Sweet Cicely

On June 18, 2013 by admin With 1 Comments - Garden Thoughts

18_Jun_2013 26 May 2013
06:35 a.m.

The title of this post immortalizes the feeling I had the day I planted four of these seeds. They were unusual looking seeds and I am looking forward to them sprouting.

Here is an excerpt from my written journal I created that day:

I sit now in relative peace and quiet and it is very relaxing. I was up with the sun and I feel blessed to have seen it rise. As I write these words I am reminded of Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun as she writes a postcard for someone else. I am reciting what I write in my head just as she did in the movie.

There is a slight breeze which makes the aspen sing; this combined with the bird chatter creates a peaceful melody.

There should have been more to write in my journal that day but as it turns out, three hours later, I was rushed to the hospital due to a nosebleed that just would not stop. When all was said and done, the suspected cause was stage two hypertension and the severe nosebleed was a symptom to alert me to this. What an alert it was! After that, I could not do any work in the garden for over a week which was very frustrating considering all there is to do.

Mass of seedlings competing for space.

Fast forward three weeks and my blood pressure is more under control and it is business as usual in the garden and there is much to share. First, there are seedlings abound in the large pot where I planted the Kiss Me over the Garden Gate (Polygonum orientale). One item of note is I really should have taken the time to spread the seeds out more as there is a large mass of seedlings competing for space and I fear this may not work out too well. A few of the Polygonum seeds have sprouted but I am hoping there will be more. I may purchase some more seeds as I would love to have a grove of these growing along the entire fence. I paused from writing for a bit to order a few hundred seeds from Seed Savers Exchange. Though I of course do not need this many, this will ensure I am able to create that grove I want. From what I have read, there is a long germination time so I will be sure to soak the seeds first to speed up growing times.

Beyond the sprouts in this pot, there has been a prolific amount of growth everywhere in the garden and each day’s new discoveries are so humbling. There is a beautiful sort of magic that only tending a garden can provide and I am so blessed to have such a tremendous amount of beauty surrounding me.

Viola rescued from grass

Volunteer viola via plant purchase

When we first moved into this house, I noticed some viola tri-color volunteers emerging from the grass. At that time I employed a lawn mowing service and thankfully I noticed these volunteers before they came in with the machines and removed them. I rescued them and placed them in the half whisky barrel where eventually a group of day lilies went (note I need to get a few more clumps to create a mass planting). Within the last couple of days I noticed the small flowers of what is my favorite species of flower poking out which reaffirms my opinion of these being among the friendliest flowers. Speaking of volunteers, I intentionally purchased a plant from Holly Acres Nursery that had a viola tri-color contained within. At the moment, it is outperforming the original plant. I suppose that cannot be helped though considering it was a victim of the hail we had a couple weeks ago. Though not a devastating storm by any account, it did its fair deal of damage. My new Virginia Creeper was mangled and shredded along with scores of tree foliage, extensive damage to the bee balm and a fair amount of damage to other low growing plants including the Corsican violet. I am pleased to say that most everything is recovering nicely now and I have left a fair bit of the leaves etc. on the lawn in the hopes of providing organic material for it to possibly grow better.

Aspen stems with dead leaves

My handyman came over to do a few jobs and considering he could dig a hole more efficiently and proficiently than I could, I asked him to create a nice size hole between the two apple trees. This hole would be the new home for some volunteer aspen saplings growing on the side of the house where the white dahlias and columbines grow. Removing them while trying to retain a decent root ball would be the primary challenge. Sadly, we broke several main roots in our quest and immediately I worried about the future health of these little trees. It did not help that we did this in the middle of the day and when we moved them their new location was saturated in strong sunlight. Immediately the leaves wilted which I expected but they never recovered and eventually turned black. I thought of removing them and put the whole exercise down to gardening experience but I saw some leaves on the smaller stems making a comeback. The main larger twigs of the trees are still bendy so there may be hope yet. I removed the black leaves and scattered them about the lawn as food for the worms. This is one project I would like to be successful. Stay tuned.

