North Coast Gardening Blog

Gardening Article: Pros and Cons of Raised Bed Gardening

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

There’s no better way for a gardener to deal with poor soil conditions than to plant a raised bed garden. If you aren’t gardening on rocky or hard soil, you may be wondering if a raised bed garden would be ideal for you. The answer is complicated. There are both pros and cons to raised bed gardening. Let’s explore them.

Pros:
• Raised beds start getting warm earlier in the spring, which means you can start planting earlier in the year.
• The soil in raised beds is less likely to get compacted.
• If you know you’ll be planting certain types of plants in your raised bed garden, you can easily lay down the ideal kind of soil for those plants.
• You have the option to put wire mesh down on the bottom of your raised bed garden. This will help keep away certain pests.
• If you have back problems, raised bed gardening can be easier on your back, since you don’t have to lean down as much to reach the garden. In fact, you can make a raised bed garden as tall as you like to meet your physical needs.

Cons:
• You have less space to work with if you’re gardening in a raised bed. This means you have to be careful with how you space out your plants. If there isn’t enough room for all of the plants in the bed, the growth of the plants can be stunted.
• The cost to install a raised bed garden can be pretty high, when you consider how relatively inexpensive gardening usually is.
• If the soil on your property is good for planting, there’s really not much of a need for raised bed gardening.

Raised bed gardens are usually considered an attractive asset to a home, and many plants can thrive in them. However, if you have good soil to begin with, you might want to consider saving some money and skipping the raised bed garden.

About the Author: Lisa is a guest content creator who enjoys writing about interior design, landscaping, gardening and trends in the Boston storage industry.

Gardening Article: Gardening Tools For Everyday Gardening

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Article Copyright North Coast Gardening Blog

Gardening is an activity that uses physical abilities as well as design abilities to create a garden. Some tools will be used all year long while different tools may be needed during certain seasons of the year. Gardening requires sturdy tools to use in order to achieve a healthy garden. Gardeners must use a wide variety of tools to maintain the health of a garden. This list provides you with the most important and common gardening tools you will need for your garden.

GARDENING TOOLS

Basics Gardening Items

• Garden tools basket or apron
Carry your tools where you go in the garden

• Garden hoses
Use to water your garden or set up soaker hoses at the base of your plants

• Knee cushion
Provides support to knees when kneeling to plant

• Watering can
Hand held handle style carrying container to water plants

• Watering wand
Long poled wand attachment to hoses to water your garden

• Planting soil
Soil used to add to the garden when planting or transplanting plants

• Garden mulch
Addition of top layer mulch made of bark, recycled paper, cocoa shells, sea shells or stone to cool the surface below the plant, deter weeds growing, and keep moisture at roots of the plant intact

• Plant markers
Add plant markers in front of plants to identify the type of plant in your garden

• Plant supports
Use metal and wood supports to hold up tall plants in garden beds

• Wheelbarrow
Cart potting soil, mulch bricks, and other building items to areas of the garden

Garden Hand Digging Tools

• Gardening gloves planting
Lighter weight gloves used to dig and plant plants

• Gardening gloves pruning
Heavy duty gloves of thicker material used when pruning sharp or tough plant, shrub or tree material

• Garden trowels
Hand held shovels in varying sizes used to dig into small areas of dirt to plant or transplant plants or dig up weeds

• Bulb planter or dibble
Used to dig into the dirt to plant bulbs, bulb planter cuts rounded area of dirt, dibble is pointy in shape for smaller bulbs or seeds

Garden Pruning Tools

• Hand pruner
Small hand held pruner to prune plants

• Loppers
Long armed pruner to prune plants

• Pole trimmer
Long armed pruner used to prune tall trees and vines

Garden Digging Tools

• Garden fork
Long handled pronged fork used for loosing soil and to dig up weeds

• Square-nosed shovel
Square shaped edge shovel used for lifting or transferring materials

• Round-nosed shovel
Round shaped edge shovel used to dig up areas of dirt to plant or transplant plants or dig up weeds

• Pitchfork
Used to lift and loosen soil, leaves, manure, and other materials

• Hand-held hoe
Use for pulling up weeds from the garden and loosening soil

• Long-handled hoe
Long handle version use for pulling up weeds from the garden and loosening soil

Tips
Carry your tools in a portable gardening basket or gardening apron
Clean your gardening tools with water, oil tools if needed and dry them with a towel after every use
Store your tools in a locked dry area such as a storage shed or garage

Image courtesy of news.tn.gov

Gardening Article: Growing Onions In The Garden

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Onions are one of the first vegetables to be planted in the spring. Onion sprigs start showing up at feed stores and garden centers as soon as the soil is warm enough to work. Growing onions isn’t rocket science, but there are a few things you need to consider in order to grow the best onions possible.

Onions fall into three main groups depending on the amount of daylight they receive each day. Long day onions grow best in the North, where the summer day is long and they get 14-16 hours of sun. Short day onions grow best in the South, where shorter days mean only 11-12 hours of sunlight. Medium day onions grow best in the middle of the country, with 12-13 hours of sunlight a day. If you plant the wrong type of onion for your area, you won’t get a very good crop. Fortunately, most places that sell onion sprigs sell the correct ones for the area.

Since onions are the roots of the plant, it is important to have good, loose soil for them to grow in. Ideally, you would till the soil to a depth of six inches and work in three inches of compost. The compost both adds nutrients to the soil and breaks it up, allowing air and more room for the root hairs to grow. The more root hairs, the more nutrients can make their way into the plant.

Not everyone can prepare their vegetable bed this way, however. Dig up or till the soil as deeply as you can. Spread two to three pounds of a balanced fertilizer per 100 feet of row over the soil, then rake it in.
To plant your onion sprigs, dig a trench right down the middle of the row. It needs to be about two inches deep and very narrow. Lay the onion sprigs in the trench with the root side down. Space them about an inch apart. Carefully fill in the trench, firming the soil just enough to make the sprigs stand upright. Don’t compact the soil too much, or all your tilling will be wasted.

Onions should be watered slowly and deeply to promote the growth of the roots. An inch of water delivered all at once weekly or twice a week does this. Drip irrigation is ideal, but a soaker hose will work. Onions that do not get enough water not only fail to grow well, but taste very strong and are not very good to eat.
Onions should be fertilized with a half cup of fertilizer side dressed along each ten feet of row. This should be done when the onions have five or six leaves. Be sure to water the fertilizer in so the onions can use it.
As the onions grow, they will need to be thinned. Start by picking every other one when they begin to crowd each other. The small onions you pick are very good on salads. Each time the onions in your row get big enough to start crowding one another, pick every other one to thin. The entire onion crop should be harvested when they are 3 inches or so across. Any bigger and they get too strong tasting.

Image courtesy of darfu4b.da.gov.ph.

Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. is a master gardener, member of the Garden Writer’s Association, photographer, and woodworker. She writes on almost any nonfiction topic and has had some unusual experiences that contribute to that ability. Getting pooped on by a rattlesnake probably ranks tops there.

Gardening Article: Making Your Lawn And Garden Sale Ready

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

You only have one chance to make a first impression. This is true for buildings as well. Curb appeal is extremely important. If you have a property for sale, think of interactions with potential buyers as interviews with your property. The building needs to have a good resume (history of additions, repairs, damage, etc.), a solid cover letter (staged so that buyers can see themselves in it) and a confident, effective first impression. The curb appeal of your building is the interview equivalent of a nice suit and firm handshake. Curb appeal starts with your lawn. Follow these tips to make your lawn and garden sale ready.

1) Mow and edge your lawn regularly. If you can't keep up with your grass then hire a lawn service. Potential buyers will be driving by at all times; don't let the lawn get out of control.

2) Clean-up all leaves and yard debris. Grass clippings, fruit and trash all need to go.

3) Trim the trees and shrubs of your property. This doesn't need to be done nearly as often as lawn mowing. Don't think that you need to carve everything into tight cookie cutter space—you can let your plants look natural, but they should also appear tame.

4) Plant Flowers. There are plants appropriate for every time of the year. Having seasonal flowers shows you keep up with lawn maintenance. Window boxes also add a "homey" touch that instantly makes visitors think they're in a good neighborhood with "nice" families and good businesses.

5) Eliminate weeds and signs of weed growth from your lawn.

6) Clean sideways and pathways. This is especially true in the winter. Do NOT let your property get an icy walkway. If someone has trouble accessing the property then they will instantly have a bad impression of your home or business.

7) Clean your gutters and eaves. The building should look like it has been given meticulous care for years. Don't let overflowing gutters get in the way of a sale.

8) Make sure the paint on the exterior is fresh. Chipped, dingy or peeling paint makes a building look shabby. Consider completely repainting trim or railings. A fresh coat of paint makes a great impression.

9) A wise buyer should be thinking about the property year-round. If it's spring then have a picture of your building in the winter, summer and fall. Show them its appeal holds up.

10) Dress your garden like you would the inside of a home or business. Add patio furniture or picnic tables. Buyers should be able to envision themselves enjoying your property.

Image courtesy of homefinder.com

About the author: Kristine spends her winters escaping the cold to bake and craft. Not alone in her hibernation, Kristine has a dachshund puppy that makes excellent company.

Gardening Article: The History Of English Allotments

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

For 27 years or so I have been an active gardener and I wouldn’t turn back the clock one single day. I love being outside in the fresh air growing an aesthetic garden for the family to enjoy and tending to my crops on the allotment, whilst having some good old banter with the old boys. However, I realised I don’t know half as much about the history of allotments than I thought I did and so I took it upon myself to find out.

On my journey to discovery I was pleasantly surprised to find out allotments date back 1,000 years to the Saxon times. However, it’s the St Ann’s Allotments in Nottingham that have the richest history and are still used. This set of allotments that reach 75 acres have been used by residents for over 600 years and has now been listed as a grade II listed site.

Reading deeper into the history of allotments, I found they had been seen as a form of wealth; during the reformation in the 1540’s plots of land that has once belonged to the church were given to lords. During Queen Elizabeth I’s reign the poor were not allowed to be seen to have more land than the lords and so the land they used to raise cattle and grow vegetables to feed families was confiscated. However, allotments were provided on the side of cottages.

I was astonished to find that there is a whirlwind history connected to allotments. However, I did find a gap; during the 18^th and 19^th centuries it seems allotments fell off the radar. I’m presuming this was to do with the Industrial Revolution and the construction of towns and cities. It isn’t until the first and second world wars when we hear about the popularity of allotments once again. Due to rationings and poor food supplies people began to grow their own food again. Allotments were used as a survival tool; people were scared food supplies would run low or their rationing book wouldn’t cover what families needed and so decided to grow fruit and veg from seed.

Throughout history allotments have been used to show off wealth and power and as a survival tool, but now becoming self sufficient has come into vogue. We now actively want to do our part for the environment and so the demand for allotment spaces has been steadily increasing. Over recent years we have become concerned with genetic modifications, chemical pollution, contamination of food and our carbon footprint, which could have all played a part in our interest in growing our own.

Allotments are no longer a survival tool they are an accessory we possess to help us maintain a greener way of life. People across the country see an almost romantic side of growing food, giving each seedling attention and love to provide their loved ones with healthy and organic food. So much so, people are now incorporating the allotment life into their gardens, balconies and even inside their homes.

Image courtesy of http://gypsy-willow.hubpages.com/

About the author: Mr. McGregor is a guest writer for Notcutts and offers tips and advice on everything horticultural, from growing your own fruit and vegetables to maintaining the perfect lawn.

Gardening Article: Show Stopper – Jackmanii Clematis

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Guest author Jacqueline from deeprootsathome.com, republished with permission.

Photo above used with permission Susan Bale's Garden from deeprootsathome.com.

Probably my favorite garden flower combination is a hardy David Austin pink climbing rose and the vivid purple Jackmanii clematis ‘Superba’. I am smitten with roses, but combined with a Jackmanii, the rose is even better.

Clematis can grow in any zone in the US, and will provide many, many years of glorious color from June 1 to mid-July and then again in September if you keep them well watered . This wondrous vine grows up to 20 feet when in its optimal environment. It can be used as a shade vine on a south-facing wall in some circumstances.

Big rocks hold cooling and moisture on this south-facing wall

There are some great old standards, but only a dozen or so can compete with the attributes of the Jackmanii… even better yet, ask your nursery to order you a ‘Superba’, a Jackmanii on steroids.

Things to know when planning a site: It needs a fence or trellis that it can grasp, but the foremost rule of thumb is that the roots must remain cool, even during summer’s scorching heat. Using mulch or big rocks helps.

In a stiff wind - just ready to open.

Find a site that has a minimum of 6 hours of sun for best blooming on a fence but place a low growing shrub or several large rocks south/west of the root ball for shade in the hot afternoons. A showy Pinky Winky or Limelight hydrangea goes beautifully with clematis growing above it (see bottom).

It was developed by George Jackman, an Englishman, in the mid 1800’s, and bears his name as a tribute to his work.

Sometimes blooms look a regal purple, sometimes cobalt blue

This particular planting is right outside the sliding door off the kitchen, so I can see it all summer into fall when I work at the sink. It is such a treat to watch the flowers sway in the wind.

I love the romance of a well-placed arbor. Flanked by some evergreen shrubs, you can allow climbing roses and clematis to intertwine (perhaps planting one on either side). The effect is stunning, and it is rather low maintenance once established.

Note how the clematis is mainly leafy stems until about 3′ up the arbor. The top flares out at this point to clamber up and over. You can place a shrub at the base to keep the roots cool or place the vine on the north or east side. It will reach for the sun, but its feet will be in shade.

Another good use is on an arbor. It will go over the top!

Last thought: you may want to use a green Velcro tape to help the vine up in the spring. Sometimes the tops are so heavy with buds and they twine together that this aid is just the thing! I look forward to getting out of the house to ‘play’ with my plants. They will repay you for that extra care all summer.

Pair with other season-long bloomers.

Found in gardening catalogs and most garden supply stores.

~ Jacqueline

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline.

About the author: Jacqueline writes the inspirational blog deeprootsathome.com, covering organic food and gardening, health, music, and life.

Gardening Article: Planting The Perfect Rock Garden

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Have you been toying with the idea of planting a rock garden? If you have, you'll have quite an exciting challenge ahead of you. It will definitely be a new experience when compared to simple gardening, but very rewarding and the results can be extremely stunning. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work, here is a simple guide for planting a rock garden to help you get started.

Picking Out A Color Scheme

This is a great place to begin. It will help you decide on the type of rocks you want to use and the flowers and plants you need to buy. Every gardening project needs a starting point and picking out a color scheme can help you get the ball rolling with a quick and easy decision.

Where Will You Put It?

Choose a spot that receives a lot of sunshine. You're not going to want to attempt a rock garden combined with shade gardening.

Choosing The Rocks

In most cases you won't have a preset potential rock garden sitting in your back or front yard. If you do, great. If you don't, you'll have to start searching for stones that will match your color scheme and at the same time look like they are part of the yard itself. What you are striving for is a stone setting that looks like the rocks have been set there permanently.

What Type Of Soil Is Best?

Most rock gardens will require a sandy soil since the plants used in a rock garden need excellent drainage. If you have a soil that is more on the clay side you'll need to add some sand. While you're at it, add some compost to it as well.

Purchasing The Plants And Flowers

As mentioned above, you'll want to look for plants and flowers that work well with a lot of drainage. Buying flowers that require the soil to remain wet just isn't going to work.

If you are planning to set up a garden on the outside of the rocks you can look for flowers and plants that match the growing requirements of your lawn. Of course, there is no need to purchase flowers and plants that do well with drainage if they are placed at the bottom of the rock garden around the outside edge of it.

Keeping It Varied Yet Uniform

While you will be looking for plants that meet your color scheme, you'll also want to find some with different heights and textures. This will give you the right variation you need.

You don't, however, want to overdo things by getting too many different types of flowers and plants. In order to keep your rock garden looking uniform, only buy a few plant types and flowers.

Getting The Correct Foliage

Plan to spend a good amount of time picking out the foliage you want. Remember that your flowers will bloom at certain times of the year while the foliage will remain constant. This is going to be the backbone of your garden.

Setting Up Your Rock Garden

The best way to start setting up your garden is to plant something first and then arrange the rocks around it. It is a lot easier to move the rocks around than it is to constantly replant to create the desired effect. You'll simply continue to plant and rearrange rocks until you can stand back and look at your garden with pride and honor.

Adding Mulch

The last step is to add your mulch. The best thing to use is small colored stones that match your color scheme.

Dressing It Up

Some people choose to use realistic silk flowers to create an effect. While some true die-hard gardeners consider this to be cheating, it is an option. Realistic silk flowers can be purchased in colors to make a dramatic color statement, especially when the flowers are not in bloom.

If you set up your rock garden properly it can be a very low maintenance proposition once it has been completed. The trick is to pick out the proper plants, flowers and foliage and to not get tempted to purchase other flowers when you are at the flower nursery. Especially if they don't meet your drainage requirements.

About the author: Robert works for silkflowerssarehouse.com, he is a gardener and writer who enjoys writing about flowers and gardening.

The Benefits Of Gardening Infographic

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Pond Blog was kind enough to offer this free infographic for us to help explain the many benefits of gardening. There is some interesting information about exercise, saving money growing plants, the environment, and real estate values. Check it out by clicking on the image for a close up look at the gardening info.

Source by Loch Ness Water Gardens

Gardening Article: 5 Must Have Salad Plants For Your Edible Winter Garden

2011-11-30T08:00:00.001-08:00

We all know that getting a jump on the growing season means starting plants indoors early each spring. Why not spread that excitement throughout the year and sow seeds in fall for an edible winter garden?

Depending on your location November is the perfect time to plant salad crops that will overwinter, providing you with fresh greens all winter long. In maritime or mild climates the plants below can be grown outside. If you happen to be in a place with a little colder temperatures then growing these in a green house or cold frame may be necessary. For best results try germinating seeds inside and transition plants outside once they are a few inches tall.

1. Collards – Collards are often forgotten as a winter type green, especially in the West. Typically cooked, collards have a strong bitter flavor so use them sparingly in fresh salads until you are comfortable with the taste. Many of the “bitter greens” as they are called (kales, endive, escarole etc.) are not widely available in stores and as a result most people are not used to the flavors. Collards are also easy to grow and easy to overwinter.

2. Kale – What can I say other than Kale is awesome! There are many types of kale with a wide variety of leaf shapes, colors and textures. Not only does kale taste great, it will add to the beauty of your edible garden. Kale does very well as an overwintering plant. In fact, some varieties even become sweeter after a frost. Most people only like using the young leaves for salad but I find the mature leaves add much needed texture and flavor to most salads. Mature leaves are also great in soups or baked dishes as they don’t wilt and fall apart like lettuce or spinach would.

3. Maché (a.k.a. corn salad, lamb’s lettuce) – Maché is an incredibly easy plant to grow. It was discovered in cornfields where it was thought to be a weed. This is a low growing plant with very delicate leaves. The growth pattern of maché is neat. Every whorl of leaves are paired and off set by 90 degrees. Maché to me is similar in taste to spinach but has a lighter texture.

4. Peas – While not a green leafy salad plant, peas, especially snow peas are a perfect addition to any green salad. Peas do best in cooler times of the year but are not as cold tolerant as kale or chard so you might find these better suited to growing in a greenhouse. Nonetheless, peas can be grown for winter harvest. Peas are a fast growing plant with harvest between about 55-70 days for most varieties.

5. Swiss Chard – Like kale, there are many varieties of Swiss chard with a range of colors and textures. Most of the difference in color is related to the stalks of chard, some are pure white while others are bright yellow, orange and red. Again, smaller leaves are more suitable for fresh salads while mature leaves and stalks are typically saved for cooked dishes, but the choice is yours.

The great thing about all of the above plants is that the harvest can be prolonged, spread out over weeks or months by taking outer leaves first. In the case of peas, the harvesting will induce production of additional pods in most cases. For more specific growing information on the above plants check out http://ediblegardennw.com/plants.

Plant now and enjoy a bounty of greens for your holiday dinners!

Image courtesy of ediblegardennw.com

About the author: Galen is a gardener who enjoys writing about edible gardening. Read his gardening articles at
http://ediblegardennw.com/articles.

Summer Rains And Steady Garden Plants

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

When it was starting to warm up here in the summer months, we did have some rain (and not just a shower) back.in July. In July it stayed at 60 to mid 60's mostly so far but there is more sun out there in summer than the rest of the year. That weekend we were in the garden mowing, watering, weeding, and trimming up the roses. Later that afternoon we looked out the window and it was raining! It's never rained here in July before, so we were surprised. It still looked like it could rain in the next or two as well, and in fact it did rain again. I found it so strange that it rained in July. This past summer was far from even the slightly warm coastal summer we usually get.

I decided one weekend while we were gardening we needed to re-do the trellis boxes in the front of the house. The plants in the trellis boxes just aren't doing well and the passionflower vines that are growing in there only go half-way up the trellis and hardly bloom at all anymore. There are a couple of dead passionflower vines also in there, and the pink jasmine vines in the trellis boxes are not doing much of anything. We think it's best to dig everything out and start all over with new vines. Wouldn't you know that the pink jasmine vines the previous homeowner planted all over the front and back yards grow like crazy except in the trellis boxes.

I would like to plant purple jackmanni clematis vines in each trellis box. I'm guessing having two different vines would be ideal, something that blooms in early spring then the clematis blooms in summer and fall. I've had no luck planting sweet peas in there but maybe once we clear things out and add new soil and vines the sweet peas would do well in there. I'm going to ask the people at our local nursery for advice in planting vines in the trellis boxes and see what they suggest.

The summer blooming heathers started to bud and flower in July, they really are pretty. I have lithodora, a ground cover that looks like tiny ice plant and has brilliant blue flowers all over it during summer. It really grows well but a gallon container is pretty expensive and they don't carry six packs of this ground cover. I'm going to try and root some of the lithodora to see if I can make more plants from the original plant.

The garnet colored pestemon had gotten huge, it was a good three feet tall and just as wide, covered in dark fuchsia tubular blooms, it's beautiful. My hebe shrub was growing well near the roses after I moved it from the other side of the yard, it's doing better in this spot. Hebe shrubs usually have white flowers but this shrub is rare in that it has purple flowers. The shrub is starting to bloom and looks great against the fence. The blooms are small and remind me of bottle brush blooms.

I have a piece of what I believe is a white Shasta daisy I dug up from a crack in the sidewalk in front of our yard. I planted a few of them and one of the pieces grew in July and produced two white blooms. I hope this plant gets bigger next year. The seeding came from the daisies across the street where they have big bunches of Shasta daisies blooming, so pretty. I hope it grows bigger over time.

The kiwi vines had gotten so big this year they were covering the metal structure and creating a shaded area under them. When you walk by the kiwi vines with their cream colored flowers it smells of kiwi fruit and the fruit hasn't even formed yet. The butterfly bushes were full of blooms, lavender, dark purple, and the dark magenta blooms which are my favorite. They have to have grown a good 12 to 15 feet tall this year.

Gardening Article: Smitten With Roses

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Guest author Jacqueline from deeprootsathome.com, republished with permission.

The pink rose symbolizes femininity, and refinement, grace and gentleness.

The rose’s happy countenance is contagious. They comfort, cheer, and please everyone that they meet. Roses are easy to live with if you choose wisely. The many David Austin English roses are hardy and disease-free, while many of the new hybrids take lots of work. I am thankful for a selection of roses that does not take much pampering… for life has other more pressing needs!

