As Part Of The Geezer Garden
Many years ago and at the beginning of the vast consideration of building out the property and creating a plan for specific gardens, I would walk over the acreage several times a day to get the ‘inspiration’ of the place. The property was burned and scorched; the vistas were clear; but it was 360º of desolation. (1)
During those times, I read a lot about forests and nature trails, but I wanted more refinement, if possible. I found many articles about nature trails in Pennsylvania and Ann and I had several opportunities to go on the walking trails of Oregon and Washington. I discovered “plant trails” that were beautiful. The walks contained vistas like we now have at Troll Knoll and a surprise that became a signature of our garden sanctuary at Troll Knoll…the mossy path! I studied the way to grow the moss, bought a big tiller and began tilling out various pathways. The idea I had in mind also lent itself to the recurrent theme of the “old estate” that had been torn down by the new upstarts (us) to the property and the old mossy paths lent credence to that theme. Then, I sprayed the paths and rocks with my ‘juice concoction*’ and waited patiently for 10 years.,
And wonders never cease, it worked! The Geezer Garden now has green paths, including mossy ones, and walks that during the winter are beautiful for miles. The walks are blown off every year or two and this year will be sprayed with buttermilk and liquid fertilizer (*aka ‘juice concoction) for the first time in more than 20 years.
(1) On September 11, 1988, the 49er Fire started in Nevada County and quickly became, at that time, the third most destructive fire in state history. The fire started at approximately 9:05 am and ultimately burned 33,700 acres, for a total of 53 square miles. An estimated 4,000-4,500 homes were within the fire perimeter.
More about the Geezer Garden: Coming of an Age | A Safe Haven | Mossy Walkways | The Caretaker’s Office
