A visit to my father in law Jim's garden on Tamales Bay.

28 May '07 6:12 pm

Faith, you won't believe this but Lia and I finally got to Filoli - and we both forgot our cameras. Worse, they were out of disposables in the gift shop. Oh well, it was a nice visit.

Here instead are some photos from Lia's father's garden. About an hour North of San Francisco, on the coast in Point Reyes National Seashore, a good size penninsula jutting out into the pacific, separated by Bolinas Bay to the south and Tomales Bay to the north. Jim lives in a small community (about 12) of mostly summer houses. He is the only full time resident. He built the house and put in the garden himself with his late wife Esther's participation. They made use of a lot of California native plants. He is now 92 and lives there alone. He still makes a vegetable garden every year from which we eat lots of snap peas, roma beans and potatoes. Now he only grows what he can in wine barrell halves because of all the gophers.

29 May '07 10:28 am

This is a remarkably beautiful place, Mark!! Those photos to the seaside made me completely homesick!! Your father in law must lead a very serene life here! He is so lucky!

29 May '07 12:34 pm

Jim built this house and then sold it to and leased it from the National Seashore which is taking over more private property to include in the park. I don't think it will be in the family much longer, maybe 8 more years. His garden looks a little abandoned and past its prime but he still trims things up some. I only wish I'd photographed it 25 years ago when they were both alive and still actively making the garden.

It is a beautiful area and it will be sad not to have it to go up to.

29 May '07 1:04 pm

This is the sort of garden I love .The rhodendrons are so beautiful and look so natural growing there.The deck is a beautiful place to sit a while.
you mention planting in barrels because of the gophers,which puzzles me-what are gophers? Here it is a slang term for someone who rushes around -gofer.
Dixie.

29 May '07 2:40 pm

Dixie, gophers are a mammals that tunnel through the earth, making mounds, causing cave-ins and eating your vegetables. Unlike moles which sort of swim through the dirt just below the surface, gohpers establish tunnels and run around in them making them very hard to stop. Thank god I don't have them to deal with. In suburban areas like mine, if there aren't any gophers on your block you probably won't get any since it is hard (impossible I hope) for them to move under the streets and sidewalks.

I really admire both Jims construction and Esther's (we called her Mims) plant choices. They're on a hillside and that means choosing paths that are kind to the knees. He fashioned every structure himself with materials ready to hand. Having been a machinist he was as handy with metal as our Chris is and there are many items around that he made. The rhododendrums are big and so are the eucalyptus he planted for firewood. Every night a couple of vultures roost on a limb clearly visible sitting at the table in the dining room. He calls them his friends and says they are keeping an eye on him and waiting for him. He is 92 and slowing down but I'd put my money on him in any tussle with a vulture.

30 May '07 8:37 am

Dear Mark, what a lovely story about your father-in-law Jim. It made me feel somewhat melancholy to think of him living alone with all his wonderful memories of his obviously beloved wife Esther. It is so sad when one partner must go on without their other half. However, I was happy to read that even at 92 he still gardens. That's the kind of gardener I aspire to be.

Sorry you didn't get any pictures of Filoli, but at least you did enjoy the visit I'll bet.

30 May '07 11:42 am

That's the kind of place I'd like to retire to. It's beautiful.
It is a shame it won't stay in the family but enjoy it while you can. Smile

30 May '07 1:40 pm

Funny, but I just can't see myself ever moving in retirement or otherwise. I like to visit Jim at Duck Cove and when I first got my license to drive thirty odd years ago, Point Reyes was my favorite place to go for hiking and camping. I'll definitely miss Duck Cove but I can't see us ever retiring someplace else. Maybe we'll have to move because Berkeley may be to expensive to live in in retirement.

It was fun to show you around the place, Anna and Faith. I hope we'r all still gardening at 92. It's done wonders for him.

21 Aug '07 9:38 pm

What a wonderful place to retire to with a lovely view of the sea! Our favorite holiday spots are the islands...! Thanks for sharing these gorgeous snaps, Mark! Smile

22 Aug '07 10:37 am

Hi Mark
Jim's garden is beautiful and thanks for showing it to us. A few years ago, when I lived way, way out in the country I planted my vegetables in stacked tires. Wiskey barrels were $50.00 each but tires were free. We don't have gophers here but do have armidillos and bunnies. Since they can't climb, the tires worked great. We were so far off the road that no one could see them and it saved on bending over and making my back ache.

A visit to my father in law Jim's garden on Tamales Bay.

A visit to my father in law Jim's garden on Tamales Bay.

What a lovely place!

Happy for you to see it, Liza.

garden

Gophers are awful.

Old gardeners

Jim's garden