When we moved to our home I put in 3. They are not very expensive (about $20 each) for the joy they give. I must admit I am still finding out about these beauties! There are 3 lessons I am learning:

1. This spring, I forgot that last spring the deer had a feast, chomping away on the new leaves. I had used a ‘smelly’ bar soap (Irish Spring) and found relief for the roses by placing it on the top of the fence posts… all 3 bounced back, finishing last season well. This year, my helpful husband put more soap near the 3 climbers!! The greedy deer must be made to think “Man” is close by even at dawn when they feed! If you don’t have deer, so much the better.

The young opening blossom and the older, more mature one

Wisely 2008 (above and left) is a David Austin rose of exceptional delicacy and charm. It is well suited to growing on a fence or a wall. Extremely tough, it has reliable arching growth up to 5 feet. The flowers are a soft, pure pink and have a slightly cupped rosette up to 3″ across. The substantial fragrance is of raspberry and tea.

2. Also, this spring, I forgot that it is wise to use a systemic rose fertilizer. Oh, how I dislike chemicals!!! But this is the one time I bend the rules on chemicals of any sort. I use a granular formula (Bayer All-In-One Rose and Flower Care) with great care. It fights three problems: it’s an insecticide, an anti-fungal and a fertilizer. It fights from the inside out. So this means no more spraying or combining different chemicals in order to achieve one result. It literally is three-in-one. Please use it responsibly.

3. Roses, when newly planted need 3-4 gallons, (yes, gallons!) of water /day during the hottest part of the summer. I use a 2-gallon watering can twice. Once established, they can use a good deep watering once in a while (if there is a drought), but do not water the leaves!

I want to introduce you Gertrude, or rather the Gertrude Jekyll rose, (below) by David Austin~ she will perfume your yard! Her blossoms are lighter pink around the edges when first opening, but once in full bloom the color is only the deepest pink.

Gertrude Jekyll blossoms after 3 days of rain this spring.

Deep, rich pink ~ a delight to the senses

Her flowers (above) start as perfect little scrolled buds and soon open into the most beautiful, large, rosette-shaped flowers of rich glowing pink. The 8-10 foot growth is upright and vigorous and in every way reliable. The most outstanding characteristic of this lovely rose is its perfectly-balanced Old Rose scent. The garden is suffused with it and carried by the breeze. Gertrude Jekyll was a famous garden designer, who has had a huge effect on the style of English gardens of the 2oth century.

Englishman David Austin who lives in Shropshire has spent the last 50 years perfecting these amazing roses so you and I can grow them, too. He bred them by crossing old roses with newer roses to achieve the superb fragrance, delicacy, and charm of the old-world blooms combined with the repeat flowering characteristics and wide color range of modern roses. Before you decide to plant an English rose, do research it here, and you will be rewarded with a rose that will still be there for your grandchildren. There are some special requirements for planting.

~ Jacqueline

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline.

About the author: Jacqueline writes the inspirational blog deeprootsathome.com, covering organic food and gardening, health, music, and life.

Gardening Article: Top Tips for Fresh Herb Gardening

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Fresh herb gardening isn't anything new. In fact, it has been a very popular hobby for a long time now. After all, herbs have a lot of uses. For one, they can flavor foods, but they can also make homes smell very nice. Aside from that, a lot of them also have medicinal traits and they can even be used in arts and crafts.

Now, if you want to start a garden of your own sometime soon, the first thing you will have to do is pick out the perfect location for it. Fortunately, you wont' need too much space if you want to grow herbs, so you can opt for a simple container garden for them. If you want, you can also put hanging baskets to use to grow cilantro, thyme or oregano instead.

Of course, you need to remember to place your herbs somewhere under the sun that isn't too hot, as well. Ideally, your plants should be able to catch the sun in the morning instead of in the hot afternoon.

Your plants' location should also be convenient to a door or your kitchen. This will ensure that you always remember to water them. The majority of potted plants in today's day and age tend to need daily watering, but make sure you check their seed packaging anyway. After all, overwatering and underwatering are just as bad as one another - remember that.

If you have potted plants, they may not need too much water. Conversely, if it is the rainy season, you won't have to water them unless you go through some sort of dry spell.

Now, although it is true that rain comes with a lot of nutrients, you may still need some additional fertilizer anyway. Loamy soil for potted plants are fortunately very easy to find, so you can fill up your containers with it in no time. If you have a bigger garden, though, you might have more trouble finding soil for it.

If you plan on having a huge garden, then you might want to invest into a guide for beginners. After all, there are a lot of different herbs out there, all of which have their own personal soil preferences.

Unfortunately, herbs generally aren't a huge nutritional source since they are only used in smaller quantities. However, even in smaller quantities, these herbs may come with a lot of health benefits.

A lot of common herbs come with natural anti-inflammatory traits, so adding some herbs to your diet on a daily basis may actually reduce your overall risk for health problems in the future. So, overall, fresh herb gardening will make it much easier for you to take care of your health and enjoy the taste of your food at home. Grow your own today!

About the author: Shaira Lee is a writer that focuses on topics about outdoor furniture and gardening. She also writes topics for Brookside Patio Furniture which specializes in resin wicker patio furniture which can be stored in this recommended Toledo storage facility.

Summer Miniature Dahlias And Anenomes

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

During the summer months here on the north coast it did not get very hot, even for Eureka. I purchased some summer bulbs from the local store at the usual $2.00 price, such a deal but sometimes the bulbs do not come up, the price you pay for cheap bulbs. Among the flower bulbs I purchased were anenome bulbs and some miniature pink dahlia bulbs.

The miniature dahlias were potted up in containers on the patio table, both came up in summer, producing some very sturdy, bright green leaves. One of the dahlia stems that started to come up for flowering was damaged somehow and never produced a flower. The other dahlia bulb grew two flowers successfully. The first which you can see in the photo came out perfectly, very impressive and a beautiful shade of pink, lasting for a number of weeks. The second flower stem produced a flower one third of the size of the first bloom, it did not fare as well and was finished within a week or two. Of course the bulb box states this bulb should produce a large number of flowers. When buying on the cheap for bulbs I am always aware that the bulbs are no doubt much smaller than usual, which is why they can sell for a lower price. As we headed into fall weather in October the two dahlia bulbs still have bright green leaves in each pot and look very healthy. It will be interesting to see when the leaves die back on these hardy plants.

The anenome bulbs were successful this past summer, coming up like clockwork in the container with my hosta and two amaryllis bulbs. It seems like a lot in one pot but amaryllis like close quarters and the hosta grew just fine, in fact as small as the plant was for the second year growing it produced a pretty white flower on a tall stem. I expect the hosta will grow bigger each year. The anenome bulbs are purple and white, with mostly purple flowers emerging on very tall stems. The flowers were really beautiful and quite large, a good three inches wide and tall. The display was impressive and the anenomes blooms were much bigger than the anenomes I grew in Petaluma. Typically anenomes grow the best the first season then the second season the blooms are less and smaller or sometimes they do not bloom a second time. The anenomes I grew in Petaluma kept coming back with smaller blooms and less flowers overall, but they grew for three or four seasons before they gave out. These $2.00 bulbs made me smile during the summer with their brilliant blooms.

Gardening Article: Plant Your Dream Vegetable Garden No Matter How Little Space You Have—Three Tips for Green Thumb Success

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

You don’t need a large, expensive plot of land to grow the vegetable garden you have always wanted. You just need good soil, water, sunshine and getting creative with the space you have. Sound easy enough? It is, with a creative mind, some know-how about which vegetables grow best in small spaces and the patience and care to watch them thrive. Whether you are preparing to grow your first New York City indoor apartment garden or an outdoor one in your studio in Phoenix, here’s what you’ll need for a successful start.

Sunshine

If you want your tomatoes, onions and potatoes to grow in a productive and timely manner, you’ll need to give them about six hours of sunshine every day. Sunlight and the warmth it provides your veggies is important and unfortunately, not always in your control, so it’s important to know which plants need more light than others. Know your vegetables! Are certain varieties of potatoes easier to grow than say, broccoli? Lettuce, carrots, peas and kale can handle some shade while squash, eggplant and tomatoes need to be perched on a sunny backyard space like a patio or balcony for full sun exposure in order to thrive.

Soil, the Perfect Food for Your Precious Plants

Soil is another crucial ingredient to think about before you plant your vegetable garden. Don’t just buy the cheapest soil at the gardening store or you’ll end up with a crop of vegetables that have a hard time growing. Instead, you want a soil that is full of organic matter, crumbly, and drains well (allowing the roots plenty of room to grow and receive nutrients). As you learn more about soil for your gardening efforts, feel free to incorporate organic household material such as coffee grounds, vegetable and fruit waste from the kitchen.

Water

As a general rule of thumb, your vegetable garden will need 1-2 inches of water every week to keep them growing at an optimal level. Depending on which vegetables you are growing, will depend on the type of watering you need to give them. Salad vegetables like lettuce leaves, salad greens and spinach grow well when sprayed rather than watered with a hose. Knowing which plants respond best with each watering type will help you to become a successful gardener, whether this is your first garden or fifth!

Additional Tips for Small Space Gardening

As you begin to shop around for the type of vegetables you are considering growing, make sure to pay attention to the seedlings information. This will tell you how big they will become in their mature state, and how much room on your balcony or backyard you have to give them. Wondering if you can really have a garden inside or outside of your New York City studio apartment? Survey your apartment and find the best patch of sunlight you can, and place your plants here. If you’re dealing with a vertical and narrow space, invest in some window boxes which can hold many vegetables and are narrow enough for even the smallest balcony.

Image courtesy of Boston.com.

About the author: Heather J. writes on behalf of Design55, your source for modern outdoor furniture.

Gardening Article: Be Tickled Pink with Autumn Plugs

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a theme of fashion in this year’s autumn plug plants, and pink is definitely the common denominator. More and more plug plants are blushing their way through a harsh winter and emerging with a rosy glow as the sun comes out to play again in the spring.

If you’d like a garden to make the boys wink, check out the plugs on offer this time of the year to ensure your spring borders are pretty in pink:

There are Bellis, a low growing daisy like flower with vibrant pinks, deep reds and six flowers at least to a plant. Deliciously decadent in hanging baskets, these pretty little pinks brighten up any garden.

The Pansy, a mainstay of tradition is now available in a range of reddish hues giving a deeper warmer feel to their pretty petals in pink. Of course Winter Pansies are one of our favourites, poking through the sow when everything else has gone into hibernation. For a more contemporary twist, try the Pansy Can Can (it really Can), or the Frizzle Sizzle, now there’s some warmth you’ll benefit from come March!

Polyanthus are a must for Primrose lovers, usually sold in a spectrum of colours, the pinks are pipping the others to the post. The plugs generally come with a 6cm leaf ensuring you don’t mistake them for weeds, and they’re always a lovely surprise flowering first as the Snowdrops die off. Very versatile, being able to be planted in pots, baskets, borders, even hedgerows and paddocks, the Polyanthus is the perfect pink.

Stocks or Matthiola range from purple to white with a myriad of pink in-between, releasing a fragrance that is second to none, these generous tall flower heads blow in an evening breeze as they release their scent into your private plot. A personal favourite, stocks will look great at the back of a border and even better in a vase as a centrepiece to the dining table.

We couldn’t mention pinks and fragrance without some favourite Lavender. There are so many varieties that a garden could easily benefit from an abundance of lavender and look amazing all year round. Lavender can be bought in plug plant form, and some can be planted now or taken care of in a greenhouse re-potting as they grow.

Our favourite in this theme is Lavender Rosea, and as the name suggests they form tufty flower heads that compliment any rosy sunset. French lavenders are developing at an alarming rate, and along with the lavender Red Kew Head, there is a new addition in town, lavender Little Bee Rose is bound to look as pretty as a picture in any pink border.

Image courtesy of http://www.lavenderworld.co.uk.

About the author: Sam Goodwill enjoys writing about perennial plants and other great ideas for the garden.

Gardening Article: Winter Color for Your Garden

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is a beautiful time. Trees and gardens are often luscious green and different types of flowers bloom all sorts of wonderful colors. However, as soon as autumn hits these colors disappear almost overnight. Here, we will explore how you can make the best of the colors available to you over the winter season.

Create the Impression of a Full Garden

Keeping healthy topsoil through the summer is advised because it will help you to grow plants in the winter. However, you will be lucky if you can create color throughout your Garden. If you want to give the impression that your garden is full of color in the winter, plant the flowering plants right next to your door. This will offer the impression that your whole garden is full of life. The reality is that it is much better to have ten flowering plants next to one another then spread out all over the garden.

Plants

Of course, the best way to keep your garden looking full of color through winter is to sow plants that you know will be able to survive this period, regardless of the temperature.

Prunus Autumnalis Rosea – this plant will give your garden a nice white and pink color in winter. However, it is not very large, which means that you will only find it suitable in smaller gardens. It might work in larger gardens if you sow it near to your house.

Helleborus Niger – this plant is also known as the Christmas rose, because of its appearance. If you sow this plant in the shade, be ready to have a bloom of white roses with a wonderful yellow centre.

Mahonia japonica Bealei 'Leatherleaf mahonia' – this shrub is green all year round. However, during winter, it will erect yellow flowers, which will look amazing, especially if your garden is covered in a light blanket of snow.

Nandina domestica 'Heavenly Bamboo' – this shrub has leaves that turn a beautiful red in winter, which is an odd color to see at this time.

Chinese Witch Hazel – in autumn, witch hazel is a prominent yellow. Even though it does fade a bit, you will still be able to see the wonderful yellow throughout your garden in December and through to January.

Blue Grass

One of the best plants to keep your garden colorful year round is blue grass (aka Festuca glauca 'Blue Fescue Grass.’) This has a blue/grey foliage that covers your grass throughout the year. Growing roughly 20 cm high, this grass will stick out over a light blanket of snow, which looks simply amazing. Remember, that this height is a maximum and will depend on the quality of your topsoil.

Summary

Sometimes the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere seems like it goes on forever, so much so that some of us start to wonder if spring will ever come. However, by following some of the above steps, your topsoil will reap the rewards. Furthermore, you will have something beautiful to keep an eye on at winter, which will hopefully keep you occupied until summer.

Plant photos courtesy of Wikimedia.org.

About the author: This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Boughton Loam and Turf Management. James is an avid gardener and enjoys writing about his hobby.

Gardening Article: How to Extend The Growing Season for Tomato Plants

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

An interview with tomato gardener Ernie Shivers

What were the main challenges of this tomato growing season?

Ernie: In this area, which is the Greater Atlanta area, the temperatures this summer have been record breaking. We had many days above 90 degrees. So it has been a problem to keep the tomato plants watered enough and looking after them, and picking tomatoes as they ripen. So this has been a challenge. Some of the plant leaves started dying from the bottom and going up the plant. It is mid-September and the tops of the plants are still green, and blooming, and have small tomatoes. It has been a challenging season and I don’t think I have gotten as many tomatoes from my vines as I have in past years. I think the hot weather has been one of the things that has held the growth back. But it has been a good season and so we look forward to going on to the cooler weather now.

What do I do with tomato plants that aren’t bearing fruit or have dried up branches?

Ernie: I would suggest trimming the branches off, if they are not barren; the leaves have turned yellow or brown so I suggest more than likely they are at the bottom of the plant. I would suggest trimming those off but leave the top, if it’s still green like mine and has blooms and small tomatoes on them. I would continue watching after those. If there is any sign of bugs or worms or that sort of thing, I would suggest that you spray maybe with Miracle-Gro which is a good spray for those type of things. Then I think it might be a good idea to sprinkle a little fertilizer around the base, maybe 10-10-10 in small amounts, and rake it in and water it. Then, like I said, remove the dead leaves and branches.

With the weather cool like it is, the vine insects, the worms, have pretty well gone and I don’t think you will have any problem with them at this time. But if you do, then you can spray for them. I would continue watering the plants so that the ground remains moist and the plants have plenty of water to suck up and continue to produce tomatoes.

Do those things help to extend the growing season for the tomato plant?

Ernie: It will. We will be getting into cooler weather very shortly, like in mid-September. So a lot of areas are already cool. Our temperatures are running between 50 at night and 70 in daytime and so I think the plants are alright under those conditions. When the temperatures drop down to the 40s, I would do several things to extend the growing season. I think it would be best to watch for the cooler temperatures and when it is predicted that the temperature will be dropping to the 40s, it is time to protect your tomato plants.

When it gets down to 40 degrees, I would wrap them with a clear plastic, put them all the way around the plant, top to bottom. Leave the top open and tie the plastic so that the cold wind can’t get to the green tomato leaves and plant. Also, you might use a closely woven cloth to wrap around the tomato plant. That will keep the cold wind off the plants.

One other point I want to make is that when the weather gets down to freezing, just before the freeze comes, I would go out and pick all the green tomatoes, those that started to ripen and are big enough to eat, and bring them inside, lay them out and let them continue to ripen inside in your kitchen or even in your basement perhaps.

You mentioned smaller tomatoes. Is that typical when the sunlight begins to diminish?

Ernie: Spring time and early summer is when you get your largest tomatoes. Then the hot weather makes the tomatoes ripen quicker, so they are smaller size in August. They will continue to be small unless you have some special conditions where you can look at your tomato plants other than just normal weather.

You mean like a greenhouse or something?

Ernie: Yeah, greenhouse or something like that. In normal weather conditions they will tend to be medium to smaller sizes. You can pick the tomatoes when the weather gets down and before freezing, and bring the tomatoes in and let them ripen inside, and they will be good.

If it frosts, then it ruins the tomato, doesn’t it?

Ernie: That is right. It freezes the tomato and it will be too watery. They are not much good then.

Image courtesy of eHow.com.

About the author: Ernie’s Homegrown Tomatoes is an online class where Ernie teaches how to grow tomatoes from your own garden at http://www.growtomatoestoday.com.

Gardening Article: Container Herb Gardening

2011-09-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

Guest author Jacqueline from deeprootsathome.com, republished with permission.

Growing annual herbs in a container is one of the simplest and quickest ways to bring edible freshness and maximum flavor to your kitchen. You will need a big planter, preferably the plastic kind which can withstand many seasons in the extremes of weather… also enough good soil to fill it.

In zones 4-5, most herbs, even the perennials (like sage, thyme, chives, oregano, and mint) will get too cold in pots and die over winter.

You may not want to put the money into store-bought plants that won’t overwinter, so put them into a bigger mass of soil – the ground or a protected raised bed to enjoy and use them for years.

I brought the rosemary (above) inside last fall, but the sage in the pot didn’t survive the cold.

But for herbs that live only one year (annuals), you can start them from seed right into a fairly large (so you don’t have to water all the time) container and keep them near the door. These herbs, among others, include basil, dill, cilantro, thyme, and parsley. Place your pot where it will not be in the hot sun after 3-4 PM, ideally getting morning and early afternoon sun only, otherwise they may bake in late July and August. And use mulch once the seedlings grow up a bit.

Start thinking about what you need and appreciate in your kitchen. Sow all of these seed (in separate sections) right into the container once the weather is past your frost-free date.

If you would like to try your hand at basil pesto, you might consider planting a giant leaf basil.

I once planted a cute little globe-shaped Greek basil, but it took forever to harvest the tiny leaves and they were a bit tough.

The mammoth basil gives 25 times more leaf, is tender, and has a true basil flavor that pairs well with tomatoes and mozzarella or feta cheese.

Cilantro is one herb you either love or dislike. It’s indispensable in salsas, Mexican, and middle-Eastern dishes.

It is best grown in the early spring or fall when the weather is cool. Even in the best conditions, it will only last 8-10 weeks before flowering. Once it does flower, it will make seeds which can be harvested as coriander or replanted to grow more cilantro.

Its high mineral and phyto-nutrient profile is quite amazing. Cilantro is commonly used in many heavy metal detoxification programs, but it should be paired with a colon cleanse to effectively get the toxins out of the body.

Dill is a lovely, airy herb, and deserves a place where height is needed for the eye. See it in the top photo above.

It is not uncommon to find tiger swallowtail caterpillars on your dill. This provides a special opportunity to watch the caterpillar with your family as it makes its chrysalis, later opening into the elegant black and yellow butterfly.

The seed can be used for dill pickle-making or on baked fish. The fresh green fronds are wonderful chopped into sour cream with chives and sea salt, then used on baked potatoes or salmon.

Thyme seeds are tiny!

Thyme is a perennial herb that survives winters, even in a container. It takes drought better than most herbs, and it has a pretty, delicate texture that goes nicely with other plants.

It really blends well with lamb, eggs, and tomatoes. It is useful to have in my spice cabinet for soups, stews, and casseroles.

Oh – and try it on the barbeque. Like rosemary just toss the woody stems (minus the leaves) on the coals for a wonderful aromatic blast!

It is fun to dehydrate herbs in the fall and have my own home-grown flavors in the spice cabinet of my kitchen. It makes your home smell wonderful!

All of the herbs above dry well and can be stored for a year or more in a dark, dry place.

This is another little opportunity to teach your daughters the ways of proper growing and storage. With the cost of herbs and spices ever increasing, this is good stewardship in action.

Bon Appétit!

~ Jacqueline

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline.

About the author: Jacqueline writes the inspirational blog deeprootsathome.com, covering organic food and gardening, health, music, and life.

Planting Lilac Seed And Bulbs

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

During the summer I spent some time potting up a few double-layered purple lilac seeds sent to me by someone from my gardening forum. The person providing the seed was happy to share the seeds since the lilacs turned out so beautifully. Since we only have one lilac in lavender I was more than happy to receive the seeds through the mail and thanked the person profusely. Besides the double-layered lilac seeds there are also two other sets of seeds, a purple traditional (no doubt what we have) lilac and a wild white lilac. One of our three lilac trees in the back yard in Petaluma had one branch of white lilac blooms, really pretty. In the coming weeks I will pot up the other lilacs and see what happens.

I planted some blazing star that same day, these little bulbs produce tall wands of purple blooms that look similar to the bloom of bottle brush, only the bloom section is longer than a bottle brush. I had one pot that was dying down from bulbs planted, one set of tulips that did wonderfully in spring, the other rannuculus that did not bloom well with only two tiny flowers and die back soon after. I also had an astilbe. I know I planted the blazing star bulbs later in summer than they should be planted but thought I'd give it a try and see what happens. I planted a box of them in the flower beds in the front yard last year and nothing happened unfortunately. Since these are the two buck bulb deals I get at our local store it's not a huge loss so it is always worth the risk. This way I know which bulbs grow well and which do not, avoiding them the next planting season.

The aneome bulbs I planted in a pot with the hosta on the back deck did very well and sent up plenty of leaves and shortly after sending up flower stems. The blooms are a mix of white and purple, the white are really pretty since I've planted purple aneome bulbs before but never used white. Generally aneome bulbs bloom full size the first year, very reliable for bloom, then grow smaller the second year with smaller blooms. After that point if you are lucky the third season you may see a few small aneome bulbs bloom but by then a new planting of bulbs is a good idea.

I realized repotting my hanging fuchsia baskets is probably a good idea for next summer season. Even though everything is growing relatively well, the dirt is compacted and the fuchsias are not blooming at their best. We replanted most of the baskets with half new soil and an experiment using burlap as the container in the metal baskets, which seems to be working out well so far. The coco fiber linings really don't hold up well after a season or two, particularly with the windy weather here on the north coast, and frankly it's fairly expensive to buy new liners so often. The coco fiber is popular with our wild birds however since they like to pull the fibers when it's time for nest building. The burlap holds up well, next time we'll cut it precisely to fit the baskets, use all new dirt with time released fertilizer in place, and replant the fuchsias. I think the burlap will last much longer than coco fiber, and there is always moss if the burlap doesn't perform well over the next few years.

