Category Archives: Gardening

September 30, 2011 · 1:27 pm

BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED

For years I’ve drooled over pictures of homes in the south.

All those gloriously tall trees

Dripping with Spanish Moss.

It all seems so romantic

So splendid.

John & I have talked about a trip to Charleston for a long time.

So when this summer failed to produce a vacation.

We decided to do something completely out of character for us.

A September trip.

John did his usual research and before we knew it we were off to Charleston.

And since we had met a man from Beaufort, S. C. on our “urban sailing vacation” a few years back.

We decided to visit his beloved hometown.

The fact that John’s favorite author Pat Conroy resides there only sweetened the deal.

And then as if that wasn’t enough we learned that the Charleston Preservation Society was having their fall home and garden tour.

It was meant to be.

So off we flew to Charleston.

Now…I ‘m sure you are thinking that the pictures of Charleston will begin here.

And they should.

But I didn’t take any.

Weird, but somehow after all that dreaming we just didn’t click.

So…we decided to move on to Savannah.

Savannah is built on a grid

The planner a Mr. Oglethorpe (I think) wisely included 24 “squares” in the plan

22 survive today.

They would now be known as “green spaces”

What a forward thinker.

Most have a statue

All have enormous old live oak trees.

Dripping with moss.

Now I expected some sort of Southern Living gardening extravaganza of color.

Wrong.

I kept looking for banks of glorious Hydrangea

Color filled cutting gardens.

What’s going on here.

A few pots here and there but really…no color.

Then it hit me.

The thing about all those glorious old trees is

Shade.

They create shade

Lots and lots of shade.

The kind of shade that only allows green to grow.

Moss, ferns, hostas, boxwood.

And oh how green it is.

The humidity hovered around 95% our entire trip

Afternoon showers came almost daily.

So what was needed here was a paradigm shift.

What I came to see simply doesn’t exist here.

Time to start admiring green

And foliage.

And small “secret gardens”

And the seashells poured into the roads centuries ago.

It’s that “seeing thing” again.

If we look we will see.

And appreciate.

And then there were the houses of Beaufort.

We saw them all.

Courtesy of a charming young guide named Carly.

She’s passionate about history.

We walked the town with her for 2 1/2 hours listening to her slow southern drawl.

She told us how Beaufort was founded in 1711 so that makes it 300 years old this year.

The town decided to identify all the trees that have been there from the beginning.

300 year old trees – imagine.

As you can see they are beyond description

They call them Birthday Trees.

I like that.

Then there were the homes.

Old gracious homes.

As it turns out one of these homes we have known for some time.

It’s the house where my favorite movie “The Big Chill” was filmed.

But before that it was also the home in “The Great Santini”.

The book that got John hooked on Pat Conroy’s writing.

So what is the lesson in all of this for me.

It is that simple saying

“Bloom where you’re planted.”

I’ve admired these old homes and their charms for years.

As it turns out they are gorgeous.

But they are really old.

Which means lots of work.

And the giant trees that surround them

Equally amazing

But giant trees create endless shade.

So though I consider myself contented.

I am even more so

After all

My garden has sun and shade.

We have a 9 month growing season here.

Which gives me days and days in the garden.

Then just when I wear completely out.

The freeze comes.

And with it needed rest.

So perhaps we are where we are supposed to be.

Or…maybe we adjust to where we land.

It’s really up to each of us

To choose to bloom.

Gail

2 Comments

Filed under Ferns, Gardening, Hosta, Live Oak Trees, Moss, Spring Flowering Bulbs, Uncategorized, Zinnia

September 23, 2011 · 11:21 am

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON

To everything there is a season

And a time to every purpose under heaven

Familiar words.

And true.

I’ve come to realize over the years that some people seem to time their deaths.

I first realized this when a man named Bill Frass died.

Bill was a kind, gentle and happy soul.

He was also an Iris fanatic.

A plant your backyard full of Iris kind of fanatic.

I first encountered Bill when my neighbor Geraldine shared some of his iris.

After that he was my guide during the annual iris rhizome sale each July.

But the thing is Iris only bloom for a few short weeks each spring.

Somehow Bill managed to die while they were blooming.

His fellow Iris fanatics cut their precious children for his funeral.

The room was filled with Iris.

Full of the scent and aura that was Bill.

What a send off.

I’ve also read about Henry Mitchell.

For years he was the garden writer for the Washington Post.

He died after an afternoon of plating Daffodils with a friend.

Imagine.

Leaving this world with dirt under your fingernails

Having planted the hope of spring.

I like this plan.

