As we celebrate our fourth year of gifting butterfly & hummingbird garden seeds to the community, I’d like to share my recent visit to the home and garden of my collaborator on this project, Karin Campion Mattoon, as well as my own home in Sonoma.
Karin & I dreamed up this idea in the middle of the pandemic when spirits were low, and business was slow. We harnessed our resources and engaged the mentors and mentees at the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance to help with this meaningful project. Our focus remains beauty, life, joy, and the importance of collaboration for the pollinators on our planet.
Today, we are grateful to the many local business’s who have joined us in sharing these gifts with their clients and friends. We are part of a greater movement to support butterflies and hummingbirds. I understand that the Monarch butterfly count has increased substantially across the nation.
Planting new seeds in 2024, surrounded by the flowers from 2021 planting.
Art of Leisure Butterfly & Hummingbird Seed Gift Businesses • 2024
Sign of The Bear
Café Mac
Summer Vine
Prohibition Spirits Distillery
Sonoma Country Antiques
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
MacArthur Place Hotel
Refill Madness
Caddis Winery
Baker & Cook
Off Broadway Cleaners
Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
Woof
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market
Plain Jane’s
Oak Hill Farm
Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance
Edward Jones, Lindsey Stone Sonoma Syrup Co. Scott Nichols Gallery Readers Books Eraldi’s Men’s Wear & Shoes The Loop Sonoma Potter Green & Company Vintage House Chateau Sonoma Half-Pint Tiddle E. Winks Artefact Design & Salvage Wine Country Garden Center Sonoma Mission Gardens Jak-W Valley Swim Club Williams-Sonoma, Sonoma The Sonoma School of Martial Arts
Cafe La Haye
The Olive Press
Cline Cellars
This year, for a limited time, locally owned Sonoma Mission Gardens is offering a sample of an organic product to help the seeds to start their growth, and Wine Country Garden Center is offering a sample of an organic product to support healthy flower growth. These complimentary samples will be available after April 16th; visit each nursery to pick up your sample and to inquire about additional tips for planting success.
Porches are so valuable in a home where you may enjoy the day or evening surrounded by gardens endlessly changing activity and beauty.Entering the home, we see a dining table waiting to display vases filled with colorful cuttings from the garden.
Art of Leisure & Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
A lovely setting with abundant flowers at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, awaiting guests and the Spring Garden workshop.
In addition to the businesses participating in the seed giveaway, we are honored to collaborate with historic Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa as they celebrate Earth Day on April 19th with a Spring Garden workshop, creating sustainable hummingbird and butterfly gardens using our curated seed packets and garden pots. Gathered on the South Lawn at Fairmont Sonoma, you will learn more about these beautiful creatures and the importance of flowers as a food source for pollinators. Enjoy delicious tea featuring Sonoma Syrup Co. and made with nature’s freshest herbs while you assemble your own personal garden.
Saturday, April 19th, 3: pm, $35 per person (one garden box per family of 4). You may view the program and purchase a ticket at their website here.
Bring Beauty to Your Home this Spring with a Butterfly & Hummingbird Flower Garden
As we welcome Spring this beautiful year of 2023, I’d like to share with you a community outreach butterfly & hummingbird seed distribution program created just in time for Spring planting and the celebration of Earth Day.
Gardens are an important part of a home here in the Sonoma Valley and beyond. My friends and I invite you to enliven yours with a gift of seeds to create beauty and abundance around you. These high quality seeds have been specially curated to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Both butterflies and these tiny, lovely birds are treasured contributors to our larger ecosystem. Whether in a personal garden or expansive field, they bring inspiring charm and joy into our lives.
The seed gift packets will be gifted to the community during the week before Earth Day 2023 at the local businesses listed below, located throughout Sonoma County. It is our hope that recipients will plant these seeds in their pollinator gardens in the spirit of celebration for Spring and our Mother Earth. Each gift will contain a mix of seeds ready for planting that will bloom into glorious flowers. These seeds are appropriate for a wide number of garden zones across the United States.
Included with the seed packets will be an information sheet with complete list of the flower varieties and simple planting guidelines.
