Good things do come in small packages as Iris Gold and Steven Katz demonstrate in their small edible garden in Larkspur. And today they’ll show how their garden grows to a small group from the Bay-Friendly Garden Tours.
Their “mini organic farm” borders on the Larkspur Lagoon, with Mt. Tamalpais in the backdrop. When Iris and Steven first started gardening here, the soil was bay mud and the plants were mostly junipers. Over 23 years they have cultivated the soil, and created a nourishing garden for food, beauty, and relaxation. Containers were used to raise plants above saltwater intrusion from the lagoon. Edibles and ornamentals are intermixed with flowers grown for Ikebana flower arrangements.
The Bay-Friendly Garden Tours help people share their passion for gardening with the community. This spring the tour will open gates to 69 diverse gardens located in geographic clusters in four counties. There will also be day of talks and plant sales to help turn inspiration into action. Marin County will be featuring 11 host locations; Larkspur will be hosting 3 gardens, 3 talks and 1 plant sale.
One of the showcased gardens is at the Marin Brain Injury Network. This extra large garden site features espaliered fruit trees, habitat garden, rainwater retention, dry creek bed, owl house and raised beds with edibles. A native demonstration garden planted with drought tolerant species borders the Corte Madera Creek Marsh bike path. Master Gardeners Pat Compton and Karen Halvorsen are the driving forces behind this volunteer-built garden.
With the staff at MBIN, they develop garden therapy activities and garden work areas tailored to the special needs of the brain injured clients. Many items here have been salvaged and repurposed, including old bicycles, Tuscan tiles, wine bottles, and a former sofa now planted in groundcovers and succulents. The restoration areas along the bike path were covered with fennel and broom and have been replaced with succulents, a hedgerow, trees, meadow, shrubs, perennials, grasses and wildflowers.
A special plant sale Saturday will benefit MBIN, and local author Annie Spiegelman will be in the garden for a book signing of Talking Dirt.
Bay Area landscaper Avis Licht of Sweetbriar Landscape Design has been designing and installing edible landscapes for 30 years and will share simple tips to turn ornamental landscapes into a beautiful and productive landscape during her talk, Edible Landscaping Made Easy.
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