Category Archives: Uncategorized

June 17, 2011 · 9:13 pm

WEDDING ZINNIAS

Kelly's field of Wedding Zinnias

There’s a small “tradition” in this neighborhood.

Wedding zinnias.

We grow them for wedding amongst other things.

It started seven years ago

Elliott and Kristina were marrying that June.

We wanted to grow as many wedding flowers as possible.

Kristina’s mother Mary brought cut hosta leaves from her Wisconsin garden.

Mary's hosta leave in Kristina's bouquet

A dozen friends gave the florist “cutting rights” the week of the wedding.

My friend Kelly had a few empty beds in her orchard.

She offered to plant them to zinnias.

I ordered zinnia seeds.

In bulk. 

Waaaaay to  many seeds.

Since the wedding was mid June we started planting early – mid April.

Kelly tilled up the soil and we sprinkled seeds.

Everywhere.

Soon we had a great crop of baby zinnias.

They would grow into a small field.

The perfect backdrop for Kristina and friends at her bridesmaid luncheon.

Kristina - Friends - Zinnias

For their intended use at the rehearsal dinner.

Rehearsal Dinner Arrangement

And back up flowers when the wedding was moved into the church after lots of rain.

Last minuet pew arrangement - thank you Ryan!!

 

They continued to bloom throughout the season.

By the end of the summer Kelly had cut buckets and buckets of zinnias.

She had done an entire wedding of zinnias for another friend.

Florists, neighbors and anyone with scissors and a bucket of water took home zinnias.

It was a splendid summer.

Now it’s my turn.

My friend Cheri’s daughter Anne is getting married late summer.

She wants purple zinnias.

So Cheri ordered in bulk.

She’s planting lots at her house.

I’m planting at my house too.

Remember last week when I talked about weeding and thinning my way through the garden.

I’ve been working on that process.

Removing and cutting back early spring flowers that are spent.

This makes little empty places all through my garden.

Once they are cleared I work up the soil and sprinkle in zinnia seeds.

I’ll use my favorite mix and add Cheri’s purple seeds.

Spread soil back over the area.

Tamp it down.

Give it a drink with a soft spray

There you have it.

In a week or two you’ll begin to see summer’s glory.

Just remember to keep the area moist so the seeds can sprout.

Now since my garden is mostly perennials I can’t plant a field of zinnia.

But I can find lots of little spots for a few seeds.

Zinnias love the heat

They’ll give you patches of color all over the place.

Bright color.

The kind that will take the summer heat.

I’ve also planted cosmos in the same way.

At the same time.

But I must confess.

I can’t seem to grow Cosmos in this garden.

Don’t ask me why.

A mystery.

But…I keep trying.

So, I’ll sprinkle cosmos along with the zinnia.

A little planning and planting this month will give you flowers well into the fall.

You have a big window of planting opportunity.

Actually you can plant these seeds as early as mid April and continue on through the 4th of July.

I never seem to have the time or space until about now.

I clip packages of seeds to my calendar every week or so to remind me to keep planting.

This plan will give you color and cut flowers throughout most of the growing season.

Zinnias just seem to make people smile.

What more could we ask for.

Happy Anniversary Elliott and Kristina.

Gail

 

 

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Filed under Cosmos, Uncategorized, Wedding Flowers, Zinnia

June 10, 2011 · 6:53 pm

OLD SOLES

My original red garden clogs

Twenty plus years ago my friend Debra gave me a pair of garden clogs.

They have red soles.

Not the red soles that a certain designer now temps us with.

No these were red plastic from their turned up toes to their elevated heels.

Molded plastic.

Not very stylish.

But oh so practical.

They were platforms before we knew platforms.

Keeping my feet high and dry.

Transporting me through the wet grass on my early morning walks to see what’s new in the garden.

They are among the first “garden tools” I owned and have graced the back door at both homes where I have gardened.

Various dogs have chewed on them along the way.

Their cork and burlap insoles were molded to fit the shoe.

Over time they have simply disintegrated.

I’ve looked for replacement soles to no avail.

So now it is time for them to retire.

They have been replaced with a sunny pair of lime green clogs.

Old "sole" friends and new.

Softer

Not as tall

But comfy

On to the next quarter century!

