The Melissa Garden
The Melissa Garden is being planned to venerate the honeybees, demonstrate bee friendly plantings, provide a sanctuary for honeybees, further holistic beekeeping, and establish a center that furthers a wide spectrum of honeybee-centric educational and cultural activities. It is part of a 40-acre, mostly native and undeveloped ranch that is the home of Barbara and Jacques Schlumberger. We are using biodynamic gardening methods with the anticipated goal of Demeter certification. Read more about the people involved in this project.
 The overall nature of the garden is one of sacred respect for honeybees. We recognize their precarious viability at this time in history, and seek to gather insights and educate about environmental and hive management activities that support honeybees in having natural, vital lives.
 Adding to the vitality of the ranch are several dozen sheep that are part of a 4H project. A cob pavilion, adjacent to the garden, is being designed by noted green architects Joe Kennedy and Claudia Cleaver, as well as noted cob artist Janine Björnson. Artisan Builders are constructing the pavilion. It will include an outdoor kitchen and wood burning oven, and will be put to good use during workshops at The Melissa Garden. The ranch also has a labyrinth that was designed and sited by Richard Feather Andersen and built by Juan Rodriquez.
The Melissa Garden by Area
We started to plant The Melissa Garden in November 2007 – and have lots more plants to add. Read more about Plants for Honeybees. These are the main components of The Melissa Garden:
 Iconic Garden
This hilltop garden is 70-feet in diameter and forms the heart of The Melissa Garden. It is across the road from the orchard, near several of our apiaries, and is bordered by gnarled oak trees, including a small circular grove of Live Oaks we call The Sacred Grove. Melissa officinalis - lemon balm - has been planted symbolically in the Iconic Garden. Heirloom species roses that provide good sources of pollen for honeybees, echium, thyme, many varieties of lavender, and dozens of other beautiful honeybee plants will comprise our central demonstration garden.
 Orchard and Bee Yard
Peaches, pears, persimmons, pomegranates…and more! We’ve planted a cover crop of phacelia, clover and vetch to build soil fertility and feed the bees. Several hives are placed at one end of the orchard. We will be experimenting with groves and beds of bee forage plants in 2008 – such as a wide variety of annual and perennial sunflowers, anise hyssop, beds of alfalfa, many types of native and culinary mints, and the like.
Herb Garden
This garden is just a few steps from the kitchen door and includes a variety of culinary thymes and Mediterranean herbs.
Medicinal Garden
This garden is under design for later in 2008.
Pond
A catchment pond was created to provide an additional source of water for the garden; it operates by a solar pump The banks of the pond have been seeded extensively with phacelia and clover and will be planted in 2008 with willows – one of the very best pollen source for honeybees – which will also help hold the soil on the slopes around the pond. The wild turkeys, pigs and coyote have discovered the pond.
Surrounding Forest
We will be adding detailed information on native vegetation that surrounds The Melissa Garden which sits in the midst of a vibrant ecosystem. The property is spring-fed, located on the lower slopes of Black Mountain, and about 400-feet in altitude above the Russian River Basin. The soils vary widely from sandy loam, to various clays to serpentine, and there is abundant white granite on the property. There are native oaks, pines, firs, coyote bush and manzanita, to name just a few of the dominant botanicals.
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