Back in February I wrote an article about how I was waiting for some Impatien seeds to sprout within containers inside the house. Well, to date, none have but a few weeks ago I nonchalantly threw a few into the whisky barrel at the front of the house and today I am pleased to announce I have sprouts! As I added all the varieties I purchased from Plant World Seeds, I do not know which will come up but the fact that any are growing at all is very exciting. I will provide updates over the coming weeks.

Before closing, I wanted to journal some plants I purchased from Wilmore Nurseries over last weekend (15-16 June 2013). The main reason for going there was to replace a St. John’s Wort, Mother of Thyme and trumpet flower that did not break dormancy. While there, I purchased some new plants to help fill in some blank spots. Here is what I purchased:

Two Delphinium grandiflorum ‘Blue Butterfly’
Two Penstemon “Scarlet Bugler”
One Lemon Balm
One Mystery Grape Vine
Two ‘SunPatiens’ Compact Deep Rose (Note, I really should have looked at the labels of these plants. I do not like engineered plants really. Despite being for the sun, these were placed in the shade)

One more thing for the journal is to note that the Strike It Rich rose did not make it sadly. I was able to exchange it and I chose this as a replacement:

Olympiad Rose Bloom

Olympiad Hybrid Tea

Description: Each large bright true-red bloom is held on long stout stems and holds their color to the very end. Distinctive grey-green foliage on a very vigorous upright plant.

Color: Bright true-red

Height/Habit: Medium-tall/Upright

Bloom/Size: Medium-large, double

Petal Count: 30 to 35

Fragrance: Light fruity

Parentage: Red Planet x Pharaoh

The world of gardening is probably best summed up as ordinary miracles happening every day. Being a gardener is a sheer joy and to make something out of a little bit of earth is a blessing. I hope you are having an amazing start to the growing season and until next time, Happy Gardening and Blessings to you all!

Grass gone to seed

Delphinium

Cranesbill Geranium

Morning Glory Seedlings

Snapdragon Bloom

Hollyhock Seedling

Mystery seedlings in pot

Artistic photo of Day Lily Leaf

Purslane Growing

Container tomato flowers

Red Yarrow

Artistic photo of white dutch clover bloom

delphinium, gardening, Holly Acres Nursery, hollyhock, natural gardening, peace, penstemon, Seed Savers Exchange, spring, wildlife garden, yarrow

The Gift of Spring

On May 23, 2013 by admin With 0 Comments - Garden Thoughts

22_May_2013 Dear Friends,

It is amazing what can happen in just two and a half weeks! Spring has finally arrived and actually, the temperatures lately have been more summer than spring like. Like all things, this is only temporary though and cooler weather returns this week. With the warmer weather, I am pleased to share that everything seemed to make it through the record cold mentioned in the last post. All the new plants suffered a little bit but overall made it through unscathed. The rock jasmine’s canopy of miniature white flowers died off so I cut them back. Today, I noticed they are coming back in grand fashion. There was some burning on the bellis but through it all, the pink showy flowers are still pink and showy. All the buds formed on the aspens, elderberry, etc., made it through fine as well. There is so much new growth and new surprises every day. It truly is miraculous and so humbling.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

With the rise in temperatures, I have been very busy improving soil, digging, planting plants and seeds and moving things around to conform to whatever my current mood ends up being. I want to make a point to keep a journal of everything I do outside so I can refer back to it in the future. This will be particularly useful when it comes to planting seeds. I tend to forget not only what I planted but also where and when. Hopefully I can be diligent enough to remember to write in the little notebook every time I am outside. Here are my notes thus far:

Friday, 3 May I planted several Flanders poppy seeds along with some marjoram near the mint julep. I also planted some carrot seeds in the green house.

Saturday, 4 May I planted some purslane. (UPDATE 13 May 2013) I can see the purslane seedlings emerge.

