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Wine Country, Sustainablility Maya Bartolf 1/29/21 Wine Country, Sustainablility Maya Bartolf 1/29/21

Winter Wanderings: Sonoma Garden Park

Winter is a perfect time for gardeners to bundle up and go outside to explore new gardens. Inspired by a bout of cabin fever brought on by recent rain storms, I ventured out to Sonoma Garden Park to find a charming working farm and so much more!

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Featured Blog Posts
Gnomes, Witches, and Owls Welcome Halloween on Florence Avenue in Sebastopol
October 29, 2021
Gnomes, Witches, and Owls Welcome Halloween on Florence Avenue in Sebastopol
October 29, 2021

If you are looking for something different to do this Halloween weekend in wine country, swing by Florence Avenue in Sebastopol to see the whimsical sculptures of the local junk artists Patrick Amiot and Bridget Laurent. Gnomes, pirates, witches, majestic owls, comic heroes, and fantastical animals will greet you. These quirky sculptures that inhabit the front yards of this residential street will bring a smile to your face.

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October 29, 2021
New Vibrations:
October 16, 2021
New Vibrations:
October 16, 2021

At the intersection of East Washington and Adobe Road in Petaluma, California, one can feel the new vibrations emanating from the thousands of colorful dahlias that grow in the field at The Happy Dahlia Flower Farm. Among the playful kaleidoscope of colorful blooms, visitors are immersed in a sensorial state of being filled with beauty, life energy, and nature. While well-known for producing exquisite dahlias in their many varieties, the farm has blossomed into a sanctuary for the spirit, soul, and connection. The Happy Dahlia Flower Farm has become a place to experience the sacred seasonal rhythms of the farm, landscape, and community.

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October 16, 2021
Apples and Grapes
October 1, 2021
Apples and Grapes
October 1, 2021

This week we’re taking in the fall colors at the orchard of Hale Apple Farm in Sebastopol, California. Foodies, farm enthusiasts, and fans of this radiant season will find this to be the perfect autumn outing in wine country.

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October 1, 2021
Cool Summer Poptails & Mocksicles
July 30, 2021
Cool Summer Poptails & Mocksicles
July 30, 2021

Popsicles are a refreshing treat as temperatures rise on hot summer days. Try combining fresh organic summer fruit, edible flowers, and your favorite sparkling wine, champagne, or prosecco to make the most cool and beautiful hand-crafted ”poptails.”

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July 30, 2021
Summer Splendor at Ferrari-Carano Winery and Gardens
July 20, 2021
Summer Splendor at Ferrari-Carano Winery and Gardens
July 20, 2021

If you can’t make it to Italy this summer, a trip to Ferrari-Carano Winery is a wonderful substitute. The beautiful Dry Creek Valley is home to Ferrari-Carano’s Estate winery and Villa Fiore Wine Hospitality Center. This Italianate winery has incredible sweeping views of the vineyards, elegant gardens, and sparkling fountains. Ferrari-Carano has been producing world-class wines that delight and attract visitors from all over the world.

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July 20, 2021
Happy 4th of July!
July 3, 2021
Happy 4th of July!
July 3, 2021

Wishing our nation a spark love and inspiration this 4th of July. Let’s raise a glass to togetherness and celebrating safely with family, friends, and community.

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July 3, 2021
Lavender Daze at Bees N’ Blooms
June 12, 2021
Lavender Daze at Bees N’ Blooms
June 12, 2021

Last Saturday, we spent our morning literally walking in circles mesmerized by the many fragrant varieties of blooms that form the lavender labyrinth at Bees N’ Blooms farm in Santa Rosa. Lavender fans, flower lovers, and farm enthusiasts will find this to be the perfect summer outing. The lavender labyrinth and farm are nestled at the foot of Mount Taylor on the Santa Rosa Plain and are home to thousands of honeybees, and native bees, cut flowers, and farm animals.