Gifts will be dropped off at Sonoma businesses on April 20th. The community can stop by one of the following participating locations to pick up a Butterfly & Hummingbird seed packet from the 20th through the 29th of April.
Art of Leisure, Brenda McNeill, Coldwell Banker Brokers of The Valley
Scott Nichols Gallery
Readers Books
Eraldi’s Mens Wear & Shoes
The Loop
Potter Green & Company
Vintage House
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Chateau Sonoma
Bartholomew Estate Winery
Half-Pint
Tiddle E. Winks
Artefact Design & Salvage
Wine Country Gardens
Café La Haye
Art of Leisure & Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
A lovely setting with abundant flowers at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, awaiting guests and the Spring Garden workshop.
In addition to the businesses participating in the seed giveaway, we are honored to collaborate with historic Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa as they celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd with a Spring Garden workshop, creating sustainable hummingbird and butterfly gardens using our curated seed packets and recycled wine boxes.
Learn more about these elegant creatures and the importance of flowers as a food source for pollinators. Enjoy delicious hot tea made with fresh herbs while you assemble your own personal garden, and linger afterwards for live music and elevated street food from CaliForno, Fairmont Sonoma’s signature food truck. Tickets include all of the materials needed to craft your unique garden box. If you are unable to take a box home with you, a seed packet will be provided for you to plant your own garden at home.
Saturday, April 22nd, 3:30pm – 5:00pm, $35 per person. You may view the program and purchase a ticket at their website here.
Mentor and mentee work together to create seed gifts for the community.
Wherever you call home, it is my hope that you may find time to plant lots of flowers this Spring.
And, whether you are renovating a home or relaxing with a hobby, that you may enjoy the Art of Leisure. Wishing you a beautiful Spring. If you would like more information on this project, please feel free to give me a call.
In Sonoma and Napa Valley because we live in an agricultural area the health of our soil is very important to our wellbeing. As the soil directly impacts the health of the foods we grow and our community, it is my thought that we all may like to know a little more about nutrient rich soil. For that reason, and to teach kids in my Sonoma Nature Club, I did a little experiment to study the effects of various microbial and nutritional additions to the soil on five different small areas of land in wine country. Healthy land and gardens are an important part of the leisure lifestyle in Sonoma and Napa Valley. In 2021, I began the research project on how soil amendments adjust the crop output and water retention of plants.
This informational and educational project included the participation of the Sonoma Nature Club (described in this local article) and Sonoma Mentoring Alliance members. It has been inspiring for kids of all ages to better understand the cultivation of soil and the growing of crops, farm to table, the endeavor has since transitioned into a valuable source of knowledge for the community. Hopefully, this will be helpful to you and your plants as they thrive through the growing season.
This is partial list of what was monitored by Sonoma Nature Club:
Growth + health of plant
Count of pumpkins and size of fruit, plus foiliage
Soil water content
Soil compaction
The 2022 pumpkin patch. You can see the rocks that a Sonoma Nature Club member painted on the lower right corner.
A few larger pumpkins at Sonoma Garden Park which we will study and then carve for Halloween festivities this year.
A few members of the Sonoma Nature Journal Club carving their 2021 pumpkin crop.
Friends in the garden include pollinator butterflies. We always appreciate a lovely Swallowtail butterfly visit.
This study of soil is part of the immersive agricultural experience that I have offered to kids and adults at the Sonoma Garden Park for a number of years. The focus is specifically on analysis and education about crops, soil and the land, which will be helpful to both the personal gardener and the crop grower. It has been my belief that becoming more comfortable with the land and nature is of the utmost of importance for everyone.
Part of our soil science study involved the product Biochar which is available from the company Pacific Biochar. The Chief Executive Officer, Josiah Hunt is shown above discussing how this soil enhancement product increases crop yield for vineyards.
Biochar is simply defined as a fine-grained biomass charcoal used or found in soil. For as long as fire and plant life have co-existed, pyrogenic organic matter (biochar) has played a role in the development and fertility of topsoil. One of the findings in our Art of Leisure soil science study is that biochar does increase water retention in and around the root mass of the plant, allowing for better root development and water availability for the plant. It also helps to increase soil tilth and supports microbial communities.
