I like meandering through gardens much more than doing the actual work of gardening. I love watching the buds blossom, the bees buzz, smelling the distinct aromas of lavender and tomatoes (maybe not together), I even enjoy a tomato worm sighting (they’re great for a photographic moment!). My backyard is less a garden and more a menagerie of plants. An eclectic mix of succulents (there’s an aloe plant that has gone wild and has at least tripled in size over the years–it started as a gift in a small pot), potted lavender, a few cacti and sago palms, and who knows what else. Plants that overgrow the kitchen window often get banished to the backyard where they, more often than not, go feral. We do have a small raised garden bed with tomatoes and strawberries that have somehow survived two seasons with minimal attention (and too many insects who often enjoy the fruit before we get there) and we have a couple of blueberry plants.

The blueberry plants have been a challenge. We started with one expensive one, and it promptly tried to die. We adopted a cheaper brother for it and now both seem to be doing great. They each have a wine bottle waterer in their pots to keep them from dying of thirst and they are both jam-packed with blueberries right now! (Is it blueberry season? Is there a blueberry season in Southern California?)

So after taking some photos, I proceeded to harvest some blueberries. I collected quite a haul and after rinsing, my husband and I enjoyed a handful each. There is something so special about blueberries directly from the bush, lightly warmed in the sun.

Thankfully, my husband is a more dedicated gardener than I am. At least they get watered regularly. What treats is your garden offering in these first few days of spring?