Gardening

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  You Grow Girl: The Dirt

• Pawpaw [Flickr]

  yougrowgirl

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:13 pm

  yougrowgirl posted a photo: www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2009/11/20/pawpaw/

• Pawpaw

  Gayla

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:53 pm

  Until very recently, pawpaws have been one of those mythical fruits that I’ve known about for ages, but have never seen in person. Until just a few years ago I was under the mistaken impression that they are native to the Southeastern United States, but not available here. Chalk it up to geographical [...]

• hooray [Flickr]

  yougrowgirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:02 pm

  yougrowgirl posted a photo: shitty rainy day and my hat is wet but yay obligatory pose with book picture. Been carrying it around all day and my only copy of book is already getting dinged up. This is when I received advance copies of the first book.

• first sighting of book [Flickr]

  yougrowgirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:32 am

  yougrowgirl posted a photo: I got an advance copy today. Kind of crazy since I didn't expect to have one in my hand until January. Launch date is still Feb 2, 2010. Sorry I can't show more for a while yet.

• lotus notecards [Flickr]

  yougrowgirl

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pm

  yougrowgirl posted a photo: Unfortunately a tad last minute as I am closing up the shop at the end of next week until the new year. Going away for a month.

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  The Casual Gardener

• The Casual Gardener 2009 Garden Tool Of The Year – Be A Garden Ninja With The Kombi!

  Shawna

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:13 am

  This season I was thrilled when I received three very special garden tools in my mail box; the Original Kombi shovel, the Mini-Handle Kombi Short, and the Kombi Hand Trowel. In 2006, the Original Kombi won the special honor of being on Joe Lampl’s “Best of the Must-Have’s List”, and in my opinion it was a deserved award. There are six varieties of Kombi shovels which all have the unique quality of having a super sharp cutting area enabling the shovels to easily slice through soil, plants, and grass – making easy work of most garden chores. Testing the products for six months, I can…

• Feed The Hungry – How You Can Make A Difference For A Food Bank With Your Garden

  Shawna

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:09 am

  According to AmpleHarvest.org,”an estimated 100 billion pounds of food, enough to totally eliminate hunger, is thrown away annually in the United States.” Be shocked – and then make a difference for your community by stopping the waste. Regularly clean out your food pantry - – if you are not eating the food in your home, donate it to a local food pantry before it gets outdated. If you grow a garden and have leftover vegetables, do not leave it standing on the plants; take it to a local food pantry and donate it to someone who could really use it like we  did in the above …

• How To Build A Rain Garden – A Solution For Soggy Wet Areas On Your Property

  Shawna

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:11 am

  Dear Casual Gardener, What the heck is a “Rain Garden”? Signed, Curious on Country Ridge Road Dear Curious, This is a timely question as we are entering a typical Fall rainy season. It is a good time to get a Rain Garden started, with the intention of completing the process in the Spring. Do you have a wet spot on your residential or business property? Go with the flow and create a rain garden to help solve the problem. An existing wet spot is the perfect area to place a Rain Garden because it’s the area that naturally accepts a lot of rain water run-off. Fighting against this location…

• Gorgeousness In The Garden – Dolce Blackcurrant Heuchera

  Shawna

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:14 am

  One of my favorite plants in the fall garden is the Coral Bell. Long past its spring flowering, the color comes from it’s magnificent leaf. Any variety keeps until the coldest weather and then pops back up in the spring in perfect form. This is Proven Winners’ Dolce Blackcurrant Heuchera. Better Homes and Gardens listed this as one of the hottest new perennials of 2009 – and indeed it has been fabulous in my garden all season. Love it! Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog -…

• 2009 Shawna’s Garden Plant of the Year – White Licorice (‘Helichrysum Petiolare’)

  Shawna

  10 Nov 2009 | 7:40 am

  Without a doubt the most fabulously non-stop, drought-tolerant, long-lasting, incredible annual of the season in my garden has been the White Licorice plant you see in the above photo. It has outlasted almost every plant in the garden – surviving drought conditions and multiple frosts. In May I planted this White Licorice as a baby – it’s arms were less than the length of my fingers. The tag that came along with the plant said it would only grow to be 12” tall. Some of the vines hang at least 24” from the edge of the pot down to the ground, and have been full and gorgeous the entire…

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  Cold Climate Gardening

• Horticulture Magazine Lists Their Twenty Favorite Garden Blogs

  Kathy Purdy

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:01 pm

  I was named as one of Horticulture’s favorite garden blogs–many thanks!

• Adenophora and Its Evil Twin Revisited

  Kathy Purdy

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am

  Campanula rapunculoides: Good looking but hardly innocent A while back I wrote an essay for Horticulture detailing my attempt to figure out the difference between ladybells and creeping bellflower, and I wrote up a blog post with additional information. Anne Larson, the Des Moines Gardening Examiner, has tracked down more information about these two plants, including how to determine if you really have ladybells. One expert she quoted said he has yet to find a bona fide Adenophora in the horticultural trade. You might want to read the article and check out your ladybells next summer.

• Still Blooming: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day November 2009

  Kathy Purdy

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:05 pm

  I was going to blather on about how this November was milder than last, but when I checked, I discovered that’s what I said last November, too! It was more typically cold in November 2007; however, the larches had more needles left at that time than they do this year. Not sure why that is. Thanksgiving Cactus One bloom=one bloom more than last year! ©2009 Purdyville The only new bloom is from my Thanksgiving cactus (above), which decided to grace me with a blossom this year. Ever since we insulated the upstairs, I’ve had trouble getting my two zygocactus to bloom, because my…

• Planting Tulips, Part 2

  Kathy Purdy

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  Yesterday I told you how I finally realized species tulips planted in the peony bed would help to bridge the bloom gap of late spring. I got the tulips chosen and purchased, and now I’m going to show you how I planted them. The Smartest Way to Plant 150 Tulip Bulbs But first let’s talk about the most efficient way of planting them, just so you know my way is not the only or best way. The most efficient way of planting them would be to dig a foot-wide, fifteen-foot long trench some four to six inches deep. Then you would place all the bulbs in the trench, somewhat randomly but more…

• Planting Tulips, Part 1

  Kathy Purdy

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:15 pm

  After the snowdrops, after the crocuses, after the daffodils, there is just about nothing blooming in the front of the house until the June show of peonies, irises, and poppies. I have not been the first person to notice this bloom gap, not by a long shot, and the traditional recommendation is to plant tulips to bridge this gap. Tulips As Annuals? The only thing is, tulips don’t thrive in my clay soil and it’s taken me a while to get used to the idea of planting them as annuals. I have nothing against annuals–when they’re grown in someone else’s garden. In my…

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  A Way to Garden

• stray thought: a way, or away, to garden?

  Margaret

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  I USED TO BECOME IMPATIENT WHEN PEOPLE would type the name of my blog as Away to Garden. Yes, I know; in a url address you cannot tell where words start or end, but the blog was named for my funny old book: “A Way to Garden,” as in the way I garden, here; just [...] Related posts:a way to garden has a baby sister (or 3) NOT CONTENT TO SIT STILL OR TO HAVE JUST ONE...‘a way to garden’ in the washington post I WASN’T SURE WHAT TO THINK when the frogboys invited...appearances: here, there & in the garden w/me T IME FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF NEWSY BULLETIN-BOARD POSTINGS,…

• doodle by andre: revenge of the conifers

  Margaret

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:57 am

  NOBODY LIKES TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED, including plants, and those who did the under-appreciating (read: me) the last few months are now in hot water as the weather chills out. I sense an uprising about to happen, a conifer uprising. Thanks, Andre Jordan, for reminding them it’s time for a hissy-fit. But you are [...] Related posts:doodle by andre: way down in the hole WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON OUT THERE IN NEBRASKA with...doodle (and slideshow) by andre: old friends I N A GOOD SPRING, BELOVED PLANTS COME BACK. Not...doodle by andre: her other love, the mower WE GARDENERS HAVE SPOKEN OUR…

• soldier on, yucca ‘color guard’

  Margaret

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm

  IAM NOT SURE IF YUCCA ‘COLOR GUARD’ EVER HAS A BAD DAY, hair or otherwise. This flashy, white-whiskered creature is regarded as among the best in a genus of plants that I didn’t even like, or grow, until this variety came along. Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ is a must when a never-say-stop attitude and a [...] Related posts:2 ferns with more lasting color than any flower A NY FLOWER WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO COMPETE with the...zinnias, one color at a time IT TAKES A VERY GOOD EYE to be able to...beloved conifer: microbiota decussata F ILL IN THE BLANK: ___________ is an evergreen…

• gardening with bear (and other late arrivals)

  Margaret

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am

  I DIDN’T THINK ANYTHING COULD TOP SUMMER 2009’s appearance of the family of gray fox, or the Biblical-seeming abundance of serpents that were simply slithering everywhere here this year. But here on Animal Planet, you just never know who is going to walk in the gate–or who is going to walk through the fence, I [...] Related posts:pineapple sage, heroic late bloomer ISMILE AND NOD WHEN GARDENERS FROM ELSEWHERE tout pineapple sage...project feeder watch under way PROJECT FEEDER WATCH, at a mere $15 donation the cheapest...impromptu hummingbird feeders WE’RE IN THE WANING…

• doodle by andre: paranoia strikes deep

  Margaret

  12 Nov 2009 | 4:59 am

  YOUR NEW JAPANESE MAPLE MAY NOT HAVE ROOTED well, but it sounds like the Buffalo Springfied lyric paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep has rooted itself thoroughly into consciousness, hasn’t it? If we recall correctly, first you were going to pass the hot (homegrown?) potato for your plant problems back to the [...] Related posts:doodle by andre: do your own thing T HERE IS LITTLE CHANCE THAT ANYBODY on this dirt...doodle by andre: can i get a refund? WERE THEY LEFT IN THE GARAGE by the delivery man...doodle by andre: everything in its time I DONT KNOW HOW LONG A POPPY…

• 
  The Occasional Gardener

• Autumn Palettes

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:27 pm

  Autumn is a great time to go foraging for color palettes. I find color juxtapositions, pairings, and contrasts that surprise and inspire. Here are two good examples, a few remaining fiery orange leaves set against a dusty blue background, cris cossed with neutral branches and a dusty pink hydrangea separated from a vibrant blur of oranges by a range of leaf hues from green to yellow. Both of these have information for textile designs but I rarely use them that directly. Mostly its subconscious, the information composts and feeds something down the pike.

• Upside Down Tomatoes

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am

  No, not the growing kind. I tried this last year with good results, so this year there was a serious display of all the tomato plants still with fruits attached cut and hung upside down in the window to ripen. Added to this was also some basil plants and some chili plants. It was really pretty and since this picture was taken a couple of weeks ago, we've had quite a few ripened tomatoes and chillies that were pretty good.

• Suburban Foliage

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:53 pm

  I've been to Mamaroneck the last 2 weekends, the first weekend my camera had issues and I ended up borrowing Jim's camera. I was only able to download the images the following weekend when my own camera became issue free and I took more photos. That's my excuse for a lull in posting.Here's one image from each weekend that captures the much more spectacular foliage color changes that occur outside the city. The range of color is also terrfic and I have a series of autumn palettes that I will post but this first one is in the classic yellow red vein. Remember the pinks and purples from last…

• Urban Autumn 2

  20 Oct 2009 | 12:18 pm

  I managed to squeeze in a quick walk in Central Park a few days ago and enjoyed another view of an updated Urban Autumn except more biased to the autumn part. This time the Manhattan geometry was well in the distance framed by autumn golds, the human crush whittled down to a jogger or bicyclist or two and outnumbered by berries. Much better.+ OGMedia:New Urbanism

• Bittersweet

  11 Oct 2009 | 10:19 am

  The sight of these bittersweet branches hung on a line on the side of a truck in Union Square market stopped me dead in my tracks. It wasn't just their stark sculptural beauty, it was the contrast of their organic curving forms against the geometry of the trucks rivets, the intensity of the oranges and yellows against their monochrome shadows and the flat white paint. There was also something ancient about them that contrasted with the industrial modernity of the metal wall and line. On a table in front of this uncontrived and thought provoking wall art a pile of them pulsated the vibrant…

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  Doug Green's Blog

• Not Your Basic Bird House

  Doug

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:27 pm

  I love simple, home-made birdhouses with character. But I also love ‘em when they have a touch of class to ‘em. Here’s one I saw few years ago and just scanned from my slide collection. Copyright Doug Green 2009.Not Your Basic Bird House Related posts:Out with the Old Out with the old – in with the new.... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

• November is the Cruelest Month

  Doug

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:12 am

  With apologies to T.S. Eliot, let me celebrate November. I’ve been doing biz-planning in November for over 30 years now. When I had the nursery, it was a time to decipher the hastily scribbled notes on tags, notebooks etc that accumulated about sell-out dates for varieties, improvements needed and noted in the heat of sales season etc etc. It was the time for new plant searches for our specialist nursery and time for taking a deep breath and holidays. Not much has changed. I’m still doing biz planning and evaluating results from this previous year. LIke discovering that selling…

• The Cost of Clean

  Doug

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:03 am

  This is a guest post by Scott Kelland at New Terra Farm I invited Scott to expand on a comment of his on an earlier post and he’s been gracious enough to do so. A recurring theme in the discussion of ‘clean’ energy, and ‘clean’ (i.e. organic) food is the cost disparity between conventional and clean choices. For example, elsewhere in Doug’s blog someone pointed out the difference in price between organic chicken and the supermarket kind. The organic bird was roughly three times as expensive on a per-pound basis. Another example is the ‘years to…

• Out with the Old

  Doug

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:14 am

  Out with the old – in with the new. This picture of two garbage bags represents over 25 years of slide taking in the pursuit of garden writing. And a technology that’s no longer useful. Slides. I’ve spent the last 10 nights going through all my old slides that were left in the files (I tossed one full garbage bag two years ago when we moved into our new home) and these two bags represent those slides I’m not going to scan with the new slide scanner. I’ve been taking digital pics for the last few years but there are some good pics left on the slides that I…

• Six White Lies Garden Centers Tell Customers

  Doug

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:08 pm

  Having hung around a few garden centers and nurseries in my day, I’d like to give you a few of the white lies nurseries tell their customers. These don’t include the really, really bad lies delivered by nursery staff who themselves don’t know any better – those we just consider incompetent. Sure groundcovers will smother out grass. What planet did this come from? Grass is by far and away the single best invader in any form of gardening – from the perennial border to the groundcover area. Perennials live for a very long time and you don’t have to do anything to them. Right…

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  About.com Gardening

• Featured Plant: Sage.

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pm

  What would Thanksgiving turkey be without sage? Sage is one of those wonderful Mediterranean herbs that asks only for sun and warmth and then takes care of itself. Being an evergreen, even northern gardeners are able to harvest fresh sage leaves at Thanksgiving (snow permitting). And it's beautiful enough to have on display in the herb garden or the perennial bed. Makes an attractive edging plant too. Here are some tips for growing great sage. To Get You in the Holiday Mood: Basic Bread Stuffing with Seasonings Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing with Sage Dried Pear Hazelnut Stuffing with Sage Sausage…

• Gardening Question of the Week: My Amaryllis Won’t Go Dormant. Should I force it?

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:01 pm

  I get a lot of questions about plants that don't behave the way the books say they're supposed to. Plants and deer really should pay better attention to all the research we've done on them and play along, don't you think? Until then, we have to learn to go with nature. Amy wrote me that she's had her Amaryllis for about a year and it won't go dormant. It still has 4 or 5 green leaves on it. Should she cut the leaves off? Also the plant seems pot bound. Is now a good time to transplant it? Sometimes the leaves just won't cooperate, but that doesn't mean the Amaryllis bulb isn't going dormant.

• Project FeederWatch Begins

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:10 pm

  Do you feed the birds in your backyard? If so, you can be a participant in Project FeederWatch, a winter-long survey of visiting birds. FeederWatchers count the numbers of birds at their feeders and report the totals, by bird species. This helps scientists track the movement of winter bird populations and track how each species is doing. Project FeederWatch is coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada, but anyone can participate. All you need is an interest in birds. Homeowners, children, clubs and classes all participate. The 2009-10 season of Project FeederWatch…

• Take a Little Time to Winterize Your Trees

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:09 pm

  Most of us don't give our trees a second thought, unless something looks wrong. Unfortunately once you see the symptom of a problem with your tree, it's probably too far gone to fix. Since a mature tree is a painful thing to lose, it's worth giving them a little extra care. Our Guide to Forestry, Steve Nix, says that winter is a tough time for many trees. They may be in dormancy, but there are always pests over-wintering and waiting to resume their attack in the spring. Add to that the harsh winds and lack of water and you can see why Steve says "Small investments in your time can pay off big…

• Favorite Gardens What’s a Favorite Garden You’ve Toured?

  14 Nov 2009 | 1:44 am

  I love visiting gardens. I enjoy seeing the personal edens other gardeners create around their homes and I can spend hours wandering public gardens, picking up tips and inspiration. When you think about it, it's amazing that we have so many people willing to put their time and efforts into creating and maintaining public gardens What could be better than a garden where the sole purpose is to delight and inspire me? You've heard me encourage people to take advantage of programs like the Garden Conservancy's Open Days, where some of the finest gardens in the U.S., public and private, open their…

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  GARDENING - Google News

• Inquirer Gardening Columnist - Philadelphia Inquirer

  Google Inc.

  Inquirer Gardening ColumnistPhiladelphia InquirerStart your holiday shopping for gardening friends by perusing the Web site of the Mail Order Gardening Association, which provides links to numerous online and more »

• Unplanned garden 'accidents' have lovely results - Christian Science Monitor

  Google Inc.

  Christian Science MonitorUnplanned garden 'accidents' have lovely resultsChristian Science MonitorDeveloping a pleasing landscape or garden is the most wonderful work. We plan and design and deliberate.

• Michelle Obama visits Va. school, tours garden - The Associated Press

  Google Inc.

  The Associated PressMichelle Obama visits Va. school, tours gardenThe Associated PressFirst Lady Michelle Obama received a few gardening tips from students Wednesday as she toured a Virginia elementary school's vegetable garden. and more »

• Events: 'Roots & Wings' garden exhibit Nov. 21, plus succulents and water-wise ... - San Jose Mercury News

  Google Inc.

  Events: 'Roots & Wings' garden exhibit Nov. 21, plus succulents and water-wise San Jose Mercury NewsAttend the reception for the new garden-inspired exhibit at the California History Center at De Anza College. "Roots & Wings" pays homage to the Saratoga and more »

• They dig garden tools - Philadelphia Inquirer

  Google Inc.

  They dig garden toolsPhiladelphia InquirerMaybe, says Harold Sweetman, there are no new ideas when it comes to garden tools. No good ones, anyway. Maybe the old standbys - spade,

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  Home Gardening News

• Vegetables, fruit, herbs as skin treatment

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm

  There is such a bounty of botanical-based beauty products, you might think they grow on trees.

• The Living Desert Annual Plant Sale

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  Come join us during the ANNUAL FALL PLANT SALE at the Palo Verde Center November 21 and 22, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM for a fabulous selection of desert native and desert adapted plants.

• MP donates trees to parish

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:40 am

  Your account has been frozen . For your available options click the below button.

• Dick Poffenbaugh: Modern-day Victory Gardeners have advantages

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:25 am

  One effect of recent recession hard times is the much greater interest in a backyard 'Victory Garden.' These are the modern versions of the backyard gardens during World War II.

• Darwen pupils devastated after yobs ruin school garden

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:11 pm

  PUPILS have been left devastated after yobs ruined the school garden they had spent a year creating.

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  Plant Whatever Brings You Joy

• Book Notes: Luscious Chocolate Desserts

  Kathryn

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pm

  all photos by William Meppem, courtesy Chronicle Books If there were ever an excuse needed to focus on chocolate the holidays do provide! This week I was nagged by a relentless urging to make brownies, knowing full well I did not have the optimal recipe. (Can someone please explain to me why the Joy of Cooking does not have such a recipe?) Fortunately that very day I was ambling through a local shop in search of an early Christmas present for a dear friend, and lying easily within my reach on a table was the above book which called to me, and I readily responded. What chocolate lover could…

• Bulb Fever

  Kathryn

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:39 pm

  Last year I was seduced by the above amaryllis, here slightly stylized, and raptly handed over $40 to enable myself to share my Christmas with this beauty. This year, recalling wistfully the joy of the presence of such beauty, I made up my mind to take the practical road, utilizing the container I’d purchased last year. It was easy (and inexpensive) to find Red Lion amaryllis bulbs at Home Depot’s nursery, so I brought home two and after pondering how to proceed made the following choices, which I’m already enjoying. Into last year’s container I placed a multitude of…

• Little Orphant Annie

  Kathryn

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:35 pm

  Little Orphant Annie by Gertrude Elliott When I was a wee girl living with my Grandmother, she bought me a book called The Golden Book of Poetry. God bless her heart. And this was one of the many books she used to read to me before I went to bed at night. Without a doubt my favorite poem in this book was “Little Oprhant Annie” and to this day, as I read it or hear it read the cadence rings deep in delight within my being. I feel the child’s delight at the rhythm and the intention embedded so skillfully into the poem by author James Witcomb Riley. I loved this poem so much as…

• The Gatherer and Black Walnuts

  Kathryn

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:33 pm

  Increasingly over time I have been moving towards trying to become more aware and, if possible, to integrate into my every day experience what culinary resources I naturally find at hand. Toward that end, this year I discovered huckleberries and added them to my scone repertoire. I began to teach myself what plants the Native American peoples used locally and to think about what use they might have for me in this day. I began collecting recipes for the quinces that I found growing on this property. I gathered dozens and dozens of apples from my dear friend Conny’s land, and shared my…

• Pumpkin Festival Fun!

  Kathryn

  18 Oct 2009 | 9:22 pm

  This afternoon I grabbed my camera and headed to a local Pumpkin Festival, knowing it would be a visual treat, and I was not disappointed. Having a daughter who spent the better part of the last decade in Hollywood, a broad smile broke out on my face when I saw the above entrance. Central casting, indeed! What I had not anticipated, however, was that the competing contestants were all dogs and I had arrived straight in the midst of a doggie Halloween costume contest, at the very moment they were voting for the various contestants, through audience applause. What timing! The winner was quickly…

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  Dig In Dirt Blogs

• Ben's Garden Blog

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am

  A cack-handed and cock-eyed look at one mans struggle with mother nature.

• The Hairy Toe Gardener

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:29 pm

  Formerly titled "The Little Red Hen," this blog attempts to chronicle the ups & downs of gardening on caliche as a widow & an off-beat opinionated human being. Not all entries relate to gardening.

• City Smallholder

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:35 pm

  The City Smallholder explores the difficulties encountered by those seeking a self-sufficent lifestyle in an urban environment. The blog follows the development of an urban garden to achieve this aim

• Gardeners Almanac

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:37 am

  I'm Melanie Watts. For twenty years I've been practising organic gardening in Northern British Columbia Canada. This site is for novice and seasoned gardeners to share advice, increase knowledge and..

• Garden Therapy

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:37 pm

  Garden Therapy: Not just for summer. The adventures of an artistic gardener aiming to feed the body & soul through an urban potager garden & a community veggie plot in Vancouver.

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  NYT > Home & Garden

• Shopping With ...: Boundless Cheer

  By TIM MCKEOUGH

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm

  Laura Guido-Clark, a product designer and consultant, shopped for nature-inspired holiday décor that’s practical, too.

• On Location: A White Cavern in Morocco

  By GISELA WILLIAMS

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:32 am

  Outside, Emma Wilson and Graham Carter’s riad blends right into Essaouira, Morocco, but not inside.

• Shopping With Palo Samko: To Park Your Pilgrims

  By JULIE SCELFO

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:39 pm

  With Thanksgiving dinner fast approaching, the woodworker Palo Samko shopped for folding chairs that are functional and stylish.

• Currents | Pets: For Dogs With Good Taste

  By MARIANNE ROHRLICH

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:20 pm

  Mungo & Maud, a London company, has created a line of stylish pet accessories.

• Currents | Books: Bulbs for Any and All Occasions

  By ANNE RAVER

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:19 pm

  “Bulb” by Anna Pavord has come out just in time for planting some rare beauty before the ground freezes (or ordering summer-flowering bulbs for spring).

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  May Dreams Gardens

• The Accidental Terrarium

  Carol

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pm

  I picked up the mason jar with the compost in the bottom* and was about to toss it to the worms when I saw a little flash of green. A seedling! A tiny little seedling, in its little seedling stage with two little seed leaves held up on the thinnest of stems, already leaning toward the light from the nearby window.I paused to study it, to see if I could determine what it was to become. Of course,

• I'm Thinking About Gardening

  Carol

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:54 am

  Thanksgiving, just one week from today, is sort of a mental cut off day for me when it comes to garden clean up.By the time I arrive at my sister’s house for dinner that day, I like to have all the fall clean up done in the garden so that I can give my full attention to making sure that I get to the homemade noodles for a second helping before a certain nephew does. Otherwise, I won’t get a

• No Seed Catalogs Means Hoe Movie Time!

  Carol

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  Through Twitter, email and other social media sites, I have been made acutely aware that many gardeners have already started to get seed catalogs in the mail.I, on the other hand, have not yet received any seed catalogs and am starting to feel as though I have been inexplicably dropped from the seed companies' mailing lists. I wonder, ever so briefly, how this could be because I order as many

• And Now... A Funny Hoe Story

  Carol

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm

  And now it is time to tell my funny hoe story, the one I was going to tell at the last "Society" meeting before I ran out of time.I will attempt to keep it family friendly as though I am telling it to my eight year old nephew, the one who is going to review The BugFarm™, a new “DVD-Rom simulation game that teaches children 7+ about gardening and the insect world”. All he needs is for me to

• And The Winners Are...

  Carol

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

  And the winners of the new book What’s Wrong With My Plant? (And How Do I Fix It?) By David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth (Timber Press) are...Avid gardeners!Gardeners with questions!Gardeners wanting to know what's wrong with their plants.The 1st lucky number drawn was no. 8 - Rose of Prairie Rose's Garden! Rose commented, "During the gardening season, I would probably be consulting this book

• 
  Garden of Eatin'

• Turkey Day ‘09

  Amy

  3 Nov 2009 | 6:34 pm

  First order of business: Costco is getting ready to start accepting food stamps (now known as SNAP, or Supplimental Nutrition Assistance Program) by Thanksgiving ‘09, which I think many of my readers will appreciate thanks to the great economy we’ve got going on. Just be careful and price compare because Costco is more expensive for many things! Second order of business: Plan your Turkey Day dinner now and get it ready as far in advance as possible to avoid that crazy “oh my god what did I get myself into” thing again this year. Here’s some recipes you might like…

• Halloween Good (gross) Eats

  Amy

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:32 pm

  From the world of the internet, I bring you (might want to hide small children): Meat(loaf) Hand From not martha Bloody Brain Pannacotta From Not Quite Nigella Halloween “Finger Food” From A bit of this and A bit of that Zombie Cake From Courtney’s Cakes flickr Halloween Monster From pbjoachim’s flickr Isn’t Halloween the awesomest?!!

• OSU Master Gardener Program

  Amy

  15 Oct 2009 | 3:28 pm

  I got this email and am passing it on to you! Don’t miss out! Fall Greetings from Oregon State University! You are receiving this email because you are on our Master Gardener™ Online mailing list. We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for our January 2010 Master Gardener™ Online basic training course. This popular online class is capped at 35 students (for each of the options below), and has historically filled within the first two weeks of registration. To ensure your spot, register online now and pay in full by December 16. Note: For past and current Master…

• 
  Plant Talk

• Plan Your Weekend: Holiday Train Show Opens!

  Plant Talk

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Excitement Builds Waiting to See Show for First Time   Laura Collier is Marketing Associate at The New York Botanical Garden. Ah, yes. The first month of a new job. So many exciting possibilities, but also so many questions! I just moved to New York City and just started at The New York Botanical Garden, so there certainly is a lot to learn. Since my first day, I’ve been happy to be thrown right into the mix, learning quickly about the Garden, the events, collections, location of the lunchroom—the general “first-week 101.” It’s an especially busy time here, preparing for the huge…

• Book review: Beatrix Farrand

  Plant Talk

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Designer of NYBG’s Rose Garden a Real “Artist and Hero” John Suskewich is Book Manager for Shop in the Garden. In Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes, Judith Tankard avoids the pitfall of turning a historical figure into a waxwork and brings to life this pioneering woman who was one of the first important American landscape gardeners. As someone who designed an important feature of The New York Botanical Garden, the magnificent Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, Beatrix Farrand (1872–1959) is of particular interest to us here. Hers is a great “little Old New York”…

• In Search of the Brittons

  Plant Talk

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Staffer Discovers Home, Resting Place of NYBG Founders on Staten Island Lisa Vargues is Curatorial Assistant of the Herbarium. In honor of the 150th birthday this year of Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859–1934), who with his wife, Elizabeth Gertrude Britton (1858–1934), founded The New York Botanical Garden, I set out to retrace some of his footsteps. My pursuit provided further insight into his life and brought some fascinating places to light. This spark of nostalgic curiosity came over me ever since I started working on the Flora Borinqueña Digital Herbarium and Library, a project that…

• Tip of the Week: When Cutting Corners Goes Awry

  Plant Talk

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education. In the gardening world we all talk about “cultural care” and nod our heads knowingly: Growing requirements for vegetables include full sun, proper spacing, good drainage, and some kind of soil amendment, preferably organic material. We know the drill. Being human, however, we often cut corners and hope for the best. Plants tend to be fairly accommodating—they grow in spite of everything we do to them—and often we walk away feeling like a success. This year, however, the weather was so inhospitable that any corners cut turned into…

• Plan Your Weekend: Last Chance to See Kiku

  Plant Talk

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Final Year of Incredible Chrysanthemum and Japanese Garden Displays Kiku in the Japanese Autumn Garden showcases more than 5,000 kiku (chrysanthemums) meticulously displayed in traditional Japanese styles. This last weekend—the exhibition is in its third and final year—step into the brilliant colors of a Japanese garden: kiku in full bloom, Japanese maples a deep red; and the Garden bustling with activities. Don’t miss these highlights: The taiko Japanese drum is believed to be entertainment for the gods. You’ll be in good company as you enjoy a thrilling drumming presentation by…

• 
  GardenGateBlog

• Compost Tea is ready to go into the garden

  Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:13 am

  I am surprised to learn that probably 1/2 gallon or more of the compost tea has evaporated...I don't think Pippin drank that much.  It might be wise to use a lid next time I make compost tea.My plan was to foliar feed my garden with the compost tea, but the winds are howling today as our first cold front of the year moves in.  So I'm heading out to the garden to harvest all the tomatoes, peppers and those strawberries that decided to fruit in November, then I'll pour my compost tea on the young seedlings.I will also probably start a second batch of tea, it won't be cold…

• Compost Tea - continued

  Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:55 pm

  Six hours have passed - already!  Time to take out the tea bag.  Squeeze out the excess compost tea and then put the contents back into your compost bin.  Rinse out the bag and hung it to dry...ready for the next batch. I used an old spoon to stir the compost tea and repositioned the air stones so they were distributed evenly (sort of)  Now we wait 18-24 hours and the tea will be ready.  My compost tea mostly smells like the fish emulsion that I added - but it's a pleasant smell.  Here is a video of Mr. Pippin checking out the set-up from earlier this morning.