This week has been hot.

Unusually so for the first week of June.

This is when a healthy perennial garden really shines.

First of all it’s June.

And like the old song says “June is bustin out all over”.

Stella d' Ora Daylillies, Larkspur and the Garden House

The larkspur is the color backdrop in my garden these days.

With its self-seeding nature it lays curtains for small vignettes of color play.

Gloriosa Daisies and Larkspur

My before mentioned friend Debra visited this week and brought along her trusty camera.

You’ll notice an improved quality to many of the pictures this week.

They are hers.

Poppy pods and Asiatic Lilies

The truth is my garden is a little out of control.

For some reason I’m behind where I usually am.

No real reason.

No excuse.

Just behind.

My normal ritual once all the planting is complete is to begin at one end of the garden and weed and thin my way to the other.

Not this year.

No focus.

I go into the garden and just flit about.

A little staking here

A little pruning there.

Then there were all those evening spent picking strawberries and snap peas.

So…I must get back to my routine.

To begin this sweep of the garden I usually take along my wheelbarrow, pruners, wicked EZ digger, and a bucket of some sort for weeds.

Pruners and EZ Digger

Then I start at the west end and

Deadhead

Pull weeds

Thin volunteer plants

Clean out around the rose bushes

And generally whack away at anything that is too big or having problems.

This week it was two Aloha rose bushes.

They have had some bug on them every year for the past several years.

This nasty little guy eats the center of each and every bud.

From my reading I think it’s thrip.

I’ve tried organic control.

And I must confess some not so organic controls

Nothing works for very long.

So I just decided I’d cut it back to a foot or two from the ground and see what happens.

I’m not getting any roses from it now so how can it hurt.

I did this earlier in the spring with the rose on the arbor to the garden house.

It’s coming back nicely.

Arbor rose revived.

So far disease free.

As long as I’m confessing to using a few chemicals I might as well come completely clean.

There are two problems that I have read simply cannot be fixed organically.

Bind weed grows roots so deep that it cannot be dug out.

Bind weed growing through the deck!!!

It comes back from the center of the earth every time.

I’ve tried spraying it with vinegar .

No luck.

Nut grass is the other.

No such thing as a pretty picture of nutgrass.

If you pull it out – even in very loose soil – there is a little bulb underground that explodes with the force of being pulled up.

When it explodes it makes babies.

More nut grass appears within what seems like seconds.

Sometimes nature really tries my patience.

So in these two instances I am now confessing to using Round Up.

I’m not proud of it.

It’s the only control I’ve found.

Even then it can take more than one round to kill it out.

And…chances are both of these little demons will appear again.

Let’s end on a positive note.

Three years ago I planted Bressingham Blue hosta in my front bed.

Bressingham Blue Hosta and Impatiens

They have loved it there.

This year they have gotten so big that they are shading out the Impatiens planted along the edge of the bed.

So…a little pruning was required.

I cut off the front leaves to let in a little sunlight.

They were simply too gorgeous to compost.

So I brought them inside and put them in a vase that had belonged to my mother in law.

We’ve been enjoying this unusual and breathtaking arrangement all week.

Hosta leaves in Geraldine's vase.

It will likely last another.

Remember to drop by your local farmers market this weekend.

Enjoy the week in your garden.

Gail

 

 

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Filed under bind weed, Gloriosa Daisy, Hosta, Larkspur, nutgrass, tools, Uncategorized

May 20, 2011 · 5:27 pm

HYDRANGEAS WONDERFUL HYDRANGEAS!

 

I don’t actually remember when I fell in love with hydrangeas.

It was likely from a magazine picture years ago.

But the real romance began when I first visited Martha’s Vineyard.

The relationship was sealed on my last visit to Cape Cod.

Of course, they are blue in the sandy soil and salty air of the “Cape”.

Mine on the other hand live in an alkaline home and are pink for the most part turning to green in the fall.

Endless Summer Hydrangeas June - 2010

 

To my way of thinking the Hydrangeas give you more flowers over the course of a growing season than any other plant.

I know – that’s a pretty bold statement.

But since I finally have the right home for them they have rewarded me beyond my wildest dreams.

It all depends on several things.

First you have to get the right kind of hydrangeas.