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate from My Gardening Past

Saturday, 11 May

SEEDS

Imperial Giant Larkspur planted behind the juniper shrub. (Note: I am very doubtful this shrub is going to make it. Is the growth (if it is indeed growth) green or grey? It is so hard to tell. It looks so tatty at the moment and though I am a very patient gardener, I am not sure about whether I will keep it.

Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate from Seed Savers planted in large pot near shed

Red Flax (Linum Rubrum) from Native Seed Company (I believe this went in the large pot near shed)

Wave Petunia Mix planted in two small stone planters and also in leaf shaped bird bath. UPDATE 19 May – I converted the bird bath to what it was made for and dumped the dirt with seeds, etc., in retaining wall bed.

PLANTS

Found tag for blackberry planted under the large aspen and now I have its name — It is called Triple Crown Blackberry. This plant has been slow to break dormancy.

Chihuly Rose

I retrieved the roses I purchased from Holly Acres. I opted to plant them in front of the large planted area that contains the large aspen tree. I already had the hole for one dug so I placed the rose into its new home. Here is the information on the tag:

(cv. WEKscemala) Chihuly Rose (Floribunda)

In naming a rose to honor America’s famous glass artist, Dale Chihuly, it had to have impeccable style and an ever-changing array of flashy colors. This rose has it all! As the sun hits the opening petals, they blush from subtly-striped apricot yellow to dazzling orange and deep red . . . . producing a remarkable display against the deep dark green leaves and mahogany-red new growth.

Height/Habit: Medium/Bushy
Bloom/Size: Medium-large, double
Petal Count: 25 to 30
Fragrance: Mild tea
Parentage: Scentimental and Amalia
Comments: Larger flowers in cool conditions

I purchased another trumped creeper to mirror the other planted on the right side of the patio. I dug its hole today. Here is the information from the tag:

Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Madame Galen’
All summer flowering
Large, fast growing, clinging vine with stems to 15 to 30 feet

Tuesday, 14 May:
Planted some desert sunflower seeds near the Chihuly rose

Thursday, 16 May
Planted old Marigold seeds among the clover under aspen
With the ground wet from fresh rain, I created the other hole for my second rose. Note, when removing from pot, the root ball collapsed. This rose is definitely struggling a bit and the broken root ball is not going to help things. Here is the information from the tag:

strike_it_rich

Strike It Rich
(cv. WEKbepmey) Deep golden yellow spun with orange-pink. Grandiflora
You are in the money . . . If you love spicy fragrance, loads of bloom and super-long elegant buds of gold polished with rosy pink. The long-lasting sparkling yellow-orange tones are rich and opulent enough to bring out the gold digger in any gardener. But id does not take a stash of expensive chemicals to keep this good lookin’ girl happy in the landscape. The natural disease resistance and strong vigor do the deed. Very dark green leaves and unusual red stems set off the many showy clusters of blossoms. Hit pay dirt with Strike It Rich!

Height/Habit: Medium-tall/upright and bushy
Bloom/Size: Large, double, informal
Petal Count: About 30
Fragrance: Strong sweet spice and fruit
Parentage: ChRiscinn x Mellow Yellow
Comments: ‘Scent-sational’ for a bouquet and ‘beauty-full’ in the landscape.

Hollyhock – Outhouse (Latin: Alcea rosea)
Planted these seeds behind where I buried my little clump of Vinca Major. I purchased these from eBay from Heirlooms R Us Seeds

Eryngium Mixed
I threw some of these into the terra cotta pots where I planted some alyssum. These were planted toward the back while blue fax was planted toward the center. I also threw some seeds near the log. These seeds were purchased from Plant World Seeds

Mint from Russia. Planed in the crevices near the juniper

Upland Watercress
Latin: Nasturtium officinale
Purchased these also from Herilooms R Us. I cannot remember where I put these. I think in the main bed with the clover. It will be interesting to see where it pops up.