Geranium Taking Over The Yard

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

When we first move to our home in Eureka there were a few geraniums in pots sitting in the back yard. I prefer geraniums that are scented or different than the traditional geraniums our grandmothers grew. One of the plants had a dark pink flower with burgundy colored markings in the flowers. This geranium seems like the old-fashioned geraniums of yore, but the flower is really beautiful on this plant. The other is a vibrant light pink scented geranium which smells of roses. Both of these plants were small, no more than 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide if that much. I decided it was time to plant these in the ground last fall.

I planted the darker pink flowered geranium on one side of the holly trees, next to the greenhouse. The area tends to get a lot of shade, but I knew these plants are hardy so I went ahead and planted it. The ferns and calla lilies complement the dark pink flowers and wide leaves of the geranium. This summer the dark pink geranium is a good 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide with some flowers, not too many, but still much better than when it was in the pot. The other light pink geranium was planted on the other side of the holly trees, a sunny spot near the corner of the green arbor. Part of the plant was behind the green arbor with a little sticking out from the wall of the arbor. I thought the geranium would do well there. That's an understatement. The picture you see here is showing only a portion of the plant. The pink scented geranium has grown to 4 feet tall and at least 5 to 6 feet wide! This scented geranium loves the sunny location and took off, overtaking the back area of the arbor.

I took a few pieces of the pink scented geranium to try to root in water along with some other plant pieces I'm trying to root. If these pink scented geraniums grow roots I will pot them up and grow them in pots until next spring or summer. I have a few places in the front yard that would be a perfect sunny location for the pink scented geranium. I'm hoping they root well and grow so I can add them to the front yard and watch how big they grow there.

Gardening Article: Choosing a Chiminea as a Centrepiece for your Garden

2011-09-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

If you’re thinking of doing a spot of landscaping, or simply looking for ideas to refresh and revitalise your garden, it’s worth considering setting aside a space for relaxing and entertaining guests. Make it large enough for a few good-quality garden chairs, lay down some decking or paving, and try cordoning it off with decorative fencing or ornamental hedging to create a stunning, relaxing quiet space in the garden.

And when it comes to choosing a centerpiece for your new retreat, it’s worth thinking about whether you want to heat your new outside space. Adding an outdoor heater ensures you can enjoy your garden in the spring and autumn as well, and even late into the summer evenings. One of the major benefits of buying a chiminea is that you and your guests will be able to enjoy the joys of a real fire, and, positioned properly, it will also make a great centrepiece.

Place your chiminea in a central position, make sure the space is large enough to accommodate your chosen model, and arrange a semi-circle of chairs around it (or select an open-bowl chiminea). Remember to leave a sensible gap all around the bowl of the chiminea. Alternatively, if you have a smaller garden or patio space, you could arrange chairs around a firebowl and supply a side-table or two for drinks.

Which sort of chiminea you choose is entirely dependent upon your garden design. Chimineas are available in modern or traditional designs; cast iron chimineas, often available with integral BBQ grills, are more convenient for more frequent use and add traditional style to your garden, whereas steel chimineas are more modern, often cheaper, and a lot lighter if you ever need to move them. You can find chimineas in a variety of colours and finishes, so even if your garden is a riot of colour, you should be able to find a chiminea, perhaps a clay chiminea with a vibrant Mexican-inspired style, which will fit right in. Having access to a real fire in your garden means you can quickly set up an impromptu barbecue or sit around with cups of cocoa and toast marshmallows long into the evening.

Chimineas can also be very environmentally-friendly depending on the fuel you use, and some people believe that the smoke (particularly from aromatic softwoods such as pine or ocote (Montezuma pine)) acts as a natural insect repellent. There are also various brands of very cheap recycled fuel, or you can make your own. There are a variety of log- and briquette- makers on the market which will take a variety of household and garden waste, and the logs can be made in advance and stored in a cool dry place until needed.

Image courtesy of http://www.chimineashop.co.uk.

Laura Phillips is an outdoor living enthusiast and writes for chimineashop.co.uk.

Hebe And Cotoneaster Blooms In Summer

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

The hebe shrub I transplanted from its spot next to the rhododendron last year has established itself well next to the climbing roses and is growing bigger. I'm really pleased with how readily the hebe took to being transplanted and the growth it has shown itself to be a hardy plant. The shrub has grown much bigger since being transplanted, growing faster in this full sun position. The hebe has not only grown bigger but is starting to produce a few purple blooms on the tips of the branches. I'm very excited to see the blooms begin to form and can't wait until the shrub produces more and officially opens its purple blooms.

The cotoneaster shrub has really taken off this year, growing much wider with arching branches, very pretty sitting in front of one of the climbing roses. The cotoneaster this year is filled with white flowers, which means more berries this fall and winter on the branches. It was slow going for quite a while with the cotoneaster but it is looking very good and I'm hoping eventually will be very large and spreading at the base of the climbing roses in the corner against the fence. I have a few heaths and heathers planted in front of the cotoneaster, they are growing very well, especially the heath which is a good two feet wide and foot high, sporting evergreen leaves and covered in magenta color blooms.

The hebe was originally planted between the rhododendron and the pestemon. With the expanse of the pestemon and rhododendron the hebe was getting less sun and less room to grow, hence the transplanting to under the roses. The rhododendron has been growing very slowly but is a little bit bigger every year. The rhododendron has bloomed every year since planting, producing beautiful deep fuchsia pink blooms. The pestemon grew huge within the first season of planting, apparently liking its sunny position in the garden. The pestemon is a good three feet tall and two feet wide, with masses of garnet red tubular blooms hanging off the plant late spring through fall. I've taken a few pieces of the pestemon to root in water since I'd like a few more of these spectacular plants in my garden. I rooted a pestemon from a stem last year but went directly into the ground and the cutting didn't flourish. This time I will plant up the rooted cutting in a few pots and grow the plant bigger before planting it in the garden. The hebe and rhododendron continue to grow slowly as the pestemon grows vigoursly, all three plants have ended up being wonderful additions to my garden.

Gardening Article: Using Plants to Spice Up Your Patio

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

A patio is a wonderful thing to have for entertaining and just enjoying the great outdoors. It creates an inviting space in your backyard to enjoy the outdoors while still being a functional and useful place for many different things. That being said, adding plants and small gardens to your patio will not only spice it up but it will make it even more inviting and engaging to all those who enjoy your patio.

Adding colorful flowering plants is one of the best ways to add intrigue to your patio. Using plants such as these can turn a dull and bland patio space into a beautiful and scenic environment. Some perfect plants to try are geraniums, petunias, daisies and begonias. These will bloom well in the spring and summer and will keep flowering throughout the season. They do well in pots as well as in the ground. Try finding some pots or planters that fit your style and decor tastes and plant some of these beauties in them. Place them in open spaces on your patio such as by the door and outer edges to break up some of the color. If you prefer to plant them in the ground you can find some decorative edging or border such as stones or bricks to create a small flower bed. Either way these plants are sure to spice up your patio.

If you prefer to stick with greenery instead of flowering plants there are some popular choices that do well in an outside environment such as a patio. You could try some ornamental grass or plants such as hostas. These are beautiful plants that will add a splash of green to your patio. They are also relatively easy to maintain and will return every year. Just as with the flowering plants you can plant these in planters or in the ground depending on your preference. The sleek look of ornamental grass or the leafy look of hostas is sure to engage your visitors.

Last but not least there are shrubs and trees that you can add to fill in your space even more. There are some that stay small and some that grow large so it really depends on the space you have available and your planting preferences. Of course most of the larger trees and shrubs do better when planted in the ground but if you decide you want to keep your shrubs small you can dwarf them by planting them in the ground inside the pot. This will keep the shrub or tree small but still allow it to thrive in the ground. Furthermore there are many options available. You can pick from beautiful braided trees with unique trunks or colorful trees such as hibiscus which stay moderately small and create beautiful blooms in the summer. Basic green shrubs are also perfect because you can be creative and trim them into any shape you want adding a touch of your own personal style and taste to your patio.

As you can see adding plants to your patio is the perfect way to spice it up. There are many different choices and many different ways you can create a lively and intriguing patio just by using plants such as flowers, trees, bushes and shrubs. So, if you want to spice it up go ahead and take a look at your local garden store or greenhouse and see what fits into your style.

This article was written by John for Patioshoppers.com, a home and garden store featuring BBQ grills, artificial Christmas trees, and other popular patio decor goods.

Heathers In A Barrel And In The Flower Bed

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last year I set up an old barrel with new dirt and five small heathers to provide some color and evergreen growth outside the dining room window. These heathers are all very different. One has a deep red tinge on the edges of the dark green leaves and grows upright, branching out. Another is very small and grows closer to the ground, with vibrant yellow tips with a salmon color mixed in with the yellow and green leaves. The wider of the plants is a heather with medium green leaves and tips of chocolate brown, with a wide spread and upward growth. The final two heathers are deep green shades that will produce blooms to complement the rest of the heathers. All of these heathers will produce flowers that bloom in pinks and lavenders.

There is some slight growth since last year, but since we hit spring there is a filling out of the leaves and more color on the tips of the shrubs. I paired these heathers with small purple windflowers at the base of the shrubs. These windflowers are very delicate looking and daisy like, opening full when there is a cloudy day or some sun, but the flowers closing up tight when raining. The leaves of the windflowers look similar to chrysanthemum shaped leaves. These windflowers grow so small that the barrel is an ideal place for them to be showcased, hovering below the branches of the colorful leaves of the heather shrubs.

The oldest heathers I have were planted in the large back yard bed, the flower bed that needs to be torn down, this photo is of one of these heathers after a year or two of being planted. I have one other old heather I brought with me from Petaluma that is doing well in the front yard and blooms profusely with pink flowers every summer. The old front yard heather is about a foot wide, whereas the old heathers I planted when we first moved here over four years ago are a good two feet wide and almost as tall. Both of these heathers get creamy colored tips of yellow and orange in spring then blooming follows. At some point I will need to move these two huge heathers into a sunny location, probably in the front yard. It is possible to replant these heathers into the new flower bed in the back but I think this flower bed will actually become an herb bed. I think herbs in the garden are a great match with flowers, they look great and provide green through much of the year, are aromatic, and you can cook with them too. My old heathers really do love the spot they are in since it is one of the sunniest areas on our property. They may just have to join the herb bed or convince me to create a heath and heather bed there instead.

Gardening Article: The Gardener’s Peskiest Pest

2011-08-10T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ah, gardening. For those of us who love to garden, gardening time is prime time. Non-gardeners are sometimes hard-pressed to understand it, but when we’re out in our gardens raking, hoeing, watering, planting and sweating, we’re at our happiest. There’s just something about working close to the earth that is relaxing and restful, no matter how hard we may be toiling physically.

But in the spring and summer months when gardening is at it’s peak, idyllic hours spent in the garden are sometimes ruined by an unwelcome intruder – mosquitoes. Though mosquitoes are no fun for anyone, mosquitoes can be particularly tormenting for gardeners.

After all, most gardening tasks turn us into easy targets for mosquitoes. Planting, hoeing, weeding, or whatever chore we’re doing as we slowly work our way down a row of plants leaves us quite vulnerable to attack as the mosquitoes zero in on the carbon dioxide we exhale.

And isn’t it a special delight when a mosquito alights upon your cheek while your hands are encrusted with soil - or something even less savory? You’re forced to choose between letting the mosquito have its way with you or slapping yourself in the face with your grimy hand!

Mosquitoes Are Deadly Serious Business

Unfortunately, mosquitoes are much more than just simply a nuisance that can spoil your outdoor activities. Mosquitoes are directly responsible for the deaths of millions of people every year. The mosquito spreads diseases such as West Nile virus, various forms of encephalitis, and the most deadly mosquito-borne disease, malaria.

So although mosquitoes may ruin your gardening fun, leaving you a mass of itching welts, consider yourself lucky if that’s all they do to you. Millions of people each year are considerably less fortunate.

You Can Take Back Your Garden…

You don’t allow weeds or any other pests take over your garden; you don’t have to let mosquitoes take over, either. And you also don’t have to resort to smearing smelly mosquito repellents on your skin.

There are a number of modern mosquito control products that are quite effective at either repelling or killing mosquitoes. One such product that is particularly suited for gardeners is called the ThermeCell Mosquito Repellent Appliance.

The ThermaCell is a portable mosquito repellent device that creates a safe-zone from mosquitoes. Whether you clip it to your belt or just place it close to where you’re working, the thermacell will create a safe-zone of 225 square feet (15 feet x 15 feet) in no-wind conditions.

Other modern mosquito control products include traps that use carbon dioxide to lure mosquitoes to their deaths, and set-and-forget sprayers that automatically spray mosquitoes with a natural insecticide.

What About Mosquito Repellent Plants?

For gardeners, what could be a more perfect form of mosquito control than growing plants that repel mosquitoes?

Unfortunately, though, there aren’t any plants that just by their mere presence will repel mosquitoes. Though there are many plants that are hyped as being repellent to mosquitoes, according to experts, growing these plants will have little impact upon the mosquito population in your garden.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are many plants you can grow which do have some mosquito repellent properties when the leaves or stems of the plants are crushed to release the natural oils of the plants.

You can use these plants as a natural repellent applied to your skin, and while they probably won’t be as effective as using DEET, they can help to make you less attractive to mosquitoes. These plants include:

• Ageratum
• Basil
• Beautyberry
• Catnip
• Garlic
• Horsemint
• Lavender
• Lemon grass
• Marigolds
• Onion
• Rosemary

The Worst Garden Pest?

As gardeners, it often seems as if we’re constantly battling one pest or another. Whether it’s invasive weeds, armyworms, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, thrips, or any other of a myriad of gardening pests, it seems there’s always something that wants a piece of what we’re growing.

But the argument could be made that mosquitoes are the very worst of all the pests we face. After all, they don’t simply want a piece of what we’re growing; they want a piece of us!

Image courtesy of eHow.

About the author: Visit the author’s website: mosquito-slap.com, to learn more about the mosquito and the best and most effective mosquito control products and repellents.

Gardening Article: Having Fun in the Summer Garden

2011-08-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally upon us. Really, is there a better way to spend the long lazy days than by growing living things in the rich soil? Few activities provide us with more rewards than gardening. Whether you choose to have a garden bursting with the bright colors of summer flowers or enjoy growing the fixings for a spectacular summer salad, you are nurturing something that will bring joy to anyone who happens to see it or taste it.

Great Choices for a Summer Flower Garden

Depending on where you live, your mileage may vary, but some great blooms to include in your summer garden include:

-- Geranium
-- Marigolds
-- Amaranthus
-- Chrysanthemum
-- Lavender
-- Cosmos
-- Dahlia
-- Iris
-- Freesia
-- Gladiolus

Really, the list goes on and on. Group your plants together and enjoy fragrant bursts of color, or spread them out for a delightful cottage garden effect. Don't feel left out if you live in an apartment -- container gardening is a wonderful way to go and summer flowers are perfect for the slightly harsher environment of a balcony.

Great Choices for a Summer Vegetable Garden

Fewer things give more pleasure than heading out to your garden and selecting your dinner and food never tastes as good as when you grow it yourself. Summer vegetables provide a bounty that not only work well as your salad, but can also help create your main course. Stuffed zucchini is a favorite summer treat! Some excellent summer vegetables to try:

-- Green and wax beans
-- Corn
-- Cucumbers
-- Arugula
-- Bell peppers
-- Tomatoes
-- Zucchini
-- Broccoli
-- Carrots
-- Leeks
-- Snap and snow peas

It's Not Too Late!

Worried that you missed the summer cutoff for planting? Not a big deal at all. You can still enjoy a garden full of flowers and veggies. While growing your plants from seeds probably won't garner you a harvest at this point, you can still get seedlings and fully grown plants from local nurseries. The best part? At this time of the year they are practically giving them away! You will be able to score excellent deals on plants and may be able to have an even bigger garden than you dreamed possible.

Avoid the supermarket gardening departments and head to the local nurseries. They will have great advice on what will grow well in your area, based on the soil and local weather conditions. Check their clearance sections, but don't compromise on quality. If you are planning a container garden, make sure to pick up some high quality potting soil as well.

You can still enjoy a fantastic summer garden. Get out there and get dirty!

Image courtesy of http://www.inthegardenradio.com

About the author: This helpful information was provided by the research team at Fatwallet.com, home of the HP coupon. Find coupons, cash back, deals, and much more at FatWallet.com.

Perennial Sweet Peas Planted and Calla Lilies Trimmed

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent finishing off some trimming in the front yard. The hedge, made of privet and boxwood, but mostly privet, was the target for my husband for the day. He used the hedge trimmer and cut the hedge back quite a bit, filling a few waste containers with the cut privet stems. The hedge was very overgrown since we missed the final trim in fall because the rains started early last year. Now the front yard looks must better with a good line shape on the hedges. My husband also trimmed back some of the passionflower vines on the fence to keep the vines farther away from the rhododendron.

I spent a good deal of my time doing my usual front yard rose trimming I must do every week to two weeks in spring/summer, then hitting the fallen over calla lilies in the back yard. Most of the calla lilies are so tall that they fall over quite easily as come into summer. At this point I don't have the means to purchase the large amount of metal stakes it would take (and it would take a number of them) to hold the calla lilies in place. The tall calla lilies tend to fall onto the lawn and the sidewalk area leading to the gate. For now I cut back the stems close to the ground knowing nothing ever hurts large white calla lilies. I had three areas I needed to clean up and now the back yard looks much tidier.

After all the trimming was completed, I took a pack of perennial sweet peas and planted them under the obelisk in the back yard, in the trellis boxes out front, and next to the trellis holding my clematis vine. I know it is much later than these seeds should have been planted out but I'm taking a chance to see if the perennial sweet pea does better in my yard than traditional sweet peas. The perennial sweet pea has red and purple coloring on the flowers but unfortunately has no sweet scent like the traditional sweet peas. Frankly I'd love it if I have a sweet pea vine that grew well. I had a multi-color sweet pea a few seasons ago that grew so-so on the obelisk, but just didn't do much in terms of flowering. No doubt I need to work at the ground more, making it richer so the sweet peas grow better. This time it's taking a chance with one packet of seed and seeing if there are any decent results with the perennial sweet pea variety. I noticed the three areas where I planted out nasturtium seeds are producing small inch round leaves, finally all the nasturtium seeds are growing and establishing well. I'm pleased to see the nasturtium leaves growing from underneath the climbing roses, near the obelisk, and next to the chair under the green arbor. I can't wait for the nasturtium flowers to open and the vines to produce seeds so I can plant more nasturtium throughout the garden.

Gardening Article: All About Trees

2011-07-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

The right tree adds value to a home and provides generations of pleasure, beauty, and cooling shade. The wrong tree planted in the wrong place causes constant aggravation. Selecting, planting, and caring for the right tree is a simple process so long as basic landscaping rules and practices are followed.

Choose the Right Tree for the Right Place

Before selecting a tree for the home landscape, first think about expectations. Is the primary goal shade or ornamentation? How much maintenance is needed? Some trees, like conifers, arbor vitae, and slow growing shade trees need very little care after the first year. Ornamental trees like flowering cherries, crabs, and weeping trees of all kinds require lots of annual pruning and maintenance.

Buy From a Reputable Nursery or Garden Center

Resist the temptation to dig up a wild tree and bring it home. Wild trees are often poorly shaped and can harbor unwanted pests and diseases. Many parks are protected by laws that prohibit the removal of wild trees. Also, choose a tree for its mature size, not its size in the nursery. If the tag says the tree grows to thirty feet tall and wide, believe it, even it if is much smaller at purchase. In general, fast growing trees like poplars. sugar maples, and willows live shorter lives and create more debris than slow growing trees like oaks, hemlocks, and red maples.

Dig a Thousand Dollar Hole for a Fifty Dollar Tree

Most people dig a hole that is much too shallow when planting a tree. To plant a tree correctly, dig a hole that is at least twice the width and depth of the root ball. Mound loose soil in the bottom of the hole to bring the tree to ground level, then fill in with soil, checking the tree regularly to make sure it is straight. Water immediately and apply a phosphorus-rich root stimulator to give the new tree a strong start.

Water Generously

Trees are vulnerable to drought and sun the first year after planting. Deep weekly watering and a monthly dose of root stimulator help a new tree become securely established. After that first year, most trees can fend for themselves, although ornamental varieties benefit from early spring pruning and systemic insecticide. Most people water trees too little and prune too much and too often, when actually the reverse strategy is better for the tree.

Prune Sparingly

When pruning, read up on the species of tree before touching it. A few trees must be pruned after they flower, but most trees are pruned in the very early spring while the weather is still very cold, before the leaves come out and before buds form. Prune away dead branches first, making clean cuts with a sharp anvil pruner. Do not leave stubs. Remove root suckers and small branches that cross each other next. Go slowly and stand back frequently to check the tree's appearance. Once a branch is cut, it can't be put back.

Plant trees in the early spring or in the fall, care for them well, then enjoy them for a lifetime!

About the author: Provided by the research team at Fatwallet.com, home of HP coupons. FatWallet is a bargain hunting website that provides informational forums, and helps consumers find deals, coupons, cash back, and much more!

Summer Bulbs Are Growing

2011-07-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

I planted a good number of summer bulbs early this spring, including dahlias, babiana, anenomes, ranunculus, and a few varieties of lilies. Sometimes the bulbs I buy at my local store are smaller and less hardy than bulbs I'd buy at a nursery. I've had a few bulbs that failed to grow from past store purchases. At half price I have to take the chance that the bulbs are going to grow. This year it looks like a number of the bulbs are doing well and growing, partly due to my care in where they are being planted this year.

A number of the bulbs I planted are starting to grow as we get closer to summer. My two small pink dahlias that are in pots on the patio table are sending up green shoots, I can't wait to see the plants in bloom. The nasturtium seeds I planted under the climbing roses are starting to send up leaves, and the nasturtium seeds around the obelisk in the back yard are also sending up leaves. Once I get the nasturtiums established in a few areas in the garden I should never need to buy nasturtium seed again because they produce quite a bit of seed. The pot that had a beautiful display of yellow and purple tulips is now growing the ranunculus bulbs I planted in the same pot. The first flower head came up and was quickly covered by black fly, which I easily rinsed off the flower. There is something about the back yard deck that seems to attract small black fly to the plants there. Luckily the flower is still tightly closed, so it is a warning to keep an eye on the ranunculus as they begin to bloom.

The babiana bulbs I planted in the half-moon shaped planter are starting to come up. Babiana produce really pretty flowers in pinks and purples, the shape of the flowers are similar to freesia with a tall, thin stem, wide shapely leaves, and colorful flowers. There are three terra cotta pots with pink and purple allyssum where the babiana bulbs are planted. Plants that are in these small terra cotta pots tend to dry out fast, its harder to get plants established in them so I'm keeping them watered every few days. I'm hoping finally the pots in the half-moon planter look fuller with the bulbs and allyssum in place. The lilies I planted under the green arbor are starting to grow, they have a number of long leaves in layers on either side that are growing up and out, very similar to the leaves of an amaryllis bulb. I'm looking forward to seeing these lilies bloom in summer.

The hosta I bought last year for $2.00 at my local store was potted up in a container on my deck and came up last season, producing a small amount of leaves. Snails love hosta and it is a battle keeping the leaves clear of them in our back yard. The same problem with the leaves is happening this year, plenty of holes and still small leaves, but this year there is a flower stem that has come up from the center with creamy white flowers. I may eventually need to plant this plant out in the garden since the leaves are being eaten anyway, and see if the hosta grows bigger and does better planted in the ground.

