I put together this mixed lettuce bouquet from my garden as an unconventional hostess gift. I picked the lettuce 30 minutes before leaving the house to preserve as much freshness as possible. The leaves were washed and rolled in a moistened paper towel and aluminum foil. The gift tag is a wooden fork with the inscription, “Shirley’s Garden.” With a garden outside, I have food, gifts and beauty to share at all times.

My cousin Joanna Breckner was surprised by the bouquet and used some of it in the salad she prepared for us that day. Joanna loved the fact that the bouquet came with some “built in love from Shirley” and was both beautiful and healthful.

I was tempted to leave some of the soil on the lettuce to show its authenticity, but then I thought, “Yuck, I wouldn’t like someone to bring dirt into my kitchen, especially when I am entertaining!” Burlap ribbon gives the wrapped bouquet an organic finishing touch.

The colors from the different gourmet lettuces created a beautiful mixed lettuce bouquet! Next time you need to give a gift, check your garden first for a fresh idea before running out to the mall.  What do you “gift” from the garden?

Persian cucumbers, green onions and beets from Shirley Bovshow’s garden.

I’m not growing my own vegetables to save money, (though its a nice benefit). I’m not growing my own vegetables because I fear the quality of food available in the supermarket is substandard, ( though I realize not all of it is up to my healthful standards). I’m not growing my own vegetables to mitigate the impact of irresponsible agricultural practices on the land, ( though I am mindful of it and do my best to be a good steward of nature). I’m gardening and growing my own vegetables, fruits and herbs because it brings an order, purpose and joyful meaning to my life! Did I mention it was fun too?

Gardening and growing food for my family gives me something to do when I’m not occupied with personal and professional commitments. Gardening is my diversion of choice because it slows me down and engages my body, mind and spirit as I partner with nature to create beauty and fresh food. Just passing my vegetable garden and taking a whiff of the onions, curry, tomatoes, basil and cilantro fills my mind with all kinds of experimental recipe combinations. Cooking is even more enjoyable when I have a harvest-full of ingredients at my fingertips to choose from.

I created my  garden as an eaters paradise. Besides the dedicated raised kitchen garden, my whole yard is an edible landscape! Tucked into garden beds are potted fruit trees, edible hedges, delicious focal points and garden art.

I recognize that gardening and growing one’s own food can be an environmentally responsible lifestyle that people choose in order to counteract rampant consumerism. I admire these people. I’m not sure I would derive as much pleasure from gardening and growing my own food though if I had to do it out of economic necessity or to make a political point. I want my garden to be pure and simple, a sanctuary for my family and all who gather under the shade of my pepper tree to commune with nature and enjoy its delicious bounty.

The “Arte y Pico” award means, “the peak of art.” The original creator of the award explains the thought behind the award. “This prize has arisen from the daily visits that I dedicate to many blogs which nourish me and enrich me with creativity. In them I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, ART, much art.”

Now it’s my turn to pass along the award to five blogs that inspire me artistically.

1. Plant Whatever Brings You Joy blog by Kathryn Hall. How can you not love a blog with this name? Kathryn’s polished, yet accessible writing style inspires me to sign up for writing classes! Her posts are varied in subject matter from garden art, garden tools, vegetable gardening, recipes and much more. A common theme that I gravitate to is how Kathryn finds joy in most everything in life and in the garden.

2. Soliloquy by Nancy Bond. Nancy is another gifted writer whose posts I enjoy. Nancy paints beautiful portraits of nature and gardens with her original poetry and writings as well as her camera. Check out Soliloquy for carefully curated quotes and poems too.

3. Flower Garden Girl’s Blog by Anna. Anna brings life to everything she touches- her gardens, her new home, and to her relationships with fellow bloggers. I enjoy Anna’s container garden creations and just about everything else in her blog. Great photos and ideas. She makes me smile.

4. A Way To Garden by Margaret Roach. Everything about Margaret’s blog inspires me, from the layout, to photos to the creative content- I learn something new every time I visit. I should mention that Margaret’s gardening and writing background comes with the distinction of being past gardening editor of Martha Stewart’s Living magazine as well as overseeing all of the editorial content for Martha’s company! Needless to say, A Way to Garden is a “good thing.” Hey Margaret, did you pen that phrase?

5. A Photographers Garden Blog by David Perry. David’s exquisite photography is above description. Just go on over to his blog and see for yourself. “Garden eye candy!”