Friday, 17 May

members_only.fw

This morning I was up bright and early to head downtown to take advantage of the member’s only morning at the gardens. I will create a blog entry dedicated to this but I mention it now to highlight the plants I purchased:

Two Vining Snapdragons
Cranesbill geranium
Salvia ‘Christine Yeo’
I also purchased several seeds which I hope to plant soon

Corsican Violet

After the botanical gardens, I made a trip to Holly Acres and bought some plants to fill in some gaps:
Garlic bulbs
Onions
Two perennial chives
Lantana
Hanging basket filled with an array of petunias, verbena and so much more!
Marigolds
Corsican violet
Snap dragons

Today’s Discoveries:
The carrot sprouts are emerging so I am very happy the weather will be turning cooler. Other items of note: two days ago, I noticed poppy sprouts and four days ago sweet pea sprouts! Also two days ago, I had one lone daffodil bloom emerge.

Saturday, 19 May

hollyhock_seeds.fw

Hollyhock Bloom from My Gardening Past

I have a vining plant of some description in the big pot located in the corner of the Adirondack chair seating area. I am thinking perhaps it gets too much sun. It probably is not but still, this prompted me to plant hollyhock seeds around it in hopes of shaded cover. Not stopping there, I planted some around the Viola Odorata as well. One can never have too many hollyhocks planted. I believe I planted more but cannot recall where. I will find out soon enough though.

Today’s Discoveries:
Curious if the bee balm located in the half whisky barrel where the chamomile is dominating is coming back to life, I moved some leaves where it should be growing and in that area are leaves coming up which look like they could indeed be bee balm. When there are more, I will rub them in the hope I reveal that distinct aroma.

The marjoram sprouts are emerging.

African Daisies

The snap dragons are now nestled among the marigolds under the thistle seed feeder. Speaking of which, I am blessed to have gold finches visiting said thistle feeder. I also planted the new marigolds. As mentioned earlier, I decided to move the leaf shaped bird bath to the top area and use it as such as opposed to a planter. I also moved one of the clay gnomes and the before mentioned marigolds were planted at the foot of the gnome.

I rummaged through some boxes and found soil improver along with a lot of old seeds. I spread the optimizer and in a care free fashion, I broadcasted dill, alfalfa, desert bluebells and African daisies in the planted area where the struggling juniper is. This in addition to the copious amount of clover I broadcasted a couple days ago.

I think it is important to include the notes on the dill I planted. The seeds were purchased The Seed Savers Exchange and the name of this variety is Grandma Einck’s Dill. Here is the description on the back:

Grandma Einck’s Dill
Anetyhum gravolens

Description: Iowa heirloom grown near Festina, Iowa since 1920 by the Einck family (Diane Whealy’s grandmother). Large fragrant heads are great for making dill pickles, spicing up summer salads or as a unique addition to flower bouquets. Foliage is abundant and long lasting. Being permanently maintained at Heritage Farm for its beauty, fragrance and warm memories. Self-Seeding annual.

Despite previous intentions, not only am I leaving the ‘petunia pot’ on the ledge of the planted area under the large aspen but I also added more pots. Filled with compost, I planted all my rock cress seeds (Aubrieta Deltoidea) in these pots along with some bulbs I believe are rain lily bulbs.

This reminds me . . . Yesterday I planted several onion bulbs along with some garlic in the planted area beneath the large aspen. I have a fear of rabbits infiltrating my garden and demolishing my clover patches I am currently enjoying very much. This is one tactic I will begin with to hopefully repel them. Note, I must take care of all the gaps under the fences to prevent them from getting in at all.

22 May

Seedlings are emerging from the large pot near the shed. The best part is, I do not know what the seedlings are as it is part of the mix o’ seeds I placed in the middle of the pot. I am anxiously awaiting the Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate Seeds to sprout.

The clover sprouts are emerging in the bed where the struggling juniper is.

Planted some dandelions in the tomato earth boxes and pumpkin seeds in small pots in the greenhouse.

Each day brings something new to behold. Spring has arrived in all its spectacular, miraculous glory. Each moment I am outside communing with my garden I am studying everything looking for new life and I am always filled with joy and amazement at what I see. Until next time, I wish you all the very best and pray your days are blessed.

