and effort, perhaps my plot by this time next year will be one of color and beauty, maybe attracting some hummingbirds and butterflies to this organic garden.
I write about the benefits of gardening in a community at another time -- they are many!
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