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June 12, 2021
Book Notes
June 3, 2021
Book Notes
June 3, 2021

Erin Benzakein shares her passion and the rich diversity for her favorite flower that grows on her farm in Washington State’s Skagit Valley. “These treasures are one of the most well-loved and widely grown flowers for cutting because the come in a dazzling rainbow of colors, they produce an abundance of flowers from midsummer into autumn, and the range of shapes and sizes available is staggering.” In Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias (Chronicle Books, 2021), the celebrated farmer-florist and New York Times bestselling author shares all the secrets readers will need for cultivating

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June 3, 2021
Protect the Life in Your Garden
May 31, 2021
Protect the Life in Your Garden
May 31, 2021

Renowned artist Michael Schwab has created a stunning new graphic to help WildCare remind people everywhere to Respect the Nest! 

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May 31, 2021
Springtime at Pacheco Ranch Winery
April 15, 2021
Springtime at Pacheco Ranch Winery
April 15, 2021

On a brisk and sunny morning in February, Debbie and Herb Rowland graciously invited Flowers and Grapes into Pacheco Ranch Winery (PRW), their family’s private historic 70-acre vineyard and winery in eastern Marin County. PRW has produced complex cabernet wines at this historic site for generations, and winemaking is still a family affair. However, while we were there to capture the fleeting beauty of their blooming vineyard this spring, we also discovered the property’s stately historical elegance and learned about their family’s rich legacy as vintners in the celebrated wine country of Northern California.

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April 15, 2021
Happy Easter
April 4, 2021
Happy Easter
April 4, 2021

May Easter bring your life color, brightness, joy and, of course, lots of chocolate eggs and bunnies!

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April 4, 2021
Happy Spring!
March 18, 2021
Happy Spring!
March 18, 2021

Flowers and Grapes was inspired as a blog a year ago when our daily lives went into lockdown at the start of the Covid19 pandemic. That first scary and unnerving week when all were asked to shelter in place (SIP), I took a picture of some zinnia seeds that sprouted on that fateful week. When I saw them I hoped that, by the time they bloomed in June, this nightmare would be over. My zinnias bloomed despite everything, and in them I knew that life would continue. It just was more difficult than I would have expected. This context was the catalyst to inspire my blog, and now a year later, my first indie magazine Flowers & Grapes. As we all move forward together this spring when life is begging to open up for all, look for the poetry in your garden, natural environment, and in daily life. Celebrate it with more Flowers and Grapes!

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March 18, 2021
Magnificent Mustard
March 2, 2021
Magnificent Mustard
March 2, 2021

Mustard bloom is one of the most exciting times to visit the wine country. For a few short weeks, this seasonal show makes a stunning backdrop drawing many visitors from afar to capture the spectacular seasonal moment in portraits and photos. However, mustard also has a rich beneficial history rooted in wine country.

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March 2, 2021
Cacti and Classicism an Unlikely Pairing
February 22, 2021
Cacti and Classicism an Unlikely Pairing
February 22, 2021

While mid-February is just a bit early to capture the festive early spring blooming of bright yellow mustard flowers in the vineyards throughout the wine country, I did see a few eager mustard sprouts ready to announce the coming of spring on my recent visit to the historic Sonoma Mission Vineyard in located Sonoma, California. What I didn’t expect on this visit was to have my focus shift from the sleepy dormant grapevines of winter to the vibrant surrounding native and drought-tolerant plants growing in this charming historic vineyard.

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February 22, 2021
Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 14, 2021
Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 14, 2021

What I love most is celebrating the many types of love on Valentine's Day. Like the many different flowers in my garden, there are many types of relationships to celebrate the love in them. You are never too young or old to exchange a Valentine.

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February 14, 2021
Valentines that Bloom
February 4, 2021
Valentines that Bloom
February 4, 2021

Anyone can turn simple garden or store-bought flowers into a special Valentine bouquet. Flowers become Valentines when they express an aesthetic that is evocative of love and romance. Give your Valentine flowers that will be a unique expression of love through the rich sensory experience of seasonal flowers. It is so easy to make your Valentines bloom. All you need are an inspiration, flowers, and a little romance.

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February 4, 2021
Winter Wanderings: Sonoma Garden Park
January 29, 2021
Winter Wanderings: Sonoma Garden Park
January 29, 2021

Winter is a perfect time for gardeners to bundle up and go outside to explore new gardens. Inspired by a bout of cabin fever brought on by recent rain storms, I ventured out to Sonoma Garden Park to find a charming working farm and so much more!