But for me the most poignant is the story of when my father died.

It was two years ago this week.

My father was many things.

Most of all he was a farmer.

His life would take him to meet world leaders

Their conversation would more often than not be about farming.

But there came a time in his late 80’s to stop his active involvement in farming.

It’s a gut wrenching decision echoed by families all through the farm belt.

His decision was made in typical Henry style.

Get the facts – make the decision – don’t look back.

So it was that spring that he came to his last harvest.

Elliott came home to be a part of his own history.

The wheat was cut.

It was a record crop.

All through that summer Daddy came three times a week to my home for lunch.

That had been his pattern for several years.

He could no longer stroll through my garden.

Instead we would sit in the breakfast room and watch the garden grow and change.

We would talk gardening, farming and politics.

I had a sense something was changing but didn’t know what.

He was winding down.

I think I’ve mentioned his theory on color in the garden.

Red.

Only Red!!!

Then there is my theory.

Everything but red.

Except in late summer

When the cockscomb takes over.

It’s the only red flower I grow.

It blooms wildly

Actually out of control this time of year.

There is one non red flower that Daddy liked.

Maxmillian Sunflower.

A late summer blanket on the prairie.

And so it was to be.

His last days came when his beloved country side was covered in Maximillian Sunflowers.

And cockscomb filled my garden.

The Wednesday before his Saturday services

Elliott and I drove through the countryside and cut sunflowers, cattails and maize.

Actually we stole the maize from the field of an old friend.

Along the way we laughed and cried a little and remembered.

We basked in the glory of the sunshine and a life well lived.

We took it all to the florist who filled two urns with fabulous arrangements.

They flanked Daddy as friends came from across the state

To say goodbye.

To tell stories to his grandsons.

To celebrate his life.

At the same time I asked my local florist Ryan to go to my garden

Cut everything he needed to make the casket flowers.

Make it red.

He did.

It is true.

To everything there is a season.

Even for giant spiders. Sloan and Cassidy just came by on their nightly spider check. It’s gone….till next season.

Gail

Thanks Elliott & Debra letting me use some of your pictures.

8 Comments

Filed under Cattails, cockscomb, Daffodils, Gardening, HELIANTHUS, Iris, late summer garden, Maximillian Sunflower, Orb Spider, Sunflowers, Uncategorized

August 19, 2011 · 9:20 pm

PLANNING AHEAD

One of the things I love about gardening is planning.

Thinking ahead.

OK…dreaming.

After all, the soul of gardening is that you always get another chance.

It’s forgiving.

There will be another new season.

Giving me a new beginning.

That’s where the planning comes in.

Late summer’s planning ritual is actually for spring.

Spring Flowering Bulbs!

What kind?

What colors?

Repeat last years?

Do something totally new?

Where to begin?

For me I begin with a review of last year.

And hopefully some notes I took on what worked and what didn’t.

But…not this year – not a single word about last spring can be found.

That leaves my memory – HA!

I do remember thinking I loved the mix of colors last year.

But I wanted the tulips in front to be an earlier blooming variety.

This is the only bed where I pant annuals for consistent summer color.

It’s a small bed so I’m OK with only annuals – otherwise I’m a perennial girl you know.

I want the tulips there to bloom early and be gone by mid April so I can get the annuals going.

Last year I planted a Darwin Hybrid Impression Mix that my friend Mary spotted in the catalog.

Darwin Hybrid Impression Tulip Mix

They have the great huge blooms I’ve love, but they lingered longer than I would like.

So this year I’m switching to a earlier blooming Triumph Tulip Mix for the front only.

I know the blooms will be smaller but I’m going to give it a try.

Since building the garden house I have focused my tulips in the back on the path leading up to it.

Tip toe through the tulips!

For years I planted what I called “the Easter Egg” tulips.

Pink Impression, Golden Impression, Menton, Ivory Floradale and Negrita.

Darwin Hybrids Impression Tulips Golden Apeldoorn, Pink Impression, Negrita, Ivory Floradale

Pink, Yellow, Salmon Pink, White and Purple.

Most of these are Darwin Hybrid Tulips.

More than 2 feet tall with huge blooms and clear solid colors.

But last year I strayed from this pattern.

I planted a mix of bi-colors and solids.

They also had staggered bloom times which meant they bloomed off and on for a month.

So this year I have ordered a few of each of the following tulips:

Pastel Mayflowering Mix, Scheeper’s Sports Mix, Lefeber Hybrid El Nino, Darwin Hybrid Jaap Groot, Ollioules and Pink Impression – in my opinion the best tulip God and Holland created!

