Gardens of California
introduction
The fertile lands that exist within California's borders have been cultivated .............................
The History of Gardening in California
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This story begins as all histories in the United States do, with Native American populations. The lands within our state's borders were first described (and recorded) by explorers, travelers and traders that visited the area. There is written evidence that in 1518, Native populations were pruning foliage in intentionally landscaped areas around their settlements. They used fire, tilling, weeding, irrigating, sowing seeds, and selective harvesting to create strong supports for their communities' nourishment. The next developments in California agriculture came alongside invading Spanish populations and their drive to build a mission system along the length of the state.
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Alta California, also called Upper California or New California, was established in 1804 as a province of New Spain, and following the Mexican War of Independence, became a territory of Mexico in 1822. Spanish and Mexican soldiers, settlers, and missionaries invaded the homelands of Indigenous peoples in the establishment of their new territories. As the site of each mission was being established, Spanish padres provided food, livestock, and supplies for establishing agricultural lands, with the primary goal of spreading Spanish culture and religion to native populations. Each mission complex was established with the main goal of becoming self-sufficient, using a working economic model. In the 16th and 17th centuries, formal publications on the agricultural arts began to be published, discussing soils, seeds, and methods of caring for plants. Publications included Madrid's Agricultura General (which made its way into California libraries), Secrets of Agriculture, Fields, and Pastures (writted by a Catholic Father), and Secretos de Agricultura. Detailed records were kept at each established mission of varieties of crops grown, cultural practices, and yield information, though only for wine-producing grape vineyards and livestock. Reports were not kept for fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants. The agricultural practices brought to this area form the foundation of California's current horticultural landscape.
Wheat
In 1777, the first wheat fields were planted at the pueblo of San Jose in what is now Fremont, California, at the direction of the new Spanish governor of Alta California, Felipe de Nueve. The first crop failed, as it was sown out of season. Missions in San Diego were also experimenting with growing wheat around this time, and it took three attempts to produce a viable crop. Walls or ditches were created around the fields to keep unwanted humans and animal pests out. The walls were often topped with the skulls and horns of cattle.
In 1777, the first wheat fields were planted at the pueblo of San Jose in what is now Fremont, California, at the direction of the new Spanish governor of Alta California, Felipe de Nueve. The first crop failed, as it was sown out of season. Missions in San Diego were also experimenting with growing wheat around this time, and it took three attempts to produce a viable crop. Walls or ditches were created around the fields to keep unwanted humans and animal pests out. The walls were often topped with the skulls and horns of cattle.
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At the end of the wheat harvest, special ceremonies were carried out. The last four bundles of grain were collected and tied to poles in the form of a cross, and were brought into the main church building in a procession where church bells were rung, 'Te Deum' chanted, and about a fifth the Native Americans were allowed to leave the Mission for a few days to engage in the gathering of acorns, dig for roots, hunt, fish, and enjoy their time away from their forced responsibilities.
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The Huerta, Jardin, and The Vineyard
These three types of gardens dominated the agricultural landscape of California in the 16th and 17th centuries. The 'huerta' was a garden dedicated to orchards and food production. Huertas were often planted with a variety of trees and shrubs and varied greatly in size, surrounded by adobe walls or living walls of Opuntia as protection. Fruit trees were planted in orchards ranging from three to forty acres. Other types of gardens included the 'jardin' (an ornamental garden of plants and flowers meant for enjoyment, and the 'vineyard', an agricultural area (ranging from around seven to one hundred and twenty acres) dedicated to the growing of grapes for wine production for sacramental purposes. In vineyards at this time, the Mission grapes were often combined with other varieties to deepen the red color of wine, as it was used to signify the drinking of blood in religious ceremonies. in between the rows of grapevines, ornamental plants or fruit trees were grown. During this time, individual ornamental plants were installed in mission grounds, presidios and pueblos for aesthetic purposes, and the concept of the private jardin took hold as missions became more secularized in 1833.
These three types of gardens dominated the agricultural landscape of California in the 16th and 17th centuries. The 'huerta' was a garden dedicated to orchards and food production. Huertas were often planted with a variety of trees and shrubs and varied greatly in size, surrounded by adobe walls or living walls of Opuntia as protection. Fruit trees were planted in orchards ranging from three to forty acres. Other types of gardens included the 'jardin' (an ornamental garden of plants and flowers meant for enjoyment, and the 'vineyard', an agricultural area (ranging from around seven to one hundred and twenty acres) dedicated to the growing of grapes for wine production for sacramental purposes. In vineyards at this time, the Mission grapes were often combined with other varieties to deepen the red color of wine, as it was used to signify the drinking of blood in religious ceremonies. in between the rows of grapevines, ornamental plants or fruit trees were grown. During this time, individual ornamental plants were installed in mission grounds, presidios and pueblos for aesthetic purposes, and the concept of the private jardin took hold as missions became more secularized in 1833.
In 1769, the first agricultural plants arrived in the San Diego area. Shipping records of this time indicate that corn, lentils, beans, rice, chickpeas, dates, figs, raisins, garlic and flower and vegetable seeds were imported to the area. Herbs and vegetables introduced to the California area during this time from Spain include the following:
Artichokes
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Carrots
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Beets
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Squash
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Pumpkins
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Melons
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Onions
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Garlic
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Gourds
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Peppers
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Rosemary
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Lavender
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Mint
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Fennel
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Rue
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Anise
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Also during the mission period, ornamental plants were introduced to the Alta California landscape, including:
Jasmine
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Nasturtium
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Musk Rose
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Sweet Pea
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Madonna Lily
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Stock
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Pink
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Delphinium
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Pink Valerian
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Narcissus
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French Marigold
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Oleander
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Calla Lily
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Rose of Castille
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Four O'Clock
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Pennyroyal
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Lemon Verbena
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Hollyhocks
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Carnations
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Sweet Scabious
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Larkspur
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Iris
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Poppy
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Loquat
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California Pepper Tree
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In addition to imported species of ornamentals, crops, and herbs, the Padres of Alta California missions also cultivated native plants, such as:
Virgin's Bower
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Toyon
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Elderberry
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Monterey Cypress
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Matilija Poppy
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Hollyleaf Cherry
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California Bay
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California Fan Palm
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A notable tree that was installed in all missions by the year 1815 is the Mission Olive, the most successful of which were in the San Diego Area. In Alta California, the olive culture became established, and they remain a very important part of the California production economy into the 21st century.
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Although a lot of wine was brought to California by Spanish settlers, they did not cultivate grapes until 1778, when grapevine cuttings (of the species Vitis vinifera from the La Mancha region of Spain) were brought over by the ship San Antonio. These vines produce the Listan Prieto wine grape. The mission San Juan Capistrano was selected to grow the first vineyard, as the land surrounding the mission was already home to many varieties of wild grapevine. Mission-grown grapes were exclusively used to produce wines until California became a state in 1850. The population of California rose by 300,000 during the Gold Rush, and with the boom in population came a boom in the nursery industry. Nurserymen opened up shop, supporting orchards that grew fruits and vegetables for the new settlers. Vines were planted at almost every mission along the Pacific Coast, though they did best in the central coastal and southern areas of California. Wine was commonly produced on-site, where the grapes were grown. |
The Mother of California Agriculture
The mission at San Gabriel was the most successful of all California missions in terms of agriculture.
The mission at San Gabriel was the most successful of all California missions in terms of agriculture.
