Turtles in the Pond at Mount Cuba Center I was thrilled to be invited to visit Mount Cuba Center last week, to interview some of the staff, and spend several delightful hours wandering around with my camera collecting images of this beautiful place, which is devoted to preserving the native plants of the Piedmont region. Mount Cuba Center is a 600 acre preserve located in the beautiful rolling hills of Hockessin, DE, not too far south of the Pennsylvania border. I’ve attended several workshops here in the past, including a delightful Bluebird Workshop led by my friend Katherine…
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Most Topular Stories
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The Wildlife Pond at Mount Cuba Center
Beautiful Wildlife Garden16 May 2012 | 8:55 am -
Orange Sulphur Butterfly Seeking Native Host Plants
Restoring The Landscape With Native Plants15 May 2012 | 8:07 amOrange Sulphur Butterfly ~ Colias eurytheme A first sighting of the Orange Sulphur butterfly was in our yard last week. Another tattered female gliding over the prairie plants looking for host plants to lay her eggs upon. Laying eggs on White Wild Indigo I watched with curiosity what she would choose as these butterflies are host plant generalists - liking most plants falling in the Legume or Pea family (Fabaceae). Wild White Indigo The female laid eggs on two native perennials in our yard, the first - tiny seedlings of White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba). Wild White Indigo has an open… -
A Beautiful Mother's Day Sunrise
Lifescapes13 May 2012 | 7:28 amSource: twitpic.com via Susan on Pinterest A beautiful sunrise this morning in the Texas Hill Country and at the Wildflower... -
May Blooms For Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day-2012
clay and limestone15 May 2012 | 2:00 amA few blooms to help us all celebrate the marvelous and magnificent month of May.Iris 'versicolor'Blephilia ciliata (Downy Wood mint)Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops)Penstemon calycosus affectionately known as Penstemon XGillenia stipulata (American Ipecac)Aquilegia canadensisSpigelia marilandica (Indian pink)Tradescantia Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' in the Susans' bed with Oenothera speciosa, Asclepias tuberosa in the backgroundHave a marvelous and magnificent May Bloom Day!xxoogailNow, it's time to visit May Dreams Gardens, where our delightful hostess, Carol, has set up the Mr… -
Giveaway! The Triolife Triangular Planter (Kitty Not Included)
North Coast Gardening16 May 2012 | 12:30 am***Giveaway! Comment below to win a Triolife planter from Eartheasy.*** I’ll admit it: I’m bad with containers. I love planting them, placing them and admiring them. What I’m not so great at is watering them. So when Eartheasy offered to send me one of these stylish triangular Triolife planters to test out, I wasn’t feeling too confident that I’d be able to create an effect worthy of its awesomeness. I mean, look at the thing – it’s all modern and fresh and thrilling-looking. But when I looked further at the design, it’s actually got an open…
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Beautiful Wildlife Garden
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The Wildlife Pond at Mount Cuba Center
16 May 2012 | 8:55 amTurtles in the Pond at Mount Cuba Center I was thrilled to be invited to visit Mount Cuba Center last week, to interview some of the staff, and spend several delightful hours wandering around with my camera collecting images of this beautiful place, which is devoted to preserving the native plants of the Piedmont region. Mount Cuba Center is a 600 acre preserve located in the beautiful rolling hills of Hockessin, DE, not too far south of the Pennsylvania border. I’ve attended several workshops here in the past, including a delightful Bluebird Workshop led by my friend Katherine… -
My Garden’s Carbon Footprint
15 May 2012 | 2:15 ammature native trees in spring “It is difficult to bring people to goodness with lessons, but it is easy to do so by example.” ~Seneca With spring we turn our attention in earnest to our gardens. And this year as Earth Day loomed, I also turned my attention to what I was doing to be more environmentally conscious and earth friendly especially where my garden was concerned. Recently I wrote a book review of the, The Climate Conscious Gardener. One of the essays from the book talked about reducing your garden’s climate footprint. This carbon footprint has not been easy… -
Build-A-Wetland
14 May 2012 | 2:00 amSo I had my driveway re-done a few weeks ago, as I believe I mentioned, and as I was planting in the newly cleared space, it chanced to rain. And I discovered that while most of the area was pretty much exactly as it had been, there was a large section that now, as soon as it poured rain, became a water park. Exciting, huh? What you see there may not look like much, but that’s actually four days after a hard rain. It doesn’t drain at all. The clay is compacted from the trucks, the trees that sucked up water are gone, and the ground level is substantially lower (which is actually… -
A Tale of Quail
