As I drive up to City Farm, a small family of quail scutter across the street from this wildlife sanctuary. It’s 9am and already 90 degrees (F), yet the garden has this cooling and slowing down atmosphere to it. I appreciate the lovely perfume of the creosote bushes as I walk up to the door, checking out what’s growing on the way.
City Farm belongs to Dephane and her family. This garden is a true wildlife refuge, having received two plaques, one from the National Wildlife Federation and the other for providing safe Monarch butterfly habitat.
Dephane is wonderfully warm and welcoming, and all her surroundings reflect that. As she takes me for a tour through her garden, I notice all the lovely spots designed for relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying the outdoors. Sofa beds are tucked away in shady corners, lovely chairs, a table for tea, and candle holders that are definitely well used are strategically placed throughout. Gentle gurgles of water fade in and out as we walk around. There are seven watering stations throughout the garden, as well as 3 very busy bird feeding stations.
This garden is home to several Muscovy ducks, a few chickens and a precious rooster named Peaches. An array of herbs, several tomatoes plants, and younger cuttings and seedlings are grown on a shady patio. There are several figs trees, mulberries, and many bananas plants throughout the back and front gardens. Native passion fruit, honeysuckle, and other vining plants clamber up trellises. A huge grapevine shades the chicken coop. In the front yard, native desert plants share space with more fruit trees and some impressive rose bushes. Drought tolerant flowers and several sunflowers add even more color and food for pollinators.
City Farm also has a Little Free Library on the property where neighbors or any interested readers can pick up a book or drop some off. During cooler months, the library is not only stocked with books, but also seeds and plant cuttings. While sharing a delicious tea Dephane brewed, I got to find out more about this lovely garden.
What is gardening to you?
It means growing my own food. It is being out in nature. It is the joy of planting one tiny seed and knowing it can grow into something wonderful.
How did your garden adventure begin?
When I was growing up both my parents gardened. Later when I was raising my kids it was fun to garden with them, to pull up radishes from the garden for example. I do garden more now since they are grown.
What changes have you made that have been really impactful?
Designing our garden so that we can use it to teach about wildlife. We hold several classes on how to provide habitats for Monarch butterflies, teaching people how to grow food, even how to have a garden to support wildlife.
What do you enjoy growing?
Fruit trees. I think they are easier than vegetables and they do not die at the end of the season. I cannot wait for all my bananas to be producing.
What do you want other gardeners to know about your garden?
I love to share. I love to spend time in my garden. I like having friends over for tea in the garden.
What are your biggest gardening challenges?
Bugs. Hungry bugs and critters eating stuff.Sometimes, the dogs.
What are your biggest successes?
The sharing I can do. There is sharing with the little library, a seed library as well. There’s progressive dinners in the neighborhood, where we do a different course at a different home and we can share and learn and teach others how to garden.
Any tips to share with others?
The importance of composting and using waste materials for good. We use the cleanings from the chicken coop in compost. There are also composting worms. We add kombucha and all the kitchen food scraps to the compost. Also, we use leaf debris to build soil. The water from the duck pool is used to water the bananas.
Follow Dephane:
@Dephane_Marcelle_CityFarm
City Farm on Facebook
Planting a Three Sisters Garden in Phoenix