Pink Jasmine And Pruning Duties

2011-07-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

We spent time in the garden this past weekend, there was a lot of pruning and mowing that needed to happen. Now that the rains finally seem to be over we are getting a later start on our garden clean up. My husband spent quite a bit of time mowing the front and back lawn, then trimming the edges of each yard. I trimmed back the climbing roses, they like to send up tall shoots into the air that make the roses look uneven during the summer. Every two weeks or so I have to cut back the long stems to make the roses look better. Next I started to trim back the pink jasmine vine surrounding the front porch railing. I haven't kept up as well with this vine and pink jasmine grows wildly during spring and summer, its really meant to be crawling up a tall trellis, not a short porch or on the deck like it is in the back yard. I hand trimmed the vine and tried to cut back some of the runners it sends out. I still have some work to go to really totally clean it up but its in better shape now.

My husband decided it would be easier to use the hedge trimmer on the pink jasmine on the back yard deck, he cut the vines back quite a bit, which really gives us a better view now of the back yard. The front yard hedges have to wait until next week since just cutting back the jasmine vines filled our large garden waste container. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to remove the pink jasmine and replace them with a lower growing plant that is easier managed. I hate to dig up a perfectly good vine so hopefully the hedge trimming will keep the pink jasmine vines in better control during spring and summer.

I noticed the trellis boxes look pretty pathetic with only one passionflower vine each in the boxes. Two of the original passionflower vines died off last year. For whatever reason the two pink jasmine vines in the trellis boxes are not doing nearly as well as they do in the rest of the yard. Generally you have to prune them like crazy because of the rampant growth they produce, but they seem to be growing very slowly in the trellis boxes, even with an addition of fertilizer and new dirt every season. I may try again adding nasturtium seeds to grow and fill out the trellis boxes. I added a few nasturtium seeds last spring and they didn't grow which was surprising, I think it's worth one more try to help fill out the sparse vines in the trellis boxes.

Gardening Article: High Altitude Gardening Tips

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Homes across the States are made more beautiful and serene with gardens. Gardening not only enhances the look of a home; but also gives homeowners a nice hobby to engage in. However, not all gardens are created equal. Each area has unique needs. For instance, homes in Colorado call for different preparation and may not be able to host the same plants as a home on the California Coast. Homes located in high altitude areas may require a bit of studying and preparation in order to produce the lush foliage the gardener is looking for.

A garden in high elevation makes it primed for intense sunlight, low humidity and extreme weather changes. If you live in an area where these conditions are present, don't throw in the towel just yet! Read on to discover some ways to begin and maintain your own garden, even with the unique climate found in high altitude settings.

First and foremost, it is important to understand where your main gardening challenges come from. Many people assume that the temperatures high altitude regions experience in the winter months causes the most problems. But in actuality, the main challenges come from combinations of low humidity, drying winds and physical properties of the soil. There isn't much a gardener can do to change the humidity and winds found in their area, so that leaves you to work with the soil on your property.

The soil present in Colorado, for instance, is heavy clay in most areas, which results in poor aeration that limits root growth, and also limits the plants ability to replenish water loss due to those dry winds. While you might jump to the conclusion that you simply need to water your plants more, this would cause further problems. The thickness of the clay soil mixed with extra amounts of water cuts off oxygen supply to the roots of plants.

One of the best ways to get the garden you really want is to amend the soil before you begin planting. Amending the soil beforehand is far more productive than simply adding fertilizer to the soil already in place. Organic amendments such as compost, peat and manure will breathe life into a new garden. If you plan to grow grass and other perennials, you can amend the soil just once before you set out to grow. For vegetable gardens, you have the opportunity to amend the soil each year.

Amending the soil is very easy. Just mix organic material into the top four to six inches of soil, and also add a two inch layer of organic material over the surface of the soil. Once this is done, you're ready to grow those roses, carrots or other healthy vegetation!

Image courtesy of http://gardenfaerie.blogspot.com.

About the author: Laura W. Jansen is an avid writer who covers many topics related to outdoor living. Gardening, home decorating and outdoor recreation are covered extensively for Boulder CO Real Estate.

Growing Your Garden With Seed Swaps

2011-06-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

If you have a tight garden budget and can't always buy what you want, seed swapping is a great way to expand your plants on the cheap. There are a number of gardening forums that allow seed swaps, generally its as easy as a private message, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE), and you swap seeds for your new seeds. Saving seed from your garden is not only a way to propagate your own plants but trade on what you have, all for the cost of a few stamps.

I ventured into the seed swap section of a gardening forum I visit often and was not only surprised at the ease of the set-up for seed swapping, but that there were a number of gardeners who will give excess seeds and yes, even bulbs, away for free as long as you send a SASE or pay for shipping costs. In my case there were lilac seeds coming available for free in both purple and white. I love everything about lilacs. We had three purple lilacs in Petaluma but there is only one small lilac here at our Eureka home. I've never had a white lilac and thought it would be dandy to grow my own from seed. I let the gardener know I'd be thrilled to receive any color lilac seeds he had available.

I also learned about some Italian Arum bulbs being given away by another gardener, which means paying postage for the package. I haven't heard back yet and it was a few weeks old post so I'm hoping there are still some available. I had a few Italian Arum bulbs in my garden in Petaluma, always loved the leaves and the red berries afterwards. I tried digging up the arum and a Jack-in-the-Pulpit that had beautiful leaves and a dark reddish/brown sphere that came up from the leaves in early spring, unfortunately I could not dig deep enough to get to the bulbs. Very disappointing, especially concerning the Jack-in-the-Pulpit bulb, which would be costly to replace.

I am hoping there are some Italian Arum bulbs still available since it sounded like there were loads of them to give away a few weeks ago. I have a huge amount of Orange Montbretia/Crocosmia bulbs in my garden that were here before I moved in, they are mostly unwanted, although a section in the front yard looks nice every summer. I had the same problem with these bulbs in Petaluma, they spread rapidly and tend to take over the yard. I'm sure some gardeners love them but I find them problematic. Perhaps I can offer some of these bulbs to other gardeners at the forums. I plan on checking into the gardening forum more often to see if there are freebie seeds and bulbs available, and will start saving some seed from my garden for future seed swaps.

Gardening Article: 4 Great Gardening Tips

2011-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Do you find yourself working all spring trying to keep your garden alive just to have it wither away and die? Are you jealous of the large greenhouse nurseries and find yourself wondering how they do it, how they keep thousands of plants alive while you struggle with a few dozen? Here are several garden survival tips that are sure to make your gardening experience much more enjoyable.

1.Pick the right place for your garden. This is a very important step that most people overlook. You MUST make sure that your garden has protection from strong winds. The wind is brutal and can destroy your garden and waste all that hard work you put into it. Also, you want to pick a garden site that has great sun exposure; remember, the sun is plant food! With this criteria in mind try to place the garden as close to your house as you can. You do not want to make it a task just getting to your garden; gardening should be fun!

2.Research the plants! The last thing you want to do is buy a bunch of plants that die within a few days because they are not suitable for your area. Read the plant stakes and labels as well as do some research on the internet and talk to gardening experts in your area. Make sure that the plants can survive in your environment (climate, soil, etc.).

3.Prepare your garden. Doing some hard work in the beginning will make your gardening experience more enjoyable. To prepare your garden be sure to remove all the debris from the top of the soil first. For good results your soil needs to have a balanced mixture of sand, silt, clay and organic material. Most likely you will need to add one or two of these items to your soil, but most likely you do not know which you need. A garden soil test can tell you what your soil is missing. To get your soil tested you need to purchase a soil-testing kit. If you do not know how to get a soil test you can call your Cooperative Extension Service for more information. Once you get your kit, follow the directions precisely so your results will be correct. After you get your results and have studied them, only add the necessary nutrients as too much can cause diseases in your plants.

4.Water your plants! A plant is composed of about 90% of water so obviously you must remember to do this step consistently. However, overwatering can cause the plant roots to rot. The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening when the sun is not as hot and the wind is calmer. An inch of water a week is a general rule for watering plants, but there are many exceptions. The weather, age, and type of the plants are all factors in this so again I stress, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Know what type of plant you have and how much water it needs. Then pay attention to the weather. If the air is extra dry and hot, your plants most likely need extra water.

By following these four tips you will definitely have a more enjoyable gardening experience this year. Happy Gardening!

Image courtesy of http://www.vegetable-garden-planting.com.

About the author: Adam Conner is a Print and Marketing Expert. Make your garden a success by checking out My1Stop.com's nursery supplies for your plant stakes, strip tags, and labels.

Summer Watering And Pruning Time

2011-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

When June hits here on the North Coast generally its time to start watering. Rain is so abundant until June there is no need to water weekly, but the rains stop or turn to a few showers in June and watering become essential to the garden. The container plants come first, hanging fuchsia baskets and pots with plants need a good weekly watering. There is enough fog mist and cool weather (temps run in the low to mid 60's and here and there 70 degrees during summer) that there is little evaporation. Typically baskets and pots need more than a weekly water in hot weather but here it works fine once a week. I water the plants that do not get much water from the automated watering system which hits some flower beds and most of the lawn areas in the front and back yards.

Since I have a number of new heaths and heathers every October from my plant purchases at the heather farm I need to be sure these new heaths and heathers are watered well weekly. Heaths and heathers have delicate roots that need a weekly watering during the first year they are planted in the ground, after a year's time they are drought tolerant. The first year of watering for new heaths and heathers is vitally important. Heaths and heathers also need well draining soil, they do not like to sit in water so good drainage is also essential for successful heath and heather growth.

The other task that began in June is my weekly to bi-weekly trim of the climbing pink roses. I trimmed up the one to two feet tall spurts of growth that come up from the plants to keep the shape of the roses well trimmed. I've learned that these new growths do well when I trim them down as far as they can go to the main branch of the roses, keeping my trimming at every two weeks if successfully done. If only the climbing roses bloomed as much as most rose bushes do, but unfortunately they bloom for about a month's time and then the blooms are gone.

The lawns were mowed and now are in better shape for mowing a few times a month during summer. The hedge trimming is up next, having missed its fall trimming the front yard hedges are sorely in need of some shaping and trimming to make the front yard look better.

Late Planting Of Summer Bulbs

2011-06-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

I finally found the time to finish planting all but one box of my summer bulbs. Its been busy these past few weekends and difficult to find the time or energy for bulb planting but now they are all mostly in the ground ready to grow.

The two small pink dahlias were placed in two flimsy one gallon containers, no chance to buy green plastic pots yet but I'm sure I can easily move them from one pot to the other with little disturbance. The small dahlias already had part of the plant growing up from the tuber, and is sticking out slightly above the dirt in the pots. I am looking forward to seeing these dwarf style dahlias with their brilliant pink flowers with yellow markings bloom this summer.

Next I planted a mix of ten purple and white anenome tubers in a pot with my hosta. The hosta never gets too big, and its replanting in a new pot meant I could move it forward towards the front edge, leaving room in the back for my two Amaryllis bulbs and the addition of the anenomes. The hosta is leafing out and has produced a flower, which it did not do the first year in a pot, no doubt this is an improvement on the health of the hosta overall. Add the anenomes with the hosta seemed like the best place for now for the anenomes, I'm hoping the container will look pretty with the pot so full of blooming plants. I have some small purple anenomes in my heather barrel that look great blooming in spring against the heathers every year, and have grown the full sized anenomes in my garden in Petaluma. The larger anenomes tend to grow back smaller the second year after planting, but are still very pretty when blooming.

The two Siberian iris tubers I had looked quite a bit different from dutch iris tubers and bearded iris tubers, both of which I have grown in my garden. The two purple Siberian iris tubers did not look like they were in good shape and appeared a little dried out. I planted them anyway to see if they would bounce back with a good watering. I planted the Siberian iris on either side of the back porch planters.

I planted some orange and yellow nasturtiums surrounding the obelisk in the back yard, and planted a few more seeds under the green arbor near my chair where a few nasturtiums are already growing. The final bulbs I planted went into my back yard long border, two dahlias (one red with white markings and one in purple), and a purple daylily. I've not grown dahlias before this year, I tried previously in the front yard and the dahlias did not come up. I am hoping any one of the various dahlias I have planted do well in the back yard and in the pots I planted them in. I would guess the dwarf dahlias have the best chance with the vigorous stem growing up from them before I planted them. I really hope the yellow dahlias I planted within the last month come up next to the obelisk, they will look wonderful with the orange and yellow nasturtiums I planted on the raised border there.

Repotting Bulbs and Plants

2011-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I spent some quality time repotting a few plants and adding bulbs to some of those pots, since I currently have a shortage of pots for my garden and pots tend to be extremely expensive. Since the dirt level had lowered quite a bit in the Hostas pot I decided to lift it in its early growth and add more soil, planting it closer to the front of the pot. This particular pot drains well so I added the two red Amaryllis bulbs I have towards the back of the pot. This way after the hosta dies back in fall/winter the Amaryllis will be growing and blooming, ready to flower during the holiday months. The photo shows one of the Amaryllis bulbs in full bloom indoors during the winter. With all this repotting happening I may have a solution to my gardening container problem after all. There are many garage sales in our area during spring and summer, its time for me to check the local garage sales featuring plants and pots so I can build on my collection of usable pots for the garden.

After repotting the mint into the large thyme pot, I used the freed up green pot to plant my new purple Astilbe bulb. The potting up was easy to do with all new soil and the Astilbe bulb already showing growth at the top of the bulb, ready to grow. The mint and thyme pot lives on the wooden bench on the deck as does the new Astilbe plant. Since the pots seemed very wet in soil after the rains I moved the bench and pots to a more direct sun area of the deck where the soil should dry out more readily.

My final job for the day was to add some slow release fertilizer to our potted Christmas tree and move the tree back into the semi-shady area it used to live in. I was hoping the sunnier location would help green up the leaves of the Christmas tree but in fact it didn't help at all, looking worse than usual. Back it went to its original location. I expect with the shadier spot and some fertilizer the green of the tree will look better in the coming months.

Updating Hanging Fuchsia Baskets

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

My hanging fuchsia baskets have worn down in dirt and coco shells, sorely needing to be replanted. We had some burlap fabric we decided to try using to see if it held up better than the coco shell liners, which gave out after a year's time. The replanting of the fuchsia baskets was not a full on pull the fuchsia plants out of the original dirt and replant but required taking the top soil with the plant, then adding the burlap and dirt and placing the old top soil in place. We'll see how this works and if this strategy works or fails. I thought it would be safer to keep some of the original plant in place where the fuchsias are growing in case the burlap layer did not work well.

My husband helped me replant four of the seven hanging baskets with burlap lining and some new dirt, leaving a few hanging baskets to work on in the coming weeks. I placed some slow release fertilizer in the dirt with the fuchsias to help them grow better this summer. The replanting was mostly successful for now. I'm hoping the fuchsias react well to the new dirt and grow well this season since last season it was obvious they needed more soil and some rehab from the minimal flowering going on in summer. If the burlap does not hold up well and the fuchsias do not flower well this summer, I will use moss to line the baskets and redo all the dirt surrounding the plants.

I already did some basic cutting back of the fuchsias in the long back yard flower border. I still need to prune back my other pink fuchsias throughout the front and back yard. Since all plants here on the North Coast are a good month or two behind of flowering in summer compared to the flowering in May for my Petaluma plants, pruning in the next few weeks will be no problem, leaving plenty of time for the fuchsias to grow and flower.

Along with the replanting of the fuchsia baskets I planted some dark pink and purple babiana bulbs in the half moon shaped planter along with the alyssum that is struggling in the little clay pots. Originally I tried some dwarf nasturtiums in the pots but they didn't really take off. After adding the babiana bulbs to the pots I moved the half moon planter out into a full sun area of the deck, thinking that perhaps there was too much filtered shade under the pink jasmine vines where the planter was living. The small terra cotta pots float inside the three holders of the half moon planter and look great, now if only the plants would grow better in them all would be well with my garden world.

Clearing Skies And Summer Bulbs

2011-05-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

Towards the end of April I saw an opportunity to get out in the garden and plant my summer bulbs. I'm recovering from a chest cold so I knew it was now or never what with the North Coast and its continuing rain showers through April and sometimes into May. I planted part of the bulbs I had then had to stop from my cold fatique.

First I took a pack of my nasturtium seeds and threw them on the ground under the roses in the front yard. I am trying a different method of how nasturtium seeds tend to take hold after dropping off the vine to the ground. I covered the seeds in a thin layer of potting soil, letting the natural rains water the seeds in to take root. I am determined to have nasturtiums naturalize in the corner under the climbing roses, we'll see if this method works well and if so, the second pack of nasturtiums will be finding a home soon as well.

Next I planted two Japanese windflowers and two blue echinops in the space between the climbing pink roses and passionflower vines on the fence. These plants are both taller and should make a nice contrast of daisy-like flowers on both the Japanese windflowers with pink with yellow centers and the blue colored echinops. I planted the two tall pink coneflowers in the back of the front flowerbed behind the drooping cherry tree.

My final planting was of two pink spider lilies, the photo is very pretty so I hope they are as lovely as the photo shows them to be. I took a chance and planted the two pink lilies under my green arbor, which has a canvas top. The area is next to my chair and sheltered, with filtered light, which the planting instructions say work for this lily. The bulbs already had quite a bit of tip growth, I'm eager to see how they do in this spot.

I still have a Siberian iris to plant and a few other summer bulbs including a lavender astilbe. Siberian iris like wet areas but I'm not sure where the best place to plant it in my yard since its so rainy here most of the year. My guess is with fog and rainy weather, anywhere in the yard will work here on the North Coast.

I need to buy some more stand alone plastic pots to plant the pink dahlia bulb and the astilbe. I prefer terra cotta or ceramic pots for my plants but it seems all gardening pots are very overpriced at the local stores since we are so far north. It's frustrating, but the green pots at the local nursery will do for the dahlia and astilbe that will be sitting on the patio table. Time to plan a trip to the nursery and stock up on cheaper pots.

Sowing Summer Seeds In The Garden

2011-05-04T08:00:00.001-07:00

April is one of my favourite months to get onto the allotment and start sowing some summer yielding crops. There is an abundance of seeds to choose from to start growing this month, but we all must hurry as the month has nearly come and gone. Luckily we have a couple of days holiday coming up, so I will be getting my hands dirty to provide my family with some great organic home produce.

Over the course of the month I have been working the soil and adding some organic fertilisers to boost the nutrients, so the summer should provide my family and I with some healthy crops. I am planning to grow some lettuce plants, carrots, potatoes, beetroots, peas, peppers and radishes this month, but there is so much more you can grow.

When growing potatoes, I take out a trench to a spade's depth and fork over the bottom, before adding some well-rotted manure or compost. I have found covering the manure with a thin layer of soil and a dusting of fish, blood and bone gives marvellous results. However, it is important you lightly incorporate it into the soil with the fork tines and ensure the manure is not brought to the surface. After your soil preparation is complete sow the potato seeds roughly 12” apart and cover with the soil from the trench, leaving a slight mound. In about three weeks use the rest of the soil to earth up the vegetable as soon as the shoots appear.

Lettuces are a great summer crop to have, ideal if your family loves to have accompanying salads with their meals. Lettuces are so easy to grow, not minding what soil they are grown in, as long as it is well dug and drained and are kept out of direct sunlight. Inter cropping them is a great way to ensure they are kept out of direct sunlight as shelter is provided by the taller plants. Dig out shallow drills half inch deep, 12” apart, sowing three or four seeds every 6”, every three weeks to ensure a continuous supply over the summer months. After 14 days begin to thin them out, leaving approximately 10” between each plant.

When I first started growing, I was a little overwhelmed with the sheer volume of different seeds and crop varieties that I went a little overboard. By doing this I didn't get a great return, so now I have calmed myself down and only grow what is needed and what my family enjoy. I have also learnt not to sow a lot of seeds of the same yield; a couple of years ago I grew a couple of rows of lettuce, having it set in my mind that not a lot will be harvested. However, I was greeted by the opposite and had lettuces growing out of my ears; my neighbours were quite happy opening their front door to me offering the fruits of my labour.

With the weather being as glorious as it is and hoping it will be here to stay for the holiday, I will be down the allotment making the most of it. I have found that having an allotment is also a brilliant way to get the family involved, my son loves to see the seedlings beginning to appear from the earth and is amazed at how a single seed can produce such delicious and appealing food.

Before we know it, May will be coming and yet again we will be heading to the allotment to sow and plant some more crops for the family to indulge themselves in. The next couple of months are going to be very exciting, with many vegetables ready for harvesting and many more to sow.

About the author: Mr McGregor is a guest blogger for popular Garden Centre, Notcutts, who are proud to offer their customers the best products and start up kits to get their own kitchen garden up and running.

Summer Bulbs To Plant and Pruning Spring Shrubs

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was finally a clear weekend with no rain here on the north coast. With this break in the weather my husband and I got out into the garden. His first priority was to mow the front and back lawns since they were so overgrown since the last dry time we were able to mow.

If a plant or shrub seems to be growing well I tend to let it be. I decided this weekend maybe its time to let the butterfly bushes grow as they will. I took some time to prune back part of the butterfly bush sitting against the fence. This butterfly bush tends to grow the tallest and parts of the branches hang over into the neighbor's yard. I trimmed back as much as possible of this magenta butterfly bush until it was cleared out a bit from the fence. I thought about it and decided to let the butterfly bushes grow "as is", with no pruning this year. The butterfly bushes are already a good ten to fifteen feet tall from last year. They are getting so large in the stems its much harder to prune them back. When we first started to visit the Eureka area we spent our vacation time in Ferndale, about ten minutes south of where we are now located. In the middle of Ferndale there is an area between shops where an enormous set of lavender colored butterfly bushes grow. I'm quite sure no one has ever trimmed these back and they flowered every summer we visited while on vacation. This helped me realize it would be worth one season to see if our butterfly bushes flowered as well with or without the annual pruning. As I mentioned the butterfly bushes are so tall and thick that it makes pruning much more difficult. I know they will survive fine without the pruning, this season will tell us if the pruning makes a major difference for bloom as well.

During the rest of my time in the garden I planted a few bulbs. I planted two large dinner plate sized dahlias on either side of the obelisk structure so when they bloom I will be able to see them clearly from the dining room window. The dahlias are a bright yellow with orange/red markings on the inside and edges of the blooms. The plants are supposed to have at minimum eight blooms to each plant. I am hoping they do well in this spot. The dirt has not been changed or added to, which is probably not a bad idea. I will see how the dahlias grow in this spot and then add some new fertilizer and dirt this coming fall after things die back. I also planted some purple brodiaea bulbs to the side of my purple clematis in the front yard near the porch. The clematis has one flower ready to bloom and there are many new green leaves on the stems. The clematis was moved from a pot to the ground fall before last. I am hoping it finally takes off and grows well this season. The brodiaea bulbs multiply easily, this would be a good area to brighten up next to the clematis and lavenders.

There are a number of other bulbs to plant for summer, for now I have to be patient as the rains have begun again on the north coast. It is always fascinating to watch the bright spring growth of bulbs as it keeps raining through April and sometimes even into May in Humboldt County.

Spring Tulips Blooming

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

A number of weeks ago I planted two sets of tulips in my back yard. Both sets are comprised of yellow and deep purple tulips, really a pretty combination. I'm a huge fan of purple and I love how the color yellow helps add spark and highlight to the numerous shades of purples, blues, and pinks in my garden.

The first set of tulips is on either side of my metal obelisk structure in the back yard. Looking from the dining room window I can see this little V shaped section behind the back yard flower bed. Already in this section there are two large areas filled with blooming bluebells that were established long before we moved here. I planted a number of the yellow and purple tulips on either side of the obelisk, they are growing and beginning to color as the bluebells grow inside the area of the obelisk and in front of it. I'm excited to see the bloom coincide so closely together for the established bluebells and the newly planted tulips.