The old H. macrophylla are wonderful. 

But in our climate where spring can come early and tease those precious buds along, only to be clobbered by a late freeze – they are risky at best!

So, I’ve become a big fan of a variety of H. macrophylla called Endless Summer.

They named it right.

About 5 years ago I planted them across the front of my house and also just inside the backyard gate. 

Hydrangea - Caladium - Impatiens at gate

I was patient – knowing it takes at least 3 years for them to hit their stride. 

Then the pine tree that provided them shade for part of the day succumbed to pine needle blight.

They were left in total sunshine.

I panicked but had no place to move them.

So… I dripped water on them a little more than usual till they got established.

I treated them a bit like roses in that I put a ring of manure around them a couple of times each summer.

Then I would protect the crown for the winter with a big dose of in the fall.

They have rewarded me for my attention and bloomed well…endlessly!

Last summer they were simply breathtaking. 

Truly Endless Summer

OK….that sounds like I’m bragging but the truth is I have had very little to do with it. 

These guys know how to grow and bloom.

So…here’s the formula that’s worked for me.

Buy a reblooming variety – Endless Summer in the blue bucket is my favorite.

There is also a sibling of Endless Summer called Blushing Bride.

It’s white with a faint pink edge.

Site it well. 

They do need some sunshine to really bloom well.

Morning sun and afternoon shade is perfect.

Use drip irrigation to soak it deeply.

Feed it manure.

Give them time to reach maturity and …..

Resist cutting them back until very late in the spring after every branch has had a chance to green up.

Enjoy!

Mine are just beginning to bloom so I’ve included pictures from last year when they were in full glorious bloom.

Hydrangeas connect  people.

Seven years ago when Elliott and Kristina married I didn’t have one hydrangea bush.

But my friend Martie did – all across the front of her house.

And she was generous enough to let the florist cut away.

Now she always remembers their anniversary reminding me just this week of that fun adventure.

So, once you have them going at your house I know you will want to spread the joy around and share.

Debra's picture of cut Hydrangea

Seriously, if you find room for 6 or 8 you’ll be cutting arm loads of blooms just like Martha does on TV!!!

Even one or two will give you dozens of blooms.

They do require a little bit of special treatment to insure the cut blooms last a long time.

Here’s how. 

When you go to the garden to cut take either a BBQ type lighter or a container of very hot water.

Cut flowers that are fully open and have been in bloom for a few days.

You can cut the stems long – all the way to the main branch – or short depending on your need.

Remove most of the foliage.

Make a slit in the bottom of the stem for an inch or so.

Then either dip the bottom of the stem in the hot water or singe it with the lighter for a few seconds.

Put them in a container of water up to their necks to condition for several hours or overnight.

Now…I know that sounds complicated but once you get the hang of it you’ll be glad you did because they will last for days or even a week or two.

I tested this last summer when I cut hydrangeas on a Wednesday and took them to Colorado for my nephew’s wedding.

Cut Hydrangea ready for arranging.

Ten days later Kristina and I and her friends made them into arrangements for the big day.

These instructions come from a book my mother gave me in 1997.

Tools for glorious Hydrangea arrangements.

It’s called “A Garden For Cutting” by Margaret Parke.

In the back it gives excellent instructions for cutting, conditioning or drying all every kind of fresh flowers.

If you want a cutting garden add this book to your library.

Thanks, Mom!

And…once you have them cut and conditioned…they practically arrange themselves.

Vases of Hydrangea and Roses

 

 

 

 

In late summer they turn to a lime green - yummy!

Gardeners love to share their gardens.

To share plants – it’s called “pass along plants”.

And seeds.

And the bounty of our gardens.

But most of all I like having people come and visit my garden.

This week my neighbor Lish invited friends from out of town to come and see her garden as well as our friend and neighbor Sally’s garden and then mine. 

Then we had lunch in the garden house.

Margaret - Robin - Lish - Barbara - Suzanne - Sally

What joy!

Hope you have many hours in your garden.

If you don’t have one…visit a friends.

Gail

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Gardening Friends, Hydrangea, Uncategorized

April 30, 2011 · 12:12 pm

COHABITING

When I began to garden my mission was to grow flowers to cut and arrange and give away.

That is still a major goal.