• Checking in on the Compost Tea

  Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC

  15 Nov 2009 | 12:26 pm

  The technical name for compost tea is, "actively aerated compost tea"  That is what the air pump and air stones are all about - putting as much oxygen into the water as possible.  This makes a healthy environment for the bacteria and fungai to grow, and multiply like crazy.Compost tea should smell earthy.  It might smell sweet like molasses if you added molasses.  It might smell yeasty.  If your compost tea is really stinky, it's gone anaerobic and that's a bad thing.  That means you are growing bad or dangerous bacteria and you don't want to put them into your…

• Making Compost Tea - the process

  Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:06 am

  The compost tea is brewing and I want to share the process I used.  I referenced both Bruce Deuley and Bob Webster for my tea bucket and the method.  Thanks to their generous spirits, the plants should be benefiting in about 24 hoursYou'll need: 5 gallon bucket air pump for 50 gallon fish tank air stones plastic tubing T splitter or other splitter to get additional lines in bucket paint strainer bag water:  de-chlorinate your water or use rainwater (I used pond water) 1 quart of good organic compost This is the splitter I used.  Also my pump has two lines so I can get even more air…

• Compost Tea

  Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC

  14 Nov 2009 | 3:39 pm

  I am getting ready to make compost tea tomorrow.  I have been watching videos on the internet, and I ran to local stores today to get the supplies.  I am planning on blogging the process so if you are interested, check back over the next two days & watch the progress.Here is a great set of very informative videos featuring my favorite organic gardening expert, Bob Webster, from Shades of Green in San Antonio, TX.Compost Tea Cynthia McKennaTherapy for women

• 
  Old Country Gardens

• The Master Gardeners

  Melanie

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:04 pm

  This morning I drove out to Holtsville to give a lecture to Long Island's Master Gardeners. They are a large, active group of avid gardeners, it was a true pleasure to spend my morning with them.The program they had hired me for was my "Perennials for Long Island Gardens". This program features plants that do well in our area (and in similar zones). I love doing this program but for the first time I can say that I was a bit disappointed in myself.You see, I don't own a digital projector and the Master Gardeners don't have one either so I had to go back to doing an old fashioned slide program.

• Oh Deer!

  Melanie

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:48 am

  Well, my weekend adventure to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania was a success! The 6.5 hour drive there was through some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen. There was still plenty of autumn foliage covering the rolling hillsides. Rural scenes filled with wonderful barns, cattle, pastures and wheat colored corn fields.The members of the garden clubs there have to be the most generous, wonderful people anywhere. It's a good thing I drove or I wouldn't have been able to get all my goodies back home. Of all the gifts I was showered with, I had to show you the most adorable trough ever, given…

• Those #$#@! Plant collectors!

  Melanie

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:14 am

  As I just posted on my other blog, Melanie's Perennials, I'm off this morning to Pittsburgh PA.Tomorrow I will be speaking to a group of gardening clubs, all made up of plant collectors. There will be Hosta collectors there, I love Hosta!There will also be Iris collectors there, I love Iris!Of course there will be Daylily collectors there, thank goodness I love daylilies!And, last but not least, there will be Daffodil collectors there, I love Daffodils! Are you noticing a common theme here? Yes, I must admit I'm a plant-a-holic and most definitely have collectoritis. Truth be told, I don't…

• Inside Out

  Melanie

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:36 am

  Here I sit, inside on my last "free day". Tomorrow I begin working (a "real" job) and had hoped to be able to spend some time today outdoors. Unfortunately Mother Nature knows best, I really have quite a few things to work on here with my lap-top. Still, I couldn't resist taking a few shots at the amazing leaf display going on outside my windows.Looking out my front door you can see the sugar Maple is dropping leaves like crazy. Now I'm wishing we didn't spend all day Sunday raking under this tree.Out back (looking from my second story bedroom) you can see another spectacular sugar Maple.

• Autumn foliage

  Melanie

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:04 pm

  What's this? Two posts in one week! Bear with me folks, I'm trying hard to get back in the saddle again.Today I spent the most glorious day outside, at least 8 hours raking leaves, cutting back dead foliage and picking up branches that were downed during yesterdays storm.The Hakonechloa grass out at the beginning of my driveway still looks fabulous although most of the Hosta and other perennials out there are just about done for.This time of year the foliage on the hardy Geranium's really starts to color-up. I love the burgundy tinges on this Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokova'.The Hostas are…

• 
  bloomingwriter

• Colour in the Garden: Orange You Fond of orange?

  jodi (bloomingwriter)

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:55 am

  Being as how NOvember is living up to its reputation as being a long, grey month (at least the cloudy days seem interminiable), I thought it was time to have fun with colour again. The colour du jour: Orange, in its various manifestations.Orange: It’s a mixture of yellow and red, a secondary colour, named after the fruit by the same name. It’s a curious colour, because it’s been my experience

• From Imperfection, Beauty: Wabi-sabi in November

  jodi (bloomingwriter)

  2 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm

  It's not a secret to anyone who knows me or who follows bloomingwriter that autumn is not my favourite season. The vanishing light does bad things to my moods although I do cheer myself with the thought that as soon as we make it past Solstice in December, the days will be lengthening again. Usually autumn in Nova Scotia is a thing of wonder and glory, especially in September & October. This year

• Happy Halloweening from the kitties!

  jodi (bloomingwriter)

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:15 am

  see more Lolcats and funny picturesIf it's not one thing it's another. Been buried in work (which is good and fun and interesting and pays the bills) but also down-a-quart, healthwise. So I've been missing in action again. I told the catchildren they could do the post for Halloween but most of them weren't interested, being busy sleeping. We don't get trick or treaters here now, because the local

• Gardening by colour: White spring bulbs

  jodi (bloomingwriter)

  19 Oct 2009 | 8:06 am

  The weather here continues to be more like November than October: cold, wet, dreary, windy, rainy, repeat as necessary. It's been annoying because the great fall colour we often get has been somewhat beleaguered by excessive wind and rain, so that many leaves are just getting to their good colour when the wind shreds and sends them away. I've done nothing outside, but am declaring a day off

• The fruits of MY labours...

  jodi (bloomingwriter)

  10 Oct 2009 | 3:34 pm

  I've mentioned before that autumn isn't my best time of year, as the daylight shrinks and the garden winds down. Normally I do something to sort of prepare for the coming of winter, a yearly ritual like putting the garden to bed, filling the woodshed, and so on. It's amazing how it fortifies one's mind and soul. This year is no exception, and thanks to my longsuffering spouse's generosity and

• 
  Zanthan Gardens

• GBBD 200911: Nov 2009

  M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas

  15 Nov 2009 | 7:27 pm

  Commelinantia anomala. I prefer this pale false dayflower. Carol at May Dreams Gardens invites us to tell her what's blooming in our gardens on the 15th of each month.

• Rose ‘Happenstance’

  M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas

  8 Nov 2009 | 5:49 pm

  2009-11-07. Rose 'Happenstance' at the Antique Rose Emporium north of San Antonio, Texas.

• Kalanchoe daigremontiana

  M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:46 am

  2009-02-26. Kalanchoe daigremontiana.

• Welcome, Central Texas Gardener

  M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas

  31 Oct 2009 | 5:58 am

• Rose ‘Blush Noisette’

  M Sinclair Stevens in Austin, Texas

  29 Oct 2009 | 9:39 am

  2009-10-29. Rose 'Blush Noisette'. Zanthan Gardens

• 
  Digging

• Rainy day & a xeric garden

  Pam/Digging

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

  Golden barrel cactus, ‘Angelina’ sedum, and crepe myrtle leaf A steady rain patters outside, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We still desperately need rain, so no complaints—let it pour! But instead of showing a rain-washed garden (which would mean going outside in it), I’m using pics from a recent sunny morning—no rain boots required. My xeric [...]

• Beautiful ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress

  Pam/Digging

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:54 pm

  Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) is not native to the Austin area, but it grows well here provided it has proper drainage and full sun. If you’ve driven by Central Market at the corner of N. Lamar and 35th St., you’ve seen a stand of these majestic, pyramidal conifers growing more beautiful with every year. The [...]

• Cutie cuphea

  Pam/Digging

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am

  The ‘Twinkle Pink’ cuphea* has never looked better than it does right now. In partial shade, with more afternoon than morning sun, it looked decent all summer. But with cooler weather its color has intensified, and it’s covered in cute, hot-pink, tubular flowers. I just love it. I find that a tiny-leaved plant like a cuphea [...]

• Mellow yellows

  Pam/Digging

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am

  We flirted with light freezes the past two nights, but, coddled by last year’s mild winter, I didn’t even consider covering any of my tender plants. No worries for the rest of the week, however, with highs predicted in the mid-70s (23.8 C) and lows in the 50s (11.6 C). These mellow-yellow images seem to reflect [...]

• Foliage Follow-Up to Bloom Day

  Pam/Digging

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:51 am

  Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima) I’ve been participating in Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, the community-building brainchild of Carol at May Dreams Gardens, for almost three years. Inspired by Elizabeth Lawrence, who wrote, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol invites garden bloggers to post pictures of what’s blooming in their garden on the [...]

• 
  Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas

• Seven neat garden hose holders

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pm

  Practically every garden requires a hose. Yours may be small enough to survive with just an outdoor watering can but the majority of gardeners keep one somewhere in their yard. The question is, "Where?" Undoubtedly many lay where they were last used, bound together in large knots and causing all sorts of problems for later use and trip hazards for unsuspecting visitors. They risk perishing faster by cracking or splitting in the sun but without a hose holder they become an unwieldy tool in the garden. So, the next question becomes, "What sort of hose holder?" Well, this is what this post is…

• Growing Dwarf Citrus Trees

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pm

  Citrus are one of those ubiquitous plants that adorn most gardens offering fruit for the home gardener but also producing their fair share of problems too. It seems that many home gardens offer at least one lemon, orange, or grapefruit tree while others have delved into the less traditional varieties and explored tangellos, mandarins and the odd kumquat tree. Yet, for many reasons, the quintessential lemon is now being replaced by dwarf citrus trees. It's no surprise, really. Our diminishing yard sizes and the limited space we now have to garden in primarily dictates the type of plants that…

• Organic window shades

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:37 pm

  Window shades and blinds seem to go against the grain of natural thinking. Firstly, they're usually made from non-organic materials and secondly they exhibit that the homeowner has taken little thought for their garden planning. A few well-located deciduous trees or vines and shade on your windows will be your last concern. For instance, our main bedroom faces west where we get all the afternoon sun in the warmer months that could turn the room into a sauna. Instead, we planted a trio of silver birches that act as natural window shades during the summer yet allow warmth into the room in…

• How to make Ylang Ylang massage oil

  1 Nov 2009 | 2:34 pm

  Ylang ylang is the flower of the cananga, a tree that grows rapidly in tropical climates and still performs well in temperate zones. It's a pretty flower resembling a curling star and offsets its complementary green foliage with a dash of yellow - enough to light up the whole tree. But, the flowers aren't admired for their beauty. Instead it's their essential oils that give it a star quality and makes it revered around the world by perfume and oil purveyors. The scent is not too dissimilar to jasmine but it offers deeper, richer notes that comfort the senses and makes it ideal as a massage…

• The Problem with Pea Gravel

  27 Oct 2009 | 4:03 pm

  Hailing from an area where pea gravel is readily available, and not too expensive, you would think that I'd have nothing but praise for this landscaping material. And, from an aesthetic point of view I have absolutely no qualms but very few gardeners think past the visual when they add this stuff - or so it seems. Landscaping with pea gravel is a very common improvement material but it does come with some downsides. Here are some problems you may encounter, or hopefully consider, when installing this in your yard; Firstly, pea gravel rolls - or at least it has the ability to. While it doesn't…

• 
  blithewold.org

• Better late

  Kris

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:35 am

  I think I probably speak for most gardeners in four-season climates when I say we don’t really mind if our first, second and even third favorite season lingers a bit longer than usual. It gives us a chance to remember to revel in the change and pace ourselves as we complete the season’s tasks. I [...]

• Design in the details

  Kris

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  Open any one of William Cullina’s books and you’ll get a good idea of the sort of person he is (our kind) and if you’re me, you’ll read cover to cover and learn something new on each page. Invite him to speak, and you’ll have the pleasure of meeting one of the most articulate, knowledgeable, [...]

• I brake for Franklinia alatamaha

  Kris

  11 Nov 2009 | 6:43 am

  Sometimes it’s all about timing. John and William Bartram were in exactly the right place, the coastal shores of the Altamaha River in Georgia, at exactly the right time, 1770, just a few years before the tree they discovered there became extinct. They collected seeds, propagated a few plants and named it Franklinia alatamaha for [...]

• Collecting leaves

  Kris

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:12 am

  I remember walking to school in the fall with a beach-comber’s lurch looking for the most beautiful leaf. When I found it, I memorized it and then kept looking for a more perfect one. I don’t remember ever making anything from my found leaves – some people probably like to press them or make wreaths [...]

• Compost happens

  Kris

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:18 am

  There is definitely something to be said for the fruits of the fall garden clean-up labor: As the bumper sticker puts it, “Compost Happens”. We have been chipping away at the gardens adding more and more debris to the Mother of All piles. At home my compost scares me a little. I can work for [...]

• 
  Ellis Hollow

• Something other than gardening

  Craig

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:48 pm

  Since Susan at GardenRant plugged me as an off-topic garden blogger, I figured I’d better make an off-topic post. My neighbor Lynn is pining for Wilco, so maybe I should do a Monday Music post. One of the better versions of Handshake Drugs: Actually, Ellis Hollow has pretty much deteriorated into a garden photo blog. I usually let the pictures do the talking, as it’s way harder to bullshit with images. Explore the categories, please, if you’re looking for politics or other topics. They’re just fewer and farther between these days. Oh, and I could use a few Farmville…

• Garden Bloggers Bloom Day scan

  Craig

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:30 am

  Hat tip to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting. More bloom day scans here. It’s easy. Give it a try. Directions here. At least we still have Felder’s three keys to designing with form, ’roundy, spiky, frilly.’ Colors are somber around here in November. Guess that’s why I rushed the season on poinsettias.

• Poinsettia season

  Craig

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:19 pm

  If you had asked me what I thought of a pink poinsettia sight unseen, I’d have probably said ‘Not so much.’ But I’ll admit, I kind of liked this one: After work earlier this week, I swung by our greenhouses to try to catch the crew from Hortus Forum, Cornell’s student horticulture club, preparing plants for their regular Friday plant sales and their big poinsettia sale Dec. 7 and 8. I had to leave before most of them arrived. But I was able to shoot this year’s poinsettia selections. A longer shot of the pink poinsettia. A more traditional red. Perhaps my…

• The new view

  Craig

  10 Nov 2009 | 4:03 pm

  Fred (right, below) kind of likes the new view. The trunk of the Norway maple always cut your focus short on the tree itself and surrounding plantings. Now, the eye wanders to the bed on the north side of the veggie garden and the woods, wetland and ridge beyond. It’s going to take some getting used to. Bonus grass shots from last weekend …

• Picture This Photo Contest - End of the Line

  Craig

  8 Nov 2009 | 3:18 am

  The them for this month’s Picture This Photo Contest over at Gardening Gone Wild is End of the Line. Here’s my entry (click for larger view): Volunteer ivy growing on concrete retaining wall outside the Campus Store, Cornell University. Technically, not the best shot I’ve ever made. But I’ve probably had more comments about this picture than any other I’ve taken.

• 
  Eden Maker by Shirley Bovshow

• “Indoor Gardening” on Garden World Report Show

  It's Fall and many cold climate gardeners are bringing their plants indoors. The focus of this week's Garden World Report is "Indoor Gardening" to  inspire gardeners to be as creative indoors as they are with their outdoor plants! The impressive show lineup includes: Paul Epsom, host of the PBS "Victory Garden" show and ...

• How to Multiply Your Plants: Red Fountain Grass

  Now that the weather is cooling down in my zone 10 garden in Los Angeles, I am doing yearly maintenance on some of my ornamental grasses. Red fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum enjoyed a great run this summer. As a "warm season" grass, Pennisetum s. is in active growth mode throughout the summer ...

• “Hot Hort Jobs” on the Garden World Report Show!

  Ever fantasize about having a career in a garden-related field? The options are vast and include much more than the obvious nursery pro or garden designer. From botanists to garden coaches to garden photographers, there are jobs that emphasize the scientific side of gardening and those that inspire the artistic spirit. The Garden World Report ...

• “Plantanistas,” Plant Collectors on Garden World Report Show!

  Gardeners obviously love plants or they wouldn't be gardening. "Plantanistas" are an extreme type of gardener. Plantanistas  collect plants frequently and with abandon! This week's Garden World Report show features "Plantanistas" with plant collection ranging from succulents to hydrangeas to rare Chinese plants found on an expedition trip to the China. Also ...

• Don’t Miss “The Botany of Desire” on PBS Tonight!

  Plant enthusiast alert: PBS television will be presenting the compelling show, the "Botany of Desire" tonight, Thursday, Oct. 29 (check for time in your local listing). "The program shows how four familiar species (the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato) evolved to satisfy our yearnings for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control." The ...

• 
  Flatbush Gardener

• Ginkgo Gone Wild

  Xris (Flatbush Gardener)

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:08 am

  The Ginkgo Walk at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, November 2008. Another Brooklyn blogger reports: One crisis I've been tasked with dealing with [from a co-op board meeting] is one of our ginkgo trees in the front of our building has apparently... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Flatbush Daffodil Project - 11/14 & 11/15

  Xris (Flatbush Gardener)

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:53 am

  11/14 ONLY - CANCELLED due to rain (remains of Hurricane Ida). Join us Sunday, 11/15, for a beautiful day of Daffodil bulb planting! Join Sustainable Flatbush and your fellow urban gardeners to beautify neighborhood tree beds by planting daffodil... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• BK DECAY: Brooklyn Community Leaf Composting, 11/7&8, 11/14&15, & 11/21&22

  Xris (Flatbush Gardener)

  5 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pm

  Cherry Leaves, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, November 2008 Until 2007, NYC collected and composted residential leaves. For the second year, 20,000 tons of leaves will be treated like household garbage, added to the City’s already-overburdened waste... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Prospect Park South Halloween Parade 2009

  Xris (Flatbush Gardener)

  1 Nov 2009 | 6:49 am

  Slideshow [bit.ly] Related ContentFlickr photo set [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• We Are the Champion ... Trees!

  Xris (Flatbush Gardener)

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:16 pm

  Via Press Release from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Brooklyn, New York—October 26, 2009—On Tuesday, October 27 at 2:45 p.m., the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will award two trees at Brooklyn Botanic Garden “State... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

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  Eco Landscape Care

• Green Uses of Sickly Trees

  admin

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:24 am

  Recycling Cut Trees A reader recently wrote: Hello, I enjoy reading Richard’s articles in The Pelham Weekly.  They are one of my favorite things about the paper and I’ve saved quite a few of the articles over the years.  I have a question about what I can do ‘green-wise’ with the remnants of a very large oak tree.  We tried to save it but it couldn’t be saved so it will be taken down this week.  I’ve thought about perhaps keeping some slices for a bench and/or a table and some pieces for firewood.  I suppose the tree removal company will chip a lot of…

• Soil Compaction in Lawns

  admin

  26 Sep 2009 | 10:33 am

  Soil Compaction, Over Seeding and Aeration After a summer of kids and dogs pounding on the lawn and with temperatures dropping, fall is really the time to aerate and over seed the lawn. Aeration is a process where holes are punched into the grass and ground allowing better gas exchange, loosening the soil and helping water floe to root zones. Though there are all kinds of gimmicky aeration devices, like the infamous clip on soles with 3” spikes coming out the bottom that you’re supposed to walk on your lawn with, only core aeration really is effective. Core aeration is a process where a…

• Fall Pruning and Trimming

  admin

  20 Sep 2009 | 9:46 am

  Fall Pruning I was “garden coaching” with a couple that are client/friends the other day. The area they wanted help with was fall pruning of trees and shrubs. This was a lovely experience with a terrific couple able to express differences and commonality while having fun together, a real lesson for those of us with overly sensitive egos! He likes to prune heavily while she is more cautious, which may be a Y chromosome issue as I tend to be heavy handed myself. Fortunately, pruning, shearing, and trimming require both qualities. Distinguishing between what needs what is the first step.

• Weedy Lawns

  admin

  29 Aug 2009 | 10:06 am

  Coming Back to Weeds It has been one of the coolest, wettest summers on record and the weeds are loving it! By the end of July, we all had clover and dandelions all over our lawns. This month, crabgrass is making a comeback along with sedge and plantains. Before chemical weed control and fertilization, clover was considered desirable because it fixes nitrogen in the soil (which is good for grass) and generally has a symbiotic relationship with grass. In fact, folks used to buy grass seed mixes with clover seed mixed in on purpose (gasp). Unless it’s a particularly wet year, clover won’t…

• Organizing Your Garden Space

  admin

  26 Jul 2009 | 6:56 am

  Taking the Clutter Out Generally, planting in July and August is discouraged, unless you are prepared to nurture new plantings with very regular watering until cooler months set in. This summer may be the exception given that July has been exceptionally cool and wet for our region. However, if you wish to err on the side of safety, there are other actins you can take in your garden that will prepare it for the fall planting season. In many established communities, one of the biggest issues on properties besides water management is overgrown plantings. So many homes were planted ten, or even…

• 
  Heather's Garden

• THIS SAYS IT ALL

  Heather's Garden

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:18 pm

  This article in the NY Times says it all.  Thank God this horrible gardening season is over.  I just keep imagining if this had been my first season gardening instead of my 3rd, but really I'm just glad I don't rely on my garden for more than the relaxation tending it brings me and the added benefit of whatever produce it yields.  I can't imagine what it must have been like to watch the rain fall and the crops fail if your livelihood depended on it.  Until yesterday we've actually been experiencing beautiful warm fall…

• CREEPY

  Heather's Garden

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:23 pm

  I'll steal an idea from Layanee and say Happy Halloween:   Looks like she has her dinner ready...what will you be dining on this evening?  I'm making stew and am excited to use my own carrots harvested expressly for said stew:   Those 4 habaneros (the only ones harvested this year) will probably heat up some chili.  No salsa for us this year, just not enough good tomatoes.  Though some parts of the garden still think it's growing season:   Those little eggplants will never make it to harvest, but the flowers are pretty to look at. …

• DOES THE TITLE REALLY MAKE YOU READ THE POST?

  Heather's Garden

  25 Oct 2009 | 2:12 pm

  I hope not, because I am having the hardest time coming up with titles these days.  I put off drafting this post for an hour or so while I tried to come up with a good title...no luck.  I considered NIMG (Not in My Garden - originally coined by Carol of May Dreams Gardens?): Yes, those are topiaries, anchors, lengths of huge rope, and no, you're not insane, that's the Three Stooges in golf gear on the pedestals:   We pass it every time we go for a walk, but today was the first time the home-owner wasn't out there playing around so I dared to stop and take a few…

• I CAN SEE WHY THEY USE COBWEBS AS HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS

  Heather's Garden

  20 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pm

  We've had one very persistent spider using our front porch to build its web nightly.  I wouldn't mind if the spider did it between the post and the house, but no, it has to go post to post right across the front steps -- otherwise known as exactly where our faces are when we walk out the front door:   Pardon all of these photos...the weaknesses of my simple point and click camera really show in low/no light situations:  But the web is so magnificent even overexposed: I tried playing with the images, but no luck:   I had more success with the macro setting on…

• AT LAST

  Heather's Garden

  13 Oct 2009 | 9:03 pm

  It only took 6 months, but we have a shed!  I left the men to finish up on Saturday as I headed off to an appointment.  They ran into a problem and gave up.  I came home and fixed the issue in less than 5 minutes but it was too dark to finish up.  They headed outside before me on Sunday and I came around the corner of the house to find this: Yes, that's SS2 climbing on to a table to climb onto a chair to reach the middle of the roof.  And VPH hiding his face in shame as I snap the photo.  No one was injured in the…

• 
  CafeMom Daily Buzz: Home & Garden

• DIY Modern Thanksgiving Centerpieces From Natural Materials

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Here's a gorgeous spin on the natural Thanksgiving centerpiece from Kayte Terry at CraftStylish. Swoon! Those fabric leaves and those wool-stuffed acorns. OMG, love.Check out Kayte's craft tutorial for this project and DIY some modern au naturale centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table. Are you working on anything special for your Thanksgiving table? Related posts: Easy DIY Thanksgiving Centerpieces alá Nature 10 Tips for a Greener Thanksgiving Table 3 Simple Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers Gratitude Cranes: A Pretty Thanksgiving Tradition

• Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Free Shipping Day, or Buy Nothing Day?

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Photo by SusanBerkley Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the speedy month of December are right around the corner. It's true. In less than a week, you're going to be lounging on the couch after Thanksgiving dinner, and some grandma or uncle or cousin is going to say, "Soooo, what's on the kids' wish list this year?" Ugh, is it really time to think about the holidays, let alone start shopping? Why, yes, yes it is...The Friday after Thanksgiving, November 27th this year, is known as Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year and the day when most retailers kick off their first burst of…

• Thanksgiving Craft: Free Printable Fortune Cookies

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Photo from kind over matter Today we give thanks to Amanda of kind over matter for these adorable (printable and FREE) Thanksgiving fortune cookies. Print the fortune cookie PDF and follow the tutorial to make these fun, feel-good decorations for your Thanksgiving table. Love! Are you crafting anything special for your Thanksgiving table? Related posts: Gratitude Cranes: A Pretty Thanksgiving Tradition 3 Simple Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers A Gratitude Tree for Thanksgiving

• Natural-Fiber Bags Help Decrease Poverty in Laos

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:30 am

  The Khmu ethnic group of Laos have been handmaking these gorgeous, eco-friendly and natural-fiber bags (now named Nature Bags) for centuries. And now, as part of a poverty reduction project for the region, you can help support the work of this impoverished group of handcrafters, whose region has one of the lowest per capita income levels in the world.In a project aimed at sustaining this impoverished region for years to come, the Khmu villagers are now producing Nature Bags for sale to others. The program is headed by young Lao student Bonsou Keoamphone, the son of a poor rice farmer in…

• Thanksgiving Hostess Gift: Leaf Print Tea Towel

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  Photo from Crate & Barrel Need a nice Thanksgiving hostess gift? A pretty tea towel can make a great gift for your turkey day host or hostess.Wrap the tea towel around something homemade for your hosts to enjoy later (what about morning-after-Thanksgiving Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins?), and that will make your gift even more appreciated. This adorable Foglia Print Dishtowel from Crate & Barrel is just $3.95. Do you have a great idea a Thanksgiving host or hostess gift? Related posts: Best Wines for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Cupcakes: Eat Turkey for Dessert! Undercooked Turkey and Other…

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  heirloom gardener

• End of Season Roses: Nur Mahal Hybrid Musk Rose Bred by Bishop Pemberton Next to the Lamp Post

  heirloomgardener

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

• The Last Dahlia of the Season

  heirloomgardener

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The dahlias are quite frost sensitive, so I was surprised to see this one last bloom as I was digging up the last of my dahlia tubers in the Cutting Garden.

• NJ Farmers' Market Update: Sundays in Summit extended to Christmas

  heirloomgardener

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Good news! The Sunday Farmers' Markets in Summit, New Jersey have been extended until the weekend before Christmas. I remember from last year that the number of shoppers dropped off significantly with the cold weather, so they didn't know if they were going to try to do it again this year. Alas, here's your opportunity to dress warmly and continue supporting the farmers. If enough people come out, maybe we can have a year-round farmers' market like they in other areas.

• Fall Colors: an Arrangement of Mophead Hydrangeas

  heirloomgardener

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

• After the Frost: Time to Start Digging up the Dahlia Tubers

  heirloomgardener

  11 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  This past weekend, we had our first frost, so I started to dig up the dahlia tubers for winter storage. I finished the tubers on Goldberry Hill and the Front Border (pictured), but still need to get the ones in the Cutting and Rose Gardens. For a full how-to, read my prior post, "How to Store Dahlia Tubers for Winter."

• 
  Ledge and Gardens

• Belated Bloom Day

  Layanee DeMerchant

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:29 am

  Spent blooms are the order of the day here.  There are few actual blooms in the garden right now.  The 'Sheffield Pink' chrysanthemum is showing its' last bedraggled petals and the Clematis 'Etoille Violette' has faded from rich purple to limpid lavender but they are there, in the garden, worn and tattered, ready for rest.  Not so this Hellebore which seems to understand the meaning of 'Christmas Rose'.  It is fully budded and color is showing.  With warm temperatures today, it's petals may even unfold.Attention turns, this time of…

• The beginning or the 'End of the Line'? Wordless Wednesday - 11-11-09

  Layanee DeMerchant

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:39 am

  Common milkweed - Asclepias syriaca

• Garlic - Allium sativuum

  Layanee DeMerchant

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:34 pm

  Fall may be the end of the  growth cycle for most of the plants in the garden but it is just the beginning for garlic.  That is one of the reasons why I have planted it in the past and again this fall.  There is the reward of plunging one's hands into the still warm earth to plant the individual cloves.  Early spring brings its' own delights as the green scapes emerge from the ground when all else is still in winter slumber.  This weekend was a gardener's dream.  It was clear and in the 60's .  Perfect for many garden tasks and most…

• Colors in the garden

  Layanee DeMerchant

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:28 pm

  The leaves of this Acer j. 'Aconitifolium' have dropped and the cool days of November are upon us.  November can be so gray and bleak in New England.  This past weekend was leaf raking weekend and so the garlic remains as yet unplanted and the beds untidied.  The bulk of the leaves have been carted to the compost piles but the windy day left the lawn littered yet again with scattered spots of oak leaves. The statuary needs to be put away as cement does not fair very well with the freezing temperatures of New England.  This birdbath will freeze over if left and…

• Happy Halloween!

  Layanee DeMerchant

  31 Oct 2009 | 5:41 am

• 
  the back quarter acre

• Balancing act

  8 Nov 2009 | 6:40 pm

  I really enjoy fall clean-up. Why else would I spend six hours in the garden, pulling out spent dahlias, cutting back perennials, shredding leaves for the compost pile, mowing the lawn, planting tulip bulbs, preparing leaf mold, and edging flower beds?Maybe to attain the perfect balance of exhaustion and satisfaction? Yeah, I think that's it.