The second set of yellow and purple tulips are in a container placed on the patio table in front of my kitchen window. This set of tulips is growing faster and taller than the tulips near the obelisk. I planted quite a few in the container and they are looking fantastic so far. I also planted a set of multi-colored ranunculus bulbs in the pot for summer blooms. I have never grown ranunculus so I am looking forward to how well they do in the container.

I am thinking of planting the new dahlia bulbs I have next to the obelisk for summer blooms. I tried planting a few dahlias last year in the front yard and had no real luck with them. I will try them in this spot and see if they take off. I am thinking it would be helpful to add some new dirt and fertilizer to that area since the container is doing better than the ground area for the tulips. I've never added anything to this V shaped area and its probably time to try and improve the soil. I guess I'd better get a few more dahlias tonight at the store, three won't be quite enough for planting if I want a good display this summer.

Gardening Article: Beginners Guide: Vegetable Gardening

2011-04-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gardens are a marvelous way to spend time alone, bond as a family, or simply enjoy a home-grown harvest. At first, having a garden may seem daunting, but it's primarily an issue of having the right tools, and not allowing weeds to gain control.

As with any project, there are specific tools that are needed for the job. The first tool needed is the tiller. This may be rented, and its use in digging up the earth for the garden is invaluable. Next on the list is a spade. This handheld shovel assists in planting seedlings and digging up weeds by the roots with very little disturbance of the vegetables‚ roots. Hoes help to shape the rows and are of great assistance in weeding and managing the earth surrounding the plants. A shovel helps with breaking clumps of earth, creating and expanding rows and dealing with larger plants or heavier soil. Gloves are useful for protecting hands from irritants and kneepads can be very soothing to tired knees. (A garden shed may be a useful place to store the majority of these tools and equipment).

When choosing a spot for your garden, look for a fairly large level area with approximately six hours of sunlight. A 10 feet by 16 feet plot near the house, but at some distance from any trees, is excellent. The soil needs to have good drainage and few rocks. If your soil is primarily clay, a bit of sand mixed in when tilling will alleviate the clumping problem. Depending on the richness of the soil, fertilizer may be needed either when tilling, planting, or periodically. A local nursery or farm bureau will be able to guide you to precisely what your soil needs.

When preparing the garden for planting, the plot should be tilled two times before the final frost. Digging out the rows with a shovel and then using a hoe for mounding the soil where the plants are to be planted is tiring, but can be completed in a day. The rows of a garden should be wide enough to easily walk through and kneel to weed or tend to plants without endangering surrounding rows.

Even before the vegetables are planted, there is something else to consider: weeds and pests. How one deals with these will do a lot in determining the ease and enjoyment of gardening. For weeds to be killed before they grow, light must be cut off from soil surrounding the vegetable plants. The most aesthetically pleasing method is mulch. Other alternatives are straw, whether fresh or fertilized from your local farmer, and black weed fabric. Black weed fabric may be used for several years, is extremely effective, and fairly low profile. If one is not intent on organic gardening, pesticides such as Sevin will do much to keep vegetables lovely and unbitten. Some organic methods of handling pests are spreading coffee grounds around plants, planting a few rows of basil or marigold, or using a Spinosad-containing spray.

Five tomato plants, four zucchini plants, six pepper plants, plus a row each of cabbage, bush beans, lettuce or mixed salad greens, pumpkins, corn, onions, carrots, and potatoes should be plenty for the gardener with enough left to store and share. The beginner will most likely find that purchasing seedlings from the local nursery is the most effective and streamlined approach to planting the garden. Later, when experience has emboldened the gardener, seeds may be purchased and started at home under a growth light. Always plant as seed packet or nursery prescribes.

Many find gardening a pleasantly absorbing pastime. Enjoying, sharing, bragging on, and storing the harvest are certainly delightful ways to finish months of time well spent.

Photo courtesy of http://themoderngardener.wordpress.com/.

About the author: Arron Brown is a gardening writer for Tiger Sheds. Tiger Sheds have a blog on their website which is regularly updated with gardening related content. To view more about Tiger Sheds and their gardening resources please visit Tiger Sheds.

A Vision Of The New Flower Bed

2011-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

We have had the tear-down of the back yard flower bed in mind for quite a while. This project was scheduled for winter but early rains kept us from getting into the project. With the cooler days of early spring I am hoping we can get a start on the tear down and see how difficult it will be to clear this area out and start building a new flower bed.

The back flower bed has a V shaped fence that the previous homeowner placed near the back gate. We are hoping the V shaped fence will still be intact when we pull away the stones and dirt piled against it. There is also part of the watering system in the jutted flower bed section that will have to be carefully taken apart to reuse again. My ideas for this new flower bed have changed over the past year, originally I thought flowers and heathers would be a good choice but now with so much sun hitting this area I am thinking a bed full of herbs would be ideal there. Originally there were two rosemary shrubs in the flower bed and both died off after the first two years we were here. It wasn't a case of problems with watering since there is good drainage and the watering system was run weekly during the warmer months. I rooted a piece of the original rosemary shrub and planted it near the kiwi vine structure. It took two years but the shrub is finally growing much bigger and looks healthy.

I would like to design a flat seat area for the new flower bed, something wide enough for us to sit on, say a foot wide wood on top of a three foot tall base to hold the dirt. The local kitties love our back yard, I think the flat seating would be a favorite place for them to sun in the garden. The thought of a new flower bed there is exciting but it will be quite a bit of work and disposal of large rocks that make up the flower bed. The ferns growing out of the side of the flower bed currently will be moved to the back shady flower bed where the car is parked. Having an area of lush ferns in this spot will be a much better use of the ferns and the ferns should look great against the back of the deck. The herbs will decorate the sunny area well, filled with sage, thyme, lavenders, rosemary, and other herbs available from the garden center.

Time To Trim Up The Spring Garden

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

We are heading into April soon and the rains have continued, making it harder to find time to trim up the garden. There is already some rampant growth showing with new bulbs bursting from the ground, the budding of the drooping cherry tree in the front yard, and new leaves on the butterfly bushes in the back yard. Last year we started our pruning of the butterfly bushes about this same time of year. The butterfly bushes have grown so big since we moved here it takes a number of weeks to cut them back and dispose of the branches in the yard waste. Too many branches fill the garden waste, so we averaged one or two butterfly bushes each week. It looks like the rains will keep us from starting earlier in our pruning of the butterfly bushes. I am hoping this coming weekend we can get a start on them, along with a trim of the kiwi vines.

The kiwi vines are still laden with kiwi fruit that once again has not ripened. We are not sure what the difference is from the first year we were here when they ripened to the other three years when the fruit didn't ripen. We have a male and female vine, with only one vine producing fruit every year. This past year we didn't cut back the branches formed last summer and there is no difference. Guess its time to read up on kiwi vines and see what could possibly be wrong with the production of scads of kiwi fruit that never ripen.

While we start our early spring pruning the hedges in the front yard are due for a good trim. I think I will ask my husband to trim them as far down as he can since they missed their fall trim. The rain started earlier than usual and caused problems for us. We did have two to three weeks of dry weather last month, very unusual for this time of year. Unfortunately those weekends were spent buying birthday gifts and other planned outings that needed to happen. Of course the weekend after we were prepared to get out in the garden and the rains began again. It is typical to see rain in the local paper's weather forecast all week long. I am hoping for some clear weather here soon so we can at least give a slight facelift to the ravages of our weary winter garden.

Bulbs For The Summer Garden

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been happy to see the spring and fall bulbs still appearing in our local store after the gardening center closed down. Since there are twice as many boxes of bulbs available at our local store as before its been fun to pick and choose the bulbs I want to plant in my garden from week to week. I'm hoping the bulbs last for another month so I get a good selection to plant for summer flowers. So far I have chosen mostly pink flowering bulbs since they seem to have a glut of that color in the bulbs I want.

The latest bulbs I purchased are two pink coneflowers and a Japanese windflower. I tried coneflowers once before without much success. I will be very careful with the placement of the coneflowers, but they will end up in the front yard near the roses. Sometimes finding just the right place for optimum light and growth is what it takes for a plant to really take hold. Moving my hebe from next to the rhododendron to a wider spacious area under the climbing roses made a difference for the shrub, the additional light and space appear to be what is working best for the hebe shrub, I can't wait to see it flower this year. The Japanese windflower has a bright yellow center that looks great with the pink daisy-like flower. The Japanese windflower will join the coneflowers next to one of the climbing roses. It is a lot of pink for that area, along with the pink flowering heathers at the base of the roses, but variations of one color can look great if you have enough different shades of the color together. These two plants have a darker pink than the roses so these plants should look good together.

Another box of bulbs I purchased are blue echinops, they look similar to tall allium bulbs with their large, rounded flowers. The echinops are very tall and will be placed next to the climbing roses to provide some other color to that area along with the pink flowers in place. I'd like to find some yellows to mix in with the blue of the echinops, the pinks of the various bulbs, heathers and roses, and the purple flower of the hebe shrub.

The dwarf size dahlia bulb will be planted in a pot and placed on the deck table so I can see it flower from the kitchen window. This dahlia is, of course, pink. I guess pink is a very popular color and sells well. I like pink but I'd love to see other colors offered but at half price I shouldn't complain too much. The dahlia flowers have some yellow near the center of the flower, this should be very pretty when blooming. I've planted a few larger dahlias in the garden here and there since we've been on the north coast but none have come up. Maybe its time to study up on what dahlias need to succeed.

Bulbs, Rhododendron Buds and Kiwi Fruit In the Garden

2011-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

The rhododendron is starting to form flower buds for spring. The flowers are the most intense, brilliant fuchsia pink color, really pretty. I have a dwarf rhododendron with light purple flowers that has done poorly in its container this past year. I plan on planting it out near the pink climbing roses and purple hebe shrub. I am hoping it does better in the ground, it has barely put out a few leaves in the last year. It's time to try something new with the shrub and hope it grows better in the ground.

The kiwi vines have a lot of kiwi fruit hanging from the stems now, but none of the fruit is ripe. The kiwi produced ripe fruit the first year we were here and the last few seasons nothing but unripened fruit. I guess the raccoons don't even like the fruit because with it unripe it is too bitter. We haven't seen our raccoon friends for at least a month now. Yesterday there was a hummingbird sitting on top of the metal structure that holds the kiwi vines. The hummingbird's feathered looked very ruffled, with a bright red head glinting as the bird's head darted back and forth. I am trying to plant more plants that the hummingbirds can use as a food source. The hummingbirds like the pink jasmine at times and drink from the passionflowers, pestemon, and thymifolia fuchsias in the front and back yards.

After the garden center closed in our store, I thought most of the gardening items would not be available anymore. I was excited to see the flower bulbs for summer are still in the store but in a different area now. I bought three boxes of $2.00 bulbs, a small pink dahlia, pink coneflowers, and blue echinops. I've had no success with dahlias before, and have never planted coneflowers, and echinops so I am excited to give them a try. I've always loved the look of coneflowers. The coneflowers are tall with large daisy-like flowers. The echinops are tall as well and look similar to large globed allium with a striking blue flower. The small dahlia is going in a pot on the patio table so I can see it from my kitchen window. The dahlia will sit next to the pot of purple and yellow tulips growing in a pot on the table. Next I need to find some yellow and white flowers to add to the front yard to help accent the flowers in blues, purples, and pinks.

Rain and A Quick Trim Of The Garden

2011-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

I managed to catch a day during our unusual sunny winter weather and did a thorough trim of the passionflower vine encroaching on the rhododendron. The snails have been eating away at the rhododendron's leaves, leaving big holes in the deep green leaves. I trimmed back anything that hung over the rhodie so none of the snails would have easy access to the shrub anymore. I guess we'll need to do a good, close trim of the passionflower vines on the front yard fence, unless there is a drastic frost that wilts them back they are hardy and forever growing in every season here on the north coast. I took the rest of my time in the front yard to trim back by hand a few tall hedge pieces just to make the hedge look more uniform. The hedge did not receive its late fall trim because the rains started in earnest earlier than they usually do. The hedge looks a bit tidier now and the rains have started up again on the north coast, buckets of rain that means little time in the garden in the coming weeks but a good watering for my garden. It was strange to water the garden in early February because we hadn't had any rain in three to four weeks. Rain is a constant here in fall, winter and spring. We'll see if we keep having rain through April this year as it does most every year.

The Grosso lavenders in the front yard need to be trimmed back, the empty wands of stems should have been trimmed before now but it was one of the tasks I didn't get around to. The Goodwin Creek Grey lavenders are HUGE, jutting out from their narrow spot below the dining room window over the walkway. I kept myself from trimming them back until now, but I guess its time to do a good sized cut back and hope it doesn't cause problems with their flowering. The Grosso lavenders have numerous beautiful fragrant flowers in a very round form, while the Goodwin Creek Grey lavenders have more sparse but pretty flowers with silver grey leaves that always look good throughout the year. The bees thrive on these four lavenders during the year, especially the Grosso lavender in the front yard. The thymifolia fuchsia is doing well nestled in between the Grosso lavenders, full of deep pink tiny flowers. The fuchsia is getting bigger and I'm hoping it grows as wide and tall as the thymifolia fuchsia in the back yard. So far the front yard thymifolia fuchsia, a cutting from the bigger plant in the back yard, is tall but not so wide yet. It is always refreshing to see the thymifolia fuchsia blooming all year long, a bright spot in the quieter months of the gardening year.

Rhododendrons, Snails and Passionflower Vines

2011-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Wet and cold winter weather leading into spring can bring out the worst part of the garden: snails. We work at eliminating snails every year, but with all the pruning tasks in our large garden often the snails get pushed to the bottom of the list. This year we need to make a concerted effort to pick snails every weekend we are in the garden. All it takes is finding them and dropping them in a bucket with a little water laden with salt. The salt foams them up and dispatches them since normally snails do just fine not drowning then crawling out of the watery bucket.

This year with the odd sunny weeks of rainless weather for the north coast and few frosts the snails have come out in force to attack my rhododendron. The snails have been eating big munches out of the rhodie leaves, luckily the blooms are just starting to round out and nothing is available for them to eat there. Unfortunately the past sunny three weeks have not been spent in the garden but birthday shopping and managing to rest from work exhaustion. We have one more week to do this up and I'm hoping this is the weekend to trim back the passionflower vine enough so the snails cannot easily move over to the rhodie leaves. Planting in that area is a little difficult, so the rhododendron ended up too close to where the border of the passionflower vines billows out. Even in winter, unless there are severe frosts, the passionflower vines grow and stay green and full. Our first winter here was the only time I saw the passionflower vines on the fence in the front yard killed back to the stem. Of course being the hardy vine that it is, not much gets the passionflower down so plan on it surviving well in your garden.

This weekend will be spent trimming back the side of the passionflower vine to move it away from the rhodie as much as possible. Next is the front yard hedge, not too back looking but the top needs trimming of the sparse spokes of shrub here and there as it grows in its uneven way in fall and winter months. With the rains hitting us earlier in October the final hedge trim was missed, thus the ratty looking top of the hedge has to be dealt with on Saturday. If there is any spare energy left between us the kiwi vines could use a good trim back of its long armed vines from the main stems. We're hoping the kiwi fruit are finally ripe enough to make some kiwi jam. with spring on its way the kiwi branches will start leafing out and the fruits will drop and be easier to pick. I can't wait for the kiwi vines to leaf out and bloom again, so beautiful.

Early Spring and North Coast Rains

2011-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

With an excess of sunshine on the usually rainy north coast, plants have decided it must be spring already. I think we are gearing up for more rain starting next week, no doubt battering the new sprouts and bulbs popping up in the bright sunlight. Our winters are full of rain here, generally from October/November through April/May, with heavy rains eventually leveling down to showers in late spring.

The white camellia is putting out big round flower buds, these are the most gorgeous flowers when they bloom, small but sculpted finer than most fancy roses. With rain still coming the blooms can brown and fall off more easily. I'm hoping the buds do not open for a while to give the flowers a chance to bloom and look lovely before the rain batters them. The ferns are still died down next to the camellia, but the calla lilies, as always, are growing tall and steady for an Easter bloom. If you have calla lilies in the garden they are pretty much fool proof for healthy growth and bloom.

My hebe that was transplanted in late fall is doing wonderfully next to the climbing roses, in fact, it looks like it is thriving in this new location with even healthier looking leaves, twice the width and some added growth in height. I hope the shrub will be big enough to bloom this year, I am eager to see this variety's purple blooms in action. The pink heathers I planted below the climbing roses are faring well in their new spots and don't mind the rain or chill of winter at all. Talk about sturdy shrubs! We finally had a freeze or two but the garden looks non the worse for wear. Spring is coming and fighting against the normal north coast rainy weather to take over early in the season.

Maple Trees For The New Year

2011-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last year the city provided homes that wanted them free trees to landscape the sidewalks. Our lot is big enough that we were given three trees. The volunteers came and planted the trees towards the end of last year. My choice was three japanese maples. Apparently there was only one larger japanese maple and two very small japanese maples, small enough that they barely looked like shrub size. Comparing the photos here you can see how much bigger the large japanese maple was to the left compared to the other two trees. Within the first few weeks one of the small japanese maples was dug up and stolen, no doubt at night since we work from home and would notice a commotion out front. In the following weeks other trees were damaged and ruined around town. The other small japanese maple tree was kicked and damaged, possibly enough to kill it, but the stem was not broken in half fortunately. We had already reported what happened with the first tree and now we had to report yet another. Luckily the larger japanese maple was big enough it was not damaged. It is hard to imagine someone bored enough to destroy trees or needy enough to steal a tree from someone else's home but unfortunately it happens.

Our choice was to wait until 2011 and have new japanese maples to replace the smaller two trees, or choose new trees. We chose new trees and decided to have the two japanese maples replaced with three October Glory Maples, and hoped the large japanese maple was big enough to be replanted in another yard and thrive. The trees will be bigger (we wanted smaller trees in front) but in fact the leaves are more colorful, a brilliant red that will be stunning in fall. The thought of having to keep the trees trimmed back so they are smaller was thrown out as we decided let the trees be as big as they want, the more colorful leaves the better. Japanese maples are slow growing, which didn't help when it came to the vandals stealing or damaging our trees. The three October Glory Maples are closer to the large size of the large japanese maple tree and are supposed to be fast growing trees, making stealing them or damaging them more difficult.

Once the October Glory Maples have more time in the ground this spring I will take some photos to track the growth of the trees. The green leaves will turn to red in fall and apparently are late to color for maple trees. There were a few stray red leaves on one of the newly planted maple trees and they were a beautiful color. I am looking forward to the bright colors covering the maple trees when fall season begins this coming year.

A Peek Of Spring Blooms In Winter

2011-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are having a few weeks of sunny but cool weather, strange for the north coast where most of winter and parts of spring are spent in rain. This second week of sun is urging my tulip bulbs to the surface of its green pot situated on the table on our deck. I can see from our kitchen the green leaves coming up about an inch or more from the soil. I planted a number of yellow and dark purple tulips in a pot to see how well they would do in a container and am excited to see them bloom in spring.

The large pink hyacinth that were planted by the previous homeowner years before we moved here are coming up in the long flower bed in the back yard, one of the bulbs fully up from the ground and blooming. The purple dutch iris in the same flower bed have already sent up their stems preparing for the coming spring weather. Crocus leaves are sticking up from the round ceramic pot on the deck, typically the earliest bulbs to fully appear in my garden. This year the pink hyacinth has beaten the crocus for blooming. The bluebells leaves are tall already beneath the obolisk where they slowly naturalize in the ground.

The new bulbs I am most interested in seeing appear in the front yard are the large snowdrops. There is a batch of them in front of each trellis, with blue scilla underplanting them. I am hoping the snowdrops do well here, so little grows in the shade of the trellis since it is large and casts a shadow on part of the winding flowerbeds leading up to the front porch. The winter heathers stand guard throughout the front and back yard, no weather seems to deter them as they wear their winter colored leaves and blooms to dress up the garden.

It is these little glimpses of spring leaves here and there that makes me smile as I walk through my winter garden and see the coming of the new season even in the coldest of winter weather.

Freesia Plant Profiles

2011-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

During the winter months I thought it would be fun to showcase plant profiles of my favorite garden workhorse plants and new plants I'm interested in growing. This week's plant profile is freesia.

Freesia are a wonderful bulb (corm) that is available in vivid colors, producing many fragrant flowers featuring sculpted green leaves on wiry stems. Freesia are natives of South Africa, the care for freesia bulbs is very similiar to how you care for gladiolus bulbs. Freesia flowers open in sequence along the plant stems as they bloom, the same as gladiolus bulbs. Freesia flowers come in shades of Magenta, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Blue, and Lavender, and have a tubuler shape with a sweet fragrance. Freesia bulbs look best planted in larger drifts to showcase their delicate blooms and flower color. Freesias are not hardy, they like full sun, and do best in zones 8 to 10, preferring warm climates. Freesias can be grown indoors in colder climates, providing a great flower display during the winter season. Freesias typically grow from 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall, blooming in early Spring to early Summer. Freesia can be lifted the same as gladiolus and replanted in cold areas, or you may leave the flowers to die back and allow the bulbs to self-seed. Freesia make a great choice for container gardening, paired with other spring and summer flowers.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FreesiaRefracta2.jpg

Racing Against The Rainy Season In The Garden

2011-01-26T08:00:00.002-08:00

When you live on the North Coast in Humboldt County, California, you know to take advantage of any rainless days in fall and winter by heading out to the garden. It has been raining pretty much most days of the week since late October. With my busy schedule I just missed getting out in the garden to do my winter trimming and the rainy season started earlier than usual. Now a few months later we finally have some sun in January, enough time to do some quick trimming and mowing.

The first order of business was mowing the front and back lawns, which were very overgrown since we didn't get a final mowing in before the rains took over. There were heaps of grass piles that needed to be swept up after the mowing was completed, enough to take up a good amount of time for our afternoon's work. I did a quick trim up of the hedge, cutting only the tallest stems of the privet back by hand. Its a pain to do, but overall quicker and easier than doing the full trim with the hedge trimmer for now. We kept the hedge trimmed back well during spring and summer, but just missed the final trim back before the rains began.

I took some time to trim up the front yard heaths and heathers of their dried up flowers to insure they have new blooms for the coming year. Most of my heathers are fall and winter bloomers, with a few spring and summer bloomers mixed in. I was careful not to cut any lower than the last dried flower bloom, if you cut into the center of the hard wood it make take a season or more for the plant to recover and bloom again. The small, delicate curved trimmer my husband gave me as a gift is the perfect tool for trimming up my favorite heather plants, fitting right into the small stems of the heaths and heathers with ease. I managed to trim back most of the plants in the front yard this session, the plants in the back may have to wait until the next sunny weekend.

Pink Blooming Heathers And Hungry Robins

2011-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

During November and December the robins have been picking the holly tree bare of its bright red berries. I'm so glad the trees are huge enough that they produce enough berries for at least three or four weeks of food for the groups of robins that start visiting at the end of October. In December there were still robins here and there picking at a few berries but spending most of their time sunning themselves on branches (when it was sunny between the rain storms of fall and winter) or sitting on top of our Victorian's pointy roof. I walked through the garden before planting my spring bulbs late in December and the cotoneaster plant still had its orange berries, I guess the robins and other birds haven't discovered this little plant yet.