It is quite interesting to know and see how Biochar is created. First, the natural wood pieces are carefully burned or heated with a minimum or absence of oxygen. When air is excluded, oxygen for combustion is stripped from the biomass, which is thus reduced to carbon bonds of charcoal. Above is a container burning at Donum Estate Winery earlier this year.
Here we see the opening of the container and cooling of the product. It will then be packaged and transported to a site for distribution. I have used this product as part of the soil science study for Sonoma Nature Club and the community. It is my belief that the foundation for soil health is in increased microbial activity in our soil.
Healthy soil that has some structure and can bring nutrition to the roots of a plant can be accomplished in a number of ways. This engaging agricultural study is helping us to better understand the process. Below is an example of a cover crop of mustard seen in the Napa Valley earlier this year. Mustard is usually incorporated into the soil later in the season, all part of sustainable agriculture.
If you have an interest in this, please feel free to give me a call anytime.
It is April 2022 and we are celebrating Spring and Earth Day 2022. This year, the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Syrup Co. and I are coming together to help the community and the environment during this beautiful time of the year. We have gathered and created 350+ spring garden gifts composed of thoughtfully curated pollination-encouraging plant seeds packets so that the recipients of this free gift may plant their own gardens to attract Butterflies & Hummingbirds in the warm + sunny days ahead.
Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden Seeds; Bring Beauty to your Home this Spring with a Butterfly & Hummingbird Flower Garden
Let’s Celebrate Spring, Earth Day 2022 and Help our Pollinator Friends!
Sonoma, CA (April 2022) – Gardens are an important part of a home here in Sonoma Valley. Brenda McNeill and friends will help you join in with a gift of seeds to create beauty and abundance around you. These high quality seeds have been specially curated to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Both the butterflies and these very lovely small birds are treasured contributors to our larger ecosystem. Whether in a personal garden or expansive field, they bring inspiring beauty and joy into our lives.
The seed gift packets will be gifted (free) to local residents the week before Earth Day 2022. It is our hope that the community will plant these seeds in their pollinator gardens in a spirit of celebration for Spring and our Mother Earth. Each garden gift will contain a mix of seeds ready for planting which will bloom into beautiful flowers. In addition to the seed packets, a complete list of the flowers will be enclosed, an overall information sheet, and simple planting guidelines.
Brenda McNeill, Karin Campion and both the Sonoma Nature Club members and Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance mentors + mentees have carefully created these packages for community gifting to be picked up at local businesses. It is our hope that in addition to helping the birds and butterflies, this Spring gift will also support our local Sonoma business community.
We are grateful to the many helping hands that contributed to this garden gift.
A group of mentors and mentees in April 2022.
Created and donated to the community by Brenda McNeill, luxury real estate and leisure lifestyle specialist + founder of Sonoma Nature Journal Club, with the help of the Sonoma Mentoring Alliance mentors and mentees and the support of specialty food company Sonoma Syrup Co. As local professionals who help clients with homes, gardens, families and food, we hope that you will call upon us if we can assist you in any way. Or, visit us on Instagram: @artofleisuresonomanapa, @sonomasyrupco, @sonomavalleymentoring.
We will provide the gifts to Sonoma businesses by April 15th. The community can stop by one of the local business participants to pick up Butterfly & Hummingbird seed packets from the 15th through the 25th of April. A few are listed below.
Participating businesses include;
Shops: *Summer Vine *Half Pint *Prohibition Spirits Distillery *Sonoma Country Antiques *Chateau Sonoma *Refill Madness *Sign of The Bear *Wine Country Garden Center *Tiddle Winks *Woof *The Corner Store *Readers Books *Nomad Botanicals *Williams-Sonoma, Sonoma *Scott Nichols Gallery *Potter Green & Co.
Services: *Café Mac *Edward Jones, L.Stone *Off Broadway Cleaners *Vinny’s Shoe Repair *Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance *Art of Leisure, B McNeill *Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
Dining: *Basque Boulangerie Café’ *Taub Family Outpost *Café La Haye *Caddis Wines *Baker & Cook *Oak Hill Farm *Sonoma Syrup Co. *Cline Cellars
Education: *Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau *Musette Atelier *Sonoma School of Martial Arts
Lodging: *Bancroft Inn of Sonoma *MacArthur Place
We are so grateful for all our pollinator helpers, from those who teach, plant + grow the garden, to the butterflies, bees, and birds that we treasure.
A Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance mentor and mentee in front of their garden, planted from the Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden Seeds gifted to the community in 2021.
A few flowers from one of the 400+ seed packages that we shared last year with the community.
Please enjoy a short video of the Wine Country Pollinator Garden above that was planted with our flower seeds: Vimeo • Youtube
A lovely caterpillar that will hopefully become a Swallowtail butterfly.
A bee box at Sonoma Garden Park with many pollinator friends who will enjoy these gardens.
A nest with a few very young hummingbirds. The picture was taken from a distance; here you see a close up.
As we continue this winter season in which we celebrate the recent rains, I’d like to share with you two properties and some beautiful fountains that all bring to mind the joy of water available to the homes and gardens of wine country. The first is a lovely residential + commercial location on the southern side of Sonoma Valley with an abundance of artisanal water. The water flows up from the earth (at a rate of 14± gallons per minute), and is readily available to the home, small orchard, hobby vineyard, and business.
A lovely interior with older wood floors that have such a warm tone to their coloring.
A very inviting entrance to one of the residential areas.
A few organic grapevines enjoying the sunshine before harvest. Feel free to watch this video for more information.
The second property is on the west side of Sonoma Valley, just moments from the center of town, Sonoma Plaza. This estate is graced with the abundant beauty of Carriger Creek flowing freely along the land. With its location at the foot of the mountain, it offers sweeping views of Sonoma Valley, vineyards and beyond from most area points on this 33± acres of land.
Expansive view from a potential building site on this land.
Nearby trail to wander at your leisure with full privacy. You can see a part of the wildflower preserve in the distance.
I just love this “personal park” area next to historic Carriger Creek where one can gather with family or friends. This spot has been enjoyed by young Nature Camp participants over the years.
A moment overlooking the creek in the early afternoon with my journal.
Please enjoy this brief video highlighting the beauty of Carriger Creek and the pleasure of journaling, something that I share with the community, including children, through my Sonoma Nature Journal Club.
The beauty of the simple waterway of Carriger Creek.
Here in Sonoma and Napa Valleys, we so deeply appreciate when the water that springs forth from the land via stream, creek, lake or other waterway. Carriger Creek is an enchanting natural waterway in the Sonoma Creek watershed that meanders through the land on the west side of Sonoma Valley before flowing into Sonoma Creek and out to the ocean.
A simple traditional tea house amidst the trees, with an enormous view of this property.
The Van Hoosear Wildflower Preserve, a nature preserve in Sonoma County, is nearby with 163± acres along the foothills of Sonoma Mountain. The Preserve has a gently sloping grassland and over 250 species of common and rare wildflowers. This sweeping expanse of protected land can be seen from the property and potentially hiked often.
Father José Altimira had much to say about the vital, historic water sources in this area.
“Sonoma is a fountain of fountains,” wrote FatherAltimira in July of 1823, as he explored the North Bay, looking for the best place to build a mission.
The wonderful Sonoma Mission Gardens nursery has unique fountains to choose from so that you may relax amidst the sound and positive energy of flowing water. To honor our precious natural water sources, here are a few lovely fountains that can be purchased for your garden and home.
Ripples of water
Bubbling forth
Drawn into a trough
Tiered terra cotta
The majesty of an arcing stance
A side entrance door to this favored nursery of locals reminds us of all of the character and art of garden rooms. Here Sonoma Mission Gardens offers many vessels: fountains for your own flowing water in Sonoma or Napa Valley. It is all about land + gardens + homes, adding so much to our “Art of Leisure” lifestyle with family and friends.
Here I share a few homes in Sonoma and Napa Valley with lovely personal spaces. It is always very satisfying to have a place which fits you perfectly and is at least slightly private. These are properties, or areas of properties, where someone has created a very unique area for themselves. Whether you are enjoying your home, garden, work or land for a few hours or a portion of the day, a special place to call one’s own is so appreciated anytime.
I just love this spot where an architect or landscape designer might easily create new plans for clients or tend to their own Wine Country home and garden.