I followed some rules in passing the Arte Y Pico award:

There are 5 rules for this award:

1. Choose 5 blogs you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogging community, regardless of the language.

2. Each award should have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that presented him/her with the award.

4. The award winner and the one who has given the award should show the Arte y Pico blog so everyone will know the origin of this award. Translated, it means “the peak of art.”

5. Show these rules.

I hope you enjoy discovering these five garden blogs if you’re not already acquainted with them.

Pepper tree in Shirley Bovshow’s garden.

When I was a little girl, there was a huge California pepper tree in my front yard that provided me with hours of entertainment. It was a multi purpose tree. I climbed it, I peeled its bark, and I could “sneeze on demand” whenever I crushed the red peppercorns between my fingers and took a whiff of it. I had a lot of fun with that tree. The tree made me happy.

I didn’t know the tree by its proper or common name back then- the Schinus molle, because as a little girl I didn’t know that trees had unique names. Trees were just “trees.” When we moved away from the neighborhood, I missed my perch on the pepper tree because it was where I sat and daydreamed about my future, and I daydreamed A LOT!

By the time I recognized a pepper tree again, I was an adult. I met this special man at work named Larry who became my best friend. Larry’s personality was the opposite of mine, low key, soft spoken and he seemed to live life in slow motion. I on the contrary, was high energy, outspoken and in constant motion. Larry taught me to slow down and introduced me to hiking, mountain biking and camping. Larry also reintroduced me to the pepper tree.

Larry and Shirley Bovshow enjoying a sunny day together.

Little did I know, (or notice), there were beautiful mature pepper trees on the street outside of our office. Larry pointed them out to me because he was allergic to them and they made him sneeze whenever we were out in the parking lot. At first, I felt disoriented. How could I have not recognized the tree of my childhood? I rushed past this “green blur” everyday, totally unaware of its presence as my mind focused on everything but the verdant beauty around me.

Larry’s allergy troubles didn’t end at the office, there was a pepper tree waiting for him at home too! Larry bought his childhood home from his parents and was living there as a single parent with his two young daughters. Larry’s parents had planted a pepper tree in the backyard when Larry was four years old- the same age I was when I played with my tree! Is there such a thing as bonding over a tree?

There must be because Larry and I got married a couple of years later. When I first saw Larry’s backyard, my eyes fixed on the gnarled and weeping pepper tree. Its fragrance warmed my heart and the weeping branches seemed to reach out to me like an old friend welcoming me back home. I felt like I was home, as if  I never left. The pepper tree was a living thread that tied my past with my future and a sign that led me home and to the man I love.

Enjoy a little visit into Shirley’s gardens and take away a pocketful of sunshine!

Shirley Bovshow\’s \”Pocketful of Sunshine\”

Contaminated tomatoes have supermarkets and restaurants scrambling this week to remove them from their shelves and menus in at least nine states. I hope the people who fell ill to the salmonella poisoning are back on their feet soon. Times like this make me appreciate the fact that I grow many of my own favorite vegetables and fruit. Tomatoes are on the top of that list. I must have 10 different varieties this year tucked into my “square foot garden” and the overflow, in pots.

“Honk” at me if you grow your own tomatoes. Anybody enjoying an early harvest? Anybody get sick?

Garden in Santa Monica, California

I’ve heard people say, “I can’t have a garden because I live in an apartment without a patio or balcony.”  Ok, here is the proof that when there is a will, there is a way to enjoy even the smallest garden. Hang those plants!

Before- A small patch of grass and a lone palm tree- did someone run out of plants or ideas?

I’m not against front lawns per se, just uninspired designs like this one that are ultimately a waste of water and time to maintain. My clients,  Joe and Randi Grinbaum felt the same way when they looked upon their  small patch of lawn and lone palm tree that comprised their front  yard.

Another issue I had with this yard was that it lacked a dedicated walkway to the front door. Dodging parked cars is not my idea of good design, so,  I had a few design  issues to address and I was anxious to get to work!

After- Not only did the garden courtyard bring functionality and color to the yard, it also attracted hummingbirds, butterflies and the attention of passersby!

To remedy the problems, I removed all of the lawn and  designed a 4 -foot- wide stone walkway that ran  through a  new fragrant Mediterranean-style garden.  It was amazing how much larger the space felt as a garden courtyard than as a lawn area. The Grinbaum’s were amazed at the transformation and welcomed the  fragrance the garden offered as well as the colorful bouquets that they were able to bring indoors throughout the year.

If you are interested in seeing another one of my front yard gardens please read this post.