I leave you now with some images related to all I have written about. 🙂

Fresh aspen leaves after the rain

Close up of chive flower

Clover Patch

Carrot Seedlings

More new aspen leaves after rain

Blueberries in Bloom

Purslane Seedlings

Salvia ‘Christine Yeo’ hybrid

Virginia Creeper Close Up

Planted Area With Pots

Chives

Marigolds and Snap Dragon Planted Area

Large Pot With Vine as Showcase

Lantana Pot

Whisky Half Barrel with Chamomile

New Leaf of Virginia Creeper

Lantana Blossom

Sweet Pea Seedling

Alyssum

Tulipa ‘Ad Rem’

Bee Balm Emerging

Yellow Petunia

Yellow Daisy

Apple Blossom

Eupatorium Chocolate

Apple Blossom, Aubrieta, Bee Balm, chives, dandelion, Eupatorium Chocolate, gardening, Grandma Einck's Dill, Holly Acres Nursery, hollyhock, marigolds, natural gardening, peace, purslane, rockcress, Seed Savers Exchange, wildlife garden

Winter’s Shadow

On April 30, 2013 by admin With 0 Comments - Garden Thoughts

30_Apr_2013 Dear Friends,

I have developed a routine of when and how I eat my lunch. I start off by putting a Dr. Pepper in the freezer around 12:00 and I have timed the freezing process perfectly so when I retrieve it at 1:15, it is of the perfect slushy consistency. I take the soda from the freezer and then get to work preparing what I will eat for the day. I then peer out the window and take sincere joy from watching all of the winged visitors indulge in all the treats I have provided for them. Each day I see something different and I truly consider these moments among my most blessed moments. Today I watched in fascination at a house finch couple courting. Well, he was courting her by dancing around her, nudging her now and again and generally showing off for his girl. She responded with nudging of her own and seemed to love all the attention. They eventually flew off and I continued to eat in anticipation of seeing the next set of visitors flutter in to the feeders.

This winter has seemed longer than normal. For the last few weeks, we have been blessed by moisture but that moisture arrived in the form of snow bringing with it record low temperatures. This has wreaked havoc in many gardens across the Denver metro area. The Denver Botanic Gardens has reported that the devastation caused by the cold is something not seen by those working there in all their years at the gardens. Yes, it has been cold but it is all cyclic and I personally am grateful that everything in my garden seems to be patiently waiting for a longer spell of warmer temperatures before springing back to life. I have the formation of buds on the aspens, elderberry and willow and from what I can tell these buds are still okay and very soon should burst forth into that unique translucent hue of spring green we all know and love.

wilted_pansy I did make some mistakes though and really I should have known better. We took a trip to Arizona at the end of March and of course spring had arrived there in all its glory. As such, my favorite family owned garden center Rillito Nursery had an amazing selection of plants to choose from. I was not so foolhardy to choose tropical but instead, I bought a couple pansies, a blanket flower and I simply could not resist bringing home an autumn sage otherwise known as Salvia Greggii. My thinking was I would extend the growing season of the pansies for they would have soon perished as the Arizona temperatures began to soar. Further, the blanket flower can handle cold. Well, my philosophies and ideas did not work out too well. First, the pansies – Right now, they are a burned mess in a pot with slight hints of green here and there. I cannot say whether they will come back but I am hopeful. Next, the blanket flower – I kept this in my little plastic greenhouse and when those single digits arrived, the plant suffered. It is now indoors and kept alongside the salvia I brought home and will not be going out again until our last frost date comes and goes. Thankfully, that is the end of April so only a few more days!

time_to_plant_text.fw

The temperatures here have begun to rise and with that the urgency to garden has intensified. Like many who are anxious for the cold weather to end, I have gone out and purchased new plants for the garden to add some instant color. Well, becoming overzealous may have its price for it is due to snow yet again this evening. The moisture is so very welcome but I would love it to fall in the form of rain and I would like to see the temperatures well above freezing. Alas, it is not to be. Tonight it will drop into the 20’s and tomorrow night into the teens. It will remain cooler well into next week and I think at this stage I shall hope and pray that everything trying to make their start in my garden will survive. I will bring in the Parrot’s Beak along with the oregano and thyme I purchased over the weekend. There is no sense in letting them suffer.

