Looks like Shakespeare grew more than English roses and culinary herbs in his 17th century garden. As he leisurely strolled through the flowerbeds, stopping to sit awhile on a wooden bench, he couldn't begin to imagine that centuries later someone would come along to unearth the evidence he was leaving behind.

Among the plants mentioned in Shakespeare's writings — roses, columbines, daisies, violets and fennel along with “pansies for thought” and “rosemary for remembrance” — were New World cultivars brought back from North and South America. At this time in Elizabethan England, tobacco was trendy. Introduced to Europe by Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh, it was smoked in clay pipes. Raleigh had discovered Nicotiana (hence nicotine) in Virginia while Drake's voyage to Peru had yielded coca leaves, “the henbane of Peru, akin to cocaine (Erythroxylum).

The July/August 2015 edition of the South African Journal of Science (Volume 111/Number 7/8) published the results of a forensic study that examined pipe bowls and stems excavated from William Shakespeare's garden. At the South African Police Narcotics Laboratory, a gas chromatography mass spectrometry was used to chemically analyze the residue within the pipe fragments. Cannabis was found in eight out of 24 samples, with nicotine in at least one sample and Peruvian cocaine in two samples.

What is intriguing is that four of the pipes specifically discovered in Shakespeare's garden contained cannabis residue. Also, William himself intimates in Sonnet 76 that Cannabis, or Marijuana as we commonly know the plant today, aided his ability to write. According to the above article, Shakespeare writes “invention in a noted weed,” with the word invention interpreted to mean creative writing and weed interpreted to mean cannabis.

Guess it goes to show that the wise ancient King Solomon was right: “There's nothing new under the sun.”

As my garden has changed over the years. So has my inner self. I used to be crazy in the happiness department when my husband would buy me shiny baubles to adorn myself in. And as the years have mellowed me out and I had more time to get my hands dirty. I started asking for power tools, garden tools, and of course the trenchers, tillers, mulchers and whatever I thought I could use out there. I think now how did I ever manage without my mulcher?

Why just today as I took out my spent corn stalks I needed my little mulcher. I grind them up and dig that back into the raised beds for next year's vegetables. Then sometime this fall re-compost everything and get my little workhorse of a Mantis tiller out to finish the job. Another fine gift.

Time after time my husband would ask to "borrow" his blower back. So that was another gift. Then it was completely necessary to have the blower/mulcher for the tree leaves. Wow that's one great little worker I think to myself. I have a system with that machine. Again great mulch. Out where I live there is never enough mulch!

Next came the tree pole saw. Love it. I can really trim trees like the big guys I say to myself. But those branches must be brought out to the back burn pile. Hmm, maybe I'll ask for a small tractor for Christmas? Nah, he won't bite on that one. In reality though. I have thoroughly explained that shiny baubles cost so much more than a blower! Plus being an avid and dedicated gardener. The tools of my trade will get very used. It's a win, win situation, I tell him.

When I look at this year's garden. I find myself wanting to make changes in the design or layout of a few areas. I have many areas that do not require watering. So I need more of that. I haven't explained to my better half that I need to expand and that means moving fences. Do I hear post hole auger in my future? Because digging in this hard clay soil isn't part of the plan.

I was blessed this year with a bountiful of veggies. Each week I harvested at least 40 to 50 lbs of tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, beans, a variety of melons etc. Much of it was donated. I owe it all to the wonderful little gifts I received over the years. The knowledge to use them along with my health to be able to. Because we all know that when the 'soil' is happy it gives back.

Usually my blogs are true stories, with more than a little humor, of my garden adventures at Casa Buxton. Today is different as I say good-bye and thank you to a true plants woman. Muriel Humenick may not be familiar to many outside of the Sacramento region who don't grow roses, but she was a force of nature to those of us to love roses, especially the OGRs or Old Garden Roses.

She was a well-traveled lady in the world of rose competitions, both as a competitor but also as a judge. She and her late husband, Bill, lived on a 4-acre rose garden called Rose Acres. She gave lectures, demonstrations, and pointers to rosarians of all abilities and experience – all you needed was an interest to learn; from Master Rosarians to the newbies, she was available to all and never spoke down to others even when she could see a person was missing the point.

She handled 5000 varieties of roses in her home nursery/garden with the help of volunteers. It was one of her trusty volunteers who found her lying there among her roses on July 15. She picked the perfect place as her husband Bill had passed away there himself in 2008 at age 88. Muriel herself was a mere 89. When you spoke with her, the years fell away as you discussed roses, pruning, favorite varieties and much more. Usually with a rose-covered hat on and a brightly flowered blouse, she held court with her followers.

Her love of roses began in her childhood home where her father had 1 rose bush in the corner of the family Victory Garden; that sparked her love of all things roses for the rest of her life.

I had the pleasure some years ago of going to her nursery to look for a few rose bushes which I had only found in books before; these rose where introduced pre-1940s: 'Silver Moon' (a white single rambler), 'Bloomfield Courage' (single bright red, small flowered rambler) and 'Apple Blossom' (a small, dainty rambler with small flowers like those of a raspberry plant). My mother and I went up there to Shingle Springs to look and came back with a total of 4 roses and the promise of Muriel rooting the 3 I went for. We went to look and stayed chatting with Muriel there for 4 hours – none of us had expected such a long visit!

I saw her at various other places through the years in the Sacramento region and managed to chat with her a couple more time. She was a true force of nature! She was the co-founder of the Sierra Foothills Rose Society, and was also active in the Sacramento and Mother Lode Rose Societies as well. We will all miss her, but those of us who have rose bushes she propagated will always a piece of her to help us remember this remarkable lady!

Last month I visited most of the gardens featured in the Vallejo Garden Tour.  I really enjoyed the older homes with so much character that frequently extends out into their gardens.  I saw evidence of projects that I have envisioned but not gotten around to myself.  The mosaic table tops and colorfully painted metals chairs coupled with very colorful fabrics blending with enthusiastic plants gave me so many more ideas to try out myself.  The chosen gardens are more like living gallery walls, they transport you to another world of luscious color and texture.  Take the time to visit these garden tours if you ever have the chance.  Most frequently the homeowners themselves have designed their space over time and the results give us the opportunities to peek inside the personality and style of many talented neighbors.  I come away inspired  whether I have seen the garden as a volunteer Master Gardener docent or as a guest enjoying what our lovely Mediterranean climate supports.