• Amaryllis anxieties

  24 Oct 2009 | 9:10 pm

  After losing multiple amaryllis bulbs last year, I am more than a little anxious about this year's cycle. Those remaining are my favorite bulbs for sentimental or aesthetic reasons. Can't let anything happen to them!So, this weekend, I started the bulbs on their countdown to next year's bloom. "Royal Velvet," "Minerva," and "Ruby Meyer" had spent the summer in the bright light of south-facing windows. Thanks to restraint in watering and fertilizing, their leaves were green, their bulbs looked firm, and this "Minerva" amaryllis had even sprouted a fat little off-spring.The bulblet released…

• Dumbarton Oaks, autumn

  14 Oct 2009 | 2:40 pm

  Folks rave about the beauty of the Washington spring--cherry blossoms lining the Tidal Basin, swathes of daffodils running along Rock Creek Parkway--but autumn is pretty darned lovely, too. Last weekend, I spent an Indian Summer afternoon at my very most favorite garden, Dumbarton Oaks. I've raved about the sublime Beatrix Farrand landscape in a previous post, so here's a single highlight: the herbaceous border.From outside the towering walls of yews bounding this garden, all you can see are billowing clouds of pale purple asters.Inside, two 100-foot long beds of mixed perennials and annuals…

• Gloriosity

  6 Oct 2009 | 4:31 pm

  This is the glory of dahlias: you can just step outside your back door and pick a bouquet of earth-shattering beauty. And then, the next day, you can do it again. Sometimes you even have a helper.

• Bulb addenda

  6 Oct 2009 | 10:11 am

  A finale to the bulb ordering . . .Brent and Becky's Bulbs20 Narcissus Tazetta "Ziva" (indoors)10 Narcissus "Ceylon" (new side yard) . . . and on to the bulb planting, chilling, and potting up!

• 
  Therapeutic Landscapes Network Blog

• TKF Foundation Seeks Firesoul Guide & Office Manager

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:29 am

  Image courtesy of Robert Rodriguez Jr.The TKF Foundation, a wonderful organization based in Annapolis, MD, is seeking a "Firesoul Guide" and Office Manager. Firesouls are the "sparks behind the creation of sacred spaces. Their energy, enthusiasm, patience, and persistence inspire communities to come together around the creation and use of public greenspaces." The TKF foundation is a private grant-making foundation whose purpose is to create "Open Spaces, Sacred Places." It partners with organizations to create sacred places which increase a sense of community and contribute to a deepening of…

• The Seeds That Are Watered Frequently (Thich Nhat Hanh)

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:39 pm

  Image of bur oak courtesy of Henry Domke Fine ArtYour mind is like a piece of land planted with many different kinds of seeds: seeds of joy, peace, mindfulness, understanding, and love; seeds of craving, anger, fear, hate, and forgetfulness. These wholesome and unwholesome seeds are always there, sleeping in the soil of your mind. The quality of your life depends on the seeds you water. If you plant tomato seeds in your gardens, tomatoes will grow. Just so, if you water a seed of peace in your mind, peace will grow. When the seeds of happiness in you are watered, you will become happy. When…

• Tomorrow! Making Space for Therapeutic Horticulture

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:37 am

  Image courtesy of Anne DaileyIf you are a horticultural therapist or a designer of healing gardens and other restorative outdoor environments and you live in or near NYC, don't walk - run - to this tomorrow:"Making Space for Therapeutic Horticulture"Therapeutic Horticulture Network Group MeetingFriday, November 13, 1-4 pm"Making space for therapeutic horticulture - at our institutions, on our grounds, and in our busy schedules - can be a challenge. Come prepared to share your stories about making space for therapeutic horticulture in your work. There will be lots of time for networking, so…

• "Defiant Gardens" and Other Resources for Veterans

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  Image courtesy of Gardening LeaveFor this post, on Veterans Day in the United States, I'd like to share some information about resources specifically for veterans.While many veterans returning home from war have to deal with physical trauma, almost all suffer from emotional trauma and strain. On the extreme end is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be debilitating for not just the individual veterans but for their entire family and community. More and more research has been coming out about gardening, exposure to nature in a safe setting, and horticultural therapy as effective…

• Green Walls for Healing Gardens

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Patrick Blanc's 'Mur Vegetal' in Paris -Quai BranlyOne of the key elements of a healing garden - a garden designed to facilitate and even improve people's health and well-being - is a high ratio of plant material ("softscape") to paving, walls, stairs, etc. ("hardscape"). More plants, less paving.And especially if we're talking about hospitals and other healthcare facilities, which is where healing gardens are needed most, people like a lot of softness and greenery to balance out the hard, sterile surfaces indoors. People also prefer a feeling of enclosure; it makes them feel safe and…

• 
  A Leafy Indulgence

• Frank's Yearn to Urn

  Swimray

  13 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm

  In September, a four day convention in Chicago yielded a few side trips as a tourist. A visit to Oak Park where Frank Lloyd Wright built his first house and opened his studio on his own was the first stop. A second trip downtown to the Art Institute and nearby Millenium Park was an eye-opener. Although architecture and art were the primary targets for the trips, gardens and greenery were also experienced. Since this is a garden blog, I will concentrate on the botany in my trips.These urns were outside the entrance to the Wright Studio. Potato vines and ornamental grasses (or is it millet)…

• Inconsistent Princess

  Swimray

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:40 pm

  The Nasturtium seeds were purchased from Home Depot for the new side yard garden on the slope. Nasturtiums were tried about a decade ago, and were not a success story, but I was willing to try again this year. Princess of India (Tropaeolum majus) sounded like a good variety to try. Almost all germinated to my surprise, so some were planted at the side, and the extras were placed out in the back yard vegetable garden. At first, the side yard plants did very well in the spring, and began producing flowers quickly. Leaves were dark green, and the plants grew into small mounds. One item that…

• Squash That Bug

  Swimray

  18 Oct 2009 | 10:12 am

  The cleome was tall, spindly, and dying at the end of summer. This is normal for many plants, and never having grown cleome before, thought it was normal. Upon cutting the plants down to tidy up the garden, hundreds of black and yellow beetle-like bugs were found covering the stems and some leaves. Most were thrown out with the plants.Two weeks later, as I was tending to zinnias adjacent to the cleome bed, the same bugs were found on the zinnias. The cooperative extension was called, but was not much help over the phone. I went to the Bug Guide online to visually identify them as friend or…

• Purple Passion

  Swimray

  23 Sep 2009 | 6:30 am

  While in Atlanta last fall, I was impressed by the 7-feet (2 m) tall, purple-leaf plants growing in the corner of the botanical garden outdoor cafe. A sign indicated they were Persian Shield. Once back home, I described them to my landscape architect friends who told me they never grow 7-feet tall in this climate, unless they overwinter in a greenhouse, a most likely scenario.This year, I bought one and have been impressed by its growth over the summer. Although not getting to the height of the Atlanta plants, the Strobilanthes dyerianus produced its intense iridescent purple leaves. This…

• It's A Jungle, Finally

  Swimray

  3 Sep 2009 | 8:18 pm

  The deck that took a lifetime is finally done, well, with the latest construction still needing a good coat of wood finish. The actual deck off the back of the house was completed last fall along with some of the platform steps at the side yard. These platforms create a more gentle, relaxed way to descend the slope than a straight run stair does. A few additional platform steps not in the original plan were added this week to finish off the path.The side yard hillside was nothing but clay around the platform steps. This spring, soil was amended with peat, sand, gypsum, and organic materials.

• 
  Instrument of Grace

• Give the Gardener a Point and Please Take The Deer

  Kim

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:51 am

  Today, I planted 115 more bulbs, including those darned free gifts. Give me a point. I don't even know what color they are. I'm hoping, since they are tulips, that the deer will eat them and leave some of my other things alone. And the rest of the bulbs? Whether they were ordered for forcing or not, they are going to be forced. Probably. If they make it in from the garage. Last weekend, I walked to the back corner of the yard and discovered a deer had decided to scratch his antlers on my prized new cryptomeria. There was one trunk left with a topknot of foliage. All the other 3 trunks…

• What's Really Scary

  Kim

  1 Nov 2009 | 4:25 am

  Ghosts and goblins? Cobwebs in the corner? Standing water and mildewing plants? You think those are scary? No, I'll tell you scary. Scary is letting your eyes get the better of the rest of you in the bulb-ordering department. Scary is carefully planning just how many you have space for and then ordering "just a few more" just in case. Scary is being seduced by those lovely sirens in the catalogs and being lured to a doom of screaming muscles and aching joints. Then they arrive. Gee, there are so many boxes. Surely there should be only one. Or two. And the boxes are so BIG. There…

• Now THAT's a Raspberry!

  Kim

  29 Aug 2009 | 6:59 am

  Garden Man's raspberry canes are in their second year. The neighbor who gave them to us said we shouldn't expect any fruit the first year, but we did get a little. So did the foxes, and the deer ate some of the foliage. This year, Garden Man fashioned a makeshift fence around the canes, which are much bigger than last year. They are brambles, after all. Even though a deer, fleeing some imagined threat, managed to land right in the middle of the little enclosure and break everything down, we've still gotten fruit. There was a small flush of fruit earlier in the summer, mostly from…

• Common Cinquefoil?

  Kim

  24 Aug 2009 | 4:13 am

  I thought this little gem might be Common Cinquefoil, Potentilla simplex. I saw it during our walk on an interior path on Sears Island, ME. There is something incredibly pleasing about its perfect simplicity, don't you think? After looking at many images online, I'm reconsidering whether or not this is cinquefoil. In my North Woods Wildflowers, Common Cinquefoil is the only flower looking remotely like this one. This plant's distinctive heart-shaped petals, I thought, should make identification easy. Now I'm wishing I had paid more attention to the foliage. Can you…

• Rose and Lily

  Kim

  6 Aug 2009 | 5:29 pm

  These were everywhere in Mid-Coast Maine and Acadia National Park. I took this photo at the top of Cadillac Mountain, and these roses were everywhere. If you passed a group of them, you could catch a whiff of their sweet scent on the seabreeze. Even though there had been rain, rain and more rain in Maine over the last two months, these roses had pristine foliage. Those are MY kind of roses! This lily, I believe it is a Canada Lily, was located in the Wild Gardens of Acadia. If you ever visit Acadia National Park, you must visit this lovely little garden in the park. It's right off the…

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  Garden in Bethlehem PA

• IPM - Part 3

  Marie

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:18 am

  “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and a lightening bug” - Mark Twain .Integrated Pest Management – IPM (continued)After a lot of searching, reading, getting confused, starting over, I ran almost ran out of energy. I’ll try to summarize the rest of my research. So hopefully I’m using the “right word” not the “almost right word” ----- or the completely wrong word ---- or omitting an important point. I’ve included a link in each section if you would like more information..Mechanical Control of the Adult…

• Taking a Break

  Marie

  14 Nov 2009 | 3:56 am

  .I’m taking a break from IPM research to enjoy the Bethlehem Garden Club’s Flower Show. (See Bethlehem Garden Club link at right for details.) The show continues today from 10 AM to 3 PM. I’ll continue with IPM on Wednesday.Here are some pictures from the show.HorticultureDesignSpecial ExhibitsBake SalePlant Sale and Raffle(Dear fellow garden bloomdayers,I've cheated a bit here to include this blog as my bloomday post. The show was much more interesting than the yellow Knock-out rose, calendula, sweet alyssum and snapdragon blooming in my garden. Carol at May Dreams Garden is the host…

• IPM - Part 2

  Marie

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  Integrated Pest Management - IPM (Continued from last post)"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,Nothing is going to get better. It's not."— Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax.This is an extremely long post and for that, I apologize. Even with all its length, I could not cover everything. It is not a scholarly work – I am as far from being a chemist as anyone could be - but I’m determined to continue my journey through IPM with the Japanese beetle as best I can.In order to make an informed decision, I need to understand the effects of the options from the last post - chemical,…

• IPM – Part 1

  Marie

  7 Nov 2009 | 3:56 am

  .Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Man at the market: "My wife asked me to buy ORGANIC vegetables. Have these been sprayed with any poisonous chemicals?" - "No," replied the gardener, "you'll have to do that yourself." Anon. I sat in on an IPM class at Lehigh County Extension this week. I came away determined to better understand IPM use in a home garden. It turned into a major project. I’ll try to follow my steps on this and subsequent posts. I hope I don’t cause you to doze off or run screaming from your monitor.Integrated Pest Management definition: A scientific approach to effectively…

• Garden Bloggers Death Day

  Marie

  4 Nov 2009 | 4:18 am

  I’m a little late for Garden Bloggers Death Day started by Kate at Gardening Without Skills. Postings are usually done on the last day of the month.I planted this little shrub, marked “Pinus - Pine Shrub”, in June. I don’t know what happened. It just didn’t make it. Purchased at Home Depot for $19.97 on a whim, I guess it wasn't meant to be. I'll try another evergreen in spring. .

• 
  Bumblebee Blog

• Dog Biscuits: From Mom With Love

  admin

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:58 am

  When I brought home my first Papillon, Sophie, she was so small she could fit into the palm of my hand. What she lacked in size she made up for in attitude. She would play dash-and-hide with our 55 pound Belgian Malinois, Winifred. She quickly discovered her voice—and has been using it liberally ever since. And she refused to sleep alone. After two sleepless weeks, Harry and I finally caved in and let her sleep with us. Sophie One of the biggest challenges of raising a small dog is house training.  Little dogs just don’t want to brave the wind, rain, cold weather, tall grass or…

• The Indignity of Being a Plain Chicken

  admin

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:18 pm

  There is nothing exotic about Marilyn or Madelyn. The poor birds do their share of work by pushing out a lovely brown egg a day each. And yet do visitors stop to exclaim “My what a beautiful chicken!” like they do with the Polish hens? Does anyone admire their graceful movements, as with the white leghorns and their fashion runway walk? Does anyone listen for their beautiful voices, as with T. Boone Chickens? They aren’t even athletic. While the other chickens can jump to snatch a treat from their bell toy in the outside run, the black hens can only stand underneath and look…

• A Bounty of Eggs

  admin

  7 Nov 2009 | 5:59 am

  I often ramble on about how my chickens are entertaining, how they make me laugh, how they have such silly and sweet personalities. But I don’t often talk about one of the most rewarding parts of bringing chickens into my life. Eggs! The four Polish and two Easter egg chickens are not yet laying, although they are mature enough. I suspect that the fact that they’re not laying and that the weather has turned cold means they have decided to extend their responsibility-free youth until spring, when they should take up their mature hen duties like the rest of the birds. My senior…

• Isn’t She Lovely?

  admin

  29 Sep 2009 | 12:49 pm

  Edna is a standard white crested blue. I consider her one of my glamor chickens.  She’s a bit high-strung and tends to be flighty. I can’t help but wonder if some of it has to do with her hair in her eyes. She is also a bit sneaky. When I go to open the coop door in the morning, Edna almost invariably tries to sneak past me for her own private walkabout in the garden. Often she succeeds, but then almost immediately regrets her actions since she’s separated from her friends. Edna should start laying in about another month. This is the first in a photo series featuring the…

• Fall Transitions at Bumblebee

  admin

  25 Sep 2009 | 3:20 pm

  It is a season of changes.  Not only is the weather cooling, life is changing here. Benjamin, my only child (my baby!), has gone off to college at The Citadel.  He is the third generation on his dad’s side to attend college there. When he graduates, he will wear “The Ring” with his dad, uncles, great uncles and cousins. He knew what to expect going there. He is well-prepared for the challenge. And he seems to thrive on the manly camaraderie of the place. That still didn’t stop me from crying for pretty much the first week while he was gone. The tears were drawn from…

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  Future House Farm

• Hello

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:07 pm

  Never in our lives have we been this busy. It's a good busy, but a time-suck nonetheless. We love ya guys and we will get back to it all at sometime. Until then, take care.

• Fix this effing mess

  6 Sep 2009 | 9:57 am

  This is our little patch of earth off the the front porch. I believe the dimensions are 4x5 and it faces east. As you can see, it's a mess. The reason for the mess is that we don't quite know what to do with it yet. We want to fill it with perennials. We're looking for flowers, something edible, and some height in the back. Our problem is that we are dealing with some serious partial sun. In the summer, the plot gets shaded by the house around 12:30-1:00. We really don't have the experience with perennials to even know where to start. Do you have any suggestions? Give us a list, and we'll…

• We're sure you've seen enough

  5 Sep 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Even the littlest gardens are susceptible to blight. We could post the photos, but most of you have had it yourself, and need not see more.Our Squash have also fallen victim to vine borers. We were on top of them for a good part of the season, but we over planted the beds and they eventually became so tight that we couldn't keep track of what was and was not done. By the end, none were done, and they all went to shit.Last week Meg tore out all the summer squash and planted some late greens in their place. Today I removed the winter squash and all of the tomatoes. The garden is looking a…

• Building Ingredients

  26 Aug 2009 | 1:03 pm

  Turnips are a great ingredient for broths. We planted this little batch with one thing in mind, soup for the winter. We're still waiting on a few more ingredients before the soup making begins; so our plan, while we wait, is to cube, blanch, and freeze these suckers until the time is right for cooking.

• A bit more candid than usual

  15 Aug 2009 | 10:33 am

  In the Spring of 2002 I had just finished my undergraduate work and to celebrate I took every penny I owned and my little brother for a summer tour of some of our National Parks. This is a photo of Derrek and I at Crater Lake. I was 26 and he was 16.When he was an infant I took him out late at night to see Halley's Comet (he barfed on my shoulder). I changed his diapers, took him sled riding, bought him beer, and helped him bury his father. He was still pretty young when I left home, so our trip was actually the first time we really had a chance to hang out. I believe I can speak for us both…

• 
  GardenDesignOnline

• Holiday Garden Shows

  Jane Berger

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  Nov 3- Jan 3, Holiday Train Show, Atlanta, GA Atlanta Botanical Garden, 404-876-5859 Nov 20-Dec 30,Fantasy in Lights, Pine Mounain, GA Callaway Gardens, 706-663-2281 Nov 21-Jan 10, Holiday Train Show, Bronx, NY NY Botanical Garden, 718-817-8700 Nov 21-Jan 3, Winter Show, Cleveland, OH Cleveland Botanical Garden, 216-721-1600 Nov 25-Jan 3...

• Books: Low Maintenance Gardening

  Jane Berger

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  In my years as a landscape designer, I’ve only had a couple of clients who were interested in high-maintenance gardens, and they’re just alike: They love to spend time working outdoors in the garden, favor unusual and hard-to-find plants, and are passionate about the way their garden looks. But the...

• In the Magazines Nov-Dec 09

  Jane Berger

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  Garden Design Nov Dec 09 Climatic Challenge in Patagonia, AZ by designer Margaret Joplin. A Private Tropical Garden on Kauai by designer Andrea Lecusay. New England: Lengthening the short garden season with winter plantings. Conifers for year-round interest The American Gardener Nov Dec 09 Native Hollies: Part Two - Evergreens...

• Michael Pollan's Edible Front Yard

  Jane Berger

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  You'd expect nothing less in the garden of Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto; The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals ; and The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World. Pollan and his wife hired local landscape designer Bernardo Lopez...

• New Botanical Garden: Naples, FL

  Jane Berger

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  The first significant tropical botanical garden in the United States opens this weekend in Naples, Florida, designed by some of the country's leading landscape architects. Brian Holley, executive director of the new Naples Botanical Garden described it as "a world-class tropical paradise that is not only a sensory delight but...

• 
  Life In Sugar Hollow

• Hodge Podge

  Tracey

  13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  I know it has been quiet as far as news from the garden goes. There is a reason. Our serene garden space has been (somewhat) torn up to deal with burying power and Internet lines and other house-related underground madness (a nice way of saying septic system). The earth-ripping machinery has stayed away from anything I established, but working in the muddy space is not fun. Willa and I have been trespassing on the land next to ours (photo above) and making the best of what we can. Spring promises peace and order in the garden (so says Corey). Good Lord, I hope so. 'Cause when my garden is out…

• An Afternoon Following The Mountains

  Tracey

  5 Nov 2009 | 7:27 am

• We've Been Busy

  Tracey

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:37 am

  Watching the rain, the mist and the autumn colors; cleaning up the herb garden; sorting garlic for planting; and making applesauce and apple butter (even more sorting for Willa - a task she takes very seriously).Tonight - date night with Corey - to see Elvis Perkins (again!) and eat at Bang. To celebrate the last year in my 30's. How did that happen?I'm talking about bulb planting tips and garlic over at Virginia Living!

• Friday Print Giveaway (and Etsy's Front Page!)

  Tracey

  30 Oct 2009 | 5:45 am

  I was all ready to leave Etsy behind and focus on other things, when I found out my quince photo made the front page last weekend (top row, middle photo). Talk about an injection of inspiration!So, the shop has been re-opened and I am going to start offering the 8 x 10 sizes of my through-the-viewfinder prints - to make for easier framing. There will be white borders at the top and bottom of each print.*Also,* the 8 X 8 viewfinder prints are on sale for $15 through November 15th.And, let's do a giveaway of my chives print, Morning Yearning. I'll spin the random number generator next Friday…

• End-of-CSA Soup

  Tracey

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:26 am

  I fell behind on my CSA veggie consumption for one week and needed something warm, and filled with vitamins, that could include every veggie that was on the precipice of becoming compost. This recipe is a variation on Jacques Pepin's Instant Vegetable Soup, from a favorite cookbook - Fast Food My Way.5 cups of water1 zucchini - shredded2 leeks - thinly sliced1 cup carrots - shredded1/2 cup of celery - thinly sliced2 cups greens - cut into ribbons (I had tat soi on hand, but you can use spinach or kale)3 tblsps steel cut oats (you can also use grits)Salt and pepper to tasteThrow it all into a…

• 
  Lois de Vries' Garden Views

• Stirring Up the Gardener’s Imagination

  Lois J. de Vries

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:25 am

  The other day I was asked what my favorite gardening websites are and why. The first one that popped into my mind was Gardening Gone Wild http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=9088 because of its pieces on photography and design, the ability to interact and cross-blog, and the hosts’ ability to generally stir up the imagination of gardeners everywhere.So this post is an entry in GGW’s Picture

• Pavilion at Red Butte Gardens

  Lois J. de Vries

  14 Nov 2009 | 10:08 am

  Here’s a contemporary pavilion with a Japanese flair that’s produced by the unusual treatment of the beams at the eaves and the decorative detailing at the gable ends. The simple lines of the slat roof and the supporting columns create interesting reflections in the water and shadows on the decking.While the construction of a similar structure is not for the faint of heart, the basic form is

• Gardener’s Fantasy Gift List

  Lois J. de Vries

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:28 am

  Floral sculpture: Inta Krombolz, ikrombolz@comcast.net  Want some insight into what your favorite gardener might be dreaming about during the long, cold winter? It’s not likely to be another trowel or pair of mud gloves. For something your gardener won’t soon forget, choose something from my fantasy gift list:Wind Sculptures – We bought one during our trip to Utah this year and just love

• Pinky Winky™ Hydrangea in Fall

  Lois J. de Vries

  31 Oct 2009 | 9:07 am

  For those interested in following my Pinky Winky™  Hydrangea field trials (see earlier post at http://loisdevries.blogspot.com/2008/08/pinky-winky-hydrangea.html), here is an update. Those planted in part sun in Spring 2007 are now over five feet tall, even though they were “trimmed” by a doe that had gotten inside our exclosure last summer. She had consumed a huge number of leaves, as well

• Abundant Harvest

  Lois J. de Vries

  22 Oct 2009 | 2:31 pm

  A couple of years ago, I was invited to scout Chef James Laird’s vegetable garden. Like many upscale restauranteurs, James and wife Nancy who operate Restaurant Serenade in Chatham, NJ, wanted access to fresh, organic produce. So they grew their own.Rows of vari-colored leaf lettuce and peas had given way to heirloom and specialty tomatoes, green beans, and a wide variety of basil, parsley and

• 
  Sustainable and Urban Gardening

• On Being Paid to Blog, and What I Really do in my Garden in November

  Susan Harris

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am

  For three years I wrote how-to gardening articles for local readers of the Takoma Voice and loved it – til I finally gave it up to focus on activities that would help pay the bills.  Reality, I hear you!  That meant confining the garden-teaching to garden-coaching clients, which brings in a bit, and looking for [...]

• The Great Dead-Leaf Debate – who knew?

  Susan Harris

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:16 am

  Who knew there was so much controversy around the question of what's the "greenest" thing to do with dead leaves?  Actually I've gotten more than a hint of the controversy because over on GardenRant people have, of course, ranted about this very topic.  More than a few who follow the "leaf it be" practice of [...]

• Say hello to Olive Barn and Jackie D’Elia

  Susan Harris

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:34 am

  I started hearing from Jackie months ago – some comments on GardenRant and the occasional helpful tip ("That link's a dud!"  And for the record, I WANT y'all to tell me these things! )  Then  last summer I asked for eco-dubies to step up and pay my expenses to attend an awesome conference about Urban [...]

• How to hurt your back in the garden

  Susan Harris

  11 Nov 2009 | 11:36 am

  Do I know to bend at the knee?  Was I born yesterday?  Of course I know to do that!.  Ditto doing regular exercises to strengthen the big muscles that take the load off our tired old back muscles when we're working hard.  (I use weights and Pilates.)  Now about stretching before gardening, do YOU do that?  [...]

• Sustainable and Urban Gardening Newsletter, November 2009

  Susan Harris

  7 Nov 2009 | 5:21 am

  Blog edition.  The whole newsletter is right here.   Urban Gardening on the Web   Urban Gardening – What is it? is my definition and a call for links to more great programs across the U.S. USDA reports that farmers' markets are up 13 percent over 2008! Here's the story. Excellent new resource:  Growing School and Youth Gardens in NY [...]

• 
  Transatlantic Plantsman

• Amazing hellebores - doubles and singles

  Graham Rice

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:00 am

  This post is simply to highlight the amazing hellebores created by Marietta O’Byrne of Northwest Garden Nursery in Oregon.Here are links to two sets of galleries on their website, you can click image on this page to get an idea:Gallery of double flowered helleboresGallery of single flowered helleboresIt’s too complicated to explain which varieties are available from which retail nurseries, on each side of the Atlantic, a web search will tell you. Please note that although Northwest Garden Nursery will deliver in their local area, they do not operate a mail order service.Just thought…

• The leaf problem

  Graham Rice

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:05 am

  Over on the Homestead Gardens blog, Susan Harris again raises the whole issue of what to do with fallen leaves. For many British gardeners this is not a big issue – we Brits cut down most of our tress in the 1800s to build ships for the navy in a doomed attempt to hang on to our colonies – like America.But it’s an issue in parks and some small gardens over in Britain while in North America what to do with dead leaves is a big issue in many towns, suburbs and rural areas – there are just so many more trees.This is my simple take: it all depends on what you grow.1. Get fallen leaves off…

• Black Plants - all the books reviewed

  Graham Rice

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:30 pm

  What is it about black plants? They not only seem to inspire fierce disagreement amongst gardeners – “What’s the point of a plant with black leaves, you can hardly even see it?”/“Simply sumptuous!” – but with another book on the subject just out competition is flaring between the new book and those already published by the acknowledged expert on black plants.So. Karen Platt has been popularising black plants since her first book came out in 2000 and she now has three different books on the subject. There’s the latest print edition of Karen’s first book, Black Magic and…

• Just look out of the window

  Graham Rice

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:17 am

  Over on the Whole Life Gardening blog C. L. Fornari was been musing about the discipline of writing for  blog every single day, and finding things to write about. People sometimes ask me if I run out of things to write about. The answer is never – I can always just look out of the window. Although, I have to say, everyone can look out of the window but not everyone sees what’s there. When I was commissioning editor of a monthly garden magazine one famous British TV gardener – who had a monthly slot – would call up and ask: “Got any ideas on what I should write about this…

• Two great new annuals

  Graham Rice

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

  There are literally hundreds of new annuals launching for the coming season, but they include two which are noticeable steps forward in breeding in two groups which have already developed a lot in recent decades. And both are from British plant breeders rather than the big American and Japanese breeders.From the plant breeding company Floranova, comes a completely new type of Nicotiana (flowering tobacco). Although smaller than the big Japanese and American breeders, Floranova has consistently created innovative new types of annuals and has led the world in creating new salvias, new geraniums…

• 
  WashingtonGardener

• Gather Your Garden Vignettes

  WashingtonGardener

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:53 am

  Yesterday I met with our photo contet judge and a past multiple contest winner for tea, we three discussed possible changes to the Washington Gardener Photo Contest for our next round. We ended up concluding we need to add a fourth category to our Washington Gardener Photo Contest:Garden VignettesThis is a new class for those images that fall between the wide Garden Views (landscape scenes) and the macro Small Wonders (flower or plant part close-ups). Examples of Garden Vignettes include groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color…

• Feng Shui, Persimmons,a new Daylily, and a much more

  WashingtonGardener

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:06 am

  The November 09 issue of the Washington Gardener Enews is now out.

• Unusual Colors for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

  WashingtonGardener

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  The rains have finally stopped from that darn Nor'easter spawned by Hurrican Ida and I could get out a take some pics for today's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. What I found was lots still in bloom including the Mutabilis (Chinese butterfly) rose, PJM rhododendrons (pictured at left), alyssum, impatiens, lantana, etc. But also lots of interesting colors in plants I don't normally think of for autumn interest, like these:ForsythiaCrape MyrtleLily of the ValleyHydrangeas

• Things I've Dug Up

  WashingtonGardener

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  A couple of days ago I tweeted (and FBed) a question: What is oddest thing you've dug up while gardening? Here are the collected answers from the cute to the macabre to the downright bizarre:TheNatrlCaptl: A Masonic ring. And horseshoes, about 10" deep. tinkhanson: I found a civil war cannon shell digging in our yard, unexploded - still have it bcbolin: We are down the hill from Bunker Hill Road (very old road b/t Bladensburg port & Georgetown) & we've found canister shot Plantweenie: We dug up about 50 pairs of panty hose....so creepy. All while trying to plant one shrub.

• Call me MS. New Regional Director

  WashingtonGardener

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  I'm the new Region II Director for the Garden Writers Association. I join my fellow Region II Directors, Denise Cowie and Steve Maurer, in setting the regional meetings and programs. Region II is compact, it contains the Mid-Atlantic states of DC, MD, DE, PA NJ, and PA, but annoyingly does not include northern Virginia. (That is a long story for another time.) We are the smallest region by land area, though our membership numbers are high and we are one of most active. It doesn't hurt that we are an easy day trip to each other and we host one of the…

• 
  A Tidewater Gardener

• Coming To A Living Room Near You

  Les

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:10 am

  Yesterday at work we got in our Christmas tree truck. These are all Fraser Firs grown deep in the mountains of North Carolina. It took us about 2 hours to unload the truck (by hand) and the rest of the day to get them set up, and I'll be back at today and tomorrow. We re-cut each tree, drill a hole in the bottom, put them in water filled stands and spray them with Wilt-Pruf. Even though I had excellent young, and not so young help, my body is feeling every day of its age this morning.

