San Francisco Garden Man's News 
I hope that you enjoy my web site Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments that you may have and I will be happy to get back to you. Thanks for looking and Happy Gardening!
Best Regards,
Pete Vafiades
San Francisco Garden Man
January 01 2012
Happy New Year Everyone!
Welcome to the 12th year of the new millineum. Well, it would seem that hope is on the horizon. I am keeping an optimistic point of view as we enter the new year and am moving bravely forward into what hopefully proves to be the beginning of a bold new era. Now, more than ever, I feel strongly dedicated to my profession and feel it is an excellent service for improving the enviornment and stimulating the economy as well. As more and more people become aware of the impact we have, and can make in our enviornment, the movement or trend towards a greener landscape seems to be on the rise.
One thing for certain, the more effort we make and pride we take in preserving and repairing our enviornment the more we can expect from our enviornment in taking care of us. So many areas of our cities, suburbs and even out in the rural zones of our communities have become disturbed and disrupted, damaged and destroyed ...it ought nought be difficult to find the means to create many jobs and employ many unemployed citizens with work toward the repair and refurbishment of our precious mother earth.
Health and welfare for many could begin right at home by gardening in whatever space each of us has access to. From gracious rural garden plots to urban balconies and rooftops the possibilities are endless and the materials needed are inexpensive, some virtually free. Technology continues to provide new and improved methods to grow plants even for those who are away for extended periods with automated watering and fertilizing systems. Lightweight planting medias and polymers can take the place of heavy to lift soils making it possible for even physically challanged persons to enjoy gardening in containers and pots.
While realizing that gardening alone will not solve all the challanges of today, the more who learn the
simple basics of how to grow plants, the ingredients for life (and no, I'm not talking about Safeway here [wink]) can be harvested right from one's own back yard or neighborhood community garden plot. If you have never gotten your fingers in the dirt, planted seeds or seedlings, nurtured and cultivated from cotyledon to bloom, any of the thousands
upon thousands of plant species available to grow...well, what can I say other than you don't know what you're missing.
If at any time you get the urge to begin a garden or even just to grow a single potted plant but feel you need some instruction or advice, seek a friend or neighbor or anyone you know who is already a garden enthusiast. Gardeners tend to be the friendliest people and are among the most willing to share their knowledge and experience with others...
Take it from me!
Here's to a greener and grander, more glorious than ever, gardening season in 2012...to everyone, I wish all the best!
Pete Vafiades
San Francisco Garden Man
August 27th 2010
Watermelon...with seeds please!
Yes I said WIITH SEEDS. While headed for one of my garden accounts I drove past a big green pickup truck
which was loaded up with giant watermelons. I suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to stop and see about purchasing one.
I used to love watermelon but in recent years it seems that all the available watermelons from grocery stores are of the seedless type. Great! No seeds. But along with the elimination of seeds so has much of the flavor been eliminated , or so it seems to me.
Now, as I approached the pickup the driver hopped out and asked if I would like to try a bite. I said yes certainly
I would and one bite is all it took...Wow, Watermelon the way it is supposed to be....Sweet Juicy succulent cool
And WITH SEEDS...and a whopping 18 pound melon for only $5.00.
March 29th 2009
Hard to believe that we are already three months deep into 2008!
Spring is in full swing here in San Francisco and it is probably my favorite time
of year. The tell tale signs are hard to overlook at this point. The Mocking bird has returned and can be heard each morning practicing his r'epertoire of some 70 or so calls including car alarms and door bells.
My front garden patch is in bloom right now with a grand display of Oxalis which takes over each year as soon as the rains begin. I have actually come to love those insistant pips and so, allow them full reign for a couple of months. What more can one ask for than to have a vivid green carpet of shamrock shaped leaves beneath masses of sunshine yellow bells? Effortlessly ...and for no cost!
And this year the Oxalis is sharing the ground with another favorite volunteer of mine. The soft yet bright blue flowers of Mysostis (Forget-me-nots)which have seeded themselves amongst the Oxalis. They look like sparkling little jewels, each with a tiny touch of hot pink. Of course, everyone thinks I am out of my mind for having a garden of weeds but hey, it's O K. They(the weeds)will disappear soon enough and then I'll get on with my annuals in the front garden for this year.
The Echium are in bloom now, a genus of bristly herbs and shrubs of the family Boraginaceae commonly called Tower of Jewels, They bloom in an incredible range of colors from Magenta to Indigo. The Orange Kaffir lilies or Clivia are also in full display as is Genista or Sweet broom which turns entire hillsides bright yellow . The California state flower can be seen once again along the roadsides with it's unmistakeable petals of glowing orange and soon the self sown Cineraria will join the spring bouquet and last long into June.
It has been a busy first quarter year for my garden landscape business and for that I am very greatful. I've enjoyed working with the coolest clients this spring and having the opportunity to help create several exciting new gardens here in San Francisco. I have also met and worked with several of San Francisco's greatest Contemporary Garden Designers. It seems to be that people who create gardens are the most incredible people to get to know.
Another recent introduction was to Robyn Pope http://www.robynpopegardens.com Robyn certainly reinforces my observation about people who create gardens...Robyn creates exciting outside gardens that are child safe and friendly. I was asked by her to help with the building of a structure which would be a perch and launch pad for a Childrens Zip Line Cable Ride. The Perch and Zip Line Cable Ride were part of a garden makeover Robyn designed for a young family here in San Francisco. The results of which can be viewed here and clearly show that excitement is what it is all about for kids and adults in the gardens she designs.
And while on the subject of creating excitement in the world of garden design I would like to express my sincerest thanks to a client who I have been gardening for for just over three years now. Rafael Galiano http://www.athomeinsf.com. Rafael is with out doubt one of San Francisco's most knowledgeable and dedicated realtors. His incredible ability to recognize the needs of the people he meets and align the services best suited to fulfill those needs is one of Rafaels many talents. People are attracted to Rafael and the reason for that is very clear, he is genuine!
It is through Rafael that I have met many wonderful people both as business contacts and as personal aquaintences. His love for design in architecture and for gardening shine bright and are very aparent at his beautiful San Francisco Queen Anne Victorian Home which he has been restoring and remodeling for several years now to near complete perfection.