Getting back to the purchasing of new plants, I am happy I did not get too crazy. I did buy plants that should survive this cold spell just fine. On Saturday, the 28th, we went to Wilmore Nurseries and here are some images representing most of what I took home:

Ajuga Chocolate Chip

Bellis Perennis Pink Flower

Mint Julep

Primula

Stardust Rock Jasmine

Trifolium Dark Dancer

Zizia aptera — Heartleaf Alexander

How will all these plants cope with the drop in temperature? Most are accustomed to the cool weather but with temperatures below 20 degrees, I may be pushing the boundaries of survival. Stay tuned for my next blog post where I will report the effects of this latest cold snap and snow! ?

Ajuga Chocolate Chip, gardening, natural gardening, peace, Primula, Rillito Nursery, spring, Trifolium Dark Dancer, Zizia aptera -- Heartleaf Alexander

Impatiently Waiting for Impatiens

On February 28, 2013 by admin With 0 Comments - Garden Thoughts

28_Feb_2013 Tomorrow, March 1^st, 2013 will be the second week since I planted some Impatiens seeds in the same large pot my indoor Ficus Tree currently calls home. Plant World Seeds is a wonderful mail order seed company I discovered last summer. I get emails from them from time to time and one email featured their Impatiens. I love the Impatiens or Busy Lizzy as they are commonly called. I purchased a few from my local garden center Holly Acres Nursery just before autumn of 2012 arrived. I realized I would not have long to enjoy the plants for as soon as the first frost hit, they would be gone. I decided the half whisky barrel on our front porch which was in full shade all day would be the perfect place for the Impatiens. They would keep the Empress Wu hosta company I thought. On a side note, this hosta did not grow at all since planting it in August. I am not sure if it was due to the higher than normal temperatures but it just sort of sat there. I saw no new growth so when I placed the Impatiens in the planter, I was very happy when they started growing rapidly as if they knew they had to put on a quick show before the freezing temperatures arrived. What a show they put on! They grew quickly and offered beautiful orange-red flowers which more than made up for the poor showing of the hosta. Alas, when the freezing temperatures came, the Impatiens collapsed and all I could do was hope that some of those flowers dropped seeds so that I may see them come to life again in the spring.

impatiens_blue_diamond As I was saying, Plant World Seeds sent me an email featuring their line of impatiens. I was immediately intrigued when I read their description for a variety of Impatiens called IMPATIENS ‘BLUE DIAMOND’:

Hidden in a remote part of Tibet in the Himalayas lies the world’s deepest canyon, the uninhabited Tsangpo gorge, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon! And discovered there as recently as 2003 in the barely-explored Namcha Barwa Canyon was an extremely rare beauty, the first ever blue impatiens that also happens to be easy to grow! This fantastic, fast-growing plant has sizeable flowers of the most remarkable sapphire blue with a contrasting white throat, amidst attractive serrated leaves the colour of polished jade. Unlike the traditional flat-disk shape of other bedding impatiens, these constantly-produced flowers resemble elegant cranes in flight. This priceless new gem is a perennial species when grown indoors or perhaps in very mild winter areas. (aka Blue Dream)

Now, when you read that, how could you not want to grow this variety? I ordered several packets and I have taken their suggestion of growing this beauty indoors to heart. My Ficus is in a large blue pot with a small ground cover type plant growing beneath it. I thought if these Blue Diamonds could fill out the pot, what a wonderful display it would be! I had been meaning to look up when I could expect the seeds to germinate and according to sites I have read, the approximate germination time is 15-20 days so I may have a week or two before I see sprouts. I have several self-watering plastic pots that once housed some of my Streptocarpus plants so I may see if I can start some more in preparation for transplanting in the spring.