But bit by bit I began to want to grow vegetables.

The layout of my garden does not lend itself to rows of lettuce and tomatoes.

It’s more of a winding, flowing kind of place.

Tomatoes and peppers were easy to figure out.

You just treat them like any other flower plant.

Find a sunny spot and make it their home.     

But after a few years of that I wanted more.

So…I had to improvise.

Luckily gardeners are pretty good at this.

My first thought was to edge portions of flower beds in lettuce.

Lettuce is a cool season crop which means we get an early crop and a late crop in our climate.

So early in February I rack the leaves away from the edge and sprinkle lettuce seeds.

Most of the time I used a seed mix called Encore from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Sprinkle some of the soil back over – give it a gentle pat and a little drink and wait.

Keep it evenly moist till it begins to sprout.

By April you’ll have a green garden edge.

What fun for you and the bunnies!

Just plan enough for everyone.

Then as it begins to warm I fill in the gaps with the summer resident – impatiens.

Peg "helped" me cut away the dead from the hydrangea bushes

 

Then we added Impatiens to the lettuce edge.

You see in the summer this space will be considerably shadier so it’s home to

a bed of Yew, Hydrangeas, Caladiums and Impatiens.

If I’m really industrious come fall after the first cold blast I’ll dig the Caladiums, pull the Impatiens and plant a fall and winter crop of lettuce. 

It will come up anytime between November and February – depending on when I get it done and what kind of winter weather we enjoy!

Next I decided that the cages that house those glorious late summer and fall Dahlias were just idle in the spring.

Can’t have that.

So…they also get an early leaf removal in February.

Sugar Snap Peas are the crop of choice for this location. 

Super Sugar Snap Peas growing up Dahlia cages.

It could also be used for Green Beans. 

Really anything that needs something to climb on that is an early cool season crop will work.

Then I decided that I was tired of weeding the area behind my bank of Hydrangeas in the front yard.

I don’t mind weeding – it’s part of the deal after all.

But…I am always working to reduce the time I spend weeding.

Now this is going to be confusing but here goes.

When I say Hydrangea you are likely thinking it’s a shady area.

It was when we planted the Hydrangea.

Then the pine tree shading it from far overhead fell victim to the blight that is unfortunately taking out so many pine trees.

I was left with a sunny Hydrangea bed.

Perfect for a ground cover of Strawberries.

My sister Ann gave me some starts from her plants and we were off.

Going into the front and picking a handful of strawberries for your morning cup of yogurt is a spectacular way to start the day.

Now…these are not those over sexed things you see in the grocery stores.

No, these are real strawberries – small – tart – juicy – yummy!

I’ve since added strawberries under the forsythia in the back and am always on the lookout for another sunny spot that needs groundcover.

Strawberries growing under Forsythia.

So look around your yard and see if you can find a home for vegetables and berries.

This weeks two friends helped me both with this blog and in my garden.

You’ll notice a new picture at the top of my blog.

It’s a wonderful shot of my gardenhouse taken by my dear friend Debra.

Her medically trained radiologist eye sees the world in sweeping landscapes and infinite details.

Her pictures record her story intertwined with those of us fortunate enough to be her friend.

Thanks, Debra.

And a new friend Alyssa visited for a day to help and learn.

She’s an intern with my sisters at their retreat center Turtle Rock Farms.

I loved having the help and companionship for the day.

Alyssa in a sea of Katy Road Pink Roses

And to close, a sincere thank you to everyone who has told me they enjoy reading my weekly ramblings.

Hope you’ll think outside the gardening box. 

It’s a great place to live.

Gail

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April 16, 2011 · 9:49 am

Pots

 Upper pot Foxtail Fern - lower pot sun annuals

Since this weekend is the first weekend past the “official last frost day”,

 I’m guessing that many of you will head to the greenhouse to buy annuals this weekend.

So…I’m trying to get this off a bit early this weekend.

I’m writing on Friday night and it’s well….almost freezing. 

But…tomorrow will be in the 70’s so we’ll all be itching to get going. 

Let’s talk pots.

First a disclaimer. 

I have a lot of opinions on pots.  But they are just that – my opinions.

So take them as that and go forward into the world of pots and annuals.

My theory is bigger pots and fewer of them is the way to go. 