I’m also trying a lime green Triumph Tulip called Evergreen.

And I always plant a few Parrot Tulips in another location.

They bloom later and their ruffled petals feel like leather.

Parrot Tulip Blumex - try a few

Different – dramatic – wonderful!

Why so much tulip talk?

They are after all in most places an annual.

They rot easily in beds that get watered all summer.

For me they are the good news.

Though Hellebores, Crocus and Daffodils all proceed them

Their appearance tells me that gardening season is on its way.

And that makes me happy – deep down inside happy.

If I’ve learned anything over these decades it’s to treat yourself to things that make you truly happy.

Family…friends…nature…good conversation…the ocean…tulips.

Next week we’ll cover the rest, but for now…dream tulips!

Gail

2 Comments

Filed under Garden House, Gardening, spring, tulips, Uncategorized

April 11, 2011 · 2:24 am

Sandpaper Hands

I can tell it’s spring because by Saturday night my hands felt like sandpaper.

I know I should wear gloves but just can’t seem to keep them on.

Just need to get my hands in the soil – really in the soil.

And that’s what I did this weekend – all weekend.

It was, for me, the first long gardening weekend.

Actually, it began on Thursday evening in the front yard.

I went out to stake down the daffodil leaves and Torry, Cassidy and Sloane from next door pitched in.

Daffodil leaves need to die all the way back in order to feed the bulb and bloom for next year.

This takes awhile and can be not so pretty in the process.

I used to braid them and stake them down which is lovely.

Or it was until Megan and I succeeded in edging all my loooooong beds in daffodils.

It would simply take forever.

So instead I take leaves in each hand, twist them around each other, tuck the ends in and stake them down.

The stakes are made by cutting the ends from a wire clothes hanger with wire cutters.

Just make one cut on the bottom to save your hands.

They work great and are free – except for the Advil you’ll need to get your hands back in shape.

You can also use landscape cloth stakes.

By Saturday the real fun began.

I spent most of the day in the shady part of my garden.

Ferns have been sending out runners all winter and were popping up everywhere.

So I spread the joy a bit transplanting them to other shady areas.

Then new Digitalis, Astilbe and Bleeding Heart were added.

Digitalis is really not known to like my house but I keep trying.

Because they like an acid soil, last fall I added a few pecan shells and leaves to the soil and today I added a bit of lime.

I’ll keep you posted.

The good news is that Belinda’s Dream roses are looking great – considering.

Hopefully, I’ll at least have fall roses and they may still surprise me this spring.

And speaking of bloom the Japanese Tree Peony bloomed this morning.

I’ve put this poor plant through two moves and once sliced it in half with a shovel.

This year it’s full of buds and blooms – proving that patience does pay of.

Nature teaches us to be patient if we will listen.

Dahlias are some of my favorite flowers.

They are fall blooming so they are one of the last things to come out of the ground in the spring.

Technically, they should not overwinter in this zone but they often do so I don’t dig them in the fall.

Come spring it’s always a guess to see what holes I’ll need to fill in.

So this year I came up with a new plan.

The tubers arrived this week and today I planted them in pots.

They can begin to grow in the pot and when I know what is or is not coming back I can fill in with new ones.

Hopefully, I’ll be ahead of the game – we’ll see.

The rest of today was filled with transferring tomatoes into bigger pots.

I won’t put them out until later on in the month so this should give them more space to form more roots.

The weekend ended as it began.

Torry, Cassidy and Sloane returned.

This time we planted fescue in basket liners for their Easter baskets.

It’s easy.

Fill the liner about half full of moist potting soil. Cover with a solid coating of fescue seeds.

Then add a light coat of potting soil and water with a gentle spray.

Keep in a sunny window and spray to keep moist.

In 10 to 14 days you’ll have a bed of real grass for all those Easter eggs.

Tulips are beginning to wane so I’ll end with small pictures of the ones that remain and other joys of spring.

Enjoy the week.

Gail

We’re off….

What a glorious weekend!

Clear skies – warm sunshine – a little breezy – couldn’t be better.

So…out to the garden I went.

It’s hard to know where to start at this time of year – there is so much I have been wanting to do.

It used to be that I made a list of what I wanted to accomplish in my garden each weekend.

I let my weekends be an extension of my week – making list – crossing things off – getting “the work” done.

But last year I tried to let go of that.

I would simply walk into my garden and do what I wanted – what spoke to me.

Now…I’m not saying I’m totally cured of the drive to “get it done”, but I’m getting better.

This is fun after all! Play if you will!