During my late spring bulb planting I walked through the front yard to see how the new heathers were doing, along with my transplanted hebe shrub. It had been weeks since I planted them and it had been raining so much I hadn't been able to go out and see how they were doing. As I suspected the heathers were doing very well, they are so hardy and adapt so well to our garden I really haven't ever lost one here on the north coast. The Kramer's Rote heathers that were newly planted under the pink roses are blooming just like the original Kramer's Rote near the rhododendron. The original heather is covered in every square inch with deep pink flowers with a cream colored edging, just beautiful. The two new small Kramer's Rote heathers are also covered in the same blooms and although small look striking where they are planted. The hebe looks good, in fact very good, nice and green and nestled up next to one of the pink climbing roses.

If the dark fuchsia pestemon cuttings do not grow near the roses I'll need to invest in two new Garnet pestemons to fill that area up along with the hebe. I'm pleased to see the heathers all doing so well, including the heather destined to grow five feet tall, even this heather has a good covering of tiny light pink bell shaped flowers with a dark red edging at the flower tips. I'm eager to see how the plants all grow when spring arrives and growth spurts begin.

Snowdrops Plant Profiles

2011-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

During the winter months I thought it would be fun to showcase plant profiles of my favorite garden workhorse plants and new plants I'm interested in growing. This week's plant profile is snowdrops.

Snowdrops are a little reminder that spring is on its way. This small bulb is great for naturalizing, and works wonderfully under shrubs and trees. Planting snowdrops near the edge of walkways showcases the tiny bulbs. Snowdrops grow from 4-6 inches tall with 1 inch flowers generally in white, sometimes with a tinge of green at the tips. They multiply easily, which make them a great addition to the garden. Plant snowdrops in the fall, it may take two to three years for the bulbs to multiply over time. Snowdrops do best in northern gardens compared to warmer areas, they dislike warm winters, they do not do well in Southern California, Florida or hot climate areas. The bulbs can be left undivided for many years of enjoyment. Snowdrops are not bothered by pests such as rabbits, deer, squirrels or mice making them a great choice for your garden. Snowdrop bulbs can dry out easily so plant them soon after you purchase them.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snowdrops_in_Scotgate_-_geograph.org.uk_-_77314.jpg

Lambs Ear Plant Profiles

2011-01-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

During the winter months I thought it would be fun to showcase plant profiles of my favorite garden workhorse plants and new plants I'm interested in growing. This week's plant profile is Lambs Ear.

Lambs Ear (Stachys byzantina) is an herb, an easy to grow ground cover that is known for the softness and shape of its plant leaves, hence the name Lambs Ear. The plant spreads easily and grows in a thick pattern, perfect for sunny areas on garden banks or in places where not much else will grow. Lambs Ear tends to be invasive in warmer climates, the roots spread easily and the plant may self-seed profusely, so plant carefully. The thick mat that Lambs Ear creates is ideal for areas under shrubs or lining walkways, the plant's leaves are soft, woolly, and downy feeling, making this a great plant for children to enjoy. Lambs Ears require full sun to partial shade for best growth pattern. Most Lambs Ear varieties have green leaves and bloom with tall spikes of pink flowers in late spring/early summer. The Silver Carpet variety does not bloom, but instead sports a lovely silver leaf color, and tends to grow slowly. Lambs Ear prefer full sun and well-drained soil. The plant may need dividing every two to four years, a good covering of mulch helps this low growing plant do its best for the garden.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stachys_byzantina_flowers.jpg

Avoiding Rain While Planting Spring Bulbs

2010-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Since late October the north coast has been inundated with rainy weather. The rainy season started earlier than usual this year, quite unexpectedly. We just missed managing to finish up the trimming of the hedge, lawns, and heather shrubs when the rains hit, and there have been few days that were clear to do yard work. The few days I did have in December were spent on getting ready for Christmas, Christmas shopping, and wrapping gifts. So when there was a break in the weather on a Saturday when the forecast said it would be pouring out, I grabbed my spring bulbs and ran out into the garden. It took a few hours but I managed to plant the bulbs I had that were late in getting into the garden.

I planted two boxes of giant snowdrops near the shady area of the trellis boxes, then underplanted those with scilla. I am hoping both bulbs naturalize and fill in this shadier area since heathers won't be happy planted there. Next I planted the three boxes of alliums I had, one with round blue flowers, and the other boxes of cone shaped dark pink allium blooms. I planted a mix of the two allium bulbs in the flowerbed behind the drooping cherry tree. I have found a number of plants have difficulty thriving in this flowerbed other than my Johnson's Blue geranium, which is huge in this spot, and the heaths and heathers that happily grow there. We had four to five foot tall purple alliums already established in our Petaluma yard when we moved there, not exactly where we wanted them but they certainly did multiply and thrive. I gave in and decided the alliums were a smaller size and so pretty, I'd go for it and plant some in our garden. The rest of the dark pink alliums were planted near the porch where the clematis is planted and my small foxgloves are planted in the corner nearby. If they do well there they will take the space up with the foxgloves and brighten up the corner a bit.

The dirt was very compacted due to all the rains, so I moved to the back yard to try and plant the three boxes of tulips, a mix of yellow and dark purple flowers. I planted eight tulips on either side of the obelisk so I could see the tulips from the dining room window. I added the box of tiny windflowers bulbs into the barrel with the heathers. Having planted some windflowers in the barrel before they make a nice addition surrounding the base of the heathers and the pink and purple flowers should look pretty when they bloom in spring. My final choice was to take the rest of the tulips and plant them in a pot, placing it on top of our glass table out on the deck. I've always planted tulips in the ground other than species tulips, so this should be a fun experiment to see how well they do in a container instead.

I was pleased to finally get my bulbs in the ground and planted, it has been frustrating waiting on the rain to cease. The rains are far from letting up, storms are moving in this week and no doubt as winter begins the rains will continue to water my garden and my new garden bulbs well. Now to wait until there is another lull so I can trim back the heaths and heathers of their spent blooms from this year.

Deer Resistant Plants Part III

2010-12-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Deer in your garden can be a challenge. Deer can decimate a garden when they become frequent hungry visitors. One way to combat this situation is to offer plants that do not appeal to the deer. Often enough a hungry deer will try just about any plant in the garden. This list of plants are known to be rarely eaten by deer, planting plants that are not as appealing to deer may help keep the damage to your garden down.

Here is part three of deer resistant plants for your garden:

Lavender-Cotton/Santolina - Perennial
Leatherleaf Viburnum - Shrub
Lily of the Valley - Groundcover
Marjoram - Herb
Monkshood - Perennial
Mountain Pieris - Perennial
Pampus Grass - Ornamental Grasses
Poppy - Annual
Pot Marigold - Annual
Purple Rock-Cress
Red Pine - Tree
Rose Campion - Perennial
Rosemary - Perennial
Rue Anemone - Perennial
Russian Cypress - Shrub

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deer_eating_tomato_plant.JPG

Deer Resistant Plants Part II

2010-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here is part two of plants rarely damaged by deer, making these a good choice for your garden:

Common Yarrow – Perennial
Corkscrew Willow – Trees
Creeping Wintergreen – Groundcover
English Holly – Shrub
Fall Mums – Perennial
Forget-Me-Not – Annual and Perennial Versions
Fringed Bleeding Heart – Perennial
Golden Bamboo – Ornamental Grass
Grape Hyacinth – Bulb
Heartleaf Bergenia – Perennial
Heliotrope – Annual
Japanese Maple – Tree
Lamb’s Ear – Perennial
Lantana – Perennial
Lavender – Perennials

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deer_eating_tomato_plant.JPG

Deer Resistant Plants Part I

2010-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here is part one of deer resistant plants for your garden:

Angel’s Trumpet – Annual
Annual Vinca – Annual ground cover
Autumn Crocus – Bulb
Barberry – Shrub
Bearberry – Ground cover
Bleeding Heart – Perennial
Blue Fescue – Ornamental grass
Butterfly Bush – Shrub
Cinnamon Fern – Fern
Foxglove – Biennial
Daffodils – Bulbs
Flowering Tobacco/Nicotiana – Annual
Heaths & Heathers – Shrub
Iris – Perennial bulb
Japanese Painted Fern – Fern

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deer_eating_tomato_plant.JPG

Crocus Plant Profiles

2010-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

During the winter months I thought it would be fun to showcase plant profiles of my favorite garden workhorse plants and new plants I'm interested in growing. This week's plant profile is crocus.

Crocus (Crocus vernus) are a welcome sign of early spring, signaling the end of winter. There are some Crocus species that bloom in the fall. Crocus are a wonderful ground cover and perfect bulb placed below taller plants. Crocus are a member of the iris family and a hardy perennial. Crocus grow two to six inches tall, with a width of three to six inches. The cup shaped flowers come in purple, white, yellow, and lavender, some featuring bi-colored blooms. Crocus grow well in drifts, they have a grass like leaf that mixes in well with lawns. When growing crocus in lawns wait until the leaves have died back and nourished the bulb for next season before mowing. Crocus bulbs, or corms, form a new corm on top of the old corm. Small corms (cormels) grow around the base of each corm. Crocus corms produces from one to five blooms from each corm. Crocus naturalize well and can be forced indoors for early bloom during winter. Crocus prefer full sun to partial shade, have good drought tolerance, and like well-drained soil. Dig up and divide Crocus when crowded after the leaves have died back from the corm.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CrocusStpatricks.JPG

Beautyberry Plant Profiles

2010-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri, American beautyberry) is a fast-growing deciduous shrub sporting pale green leaves with tiny lilac flowers during the year, then magenta colored berries develop in late summer. The shrub has attractive leaves which turns yellow in fall, with the shrub eventually dropping its leaves, leaving only the striking cluster of magenta berries on bare branches in late fall. Beautyberry can grow 4 to 8 feet tall and wide. The beautyberry shrub prefer light shade, planting in a protected area from the wind against a fence is a good idea. Staking the shrub as they grow is helpful for sturdy growth, the shrubs can grow up to five feet tall. Water the beautyberry shrub with one inch of water weekly. It will take a growing season or two before new Beautyberry shrubs produce flowers and berries. The Beautyberry shrub may die back in cold areas but will grow back in spring. The Beautyberry shrub needs new growth to grow berries, if you must prune do so only after the shrub has produced berries for the first time. The berries can be eaten by birds, but may be astringent and would be a last choice for a natural food source. American beautyberry is known as a natural insect repellent.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callicarpa_bodinieri_003.JPG

Evergreen Foliage and Garden Structure in Fall and Winter

2010-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

When fall arrives on the north coast, plant growth starts to wane and leaves drop from the drooping cherry, Japanese maples and eventually the curly willow drops its curled leaves. As bleak as late fall and winter can be in a garden, I am always impressed with evergreen plants that stay sturdy and look healthy in the coldest, wettest weather.

The white camellia has deep green leaves that look incredibly healthy as it starts to grow bigger and taller each year. The spring flowering increased on the camellia this past year, wonderful to see, and no doubt it will flower better as it grows as it should grow, with minimal trim back. Every year the pink jasmine vine continues its greenery and blooms throughout every season, even in winter there are less blooms but small white with pink blooms nontheless. The passionflower vines on the fence stay lush and evergreen all year long. Even the first year we were here when a heavy frost killed the leaves down to the woody vine, the vine grew back perfectly beginning in spring, and was lush and full by summer. The heaths and heathers stay evergreen and in fact thrive in the cold weather. The heathers with fall leaf colors of yellow, orange, reds, and bronze are a sight for sore eyes in the dead of winter.

The curly willow and drooping cherry tree may lose their leaves in fall and winter, but their shapely branches provide a beautiful structure to the front garden. The pink roses may have bare leaves, but the hard working rhododendron and azaleas look green and lovely, with some red tints on one of the azaleas burnishing its leaves in fall and winter. The lavenders keep their green and grey leaves looking sturdy, attractive even without their long wands of lavender blooms. Trees, evergreens and colorful leaf foliage are a focal point in my garden giving added interest. These dependable trees and shrubs provide a bit of hope for the coming seasons, comfort within the sturdy structures when little else is standing in the cold days of fall and winter.

Hardworking Plants For The Garden

2010-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Over the years I've used the following plants throughout my garden to add some color and long lived blooms most of the year. They may be common flowers, but lobelia, alyssum, and nasturtiums are hardworking plants perfect for baskets, containers, to line pathways, and to fill in under plants in flower beds.

Lobelia is a great addition to flowerbeds, billowing up and out wide, depending on the type of lobelia purchased. Most containers of lobelia available at garden centers are in the blue tones, some in electric blue, light blue and deep blue tones. There are varieties that cascade, ideal for hanging baskets and container gardening. There are also pastel shades of lobelia in whites and pinks, although I find the blue lobelia a little better for growing and reseeding. Ah reseeding, lobelia does like to reseed, a perfect way to expand your garden plants naturally. Beyond how well they flower, how long they flower and how easy care they are, lobelia are really lovely, fitting right in and making a small statement along pathways and mixed with other plants. Annual lobelia are a good addition to any garden.

Alyssum has a wonderful smell and virtually blooms year long in the right climate. I have had alyssum planted in my Petaluma garden, where it got to be in the 90's to 100 degrees and beyond, and in my coastal Eureka garden where the average temperature is between 55 and 65 degrees all year long. In both places my alyssum has grown with easy abandon, lighting up areas with its white fluffy flower heads. I've found the white alyssum is very dependable when planted, once in place it is in the garden for years to come. I bought some white and purple tinged alyssum to plant in my half moon shaped planter with three terra cotta pots. Nothing has worked well in these pots and I decided if alyssum can't grow happily there, nothing will. I will also plant some alyssum in the top of my metal planter that houses red lilies. The alyssum will help fill the top of the container until summer weather brings up the lily bulbs. Alyssum is always a good choice for underplanting and pathways, and great for edging in hanging baskets and containers, while sharing its sweet smell for lucky passerbys.

Nasturtiums may be considered a common garden vine, but they are one of my favorite all time plants. When I think of gardens and bed and breakfasts I've been to, nasturtiums have been one of the most beautiful parts of the gardens I visited. When nasturtiums really take hold in part of the garden they are lush and full of flowers. I have a few spare vines here and there that are in too shady an area to really get growing. I'm looking forward to the nasturtium seeds I planted back in the corner below my climbing roses to start sprouting and growing. Nasturtiums are colorful and prolific creators of seed. Once established nasturtiums will grow contentedly in your garden where they will fill areas with bright colors and green leaves. Beyond nasturtium vines, there are a number of dwarf nasturtium varieties in colors other than the traditional oranges and yellows. Varieties with varigated leaves, red and burgundy flowers and pastel cream colors are among the many choices for nasturtium lovers

Fall Planting for Heathers

2010-11-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

There was finally a break in the rain this past weekend, with enough time for me to plant the seven heathers we purchased from the annual heath and heather sale. I brought out my small shovel, some extra dirt, and five of the seven heathers to the front yard. I dug up the red rose bush that has been doing very poorly underneath the pink roses. The red rose may put out one or two roses each summer and other than green leaves sits there looking forlorn. I'm not sure if the rose just isn't viable or if its place against the fence wasn't a good choice, but I decided to dig it up and replant it in the back yard near the kiwi vines. Another spot can't hurt, and it can't do much worse there, hopefully better. The red rose was a strange placement under the pink roses and always looked out of place. I was able to dig it up with plenty of dirt surrounding it and replanted it successfully.

The space left by the red rose was taken by the heather that grows up to five feet tall. This heather has pale pink bell flowers with a darker pink edge at the tip of the flowers. It is a beautiful plant and I'm hoping it does well in this spot back towards the fence. On one side of the heather and one of the pink climbing roses, I planted a rooting of my garnet colored pestemon plant, which should look terrific paired with the pinks of the roses and purple flowers of the small lavenders growing there. Next I planted the four ground cover heathers in front of two of the climbing roses, these four plants should fill in the area next to the lawn very well and help keep down weeds. Best of all they produce an abundance of pink blooms that should look fantastic during the fall and winter months.

I decided at that point I might as well dig up the purple hebe and plant it next to one of the climbing roses. The rhododendron and garnet pestemon were crowding out the hebe. I planted the hebe with plenty of breathing room surrounding it and hope it grows even better in its new spot. After planting and replanting plants, I decided I might as well plant the remaining two heathers in the back yard. These heathers are very different, one has pink buds on green branches, while the other has the orange/yellow/bronze colors on its leaves. I planted them both underneath the deck below the pink jasmine. Once I finished all the planting I sat in my chair and could see these heathers easily from the arbor where I spend time enjoying the garden. Planting the heathers was a pretty big job all in all. Next is the planting of the various bulbs I've been buying. I will be getting a late start but hopefully the good weather will hold up through next weekend so the bulbs can finally get in the ground before the rains start up again.

Seasonal Changes In The Coastal Garden

2010-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

As we start our cooler weather in October on the north coast, changes in light, temperature, and blooming begin. When fall and winter arrive I am always grateful for the shrubs and vines that stay green and withstand most of the frosts and weather here.

With fall weather, the heathers sporting colorful leaves start deepening their hues from evergreens and yellows to oranges, reds and bronse, standing out more in the garden as the other flowers begin to fade. The late blooming heathers are a wonderful addition as the months grow colder since so many of them bloom from September to October and even November. The pink jasmine stays green all year long, flowering more during summer, yet, surprisingly has a small amount of white with pink tinged flowers blooming even during the coldest of winter months.

The lithodora ground cover remains green all year long after its blue flowers bloom in summer, as do my azaleas, rhododendron, and the cotoneaster plant, which features orange berries all year long. This gives the garden some color and leaf shape when the rose leaves look sparse, the Johnson's Blue geranium dies back, the garnet pestemon gives up its blooms, the kiwi vines and butterfly bushes are bare, and the other spring and summer plants go dormant.

The passionflower vines on the front yard fence have survived well through most winters here, surprisingly so. Our first year the vines were hit by a very cold winter, with heavy frost and temperatures below the low thirties. The passionflower vines on the fence died back and then quickly recovered in spring, as if the frost did nothing to them that year. Since then I've practiced a hard trim back in early spring, leaving the vines and leaves lush and full from summer over fall and winter, which seems to help protect the vines during colder weather.

The privet hedge is always green, not my favorite hedge but in winter it helps to see the green outline our front yard. Even the curly willow and drooping cherry tree that both drops its leaves by winter have beautiful bare, curled branches that are striking during the cold weather of winter. If only the passionflower vines on the trellis out front would stay leafed out during the colder months, but it seems my garden passionflower vines during winter are only full with green leaves when located against the front yard fence.

Vines Around the Coastal Garden

2010-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I feel fortunate that when we moved into our home three years ago, a number of vines were well established in our front and back yards. The pink jasmine is all over the front and back yards, planted by the previous homeowner. This is a good and a bad thing at times, since the pink jasmine is a high climber when it comes to vines. The trellis in the back yard has pink jasmine crawling up at least eight to ten feet, great for that area but not so great for the short deck area, where the vines billow out and grow aggressively. They look beautiful but so much pruning!

The passionflower vines on the fence are growing like crazy this year, flowering well even though I haven't had as much chance to run the soaker hose along the base of the vines growing against the front yard fence. There are not as many flowers this year because I have not soaked the vines on a regular basis, but the light purple and green flowers still look great draped over the front and the back of the front yard fence. I planted four roots from the green and purple flowering passionflower in the trellis boxes last spring but so far nothing. I hope the roots take hold and the vines grow from these seedlings. I've never dug up and planted a seedling root of passionflower before, so I am hoping by next spring I will see some growth.

I discovered last year that the previous homeowner had planted yet more pink jasmine, this time a plant in each of the front yard trellis boxes. The plants have been doing little growth since we've been here until finally this summer the vines are reaching the top of the trellis and building up in size. Originally after two of the four the dark purple passionflower vines died off I tried to dig up the jasmine vines because I thought they would be too much in terms of pruning in the trellis boxes. The passionflower vines behave themselves fine in the trellis and grow upwards, but I discovered they are shorter lived than I thought they would be. This summer its been pretty bare again like last summer. I planted some sweet pea seeds, added some rich soil and nothing happened. I've always had hit or miss luck with sweet peas, not sure what I am doing wrong, guess its time to study up more on them. With the lack of sweet peas and passionflower seedlings in the trellis boxes I finally realized perhaps because the pink jasmine does best growing tall these vines will do well there after all. When grown to grow tall the pink jasmine vines do not need as much pruning. I also realized the pink jasmine sports flowers and green with burgundy leaves almost all year long here, another benefit for the trellis. I am hoping by next spring I'll see more flowers and vines on the trellis boxes, even if the pink jasmine dominates the trellis, no doubt it will be a beautiful display after all.

R.I.P. Steve the Cat

2010-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Steve the cat had been my faithful companion eighteen years, two months and one week. He left us on Friday, October 8 at 4:00 p.m. I first met Steve at my apartment complex, he was about three months old and hanging out with other stray cats at the bottom of my stairway. I've always had a soft spot for animals, especially kitties, so I put some dry food and water out for the kitties at the top of my stairs. Steve was a Russian Blue, a gorgeous grey, very tall for his age but so young, I worried for him. Steve ate the food regularly at the top of my stairs and unlike the other kitties would take that opportunity to run into my apartment whenever I opened the door for the next few weeks. Steve kept running into my apartment when he got the chance and we bonded. When he ran into my apartment after my friends left that Christmas Eve, I decided he was my Christmas present and I adopted him and named him Steve after a college friend who had passed away. He had a lot of nicknames along the way, including the one I used most, Stevecat.

My favorite memory of Steve is when he sat at the screen door looking out into the garden. I kept him as an indoor cat and he readily accepted the change, since when he was outdoors he was scared to be out there. When I met my future husband a few months later, my husband used a feather on a stick to keep Steve entertained. Steve was a one person cat, but eventually he became very close to my husband as well. Steve enjoyed sitting in the window above our bed, jumping up and scratching the wood as he climbed. We didn't mind so much because he loved looking outside. Steve loved to sit in the doorway with the screendoor opened so he could smell the fresh air and watch the world go by. When we moved up to Eureka, he was fourteen and adjusted well, sitting on a stool at the back door with the screen open so he could look out into our garden. This was a much better view for Steve and he made the most of his time at the back door.

The last six months Steve declined, but with every look he gave you he was still Steve, even up to the last few hours. Steve did a little upside down head turn when he was laying down, so cute, and he managed to do a head turn the day before he passed away. We were both honored to hold him as he died peacefully at home.

We will miss you Stevecat...more than you can ever know. Jump up in the window all you want.

Visiting the Annual Heather Farm Sale

2010-10-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

The annual heather farm sale was this last weekend, and as we have every year since we arrived in Eureka, we went to the sale and selected some great heathers for our garden. The apple tree behind the farm's house is always a welcome sight, thick bent branches hold red apples with yellow markings, birds chirping, and a bird house hangs from a branch. The farm has hills surrounding it with fog rolling over them. The meadow where the heathers are raised has green grass, and plenty of heaths and heathers to view in beds throughout the property. Each four inch and gallon pot were selling for $3 each, a real bargain to say the least. The heather farm owners always puts out a spread of savory and sweet snacks for visitors, some packaged candies for the children who come with their parents, coffee and tea, and there is a table in the meadow so you can sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery as well. The annual heather sale is always a highlight of fall for me here on the north coast.

This time I went to the heather sale with a list and my husband was impressed. As is often the case the plants you buy the year before are not available, and this year was no exception. I don't mind too much because it is always fun to buy different heathers for the yard. There were less heather overall this year and no heaths available, good thing I stocked up on heaths last year. I only found one heather on my list, but was lucky enough to find the one heather I was most anxious to get more of, Kramer's Rote. This is a beautiful low to the ground heather that has delicate evergreen leaves that are covered in cream buds in the fall, opening to a striking fuchsia pink flower. This heather has become a wonderful ground cover mixed in with my lithodora plant, both perfect accents to the rhododendron and pestemon hovering over them. I grabbed two Kramer's Rote to add under the pink roses in the front yard. I found another heather that stated it acted as a thick ground cover, smothering out weeds. This particular heather is also low to the ground and is supposed to have heliotrope colored blooms. I selected two of these to go along with the Kramer's Rote heather, all to line up under the pink roses. The height of these heathers should be no more than six to eight inches high, but both spread out quite a bit when fully grown.