In all my yard I have 10 pots.

And they are big pots. 

The smallest is 18″ in diameter.

The largest is 30″.

Frankly 18″ is a bit small but it holds an asparagus fern.

They’ll grow practically without a pot so you don’t really have to worry about them.

The thing I dislike about lots of little small pots is that they just require so much time to water – all the time.

And things die when it gets really hot. 

So… think BIG!

I’m partial to clay pots – Italian clay which is sturdier than Mexican clay.

I’ve had 2 Italian clay rolled rim pots for over 25 years.  

They are pretty gnarly by now which is why I love them – personality!

Italian clay will have thicker walls than other clay and will survive the freeze thaw cycle that so many of us deal with. 

25 year old Italian clay pot with Madavilla vine and sun annuals.

 

There are great fiberglass pots on the market now. 

They can get a bit pricey but are worth the investment.

They are lighter weight which is good if you are need ing to move them in and out from season to season or if you are still in the moving around stage of live.

Then there is plastic. 

My least favorite but practical in many aspects.

If  you do go with plastic buy the best quality you can afford.

There are some commercial quality plastic pots that actually resemble clay.

The one on my landing is plastic kind of by default as I remember.

Now…on to potting soil.

Actually, lets talk filling really big pots with non-soil.

I often use old  plastic pots to fill the bottom of a big pot.

This saves money on potting soil since the roots often don’t go more than 8″ – 10″ at most.

The soil itself is tricky.

It needs to be light – and retain moisture.

You can buy commercial potting soil.

Which is where I start.  Then I add peat moss which will help to keep the moisture in.

I also like to add the commercial moisture retention granules.

Be sure and follow the directions on the package of how to use them. 

They will SWELL up like you don’t believe when you put them in water.

It’s great fun!

Mix this all together with your hands until it’s fluffy.

If I’m planting caladiums I mix a special non-soil mixture of equal parts sand, peat moss and pine bark nuggets.

This will provide good drainage and keep the caladium bulbs from rotting.

What to plant?

The options are endless. 

Historically, I have used pots of all annuals and still do for the most part.

I’m trying to broaden my horizons.

So look at perennials, grasses  and bulbs in addition to annuals.

Of course, the beauty of annuals is that they bloom and provide color all season long.

Greenhouses will have sample pots planted to give you ideas.

There are always magazines.

But remember gardeners reading garden magazines is like real women reading VOGUE!!!

I also take pictures during the season of pots I like and keep a file on my computer.

Some of those I’m sharing today, although I seem to only be able to find last years pots and a few dreamy ones from the Rocky Mountains.

Street planting Breckinridge, CO

The basic design principle is to have 3 elements in each pot.

Something tall in the center or back.

Mounding plants in the middle.

Trailing plants along the edge.

Tall plants I use – by no means a complete list – are:

Sun:   Mandavilla – on a big – 4″ metal frame, Agastache, sun Coleus, Asparagus fern, Foxtail fern, tall Snapdragons. Salvias & grasses.

Shade:  Kimberly Fern, Caladiums & Coleus are great.

Mounding plants are endless.  Here’s what works for me:

Sun: petunias, nierembergia, allysum all mound and trail.  Also Marigolds, sun Begonias, Snapdragons, Gomphrena, Heliatrope, Lantana, Pentas

Shade:  Impatiens, begonias, snapdragons will tolerate light shade, short caladiums.

Trailing plants:

Swedish ivy, English ivy, vinca minor & major, Helicrysum, Sweet Potato Vine Verbenas, Wave Petunias.

That should get you started.

And now a word about pace.

This past 2 weeks my cranky back has been well….cranky.

It has forced me to re-evaluate everything I do and how I do it.

Specifically, the pace at which I do it.

I think I’ve been treating gardening like a 1950’s family road trip.

You remember, pile into the car and drive like crazy – past some pretty fun looking stuff – to the destination.

Now I must remember that gardening is like the saying. 

“The journey is the destination.”

Slow down –  step back and take it all in – accept the pace of nature.

Enjoy this week’s journey.

Gail

New blooms this week…

Columbine

 

purple Dutch Iris

 

Wisteria - only a few dozen blooms this year.

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Filed under container gardening, Uncategorized