25 February 2013 – Downy Woodpecker spotted!

Female_Downy_Woodpecker_on_Bough If you read my ‘Welcome Visitors’ article, you know that I am committed to looking after the birds that come to visit. I am so happy that I have a healthy number of birds visiting now for it would mean they will control the insect population during the warmer months. As I expressed the before mentioned article, I was concerned that birds were ignoring the suet log. Well, I am pleased to announce that woodpeckers have discovered it. This in itself is good and bad news. I must have did something wrong when placing the plugs into the logs for when the woodpeckers came to dine they managed to poke the plugs out and onto the ground. Thankfully I got to them before the squirrels did. I placed them on the platforms of the other feeders in hopes the finches, etc. would enjoy the treat. They did of course but to my surprise when looking out the window I spotted a female downy woodpecker!

She stayed there eating clinging to the platform of the feeder with her front feet and joyfully picked away at one of the plugs. I sat in awe watching her and was pleased she stayed for at least five minutes. I have not seen her since but I do see larger woodpeckers visit so it is definitely a blessing that my backyard bird population continues to grow and diversify.

I will be sure to keep you updated on all the progress with the Impatiens and birds that come to visit along with all of the exciting events to come as spring approaches. Until then, Happy Gardening and blessings to you all.

Image Credits:

Image of Impatiens Blue Diamond is used with permission from Plant World Seeds
Image of female downy woodpecker is an image found on Wikimedia Commons
Image of orange-red Impatiens was taken by the author.

Downy Woodpecker, gardening, Holly Acres Nursery, Impatiens, peace, Plant World Seeds, Tibet, wildlife garden, woodpecker

Welcome Visitors

On January 23, 2013 by admin With 0 Comments - Garden Thoughts

23_Jan_2013 The weather has turned warm and after two weeks of bitterly cold temperatures in the teens and single digits, this is definitely a most welcome change. With warmer weather comes the urge to step outside and assess what is happening in the garden. The answer is nothing really as all the plants are still sound asleep but still it is nice to get outside and have a look around.

With our new home, I have worked hard to set up as many feeders as I can to accommodate my winged friends that visit the garden. I am a choosy host and really only want the small birds to dine. As such, my main feeder is one with a cage around it so only small birds may enter and dine. This comes complete with a squirrel baffle as squirrels are not welcome at all. I will create a future post regarding my battles with the resident squirrels. The caged feeder is dangling from my aspen tree and beyond this, I installed a shepherd’s hook to accommodate a thistle feeder and another feeder strictly serving safflower seed. The reason for this is again to discourage the larger, greedier birds (jays, etc.) as they do not typically enjoy safflower. Conversely, the finches, etc. do.

I am of the understanding that gold finches are permanent residents but I have not seen any on my nyjer feeder. Now and again, the house finches will partake but overall it has remained close to full all winter. I will leave it up for any bird that wants this expensive delicacy with the hope the gold finches will find it and regularly grace my garden with their presence.

With three feeders, I thought that would be enough but I wanted to see the woodpeckers. Some reading this may be asking why on earth I would want to attract these birds that can often damage your home. The answer is simply that I love them. When living in Arizona I would see them regularly and yes, they did damage the home but I have learned the secret to negating damage from these beautiful birds is simply to feed them. As a result, I have set up a suet log with a baffle on the advanced pole system from Wild Birds Unlimited. Installing was made a bit more difficult by trying to twist the main pole into the frozen ground but in the end, I was successful. I now hope birds will find it and enjoy the high protein suet I have set out for them.

Update 11 February 2013

After installing the suet log and advanced pole system, I was disheartened that the log hung there untouched day after day. I did have woodpeckers visit the garden but only to stick their long beak into the caged feeder and gobble down seed. Though this made the seed disappear much quicker, I did not mind for at least I had woodpeckers in the garden. So, what to do about the unused suet log?

The feeder I had dedicated to serving only safflower seed is by the far the most popular feeder for the finches. I then thought what would happen if I moved it to the other hook opposite the suet feeder. I did this two days ago. Despite my efforts, I noticed that yes, although the finches found and happily ate from the safflower seed feeder, they still ignored the suet.