I found two other heathers that I plan to plant under the jasmine at the bottom of the back yard deck. There was a heather that I have grown before in Petaluma, very similar to my yellow/orange/bronze heathers in the front yard. The other heather had a beautiful pink flower and will sit nearby the brightly colored heather, both will be visible from the arbor where I sit to enjoy the garden. The final heather we purchase is an heather that grows 5 feet tall...I've never seen one that grew that tall available at the heather farm. There was one left and I grabbed it, glad we had arrived early for the sale that day. This evergreen heather is going to be planted near the pink climbing roses, it features pale pink flowers edged in a darker pink at the opening of the flowers, really a stunning shrub. I can't wait to see this heather perform in the garden, and am hoping it enjoys the sunny spot I have chosen for it.

Colorful Plants For Fall & Winter

2010-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

When fall and winter months arrive it can be difficult to find plants with blooms or leaf colors to brighten up the garden. I have found a few sturdy plants that always look good in the garden all year long. The temperatures the plants I have chosen have endured survived freezes of 25 degrees to 32 degrees here on the north coast. I have found most of these plants are also heat tolerant as well. Heaths and heathers are the perfect shrub for color combinations in the fall when you choose plants with either colorful leaves or winter blooms. There are many evergreen heaths and heathers available to keep green alive in your garden, they stay evergreen and all heaths and heather shrubs that I know of bloom in a variety of colors, including white, pink, lavender, purple, magenta and burgundy.

Heathers have a number of shrubs that have colorful leaves ideal for fall or winter months. The heathers I have in my coastal garden have yellow, orange, bronze and even purple tinges in the leaves, and the leaves are colorful all year long. Considering some of these shrubs can grow to one to two feet wide and as tall, you can have an impressive array of shrubs that always looks good year round planted in a border or lining pathways through your garden. Heaths and heathers require consistent watering the first year, then they are drought tolerant, although I always water mine weekly. Heaths and heathers need good draining soil for their delicate roots, they do not like to stand in water, contrary to them being thought of as bog plants. Heaths and heathers need at minimum six hours of sunlight for optimum growth. A trim of spent blooms once a year, carefully cutting above the hard wood of the plant will keep them looking shaped and healthy.

Rosemary is a fantastic herb that makes for a great shrub in the garden. Rosemary has done well even in my coastal garden, although ideally rosemary does its best in warm weather climates. Rosemary plants typically are upright shrubs and there are varieties that cascade over the edge of borders. In my experience rosemary always looks good, with glossy evergreen leaves, perfect for culinary uses in the kitchen, and keeps it shape well in the border. During winter months in Petaluma my rosemary bloomed profusely with small blue flowers. For fragrance, cooking, blooms and shaping the structure of a garden, you can't do wrong by using rosemary as part of your garden design.

Lavender is much like rosemary, even more fragrant with wonderful flowers in summer, trim up your lavenders and you will have sturdy shrubs as part of the bones of your garden. Lavender has a number of different color combinations when it comes to leaf color and flower color. My Grosso lavender has dark green leaves all year long, while my Goodwin Creek Grey lavender sports a soft grey, almost silver color on its leaves. My small Munstead lavenders have a greenish-grey tinge to the leaves somewhere between the other two lavender leaf colors. Lavenders need a trim after blooming, providing you with loads of lavender flowers good for sachets, to brew flowers in with tea (great combined with Russian Caravan tea), and as well shaped, always good looking shrubs to form your garden. I have never had any frost problems with lavenders, they are workhorses in the garden.

Finally I will mention cotoneaster as a good choice to add to your garden for fall and winter color. This is a wide spreading, arching shrub with white flowers in summer and orange colored berries against the small, glossy dark green leaves of the plant. I've never grown cotoneaster other than here on the north coast, but in the past two years so far the shrub looks great, needs no trimming and is full of berries all year long, adding more color as a groundcover at the base of other plants. Cotoneaster is an easy care shrub that will brighten up a dark corner in your garden all year long.

Curly Willow and Garden Weeding

2010-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

We decided to tackle the base of the curly willow this past weekend. The tree is much bigger than the photo shown, the trunk has grown thicker and the tree taller and wider. The base of the tree was a good foot high, piled with dirt and rocks surrounding the circular shape around the tree on the front lawn. As I've mentioned the past homeowner put huge river rocks everywhere to use as a border, which is hard to mow around and allows grass to grow into the border quite easily. My husband pulled out the shovels and wheelbarrow, and we started pulling away the massive rocks surrounding the base of the curly willow. We were not sure if the base of the tree was flat with roots underground or if the roots were above the lawn. We were hoping the roots of the curly willow were underground but no such luck, about six to eight inches above the ground a thick root was found, we then put back the dirt and redwood bark that had covered that area. We weeded the grass growing up through the rocks atop the dirt and rock border, and used shovels to dig out all the large rocks from the base of the tree. I pulled out some pink hyacinth bulbs that I planted to replant them elsewhere. With a small area cleared next to the lawn it was much easier for my husband to mow around the base of the tree. The curly willow looks better at the base of the tree, next we would like to put a wood border around the tree to make the area look nicer and perhaps fill the border in order to grow some flowers at the top of the wood border.

While my husband carted away the huge river rocks to the back yard, I started weeding the smaller side border near the porch. The larger side border was weeded well recently and it was time to make the other border look better. I got into a sitting position to weed between the three orange and yellow heathers that decorate the small border. As I was weeding I noticed how much more these heathers were starting to bloom. This is the first year the six brightly colored heathers lining the walkway to the front door have bloomed, and the pink and lavender flower colors are fantastic against the yellows, greens, bronze and oranges of the shrubs. The small border had a few pieces of wood separating the border from the lawn, but these pieces of wood are rotting away. Bender board or bricks are two of the ideas we had to form a line around the border, frankly anything would be better than what is in place currently. I spent quite a bit of time pulling grass from around the three shrubs and once the area was weeded the shrubs were much more noticeable in their border because of their colors and blooms.

There is one more border that needs some serious weeding, it is an oddly shaped area next to the porch with the drooping cherry tree front and center in the border. The previous homeowner did nothing symmetrical in terms of design, everything has an odd shape when it comes to the shape of the flower beds. I'm not against the unusual shapes, but it is to an extreme and makes caring for the borders a bit more difficult. Now that we've begun digging out rocks the next step for the front yard is removing the other rocks lining borders here and there and replace them with some sort of uniform and functional border. With the amount of curves in the front yard borders bender board may be a better choice than bricks.

Plans For Next Gardening Season

2010-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

As summer winds down here on the north coast I'm thinking of next season and what to do with the area under the climbing roses. As soon as October 1st hits, it is fall here, unlike Petaluma where some of the hottest weather occurred during that month. I'm a big fan of cooler weather right at the beginning of October. My fuchsias keep blooming in October, the purple geranium blooms all year long, and the heaths and heathers do well in all seasons.

The area underneath the climbing roses has had little planted under it until two years ago. I started plantings with the cotoneaster under the climbing roses in the corner of the front yard fence. I rooted a piece of purple geranium growing in the back yard and planted this new plant near the roses in the corner this spring, so far it is growing bigger but not flowering this season. I added six heaths and heathers in that same area, three two years ago and three new ones from last fall. Most of the heaths and heathers are growing well, some better than others because three of them were originally bigger plants to start with. The three munstead lavenders were tiny shrubs in two inch pots that have been in place for three years and are finally blooming. Unfortunately the lavenders are still only five or six inches tall and wide. Someday I hope they become full sized lavenders. I planted two Goodwin Creek Grey lavender cuttings I rooted from my shrubs in the back yard this spring, not much happening as of yet. The original Goodwin Creek Grey lavenders are twice as big now as the picture above, really an impressive lavender. I have three or four of naked lady bulbs I planted last fall at the base of the roses, the leaves came up this year but no flowers as of yet.

Even with this amount of plants the area under the rose looks bare, primarily from the lavenders not having grown full size. My plan is to move my purple hebe, which is being crowded out by the garnet pestemon and the rhododendron in another flower bed, to the center of the rose area against the fence where it will get more sun and have room to grow. I have a few pieces of pestemon I am trying to root, I want to add two of the dark pink pestemons against the fence on either side of the hebe. With these additional plants the climbing roses should have a good amount of color underneath them. I plan to plant one of the Shasta daisies I've potted up this summer over on the other side of the fence near the roses, there is plenty of room for it to grow there with the purple geranium planted in front of that area. Lastly, a sprinkling of nasturtium seeds are planted in the corner under the roses and should produce some vines to fill in under that area behind the cotoneaster. If there is room left, a few more heathers may find their way to the rose flowerbed after the annual October heath and heather sale.

Heaths & Heather Blooms & Leaf Colors

2010-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

As I was watering this past weekend in the front yard I noticed quite a bit of blooming happening from the older heaths and heathers in my garden. I planted six small heathers a few years ago that are gold with green, bronze or red throughout the leaves. Up 'till now the heathers have never bloomed but this year the six heathers are all finally blooming. These late season heathers are good sized now after starting off as four inch pots and the colors on the leaves are really beautiful, good enough frankly to highlight the garden even if they never bloomed. This year they started blooming in August and are featuring vivid purple, lavender and red blooms. These particular heather were placed near the front steps of the house so they would brighten up the front yard during the darker days of winter. I have to say they are doing that and much more now, having grown to almost full size and are full of color!

The erica I planted near the climbing roses is a really interesting shrub, I believe it is called a bicolor heath. It is probably a good two feet wide and foot or more tall, and full of dark lavender pink bells. I've noticed that this erica is always full of blooms and took to its spot readily, growing rapidly and blooming right away. The other interesting factor of this particular heath is that the blooms never seem to fade. Most of my summer heathers bloom then the flowers brown and fade, which signals me to trim them up and cut off the brown faded blooms. I haven't seen one brown flower faded on this plant and honestly it appears to be blooming all year long. I have a few newer heaths similar to this one with big bells in the same color and they are all doing very well and growing rapidly. One of these ericas was planted last October in the back yard below the pink jasmine on the deck, even at its small size it has pink bells covering the shrub.

Three years ago when we first went to the heather farm for its annual sale I bought three low growing heathers to plant below the pink climbing roses in tiny two inch pots for a great price. Two of the three shrubs are doing well, one is so low growing not much is happening other than it is spreading out, not up. One of the shrubs is mounded and all light green, with the softest feathered looking leaves, this is an early picture of it, now it is probably four inches by four inches. The other heather variety is called Grizse and is a small upright heather that has grown to four inches wide by five inches tall with the same grey colored leaves as the Silver King heather I have planted in the back under the jasmine. This heather is producing deep pink flowers that look fantastic next to the silver grey foliage.

These three heathers all took forever to get bigger and looked poorly until this year. I'm glad they are finally thriving and growing. It is exciting to see so many of the heaths and heathers I have planted grow bigger, show their leaf colors and bloom. The heathers in the photo are a few of the yellow and bronze leaf varieties lining our front walkway, perfect for color during the winter months. Heaths and heathers are a perfect choice for a sunny location in your garden and well worth the investment of time watering the first year. These easy care shrubs will fill your garden with shape, leaf color and bloom for years to come once established.

Seeded Shasta Daisy Thriving In The Coastal Garden

2010-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

I mentioned previously that a Shasta daisy from across the street seeded itself into a crack in the sidewalk in front of our house. The Shasta daisy was growing quite well where it was, so I dug out about six roots, some with flowers, and potted them up. Two of the roots with flowers were planted in the front yard in the flower bed behind the drooping cherry tree. So far the flowers are open and seem to be thriving in the potted plants and the two roots in the flower bed are also continuing to flower and thrive. Shasta daisies are a clump-forming perennial that blooms from June to September, a long time for such beautiful white daisy blooms. The neighbor's two bunches of Shasta daisies are a good three to four feet wide and almost as tall. I'm hoping my newly transplanted daisy roots will do well in the front yard flower bed. I may plant some near the roses too, just to balance out the daisies in the front yard. It is always fun to find plants seeded in your yard that you didn't plant yourself. In this case I had wanted to get a Shasta daisy because the neighbor's plants looked so good in summer, so I feel fortunate the daisy seeded in our yard. My only concern is how big the plant will get by the time it fully establishes itself in the front yard, hopefully it won't push out the heathers growing in the same flower bed.

I was reading my BBC Gardener's World magazine and came upon an article about privet. Our front yard hedges are made up of privet and boxwood. I much prefer the look of boxwood, being more delicate looking. The privet can be quite a handful to keep trimmed down to shape the hedge, especially in summer weather. The article about privet said you could simply take a woody piece of privet, stick it in the ground and it will root and grow rapidly. Now I've never tried this myself but its good to know if this is indeed the case if our privet hedge ends up with a bare spot dying off. Our privet hedge is certainly hardy if nothing else, not much will hurt it, even severe pruning. Those of you with privet keep in mind if you need more privet, take a cutting, stick it in the ground and give it a try, you never know it might just work.

Speaking of plants seeding that you didn't plant, in our back yard there is some sort of thistle that has taken root and grown a foot or so, with one of the thistle's flowers already open at the top of the stem. I don't know if this plant is a weed or something more but I decided to let it grow and see what comes of this rogue plant. The one flower that is showing on the thistle is purple and quite pretty. I'll give this plant a chance and see what happens once it gets bigger and the other flowers open.

Coastal Flower Beds In Summer

2010-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent weeding, weeding, weeding in the front yard...and fixing one of the sprinkler heads for our automatic watering system. I feel very fortunate that the previous home owner installed a water sprinkling system in the front and back yards. The controls are in the house and makes it easy to run areas manually or put them on a weekly watering schedule. The sprinkler head has not been working for a while in the front yard so my husband dug it up and replaced it with a back up sprinkler head. I'd been hand watering that area for a while and now there is less watering to do by hand, which leaves me more time for other gardening tasks.

I spent a good portion of my time Saturday weeding under the climbing roses to clear grass growing in the flower beds and another wild grass that has been growing here and there in the garden as well. As I've mentioned before, grass grows rampant here and had been long established invading the flower beds before we even moved to Humboldt county. Clearing the areas beneath the roses helped the small lavenders show up more. The lavenders are still small but are flowering for the first time this year. A number of the heathers growing under the climbing roses showed up better once some of the grass had been removed. One of the heathers is a small medium green mounded heather that is probably five inches wide now. The leaves of this particular heather is very soft, unusual for most heathers and heaths pine-tree like leaves. One of the other heathers is starting to show some blooms, a heather similar to a Silver King heather I planted in the back yard, silvery in leaf color with small lavender flowers growing on the tips. The erica I planted a few seasons ago in fall is now a good three feet wide and almost as tall, with bright magenta bell flowers that seems to bloom all year long.

The garnet pestemon in the front yard flower bed is growing bigger every week. This one plant must be over three feet tall and just as wide, covered in dark pink tubular blossoms. I have two pieces of this garnet pestemon I am trying to root in water, I hope they root easily so I can add another pestemon or two to the front yard where the warm sun will help them grow readily. I can imagine putting a number of garnet pestemons in the back yard against the back fence. I have a few pieces of what I believe to be Shasta daisy I dug up from the front yard on the sidewalk. The daisies grow in our neighbors yard across the street and seeded themselves in a big bunch in a crack in the sidewalk in front of our house. I dug up the roots of the plants and ended up with about five or six pieces I potted up. One of the pieces I put directly into the front flower bed that sits behind the drooping cherry tree. This is a hearty plant that looks great when it is big and blooming. I am hoping the daisy will take hold in the flower bed and the pots so I can grow them in our front and back yards in summer for years to come.

Weeding Flower Beds of Grass, Blackberries and Passionflower Starts

2010-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent weeding two of the flower beds in the front yard. Weeding the grass from those areas, along with the starts of blackberries, is a constant job during the growing season in spring and summer. Between the blackberry starts, the grass growing through the beds and the seedlings from the passionflower vines on the front yard fence, it keeps us both very busy weeding. Blackberries really like growing near the climbing roses, where I have my cotoneaster and a few heaths and heathers growing. The cotoneaster is sending out two feet branches laden with orange berries, and has grown quite a bit since this photo was taken. I'm hoping there will be more white flowers on the cotoneaster this year, the berries from last year are still in place decorating the shrub. Blackberries are all over Humboldt county, very common in yards and although easily dug up in the early stages, can become established in the garden. The blackberries in our yard find hard to reach places next to other plants, making it more difficult to dig them out. I've found if the blackberries are young and small, they are easier to dig out with a shovel, be sure to get the full root of the plant when you dig them out. There are a number of small blackberries in the flower bed I was weeding located under the climbing roses.

My husband worked on one of the flower borders that lines the pathway up to the house. The heathers there are doing very well, growing bigger and one is starting to flower for summer. The majority of these orange and gold heathers that line the walkway on either side are winter blooming shrubs. Originally I tried to keep the heaths and heathers together for spring, summer or winter blooms but that gave way to choosing shrubs I thought would look great most of the time of year, regardless of their bloom time. This particular summer bloomer has lavender flowers that are almost a florescent color against the yellow and orange leaves of the heather. The shrubs are a few seasons old now and getting larger. In winter the six heathers with leaves of yellow, orange and bronze color are a great asset to the less colorful front yard during the winter.

I cleared a portion of the flower bed area under the climbing roses, making more room for the erica heath flowering abundantly with large magenta flower bells, as well as more room to stretch for the cotoneaster plant which is directly under the roses. The nasturtium vines in the front yard trellis had some seed developed on the flowers, making it easy for me to collect a small handful and plant them under the climbing roses where I had been weeding. There's still quite a bit of work to do over near the roses but at least the weeding is a start to clearing up the flower bed. I'm eager to see if the nasturtiums take hold there and flower against the fence area. If this is successful I plan to spread nasturtiums along the fence area in the front yard.

Nasturtiums and Foxgloves for the Cottage Garden

2010-08-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted a cottage garden look for my garden and now that I'm living in a Victorian home it is even more important to me to have that look throughout the garden. If there is one plant I love in the cottage garden it is nasturtiums. We have some nasturtiums growing near the big box trellises that the previous home owner planted, but the plants have never been fully established. I was able to get a bit of seed from these vines but not enough to really plant up the garden. I've decided to buy some nasturtium seeds and add them beneath the climbing roses since the small lavenders are not thriving as I'd hoped in that area. Someday the lavenders will do better, but now is the time to line the nasturtiums against the fence for added color beneath the other plants, and the lavenders can play catch up later. I am thinking of adding nasturtiums under the butterfly bushes in the back yard to brighten that area as well since not much else grows against the back fence.

My set of six new foxgloves near the front porch are not growing much this season, they are small enough that they will probably do their full growth next spring. One of the first years I lived here the three foxgloves I planted grew tall and looked fantastic in the little corner next to the porch. I am hoping this batch of foxgloves re-seeds enough to keep the biennial foxgloves growing in this area for future seasons. Another set of foxgloves planted this year along with the current set of foxgloves would probably do the trick. I'm discovering more is better in this case for foxgloves to establish themselves and re-seed readily. The back yard shade border has a few foxgloves that have re-seeded, but not enough were planted to really get things going. Eventually I'd like to have ferns and foxgloves take over that border, I think this would be a beautiful combination in that shady area.

The brodiaea star shaped flowers I planted throughout the garden are in full bloom this summer and although the stems are thin and delicate, the bulb's brilliant purple blue flower tones are a fantastic addition to the flower beds and barrel in the back yard. The brodiaea bulbs are also planted in the porch corner next to the front steps with the new foxgloves, by next year when the foxgloves bloom they will provide a wonderful sea of color below the tall spires of the foxgloves.

One thing I have discovered in building up my cottage style garden is that I need to plant in greater numbers to achieve the effect I am looking for when it comes to nasturtiums and foxgloves. The brodiaea bulbs are succeeding, but more nasturtium seeds and foxgloves are needed to plant so the look I am envisioning will come to be in the coming seasons.

Calla Lilies and Ferns Take Over

2010-08-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

My north coast garden was filled with established calla lilies and ferns long before we moved into our Victorian home. The garden looks lush with the calla lilies and ferns, especially in spring and summer. As wonderful as that is, the calla lilies tend to fall over quite a bit by summer after blooming. I know, a metal hoop on a stake would hold them up, but there are so many of them in the back yard in different areas I'd need a lot of stakes and have not seen any of these kind of holders locally at the garden centers. I love seeing the white lily flowers near Easter and they are stunning cut flowers for a vase at that time of year. Still they can be a pain to deal with. I suppose the thing to do is cut back the stems of the fallen lilies, something we've done in the past. The ferns in the back yard are beautiful, full and growing quite a bit bigger each year, expanding out of their areas each season. I have to say I don't mind the excess of ferns nearly as much as the excess of calla lilies since the ferns behave themselves by standing up well other than during heavy rains.

Originally I tried propping up the spent calla lilies with the hoards of driftwood the previous homeowner collected, similar to his collection of huge river rocks, both of these items are everywhere in the back yard. So far the carefully placed driftwood has not worked as well as I'd hoped in holding up the falling stems of the calla lilies. Perhaps another round of placement, a change here and there might help to keep things held back. My husband would just as soon we dug them all out and got rid of the lilies since he does not like calla lilies, but he is convinced you can never get rid of them. We had a batch of calla lilies sitting against our back yard fence in Petaluma and he tried a number of times to expedite them, but never succeeded. I like the calla lilies but what I don't like is how easily they seed when the stems fall. Currently I have a plant that has seeded and wedged itself between the back yard bench and the fence under the holly trees; the calla lily was cut back but I imagine we'll have to dig it out sometime soon to keep the bench from being pried apart by the plant.

The ferns are growing bigger each season, which works under the holly trees but then again, they have to compete with the aggressive calla lilies that can grow to five feet tall or more in a season. The ferns established in the corner near the back gate surround the camellia bush, covering most of it by summer and branches extend over the two azaleas I have planted in the corner near the dining room window. I hope the fern doesn't completely take over this space as this is the biggest, widest fern we have in the yard, rising a good four to five feet tall or more now. If it happens I will probably need to move my azaleas somewhere else. As I watch year by year the calla lilies and ferns get bigger; it must be true when north coast locals say that once you plant something in Humboldt county it grows way past any size given on the plant information tag, plants that establish well here grow huge, no doubt about it. I shouldn't ever complain really, since a lush, full garden is something I've always wanted. The calla lilies and ferns certainly achieve this lush look, making my garden especially green and beautiful in spring and summer seasons.

Summer Heaths & Heathers In Bloom

2010-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

My summer heaths and heathers are starting to bud out and bloom this month. The heathers near the rhododendron are budding quite a bit, the early spring trim back has really helped shape them for a good profile and extracting abundant bloom on the shrubs. The heaths seem to bloom longer, their cupped bell shaped flowers are bright and colorful shades of pink and purple. One particular heath is doing very well near the climbing roses, probably due to the sunlight available there. This heath almost never stops blooming all year long, it is impressive, and obviously loves where it is planted! The tiny dark pink flowered heather is due to start budding up soon, it is such a beautiful combination with the electric blue flowering ground cover of lithodora, which is already starting to bloom.