With clean, white cupboards just behind the desk, as well as a functional sink and counter space, this is a fabulous personal area. Right outside the door is an abundant garden.
A few white peonies from the garden potting beds….
This lovely potting shed is the perfect size for garden tools or a gathering spot amongst the plants. Here we see climbing roses and peony beds, with raised boxes of vegetables, herbs and more flowers in this nicely fenced area.
A large fountain holds court in a quiet corner; one can only imagine the peaceful sound of trickling water.
A very eco-conscious lawn, large enough for friends or family to enjoy or play a favorite game running the length. Soccer is a popular in wine country.
Rose bushes and other very special plantings around the lawn providing both an abundance of open space as well as the finished feeling which comes from carefully selected flowers and trees.
A lovely pool space for relaxing, with another unique water fountain close by. This home is located at 60 Loma Vista Drive, on the western side of Sonoma Valley, and is currently available to view or purchase.
This simple, private space has a lovely window nearby and an inviting mix of old and new.
Up in the western hills of Sonoma Valley, we find this warm toned personal space, perfectly suited for reading, relaxing and conversation, and made even more special by its many artistic touches.
In the same house, you will find this beautifully appointed bedroom with quite a few high quality architectural elements. The light streams in from the north via a few well designed windows which provide an air of ease and calm. Once again, we see a comfortable spot for quiet contemplation next to the fire.
A beautifully designed art studio, so perfect for a place of one’s own, with north-facing French doors to capture a plethora of premium light, optimum for seeing and painting. A true artist or professional’s dream room. This property is available to view or purchase at 4550 Grove Street in Sonoma.
The winery building at Bartholomew Park Winery is another example of someone’s vision and desire for their own personal spaces. Although part of the 375 acre historical park today, it has its origin as being the original residence for Count Agoston Haraszthy. With an abundance of history here, as well as the vineyards, gardens, and a small lake, this was also the site of Sonoma’s first hospital. You can view the complete history at Bartholomew Park. At this time, Bartholomew Park is owned and operated by the Frank H. Bartholomew Foundation.
This balcony serves as a place for someone to step away and enjoy the view of vineyards and land.
Antonia’s Garden today is a much loved picnic area for the public.
Recently updated, this area of Bartholomew Park Winery features a private spot for members of the wine club, a well-considered place to peruse the vineyards and listen to the nearby creek as it meanders slowly through the land.
Peonies from the 60 Loma Vista Drive garden. These flowers have long been a favorite for personal celebrations and to adorn one’s private space. They can be grown with ease in Sonoma and Napa Valleys.
Wishing you many relaxing moments in your personal spaces wherever you may find or create them. As always, feel free to contact me about any of the properties featured here or visit the winery.
Spring is here and Earth Day is fast approaching. Sonoma Syrup Co. & Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance have joined with me to bring over 330 Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden Seed Gifts to anyone who is visiting Sonoma Valley from April 15th through the 25th. These gifts, as seen above, will be available at the shops and wineries listed on the last post at no cost, only with the thought of helping our winged friends.
This lovely swing on a spacious wine country property’s front porch is the perfect spot to pop on a straw hat, pick up your binoculars, and enjoy the afternoon light while getting a closer look at the hummingbirds and butterflies who come to visit flowers in your garden.
We hope you’ll take a moment to read two fabulous articles recently published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that speak to the importance of butterfly & hummingbird gardens.
The butterfly and pollinator garden at Jordan Winery in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, was designed to encourage a trip around property to view the sanctuaries created for our pollinating friends. Read the wonderful overview here.
A simple, meaningful afternoon project with mentors and mentees.
It is a joy to see such happy faces and to understand that this effort is truly making a contribution to the community and our greater ecosystem.
We were inspired by our surroundings as we created with enthusiasm this gift to benefit butterflies and hummingbirds in the Sonoma Valley and beyond.
Tina Baldry, the program director at the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, spearheaded this project with Karin Campion Mattoon and myself.
We look forward to hearing from you with pictures and thoughts on how your garden grows. Enjoy a beautiful Earth Day!
Bring Beauty to your Home this Spring with a Butterfly & Hummingbird Flower Garden Let’s Celebrate Spring, Earth Day 2021 and Help our Pollinator Friends!