• Be Careful Where You Park The Car

  Les

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  The former owner of the company I work for forbade us to ever sell two plants - Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata) and Porcelain Vine (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata - now that's a Latin name). He was well founded in his prejudice, as he had seen more than one landscape overrun with these plants. I myself have the Houttuynia, but have not found it invasive and enjoy the colorful foliage and citrusy scent in my garden. Porcelain Vine has been placed onto many invasive plant lists, primarily in the New England and the Mid-Atlantic areas. The plant is native to the more temperate parts of eastern…

• Bloom Day - After The Beat Down

  Les

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:13 am

  This was the Bloom Day post that almost wasn't. The three day Nor'easter finally ended Saturday, and I just got my electricity back last night after being out for two days. My neighborhood, the city and a good part of Hampton Roads were left a real mess after the storm. There are trees down, lots of waterfront property damage, debris in the streets, newly leaking roofs and many flooded basements, including my own. Thursday night was the peak of the storm, but Friday was not much better. The worst problem with this particular storm was the tidal flooding. The official high tide mark was 7.7',…

• Island Living

  Les

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:10 am

  Things are a little wet and windy here today. We are in the grips of a powerful Nor'easter with lots of wind, rain and tidal flooding. Many of the areas roads, bridges and tunnels are closed effectively turning Hampton Roads into a collection of islands. Because of the strong northeasterly winds, the waters back up into the area creeks and rivers and don't get an opportunity to empty at low tide, and consquently high tide is magnified. These pictures are from my neighborhood at the end of this morning's high tide - the worst flooding is predicted this afternoon.

• Season Opener

  Les

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:25 pm

  Living here in the upper reaches of zone 8, one of the great consolations to the impending winter is the beginning of Camellia season. The first to bloom are C. sasanqua, C. hiemalis and the hybrids, with November being their peak month. Depending on the weather, these fall bloomers will continue flowering well into December and sometimes even into January if it stays mild enough. The majority of these Camellias are hardy to zone 7b or 8, but there are quite a few newer hybrids that can carry Camellia season into zone 6. Most of these cold hardy varieties were developed by Dr. William…

• 
  Blue Ridge blog

• Passing along a few Watauga County kudos....

  Marie Freeman

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  So far November has been the month we are being paid back for all the crappy weather we endured last spring, except for today of course, because it rains. In my copious amounts of free time (sarcasm, y'all), I've taken advantage of the mild weather to plant even more rows of garlic, haul rocks from recently cleared land and walk and play with Annie. I have taken few area photographs which causes me much angst when I have time to think about it so I just won't think about it. Above is a sun dog I saw several days ago. A couple of points of interest:First, theWatauga County…

• The backside of Mast Store Annex

  Marie Freeman

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm

  Sorry I've been scarcely posting. I was away on business through Thursday and having been playing catch up ever since... Annie and I did manage a jaunt around the Valle Crucis park on Friday afternoon and I snapped this photo on our way back home.

• In another galaxy...

  Marie Freeman

  8 Nov 2009 | 6:32 pm

  If only all mornings could be like yesterday.I woke at my leisure to enjoy a cup of coffee with my husband. We disbanded to venture onto our selfish projects for a few hours. My husband cleaned because he enjoys it more than me. My plan was better.I escaped to Valle Crucis park where I stared entirely too long into a pool of leaf-filled water backlit by the sun. For a few moments I pretended I was witnessing a Hubble telescope moment...a world unknown. I returned the camera to the Jeep and while still jazzed by both caffeine and inner peace, I ran 3 miles.Camera fun then run...the best way to…

• November

  Marie Freeman

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:34 am

  It was a beautiful November morning. The end.

• Zombies swarm Boone, North Carolina

  Marie Freeman

  31 Oct 2009 | 8:07 am

    More than one hundred zombies plagued the sidewalks of Appalachian State and King Street on Friday evening. The living dead featured a few famous characters such as Billy Mays and Willie Wonka but mostly the attendees of this particular mob consisted of the usual bloody corpses groaning for brains as they lurched on down the road. Nearing the Bean Stalk coffee shop, a handful of zombies drifted inside, obviously enticed by the smell of java, while the remaining horde encountered resistance from water gun toting leader Shaun of the Dead and a handful local residents who were…

• 
  clay and limestone

• Fairegarden Style

  Gail

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  The yellow shrub is an azalea! Seriously!It must be true that the third time's the charm..my trip to Frances' had already been rescheduled twice when Mr I Don't Garden and I headed over the mountains this past weekend. We couldn't have asked for nicer weather with day time temperatures in the high 60's and the sky a fantastic deep blue. Even though we had missed the big time fall color parade, Fairegarden's color was far from over. Just take a peak at this~~ The hollies are luscious. Just what you hope they will come to be when you plant them in your garden. I love this part of the…

• Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News!

  Gail

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)I've had two visits with doctors recently. Last month, the tree doctor made a house call to see a white oak that suddenly dropped 2/3rds of its leaves over night~~It seemed strange to drop so many leaves. My neighbor has lost several oak trees to some kind of fungal disease and we wanted to make sure this oak was healthy. Not the possibly sick oak!Knock on wood that this tree is fine! Not only would taking a tall oak down mean a sudden change in the garden...it would be very expensive to do. It's situated right next to the front porch steps off the flagstone…

• The Remains Of The Garden~ November 2009

  Gail

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Welcome to C&L's Bloom Day Celebration!We are now serving pink sunrises and  crisp mornings with our breakfasts~Coffee with your sunrise is a  wonderful way to start the mornings! Grab your cup and have a nice time visiting~~GailWe do have spots of color here and there.  Red leaves on the Rough Leaved Dogwood and the few remaining flowers of New World Asters or ex-asters as our friend  Mr McGregor's Daughter refers to them.  My favorite spot of color is the purple of the adirondack  chairs.  Now that the bugs have disappeared it's a good place to sit and dream of next season's…

• Mr I~ Tear Down This Hedge*

  Gail

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  Let's imagine a sunny border in place of Hedge. I so can! It might be like this planting at a rather delightful store that sells pottery, garden accessories and brewing supplies. It's where I found the Bottle Brush Tree that came home with me earlier this week. The designer has done a great job of planting for late season bloom...and for critters! Bees of every kind were busy on the Blanket Flower and the Blackeyed SusansBut they were especially busy buzzing around the large planting of mint. The bees were everywhere and reminded me of the extensive mint planting at the Lurie Garden in…

• Wildflower Wednesday~Native Bottle Tree

  Gail

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

  Not what you expected!Perhaps, you were thinking of this beautiful Bottle Brush Tree~~C&L November 2009Aesculus parviflora, dressed in the Nashville fall "it" color. I fell for it when visiting the Missouri Botanical Gardens a long time ago...We were walking away from the Climatron when we passed through a planting of very tall shrubs with palmate green leaves (5 to 7 leaflets) and foot long brush like spikes of white tubular flowers. The flowers had showy red anthers that attract hummers. Missouri Plants website* It was gorgeous and smelled delicious.... Finally, it's growing…

• 
  Dirt Therapy

• Persian Shield

  Phillip

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:55 pm

  Strobilanthes dyerianus, better known as "Persian Shield", features iridescent, colorful leaves of purple, green and silver. I've always grown it in a container, where it starts out slow but eventually gets very tall (about 2-3 ft.) by mid-summer. This plant loves the heat but wilts easily and it prefers semi-shade during the hottest part of the day. Unfortunately, it is very tender and turns to mush after the first frost. Cuttings can be taken and I read that it can be treated as a houseplant, although I haven't tried this. In containers, it looks nice with ferns, coleus, impatiens,…

• Seasonal oddity

  Phillip

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:38 am

  Things that make you go hmmm? Only one branch of our kousa dogwood has fall color - a deep burgundy and the rest of the tree is still green. Very odd, don't you think?

• Florida Pie

  Phillip

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:39 am

  This recipe comes from the book Baking: From My Home to Yoursby Dorie Greenspan. I've tried several recipes from this book and they have been good. This is a key lime pie that has a layer of coconut-cream on the bottom. It is served frozen. It would be a great for a summer dessert but it is good any time of year.Florida Pie1 9-inch graham cracker crust, fully baked and cooked, or a store-bought crust1 1/3 c. heavy cream1 1/2 c. shredded sweetened coconut4 large eggs, separated1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk1/2 c. fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)1/4 c.

• Gardens of the Shoals presentation

  Phillip

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:37 am

  This Sunday I will be doing a presentation at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Pine Street on "Gardens of the Shoals". I will be showing photos of gardens in the area, including our own garden, that I've written about for Alabama Gardener Magazine. So, if you need some motivation for next spring, do come by! The program starts at 11 a.m.

• Fall camellias

  Phillip

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am

  I hate to sound like a broken record but I LOVE CAMELLIAS! Right now, the sasanqua camellias are blooming. These are fall bloomers and their flowers are not as large and showy as the japonica camellias which bloom in late winter and early spring. The sasanquas have a delicate beauty about them with fragile blossoms that are quick to shatter if disturbed. This first photo is of "Bonanza" that is planted by the back door steps. This was one of the first camellias I ever planted. It is about 10 years old. It always blooms in late October. I've never had success in getting a close-up photo…

• 
  Nevertheless...

• Fabric Mosaic

  Melissa Reynolds

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:53 am

  My poor peanut plants have been drying on my porch for over a month now... mainly because I forgot they were out there. I pulled most off the plant last weekend and they then sat on my counter until Bekah came over and started munching on them. I forgot how much flavor raw peanuts have - pretty good! Whether I just eat the rest of them raw or actually do something with them is yet to be seen as life is pretty busy right now.I DID finally work on a project I'd been wanting to do. When mom and dad were in town, they bought me a copy of Quilting Arts magazine, which had an article on mosaic wall…

• Back to Mt Rogers... and the Fog

  Melissa Reynolds

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:43 pm

  So I've hiked Mt Rogers quite a few times now. And the ONLY two times I have had crazy fog was when hiking with Scott. He, I and Bekah hit the road Saturday morning despite the 80% chance of rain. In fact, it rained most of the way up there. But the first mile and a half of hiking was rain free, with low, cool looking clouds hovering just above the mountains. And warmer temps than I was anticipating.However, as we began to hike up Wilburn Ridge, the winds came roaring in and the sideways rain commenced. We continued on, 2.5 more miles to the top, where the winds and rain stopped. A bit more…

• Hanging out with the Fam

  Melissa Reynolds

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:25 am

  Last weekend mom and dad came to visit - YAY! Despite a bit of rain the weather was not too bad, and definitely warmer than last weekend. We hung out around town, saw my cousin Deborah and her two boys (ADORABLE) and headed down to Kings Mountain National Military Park to walk around the battlefield trail and check out some history. The leaves are really changing now which I LOVE. We all snagged some books from the local bookstore as well, and now my mind is spinning with ideas of mosaic quilts and printmaking...

• Peanuts!

  Melissa Reynolds

  18 Oct 2009 | 6:35 pm

  The peanuts were planted back in May...I never knew exactly how they grew... apparently the main stem puts out little runners, where the flowers had blossomed, which head down into the soil, and the peanuts grow ON them. Pretty cool!So I thought the plants would yellow more than they did, and so when I pulled them last weekend... some of them had started growing their OWN plants. :) Oops. I pulled them all though, and they are currently drying on my porch - supposed to do that for a couple weeks. It has unfortunately been rainy though, so it is slow going.

• New Friends

  Melissa Reynolds

  12 Oct 2009 | 7:40 am

  The other day I was at Starbucks. Starbucks has two things... a Marble Slab Creamery next door and a flock of "local" birds that hang out. This combination means that the birds are both friendly and well-fed. This little guy sat on my car while I loaded it up. I think it'd be kind of cool to have him as a regular hood-ornament. :)And this weekend I had gone out on my porch to get some stuff and as I raised my head I caught a large object out of the corner of my eye on the railing... it was a large praying mantis. I grabbed my camera and did a mini photo shoot while he watched.

• 
  Natural Gardening

• Fallen leaves

  lkw

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:13 pm

  Many of the leaves in our garden have fallen now, although there are still holdouts.The two white oaks in back still have all their leaves, and one of them, amazingly, is still almost all green although the other has leaves that are a deep maroon color.The crape-myrtle above my potting bench is a brilliant orange-red. Spectacular.The big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is now leafless, but on the ground, they're still lovely.

• Looking ahead

  lkw

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:05 pm

  There are too many things to plan (for winter and spring programs, etc.) to be able to savor the last bits of fall in any depth, alas. A great walk before the rains of today and yesterday, and promise of clear weather to come help.I WISH I had a lot more time to read other gardening blogs (I'm going to recommend some in a program tomorrow), but for now, I barely have time to reflect on what was most interesting (in terms of nature and gardening) in my day, and do a short post.Thanks to all of you who do read my reflections and make comments! They're always appreciated.

• A final bit of fall color

  lkw

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:29 pm

  The long, protracted fall here in the Southeastern U.S. has meant that fall color has been stretched out in spits and spurts - a highlight here, and then there. Native and non-native species alike have put on a show, from Fothergilla major (a native) to Ginkgo biloba (an ancient tree from China).With still no hard freeze (or even light frost) in sight, flowering perennials are still nice, too. The Mexican hyssop (genetically programmed from a different climate) as well as a native Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) are still in flower along with the native witch hazel.There are still blooming…

• Yellow-bellied sapsuckers

  lkw

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:41 pm

  An excellent friend saw her first yellow-bellied sapsucker this weekend at the Garden.It wasn't so long ago that I saw my first confirmation that sapsuckers actually exist (we see their evidence everywhere). I saw a pair last weekend (remarkably), but had seen several at the Garden (with my gardening companion) a couple of weeks ago. He remembered that we saw our first sighting last fall (at the Garden).

• A luminous ginkgo

  lkw

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:22 pm

  I posted about this view a few days ago, but I can't help doing so again.The view from the kitchen caught my attention, looking towards the bedroom window.The ginkgo under the powerline is glorious today. Totally luminous in the late afternoon light.This view is through the bedroom window (the details are blown out because of the slow camera exposure).The view from the outside door tells the story.

• 
  Outside Clyde

• Undergarments

  Christopher C. NC

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:59 pm

  Misty rains have returned on brisk winds. Despite their southern origins, these winds are anything but warm. I add another long quilted layer beneath my jeans before heading over to the cozy cabin to keep plugging away at having my own home.I bundle up as the earth gets naked. The stark bareness reveals a hidden layer of the forest. In the lush greenery of summer, the lichen covered tree trunks

• Borders

  Christopher C. NC

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:51 pm

  At the top of this first rise, about eighty feet past St. Francis is the property line and the Haywood County line. From there you descend into the Kingdom of Madison. Sometimes I think the water over there must be a bit off. It is a land filled with characters.Through the trees, the mountain on the far horizon is Sandy Mush Bald. It is another 1000 feet higher in elevation than this low spot on

• Twinkle

  Christopher C. NC

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:42 pm

  Click on the image for the full twinkle.

• I Have A Bloom Day

  Christopher C. NC

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:34 pm

  Let's face it. This is what my world pretty much looks like right now. What are the chances I will find anything blooming in the wild cultivated garden at this time of year after an early freak snow and several rounds of freezing?Even the big box mums are past their prime. I have been instructed to plant them. Maybe they will come back and maybe they won't. I lean towards the won't side thinking

• Surrounded

  Christopher C. NC

  14 Nov 2009 | 3:09 pm

  First thing this morning I heard the hounds off in every direction. Traffic was whizzing by. Trucks filled with gentlemen in orange caps trolled in circles. I stopped briefly to do a smidgen of gardening in the roadside bed and a black hound with a radio collar wandered by then dove off the side of the road down to the drain field garden to be. The hound bounded back up to the road sniffing in

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  The Home Garden: Gardening in the Home Landscape

• Greenhouse Project: In The Front

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm

  Here's a quick look at the front of the greenhouse. My idea is to have the front side or the view from the house appear to be a small cottage in the backyard. The windows on the front were originally from one sliding window that I separated into 2 approximately 20 inch wide windows.  I say approximately because one is slightly larger than the other but most likely no one except those I tell (like you!) will know. Between the windows the French doors that are currently resting on the corners of the greenhouse will be installed.  The gable areas were left open while I deliberated…

• Greenhouse Project: A Peek Inside

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:30 pm

  Today's peek into my greenhouse project is just one little picture, but it's a view from the inside out. The biggest windows have been installed but, as you will see in the picture, need a thorough cleaning and painting. The misty haze on the panes is due to too much time spent outdoors under the effects of the weather.  Dirt and grime have accumulated but I'm confident that they will clean up nicely like the smaller windows did. These two are 6' tall by 7' wide and still need a little leveling. Initially I measured the windows and allowed a little over 1/2 inch of extra space to play…

• Gardening on the Radio

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:14 pm

  I was on the radio yesterday to talk about gardening on Spotlight on Spring Hill (WAKM 950 AM) and had several fall gardening topics prepared to share. Then the first guest to talk, our City Codes Inspector, began mentioning some upcoming projects and I nearly got completely sidetracked. You see I meant to talk about leaves, not to burn them, not to waste them, but to use them in your compost or as mulch. I had seen a Craigslist ad that completely annoyed me last week and thought the radio would be a great opportunity to get out the message. The ad actually said "Free leaves, if you don't…

• The Things I've Neglected List

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:26 pm

  Similar to the "Things to do List" in form my "Things I've Neglected List" contains the stuff I should have already accomplished but didn't for some reason (Greenhouse shed construction). The garden chores that have be displaced by the aforementioned project still need to be accomplished and I really hope to when I get the time! Things I've Neglected (in no particular order): Pot up two Chocolate Eupatorium cuttings that have rooted (weeks ago!). Pot several coleus cuttings into an indoor winter pot. Plant crocuses. It's time, it's definitely time to plant bulbs! Update the Fall Color Project…

• EcoSMart Giveaway Winner!

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  I would like to thank all those who posted an entry for the EcoSmart bug killer giveaway!  All the names were dropped in a hat (actually a Halloween candy bag), mixed, and one name was drawn by my oldest daughter.  The name that was chosen was Stacyjo! Congratulations to Stacy.  All you need to do is go to the EcoSmart website and select a household product. Then let me know via Email or Direct Message on Twitter what you chose and where the company can send it (address). The product will be on your door as fast as they can ship it! Thanks again for participating! On a side…

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  Conscious Gardening

• November Color, GBBD

  ConsciousGardener

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  The Autumn colors are more evident in the photo...but mostly because loving spouse raked the leaves this morning before the Rosedale Garden Club convened on my front lawn for a tour, bringing with them scones and coffee...such a very nice group of people! I had sat next to Amy at the monthly Chica's Verde meeting a few months back and when she attended the Inside Austin Gardens Tour...we firmed up the plan to have her club meet here. Chica's Verde is a group of environmentally motivated women all working in 'green' fields...some of us literally. The Autumn Sage is blooming around the…

• Hammered! Whoooot Whoo!

  ConsciousGardener

  11 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  If you could see me now, I'm giddy and smiling ear to ear. The Violet Fern of rural upstate New York "hammered" me with The Honest Scrap award...I hardly know what to say...OMG, this is too cool! I had seen this once before and felt, like I do most of the time...out of the loop. Not knowing the history of this award, I'll just say that it's passed on from blogger to blogger with a specific set a rules which I simply copied and pasted below. Apparently some folks aren't into this sort of thing, phooey. I'm one who likes to have control over my 'selective memory' and so I make an effort to…

• Nandina? Way Out Here with the Mushrooms?

  ConsciousGardener

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am

  Early last Sunday morning Christopher Fritel, Patty Collier and I set out to take part in one of the many CAMN activities and, in my opinion one of the most fun and that is Invasive Specie Removal. It may not sound like fun to you, but being out on pristine protected land where natural wonders appear at every turn, is my cuppa-cuppa...essentially I feel like a kid all over, exploring the woods only this time with a real mission. Christopher is our guide. He has attended all of the training classes and has the GPS to track and record our findings, and he knows the combination to the locks…

• Dia de los Muertos

  ConsciousGardener

  1 Nov 2009 | 1:07 pm

  In honor of my uncle's Frank and Chuck, who both loved a stiff drink and a good meal, I've decided to post a recipe of my favorite Dia de los Muertos meal which includes both liquor and an herb most abundant in Texas gardens, blooming now...oregano.Pozole(Chicken Hominy Soup)whole Buddy's Chicken (Organic/free range)1 lg. red onion3 cans white hominy, rinsed1 lime (more to season)1 head of garlic1 carrot gratedpinch of finely chopped hot pepperSeveral sprigs of fresh oreganosalt and pepper to tasteSaute onion, garlic, hot pepper and back-stripped oregano (about a tablespoon) in olive oil…

• Eeeeeeeeeek!

  ConsciousGardener

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:18 am

  Halloween, Hallowed Eve...is my second favorite holiday. First, is Thanksgiving. Autumn, the season, tone, lighting everything about it, my favorite time of year...and my first daughter's name, Autumn Sage, as in Salvia-greggi...the flowering shrub that grew wild on the cliffs of my midwife's property in Santa Barbara, and the plant I always include in a plan because it comes in every color and is a predictable bloomer. I digress...again... Halloween...my backup costume has always been a witch. I was about 11 the first time someone told me I looked like Elizabeth Montgomery and that only…

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  Sharing Nature's Garden

• Behind on Bloom day!

  Diana

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:05 pm

  Hard to believe it's Bloom Day again!And while I'm late today with my post, I wouldn't miss out on the invitation extended to all garden bloggers by Carol of May Dreams Gardens to post photos of our garden blooms.We've had a little fall here in Central Texas, and while the nights are cooler - high 50's, the days are still upper 70's and 80, even.Many summer perennials and annuals are still blooming, but I'm starting to see a real change in the garden.Leaves are turning yellow, blooms are slowing, and many plants are setting seed as most prepare to go dormant.This huge Duranta is still full of…

• A rose by any other name...

  Diana

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pm

  might be a Rudbeckia, or a Rhubarb, or a Ground Orchid! Those are just a few of the things that I brought home from our fabulous trip to the Antique Rose Emporium just outside of San Antonio last weekend.I thought they just had roses, but they had a wonderful selection of other plants and vegetables and herbs as well.It was a beautiful nursery and their roses were amazing. I did come home with one rose -- Easy Living -- with a fabulous tangerine color and a lovely scent.The nursery was also full of lovely garden art and trinkets that would make great gifts (for me, too!) I might have to make…

• A nursery adventure...

  Diana

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:44 pm

  As part of our Austin area garden bloggers San Antonio Adventure, we stopped for a private tour of the Madrone Nursery.My neighbor has been there several times, and she's told me tall tales of the ecclectic nursery, it's collector-owner, Dan Hosage, and all the unusual specimens he has growing there.He grows only true natives, and he regaled us with tales of how he came into possession of many of his prized specimens. He laughed when he explained that his plants are the heartiest of the hearty -- left to their own devices much of the time, he said he hardens them up for anyone who comes to…

• A little blogger road trip...

  Diana

  7 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm

  Thirteen Austin-area bloggers gathered bright and early this morning for a road trip down to San Antonio.Our agenda: First, a stop at the Madrone Nursery, then on to the San Antonio Botanical Garden, and then a visit to the Antique Rose Emporium.Come along with me, won't you?This giant tree is actually a Bottlebrush tree, whose bloom you see above.It was a perfect day for garden oggling. Sunny, slightly breezy and warm, but not hot. The climate in San Antonio is slightly warmer and more tropical than Austin, and several of us had a discussion about the increased use of tropical plants in San…

• New bed in the making

  Diana

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:02 pm

  Out beyond the back wrought iron fence there's a line of ugly scrub cedars. Beyond that, several acres of floodplain land with a wet weather pond. The cedars give us some privacy, but let's face it, these are ugy. Not unique, or interesting cedars, just ugly.So I've been whittling away at them making space for a little xeric bed to give us something drought-tolerant and prettier to look at. My guys came today to dig out the rock and deliver soil.This bed won't get watered, and deer will wander through her regularly, so it's my "tough" bed.Here are the tough characters who will spruce things…

• 
  The Transplantable Rose

• Garden Blogger Bloom Day, November 2009

  Annie in Austin

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:37 pm

  Every month Carol of May Dreams Gardens invites us to share what's in bloom. She thought of this idea back in January of 2007 - meaning some of us are close to the end of Year Three and you've become familiar with most of our plants.So for this third edition of November Garden Bloggers Bloom Day I decided it could be fun not only to show you what's in flower, but to show you how each plant fits

• Troy-Bilt Cordless String Trimmer Draws the Lines

  Annie in Austin

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:15 pm

  As Graham Stuart Thomas once noted, "It is my opinion that it is even more important to attend to the edges than the mowing: slightly shaggy grass can be forgiven so long as the edges are trim."Even when it's not 100 degrees every day, even when there is rain, even when we're not under Stage 2 Drought restrictions, our idea of an acceptable lawn is pretty laid-back and reasonably drought-tolerant

• Ghoulia Child

  Annie in Austin

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:10 pm

  Proof that some people got giddy once the long hot summer was over:Hope your Halloween was Happy!

• GBBD for October 2009, Late but Flowery

  Annie in Austin

  18 Oct 2009 | 5:30 am

  "GBBD for October 2009, Late but Flowery" was written by Annie in Austin for her Transplantable Rose blogLook out the front door and see the butterfly garden awakened by rain (photos enlarge when clicked)The native Gregg's Mist Flower looked as if it would die in August but it's full of bees and Queens in October. The Blackfoot daisies should show up if you click.Walk to the flower bed at the end

• National Park Time Machine

  Annie in Austin

  15 Oct 2009 | 7:50 pm

  "This could be fun", I thought, when Pam/Digging suggested we bloggers post their memories of National Parks. Drizzly days are perfect for turning the pages of dozens of photo albums, are great weather for finding and scanning decades of time-faded prints, then seeing them expand on a screen. I've also allowed the category to expand from National Parks to other places with that National

• 
  Vert

• Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne

  vertie

  9 Nov 2009 | 9:16 am

  Last Sunday I had a need to get out of town. The weather that weekend was gorgeous, and I needed an outdoor fix that my garden and the rest of Austin couldn't fill. I had long ago put Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne on my short list of places to visit after reading Pamela Price's tweets about it. (She also kindly assured me that dogs were indeed welcome to visit. After our trip last summer to

• Etiquette for Butterflies

  vertie

  23 Oct 2009 | 4:10 pm

  Tomorrow (Saturday, October 24) is the Inside Austin Gardens tour presented by the Travis County Master Gardener Association. All of the yards featured are National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitats, which means they are happy places for plants and animals.I haven't yet certified my yard (it's on the list!) but I have made it a happy place for some animals, caterpillars in

• Roadtripping Through National Parks

  vertie

  16 Oct 2009 | 10:00 am

  Pam of Digging is hosting a bloggers' celebration of national parks this week. As soon as she mentioned it, I knew I wanted to post about our roadtrip out west over Christmas/New Year's in 2006/2007. Between buying a new laptop and transferring photos and other files, and having said two-week-old laptop broken by a to-remain-nameless four-legged animal, it's taken me this long to post.For the

• The Big Island: Animal Edition

  vertie

  12 Sep 2009 | 9:59 am

  Rainbow over Kilauea IkeLast month my husband and I were lucky enough to travel to Hawaii, the Big Island, for someone's big digit birthday. (Hint, it wasn't mine.)When I saw all that was growing on the Big Island, I thought about a post comparing the beautiful, luscious plants to the same variety growing (or rather, not growing) in my yard. I quickly realized that such a post would be just

• Rose City

  vertie

  1 Aug 2009 | 6:23 pm

  In early July, I had the chance to leave hell and visit Portland, Oregon. I'm not even sure I was actually invited before I started packing my bag. Of course, Portland ended up having its way with me. I left on June 30; our flight delayed by thunderstorms in Austin. The next day Portland had its highest temps of the year--low 90s--while Austin was chilling in lower 90s."Are you serious?!" I

• 
  In the Garden

• 15 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  Ellen Leigh

  15 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  I'm completely overhauling my professional Facebook page- it was too confusing to have my main identity and my business page have the same name (I am blonde after all). My apologies- but if you had already fanned me, you probably are gonna hafta do it again. I hope this clears up a few issues people have been having, and helps me to keep a better eye on which page has what on it and why.The new page can be found here at Ellen Leigh Inteiors on Facebook.