The back flower bed near the gate has been an eyesore since we moved into the house. This summer we are going to try to pull part of it down since it is mostly made up of giant river rocks (the favorite of the past homeowner) and frankly was always a wasteland of weeds and dirt, other than a big bunch of wild seeded ferns growing out of the side of the bed. I do have two spring flowering heathers in part of this misshapen flowerbed that are huge, probably two feet wide and just as tall. This past spring the leaves of the shrub colored but there were no blooms, making it pretty clear its time to dig those shrubs out and replant them elsewhere. I'm thinking back near the kiwi vines might be a good sunny location, plus we need a lot of room to plant them since they are so big now. There is a wild seeded passionflower vine growing up from the back of the fenced walls that shape this triangle flower bed and every once in a while a flower blooms on it.

We are not sure how much of the triangle shaped fence is left intact behind the dirt and rocks. This photo is a cleaned up version of the bed from last year. The flower bed will be attacked in the coming weeks to see how difficult it will be to disassemble it, pulling down a corner of the bed is probably the way to go in case we have to put things back together. If we can successfully disassemble this bad looking flower bed it will give me another place to create a new flower bed and plant herbs or heathers in its sunny location.

Summer Full Growth Mode Of Vines & Shrubs

2010-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

As summer on the coast takes hold in July, the days are a little sunnier with less fog and a warmer feel to the garden. The light filters through trees and plants and makes the yard look bright, which can be unusual with our coastal foggy weather. Its not heating up too much however, the low sixties is still where we are at and usually if you sit outside for the Fourth of July you need a sweater. I'm not complaining about the weather, I love it here. Apparently the plants aren't too fussy about it either, because they are in full growth mode. In summer the fog arrives at 3:00 p.m. instead of 2:00 p.m. in our yard, its always a welcome cool breeze after hours of weekend work in the garden.

The butterfly bushes have grown one and a half to two feet tall since we trimmed them back in mid April through early May. They are so big now with thick trunks it takes a few weeks to cut them back because one or two of the bushes totally fill the garden waste can. The magenta butterfly bushes are already starting to bloom at the tips while the other bushes are still forming flowers. I only wish the blooms lasted a little longer, generally three or four weeks bloom is the maximum if we are lucky.

Speaking of butterfly bushes, I planted a rooted cutting I took from the magenta colored butterfly bush in the front yard. There is a section of the yard on the left side past the drooping cherry tree that is bare except for ornamental grass and hoards of orange crocosmia lined up against the back fence. The butterfly bush was planted right in front of them, plenty of room to grow but I'm guessing it will take a season or two for the cutting to do much since it is so small. Nonetheless the thought of a towering shrub with the brilliant magenta flowers makes me happy just to think of it filling up that empty space in the front yard.

In the back yard the kiwi vines are especially wild and leggy this year. The spring growth has produced long arms reaching upward and hanging over the lawn area, with arms of four or five feet hovering in the sky. I can see some pruning of the vines needs to be on the schedule in the coming weeks. The vines are covered in large ivory colored flowers and kiwi fruit is beginning to form. The leaves are as big as the palm of my hand if not bigger, when looking up through the vines with the sun shining around the large fleshy leaves they look other worldly. Now if only the kiwi fruit would ripen correctly this year, all would be well in our world of kiwi vines.

Weeding, Hedge Trimming and Tasks In The Garden

2010-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

When summer hits on the north coast I know there will be so much growth in the garden that my husband and I will spend much of our garden time pruning, trimming and weeding. As wonderful as it is to see the plants blooming and growing, along with the beautiful blooms we encounter weeds that grow just as vigorously. My husband decided to give the front hedges a serious trim since even after my initial trim back in the spring and my hand trimming of the top of the hedge it was growing a few feet taller with the warming weather. My husband trimmed off a good foot of hedge off the top and trimmed back the sides. The hedges really needed this kind of trim and luckily my husband is good at getting the hedge down further than I generally am able to, since he has more practice using the hedge trimmer. He also cut back the undergrowth of the curly willow tree so we can mow the front lawn more easily.

Weeding is something I'm not fond of doing since I don't seem to be able to get all the roots I'd like to, typically what we battle at this time of year is the overgrowth of grass that gets into the flower borders. Our front and back yards are not blessed with real lawns but scraggly grass that has been here for years before we arrived. The previous homeowner thought using large river rocks of four or five inches tall and wide would be a good idea to line the flower beds in the front and back yards. No, not such a good idea of course, and since that time, long before we arrived, the rogue grass has made a home everywhere possible in the yards, creating quite a mess in spring and summer.

I began my gardening time weeding around the two new fuchsias near the obelisk near the back gate. Not a great job of weeding but it did clean things up and gave the new fuchsias plenty of room to breathe. The upright fuchsias are blooming like mad even though they are a small 4 inch pot size and were only planted last fall. The next weeding time I spent was in the front yard where the penstemon and rhododendron are planted. This time the results were better than usual for me, giving me some encouragement to tackle the next area to weed, which will be under the climbing roses. Of course, there was the mandatory trim of the climbing roses and their tall shoots of new growth, often towering a foot or more over the rest of the rose shrubs.

In the future I'm hoping to get some bender board, railroad ties or bricks as a barrier that will actually work between the rogue lawn and the flower beds. There is so much else to do that adding barriers around the flower beds may take a while to complete for our front and back yards. Still I'd like to start with the front yard and experiment with something that works far better than the large river rocks. As pretty as the river rock idea is, unfortunately it is not the way to keep the grass separate from the flower beds in our garden. The real question will be what can we do with all that river rock once we replace them with a real border. I'm not one for maintaining a pond, especially with a lively neighborhood of cats around. Time to ponder what to do with so much river rock that will help, not hinder the garden.

Garnet Penstemon And Johnson's Blue Geraniums In Bloom

2010-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

As the weather on the north coast finally starts to heat up a tad to the low to mid sixties near the end of June, the summer plants are rapidly growing and blooming beautifully. The garnet penstemon is making a great show for one year's growth, which is unusual since most of my new plants take a good two years to really get going here in the coastal weather. The garnet penstemon started with a few blooms on the plant and in the last two weeks has a good amount of large brilliant garnet red tubular blooms on the plant. The penstemon loves its warm spot against the front yard fence and is growing quite big and tall already for being in the ground for such a short time. I love penstemons because you simply plant and let them grow, the only maintenance besides a weekly deep watering is to give them a trim off the top after summer blooming ends or cut down by half height if the plant looks worn. Penstemons are very hardy and are a foolproof bloomer for late spring into the summer months.

The purple flowering hebe next to the penstemon is taking its sweet time in terms of growth, I'm hoping it starts getting taller and fuller. The leaves are thicker and greener than this original photo, and there is some top growth but growth is going slowly so far. The hebe looks very pretty next to the penstemon and rhododendron, providing a different type of leaf to accent the other two shrubs. I can't wait for the hebe to start blooming. I'm hoping it will flower this summer since it is larger than when first planted. The size of the full grown plant flowering is really lovely, I look forward to seeing it bloom.

The other plant that is growing and flowering well is my Johnson's Blue geranium, planted below the drooping cherry tree. The flowers on the geranium are a brilliant purple/blue shade that is so striking in the garden. The other Johnson's Blue geranium is in a shadier area near the porch and is smaller, blooming less than the other plant. I am considering moving this plant into a sunnier position to get the most out of it in terms of size and bloom, possibly a place near the climbing roses would be a good choice. In the meantime I want to try to take some cuttings from the garnet penstemon and plant it behind the Johnson's Blue geranium in the flower bed where the drooping cherry sits to add some height in the back between the growing heath and heather plants. The bright color of garnet red would be a welcome addition to the other side of the front yard.

Rampant Growth Requires More Pruning

2010-06-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent trimming the rampant growth of the front yard hedges. The excessive rain this season lasted into the first few weeks of June, which is unusual even for the wet, foggy climate of the north coast. Whatever growth normally happens is quite a bit without throwing in the extra water. Weeds and plants were both growing in abundance here. The front yard hedges needed a trim on the top, putting off a major trimming that will be necessary by July. I used some lightweight loppers to cut the scraggly branches shooting up from the tops of the hedges, it was painstaking work but better than doing a full trim with the hedge trimmers, which will need some muscle behind them when the real trim happens.

While I was out in the front yard I trimmed up the newly sprouting stems of the roses that reached six or more inches above the rose bushes, making them look quite uneven. After they were all trimmed up I decided to trim back some of the lower portion of the curly willow, which never got its yearly trim in early spring and has grown very wide and tall. Many of the branches were reaching down towards the lawn, which can be a pain when you are trying to mow. I trimmed up the one side that needed the most trimming and made a promise to myself to be sure next spring to trim the curly willow back before growth begins.

As I was going through the yard pruning I noticed there were some dead branches hanging from the front of one of the passionflower vines on the trellis, so I did a bit of trimming there to clean things up. Still waiting for the sweet peas to appear after having added more dirt to the trellis boxes weekend before last, hopefully they will sprout soon. No sign of the passionflower roots I planted in the trellises last fall. Like everything else here on the north coast, it may take a season or two for the passionflower vine roots to take hold and grow. I've seen it time and time again where the first season or two plants grow slowly and there is little progress until by the next season growth is strong and the plants look healthy. I have to practice a little patience when it comes to new plants and hope that they will eventually grab hold and begin their growth when they are good and ready to grow.

Lithodora, Cotoneaster and Thyme Ground Covers

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I planted a 4 inch pot of low-growing lithodora last year because I love its brilliant blue flower bells and needed some ground cover near the rhododendron plant. The plant has done more than I expected, it has spread a good two feet wide and flowers regularly in spring and summer. The leaves of the lithodora look like small iceplant and its low growing habit of three to four inches tall and its beautiful blooms are a wonderful choice for ground cover in a sunny area in your garden. The lithodora is growing so well it is overtaking a small heather that I may have to dig up and move which is a shame since that particular heather was covered in small pink flowers last year. I'm thinking of trying to divide one or two pieces from the original lithodora plant and replant them under the roses where there is plenty of room bare and needing ground cover. Lithodora is thick enough it helps keeps the weeds down in the area it is planted in, making it a great choice for growing beneath other plants. I'm looking forward to its brilliant blue flowers when the weather warms up here on the north coast.

The cotoneaster ground cover I planted two seasons ago is growing but not nearly as vigorously as I expected it to grow. The plant information that came with the 4 inch cotoneaster pot said the plant could grow up to six feet within a season. No such luck here, although it is probably closer to two feet wide now. Here on the coast it can take a few seasons for plants to dig in with their roots and do well, so I'm hoping another season in the ground will help the cotoneaster establish better in its home underneath the rose bushes. The cotoneaster has managed to produce some flowers and some orange berries in winter so far. The cotoneaster is not a low growing groundcover, it sits above the ground and has extending branches that arch and grow out from the stem. This is a lovely plant covered in flowers and featuring berries in fall and winter, providing color during the season and berries as food for birds when they need it most.

Another good choice for a groundcover plant is the herb thyme. Wooley thyme is particularly good to use since it grows fairly low to the ground, no more than five or six inches tall, and is very thick, helping you to keep weeds back in your flower bed. I grew a wooley thyme plant in Petaluma and it was very hardy and even flowered with tiny pink flowers in its sunny location. Thyme is a nice addition to your flower beds when you need some filler, there are a number of varieties of thyme with different leaf color and smells. Besides acting as a ground cover a good trim here and there will strengthen the plant and provide you with thyme herb you can use as you cook. I haven't seen wooley thyme yet in the local nursery here, mostly culinary thyme and lemon thyme are offered. It looks like I'll have to hunt around for wooley thyme at other nurseries in the area.

Pink and Burgundy Blooms in the Coastal Garden

2010-06-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

My garden colors tend to go in the pink, purple, yellow and blue ranges when it comes to flower colors. I really prefer the cooler color palette for my garden and always have. I tend to mix in whites and evergreens with the other colors but I do have some dark yellows and oranges in my heathers that line the front walkway and the orange poppies that grow wild in our yards.

This year the deep fuchsia colored rhododendron is finally flowering with many dark pink buds over the shrub. I'm pleased to see it flowering more than its ever flowered before and although it is flowering a little later than most rhodies in town (April and May), my late May to June flowering rhododendron is putting on a spectacular show for being such a young plant. The buds form into one to two inch extensions of the branches and start coloring the outside of the buds, opening dark fuchsia to a dark pink as the blossoms open. I wonder if this shrub will eventually grow to four or five feet tall and wide like the light pink rhodie I had in a pot in Petaluma. It took about five years for that rhodie to fully develop and this rhodie is about three years old now and growing fairly slowly. I'm glad to see the blossoms since there were none the second year here. Some of the local rhododendrons that have been in place for years in Eureka can get as big as a large tree, many around town are six to twelve feet tall or more and almost as wide. It is a wonderful sight to see the big rhodie a few blocks away fully blooming and almost as tall as the two-story home it is planted next to.

My garnet penstemon planted near the fuchsia colored rhododendron has buds on the tips of the plant. This penstemon is fairly new from last summer and is growing quickly with new garnet colored buds showing on one stem of the plant. I had a garnet penstemon in Petaluma that grew two to three feet wide and tall, producing beautiful dark burgundy flowers. Looks like this plant is raring to go for the summer season, I expect many flowers to show up on this young plant.

Along with the dark pinks and garnet of the rhododendron and penstemon , the pink climbing roses join to make a trio of pinks in the front garden. Unfortunately the delicate pink roses last only for three or four weeks before fading out in late spring. Across on the other side of the yard the small thymifolia fuchsia is a good foot tall and full of small dark pink flowers so it will help balance out the pink colors in the front yard once the roses fade. If all goes well with my mix of pink and purple sweet peas in the trellis there will be more pinks showering the front of the house by summer. Last but not least the pink jasmine that winds its way around the front porch railing has touches of pink color, although the dominant color of the jasmine flowers is white. The forming pink jasmine flowers are a light pink color so the vine helps keep the pink theme going in the front yard since the vines typically have blooms on them all year long.

Rhododenrons And Fuchsias Are Blooming

2010-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was happy to see my rhododendron budding and showing some deep pink fuchsia color on one of the flower buds this year. The shrub has been in the ground for a few years; although it bloomed the first year it was planted, last spring it did not flower. I'm relieved to see there are many buds preparing to flower on my rhodie. The growth of the plant has been fairly slow, which is much like the rhododendron I had in a pot in Petaluma. By the time we moved the plant was at least five years old and a good four feet by four feet in size. The location of my rhododendron is not the best, although the dirt there is home to other plants that are doing well and the rhododendron seems to be doing fine as well. I guess I'm impatient for the shrub to get taller and wider but for now I'm happy to see the deep pink of the blooms begin. My rhodie seems to bloom a number of weeks later than other rhododendrons in town. April is when the coastal rhododendrons bloom here and there is a rhododendron festival that happens towards the end of the same month. I doubt that my rhododendron will change its blooming habits to match the timing of the other rhododendrons in town, but I'm satisfied that my rhodie will flower this year.

The two lavender flowered fuchsias I purchased a few weeks ago seem to like their new spots next to the obelisk. One of the fuchsias appears to have bloom already starting to form which really surprised me. The fuchsias are only about four or five inches tall so they are small plants to start with. I'm hoping these fuchsias grow well in this spot, they stand against a grey fence and have plenty of room to grow out and upwards next to the obelisk structure.

I'm considering repotting my hanging fuchsia baskets. The lining of the baskets are wearing thin and I need to find a good source for liners. So far in town I haven't found anything worthwhile. A few more trips to local nurseries may help me find something suitable for the hanging baskets. Two of the baskets were left by the previous homeowner and have moss liners, which is what I'd like to use to re-line the baskets if I can find it. The coco liners of the other hanging baskets doesn't wear too well, far from ideal but they are functional. I think some new dirt and sturdy liners would go a long way in rejuvenating the fuchsias in the hanging baskets.

Time To Prune Pink Jasmine Vines

2010-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

In spring and summer I spend every few weeks trimming back the vigorous growth of the numerous pink jasmine vines in the front and back yards. This Saturday was reserved for the front porch jasmine vine, which regularly get out of hand winding around the porch railing and sending out long runners at the base of the vine. I hadn't trimmed up this vine since last fall/winter so the vine was due for a good trim. I shaped the vine so visitors were not accosted with the tall arms of the vine as they walk up the porch to the front door. The base of the plant was pretty bad, as it always is with the runners skewing every which way. I filled the garden bin half way full just with this one vine. I cleared up the runners covering much of the area in the corner of the porch near the back yard gate. I have a fern, a Johnson's Blue geranium and a heather with burgundy flowers set in that area and all are growing fairly well there. Eventually the fern should be big enough to add some real texture to that corner while the Johnson's Blue geranium and heather fill in the lower portion of the porch corner.

When the weather is warm enough on the coast (which it rarely is) you can smell the pink jasmine flowers more. I imagine in hotter weather these jasmine vines would be very fragrant, but here on the coast you must put your face down to the flowers or hit a warm summer day to smell the fragrance of the flowers on the vines. The flowers are lovely but the vine seems to bloom best when it is overgrown on the top and even then, there aren't nearly the amount of blooms you'd see on regular jasmine shrubs. I think part of this may be the cooler weather here, when its warmer there are more blooms in summer. Still the pink and white jasmine flowers are pretty for all the work that goes into maintaining the plants.

The last part of jasmine trimming was spent cutting back the runners on the deck near the hot tub so the vines would be even again with the trellis wall. Next weekend will probably be spent trimming back more pink jasmine, this time cutting back the runners from the jasmine shrubs lining the back yard deck. Its a lot of work but the jasmine trimming has to happen at least once a month in spring and summer to maintain the plants so they don't take over the yard.

Hydrangeas, Lilies And Lavender In Spring

2010-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

My blue hydrangea near the back yard fence is doing well this spring. The plant is a good 2 to 3 foot tall and about 1 to 2 foot wide, about twice the size it was last year. I'm looking forward to the blue flowers it produces, I imagine there will be more now that the plant is two years old and bigger this season. Can't wait until it is full size and filling the shady space against the fence. My other small hydrangea start is not doing much in the front yard, so I may need to dig it up and plant it elsewhere.

The red lilies I planted in my tall metal cone shaped planter are coming up already and look like they may bloom soon. The flower buds are on the tips of the tall green stems and forming a little football shaped flower. These particular lily bulbs didn't bloom last year, with one or two stems coming up and nothing happening from the planting in spring. This spring there are four or five stems coming up from the three red lily bulbs I planted. I'm eager to see what they look like, I imagine the flowers should be fairly big on the plants.

The gloxina bulbs are coming up in the other metal planter, a short squat bucket that has a number of the bulbs in the planter. These bulbs actually came up and did some flowering in late spring/early summer last year after a planting in spring. The feathery tops of the stems are starting to grow taller and I'm hoping there is a good number of flowers this year from the bulbs.

The lavender plants in the front yard and the back yard are now three years old and producing a large amount of stems and flowers. The two Grosso lavenders in the front are usually covered in lavender stems with flowers, while the two Goodwin Creek Grey lavenders have fewer stems but beautiful foliage along with the brilliant purple flowers.

The Grosso lavender has a strong perfume that is wonderful when you brush the stems while walking through the garden. We have dried some of last year's Grosso lavender flowers to steep with my husband's favorite tea Russian Caravan. If you want a lavender that produces a lot of flowers to dry or cut for vases, Grosso is a big producer and will not disappoint you.

Foxgloves, Fuchsias, Sweet Peas and Mint

2010-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

The local nursery and hardware store was having a big sale, we arrived and found some goodies to purchase. In the nursery section I found a small six pack of foxgloves. I have a few established in the shade bed in the back yard but most of the original foxgloves I planted next to the porch the first year we were here are gone. I planted the six pack of foxgloves in the corner next to my clematis. I originally planted three plants there, with six plants in place, I hope there will be enough seeding of these biennials to keep them going in the porch area.

The next sale items I found were some small fuchsia starts at $1.99 apiece. I bought two, both have lavender purple flowers and should be great in the back yard or in the front yard, I haven't decided where they will go yet. I have fuchsias in the front and back yards, they are one of my favorite plants and love the coastal weather.

We had been talking about buying a mint plant 'just cause'. I need to come up with a pot to plant the mint, when you plant mint directly in the ground it can become very invasive and I'd like to avoid that. A big pot of mint will be great to use for ice tea or cooking recipes. We got a spearmint plant, the leaves are bright green and the plant looks very healthy. I'm looking forward to planting it next weekend and watching it grow big over the coming season.

I have some sweet peas growing already for the obelisk in the back yard. I had a pack that I purchased from the store and planted, then I received a pack of sweet peas from my BBC Gardener's World magazine. I decided to plant the the new pack of sweet peas in with the other seeds for a succession of blooms. The sweet pea seedlings are growing in a pot outdoors until they get a littler bigger and stronger, then I will plant them beneath the obelisk. This method worked very well last year and helped keep the snails from eating away at the new sweet peas shoots.

I decided to purchase a third pack of sweet peas at the nursery sale to grow in the trellis boxes in the front yard. After a few of the passionflower vines died off last summer, there is less growing up and out of the top area of the trellis boxes. I'm hoping the sweet peas work well there and can climb up the old stems of the passionflower vines. These particular sweet peas are a beautiful variety pink and lavender shades that grow 8 to 12 feet tall, a perfect height for the tall trellis boxes. This variety is supposed to be very fragrant, I can't wait to see how these tall sweet pea vines do in the trellis boxes this summer.

Sweet Peas and Cherry Tomatoes To Plant

2010-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

My favorite all time gardening magazine is BBC Gardener's World Magazine, the information is top notch, fantastic photos and a wealth of great ideas for gardening. My BBC Gardener's World Magazine has all sorts of goodies subscribers can get if they live in the U.K. Unfortunately for me you don't get the same items when your magazine is mailed across the ocean. There are times I really long for some of the great gardening equipment and plants they provide their readers for the price of postage. Once a year there are seeds that are included in the magazine and it really brightens my day when I receive them. This year the seeds arrived enclosed in the March issue of the magazine. In the past there have been some annual flower seeds or vegetables, most often tomato seeds. This time the seeds were cherry tomatoes and sweet peas.

I love sweet peas and could not have been happier with them, they are pink and purple shades and will join my other set of sweet peas I have started growing in my garden shed. Tomatoes here on the north coast are the bane of my existence, I love fresh tomatoes and would grow them all year long if I could, but they have a great deal of trouble growing in the cooler weather here even in a sunny location. I don't have a real greenhouse so that's out of the question. I have not found the trick yet to grow tomatoes successfully here in Eureka but I'm hoping the cherry tomatoes will grow in a new location.

My plan for the cherry tomatoes is to plant them in a hanging basket and place the basket up on the deck to get the most sun available during the day. I tried growing nasturtiums from hanging baskets off the kiwi structure last summer but it didn't work well at all, surprising since nasturtiums grow fine in the front yard at the base of the passionflower trellises. Maybe its all about location, location, location?

I've been thinking about growing sweet peas in the trellis boxes in the front yard, along with the passionflower vines and pink jasmine vines. A few of the passionflower vines died off but it appears that there are at least one in each of the boxes. I planted two new roots of passionflowers from seedlings off the passionflower vines on the fence so I hope they grow this year. I need to check out how tall the sweet peas I currently have growing in the garden shed will be, I need tall vines for the trellis boxes. The gardening magazine sweet peas unfortunately do not have a height listed on the package of seeds so they will probably end up growing up my obelisk in the back yard. I have a small metal trellis that lies flat against the wall in my back flower bed, it might be a candidate for sweet peas as well. The shrub size sweet peas are something I tried a few years ago in the front yard and would like to try again, although this time I'm thinking of planting them in a pot instead of in the ground so they can look very full spilling up and out of the rim of a pot. Well, enough dreaming for now, I'm looking forward to planting the cherry tomatoes and sweet peas this coming weekend if the weather holds up.