Heavy rains today usher in what is usually the stormiest month in the Pacific Northwest. “Pineapple express” storms pummel us and bring drenching rains all the way from Hawaii. I take some solace in this – the cold water that is now soaking me just had a tropical vacation. The rains signal the beginning of the end of fall install season. Once the soil becomes saturated and dry days less reliable, work is best left to spring when equipment will be less damaging. While I still have a few more gardens to go, by Thanksgiving I am usually done here. The first hard freeze hits us in early December and although the “pineapple express” abates at this time, the threat of snow begins. February brings long days in my garden if the weather allows – I have to prepare my garden early so March-April-May-June are free for Bliss and all the new gardens. Come March, I am running to stand still. Once I get into the full spring swing, it is a challenge to initiate new designs. Each install gets 100% of my attention and in spring these installs usually run back to back.
Whoops I skipped December & January. Other than cleaning up storm debris and protecting tender plants – December and January are quiet times in the Pacific Northwest garden and also for Bliss. I enjoy the time winter affords me to go for long walks with my eternal puppy Owen, to swim regularly and do other things I love (like flying to LA to reacquaint myself with the sun). It is also my favorite season to design as the distractions are few and I can really become engaged in the design process. Designing over the winter allows me to see a garden at its worst & best – drainage problems reveal themselves and you can truly see a garden’s bones. Given that my design to install lead time seems to be running a few months now, I encourage prospective clients to begin the process early in winter rather than waiting until spring garden fever has taken hold – and when my calendar is already full.
Winter is still several weeks away. In the meantime, I will continue to don the rain gear and get soaked on these last few gardens of 2010…
November rains bring a storm water "creek"
