My Tiny and Neglected Garden

I just got back home after two weeks away. I was at a cousin's wedding in Canada (Edmonton, Alberta). It was a beautiful wedding. Plus, we took a road trip to see Jasper, Columbia Ice Fields, Banff, Canmore, and Calgary. Then, I was off to Northern California to get my dogs who spent time there while I was away. Now that I'm back in Southern Cali, I have had to see the slight disarray my tiny garden was in. Most plants got watered well and lived, but other not so much. They were either watered too much or too little....so much for asking a friend to make sure the plants weren't dying! He said everything looked good. Well, my eyes saw a different yard! It still amazes me how overgrown plants can get over two weeks....and how ugly they can get too. Flower gardens are definitely hard work at times. I've been pinching, pruning, cutting, replanting over the past couple of days. With the hot weather out in this part of the world, it leaves a small window of time to work outdoors. Below are some pictures of the things in my tiny garden. My yard is in constant need of work, but all of the work has been worth it. I love my new hobby!

My DIY vertical garden using an old trellis, plastic baskets, and zip ties! I've planted small wax begonias, rosemary, and succulents in the baskets. It doesn't require much watering. Gotta love low maintenance!

Double impatiens!! I am not a fan of the regular and plain impatiens, but for some reason I love these! A few more petals really makes a difference, but I have to say that I am a sucker for fluffy blooms.

I couldn't get these solar lights to stay upright on their own. One day I went toy he dollar store and bought a bunch of terra cotta pots (I could not let the dollar deal pass me by!), and they sat in the yard for a while because I had nothing to put in them. Then I realized I could probably take the solar lights apart and push the stakes through the holes at the bottom of each pot. I turned the pots over and did just that. Now I never have to worry about the lights falling over. One day, I want to turn the pots right-side up and maybe plant something inside and bury the stake of the solar light in the middle. Maybe....

These are my small citrus trees. The shorter one is a dwarf navel orange and the taller one is a Meyer lemon. I've had them for a year and they have fragrant blossoms. They have both had small fruits, but they never get big enough to ripen. They go bad and fall off! I don't know what I'm doing wrong, although I'm sure it's me. Everyone has told me these are easy to grow! They get plenty of sunlight, they get watered as recommended, and they get fertilizer specifically for citrus plants. Well, it's only been a year. I guess I just have to be patient. At least I haven't killed them yet.