• A little friend

  Ellen Leigh

  13 Aug 2009 | 4:28 pm

  Image via Wikipedia Isn't he (or is it a she?) adorable? I found the tiniest of toads hopping around in my garden recently. Barely the size of my fingernail, I'm sure it will grow and help consume the bugs I don't like out there. He joins the other toads I've seen out there- some much, much bigger, some medium sized ones. They even hop up the steps and onto the deck looking for bugs to eat.Late spring nights I can hear them singing in the weedy edges of the yard- I'm not far from a small lake- it's a sweet sound of one toad calling to another, looking for love. As a friend so nicely put it:…

• Summer Flowers

  Ellen Leigh

  22 Jul 2009 | 4:27 pm

  I am really enjoying my little gardens this year. The above photo is of the herb garden outside my back door. With easy access to the kitchen, I can run out quickly and grab something to add to the evening meal or breakfast omelet. Last year's pineapple sage survived the winter snuggled in close to the house, and looks really healthy there in the back. Chives, lemon thyme, rosemary, basil, sage, plus lavender and some catmint for scent and color round out the herbs, along with some nasturtiums and pansies to add to a salad. I love to decorate my garden with old furniture and impliments. The…

• Green Gardening- Making use of Recyclables

  Ellen Leigh

  6 Apr 2009 | 10:08 am

  Take a good look at this planter- it's an old chair, rescued from the trash, it's upholstery removed and replaced with chicken wire, a coir insert, and a terrific combination of bloomers! The following is an article written by a guest blogger- you never know who you might meet on the internet, eh? Some great points are made, reinforcing the things we already know as Master Gardeners, ideas we can use, and things we learned about starting seeds outdoors at last month's meeting using recycled materials.There isn’t a better way to enjoy the warm springtime weather while making a difference on…

• New Garden Coach Directory

  Ellen Leigh

  12 Mar 2009 | 11:20 am

  It's a cold crisp day and I'm impatiently waiting for spring here, trying to figure out what to write about for this month. Well, sometimes the subject comes easily, and sometimes, like today, it just pops up! I no sooner opened this document when an e-mail arrived in my computer with an update to a site I joined a few weeks ago- The Garden Coach Directory ( http://gardencoachdirectory.wetpaint.Com/ ). It's a new version of the site I joined a couple of years ago that had grown to be too big for it's originator to handle. I've written about it before on my blog (August 3, 2007), set up a web…

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  In the Garden Online

• The Marigold Philosophy

  Colleen Vanderlinden

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am

  I spent last weekend doing the last good garden clean up of the season. The weather was warm and sunny, there were still plenty of leaves for the kids to jump in, and I badly needed some fresh air... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Mustard Seed Jewelry

  Colleen Vanderlinden

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:25 am

  I was talking to my mother-in-law over the weekend. Now, my mother-in-law is a lovely person, but, like me, she tends to veer off-topic. We were talking about health care reform, then doctors, then... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• My First Official Garden Injury

  Colleen Vanderlinden

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:53 am

  As accident-prone as I am, I’m surprised I’ve gone this long without hurting myself. I’ve had the usual splinters, blisters, aching muscles. But I finally did it. The thing I made... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Tomatoes I Won’t Be Growing Again

  Colleen Vanderlinden

  2 Oct 2009 | 11:00 am

  So, I talked about the five tomatoes I grew this year that I absolutely fell inlove with, and now it’s time to talk about those that were less than impressive. It’s not that any of them... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• My Favorite Tomatoes, 2009 Edition

  Colleen Vanderlinden

  30 Sep 2009 | 11:22 am

  I grew tons of tomatoes this year. I finally pulled a few of the plants that stopped producing due to Septoria, but most of them are still going strong. In general, I was happy with the tomatoes this... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

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  Mr. McGregor's Daughter

• A Gardener's Wish List

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am

  Dear Santa* -I've been a very good gardener this year. I put down organic fertilizer for all the plants that needed it, and I mulched everything well. I sowed seeds pretty much on time (it's not my fault I was sent Nicotiana seeds in Zinnia packages). I tried to plant in groups of three, and I am expanding a couple of beds to make them more attractive. I put up hummingbird feeders and changed

• The Tough Keep Going: November Bloom Day

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:50 am

  Is this Helleborus 'Pink Lady Strain' very, very late, or very, very early?Welcome to weird, brought to you by El Nino, that warming of the waters of the Pacific Ocean, which causes warmer and drier than normal winter weather for the Midwest. A series of freezes have knocked out the usual November bloomers, Monkshood, Campanula 'Sarastro,' Geranium 'Gerwat' (Rozanne) and Geranium nodosum 'Svelte

• For a Good Time, Read This Book

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am

  Move over Mike Dirr and Alan Armitage, you've both been replaced in my heart by William Cullina (of the New England Wild Flower Society fame) and his new book "Understanding Perennials."I saw it in the new book area of the library and nearly didn't pick it up. I thought to myself, "Not another book about perennials!" But this is not just another book about perennials; this is a botany textbook

• The Joy of Leaf Mold

  10 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pm

  Every year it's the same thing, the neighbors stuff their leaves into bags and set them out at the curb to be picked up and taken to the municipal compost pile. This year, in a slight twist, by claiming to be environmentally responsible, the village has discontinued free leaf bags (they're having budget problems). So we've all had to buy the bags this year, despite the village's suggestion that

• The End of the Line - Picture This Photo Contest

  7 Nov 2009 | 8:28 am

  The theme for this month's photo contest at Gardening Gone Wild is "The End of the Line," and guest judge Joshua McCullough is looking for that to be shown literally, symbolically or metaphorically. I've tried to combine all three into one, along with a touch a humor. This headstone is from a cemetery a short walk from my house. The oldest graves, such the subject of my entry, date from the

• 
  My Northern Garden

• Seeds for Survival?

  mynortherngarden

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:06 am

  This morning’s Minneapolis Star-Tribune brings news of the latest must-have item for survivalists. For $149, you can buy a canister filled with enough heirloom seeds to plant an acre of vegetables, enough to feed a small group of people for a year. Several authors of a decidedly non-survivalist bent (if you want to use a crude red/blue, liberal/conservative yardstick) have written books on how to grow your own and the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of doing that. My favorites are This Organic Life, by Joan Dye Gussow, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver.

• Flexibility

  mynortherngarden

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:05 am

  I’m continually amazed at what plants will do to survive. Recently, while thinning out some overgrown red-twig dogwood, I came across this branch. The canes of red twig dogwood are fairly soft when they form and the bush grows essentially as a thicket, with branches on top of each other and sometimes criss-crossing each other, or as in this case, just making a nice U-turn to go around each other. We should all be so flexible.

• A New Northern Gardener, and Hey, We Won an Award

  mynortherngarden

  8 Nov 2009 | 3:05 pm

  I have been so busy lately with work, closing up the garden, teaching a class at Carleton College and what not that I have neglected some of my blogging duties.  And, there are two important bits of news that I want to get out. First, the November/December issue of Northern Gardener is on the newsstands now. The issue has a beautiful blue-toned cover and includes a wonderful article on doing holiday decorations with a garden theme. Julie Scouten, who writes the And Sow Forth essay each issue, is a master decorator and she has several fun ideas for using garden implements and plant materials…

• The Cap Theory of Garden Clean-Up

  mynortherngarden

  7 Nov 2009 | 5:55 pm

  Looks good in hat Lose the hat, lady Let’s face it: Not everyone looks good in a cap. The young lady at right, for instance, has always looked good in hats. Her mother, at left, not so much. (And, why is she kissing a dog?) I think about caps while cleaning up the garden in fall, and today was a perfect day for garden clean-up in Minnesota: warm temperatures, sun, no wind and the ominous threat that this will not last lingering in the air. So here is the Cap Theory of Garden Clean-Up: Any perennials that would look good in a cap of snow should be left standing. Plants like sedum, Joe…

• First Bloom, Last Bloom

  mynortherngarden

  31 Oct 2009 | 10:10 am

  Among annuals, pansies bloom earlier than almost anything else — and given a chance, they’ll bloom later, too. Witness this poor flower, one of several blooming in a low pot on our back deck. I haven’t watered the pot in months — though nature has done a good job of that since September. Yet it’s still blooming, putting out one last flower against the cold and wind of winter descending rapidly upon us.

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  My Skinny Garden

• Botanical Interests iPhone App Review

  24 Oct 2009 | 5:49 pm

  When I bought my first iPhone a few months ago, one thing I did right away was look for cool garden related iPhone apps. I was disappointed with the options, so I was excited to learn that Botanical Interests, one of my favorite seed companies, had released an app a couple of weeks ago.The short version is I love it. It's totally worth $5.99 and you should go out and get it real soon. When you launch the app you are presented with options to: Browse seeds by Vegetable/Her CategoriesSearch for seeds based on sun requirements. You can even limit to Heirloom or Organic seeds, warm versus cool…

• Gardeners Against Climate Change

  14 Oct 2009 | 5:11 am

  first vegetable gardenThat's not the name of a real organization, that I could find anyway. But if you're a gardener, you are helping with climate change whether you intend to or not. Come to think of it, somebody ought to start that organization. If you do, please send me an invite! Preface: this blog post assumes that you already "believe in" climate change and that it's not still up for debate in your head. We've come too far to still need to convince people of this. I won't spend my time on it.I know I'm biased but I would challenge anybody to tell me an easier way that a regular ole…

• Where I Spill My Guts

  11 Oct 2009 | 6:16 pm

  I have a good friend who says she can always tell how I'm doing by my garden blog. "If you're blogging, everything's good!" She's right. The amount of blog posts you read here is directly proportional to how good things are in my life, or how bad.This gardening season (well really all of 2009) has been filled with extreme ups and downs and honestly there have been chunks of time where I've struggled with regular ole day-to-day things.Last October my now late father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer. We entered 2009 in a heightened state of anxiety about his health and impending death. No…

• Planting Bulbs Helps Support Our Community Garden

  11 Sep 2009 | 4:38 pm

  Besides gardening at my own house this summer, I've also helped get Forest Park Community Garden up and running and gardens are flourishing there as I type.We're still raising money to have water access at the community garden. Our plot renters have hauled water in jugs throughout the summer and we are committed to fix it so that they don't need to do that next year.If you are planning to buy bulbs this fall, please consider ordering them through our fundraiser with Flower Power. 50% of what you buy will go directly to the community garden. This fundraiser runs through 10-23-09.If you do make…

• Volunteer Cantaloupe

  28 Aug 2009 | 4:52 am

  Alternate Title: The Cantaloupe That Almost Wasn'tNot long after I completed the kitchen garden expansion, I started seeing what looked like little squash plants growing all along the walkway between the new raised beds. While I thought it was kinda cool that these free plants were accidentally growing in my garden, I wasn't excited about the potential of battling the dreaded Squash Vine Borer on all these plants. There were like 10 of them!I mentioned these squash looking volunteers to my friend J and she reminded me that last year she had something that looked like volunteer squash that…

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  Our Little Acre

• November Blooms at Our Little Acre

  Kylee from Our Little Acre

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

  In spite of our extremely mild November weather - almost record-setting warmth, in fact - there is relatively little blooming here at Our Little Acre for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. But in November, you never know what you're going to get, so we enjoy each and every bloom, because we know it will be some time before we see these again. The ornamental strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa 'Pink Panda') has never stopped blooming since early summer. This Viola has been in this hypertufa planter for three years now and blooms faithfully all summer long, into fall. Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Oranges and…

• Autumn Hangs On

  Kylee from Our Little Acre

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:30 pm

  I've got a death grip on autumn this year. Maybe it's because last year we had the winter that Would. Not. End. I don't look forward to what happens after Christmas, but perhaps we'll be pleasantly surprised with a mild and short winter. In the meantime, we're enjoying extended warm weather and one of the most colorful autumns I can remember in recent years.We've got flowers still blooming, including the dandelions, and I'll show you those in a bit (sans dandelions), but for now, let's enjoy the fall color of the trees, shrubs and plants from the garden.I can't hardly wait until my Oakleaf…

• The Dirty, Decaying Detritus of My Garden

  Kylee from Our Little Acre

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:18 am

  Ever since I saw the compost bins at the Gene Stratton Porter gardens at Rome City, Indiana, shown to me by Earth Girl, I had compost bin envy. I knew this was something I wanted, something I needed for Our Little Acre. It began quite simply. I picked a spot a little ways from the gardens and started throwing the results of deadheading, mowing, failed plant experiments, leaves, etc., on a pile.Birth of a Compost PileBy the time fall came, a large pile had accumulated. I worried that some of it might blow away over the winter, so I stretched some netting over it to hold it in place (garden…

• Remember The Korean Violet?

  Kylee from Our Little Acre

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:21 am

  Remember the Korean Violet (Viola koreana 'Sylettas') I was so thrilled to find after its long absence from my garden? I transplanted the tiny thing to a safer location, surrounded it with small rocks so it wouldn't get lost among its larger neighbors and crossed my fingers that it would thrive and reproduce.Amazingly enough, shortly after that I found yet another seedling growing between the bricks of the patio. How that got there is an even bigger miracle than finding the first one, since it was nowhere near the original location of the plants that had originally grown in the garden and…

• The Night Shift

  Kylee from Our Little Acre

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:06 am

  The first time I noticed that some plants are more fragrant at night than during the day was when I first had to bring the Brugmansias inside for the winter. Being in a small enclosed space, you just couldn't miss the fresh exuberant scent reminiscent of lemon soap. A single plant with just two blooms can scent the entire main floor of our two-story house. Sometimes you can even catch a whiff of it at the top of the stairs.There are other plants that have some scent during the day, but become noticeably more fragrant at night:Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana sp.)HostaDianthusClimbing Hydrangea…

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  We CAN Dig It!

• Lawn Art

  Marilyn B.

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:25 pm

  The last mowing of the year has been brought to you by the letter "B"

• Perfect for the holiday!

  Marilyn B.

  27 Oct 2009 | 2:29 pm

  Some busy spider is putting decorations in my garden.Happy Halloween!

• Worth Waiting For

  Marilyn B.

  14 Sep 2009 | 1:18 pm

  Back in May, I wrote about some Moonflowers that I picked up at the Annual MG Plant Sale. I still don't know who the generous MG was that provided those seedlings but my one surviving plant (the others were lost to rabbits and bad locations) bloomed last night and I was able to watch it open before my eyes.This has been such a crazy summer between monsoons, cool temperatures, and now drought that I didn't think I would get any flowers on this. Thank you again whoever you are--you certainly brightened up my garden and introduced me to a new favorite.

• Summer Time Reading

  Marilyn B.

  17 Jun 2009 | 11:17 am

  Down to Earth with Helen DillonAdvice and Inspiration from one of the world's great gardenersI had never heard of Helen Dillon--well, I must have or I wouldn't have put this book in my Good Reads list--but I am glad I finally discovered her! She is my idea of the perfect gardener and author of gardening books and I have a pretty good idea that she and I could have a great time together.Her style is a bit different from other gardeners/authors--she uses humor in discussing her adventures in her garden and she does not mince words. I knew I was going to love this book when I read this:"I've got…

• 28 May 2009 | 8:55 am

  Duane

  28 May 2009 | 8:55 am

  Guess the plant. A perennial you do not see often but should be used more.

• 
  Sweet Home and Garden Chicago

• NOVEMBER BLOOMS AT SWEET GARDEN CHICAGO

  Carolyn gail

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:11 am

  Click to enlargeWhat's still in bloom and leaf ? Viburnums , oakleaf hydrangea, mums, dianthus, ornamental grasses, curly fox sedge , autumn joy sedum and the last rose of summer , the Knock Out which just keeps on going until winter rears her ugly head.Pardon me, am I dreaming or is this November ? Days of sunshine and temperatures in the 60's and 70's have more than made up for a dreadful October. As you can see from the above collage there's still a lot going on in the garden.A year ago the most beautiful flower came into our life -Lathyrus odoratus a.k.a. Sweetpea. Lea is celebrating her…

• I WILL REMEMBER YOU

  Carolyn gail

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:33 am

  To my first Irish ancestor who fought in the American revolution to my brother in the Korean war, and my cousins in WWII , my graditude to everyone who has served our great nation.

• HEY AL : A WARMER WORLD IS A SAFER WORLD

  Carolyn gail

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  From my kitchen window overlooking the garden :Feb. '97 BlizzardI've always felt that climate change was a natural occurrence and that warmer is actually better. Global warming? Ha ! Digging out of many Chicago blizzards I used to ask aloud , " Al, where's that global warming you've been promising us ?Now comes Dennis Byrne, Chicago Tribune columnist, who says that the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) study by the climate alarmists is most likely manipulated for political reasons and is full of flaws. Chicago-based Heartland Institute has published the Nongovernmental…

• An Outstanding Shrub for Spring, Summer and Fall Interest

  Carolyn gail

  9 Nov 2009 | 7:21 am

  Viburnum 'carlesii ' compactumViburnum ' carlesii ' , or Koreanspice, is a very popular seller in the tree department of the garden center where I work and while I sold many myself I didn't think I could find the space for my rather small city garden. Then along came a compact variety so this summer I purchased and planted one.The Koreanspice has long season interest, beginning with its rather unique Spring blossoms which open pink and turn to white as they mature. The fragrance is similar to a spice cake or cloves and permeates the area so its ideal to plant nearby so you can enjoy its…

• One of the Most Striking Trees in the Fall Landscape

  Carolyn gail

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:59 pm

  Sorbus AltinifoliaI have the pleasure of frequently passing this Korean mountain ash in the parkway in our neighborhood and am always impressed by it's four seasons of interest. While it's foliage is beautiful all year , Fall brings out the best in it. The leaves haven't yet turned to yellow-orange because it hasn't been chilly enough yet but the beautiful cherry-red berries are striking.In late Spring flat clusters of delicate white flowers appear and gradually turn into the beautiful berries. This is a medium to large tree, reaching 40 feet and has a 20 foot spread. While many Sorbus…

• 
  Idaho Gardener

• Cheap and Easy: Leaf mold and mulch for your garden

  Mary Ann

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:26 am

  Pop quiz my fellow gardeners: what’s cheap and easy and grows like money on trees? Leaf mold (or mulch) for your garden. That’s right, we live in the City of Trees where this stuff is litter-aly falling from the sky. I can write all about it or save us both some time and send you right on over here, to my pal Susan’s great explanation and links about LEAF IT BE! Remember, we are talking about chopped leaves. And they are free. a

• Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day November 2009

  Mary Ann

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pm

  It snowed just in time for Bloom Day. Not to be deterred, I photographed what was bloomin’ anyway! snow on Betty Boop Rosemary just keeps on growin! Geranium Roxanne has had about enough Thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens for creating Bloom Day! a

• North End Organic Gardeners!

  Mary Ann

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:43 am

  North End Organic Nursery – The New Kids on the Block Bright green banners at the old Hillside Nursery site on Hill Road announce the opening of the brand spanking new North End Organic Nursery. Created by two organic gardeners, Elisa Clark and Lindsay Schramm, this is going to be the hip new place to hang if you love organic food and plants. Elisa, a graduate of the Boise State University Horticulture program, has been designing and installing organic gardens for several years. She owns the company, Flutterby Landscaping. Business partner, Lindsay, hails from Arizona with a background in…

• Why I Garden – A contest

  Mary Ann

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:46 pm

  Ladies and Gentlemen, gardeners everywhere, listen up and sharpen your pencils, go clickety click on your keyboard. Put on your thinking caps. I want to know why you garden. Yes, I do. I have my reasons. First, I am truly curious. What makes you brave the wind, sleet, high temperatures, low temperatures, frost and frost bite to put little tiny seeds or great big trees in the ground. Why oh why? And you do it again and again. Eternal optimists, yes. But I know there is more to your story. Tell me what it is. There will be prizes. A grand prize, yet to be determined. Cash. Gifts. Publicity.

• Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day October 2009

  Mary Ann

  15 Oct 2009 | 5:17 pm

  For Carol, at May Dreams Gardens,

• 
  The Desert Garden

• From the Inbox: More Navel Orange Drop

  Tyler Storey

  10 Nov 2009 | 12:11 pm

  From a Correspondent:I have a sole Navel orange tree. The fruit suddenly began to turn color from green toward orange in the past two weeks. Any fruit that achieves all-over light orange drops from the tree. They taste bitter as they have not sweetened yet. In addition, those that drop have thin skins.The rest of the fruit seems healthy but is galloping toward ripeness. Since the tree only has

• From the Inbox: Pruning New Citrus

  Tyler Storey

  15 Sep 2009 | 12:58 pm

  From a Correspondent: I just had two Minneola Tangelo trees planted as part of our landscaping at our new house. The trees are about 4' tall and have several un-ripened tangelos on the limbs. Since this is September, it seems that these tangelos are "left over" from last year’s growth and should be removed. Perhaps a bit of prudent limb trimming would be in order, too? Larry Wickenburg, Arizona

• From the Inbox: Watering a Vegetable Garden

  Tyler Storey

  27 Aug 2009 | 6:11 pm

  From a Correspondent: I need some help. I live in the Phoenix area, and need some advice on watering my garden. Specifically, EXACTLY how to water when planting vegetable seeds.I've already dug in compost, and I'm ready to plant. I'm pretty sure that my only marginal success in the past is due to watering issues. I've read everything I can find, but it's just not specific enough for me. Things

• Vegetable Gardens: Starting Simply

  Tyler Storey

  18 Aug 2009 | 6:38 pm

  Mark Twain famously advised, "Buy land, they're not making it anymore." If you'll forgive my mangling Mr. Clemens' aphorism, allow me to alter that advice: "Don't buy soil, there's no need to make any more." Or something to that effect. That doesn't quite work, does it? Never mind. On to business: One of the most common themes I hear when talking to people about starting a vegetable garden is the

• From the Inbox: Where Does Your Garden Grow?

  Tyler Storey

  18 Jun 2009 | 7:14 am

  From a Correspondent: We are about to purchase a house in Gilbert, Arizona that has an East-West exposure with the backyard on the East side of the house. My question is where should we position the vegetable garden that we are so eager to plant? We want to start out with one raised bed and see how it goes from there. . . . . . . . I'm sorry I don't have pictures to supply, we haven't moved in

• 
  The Gardens of Petersonville

• Late Season Roses

  Sheila

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:52 am

  'Royal Sunset''Betty White'I will admit I am starting to get a bit overwhelmed with the holiday season. We have a large family and a large extended family and this is the time of year when we all get together at our home. I have been busy planning and making arrangements and helping with travel plans for everyone and I rarely get out into the garden these days. When I do, the flowers that are in bloom bring me such pleasure that all the work that goes into the gardens the rest of the year is worth it, even if I am the only one soothed by their abundant beauty these busy days.

• Agapanthus Seeds

  Sheila

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:35 am

  There are a few agapanthus flower heads that have been overlooked in the Laguna garden and they have gone to seed. I have never heard of anyone growing them from seed since they are so easily divided for propagation, but I'm sure it can be done.

• A Big Fat Problem

  Sheila

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:33 pm

  This is the sight of what was a big problem for us in a plant in SJC. The trunk of this ponytail palm had grown over the sprinkler valves and finally broke the pipe, creating a constant leak into this raised planter. Because the planter was filled with vegetation we did not notice the leak until it had eroded the bottom of the planter and was seeping out into the ground below it and the whole area became sopping wet. It took a while to figure out where the leak was coming from because there are sprinklers and other pipes that run through this planter. What a headache it was, but as you can…

• The First Camellias

  Sheila

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am

  The first camellias of the season are opening. So lovely!

• Periwinkle

  Sheila

  10 Nov 2009 | 8:09 am

  Even when periwinkle (vinca minor) is out of bloom I love it on this slope in the Laguna garden. It is under a tree and I have a hard time growing anything there except this prolific groundcover that is really a vine. The Rose of Sharon and Japanese Maple have already gone dormant on this cool north facing hill, but the vinca fills in the area quite nicely up to the yellow clivia which will bloom in the late spring. One time a helper of mine mistook my instructions and removed all of the vinca from this area and it looked dreadful for a couple years as I tried other plants to fill in. Finally…

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  The Blogging Nurseryman by Trey Pitsenberger

• Narcissus instead of daffodils?

  Trey Pitsenberger

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am

  We have all the bulbs at the nursery for half price. Another lousy bulb season, exasperated by poor decisions by the bulb company. For some odd reason they decided to re-label all the daffodils as narcissus. So we get in packages of daffodil bulbs and they come labeled as narcissus. No mention of the word [...]

• Lying to make a sale?

  Trey Pitsenberger

  9 Nov 2009 | 9:21 pm

  In case you don’t think the indie nursery business has enough to contend with these days, your not going to like this post  over at Doug Green’s  Blog. The post titled, “Six White Lies Garden Centers Tell Customers”, lists the various lies that garden centers tell their customers to make a sale. Perhaps in Doug’s corner [...]

• The customer as garden center consultant

  Trey Pitsenberger

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am

  Small business has worked on the assumption that if business is good, then whatever we are doing to earn that business is the correct thing. I would have to agree with that analogy. People do vote with their wallets. In the past some business would put out “suggestion cards” or what not, trying to [...]

• Garden writing, and garden centers

  Trey Pitsenberger

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:03 am

  Just five years ago garden writers, and the garden center business we’re generally unaware of each others presence.  That’s changed, thanks to blogs and Facebook. Among my friends on Facebook many are garden authors, whom just five years ago I wouldn’t have known about. This cross pollination is exactly what the garden center business and [...]

• College student + dorm room + garden = future customer

  Trey Pitsenberger

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:15 am

  The headline, “College student finds creative outlet in dorm room garden”, got my attention. Gee, I wonder what he is up to? Well it turns out Matt Lehman, ” has two tomato plants, beans and a cucumber plant doing quite nicely under the artificial lamps he has installed above the 1-by-3-foot wooden box he built.” [...]

• 
  Robert Kourik's Garden Roots

• Wild & Windy Protection

  Robert Kourik

  9 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm

  <!--StartFragment--> In winter many gardens are ravaged by cold winds. Now's the time to plan for next year's planting of a windbreak or shelterbelt. In mild winter areas, it's still not to late to plant before the rains get too heavy. (We can only hope for rains that "get too heavy" in the 3rd year of drought in California.)The shelterbelt's height should be 1/5th to 1/20th the distance to be

• Root Rot, Phytothphora spp.

  Robert Kourik

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm

  Another round of rain is on the way. The soil is still a bit warm due to 75-85F days. It's time to watch out for root rot.Many western and Mediterranean plants, especially those from certain desert and chaparral communities, are quite sensitive to overwatering or even to a single irrigation in an otherwise normally dry summer. A primary cause of death for such drought-resistant plants is crown-

• Ocean Horizons

  Robert Kourik

  1 Nov 2009 | 8:32 am

  I love to photograph the vague boundary between the Pacific ocean and the sky as seen on the left. (Sorry land-locked folks.) The photo on the right is a very rare phenomena of a green zone between the ocean and the sky. Enjoy.

• Happy Halloween

  Robert Kourik

  31 Oct 2009 | 12:10 pm

  My costume for tonight. I hope Barbie doesn't mind.(Actually from Jeff & Maxine's eccentric garden.)

• More on Green Manures, free nitrogen

  Robert Kourik

  30 Oct 2009 | 2:40 pm

  <!--StartFragment--> Please scroll down to the bottom after reading the query. (Photo of clover green manure.) Heidi Hunt, Assistant Editor Mother Earth News 1503 SW 42nd St. Topeka, KS 66609 (785) 274-4322www.MotherEarthNews.com Dear Ms. Hunt, I have a simple article proposal to destroy the myths about “organic” blood meal and colloidal phosphates. They are, respectively extremely

• 
  North Coast Gardening Blog

• Geraniums in the Coastal Garden

  North Coast Gardener

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  I have to say in the past I have never been a big fan of the old fashioned lipstick colored geraniums you see planted in gardens. I've learned over the past few years what a workhorse geraniums really are in the garden. I admit we removed some of the old fashioned geranium plants when we first moved here, the orange red color really was not appealing at all and the plants didn't look very good. I did keep three of the geraniums originally planted in the garden and I'm very glad I did. The first geranium shown in the photo is a scented geranium, it has pale pink flowers and lived in a pot for…

• Planting Heather and Crocus Bulbs

  North Coast Gardener

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  I spent time this weekend planting the remaining three heather plants and planting crocus bulbs. I purchased three boxes of crocus bulbs and planted them in the long flower bed under the tall jasmine vines growing up the wall surrounding the hot tub on our deck. The three remaining heather plants were planted at the base of this structure as well. The heathers look great in their new place and the variety of bigger crocus in whites, yellows and purples should provide a nice show in the early spring. The smaller crocus were planted beneath the ferns and calla lilies near the gate. I already…

• Planting Brodiaea and Grape Hyacinth Bulbs

  North Coast Gardener

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  I picked up some new bulbs to add to the garden this past weekend. I had planted brodiaea (starflower) in the barrel in the back yard last year and they bloomed beautifully in early summer. I purchased two boxes of the bulbs, 24 in all and planted them in the long border in the backyard. The blue/mauve flowers should look stunning with the pink two toned fuchsias in the border. Speaking of the pink fuchsia, I was able to root two more pieces of the fuchsia this summer and planted them in a hanging basket so they can get established before next summer season.I was able to find some grape…

• Fall in the North Coast Garden

  North Coast Gardener

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:00 am

  As fall continues on the north coast I'm still finding growth happening with new and established plants. The sword fern I planted next to the front porch is sending up a new curled white fern shoot from the base of the fern I planted in spring. I originally dug up from the main fern plant from under the holly trees, one of two sword ferns I brought with me from Petaluma. When first planted this fern it had a rhiazome with two frond stems and some roots; now a third frond is curling up from the soil. Having had good success in dividing and planting this particular fern this tells me that the…

• Planting Heaths and Heathers

  North Coast Gardener

  21 Oct 2009 | 8:00 am

  Saturday was spent planting heaths and heathers in the garden. My husband and I were out in the yard by noon, an hour earlier than usual. The forecast was for rain so I did my best to plant four gallon pots of heaths and heathers in the front yard. I had one spot open in the walkway border to the right of the house and planted a pink flowering heather there. The remaining plants were planted in the big border to the left of the house, two heathers and one heath planted there. It was busy work and I was moving as fast as I could. The heath was another large bell flowering plant with pink…

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  HAWAII GARDENING

• Little Fire Ant ups the Ante

  Janice

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:32 pm

  Little Fire Ant, an invasive species with a painful sting, is spreading quickly along the coast of East Hawai'i, creating havoc for gardeners, farmers, and pretty much anyone else who has the misfortune of discovering colonies. Little Fire Ants establish colonies usually in potted plants, trees and lawns, but will also enter all kinds of buildings - including homes, schools and businesses. Read about it in my article in the Oct. 28 issue of the Big Island Weekly -- click here.USDA photo

• Hawai'i School Gardens: Pa'auilo School

  Janice

  26 Oct 2009 | 9:48 pm

  At the Hamakua Alive! festival held at Pa'auilo School this weekend, I saw many excellent ideas demonstrating sustainability in action, but most impressive was the school's garden itself. Above is one of the school's milk goats. (Would you believe it was love at first sight? Sigh.)Here are the greenhouses and gardens......here's Donna Mitts, garden educator,and the school's ever-expanding vermicomposting facilities ... I couldn't help but admire the efforts of Donna Mitts. She's gearing up to do mid-scale vermicomposting using cafeteria waste, making this the first school on the island to…

• Fall Container Gardening, Hawai'i Style

  Janice

  25 Oct 2009 | 8:55 pm

  I'm not like most people in Hawai'i. Most residents live near the coast. I live at 3,500 feet elevation on the island of Hawai'i, atop an active volcano, Kilauea. While the rest of the lowlanders are sweltering around the state, I'm experimenting with mainland-style, cool-weather spring/fall herbs and veggies. Here the volcanic plume of sulphur emissions from Halema'uma'u crater, the home of Hawaiian goddess Pele, creates constant acid rain, which presents a challenge for gardeners in the Volcano area. In winter the rain is heavy, which is another problem for residents trying to grow edible…

• DIY Watering Can

  Janice

  6 Oct 2009 | 2:59 pm

  Happy Birthday, Dear Hawai'i Gardening Blog! It's the second anniversary of this here blog thing. To celebrate, let's make ourselves a very thoughtful, very inexpensive gardening gift. Watch it in action. You'll want one. DIY WATERING CAN Stuff You'll Need Plastic laundry detergent bottle Drill with bit that makes tiny holes Utility knife Rinse out bottle thoroughly. Drill plenty of holes in the cap. To allow air to flow into the bottle and keep the water free flowing, cut a hole near the cap in the handle – not to close to the cap, otherwise the water spills out there, too. I make these…

• Edible Gardens, HI Lux Style

  Janice

  16 Sep 2009 | 11:52 pm

  To eat well, it's best to learn how to grow well. Hope you'll enjoy reading my article about Edible Gardens in the August/September issue of HI Luxury Magazine, a glossy periodical published by StarBulletin/Midweek. To read the article, click here. There are some great tips from two esteemed Hawai'i Island gardeners: renowned artist Mayumi Oda on her Ginger Hill Farm and Retreat Center in Kealakekua, and permaculture farmers Tom Baldwin and Shannon Casey at Uluwehi Farm in Hawi.In the photo above is an edible flower, butterfly pea, Clitoria ternatea, that adds a splash of bright color with…

• 
  Garden Wise Guy

• Easy Garden Simulations - No New Software Required! - Fine Gardening

  Garden Wise Guy

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:17 pm

  Here's a fun, new, useful post at my Cool Green Gardens blog at Fine Gardening magazine. I've used this easy technique to experiment with plant composition ideas, then present them to my clients.All you need is a computer with an internet connection and a word processing program--though PowerPoint makes it a bit simpler.When you're stuck in the house on a winter day, longing to be out in the garden, use your time to play with all your favorite plants without spending a dime or getting your hands dirty!Click on the link below, learn this easy peasy technique and find out how to win a great…

• Time To Unite In The Name of Ugly

  Garden Wise Guy

  1 Nov 2009 | 10:23 pm

  The Hague prosecutes heinous acts like genocide and ethnic cleansing. Though the plant mutilations and acts of aesthetic idiocy I've uploaded to my Flickr site don't rise to that level, they at least deserve to be ridiculed.Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder and some of you might look at the images and say "What's so bad about that?" I resort to my mom's dictum: "You have your opinion and I'll have the right one."Thanks mom.Brace yourself, ask the children to leave the room and click here.