I want to share with you a community outreach butterfly & hummingbird flower garden seed distribution program created just in time for Spring planting.
Painting by Brenda McNeill
Gardens are an important element of homes here in Sonoma Valley. In a spirit of celebration for Spring and mother earth, Brenda McNeill and friends will help you to enhance your own with a gift of seeds to create beauty and abundance. These high quality seeds have been specially curated to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, treasured contributors to our larger ecosystem. Whether in a personal garden or expansive field, they bring inspiring beauty and joy to our lives. The garden above is my own, wisteria in full bloom, and is often visited by local pollinators.
The butterfly and hummingbird flower garden seed gift packets will be available to residents during the week before Earth Day 2021. Each packet contains a mix of seeds ready for planting and chosen to promote beautiful flowers. In addition to the seed packets, a complete list of flowers will be enclosed, as well as an overall information sheet and simple planting guidelines.
Brenda McNeill, Karin Campion, Sonoma Nature Club members and Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance mentors + mentees have lovingly created these seed packages for community gifting to be retrieved at local businesses. Our intention, in addition to helping the birds and butterflies, is that this Spring gift will serve to support our local Sonoma business community.
Explaining the idea to the wonderful members of Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, partners in this gifting program.
I love this picture of a mentor and mentee taking a closer look at a hummingbird nest I had found alongside the road recently. Nature + Science + Curiosity are a bedrock of what I hope to encourage.
We all had a wonderful afternoon of filling seed packages and chatting about butterflies, birds and bees. Here we are at Sonoma Garden Park.
As local professionals who help clients with homes, gardens, families and food, we hope that you will call upon us if we can assist you in any way. Or, visit us on Instagram: @artofleisuresonomanapa, @sonomasyrupco, @sonomavalleymentoring.
We will deliver the gifts to Sonoma businesses by April 15th. The community can visit one of these local business participants to pick up a Butterfly & Hummingbird seed packet from the 15th through the 25th of April. A few participating businesses are listed below. This list will be updated regularly until the 15th.
In and around Sonoma, the Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden Gifts can be found at:
Baker & Cook
Bartholomew Estate Vineyards And Winery*
Basque Boulangerie Café
Caddis Wines
caféMac
Candlestick Shop
Chateau Sonoma
G’s
Half Pint
Off Broadway Cleaners
Prohibition Spirits Distillery
Refill Madness
Scott Nichols Gallery
Sign of The Bear
Sonoma Country Antiques
Sonoma Mission Gardens
Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau
Summer Vine
Sweet Scoops
Taub Family Outpost
The Corner Store
Tiddle E. Winks
Vinny’s A-1 Shoe Repair
Williams-Sonoma, Sonoma Store
Wine Country Garden Center
Woof!
Gifts will be available at Bartholomew Park beginning on Earth Day, the 22nd.
Sponsors: Brenda McNeill, Luxury real estate + leisure lifestyle specialist Art of Leisure, Coldwell Banker Brokers of The Valley Karin Campion Mattoon, Home design and specialty food company Sonoma Syrup Co. Susie Gallo & Tina Baldry, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Family support
The Butterfly & Hummingbird Seed Mix contains seeds that will grow some version of the following flowers from Spring into Fall. Flowers reach about 3 1/2′ and create a meadow effect.
Eschscholzia californica – California Poppy (A)
Gaillardia aristata – Blanket Flower (P)
Gaillardia pulchella – Indian Blanket (A)
beris umbellate – Candytuft(A)
Liatris spicata – Blazing Star (P)
Lobularia maritima – Sweet Alyssum (A)
Lupinus perennis – Perennial Lupine (P)
Monarda citriodora – Lemon Mint (A)
Ratibida columnifera – Prairie Coneflower (P)
Rudbeckia hirta – Black-eyed Susan (P)
Salvia coccinea – Scarlet Sage (A)
Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly Milkweed (P)
Callistephus chinensis – China Aster (A)
Centaurea cyanus – Bachelor’s Button (A)
Cheiranthus allionii – Siberian Wallflower (P)
Clarkia amoena – Godetia (A)
Coreopsis lanceolata – Lanceleaf Coreopsis (P)
Coreopsis tinctoria – Plains Coreopsis (P)
Delphinium consolida – Larkspur, Rocket (A)
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower*
An example of wild California poppies ,which grow naturally and in abundance along Valley roads and open fields.
