July is for Playing 🏖️

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View this email in your browser & see past newsletters Create - Enhance - Restore Issue 7-2023 Seasonal Greeting Permaculture Principles Moon Gardening Monthly Tips Special Offers and Services!! Eco-Restore provides consultation services and designs sustainable, regenerative and healthy gardens. Incorporating native, edible, and medicinal plants to enhance habitats for the benefit of people and the planet.  Hello friends, If I have said this recently I apologize for the repetition. Slow down and enjoy what is right in front of you. This energy has been here for me over these last few weeks, and keeps showing up in different ways to remind me it is the here and now that is the most important.  In a small garden club group I was reflecting how much disappointment I had over my calendula not flowering this spring, only to realize I was not enjoying the bounty of lemon balm that was offering itself for my enjoyment.  Why was I rushing something to bloom when there are so many other gifts to turn my attention towards (in the garden and life) ?? We can plan ahead all we want or think we should, however sometimes our future-self does not get to decide what happens - and that is okay. Don’t get me wrong planning ahead can greatly help our future-self. When we restock something before it runs out, when we take notes of what the garden needs in June or July (and write it in the upcoming spring calendar to prepare). Notes like "plant more zucchini and eggplant" are helpful reminders. So often we let planning consume us and take over the needs and wants of the present-self. Take time to call an old friend just to catch up, go camping somewhere you have been thinking about for a long time, go swim in a mountain lake just because it’s hot out.  I’m all for planning, sure; just not so much that is takes away from the living - and playing. “Don’t let what you want make you forget what you have.” unknown   Stay healthy, happy and keep your hands in the soil.  ~ Lisa Each month this email is sent as a newsletter and posted to The Bee’s Knees Blog where you will find the following: ~ A seasonal greeting message of a pertinent theme or energy for that month, followed by available consultations and other news. ~ An introduction or refresh of one Permaculture Principle. Conveniently, there are 12 so it works out perfectly as we follow the Gregorian Calendar ~ Moon Gardening; exploring cycles and themes of the moon and other celestial bodies, and of course noteworthy plants of the month. ~ Tips of the month to help you grow your best garden yet!! ~ Monthly or seasonal offer of service If there is a topic you would like to learn more about or share please send us a message or give a call!! July Consultations Available: 3 Permaculture is the application of a set of ethics & principles to care for the whole Earth and all of its inhabitants. Originally from the term 'permanent agriculture,' now has expanded for applications to all landscape scales and other areas of life. The three core tenants are the foundational ethics that guide each principle. Those ethics are Earth Care ~ People Care ~ Fair Share Principles may often be listed numerically in text for the sake of organization, however, in reality they are cyclical, can be applied in any order and are all linked to each together in a web. Start wherever you are! Below is and introduction or a refresh of one of the 12 principles surrounding the core ethics. To see previously shared principles check out The Bee's Knees post's here Design from Pattern to Details  Move through your process from big picture to small, individual components of the design (or task) Patterns form the backbone of designs, the details are filled in as you go. Observe patterns in nature and society Observe patterns in yourself and those you commune with   Every spider’s web is unique to its situation, yet the general pattern of radial spokes and spiral rings is universal.  The proverb “can’t see the forest for the trees” reminds us that the closer we get to something, the more we are distracted from the big picture. Icon Image credit: Permacultureprinciples.com Examples of Designing Pattern to Details in the home garden: - Making a keyhole garden (meets the criteria of several principles)!  - Lay out the overall shape or size of a new bed. See Eco-Restore's new bed now in-progress. Will plant more in fall! - Flag or chalk an outline to see if you like it, and it works. (I like chalk because I can walk it as if there were a border for a few days). - Begin to place focal or key plants first, then fill in depending on requirements such as: sun, water, frequency of access. Refer a friend - Receive Free Resources! Moon Gardening Since time immemorial our ancestors have lived, told time, fell in love, passed down stories and tended the gardens by the light of the moon. I would like to offer the opportunity to learn and engage with our only true and beloved satellite while digging in the soil and while walking other paths of our lives.   