I typically eat my lunch while staring out the kitchen window reveling in all the bird activity in the garden. As is the norm, the finches were happy dining on the safflower seed but then I noticed something. There was movement on the suet log! Yes, a small female finch was clinging to the log partaking in some suet. This made me very happy and I only hope other birds discover the log as well because warmer weather is certainly coming and I would hate for any of the suet to go to waste.

Would you like to share your experiences with feeding suet to our most cherished winged garden visitors? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.

bliss, flicker, gardening, house finch, natural gardening, peace, suet feeder, wildlife garden, woodpecker

By the Way, Hello Again

On December 21, 2012 by admin With 0 Comments - Garden Thoughts

When your hands need to feel the warm earth and the earth needs your loving touch to bring forth life . . .

As mentioned in my previous article, circumstances led to me and my family scaling down and this meant going without a garden for a while. After sacrifice and focusing on our dream of owning a home, we finally see that dream realized. As of July of this year, my wife and I are officially home owners. The criteria for our new home were an amalgamation of what I wanted and what my wife wanted. Her desire was a big kitchen where she had room to prepare all the delightful dishes she tends to cook. My desire of course was a large enough back ‘yard’ to create a masterpiece of a garden. We looked only two days before we found the house that fit our needs. The space of this house is much more than what we actually require but it was cheaper than homes with half the space and virtually no garden closer to the city. The kitchen was big enough but needed work which could come with time. This was perfect for us and the yard was spectacular and full of potential.

Both the front and back garden areas (I like to refer to my space as a garden as opposed to a yard) are typical in that the ground is covered with sod. This will be the first thing to go in the spring. I have never been one to understand why a person would grow grass. I realize this may raise a few hairs but to me, it is the greatest exercise in futility and waste. The routine is to spend a fortune watering it, feeding it and lacing it with chemicals to ensure nothing else but the grass will grow and then we cut it only to start the exercise all over again. Because we moved in late summer, I soon learned just how much it hits the pocketbook to water so much grass and this is what prompted me to quickly consider alternatives.

Once the warmer winds of spring blow in to greet us, I will hire a landscape architect to remove all of the front grass and a large portion of the grass in back. I will leave a play area for my son but I am going to turn my gardens into a xeriscaped paradise. To me, it makes the most sense and I can feel good that I am utilizing less natural resources. The front will be a mix of cobblestones and pea gravel and there will be rock islands created to provide a home for low-water plants. These will include juniper shrubs mixed in with some Achillea, Rosa rugosa, Alyssum, Dianthus, etc. My local family owned nursery stocks all these plants and more and it will be a lot of fun picking some beautiful specimens for all to see in the front.

The back garden will be my paradise and my sanctuary. The plan I have formulated in my head is very rough and ever changing. The only constant thus far is the removal of the grass. Beyond that I envision a path meandering around the planted area where there is currently a large aspen leading to perhaps an arbor or something similar placed in the upper left corner. I would love my rose garden to intermingle with the spruce in the upper right hand corner. I am indulging a bit now by having my landscaper come in and create a granite rock bed around the spruce in preparation for what may be but also to get my bulbs in before it is too late. More on that to come in a future article.

Beyond that, my back garden is very much a blank canvas. Every day I jot down different ideas based on what I find inspiring at that moment. It is turning into a treasured wish list and once I can plant anything, my hands will be buried in the beautiful earth once again. I have set up a small plastic covered greenhouse which may allow me to get a bit of a head start – I am thinking a strawberry patch with perhaps a blueberry bush in the back. We will see. I am in no rush and with the passing of each day, week, month and year there will be a new evolutionary step in my little bit of earth. Lately, I have been outside just gazing at what I have been blessed with – a garden to love, tend to and work into a beautiful creation. I can sense the garden staring back at me as if to say, by the way, hello again.

Hello again old friend.

Please click on any of the images below to see the full size version. Thank you.

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All photos were taken by the author.

Letters From My Garden

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