• Santa Barbara Edhat : Look, Up In The Sky!

  Garden Wise Guy

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:51 pm

  When I think of October I think of Halloween, which gets me thinking about bats. Naturally, bats conjure thoughts of belfries, which invariably lead to the topic of beavers.Confused? There's a cure. Read the rest of this sumptuous tour of Santa Barbara's architecture and "roof toppings" at my recent Edhat.com blog.Read Look, Up In The Sky!

• Planting Design Lessons from Raleigh NC - Fine Gardening

  Garden Wise Guy

  27 Oct 2009 | 8:36 pm

  Blessing or curse, I find it difficult to look at a garden without immediately activating the design teacher in my brain. I imagine it's no different for a film critic trying to watch their brother-in-law's home videos. Tune in and see me apologize to a cactus on my hands and knees. Really!Planting Design Lesson from Raleigh, North Carolina

• Win a copy of Designer Plant Combinations! - Fine Gardening

  Garden Wise Guy

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:34 am

  What a fun read this was! Scott Calhoun's book is now the first thing I reach for when I need a bit of inspiration on a planted design job. You gotta have this book!You can win your own copy by visiting my blog at Fine Gardening Magazine and leaving a comment. Do it NOW!Win a copy of Scott's book. Click over to my Cool Green Gardens blog.Posted using ShareThis

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  Garden Porn

• No is the answer.

  Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  Should I stay or should I go ?Cue up the music.The question refers to the upcoming San Francisco Garden Show, which by the way is not in San Francisco but in San Mateo. The answer, after much rumination and research says , “no”.No, I do not think that doing a small pocket garden vignette/ exhibition garden would be a smart investment in this current economy for my small design firm. Of course this is a gamble, a calculated gamble, but a gamble no less.The basic premise is that as a designer of a show garden, be it large or small, there is a significant outlaying of time and funds.In my…

• Do your interiors relate to your exterior ?

  Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:02 am

  I’m in the process of redoing my exterior entry containers.Previously they were all blue in color. The new design layout uses a mixture of bright colors.This got me thinking because my interior color scheme is a jumble of bright colors a la Fiesta Ware ceramics and Bauer pottery. For those not familiar with Fiesta or Bauer pottery they were (and still are, but are under new ownership) ceramic companies that thrived during the depression era by producing dinner ware in vivid colors. Even my wall colors are intensely colored. The living room is orange, or as the can of Home Depot paint said…

• Bloom day in Northern California

  Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  My garden, The Pina Colada Garden , is not one that relies heavily on blooming flower color. It is the big bold textural foliage that plays off of one another that gives my garden its bones.Regardless of this fact, the garden usually has something in bloom at all times of the year.Today, November 15, 2009 for Bloom Day there are dozens of chartreuse parrot beak blooms dangling off an 8 foot tall Crotalaria shrub.From Pina ColadaI have several varieties and colors of the tall and bushy Iochroma tree.Below is an orange one, I.coccineum . This shrub is about 14 feet tall. From Pina ColadaThe…

• Crayola colors

  Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:15 pm

  The change is coming slowly but surely.The clustering of ‘the blue pots’ is being broken up and a variety of bright crayola colors are being introduced onto the ugly grey driveway entrance.I found a nice ribbed green pot and an oval shaped yellow pot at AW Pottery in Oakland.I couldn’t stand not having the pots planted up so I popped in some plants that I had hanging around the greenhouse.This weekend I will work on finding something more ‘planterly appropriate’.I need to dial this rag tag clustering of pots up for next month when a magazine writer is coming to scout my garden for…

• Browsing at Flora’s

  Deviant Deziner, aka Michelle

  8 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pm

  Many of you have been to Flora Grubbs Nursery in San Francisco, but for those who haven’t and have only seen the nursery in print, here are a few more photos.On Sunday I visited the nursery to check out the glazed pottery selection.There were fantastic finds of all kinds.I didn’t purchase any pots today at Flora’s because I found exactly what I was looking for at AW Pottery Wholesale in Oakland the day before, but that didn’t stop me from browsing Flora’s beautiful nursery.Inside the covered portion of the nursery hangs a Wooly Pocket WallFrom New Album 11/8/09 6:41 PMA view down…

• 
  Garden Bliss

• Baking persimmons

  Angela

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am

  My aunt Eileen just gave me four plastic grocery bags of Hachiya persimmons that a friend shared with her. A bumper crop year, I gather. She doesn't bake, but gladly accepts such offerings because she knows she can deliver the goods to me or other suckers, I mean bakers, and that her gesture might just result in finished treats showing up back at her house. Slick trick, auntie.I love baking, but four bags?! Holy Hachiya! I shared one bag with my boyfriend's mom, who isn't a persimmon person but who's surrounded by a revolving group of kin, one of whom might happily take them off her…

• Rest in peace, Emily... "Emmy"... "Em"

  Angela

  12 Oct 2009 | 11:27 am

  You were my constant companion in the garden for the last decade. I could always count on you to jump on my back whenever I bent over to pull a weed... you kneeded my soft flesh with your sharp claws while I "relaxed" in the hammock... you slept in my birdbath and flower pots and window boxes... you tormented the dogs... and you made me laugh. You will be missed.

• Mother Earth News tomato survey

  Angela

  17 Sep 2009 | 2:01 pm

  C'mon, Sacratomatans, this upcoming article needs your input!Take the survey.

• The New Digs

  Angela

  17 Jun 2009 | 9:54 pm

  Lordy.Haven't had time to think about putting my horticultural stamp on this place yet... been too busy taking care of the basics-- like (temporary) window coverings, a washer/dryer, dish rack (buh bye, dishwasher), new IKEA bedroom furniture for the teen, cable TV/internet/phone and... God, I'm exhausted. And broke.Did I mention being without internet for seven long days? Barbaric.Love my new (old) neighborhood, love my funny little house, and love my new life. Stay tuned for gardening adventures and misadventures, backyard barbecues, and summer evenings spent swaying in my backyard hammock.

• Want to learn more about California native plants?

  Angela

  18 May 2009 | 10:49 am

  “Please join Demo-Garden volunteers Brigette and Alicia this summer”And California history? Then carve out some time in your busy, busy schedule to volunteer at the SacValley CNPS Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Sacramento City Cemetery. If you're not already familiar with the demo garden, see one of my past blog posts here.Here's a recent update from SacValley CNPS chair, Sabrina Okamura-Johnson:Notes from the Demo-Garden: Spring at the Chapter’s native plant demo-garden has been glorious this year. The garden has been ablaze with the brilliant yellows of our Sunset fremontias,…

• 
  Dirt By Amy Stewart

• The Lost Coast Daily Painters Calendar, plus Chicken Notecards!

  Amy Stewart

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pm

  The group I paint with, Lost Coast Daily Painters, is pleased to announce the release of our 2010 calendar on Zazzle.com. We've gathered Humboldt County scenes painted by Kathy O'Leary, Rachel Schlueter, Linda Mitchell, and Amy Stewart. Zazzle has made it very easy for artists to create calendars, notecards, postage stamps, and other products with their art--and it's not printed until you order it. I hope you'll stop by the store and check it out. I'm particularly excited to see Linda Mitchell's award-winning painting of Eureka Books and Rachel Schlueter's…

• "Street Vendors"

  Amy Stewart

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pm

  I'm still working my way through New York City! Every time I think I've painted all the interesting images from my trip last summer, I find another one. Street vendors are hard to resist--I love the umbrellas and these simple figures. These carts were at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, across from the Plaza, right in front of the Apple store. 6 x 6 inch oil on board. This is 1/2 inch thick board with dovetail slots on the back so you can hang it on a nail with no extra hardware. The sides are painted black. Click here to bid. Please note that this painting will not ship until Nov 16.

• Cake Boss, Botany of Desire, and Local Flowers

  Amy Stewart

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:35 pm

  Wow!  It's been a big week, TV-wise.  Here's what we've got:On TLC's hit show Cake Boss, watch Buddy & co make a cake based on Wicked Plants.  They brought it to me at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden this summer.  You can see the full episode here.Then, check out the PBS documentary of Botany of Desire. I was interviewed for the tulip segment.And it makes me so happy to see this bonus feature devoted entirely to Teresa Sabankaya of Bonny Doon Garden Company, the florist I interviewed for Flower Confidential. Beautiful footage of her garden and shop!

• Wicked News--and More News--and Still More!

  Amy Stewart

  8 Oct 2009 | 6:31 pm

  My Neglected, Weedy, Overgrown Garden Gets Some VisitorsWow--it's been a busy autumn for me.  My friends at Fine Gardening paid a visit to Humboldt County a couple weeks ago.  I tried to talk them out of coming to my garden, given the sorry, neglected state it's fallen into while I've been on the road, but they were determined and quite persuasive.  I'm sure we'll see photos and incriminating video on their website soon, so stay tuned.  Oh, and I've also got a short piece in the December issue of Fine Gardening about my "three garden wishes," and…

• "59 First Avenue"

  Amy Stewart

  6 Oct 2009 | 10:55 am

  Click here to bid. It's been fun trying to track down the exact location of each of these paintings. In this case it was easy--the address of the 30-minute photo shop on the left was printed right on the awning. The shop in the center is a Vietnamese fast food restaurant called New Saigon, and then there's a grocery store on the corner. A typical East Village street scene. This one is 8 x 10 on panel.

• 
  Am I Bugging You Yet?

• Monarch Emergence . . . Missed

  vanessa cardui

  10 Nov 2009 | 10:07 pm

  I knew this monarch chrysalis was there hanging from a branch of my little chilopsis tree in the parkway. In fact I was a bit worried about it since people brush by that area on the way in or out of their parked vehicles. So I went out to check on it yesterday while the morning was still misty, about 9 am. Sure enough the chrysalis had turned dark, indicating emergence of the adult monarch was

• Full Circle for Leaf footed Bugs

  vanessa cardui

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:46 pm

  The first Leptoglossus zonata bug I ever saw was on the myrtus communis by my front fence, next to the gate that isn't there. People other than me never enter at this non-existent gate into my garden, even though it's not there; maybe the suggestion of a gate becomes the most effective barrier. Anyway, that original lonesome leaf-footed bug must have found a partner I never saw and the two

• Country Bugs, City Bugs

  vanessa cardui

  30 Oct 2009 | 10:25 pm

  We took a trip to San Francisco recently; it was not a bug-tourism trip but nevertheless a few bugs squirmed their way into the experience!We finally made it to Pinnacles National Monument (west side) for a quick look-see . . . It Is Awesome. And there were lots of insects. However I did not bring the camera on the short hike we took. Anyway, on the way down the winding 9 mile road back to

• Walking on Senecio

  vanessa cardui

  26 Oct 2009 | 7:24 pm

  Senecio mandraliscae is an easy plant to grow and kind of fun, as demonstrated by this katydid nymph walking across the tips of a prostrate branch in my garden. When this senecio gets too big or lanky, I just whack off (that is a technical term, folks) the stem and plant it. Strip the cylindrical leaves from the bottom two or three inches of the cut stem, then let the stem dry for a day or two.

• Mantis in the Milkweed

  vanessa cardui

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:11 am

  One of the many predators hanging out in the milkweed forest in my front yard is this golden-eyed California mantis. She is a really beautiful dark color variation, but terribly shy. Here she is peaking out from behind a nearby buddleia plant. Lots of predators live in the milkweed because lots of insects feed on milkweed and therefore feed the predators.Its ironic, since milkweed has gone to

• 
  All the Dirt on Gardening

• Sansevieria - A Plant for Every Location

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:12 am

  Sansevieria is a wonderfully tolerant plant. You see them in hospitals, hotels, shopping malls, banks and homes.Sansevieria trifasciata, known as Mother-In-Law Tongue or snake plant may be the most common one. It is recommended as an indoor air purifier, since it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen at night. Sansevierias will put up with most conditions including low light, lack of water and lack of repotting. They will not survive soggy soil or temperatures much below 65-F. And, they propagate easily. One leaf can be cut horizontally into 3-inch pieces and stuck into damp sand where they will…

• Late November for Gardeners

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

  Zone 7 has officially hit winter - it was 40-F at 7:30 tonight.The tropical plants are tucked away, most of the seeds and cuttings have been gathered. Of course there are still some flowers and vegetables hanging on and the garlic is coming up.I got caught up in enthusiasm and ordered 5 varieties of fingerling potatoes from Ronniger Potato Farm. For years, I missed the window to order and get them here in time for our Feb 14 planting. But this year for some reason I hit the mark.Veseys Seed has their new catalog online. Click here to take a look.Pinetree Gardens fall bulb sale is on -…

• Pandanus utilis - a Lily Called Screw Pine

  15 Nov 2009 | 11:38 am

  A Screw Pine is not a pine at all. The common screw pine or Pandanus utilis (and lemurs) are native to Madagascar. They are actually monocots, related to palms, orchids and grass.Iowa State University also says that each flower results in a drupe - a seed surrounded by flesh like an olive or a cherry.Tropical Plants Online in Ft. Lauderdale FL, sells the plants and suggests that they be used as specimen plants since they grow so large - 25 feet tall.Rare Seed Source sells the seeds. The plant is hardy in zone 9 - down to 26 degrees-F and can grow in full sun or light shade. Needs sandy soil…

• Friday the 13th Good Luck or Not?

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am

  Are you superstitious about Friday the 13th? Do you plant or not plant? Prune or not prune your plants? Maybe it is time to make special days for gardeners on Friday the 13th. Fairy dances or flowers strewn or....Many people consider Friday the 13th a lucky day so why do buildings avoid assigning a 13th floor number to the floor above 12? Isn't it kind of silly?Corsinet offers several connections for your amusement.FRIDAY THE 13 - There is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13 guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki…

• Tussie Mussie History and How-to

  12 Nov 2009 | 4:20 am

  Aromatherapy as it is practiced today, includes herbal extracts and oils placed in amulets, light plugs, on light bulbs, etc. In earlier times, herbs were scattered on floors in the spring when homes were cleaned of winter waste. And, in the Middle Ages herbs were thought to ward off disease.A Tussie Mussie, a circular arrangement of flowers and herbs was carried in Victorian times. The herbs and a central rose were sniffed to help people get through the unpleasant street smells. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme and rue were often used for their spicy aromas.Sara Sherwood of Muskogee purchased…

• 
  The Dirt

• Call for Papers: MillionTreesNYC Green Infrastructure and Urban Ecology Research Symposium

  asladirt

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:32 pm

  According to MillionTreesNYC, the purpose of its 2010 research symposium, which will be held March 5-6 in New York City, is to showcase “research and projects that contribute to knowledge on urban landscapes, green infrastructure, and public health in cities and urban areas.” The organization is soliciting papers on research that is either completed or substantially in progress that addresses diverse science questions in the following areas: Local Air Quality and Urban Heat Island Water Quality, Storm Water Management Economic Impacts and Quantifying Returns on Investment…

• New Geoengineering Idea: Turning Deserts into Forests

  asladirt

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:46 am

  Leonard Ornstein, a cell biologist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and Igor Aleinov and David Rind, two climate modellers at NASA, argue that foresting the Australian outback and Saharan Desert would “solve climate change.” While numerous geoengineering schemes have been proposed to mitigate the adverse effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) build-up, many of the more ambitious ideas, including ocean-based aerosol sprayers, space mirrors, C02 air scrubbers, or artificial C02-capturing “trees,” have been examined and labeled cost-prohibitive or…

• Edible Walls Grow in Popularity

  asladirt

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:01 am

  The New York Times reports that some building manufacturing firms are moving into the nascent but growing green wall market. In the case of Barthelmes Manufacturing company, the firm is producing vertical metal panels that can be filled with soil and seeds. Green walls have some of the same benefits of green roofs. “Like green roofs, walls include a thick layer of vegetation on the outside of buildings to provide insulation and reduce heating and electricity costs.” In fact, Time Magazine listed green walls as one of the top 50 inventions of 2009, and cited…

• WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture Competition Jury on Next Generation Urban Infrastructure

  asladirt

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:03 am

  This is part two in a series of posts on the WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture competition. Part one highlights the keynote speech by Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which framed the overall competition, and explains the six finalists’ ideas. WPA 2.o was organized by UCLA’s cityLAB and held at the National Building Museum earlier this week. Before deciding on the winning project, “Carbon T.A.P.// Tunnel Algae Park” by PORT architects, the jury discussed the concepts illustrated by the finalists, as well as the…

• WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture Competition Announces Winners

  asladirt

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

  UCLA cityLAB announced the winners of its WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture competition, which claims “whoever rules the sewers, rules the city.” “Carbon T.A.P.// Tunnel Algae Park” by PORT architects won the professional competition, and “R_Ignite” and “Aquaculture Canal_New Orleans” jointly won the student competition. UCLA Architecture and Urban Design Chair Hitoshi Abe announced the winners at the end of day-long symposium at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Sponsors of WPA 2.0 include: The Graham Foundation, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill,…

• 
  Skippy's Vegetable Garden

• greens growing for Thanksgiving

  kathy

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:06 am

  Last year my garden frosted hard long before Thanksgiving. But this year, it seems like we'll have fresh garden greens on the table.

• so much rain this week

  kathy

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am

  I checked my ran gauge last Sunday and took this photo. I forgot to empty it and I bet its overflowing now. Its pouring again. Great weather for the greens I'm planning to use for Thanksgiving.

• "my" pumpkin soup recipe

  kathy

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

  My favorite pumpkin soup recipe is from a little book: Holiday Pumpkins by Georgeanne Brennan and Jennifer Barry. A very cute book with a bunch of nice pumpkiny ideas. But the soup is exceptional. Nice and simple: pumpkin, leeks and ginger. Optional cilantro and cream garnish. I made it for Thanksgiving a while back and served it in the pumpkin shell. I'm planning to do the same again this

• garden bloggers bloom day - collecting and appreciating seeds

  kathy

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:25 am

  The seed is hope; the flower is joy.- Author UnknownSkippy and I went out to look for flowers. The joy is gone, but we found lots of hope. Every size and shape of seed head and pods. Its seed season. Leaves are faded laying on the ground, seeds ripening everywhere. Skippy and I walked through the wildflower fields. So many different shapes and types of seeds. I collected a handful of the big

• bathing beauty

  kathy

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:59 pm

• 
  Ilona's Garden Journal

• Mid November Garden Photos

  Ilona

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:59 am

  Here are some photos in a plain collage, the only common feature is that they are from my garden and taken after frosts have visited. Now, fun question. Can you guess what the golden leaved shrub is called,(pictured in the top middle and top left photos)? The reason I wonder is [hint] because so often it is censured as "dull" and without much seasonal interest. Well, now that I have photographic proof, I beg to differ.That shrub is a Syringa vulgaris, believe it or not. Although many of my lilacs are not as brightly colored in fall as this one - it still proves that they can deliver some fall…

• I Think I Will Try That

  Ilona

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  I have found a new favorite blog! I always did like to color with Crayons clipped from carolinescrayons.blogspot.com 

• Lawn Politics

  Ilona

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

  I'm sorry, I sort of had to laugh when reading an exchange between two garden writers. Not sure what social media form it was, but one let slip the admiration for a lawn. The silent gasp was almost audible from the other, though it was rather polite, and the first gardenperson was not quite, but almost apologetic in the defense of a bit of lawn. I'd rather the garden gets religion than political savvy. But having my druthers I guess I want what "Punk Rock Garden" voiced, a little peace and love in the garden.While I am not a great lover of lawns, particularly those which spread themselves…

• More November Retrospects

  Ilona

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

  This is the Gardener's Year in Review...probably the one thing in which we gardening enthusiasts are a step ahead of the rest of the world: review the year in November.I spoke already of some of the successes and failures of 2009, but I have some other things to add. This blog has become a memory bank of sorts, like any proper journal ought to, and I often look back into my posts to see the names of plants I bought and when. I keep intending to make a hard copy journal, but from the time I was twelve, with all the little girl diary motivations, I have never been true to that commitment of…

• fire in the sky

  johanna_lea

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:01 am

  it has been clear and sunny for the last several days here in georgia. i knew thatthe Leonid meteor shower was one of the best sky shows of the year. at 10 pm,the sky was cloudless, and i was determined to get up and sit in the yardto watch the eastern sky before dawn. i am very lucky to have a good sky, hereon the farm, for viewing the moon and stars....over the broad eastern pastures,and to the south there is perfect darkness. the air was pleasantly chilly.although often at this time of year, one can get too shivery to endure the wait.my quilt and fuzzy slippers did me fine; the dogs were…

• 
  Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas

• Seven neat garden hose holders

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:35 pm

  Practically every garden requires a hose. Yours may be small enough to survive with just an outdoor watering can but the majority of gardeners keep one somewhere in their yard. The question is, "Where?" Undoubtedly many lay where they were last used, bound together in large knots and causing all sorts of problems for later use and trip hazards for unsuspecting visitors. They risk perishing faster by cracking or splitting in the sun but without a hose holder they become an unwieldy tool in the garden. So, the next question becomes, "What sort of hose holder?" Well, this is what this post is…

• Growing Dwarf Citrus Trees

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pm

  Citrus are one of those ubiquitous plants that adorn most gardens offering fruit for the home gardener but also producing their fair share of problems too. It seems that many home gardens offer at least one lemon, orange, or grapefruit tree while others have delved into the less traditional varieties and explored tangellos, mandarins and the odd kumquat tree. Yet, for many reasons, the quintessential lemon is now being replaced by dwarf citrus trees. It's no surprise, really. Our diminishing yard sizes and the limited space we now have to garden in primarily dictates the type of plants that…

• Organic window shades

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:37 pm

  Window shades and blinds seem to go against the grain of natural thinking. Firstly, they're usually made from non-organic materials and secondly they exhibit that the homeowner has taken little thought for their garden planning. A few well-located deciduous trees or vines and shade on your windows will be your last concern. For instance, our main bedroom faces west where we get all the afternoon sun in the warmer months that could turn the room into a sauna. Instead, we planted a trio of silver birches that act as natural window shades during the summer yet allow warmth into the room in…

• How to make Ylang Ylang massage oil

  1 Nov 2009 | 2:34 pm

  Ylang ylang is the flower of the cananga, a tree that grows rapidly in tropical climates and still performs well in temperate zones. It's a pretty flower resembling a curling star and offsets its complementary green foliage with a dash of yellow - enough to light up the whole tree. But, the flowers aren't admired for their beauty. Instead it's their essential oils that give it a star quality and makes it revered around the world by perfume and oil purveyors. The scent is not too dissimilar to jasmine but it offers deeper, richer notes that comfort the senses and makes it ideal as a massage…

• The Problem with Pea Gravel

  27 Oct 2009 | 4:03 pm

  Hailing from an area where pea gravel is readily available, and not too expensive, you would think that I'd have nothing but praise for this landscaping material. And, from an aesthetic point of view I have absolutely no qualms but very few gardeners think past the visual when they add this stuff - or so it seems. Landscaping with pea gravel is a very common improvement material but it does come with some downsides. Here are some problems you may encounter, or hopefully consider, when installing this in your yard; Firstly, pea gravel rolls - or at least it has the ability to. While it doesn't…

• 
  www.blackpitts.co.uk

• He Used A Swordfish As A Tiepin

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:21 am

  I forgot to talk about cupcakes in my last post. I don’t quite know how I failed in this most important task but I did: forgive me. Historically the cupcake (in its present form) is essentially a slightly alien concept to the British: in my youth I was extremely fond of the Lyons version (I think that was the manufacturer) . These came in a box of six and consisted of a spongy cake topped by either chocolate, orange or lemon icing. I use the word icing with half an eye on the Trades Descriptions Act. It was the consistency of sugary leather: not fine Italian glove leather but the sort of…

• Plums and Carbolic Soap

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:31 am

  Honestly, you lot just cannot be trusted to play quietly together while I am away. I only went for a few days and come back to all sorts of farragos and shenanigans. I guess I better deal with them a bit before I tell you what a jolly holiday I had. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly with lots of bench chat until 12:16am on the 4th November when my esteemed colleague Anne Wareham decided I was having a go.To a certain extent I was: but not at her personally, that is very important as I hope she knows. I was criticising (and “criticism is good”) the slightly superior feeling one…

• A Carwash Powered By Soup

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:04 am

  This week I am most excited about a bench. It is one I designed to wrap round a walnut tree in a client’s garden. I could have spent ages drawing it out precisely on fine paper but it seemed much simpler to use that age old method, the draped hosepipe. It was then made from oak by the very strapping Ben Craig (who also made these pavilions). I bought a recycled teak table for a client, once. It was extremely gorgeous and looked fabulous. Two days later a vast beech tree fell over and landed smack bang on top of the table instantly reducing it to expensive kindling. Let us hope that history…

• His Balenciaga Clogs Were Stylish But A Little Impractical

  20 Oct 2009 | 10:43 am

  I almost forgot...I promised those of you who have little to do an exclusive photograph of the young, extra flexible Cleve West - burnished thighs and all. I will post that picture today along with the new episode of Three Men Went To Mow so you can see how he has easily retained his chirpy looks as the years pass.But before we get to that I have other, gardeny things to report. In particular a really, really, really, really tiny garden I have been doing in London. It has been unbelievably troublesome and (due to various building errors - beyond the control of both I and my excellent…

• The Turkey Danced A Lonely Jig

  13 Oct 2009 | 12:34 am

  I haven’t written a post on this blog for over a fortnight. It’s odd how sometimes I am desperate to write something and other times I can take it or leave it. This delay is partly because things have been busy but mostly because I didn’t really feel the urge. However, it proves the delight of both self employment and blogging: no deadlines, no editorial policy, no restraints. If I choose to chunter on about horticulture or haircuts, raspberries or the state of organised religion in Kazaksthan, then I may. Then again if I feel that I would rather lie around naked eating marshmallows…

• 
  Gardener to Farmer

• Winter Vegetables

  Jean Ann Van Krevelen

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:58 am

  For many of us, November signals the end of our vegetable gardening for the year. Frankly, I look forward to this time as it gives me the opportunity to focus on creating new recipes, baking bread, taking naps. Not that I don't take naps in the summer, it's just that I feel less guilty about it.It really isn't difficult to extend your vegetable harvest to four seasons, particularly if you live in a milder winter climate. And if you live in a place like southern Florida, it is probably a better time to grow edibles. And before you say that gardeners living in the north just…

• Composting Fall Leaves

  Jean Ann Van Krevelen

  26 Oct 2009 | 11:11 am

  Fall is the perfect time to build up your soil with rich, organic matter. It also happens to be the best time of year to collect one of my favorite organic soil amendments , leaf mold. While leaf mold sounds a bit iffy, it is one of the easiest and most effective composted materials to add to beds. In addition to improving moisture retention, as well as soil drainage, it also helps support the microcosm of your garden.   Not to get all Carl Sagan on you, but your garden is an interconnected web...each part must be functioning well in order to produce a healthy yield and reduce the…

• Harvesting Grapes

  Jean Ann Van Krevelen

  2 Oct 2009 | 9:16 am

  Last year, we had two primary problems with our grapes. First of all, there were just too many. You think zucchini is bad? We had pound after pound of grapes. Second, the flavor was weak, not the beautiful, robust flavor of a terrific grape. (We did have an awfully fun time stomping grapes, though!)With that in mind, I decided to make some major changes in how I handled the vines this year. In late winter, I enlisted the support of my neighbor and whacked back the vines to a more manageable configuration. I have four old growth grape vines that are grown along a trellising system. Here's…

• Fall Fruit Harvesting and Preserving

  Jean Ann Van Krevelen

  15 Sep 2009 | 8:40 am

  Well, I spent the better part of Saturday harvesting fruit from the garden. Sadly, the apple maggots had eaten most of my apples. Next year, I will have to explore organic controls...it is quite a bit of work since it is a large tree. Pears were attacked by scab, but only on one tree, so I will have to address that, too. I think a sulfur oil will work there. I also harvested the Italian plums, but I waited too long and many had already fallen off the tree. Dang it, writing a book in the middle of summer really puts a crimp in my gardening style. And surprisingly, I had a ton of San Marzano…

• Grocery Gardening

  Jean Ann Van Krevelen

  11 Aug 2009 | 8:13 am

  It seems as if it has been a very long time since I have blogged...and though I am normally a summer slacker, particularly as the harvest really starts coming in, I have been absent for a very different reason. This summer, I am co-authoring and editing a new book: Grocery Gardening, published by Cool Springs Press. And in fact, it is already available for pre-sale on Amazon. Click on the above link and it will take you there. Now, you know I am not one to write a standard gardening book. So while this covers some familiar topics, it does so in a very different way. First, we started by…

• 
  Flowergardengirl

• Motoring right along won’t you join me

  flowergardengirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pm

  I will stop anywhere and ask anyone for a picture. So when this bad boy was parked on the side of the road I yelled for Mr D to come to a screeching halt. We were in Mennonite country where the colors are quiet and subdued and very respectful. We were even acting well behaved. But rounding the corner and coming bold face on with this rare sassy creature….well…I went in search of a picture. The owner was right there and granted me a few. I don’t have a clue what it is. I’d go wake up Mr D and ask him but then he’d shoot me and I’d never get to give away my…

• Appears there is a problem with comments…

  flowergardengirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:07 pm

  Everything is fixed now! You can go here and enter my 200,000 visitor appreciation entry Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: Tag it

• Who will be the 200,000 visitor to the F…

  flowergardengirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:09 pm

  Who will be the 200,000 visitor to the Flowergardengirl blog? Well there really is no way of telling actually. I’ve asked wordpress that question back when I was at 100,000. So if you happen to drop by—check my meter down on the bottom of the sidebar. You’ll find it a chuckle along the way as you read some of my category titles. That’s part of the reason I’m sending you on that chase. And is it at 200,000 yet? I’ve got to step out for a bit…you all watch it while I’m gone. I’m just saying. You never know if you leave a comment on this…

• Will the North Carolina Outer Banks ever…

  flowergardengirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am

  Will the North Carolina Outer Banks ever be the same?? http://www.islandfreepress.org/2009Archives/11.17.2009-STORMUPDATEDOneLaneOfHighway12OpensToAllTraffic.html Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine Posted in NC Tagged: Hurrican Ida NC, North Carolina, Outer Banks NC, Outer Banks NC damage hurrican Ida, Tag it

• one of my most fav pics ever and you hav…

  flowergardengirl

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

  one of my most fav pics ever and you have seen it a gazllion times. when you look at a gardeners photo album, it is like looking at baby pics you see the same ones over and over. Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: Tag it

• 
  Suite101: Plants & Bulbs Articles

• A History of the Rose

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:27 am

  The rose is often regarded as a symbol of love especially on St. Valentines day, but it has links to mythology, medicine and religion.