How does it work - different phases of the moon provide different energies for working in the garden (and all aspects of our lives) to support a specific task or goal. This is related to but not exactly the same as planting by Astrological days. There is some overlap and you can do both concurrently or choose only one. In these posts I will focus on where the moon is in the sky and what energies that may bring you and your gardens. The Moon, as you all know, directly affects our gravity and the tides. Did you realize it affects gravity on everything - all water on Earth; in our bodies and down to the water in single cells of plants and animals. Where are we now? Last Quarter (Waning) Moon in Aries Let things go "We may feel an urgency to focus, but we can lose our empathy. It's time to do what truly makes us feel alive, to initiate projects and set boundaries". - We'moon How can this apply to the garden? Take this time to plant a second crop of root vegetable in the garden. Be sure to harvest fruits and flowers, enjoying the labor you have already expended. Moon Garden Plant(s) of the Month Hawthorn* (Crataegus douglasii) - Delicate white flowers and bright red berries of this small tree are protectors of the heart and an ally in grief.  *Note common hawthorn is a WA state noxious weed Crocosmia (Crocosmia spp) Generally bright oranges and reds, Crocosmia acts as a magnet for beneficial insects and pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which are drawn to its nectar-rich flowers.   See more of our favorites with Plant of The Week on IG @ecorestoreconsulting  Sources and Resources: Coloring Book of Shadows (my favorite day planner) The Moon Book by Sarah Gottesdiener Time Passages app We'moon 2023: An Astrological Moon Calendar Shop local, Shop small businesses! While you are learning more about the moon’s seasons, energy, power and spirit I ask that each of you also consider how you can help protect her - right now (and for some time really) there has been an assault on the moon. To regard this beautiful being in our solar system only as a resource, a trophy, a commodity to exploit for our benefit is beyond unfortunate and will only do us harm in the long run. Please join me in honoring the moon by accepting and celebrating what she has to offer. I look forward to learning more with all of you.   Moon Phases and their associations.  There are four primary phases, in some resources you may see as many as 9. Here I am introducing the most commonly seen. Please note this list of associations or attributes is not exhaustive, only a foundation to get us started on this journey together. Remember these apply to all aspects of life not just in the landscape. New - Set New Intentions, Start Projects, Renew and Regenerate First Quarter - Take Action, Increase Energy, Let things In Full - Culmination, Complete and Fulfill Last Quarter - Banishing, Let things Go In addition to the phases there are periods of transition. Waxing is the time between new & full; the first quarter Waning is the time between full & new; the last quarter Want to plan and build your own Moon Garden? Reach out today - Click HERE Book a Consultation Today! July Pro-TIPS Get your hands dirty with past posts & tips by visiting the blog: The Bee's Knees - News You Can Use   ~ Water wise - Waste Not; Don’t Water Hot Picking an optimal time for watering is key for plant health during our sunny, dry summers here in the PNW. While watering during mid-day is unlikely to seriously harm your plants, it probably won’t do them any favors either. A portion of the water will evaporate before your plants can drink it up.  We recommend watering in the early morning hours. Not only will this help prevent water loss from excess evaporation, it can keep soils cooler and ensure that your plants are well-resourced to get through the harsh high temps of the day. ~ Feed your tomatoes: As flower buds and fruit begin to appear, switch to a phosphorous rich fertilizer (like organic Bone Meal) - we use Dr. Earth Tomato & Veggie Blend (4-6-3) in the whole vegetable garden and berries this month. ~ Sow more seeds. Cut spent veggies off at soil level for a ‘no-till’ approach (I’ll plant radish or carrots where I let the bok choi flower and seed - alternating above and below ground plants). I also added new beet and arugula seeds all around my current plantings of the same for successive harvests. ~ Stay tuned - next month we will begin talking about FIRST FROST dates Have a specific question? Hire an Eco-Restore Garden Coach for seasonal troubleshooting! Are you looking for the monthly What to Plant Now suggestions? Those have moved to our social pages. Please follow us there to see the posters! Special offers for the month of July Tree Guild Design -20 plants selected for your unique site, can work with an existing or new tree. - Covers up to 200 square feet -A basic design so you can plant them for the greatest success* -Design focus on increasing diversity, soil health and production! Click the orange button below to get started. *Additional service available if you would like Eco-Restore to install your plants. Book a Consultation Today! Eco - Restore Ecological Consulting & Design LLC provides services in Western Washington to Create healthy habitats to nurture and invite native pollinators, birds and wildlife to visit your yard. Enhance soil health and improve water quality by eliminating chemicals and minimizing runoff. Restore degraded sites such as urban lots with compacted lawns and restore native plant communities with low impact restoration techniques. Helping transform your green space into a sustainable, low-maintenance, and thriving landscape by the use of permaculture ethics and principles. Whether you rent or own, have a large yard, or a small patio; you can grow food, save water, create wildlife habitat & much more. Our current services include: Design Packages - For a new landscaping project  Maintenance - Tending landscapes designed and installed by Eco-Restore Specialty Gardens - Great options for smaller spaces  Coaching - Sessions to help gardeners learn and care for their existing landscape *Be on the lookout for a few different services and products launching throughout the year.  Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*