Early Spring blooming lupine can be found in and around Sonoma Valley. Both lupine and poppies are favorite pollinator plants for bees and butterflies and are included in the seed mix.
Sonoma has a beautiful pollinator garden at Sonoma Garden Park which is carefully tended by a few dedicated volunteers.
Nearby at the Garden Park is this very active bee hive. Bees are one of our most essential pollinators. California has close to 6,000 flowering plants, and bees perform a key role in the dissemination of pollen, allowing these plants to provide much of the produce that we consume.
These white pear tree blossoms are aglow in the late afternoon light. I recommend the Picture This app which was well reviewed by a renowned gardener recently. Capture a photo of a plant or tree with the app for immediate identification.
Simple Planting Guidelines:
DAYS TO GERMINATION: 10-28 days at 65-75°F (18-24°C)
SOWING: Direct seed (recommended). Prepare a weed-free area or pot. Broadcast mixture lightly and evenly over the planting area. Gently tamp seeds into the soil to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Plant no deeper than 1/8″. Keep the area moist to aid germination.
PLANTING SEASON: Plant in spring, early summer, or late fall. For fall sowing, wait until the soil temperature is too cool to allow seed germination (below 40ºF/4.4ºC).
LIGHT PREFERENCE: Sun.
PLANT HEIGHT: 10-48″ Plant heights vary depending on species.
SOIL REQUIREMENTS: Average, well-drained soil.
A favorite food of the monarch butterfly is milkweed, included in our Garden Seed packs.
I wish you a lovely Spring and hope that you will stop by one of these Sonoma Valley shops or the Visitors Bureau to pick up your Butterfly & Hummingbird Flower Garden Seed Gift, beginning April 15th.
Those of us who are sponsoring this community gift would love to hear how your garden grows. We are so excited to support our pollinator friends and look forward to making a contribution to the Sonoma community and our friends who own businesses in this area.
These last few months have brought us to truly appreciate the value of our homes and gardens as we shelter in place. For the combined good of our communities, we have a new understanding of our health and our friends near and far.
It is in that spirit that I would like to share the project that I recently completed for the Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC). As my real estate business in Sonoma and the “Art of Leisure,” is constantly circling around the home and garden, this was so personally fulfilling to both imagine and complete with the SEC. In many circles they say it takes a village. That was certainly true of this garden project. It was only with the help of leadership, staff and many dedicated volunteers that we were able to gift 300 “Victory Garden starter kits” to the greater Sonoma Valley community. The following are a few highlights of how these hundreds of starter “Victory Gardens” were given in celebration of the SEC’s 30th Anniversary and in honor of Earth Day.
As we like to start a project with a vision of its end in mind, the picture above was seen in the local Sonoma Index Tribune newspaper the day before the gifting event of April 25, 2020. It was appropriately titled, “Sow the seeds of ‘Victory’.” You can see that I have full COVID-19 mask and gloves in place.
This is historic Sonoma City Hall the morning of April 25th, as we begin setting up tables to distribute the starter gardens. Our scheduled start time was 10:00 a.m.
At around 9:00 a.m, the boxes are placed on tables and cars start to line up around the Sonoma Plaza, waiting for the gifting to begin.
That then brings us to the beginning: Our goal was to appropriately celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Sonoma Ecology Center on their birthday of Earth Day 2020.
We started by searching for available plants and seeds. This was found to be quite difficult due to virus-related closures, so we changed to growing the plants ourselves. Here we see Bee-Well Farms, the grower with whom we worked to plant vegetables, fruit, and flowers. We needed 2,100 seedlings for the 300 starter kits. With shelter in place orders have just been given, the available national seed supply was dwindling by the hour. We were so fortunate to work with this wonderful grower who had the varieties of organic seeds that we desired and packaging supplies in stock.
We were then able to locate and purchase 85,000 organic seeds online. Delivery was slightly delayed due to the incredible demand. Once received, we needed to count seeds to prepare 600 custom seed packages for the kits.