• A Home Based Business for the Herb Grower

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:04 pm

  Gardeners with a love of herb and herbal lore find numerous ways to make their experience pay. A small plot of land and a little determination is all that's needed.

• Types of Clematis

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Within the three groups of clematis there are a huge variety of flowers, colors and habitats which can be used for a wide range of gardening purposes.

• Spring Flowering Plants

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

  The earliest blooms in the garden frequently give us a taste of spring, a promise that warmer days are coming. These spring flowering plants make a garden burst alive.

• Evergreen Plants for the Garden

  15 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  Evergreens are a great way to have a garden without any bare spots or lack of foliage as the seasons change.

• 
  Bananas.org

• Whats your favorit movie

  BananaLee

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pm

  Whats your favorite movie or most violent movie you've ever seen, scariest or most emotional? Mine favorite is The Lord of the Rings! Most violent is Brave Heart and scariest (I wouldn't say it's scary but you know!) is The Passion of the Christ (also the most violent) the demons are really scary! The most emotional is Saints and Soldiers (I never cry in movies but this one I just balled my eyes out!!)

• Musa Excalibur?

  Squam256

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  I made a trip down to Excalibur Fruit Trees in Lantana, FL today to buy some banana trees to plant around the house. I decided to buy a Raja Puri, a Nam Wah, and a third variety identified as 'Excalibur', which I was told was a cross created by the nursery. The employee didn't know anything else about it. I checked the wiki and could not find any info on the Excalibur variety and couldn't find any results for it on google either. Is anyone here familiar with this variety, or have at least heard of it before? I will try to take a picture of it when I get the chance.

• Chambeyronia Macrocarpa Palm

  SoBe Musa

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  *chambeyronia macrocarpa I got it today ! Anybody is growing one? Any info in very welcome . Thanks, [IMG][/IMG]

• Need info on Palmetto palms

  Seaner

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm

  Hi. I recently adopted a Palmetto palm seedling and know Nothing about palms. I could definitely use any info I can get! Translation, Help!!! Thanks

• Here come the holidays: share your favorite food, drink, home decoration

  mjdsinsacto

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:25 am

  My favorite time of year! I love the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Childhood memories are rich with holiday remembrances--not so much of gifts, presents, or toys. In my old country, the holidays were the two times in the year when imported festive food was bountiful on our family table--apples, grapes, pears, oranges, hot dogs, wafer-thin slices of sweet long cured chinese ham (the ones that hung for months in sack cloths), salami, cheddar and gouda cheese. Then, there are the Christmas Eve meal preparations--creamy potato and chicken salad with mixed fruit, slices of wonderful soft,…

• 
  Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel

• Free Yourself and Your Oven; Grill the Turkey

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:27 pm

  It all started with Thanksgiving 2006. Expecting a crowd for the big meal, I couldn't work out a way to get everything in the oven since the turkey was so large. We had to figure out how to get everything cooked on time. The microwave wouldn't do it. Ah ha! What about using the grill? Would that work? My husband placed the turkey (in the pan) on the grill to see if the lid would close. It did. Since it was already Thanksgiving morning, I frantically searched the Web for turkey grilling instructions. After finding several versions, my husband and I created our own variation. All of our guests…

• Baffle the Squirrels and Feed the Birds

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  The IQ of a squirrel is greatly underestimated. They solve problems with logic and they know how to use tools. There's a "think tank" of great squirrel minds out in our woods right now, putting together a plan for how they can get an easy meal from our birdfeeder.Gardeners and other bird lovers hang their feeders hoping to attract, and feed, a variety of beautiful feathered friends over the winter. My husband and I take down our hummingbird feeders in the fall and bring out the birdseed. Our birdfeeders are positioned so that we can view the activity from our garden room while we enjoy our…

• My Best Low-maintenance Plants: Part I (Salvias)

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  Time is a luxury. Although I throughly enjoy working in the garden, I like to spend more hours - just being in the garden. When I began my extreme makeover garden project this fall, I realized that not only was I keeping the best bloomers, but the easiest plants to maintain. I ruthlessly culled out poor performers, aggressive or high maintenance plants and threw those on the compost heap. My garden conditions:Zone 7bfull sun all dayoutside the fence, deer resistance is criticaldrought tolerant, once plants are establishedSalviasSalvias provide a long bloom season and there are varieties…

• Azaleas Bloom Again in Autumn

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:40 am

  I think that I enjoy my azalea blooms as much in autumn as I do in the spring. My six Encore® Azaleas reliably provide blooms twice a year. My azaleas bloomed in April and have been repeat blooming since September. All the while, they provide evergreen foliage for the cottage garden.These azaleas work great for my south-facing garden where the azaleas get plenty of sunbeams and some afternoon shade. Three of the azaleas are planted beneath a Kwansan cherry tree. The other three are standards (tree form) up against the garage wall beside the front porch.While there is plenty of space…

• The Shifting Faces of Coreopsis

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:15 pm

  From butter yellow with a red center to a deep burgundy, Coreopsis Big Bang™ 'Redshift' has been changing faces in my garden all summer. This coreopsis influenced my decision to redesign an area of the butterfly garden around the colors of blue, yellow and burgundy. Out with my camera this morning to photograph (and document) my redesign, I noticed that the coreopsis was showing three colors on one plant. I haven't deadheaded this coreopsis since I planted it, so all of these non-stop blooms have been happening on their own. The coreopsis has been reliably upright until recently when…

• 
  North Coast Gardening

• Your Gardening Body: How to Rake and Sweep Without Strain or Pain

  Genevieve

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:47 pm

  Anne Asher, a movement specialist from The MOVE! Blog,  has been kind enough to answer some common questions about how professional and/or passionate gardeners can reduce the strain that comes from repetitive gardening tasks. Here’s this month’s installment: Dear Anne, By November, fall leaves are piling up around perennials and shrubs. I like to rake up my leaves and shred or compost them before re-using them in the garden so they don’t cause delicate perennials to rot. Do you have any tips for all the raking and sweeping that we do this time of year? Hi, Gen! Have you ever done Tai…

• Delicate Flowers: What NOT to Plant in Fall

  Genevieve

  7 Nov 2009 | 10:11 am

  Recently I read an article on Sunset’s website, suggesting that we all rush out and buy those discounted perennials to plant for fall. We all know by now that fall planting is a great idea, but is fall really the best time to plant everything, even perennials? Many perennials don’t actually live all that long (I’m lookin’ at you, Gaura!), and some are sensitive to frost or the coastal Pacific Northwest’s rainy winters, so coddling them through the cold season can be an exercise in waiting and hoping, or if you really care about them, covering the tender ones in a protective frame of…

• Forget Halloween: Try These Dark Beauties Year-Round

  Genevieve

  31 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

  I always wanted to be a goth girl -  wearing all black, dying my hair purple, and listening to moody music while pondering the deeper mysteries in life. Sadly, I had three strikes against me: I’m a total wuss, so piercings were out, I’m ridiculously cheerful, and since I started my landscaping business when I was 17, I made certain concessions to fashion so that sweet old Mrs Jones would feel comfortable calling me to plant her Bright! Pink! and Red! Petunias! No matter – once I really got into gardening, I realized I suddenly had an outlet for my subversive ways. The first garden…

• Fall Color Container Planting Idea

  Genevieve

  24 Oct 2009 | 11:07 am

  A client came up with this pretty container planting idea for summer and fall. The spiky Phormium/ Flax Grass makes a vivid centerpiece, then she used red Coleus and orange Impatiens to pick up on the Flax’s colored stripes. Last, she used some purple trailing Petunias to cool down the combination and spill over the edges. This is a textbook Thriller, Filler, Spiller combination – as Fern from Life on the Balcony explains it:: A thriller is a pretty self explanatory; it’s a gorgeous plant that is the focal point of the container. Fillers highlight or compliment the thrillers and…

• Your Gardening Body: Digging Without Strain or Pain

  Genevieve

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:00 am

  Anne Asher, a movement specialist from The MOVE! Blog,  has been kind enough to answer some common questions about how professional and/or passionate gardeners can reduce the strain that comes from repetitive gardening tasks. Here’s this month’s installment: Dear Anne, Fall is a great time to plant shrubs and trees, because plants can get their roots established and be watered in by the winter rains. Do you have any tips for digging large planting holes without strain? Hi, Gen! There are two points to think about with digging and shoveling.  First, they are what I call one-legged…

• 
  TracyLive.com

• South American Gardens and Landscapes: Lessons for North American Gardeners

  Tracy

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:04 am

  South American Flower View the image gallery here Recently I had the opportunity to speak in Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was fortunate to also be able to visit several gardens there as well as tour Machu Picchu in Peru. I want to thank my hosts Pilar de Arteaga de Pereira, who worked diligently with me for 2 years to arrange this lecture, and her fellow members of the Garden Clubs of Uruguay as well as Sonia Blaquier and the members of the  Horticulture Society of Argentina. It was a great honor to speak in both countries to such keen groups of gardeners about mixed…

• The Well-Designed Mixed Garden Now Available in paperback for a great low price!!

  Tracy

  2 Oct 2009 | 4:58 am

  Some people’s eyes glaze over when the subject of conversation turns to garden design. And you can’t blame them — “design speak” can sound like a lot of highfalutin gobbledygook. So it’s a cause for celebration when you come across a writer who can communicate the elements of garden design clearly and effectively. And if that writer can also instill in the reader a sense of joy and enthusiasm for gardening, it’s time to uncork the champagne. These admirable qualities can be found on every page of The Well-Designed Mixed Garden: Building Beds and Borders…

• Hiddenhaven Gardens & Pruning Tips: An Overview for Garden’s Illustrated Magazine

  admin

  1 Sep 2009 | 2:15 pm

  My garden, Hiddenhaven, functions not only as a constant source of inspiration and enjoyment but it is the living laboratory used to test various cultural techniques as well as aesthetic qualities of plants. Over the years this information has been used as a basis for my work as an international writer, speaker and designer. It’s a garden whose primary function is to educate. For example all of the perennial pruning strategies that are present in my book The Well-Tended Perennial Garden were carried out in the gardens. I did evaluative research studying the flowering times, heights, and…

• Garden Pests and Diseases

  Tracy

  15 Aug 2009 | 5:52 am

  Tracy provides solutions regarding pest problems, insects, identification of healthy and ailing plants, chemical pesticides, and critter control. Pests, Weeds & Plant Disease: Garden Pests And Diseases

• Hue and You in the Garden – Part 2

  Tracy

  1 Aug 2009 | 6:30 am

  Learn how to effectively paint your garden in plants, the second of our two-part series of using color in the garden. Click here to view the article (~15mb pdf)

• 
  High Altitude Gardening

• A Deal with Myself

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  Early Birds: Edna, my Christmas Cactus, is jumping the gun.Chaotic weather patterns continue. First bitter cold and heaps of snow. I busied myself baking bread and grumbling about the weather.Now comes unusually warm days. Bright sunshine melts away the snow offering a last horse back ride of the season. In a t-shirt, no less!Cyclamen flowers decorate my office on these long, dark nights.This heat wave is simply postponing the inevitable, I suppose. Even so, I was glad to see a summer-like day. This time of year is always a little hard on me.The nights are too long and the days too short.My…

• Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ November

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  "Any flower counts!" So sayeth, Carol from May Dreams Gardens, inventor of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Indoor Micro Mini RosesI wanted to participate in the monthly Bloom Day but winter is upon us and I didn't think I'd have anything to show. So, I was quite delighted to discover that indoor flowers count. This is a snapshot of my beloved micro mini roses, biggest blooms are about the size of a 50-cent piece.After I photographed these wimpy indoor roses I thought to myself: Hmmm... Do you suppose there is anything worth shooting out in that frozen garden of mine?Scabiosa Pincushion Flowers…

• Cowgirl Up!

  14 Nov 2009 | 10:52 am

  My friend, Janet, competing with her appaloosa, Phantom.Yup - she's pointing a pistol at that innocent little balloon. It's called mounted shooting. I don't really get it but then I'm not from around here...Two weeks ago I made a wild and crazy promise to blog every day this month about the training sessions with my adopted horse, Bella.Bella's full time job, now, is to fatten herself up for the winter.That blogging energy lasted all of 5 minutes but I did manage to squeeze in 8 good sessions with Crazy Horse before the weather turned foul and our snowy winter finally arrived.Megan's little…

• Tuna Haters To Die For Tuna Marinade

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Hazel's ZinniasOn Tuesdays, we round up the usual suspects and cook a special dinner. It's not easy. There's the 2 teenagers who prefer every meal be mac 'n cheese. There's a happy little carnivore who thinks bacon in mac 'n cheese might be dee-lish.And, then there's the pescatarians. Fish lovers.I hate fish. Truly, madly, deeply hate fish. Now I know what you're thinking... certainly not salmon. Everybody loves salmon.Indeed they do! I can't begin to count the number of times people have invited me to dinner naturally assuming I would eat salmon.More of Hazel's Zinnias'Twas salmon that…

• XXL Micro Minis!

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pm

  These great, big photos celebrate the tiniest flowers blooming in my sunny window:That sweet little bud I discovered on Saturday has blossomed into a perfect micro-mini rose. Shown here, much bigger than life, she's about the size of a quarter.I was so very excited about my baby pinks that I didn't notice the micro-mini yellow roses are also back in bloom. And, this one's a biggie. Over an inch in diameter!Cramped quarters. I've also got some white roses (just for you, Wunx!) living in the same pot as a very productive African Violet. It's not, exactly, a match made in heaven but as soon as I…

• 
  Iona's Fort Bragg Garden

• cup 'n' saucer vine

  GL

  Cobaea scandens{Cathedral Bells}{Cup and Saucer Vine}annual flower, vinePolemoniaceae familyfast-growing annual vine that gets its common names from its flowers. The bell-like or cup-like lossoms rest on saucer-like calyxes. Perfect for brightening up my porch or trellis.DETAILSfull sunrequires well-drained soilsoil that is kept evenly moist but not soggyevergreen perennial in its native

• naming the last 10 years

  GL

  THERE are 40 something days left in 2009, which means it is just about time to commence the beloved and enduring parlor game known as “Name That Decade.”You know the rules — coin a pithy, reductive phrase that somehow encapsulates the multitude of events, trends, triumphs and calamities of the past 10 years. If you can also rope in some of the big personalities and consumer obsessions, that’s a

• breaking news for CNN

  GL

  After reviewing this story I can safely say that CNN is sooooooo fucking relevant that I will never miss a single second of it . . . ever. Never. I swear.And if you listen closely which isn't easy to do, Anderson I am not gay Cooper makes reference to the young lady's societal status as trailer trash. Snicker, snicker.So it is probably safe to assume that AMBER does not hold a prominent spot on

• a true story

  GL

  The DonorHe resumed his pacing just outside the door furiously muttering to himself that this, as twice before, would be the end. The man inside the room lay motionless. His skin as gray as the walls that surrounded him. The son was curled uncomfortably in a chair nearby waking every so often to listen for the comforting rhythm of the breathing machine. She too paced outside his door but this

• is PASSOVER Christian?

  GL

  At first, the half-hour television film The Passover seems to be one of those instructive seasonal documentaries. A Jewish family is sitting down to a typical Passover Seder. An announcer tells the story of the Exodus, the Jews' anguish in Egypt and their struggle to leave, and that terrible night the Angel of the Lord passed by the houses of the Jews to strike down the first-born sons of their

• 
  Ewa in the Garden

• Beautiful flowers or common weeds? Cathedral bells

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:57 am

  This beautiful flowers belong to cathedral bells (Cobaea scandens) - perennial climber in different continents, annual in Poland. In some countries its beauty is admired and wanted, in other you may find it on the list of common weeds (New Zealand). Pure relativity.

• November flowers - GBBD'09

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  Sweet brugmansia flowers went to compost heap together with all the leaves and some stems - completely naked, still in the pot, she will be stored without water until February. November flowers need to be in orange color, which is so desired now. Vibrant and spririt uplifling. When days are getting shorter and shorter... Here at 4.30 p.m. is already pitch black outside - was it like this

• Grow Grapes website discovered

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:44 pm

  I just came across an interesting site called “Grape Growing System” that I believe you’ll all be interested in. Few weeks ago I have signed up to free materials and because I value them a lot, I decided to share it with you.If you also want to grow grapes the correct way and would like to sign up for free information, you only need to fill the little form on the right. It is worth it - every

• 13 Beautiful Examples of Wine Grape Growing

  16 Oct 2009 | 10:05 pm

  One of the main mistakes in wine grape growing is poor planning of arbor or other support. See this selection of of hand picked marvellous examples of grape arbors and get inspired.If you plant grapes in the garden today, even your grand grand grand grand grand children can still enjoy it and remember you as the founder of family little vineyard. The oldest grape with an age of over 400 years is

• GBBD, snow and Blog Action Day

  14 Oct 2009 | 11:03 pm

  Do you also think sometimes, that even if you are 40 or 50 today, there is high possibility of next 40 or 50 years in front of you? If yes, do you also think about how your garden will look like?I wanted to make just regular GBBD post today, but also I wanted to post today for Blog Action Day which is also happening today. After short thinking, I have decided on Sunday to make today 2 separate

• 
  Ear to the Ground

• Vendors Wanted for Plantasia Show, Buffalo

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:58 am

  Submitted by the Plantasia managementVendors wanted to sell garden merchandise ie., plants, flowers, statuary, gardening books & tools, pots, bird feeders.  Plantasia, WNY’s premier landscape & garden show, March 25 - March 28 at the Agri-Center at the Fairgrounds in Hamburg. Contact 716-741-8047.Submitted by the Plantasia management

• An afternoon with Chuck

  14 Oct 2009 | 6:18 pm

  I spent the afternoon with Chuck Eblacker checking out some of his new work and visiting an installation I've been wanting to see for quite a while.Chuck is currently creating a dry-laid stone wall at the Harley School in Brighton, and is instructing a course on the subject this semester as well. This is Chuck's project:This is the students':The kids' wall looks great, and what a good skill to learn! Part jigsaw puzzle, part weightlifting, part physics, all Zen.Next, we moved on to a storied Pittsford property to view a few installations Chuck has worked on over the past few years.There's the…

• Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper to give away rain barrels

  9 Oct 2009 | 4:34 pm

  This looks like an excellent opportunity for the WNY crowd: Submitted by Buffalo Niagara RiverkeeperBuffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER is able to give away, thanks to a grant from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 161 rain barrels to high-visibility sites in the Buffalo and Niagara regions. These sites include, but are not limited to, community gardens, low income residential communities, public buildings, government offices and schools.Local municipal combined sewer systems are overwhelmed during storm events and the overflow dumps raw sewage into our sources of drinking water--the…

• 9 Oct 2009 | 6:56 am

  9 Oct 2009 | 6:56 am

  We’ve always thought that we controlled them.But what if, in fact, they have been shaping us?“We don’t give nearly enough credit to plants,” says Michael Pollan. “They’ve been working on us, they’ve been using us, for their own purposes.”THE BOTANY OF DESIRE, airing nationally on PBS on Wednesday, October 28th at 8PM, brings Michael Pollan's provocative best-seller vividly to life, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history.The program explores the natural history of four plants – the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato – and the…

• Late Breaking Event: Rose Workshop

  9 Oct 2009 | 6:20 am

  The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is pleased to host a free workshop on the selection, planting, and care of roses, Thursday October 22nd. The workshop will be held at the historic Delaware Park Rose Garden and Marcy Casino (199 Lincoln Pkwy) from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Dave Swanka, the Conservancy's rosarian, will guide you through selecting, planting, fertilizing, and caring for your roses with an emphasis on using environmentally friendly procedures and products. Please join us for coffee, snacks, and an informative evening. Come early to tour the rose garden. For further information or to…

• 
  The Manic Gardener

• Product give-away standards--help!

  themanicgardner

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:17 pm

  To start at the end... There's actually more to this story, but I'm saving some back until I get responses to this piece. So tell me what you think. Background (Personal Position Statement)Though I’m sure some of you will choke...

• Holy smokes!

  themanicgardner

  27 Oct 2009 | 4:39 pm

  Actually, it's steam, and what's steaming is the compost pile I wrote about yesterday. Now, I've often seen steam when I've dug into a compost heap, but I've never seen an undisturbed pile steaming away like a small volcano. Having...

• Hot compost, anyone?

  themanicgardner

  26 Oct 2009 | 2:54 pm

  Should you drop by to visit, some bitterly cold night, and find my house locked, and should you be so lacking in good sense or hard cash that you don’t just head for a hotel on Main Street a mile...

• Table scraps to the rescue! SF leads the way

  themanicgardner

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:50 am

  source: Jepson Prairie Organics Callooh callay, oh frabjous day! San Francisco has just become the first American municipality to institute city-wide compulsory collection of food scraps, which get composted. Nationwide, the EPA reports that food scraps make up an appalling...

• Whatever happened to autumn?

  themanicgardner

  14 Oct 2009 | 9:32 pm

  Having more or less skipped spring this year, the weather decided to go for a double and skip autumn as well. This it accomplished by delivering the hottest September on record—on a par with a normal July—and then plunging straight...

• 
  Your Small Kitchen Garden

• Blue Hubbard Squash for a Small Kitchen Garden

  admin

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:06 pm

  Two weekends in a row threw so many distractions at me that my gargantuan neck pumpkin sat neglected, cuddling some butternut squash on the rocking chair in my dining room. Closing down my small kitchen garden for the coming winter seems to have made me a tad crazy for winter squash. I harvested about 28 butternut squashes from my garden, and then went out and bought a neck pumpkin which you can read about here: Neck Pumpkin: a Home Kitchen Garden Marvel. My plan was to can the neck pumpkin and save seeds so I could grow my own next year. After two false starts, I still had a whole pumpkin on…

• Commercial Tomato Woes

  admin

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:16 pm

  If you visit Your Small Kitchen Garden blog often, you’ve probably seen this photo of diseased tomatoes on the vine in my garden. Home growers were particularly distressed by tomato diseases, but some commercial growers also lost crops. I’ve written much in Your Small Kitchen Garden about the woes of home tomato growers in 2009. As you might expect, some commercial operations also suffered this year. While most apply chemicals to stave off late blight and bacterial infections, some don’t. What’s more, conditions were so bad this season that even chemically-treated…

• Picture This from my Small Kitchen Garden

  admin

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:55 pm

  My small kitchen garden is almost down for the winter. Because there is so little left to do out there, I’ve spent much time lately using my camera to record the change of seasons. While composing shots, I’ve had two thoughts: 1. There is a lot of food out there drying on stalks, vines, trees, and bushes; wild animals will not go hungry. In fact, I might be able to forage enough to carry me though several weeks of winter. 2. So much of what looks dead or dying holds all the promise of life for the coming spring: leafless trees with tiny leaf buds, berries drying around seeds, pods…

• Winners of the Dried Fruit Giveaway

  admin

  8 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pm

  The results of Your Small Kitchen Garden’s first ever promotional giveaway are in. I’m happy to announce the three winners, each to receive a carton containing 24 individual servings of delicious freeze-dried fruit snacks. In order of selection by random number generator, the winners are: @igaia whose tweet about the giveaway qualified her winning entry. @joan_w who also qualified for the drawing by tweeting about the giveaway. @4bratz2luv who linked to the contest announcement from her blog, earning two entries, one of which won. Many thanks to everyone who participated in the…

• Make Sauerkraut! A Small Kitchen Garden Guest Post

  admin

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:59 pm

  Such beautiful and abundant produce you get from a single cabbage plant. If you plant early and harvest gently, the stalk you leave in the ground can produce many more smaller cabbages. I’ve never grown cabbage in my small kitchen garden. I imagine cabbage is a very satisfying plant to grow as it produces enormous heads that can feed a family for a week or longer. On the other side of the equation, cabbage is so common in Pennsylvania that it very well might be the official state flower; it is omnipresent at farm stands and farmers’ markets. Here in Pennsylvania Dutch country,…

• 
  jennah's garden

• Growing sweet potatoes in the compost bin

  jennahsgarden

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:41 am

  …accidentally. Last weekend I actually harvested some compost from the bin because it was totally full. I’m saving it for spring (I put it in an old storage container in the garage), but I still have a hard time mushing everything down after emptying out the bottom (I really need to get a compost turner or something). So this weekend while I was out I made a point to go and try to turn and mix the compost to get some more room for adding food waste over the winter (I don’t add as much food during the summer because it gets SO full with yard waste, plus I can’t use my…

• Bloom Day – November 2009

  jennahsgarden

  15 Nov 2009 | 5:38 am

  First off, thanks for hosting, May Dreams Gardens! A week makes a big difference. Last Saturday it was just under 70° and I spent the day outside planting blubs and my hubby cut up the leaves in the yard. But it poured all last week (thanks to the remnants of a hurricane) so now it’s cold, muggy, and gross outside—oh and the ground is covered in leaves again. The above shot was taken after we mowed. But because of all the digusting weather, we couldn’t have our shed delivered (hopefully next week – it’s going where the white square of rocks is) and it pretty much…

• Winter CSA

  jennahsgarden

  9 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

  Winter CSA Week 1 On Thursday I picked up the first box of our winter CSA membership. This one was more expensive since it runs from November to approximately March, but my friend and I decided to try it out for a year to see how it’ll work out. So far, so good! - Peach Mama Peppers – Haven’t tried any yet, but they’re beautiful! The pic makes them look orange, but they actually are a gorgeous peach color. - Kale – I love kale, and I’m going to try kale chips at some point next week. I think I’m going to have to ger creative with this if we get a lot,…

• Fresh things I still have

  jennahsgarden

  7 Nov 2009 | 1:20 am

  I still have some fresh veggies. HERBS (need to dry some more!): •The genoa basil is kind of sort of hanging on. the opal basil still looks pretty good. •The sage looks OK, but isn’t really growing any more. Should be back next year, though. •The rosemary is mostly evergreen, so that’s cool. •The lemon thyme is still nice and lush. VEGGIES: I pulled all the tomato plants, but I rescued some green tomatoes. Some of those are turning quite nicely. Please also note in the picture below how I TOTALLY ON ACCIDENT color coordinated things. How awesome am I? Also note that I can…

• Rainbows! DOUBLE Rainbows!!

  jennahsgarden

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:24 pm

  I’m actually kind of glad I left work a bit late because of a meeting with my boss. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I saw a rainbow. When I looked harder, I saw another! Thankfully, I had randomly thrown my camera in my purse this morning. Luck! I stopped and snapped a few in the business park, and then as I was leaving I noticed a few cars pulled over by the cornfields outside the park looking and taking pictures, so I pulled over as well. I kind of love that after a busy Thursday at work, there were still people who pulled over together by a cornfield to look at a rainbow.

• 
  Easy Outdoor Decor Blog

• Nov 18, About Me?

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:16 pm

  About me - I walk by faith, not by site -- pardon the you know what!

• Nov 18, Outdoor wall decor is all about being creative with colors, textures, and patterns. Here's how.

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:49 am

  How to express your taste and style with outdoor wall decor. And make your outdoor living extra livable.

• Nov 15, Cheap Outdoor Decor - Yes you can create a fabulous outdoor space without blowing big bucks.

  14 Nov 2009 | 7:25 pm

  How cheap outdoor decor celebrates solving outdoor decorating delimmias without spending what's left in the bank account.

• Nov 15, Gazebos - The Quickie Backyard Makeover

  14 Nov 2009 | 7:19 pm

  Gazebos - So maybe your yard isn't the picture of tranquality and respite. But it could be.

• Nov 15, First Up Gazebo

  14 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pm

  Get a First Up gazebo with your favorite NFL, NCAA and NASCAR team logo!

• 
  Dirt du jour

• Take a plant, leave a plant - it’s free!

  cindymcnatt@gmail.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

  Boy, how many years have we wished for this? A plant bank that functions like a penny tray - take one, leave one, and it’s open 24/7/365 with clay pots galore, too! Pasadena Beautiful Foundation got the idea as a way to help townspeople take care of their gardens. Here’s the deal - any city can do this. Tustin, are you listening? whatever Fenland Citizen—Crime blotter—One wonders if by the descriptions of the garden ornaments that go missing from this garden on a regular basis, if the “design police” haven’t already been there.

• 2010 calendar for a cause

  cindymcnatt@gmail.com

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pm

  If you haven’t picked your 2010 calendar yet, think about this one from the Bee Lover’s Garden, a web site that supports research for Colony Collapse Disorder. More, you can learn how to have healthy bees in your backyard with a few simple steps on this page. whatever New York Times—You know Alton Brown from Food Network’s “Good Eats”? He fell in Michelle Obama’s turnip garden just before the cameras rolled for an “Iron Chef” episode.

• Are we compostable?

  cindymcnatt@gmail.com

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:43 pm

  Since the answer is yes, sort of, that’s what I thought this Etsy t-shirt artist meant with her “I’m compostable” apparel. But it appears she means the t-shirt ($18.). But going out green is all the rage, too. That’s where you go into the ground without embalming, coffins, or anything else. And it’s legal. Planet Green has lots of tips on dying green, just in case you’re interested. whatever Queensland Museum—Newly discovered tree snail is named after wildlife advocate, Steve Irwin. Name of the snail - Crikey steveirwini.

• Persimmon season

  cindymcnatt@gmail.com

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:59 pm

  One tree I’d love to have and never got around to planting is a persimmon, for so many reasons: The fruit is incredible to look at, the tree provides fabulous fall color, and then there is the taste, an acquired taste for many people. Sure enough my favorite foodie blog, White on Rice (this couple in Costa Mesa really do live the grow your own life they depict) would know what to do with a tree full of puckery fruit, besides using them for the luscious photos they shoot.  Oatmeal with a sauteed persimmon and cinnamon topping. Yah, baby! More food related links: Zucchini conundrum Last…

• Fly fooler

  cindymcnatt@gmail.com

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:06 pm

  Maybe the wrong time of year to post this, but I am going to roll with it anyway—the fly fooler from “This Old House.” No one knows why a bag of water scares flies away, but perhaps with their zillion eyes, some commenters speculate, they think it’s a spider web. Yet everyone agrees it works - just a bag of water hung from the rafters is all. Can’t get any more organic than that. whatever 3Newsnz —Oldest mow and blow guy on the planet, Mr. Wilson turns 100 and gets a telegram from the Queen.

• 
  The Growing Edge

• Chicken Shows Up At City Council Meeting

  Tom Alexander

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  A person dressed up as a chicken showed up at a Durango, Colorado city council meeting where the council was discussing the language of a recently-passed backyard hen ordinance relating to predators and allowing chickens within city limits. The chicken sat in the mostly empty audience area and when the council was about to adjourn to a closed session, arose and walked up before the council, left an egg on the floor and walked out of the building. Click HERE for the story.

