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Let me describe the garden, I had perfected at rm8 at the Palms Motel in needles, Ca. The first thing against any growing plant there is the terribly alkaline soil, full of salts, which are magnified by the salty tap water. Its insane, and then theres the terrible heat that begins in May until usually into November. 110 to 129 degrees is not unusual. Seldom, seldom rain. Using gypsum, a soil supplement, I finally discovered, neutralizes some of the salts, but doesnt last long, so that it has be to applied again, at $5,00 per 40# bag. So a total expenditure in my plot of $40.00, every two months helped it grow and bloom. In August, whiteflies, tiny gnat like bugs come in from the Arizona across the river cotton farms. Finally, I discovered, that regular storebought canola oil (1/2 c.) to a gallon of water, sprayed on leaves of all plants protected them from any kind of insect, in fact, I was surprised that in even extreme sunlight and heat, it didnt cook plants, with the obvious film it lays over the leaves. All of this discovering of solutions, took over a period of two years experimenting, with me reporting same in my monthly community newsletter, "The Eccentric Gardener." My garden was designed to lead one to my front door with an overhang of the now resurrected pine tree, giving an Oriental feeling. Consider that on the left side of that a few feet was a trunk of a speciman palm tree, probably 50 years old and 50 feet tall. I learned to use ruella in mass plantings, because of its toughness. In the summer, it blooms cascades of lavender petunia like flowers. I used seasonal annuals, as well, but they usually didnt last long. I used pink, blue, and yellow, as accent, to the ruellas lavenders. FROM THE FRONT AREA, I laid a strong S curve of wide concrete edging, once red, then faded to a softer hue. This S curve ended near a metal picnic table top I had found and turned upside down for use as a shallow pool. With planting, I skillfully integrated the garden to appear different from different angles, giving overall a woodland path effect. There was a brief path through a back gate to another tiny area, where I had hummingbird salvia growing successfully. All was lovely, until one day, when Louis Bravos worker, Jim Morris, announces hes going to dig a three foot wide, 3 foot deep trench through the garden! He claimed, as did Bravo, that the back garden was causing water leakage, destroying the inside of the next apt. wall. I was furious. They wouldnt listen to logic, which was the apt. back sloped in such a way, that when it did rain, water soaked into the back wall, opposite my garden, and stored itself under the floor, thus eating away the wall. I complained to the local community in a written statement, which ended with Jim Morris chasing me into my room, threatening my life and calling me vile obscenities. I called 911, and an Officer Landovazo came out, and said, he would order Morris to stay away from me period. Several days later, I opened my knocked upon door, which revealed L.Bravo with a letter from the local Sheriff saying that he Bravo had the right, to dig up my garden on his property, something, I had never questioned and told him so. Behind him stood Morris, disobeying the officer's order. I told them to do what they wanted, but I refused to aid them. When they did dig it up, they destroyed $200.00 worth of plants and the design. They piled the plants up, roots bare, sticking up drying out in the air. THESE F. PIG DRUGGERS DIDNT HAVE THE DECENCY TO TRY TO BE HELPFUL. THEY PULLED UP PLANTS< NO WHERE NEAR THEIR SUPPOSED PROBLEM. GUESS WHAT! THE TRENCH AT THE BOTTOM WAS DRY AS A BONE< I HAD BEEN RIGHT! In time, I turned the uncovered trench into a different kind of effect. And right before my illegal eviction, it was coming into the mature perennial glory, I had worked for 29 months. THEY DIDNT SOLVE THE INSIDE ADOBE PROBLEM, it still crumbled. They didnt seal the trench or a crack in the wall with sealer, Louis Bravo promising, he would for months, but lying as usual. I am looking forward to their drug operation being arrested and all his properties consficated. If only the FBI had the balls to do it... |
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