Read more →
January 29, 2021
Happy New Year!
December 31, 2020
Happy New Year!
December 31, 2020

I’m giving our nutcrackers a well deserved night off to party! As I celebrate the coming New Year with my family tonight, …

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December 31, 2020
Happy Holidays!
December 24, 2020
Happy Holidays!
December 24, 2020

Wishing you love, light, and the warmest holiday wishes on this solstice from my home. Here’s to a brighter New Year filled with abundance in our lives, gardens, and with everything flowers and grapes in 2021!

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December 24, 2020
Festive Foraged Winter Bouquets
December 14, 2020
Festive Foraged Winter Bouquets
December 14, 2020

Wherever you are this holiday season your winter garden and natural environment will offer inspiration and floral elements for your foraged winter bouquet. Foraging is fun! Connect to your natural world and celebrate the season!  Learn how to forage and a make foraged winter bouquets in 5 easy steps!

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December 14, 2020
Tis the Season for Topiary: Selection and Care
December 10, 2020
Tis the Season for Topiary: Selection and Care
December 10, 2020

Each year, it is hard to resist the temptation to pick up a few festive indoor topiary plants to enhance the magic that is Christmas. The artful forms of topiary plants and shrubs are perfect in their ornament to celebrate the holiday season. Topiaries can be charming when adorned with festive ribbons and holiday show-stoppers when draped in twinkling lights. Many garden centers and grocery stores sell these seasonal artfully pruned or trained plants, evergreens, and conifers in geometric and representational forms. However, the regal and elegant houseplant topiaries easily add a festive formality to your interior holiday decorations. These artful houseplants also provide an opportunity for indoor gardening during the winter for many who are now homebound with recent surges in the pandemic. 

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December 10, 2020
Winter Garden Celebrations: Making Your Holidays Merry and Brighter in 2020
December 1, 2020
Winter Garden Celebrations: Making Your Holidays Merry and Brighter in 2020
December 1, 2020

Traditionally, a great way to spread holiday cheer is to create a holiday home beautifully decorated inside and out. The experience begins at the front of the home. The front door and porch set the tone and theme for the rest of the house. This year many will make an extra effort to make the front of the house brighter with twinkling holiday lights displays given the unprecedented darkness of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Also, many will be forced to have small intimate gatherings at home with family members instead of large holiday parties. Interior decoration will likely be more intimately appreciated by members of your household and unfortunately not shared at your annual holiday party. Creating a festive backyard gives you a perfect new setting to host small intimate groups outdoors so you can make your holidays more merry and bright.

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December 1, 2020
Festive Floral Framing for Holiday Zoom Celebrations
November 23, 2020
Festive Floral Framing for Holiday Zoom Celebrations
November 23, 2020

Let’s face it. This holiday season will be spent in more intimate family events because of the pandemic, rather than large family or social gatherings. While we all crave connection, entertainment, and our beloved traditions during the holidays, large social celebrations will be unlikely for most, especially with the recent recurring waves of infection. If you are lucky to live in a warmer climate, you will be able to gather together outside, socially distanced, in a small group of family members or friends in your social pod. But for most, we will be forced to video conference or Zoom into this holiday season for social connection, celebration, and treasured traditions like family game nights. Creating decorative tablescapes for your video conference will transform your electronic video screen chat capture into a fun and festive engagement as seen in the gallery below:

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November 23, 2020
Still-Life with Flowers and Grapes
November 20, 2020
Still-Life with Flowers and Grapes
November 20, 2020

I am excited to share my adventures in gardening, floral design, and the beauty of the Northern California wine country with my new blog, Flowers and Grapes. My floral arrangement pictured above in a repurposed rustic urn, abundantly filled with seasonal homegrown flowers, vegetables and locally grown grapes is like a still-life reflecting my many interests in gardening, floral design, sustainability, and regional flavor. This abundant urn is also a metaphor for my hopes and dreams for continued bounty in my garden and in friendship, love, and life. Flowers and Grapes will be a platform to share my creativity, sense of whimsy, and celebrations of the seasons.

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November 20, 2020

Spring Issue is Online Now!

An indie magazine for gardeners, flower fanatics, wine country enthusiasts, and nature lovers of Northern California.

Fall/Winter 2022 Issue will be online
November 24!

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