A few wonderful volunteers and I measured seeds into the 600 packets. Each envelope contained either 100 carrot seeds, 150 spinach or 175 lettuce seeds. The picture above was taken on my front lawn with full COVID-19 measures followed, except for a moment as we drew our chairs closer for the photo.
On March 30th, the project is announced by the Sonoma Ecology Center to the press and community through social media, print, and our individual networks. In the community, grocery store lines were increasing and some food supplies were becoming scarce. This only made our project the more relevant and needed. Here you see what was in each Victory Garden box. Eventually, the boxes went on to include a 4 inch potted tomato plant and a small bag of Biochar.
Very positive marketing material and messaging was created and distributed by the talented SEC staff. A few parts of the messaging contained simple watercolors that I painted.
On Earth Day, the plants are delivered to the Sonoma Garden Park. Here, we water these 2,100 young, sprouting fruits and vegetables and tend to the new shoots.
This is our first sample box, waiting to be copied 300+ times the following morning.
Putting together the boxes; so many fabulous, dedicated volunteers gathered in the old barn at Sonoma Garden Park.
Success…the boxes wait patiently for sunrise on Saturday, April 25th, when we will collect them from the barn and ever so carefully deliver them to the Sonoma Plaza for distribution.
We are ready, and beginning to offer guidelines to the hundred of cars waiting for a safe, COVID-19 appropriate gifting of the garden boxes.
Soon, traffic control is in full force as we creatively direct traffic. The quantity of cars was so much greater than we had expected.
A gift box is delivered to the trunk of the car while recipients stay safely inside. In this picture, you can see two reporters from the local paper and a Wall Street Journal photographer recording the event.
Law enforcement arrives and traffic management is in full bloom.
Due to our advance planning, amazing volunteers, and the Sonoma Ecology Center organization, this was all quite orderly and successful. Celebrating the “Nonprofit of the Year 2019’s Birthday,” began to unfold and the feeling of gratitude surrounded us.
After a brisk 45 minutes to an hour, we were running out of Victory Gardens. It became necessary to turn away cars. The enthusiasm was completely beyond our imagination as a board.
This is one plant which found a home in the soil of a local resident. As an organization, our goal was to gift all 300 on Saturday. Our mission completed, we were thrilled.
The Sonoma Ecology Center is involved in many areas of the Sonoma Valley community.
Wishing you a lovely garden, and to stay well during this time of shelter-in-place.
As the temperatures rise in Sonoma & Napa Valley, I wanted to share with you a few pictures of this wonderfully relaxing time of the year. To begin, the orderly march of vines in late afternoon light.
cresting the hill at Clos Du Val Vineyards, Napa Valley
mid-summer fruit on the vines
the Scribe Winery Hacienda, truly a beautifully restored structure where you can sit outside and enjoy the view with refreshments
a quiet field of Queen Anne’s Lace, swaying with the light breeze on a hot summer afternoon
inviting cool & scenic resting spot under a stately tree
late afternoon amidst the vines at Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma
for the child in all of us, a moment of fun at a summer camp, Harry Potter’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Sonoma Garden Park
What would summer be without a neighborhood Farmers Market, this one is located on the East Side of Sonoma, very casual & authentic, all the produce & products are from either gardens behind the barn or from farmers who live and work nearby.
Here an orderly march of freshly picked blackberries, just waiting to be brought home and made into jam. With this seasonal abundance from the nearby berry bramble, jam making is a satisfying activity on a hot summer afternoon.
The Saturday market also sells jars of jam & honey from nearby 5th Street Farm in Sonoma.
Afternoon light on a few summer flowers at the Community Garden Park, everything is refreshingly simple and real on this warm day in August. I hope that you will be visiting Sonoma or Napa Valley on a hot summer day soon!
As we celebrate our fourth year of gifting butterfly & hummingbird garden seeds to the community, I’d like to share my recent visit to the home and garden of my collaborator on this project, Karin Campion Mattoon, as well as my own home in Sonoma.
A moment overlooking the creek in the early afternoon with my journal.
The beauty of the simple waterway of Carriger Creek.