• Another California City Looks To Ban Leaf Blowers

  Tom Alexander

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pm

  The northern Bay Area city of Sebastopol is looking at banning the use of gas powered leaf blowers within the city limits. Sebastopol would join over a dozen other California citys that ban leaf blowers. What is next? Lawn mowers and rototillers? I am all for mower mulching your leaves in place and converting lawns to veggie gardens and cutting back on the use of gas powered implements but there are times when blister causing lawn and garden hand tools just don’t cut it. Photo credit: Kent Porter/The Press Democrat And watch the video below for the creative way they can be used with…

• Edible Walls Add To The Urban Garden Landscape

  Tom Alexander

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:06 am

  Large scale rooftop gardens are expensive propositions and usually require a lot of technology. Vertical edible plant walls on the other hand, are a fraction of the cost, don’t need much technology and require less maintenance once they are installed. Read about New York City vertical plant walls HERE. Photo credit: Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times

• About News Portals, Aggregators And Parasites

  Tom Alexander

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:14 am

  Thanks to Dilbert for the support!

• If You Think GMO Plants Are Funky…

  Tom Alexander

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:06 pm

  Consumers, when given truth in labeling about GMO foods, don’t want to buy or consume GMO food. Now, bioengineers are growing nerve, heart and other tissues in labs. This could lead to raising GMO meat in laboratories without animals ever seeing the inside of an industrial factory farm. The pr spin has started… GMO “test tube” meats are being touted as a “sustainable” solution to what is ailing the planet…As Charles Q. Choi reports for LiveScience.com, *Avoiding animal suffering by reducing the farming and killing of livestock. *Dramatically cutting…

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  Native Sons Plant of the Week

• Carex testacea

  Jimmy Alcantar

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

  Orange New Zealand sedge is a mounding sedge with distinctive coloring that makes it a delight in any garden, especially when combined with other grasses or broad-leafed perennials. The hair-like olive green foliage takes on a vivid tangerine-colored blush at the tips and glows brilliantly in the sunlight particularly in cold weather. Mature plants grow to 15” tall and grow best in moist, well-drained soils. This sedge tolerates sun or shade, but most gardeners agree that the foliage color is best with at least a half day of sun. In our garden this sedge has reseeded in a pleasing fashion…

• Coprosma 'Fire Burst'

  Jimmy Alcantar

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:07 am

   Coprosma, is an evergreen shrub with stunning green, cream and pink variegated foliage.  The color transforms from cream/pink tones during the summer to fire red foliage during autumn and winter.  'Fire Burst' is ideal for small hedge and general garden landscaping, growing 3-4 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide.  Prune to promote bushiness.  Performs best on well drained soil and in full sun to partial shade.  Hardy to 20F.  Coprosma 'Fire Burst' is available in #1 containers.

• Fremontodendron 'California Glory'

  Jimmy Alcantar

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm

  Flannel bush.  'California Glory' has an up right form when young, growing up to 20 feet tall or more, but becoming mounding with age.  Generous bloomer over along period with flowers inches across.  Performs great on dry gardens, and can be used for screens.  Use caution also to place plants away from foot traffic or away from face or eyes due to fuzzy olive-green leaves with extremely irritating stellate hairs.  Hardy to 15F.  Fremontodendron 'California Glory' is available this week in #5 containers.

• Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'

  Jimmy Alcantar

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:27 am

  Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' -Spurge, is a perennial with distinct and unique variegated flowers and foliage.The flower color consists of cream, lime, and green while the foliage displays tones of cream, green/blue with stunning red-pink coloring throughout cooler months. Compact and slightly spreading, 'Ascot Rainbow' grows about 20" tall and 20" wide. Plants are very heat and drought tolerant; best suited to full sun, well-drained soils and moderate water. Hardy to 0F. Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' is available this week in #1 gallon…

• Salvia chamaedryoides

  Jimmy Alcantar

  23 Oct 2009 | 10:02 am

  Salvia chamaedryoides - Germander sage, is an evergreen perennial with small, silvery leaves that form the perfect backdrop for the radiant blue flowers. A spreading sage, this Salvia grows to 3’ wide with many ascending stems to 2’ when in bloom, eventually forming a small mound. Flowers bloom during warm periods throughout the growing season and peak in early summer then again in fall. It is suggested to prune spent flowers for repeated blooming. Plants are best suited to full sun, well-drained soils and moderate water, however they are tolerant of light shade and modest drought. Hardy…

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  A Leafy Indulgence

• Frank's Yearn to Urn

  Swimray

  13 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pm

  In September, a four day convention in Chicago yielded a few side trips as a tourist. A visit to Oak Park where Frank Lloyd Wright built his first house and opened his studio on his own was the first stop. A second trip downtown to the Art Institute and nearby Millenium Park was an eye-opener. Although architecture and art were the primary targets for the trips, gardens and greenery were also experienced. Since this is a garden blog, I will concentrate on the botany in my trips.These urns were outside the entrance to the Wright Studio. Potato vines and ornamental grasses (or is it millet)…

• Inconsistent Princess

  Swimray

  31 Oct 2009 | 1:40 pm

  The Nasturtium seeds were purchased from Home Depot for the new side yard garden on the slope. Nasturtiums were tried about a decade ago, and were not a success story, but I was willing to try again this year. Princess of India (Tropaeolum majus) sounded like a good variety to try. Almost all germinated to my surprise, so some were planted at the side, and the extras were placed out in the back yard vegetable garden. At first, the side yard plants did very well in the spring, and began producing flowers quickly. Leaves were dark green, and the plants grew into small mounds. One item that…

• Squash That Bug

  Swimray

  18 Oct 2009 | 10:12 am

  The cleome was tall, spindly, and dying at the end of summer. This is normal for many plants, and never having grown cleome before, thought it was normal. Upon cutting the plants down to tidy up the garden, hundreds of black and yellow beetle-like bugs were found covering the stems and some leaves. Most were thrown out with the plants.Two weeks later, as I was tending to zinnias adjacent to the cleome bed, the same bugs were found on the zinnias. The cooperative extension was called, but was not much help over the phone. I went to the Bug Guide online to visually identify them as friend or…

• Purple Passion

  Swimray

  23 Sep 2009 | 6:30 am

  While in Atlanta last fall, I was impressed by the 7-feet (2 m) tall, purple-leaf plants growing in the corner of the botanical garden outdoor cafe. A sign indicated they were Persian Shield. Once back home, I described them to my landscape architect friends who told me they never grow 7-feet tall in this climate, unless they overwinter in a greenhouse, a most likely scenario.This year, I bought one and have been impressed by its growth over the summer. Although not getting to the height of the Atlanta plants, the Strobilanthes dyerianus produced its intense iridescent purple leaves. This…

• It's A Jungle, Finally

  Swimray

  3 Sep 2009 | 8:18 pm

  The deck that took a lifetime is finally done, well, with the latest construction still needing a good coat of wood finish. The actual deck off the back of the house was completed last fall along with some of the platform steps at the side yard. These platforms create a more gentle, relaxed way to descend the slope than a straight run stair does. A few additional platform steps not in the original plan were added this week to finish off the path.The side yard hillside was nothing but clay around the platform steps. This spring, soil was amended with peat, sand, gypsum, and organic materials.

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  Water Fountains and Relaxation

• Gifting Water Fountains in Every Price Range

  Kristina

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:09 pm

  The holiday season is quickly approaching and the panic will soon begin to find the perfect gift for those lucky ones on your Holiday shopping list.  One gift that I have found to always be unique and put a smile on people’s faces is a water fountain.  Being that water fountains provide health benefits as [...]

• Bean Bag Chairs can be Personalized!

  Kristina

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:37 am

  If you have kids of any age, you understand the need for durable, comfy, fun furniture!  Whether it is for down time, reading, the game room or just to have their very own seat, you will find that bean bag furniture can do the trick! Your kids probably have enough toys, games and the like that [...]

• Give a Tabletop Water Fountain This Christmas

  Malcolm

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  It’s that time of year again, when thoughts run to Christmas gifts. If you order presents, now is the time to decide what you’re going to give. After November it gets harder to rely on prompt shipment. All major delivery companies switch into overdrive trying to accommodate the massive holiday season demand but even they [...]

• Tabletop Water Fountains Bring Tranquility and Serenity

  Kristina

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:30 am

  Yes, it is true, tabletop fountains can truly bring tranquility and serenity into your living and working spaces.   At the WaterFountainPlace, you can see many, many tabletop fountains of all styles and sizes.  With the gift giving season upon us, table water fountains make unique gifts, one that you won’t find in retail outlets.  These online tabletop fountains [...]

• Enhance an Outdoor Ambiance with a Fire Pit

  Kristina

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:10 pm

  Fire pits have been growing in popularity over the last couple years.  With people spending more time at home this year than ever, everyone is always looking for more ways to enhance our living spaces at affordable prices.  Fire pits offer the perfect solution to make your outdoor spaces more enjoyable and keep you warm this season.  They also [...]

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  Tangled Branches: Cultivated

• Southern, Downy or Plain?

  Entangled

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:05 am

  Most of the year this Viburnum sits quietly at the edge of the woods blending in with the greenery in the summer and the bare branches in the winter. But it has brief moments of glory twice a year. I love the way the pleated leaves unfold in the spring. And in fall, it does this:This is a wild plant, by which I mean that I didn't pay for it or plant it. It was just there at the edge of the woods at Tangled Branches North. Early on, I thought I had identified it correctly as Arrowwood Viburnum (V. dentatum) and that was that. Oh, but things are rarely that simple in plant taxonomy and this…

• Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

  Entangled

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Mid-November and I still have flowers. That's something to talk about! Now these are not robust and happy summer flowers; these are survivors. We had our first frost in mid-October and several since then, but no hard freezes yet, and so....flowers. Some of these survived because they're hardier than others, some because they're in sheltered places, and just a few because this is their season of bloom.I've been discouraged lately by a surge in deer damage. For 3 years, they've been politely tasting in the garden, but now they've settled in to feast. And coming closer to the house to do it. I…

• Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

  Entangled

  15 Oct 2009 | 6:47 am

  I forgot.But the loveliest thing blooming right now is the hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium). If it stops raining long enough, I'll go out and take a picture. Really, though, it looks just like last year and the year before and...Copyright Tangled Branches: Cultivated (http://tangledbranches.com/blog/).

• Ping

  Entangled

  7 Oct 2009 | 8:09 am

  I'm still here. Beautiful fall weather has descended and I just don't feel like sitting in front of the computer. I haven't even done much photography lately; I'm content to just enjoy being outdoors before it gets too cold. And the vegetable garden is still producing. I've been drying peppers, freezing peppers, eating peppers, and making hot sauce. I like peppers. Here's a photo I did to accompany some given to my in-laws. I asked the spouse if he could ID them for his family and he said no, hence the photo guide. 'Bulgarian Carrot' was new to me this year, but has become a favorite. Thick…

• The County Fair, Part 4 (Livestock)

  Entangled

  17 Sep 2009 | 11:39 am

  I like chickens. I don't have any, so when I go to fairs I always have to see the chickens. I wish they had other poulty at the Sandwich Fair as well, but apparently only chickens are allowed.It is a chicken. Honestly.Rabbits with eye makeup? Looks like it, but they're a breed called Dwarf Hotot. The eyeliner is part of the standard.The larger livestock is a little harder to photograph unless you get a chance to see the judging. This cow apparently won a red ribbon, whether she wanted to be in the show or not.Copyright Tangled Branches: Cultivated (http://tangledbranches.com/blog/).

• 
  Blue Ridge Gardener

• Indian Summer begins today

  Michael

  11 Nov 2009 | 6:10 am

  Today is Veteran’s Day in the USA, it is also the feast day of St. Martin of Tours on the Christian calendar. Today is also the beginning of “Indian Summer” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. St. Martin’s Day, November 11, is considered the beginning of Indian summer, a period of warm weather following a cold spell [...]

• End of the month

  Michael

  30 Oct 2009 | 10:38 am

  It is the last business day of the month.  We are about to say so long to the month of October and hello to November.  Talk about time flying–this month sure has. Yes, I know, I have been lax in my writing for the past few weeks. Blame it on the weather.  Blame it on my work. [...]

• Catching up

  Michael

  20 Oct 2009 | 8:22 am

  After my trip to Denver, all kinds of things have happened in my life and in the garden.  I am catching up, at least from this point on a Tuesday. Weather comments: This has been a period of cool and rain that I have not experienced for some time. Since September 15, I have dumped over 12 inches [...]

• Fall is here…

  Michael

  8 Oct 2009 | 6:27 am

  I am finally catching up on things after being away for a week.  I plan to spend some time in the garden this evening, and have a little time to write this morning between tasks. Evidence that fall is here in the mountains of North Carolina: Regular morning temperatures around 40 degrees. While I was in Denver, [...]

• Back from Denver

  Michael

  4 Oct 2009 | 6:06 pm

  I have been out of town much of the week. On Tuesday I flew into Denver for a conference dealing with crime victims with disabilities.  I flew back to NC on Saturday.  I spent a bit of time in the garden on Saturday afternoon, not much this afternoon, and I have plans for tomorrow afternoon [...]

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  Bay Area Tendrils

• Brilliantly Patterned Malibu Tile - Historic Adamson House Part II

  Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:12 pm

  Brilliantly patterned tile work at the Historic Adamson House.Adamson House Entrywaybelow... the Star PoolRich with history, the Malibu Lagoon area is believed by many to trace back to a Chumash Indian village, called Pueblo de las Canoas by the Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo in 1542.Adamson House is located adjacent to the Lagoon: The original site .. "a series of large sand dunes - 13 acres in size. As construction of the house neared completion, good humus was transported from nearby canyons. Garden beds 5 to 10 feet deep were graded and landscaped with many exotic and native plants.

• City of Angels Sojourn - Adamson House, Part I

  Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm

  Dombeya cayeuxii Adamson House gardens - Malibu, California.On a recent City of Angels sojourn, I encountered the extravagant, dangling blooms of a mature, pink snowball tree. Colorful tiles from the Malibu Potteries adorn historic Adamson House and an expansive landscape 0f venerable trees.A post in two parts:On this trip I revisited the gardens of the Getty Center in Los Angeles & the Getty Villa in Malibu. They'll soon be featured here.A serendipitous meeting - one that would not have taken place one minute later or earlier, resulted in an opportunity to tour the gardens…

• Besotted in Berkeley! UC Botanical Garden

  Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:07 am

  Babiana ringens - the South African baboon flower grows in theSouth Africa - Karoo section of the UC Botanical Garden.The Great Karoo,a region of hot, arid plains: A vast landscape where  an amazing 9000 plant species appear (www.centralkaroo.ca.za/).Photos: University of California Botanical GardenArisaema sikokianum - the cobra lily grows in the Garden's Asia section,encompassing microclimates and habitats from sunny havens to shady glens.I'm besotted by the dazzling shapes and forms of these botanical treasures!Regardless of the time of year, a visit to the UC Botanical Garden…

• Enchanted Flora .. U.C. Botanical Garden

  Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:57 pm

  Enchanted Flora University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley - Part IIChiranthodendron pentadactylon .. Monkey Paw or Monkey's Hand Tree, - a relative of California Fremontodendron, theflannel bush -this evergreen tree grows in the Garden's MesoAmerica Section.Photos: University of California Botanical GardenDoryanthes palmeri, the spear lily, blooming in the Garden's Australasia Section.On a brisk Fall Day, glowing reminders of a World of Flora.Other continents ... other seasons.The Garden's Canary Island section is located above the Garden of Old Roses, at the acme of…

• Autumn in the East Bay and A Preview of Spring

  Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:09 pm

  Dawn Redwood Glade in WinterObata Gate to the Japanese Pool University of California Botanical Garden ... A PreviewPhotos: University of California Botanical GardenAutumn in the Asian Collection  With its hilly topography, Strawberry Canyon is a dramatic setting for the U.C. Botanical Garden in Berkeley, located across the Bay Bridge to the east of San Francisco.Stretching over thirty-four acres, the grounds feature a geographical arrangement of gardens, displaying plants from around the world.Rhododendrons are well represented in the Asian gardens, along with maples and…

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  Daffodil Planter: Gardening WIth A Sense Of Humor

• Do my incense-cedars work for Goldman Sachs?

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pm

  Calocedrus decurrens (California incense-cedar) Photo: Walter Siegmund/WikimediaThe vigorous determination. The fervent desire to tower over and control all within reach. As far as I know my incense-cedars didn't get any TARP money, but when it comes to the quest for world domination they're in the same league with Goldman Sachs. Sure, the cedars always drop some tiny cones, but this year they're inundating the garden. The carpet of cones is so thick the ground is invisible. The dog can't step outside without getting cones wedged in her paws.Rake them up? Tried that. They came back.Cones…

• Which Halloween gardener are you?

  30 Oct 2009 | 1:57 pm

  Photo: Mansour de Toth (Laszloen)/WikimediaTo wicked and good gardeners alike--wishing you a Happy Halloween!

• Autumn evening

  24 Oct 2009 | 8:00 pm

  The Lovers (Autumn Evening), c.1888, Emile Friant (1863-1932)*A reminder for all of us to stop with the raking of the leaves, the pruning of the wisteria, the dividing of the daffodils--and enjoy the quiet times of the season. (Click on the painting for a larger image)*Emile Friant was a French artist. This painting hangs in the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nancy in France.To leave a comment, click on the word COMMENTS below

• That's why they call it yard work

  7 Oct 2009 | 11:00 pm

  Kneeling in my gravel driveway, digging up dandelions with a dandelion fork.That's yard work.Raking up needles dropped by the 60-foot Ponderosa pine.Yard work.Gardening is different! I happily snap my secateurs like castanets as I march out for a spot of dead-heading and pruning. All things seem possible, now that the weather is no longer scorch-your-skin-off hot.But yard work makes me tired just thinking about it.What's your garden task that is never fun and always yard work?To leave a comment, click on the word COMMENTS below

• Capitol Bees

  27 Sep 2009 | 9:30 pm

  Bee hives in the White House kitchen garden. Photo: White HouseWASHINGTON (DP) The bee hives in the famed White House kitchen garden received international attention this week at the G20 Pittsburgh Summit.White House beekeeper collecting honey. Photo: White HouseWhite House beekeeper Charlie Brandts has collected honey from the hives and saved it for special occasions.The First Lady's gift. Photo: White HouseWhile world leaders gathered for economic discussions at the G20 Pittsburgh Summit, First Lady Michelle Obama acted as hostess to their wives. Her official gift to each wife was a tea set…

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  Thai Garden Design

• Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)

  Pornchai Gardens

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:38 pm

  The Strelitzia plant, or Bird of Paradise, is a perennial plant originally native to South Africa. They are now widely seen throughout most tropical climes (they are commonly known in South Africa as the Crane flower).There are many varieties, but perhaps the best known, S.reginae, grow to around 1 metre in height and consist of long, green banana like leaves with robust, distinctive pinkish orange flowers.The Bird of Paradise enjoys landscapes with full sun and good drainage. They are an excellent all rounder for decorating large areas of landscape, at the base of large trees and walls, and…

• Pergola Covered Utility Area in Bangkok Garden

  Pornchai Gardens

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:27 pm

  A client requested a covered utility area down one side of their home in their Bangkok garden.As seen from the 'before' picture, the space was unkempt and grassy, with various utility holes exposed on the surface. The area is now finished with a square granite paver and a PVC covered hardwood pergola, constructed over the top of the area to provide shelter during rainfall. At the far end of the utility area lies a Japanese Garden, also installed by Pornchai Garden.

• Thai Rock Gardens

  Pornchai Gardens

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:44 pm

  A Thai rock garden, or rockery, is an excellent way to decorate an uneven or unattractive part of the garden and can be employed well in both large and small spaces. In the example above, you can see that plastic coat has been layed on the ground surface to ensure that weeds and plants do not grow through the spaces. The rock garden can be enhanced with well placed planting and foliage, garden ornaments and statuettes, wooden stumps and various interesting features. Larger rocks for effect also work well and can be possibly used as seating. There are thousands of different looks and styles…

• Thai Garden Tree Seating

  Pornchai Gardens

  8 Nov 2009 | 5:34 pm

  The presence of tree seating with a garden is a great way to provide sturdy garden furniture within a natural setting, whilst utilising the natural shade provided by the tree. Pornchai Garden were asked to design and build some original seating around the base of some trees situated within a large Thai courtyard. Initially, wooden barriers were erected to ensure that the new concrete patio that was being laid remained separate from the ground soil around the trees. When the patio was completed, brick supports were built around the tree. These would form the base for the thick wooden sleepers,…

• Construction of a Waterwall System

  Pornchai Gardens

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:48 pm

  A popular theme park resort in Central Thailand are having improvements and landscaping work completed by Pornchai Garden. In this example, the entire face of a large building has been designed and built by the team to look and mimic a natural rockface, with water running down the front and sides of the building from the rooftop. The Pornchai team have built a series of waterways on the roof. When the system is switched on, water is slowly pumped over the sides of the building to create the dramatic waterfall effect. The system is completely under the control of the resort owners. Once the…

• 
  A Gardener in Progress

• Fertilizer Friday - November 20th.

  Catherine@AGardenerinProgress

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:28 am

  It's hard to believe that we're this far into November already. We've had a very wet and windy November so far in the Seattle area. Trying to get outside to do much of anything is difficult unless you want to be soaked and windblown while out there. I found that we are quite a bit above our normal November rainfall already. Our average for the whole month is 3.4 inches. As of a couple of days ago we are at 5.16 inches and believe me it's rained a lot more since that last measurement. There are rivers on flood watch, luckily we don't live near any, but I always feel bad when I watch the news…

• The pond in November.

  Catherine@AGardenerinProgress

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

  After two nights of lots of wind and rain the sun tried to peak out a bit yesterday while I took my November pond pictures. It's been fun looking back at these recently to see some of what's changed since last winter. I did a little more rearranging yesterday with the heucheras. They are so much fun to mix and match colors. Of course as I dug a new planting spot I already dug into bulbs that I just planted, I don't think I damaged them, but it did remind me of why I usually don't have many return.I can't believe how big the Pickerel Weed got. It supposed to be hardy in our zone, if it…

• The Blues in my Garden.

  Catherine@AGardenerinProgress

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am

  Kiki from Awake with Charm and Spirit has invited bloggers to share the essence of blue in their home and garden and to share what it means to them. I was surprised as I went through my pictures of the past year at just how much blue I have in my garden. Not only in flowers, but in planters, birdhouses, birdbath and even the color of our house. Since I was very young I always remember my favorite color being blue. The first time my parents let me choose the color of my bedroom I asked for a light blue. My first car was blue, as a matter of fact the next few were blue as well. As I got older…

• November Bloom Day 2009.

  Catherine@AGardenerinProgress

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

  As I was putting this post together for November Bloom Day I was realizing that this is already my 11th one. I started in January and I had Pansies, primroses and Hellebores in bloom then. If I can manage to have some blooms in December that means I would have found blooms outside every month this year.Here's what's blooming now. Most are looking a bit weathered but at least they are blooming at all.Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' still has quite a few buds on this plant. This is the only one blooming and probably the latest I remember having them in bloom.Of course there are lots of newly planted…

• My favorite visitor.

  Catherine@AGardenerinProgress

  14 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am

  We've been seeing the cutest little wren visiting our yard. Of course I can't be sure it's the same one, but by the places I keep seeing it, I think it might be. This is a Bewick's Wren and seems to be as friendly as the Chickadees. I usually see it from inside where it hops around in the Japanese Maple and in our porch. It's very inquisitive and checks out every inch of the front porch.Here you can not only see that I need to clean the cobwebs in this corner, but that the Wren just sat and looked at me before hopping off to the window shutters and then along the top of the window.Jumping…

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  Chicagoland Gardening Magazine's blog

• For the Love of Annuals

  Chicagoland Gardening Blog

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pm

  The colorful annuals that filled our flower beds, 40 pots and one window box just a few months ago seem like a distant memory with the recent damp, cold days and overcast skies.  I miss the lantana and the datura, the cosmos and the zinnias, the dragon-wing begonias and the petunias.  But with the arrival of four—yes four—seed catalogs this week, there are plenty of possibilities to ponder before the order forms are completed and the checks are signed.  So many annuals to choose from that I’m reminded of this little passage from Richardson Wright’s 1922 book, “Truly…

• Up at Bat

  Chicagoland Gardening Blog

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

  This little bat boy (or girl) has been hanging around (and off) a building on Chicago Avenue near Chicago's Water Tower this week.Bats are migrating now and are often seen in the fall along the lakeshore. They particularly like to hang out on this building each November because of its rough exterior.  For more, visit www.batconservation.org--Nina Koziol

• Forcing the Issue

  Chicagoland Gardening Blog

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am

  My spring-flowering bulbs were all in the ground, but the buy-one-get-one-free display of individual bulbs at the garden center pulled me in with its siren song. I practiced restraint, however, and only bought a few hyacinth bulbs for a first-time attempt at forcing.The notion of "forcing" a plant to bloom has always seemed a little disquieting to me, but I adore the scent of hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis), and I would love to have flowers in late winter when the charm of the holidays is long gone but it's still too early to start seeds. So I potted the 'Woodstock' and 'Blue Jacket' bulbs…

• It's not too late

  Chicagoland Gardening Blog

  9 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pm

  The beautiful weather we enjoyed this past week hopefully reminded you that it is not too late for fall gardening tasks, despite the fact that Thanksgiving is only weeks away. It is not too late to plant spring-blooming bulbs. These can be planted until the ground is frozen, and although we've had some hard frosts, especially in the outlying areas, the ground is still very workable.  It's not too late to start or expand a garden bed for next year. Use black and white newspaper to smother the grass and prevent weeds; then pile on some compost, leaves and even spent plant material to let…

• Did you achieve four-season gardening nirvana today?

  Chicagoland Gardening Blog

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pm

  If you have heard it once you have heard it a thousand times: "plan your garden for four-season interest." Well, did you? The true test is probably today: look out your window right now and tell me if you have been successful. If the leaves are off the trees, the fall colors are gone, and the summer blooms are long faded, what is left? Do you have texture, color, structure, seed heads, and those hardscape "bones" that make the winter garden interesting? Does it look nice today? It's okay if you say "no" ('cause you are probably alone anyway). It's okay if you haven't gotten the hang of…

• 
  element's backyard garden

• Datura Fastuosa ‘Double Purple’

  element

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm

  'Double Purple' Datura - The Double Purple Datura is a shrub that is an annual or a short-lived perennial if frost is present. Daturas are woody-stalked and have green to purple foliage with long trumpet-shaped flowers with the outside edge of the pedals that roll back into tendrils pointing towards the sky.  Flowers are a double purple with a white center that only blooms in the summer and at night. Daturas produce a spiny fruit that will split open and seeds will spill out. The Datura grows to the height of two to four feet and has a spread of four to five feet.  Daturas need a…

• Greenthumb Sunday

  element

  25 Oct 2009 | 9:01 pm

  Took some pictures of  my most recent blooms…Enjoy Brugmansia Zinnia Pink Knockout Rose Red Knockout Rose Join Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on FacebookTweet This!Subscribe to the comments for this post?Share this on Linkedin

• What is Mulch?

  element

  29 Sep 2009 | 1:20 pm

  Mulch is the adding of any material over the garden soil to retain moisture levels, prevent weeds, prevent erosion during heavy rains, and help maintain temperatures throughout the day and night. A gardener has several different types of mulch they can use. They can choose from; organic matter, compost, rubber , plastic, living or gravel mulch. When selecting a mulch, keep these factors in mind; appearance, cost, availability, pH, rate decomposition, and where it came from. Usually commercially produced mulches will be sterile but if you create your own mulch, make sure not to use materials…

• TerraCycle: What is Garabage?

  element

  24 Sep 2009 | 6:39 am

  One of my favorite companies that I buy gardening products from is TerraCycle. The company recycles garbage to make products or containers to contain fertilizers or other products they produce. They do this to reduce the wastes that would normally end up in your local land fills. The company offers to give 1-3 cents to your favorite local charity for every item you or recycling team sends them. Excert from TerraCycle: TerraCycle makes affordable, eco-friendly products from a wide range of different non-recyclable waste materials. With over 50 products available at major retailers like…

• Just had my site added to Alltop

  Admin

  7 Sep 2009 | 9:51 am

  Last night www.elementsbackyardgarden.com was accepted to Alltop. Check them out. You can get all your news about gardening and more. I have started a list of  garden blogs that are listed with Alltop.  I check the banner links. One will go to my garden links. Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Share this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on FacebookTweet This!Subscribe to the comments for this post?Share this on Linkedin

• 
  Life on the Balcony

• A Couple of Things I Forgot to Mention

  Fern

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:00 am

  I think I forgot to mention a couple of things that I think LOTB readers will be interested in. First, if you’ve held off on trying out the Soil Scoop for yourself, aHa Modern Living has provided a discount code (balcony) so that Life on the Balcony readers can receive 10% off. More details in the update of my Soil Scoop review. The second thing I forgot to share is that I contributed some tips to the Vantage Point SD blog about growing herbs in containers. If you live in a mild climate and are interested in growing some culinary herbs, head on over and check it out! If you have ideas…

• Neat Idea for Chiminea That Doesn’t Involve Fire or Smoke

  Fern

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  A lot of us live in apartments or condos where it really isn’t possible to have a BBQ or chiminea due to safety concerns or community rules. But little chimineas can add a lot of charm and visual interest on a balcony or patio. If you have access to an outdoor electrical outlet, check out this photo that Jenny Peterson sent me of her chiminea: Jenny received this chiminea as a gift, but she isn’t allowed to light a fire on her balcony because it has an overhang and a chiminea with a fire in it would pose a safety risk. Instead she filled the hearth with string lights (she used…

• Vlog 3: Review of P. Allen Smith’s Container Gardening Deck

  Fern

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  I recently received a review copy of P. Allen Smith’s Container Gardens Deck. In order to test it out and see whether I would recommend the deck to other people, I took one of the cards with me to the nursery and used it to create a container design: As you can see, I think the cards are a pretty good idea. It’s easy to stick the card you want to use in your purse or back pocket and take it with you to the nursery. And with the diagram that clearly shows where to place each plant, it is equally easy to create the pot pictured on the front of the card. All in all, I think these…

• 5 Tips for a Low-Maintenance Balcony Garden That Doesn’t Look Like It

  Fern

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  Shoot for Simplicity – Don’t pick fancy pots, each one in a different color. Find a container that has clean lines and is not visually distracting. Buy it. Buy several. In different sizes. Repeat a Good Thing – Plan on using only a handful of plants that are well suited to your climate and the conditions on your balcony. Ones that aren’t too fussy. Just because you’re only using a few plants doesn’t mean that your balcony has to be boring. Use them in different ways and in different combinations. A plant that is potted up all by itself in one pot can be…

• Ladybugs! Everywhere, There’s Ladybugs…

  Fern

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:55 am

  If you’ve ever needed proof that releasing ladybugs at night greatly improves the odds that they’ll stick around, here it is. I bought these ladybugs last Thursday and released them at night. I would have been happy if half of them were still there 24 hours later. The cool weather we’ve had during the day greatly increased the number that have stayed on my patio. Every plant on my patio is covered in ladybugs. And there are only a few aphids left, but I saw the pack of ladybugs busily working on the last of them, so I’m pretty sure they’re all gone now. If…