So what spoke to me first were my dreadful looking Belinda’s Dream roses.

I gathered my pruners, lopers, long rose gloves into my wheel barrow and headed out to the

fence to cut away all the dead.

Well, the wheel barrow was a dream.

I quickly returned to get the big poly cart that we have from the city.

They pick them up and compost everything in them.

So, I put things into these carts that I don’t want to compost at home.

Thorny things, sticks and weeds for the most part.

I’m proud of this little city on the prairie for composting our yard trash.

Anyway, I cut away all of the dead.

Winter kill on Belinda’s Dream Belinda after cutting away the dead canes.

You have to be careful when you do this making sure that you are not cutting away anything that is still alive.

But you can’t be timid, either.

Getting the dead off plants is a basic tenet of gardening.

Don’t ask the roots and plant to support non-productive grown – it will be, well, non-productive!

The whole weekend reminded me of the radio interview I heard last spring with author Elizabeth Murray.

Elizabeth was the first woman to garden at Giverney – Monet’s home, garden and inspiration for much of his painting.

She was entrusted with cutting back the roses that spring and if I remember correctly it hadn’t been done in a while.

She described the process ending in mountains of dead rose canes.

What courage!

A young woman – a foreigner no less – and we aren’t talking about just anyone’s backyard.

She’s at Monet’s house!

Well, my afternoon wasn’t quite that exciting but I did remove lots of dead wood.

Next I pulled back the winter protection of leaves and manure.

Then came the much awaited drink of Epsom salt water.

Add about a fistful to a gallon of water and pour it slowly over the crown – that’s the center of the plant.

The good news is that the new growth all seems to be coming from above the graph.

So it looks like I’ll still have pink roses rather than the red I feared.

Sorry Daddy.

It’s also tulip time around here.

So here’s a little photo journey around the neighborhood.

Beginning with the beginning….

Nov. 2010 Megandigging holes for this week’s delight!

This would be the week to drop by if you’re in town, Megan.

I’ve also included a picture of a field of canola in full bloom.

Though this is still wheat country more and more farmers are trying canola.

It supplies us with fields of “sunshine” this time of year.

Quarter sections of land daffodil yellow…..ah spring!

One last word.

It’s warm today and makes you want to plant annuals.

Try to restrain yourself.

Remember not only does the air have to warm up, but also the soil.

So if you must plant something plant things that love cold – not heat.

Things like more pansies or violas or alyssum.

Wait another week or so for the other annuals.

A little housekeeping.

Some have asked how to subscribe.

There’s a place at the top of this post to subscribe by filling in your email address.

You’ll then receive and email with a link to click on to confirm the subscription.

That should do it.

Also, I’m aware that the captions under the pictures are at best goofy.

I’m trying to figure that out – obviously with little success so far.

Enjoy the week and the wisdom that nature is waiting to give you.

Gail

3 Comments

Filed under Gardening, roses, spring, tulips

March 21, 2011 · 12:10 am

Hellebores

It’s funny how plants come into your life.

I first met Hellebores at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Virginia, Debra and I were on a visit to the Big Apple and we decided to do a gardening day.

It’s funny because we thought we were at the New York Botanical Garden – the driver must have been from Brooklyn!

We came upon a raised bed packed with the most glorious plant I had ever seen.

I had no idea of what it was.

I sought it out and bought one.

It was planted with much care – and it sat there – didn’t do anything for a few years.

I moved it to a neighbor’s yard then my own new garden at this house.

It sat there.

Finally, after all that it began to bloom and it has been a joy ever since.

It usually starts budding in late January and blooming by Valentines.

And if that’s not great enough the blooms last for months.

Then after they are finished the wonderful umbrella leaves will grace flower arrangements all summer long.

They are shade loving and almost evergreen.

God knew what he was doing when he made Hellebores.

So what am I up to this week.

It’s pretty much the same as last week cutting back perennials and removing the blanket of leaves I put down last fall.

The problem is always what to do with all those leaves.

I bag them….I pile them in corners….I pile them in paths.

I do anything I can not to throw them away.

Eventually I put them into one pile and let them rot.

By fall you have a rich organic pile that can be spread all over the garden.

They are well worth the trouble of saving.

The other thing you can do now is to give your roses a drink of Epsom salt water.

Add a fist full of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and pour it over the rose at the ground.

It will love you for it and start greening up before your very eyes.

Here’s what’s blooming this week: Hellebores, daffodils, violas and a few grape hyacinths.

Category Archives: Gardening

BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON

PLANNING AHEAD

Sandpaper Hands

We’re off….

Hellebores

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