Check It Out: Wine Country Gardens

Writer Marguerite Thomas recently sent me some photos of winery gardens she visited in Monterey, CA. She explored Chateau Julien, which is known particularly for its rose garden.
Joyce Vineyards has a tiny tasting room in the center of Carmel Valley Village, with a relaxing patio filled with fountains and container plants. Bernardus is a beautiful and lavishly landscaped estate with diverse plants including roses.

Speaking of roses, Marguerite writes: "'Days of wine and roses' is more than just a poetic refrain. Generations of winemakers across the globe--from Médoc to Monterey, from Sicily to Sonoma—have planted rose bushes at the head of rows of vines. Why? Although the result can be stunning, beauty actually has little to do with it. Instead, since roses and vines are susceptible to the same diseases, the roses serve as the floral equivalent to the canary in the mine: if they show signs of trouble vineyard workers are alerted to the possibility mildew or other problems in the vines."