11 May 2012 | 5:39 amNorthern Bobwhite like grassy areas Just when I think I’ve run out of critters that will come to visit, someone new shows up. Wednesday we had some much-needed rain and the storm was ending. I glanced out the window that overlooks the backyard and I spotted a bird taking shelter under a wax myrtle. At first glance I thought it was one of the mourning doves but I realized it was a little too big. As it started to move, I noticed it was rather ROUND. I thought wow, it must be one of the quail. I’ve seen quail once or twice in the yard but they never stay long enough to get a photo. I dug… -
Orioles in the Wildlife Garden
10 May 2012 | 8:54 amOriole at Hummingbird Feeder © John Tinelli [Guest post by John Tinelli] It’s been an exciting Spring here in Rochester, NY! A week ago, we had our first Ruby hummer! Folks think that a bunch of migratory birds got caught up in that really warm weather that blew up from the Gulf the previous week. We rushed to get the feeder out and the next evening there he was! But the real surprise is that a week later my wife and I were out for a walk. She said she heard a Oriole call. And sure enough, way up in the very top of this maple there was this bright orange bird. As we walked I thought…
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Restoring The Landscape With Native Plants
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Orange Sulphur Butterfly Seeking Native Host Plants
15 May 2012 | 8:07 amOrange Sulphur Butterfly ~ Colias eurytheme A first sighting of the Orange Sulphur butterfly was in our yard last week. Another tattered female gliding over the prairie plants looking for host plants to lay her eggs upon. Laying eggs on White Wild Indigo I watched with curiosity what she would choose as these butterflies are host plant generalists - liking most plants falling in the Legume or Pea family (Fabaceae). Wild White Indigo The female laid eggs on two native perennials in our yard, the first - tiny seedlings of White Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba). Wild White Indigo has an open… -
Native Plant of the Week: Woodland Phlox ~ Phlox divaricata
11 May 2012 | 8:07 amWoodland Phlox ~ Phlox divaricata If you're looking for a showy, spring flowering woodland native to add color to your shady landscape, then Woodland Phlox is an excellent candidate. The five parted light blue, white or pale purple colored flowers are extremely fragrant, rivalling the fragrance of lilacs. This perennial has a spreading habit forming a nice cluster or mass. When in flower, it can reach heights of around 20" in rich mesic soils, but shorter in drier sites. The Woodland Phlox in my own landscape does extremely well in the sandy, well drained soils in partial shade. It works well… -
American Lady Butterfly Seeking Native Host Plants
8 May 2012 | 9:10 amAmerican Lady Butterfly ~ Vanessa virginiensis Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Adding butterfly host plants to your landscape sometimes doesn't yield instant outcomes. But this week, planning and patience paid off. A very tattered American Lady butterfly was flying around the yard checking out the plants in our prairie area. Migrating from the south she arrived on last legs ready to start the next generation. She found two host plants, Field Pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) and Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) and laid several eggs on each. I'll be watching for signs… -
Native Plant of the Week: Prairie Smoke ~ Geum triflorum
4 May 2012 | 8:06 amPrairie Smoke ~ Geum triflorum The nodding pink flowers are maturing on the prairie smoke right now and attracting many native bees. Prairie Smoke is more widely recognized for its fruiting stage when the dried, long pinkish styles blow in the wind. A native of dry to mesic prairies, this is a great plant for well drained soils and sunny locations. The attractive bright green basal foliage is fern-like and divided into many leaflets. An old prairie with prairie smoke seedheads in South Dakota The five-parted flowerheads nod downwards and tip upwards as the flowers are setting seed. Prairie… -
Large Flowered Bellwort Insect Visitors
2 May 2012 | 9:03 amLarge Flowered Bellwort ~ Uvularia grandiflora The Large Flowered Bellwort is one of my favorite spring flowering natives. Bright yellow flowers twist and dangle downwards from 12" high stems. The insects like this perennial woodland native too, it's offering a nectar reward unlike the Bloodroot and Rue Anemone flowering around the same time. One interesting feature about this plant is that the stem looks as though it pierces through the leaf like an earring because the base of the leaf surrounds the stem. Large Flowered Bellwort is found in mesic to dry woodlands. Deer do like to browse on…
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Lifescapes
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A Beautiful Mother's Day Sunrise
13 May 2012 | 7:28 amSource: twitpic.com via Susan on Pinterest A beautiful sunrise this morning in the Texas Hill Country and at the Wildflower... -
Yarrow: In bloom this week
11 May 2012 | 7:37 amYarrow is such a modest and unassuming little plant, isn't it? Tiny white flowers in an umbrella-shaped cluster, with ferny,... -
Wildflower Season
6 May 2012 | 12:55 pmThis is our front yard, a billowing blanket of red, yellow, and orange gaillardia--Indian blanket, or firewheel. A stunning mass... -
Lady Banks: In Bloom This Week
18 Mar 2012 | 1:47 pmLady Banks: one of our prettiest roses. A Chinese import (yes, truly), one of her ancestors was taken to Europe... -
Spring Green
29 Feb 2012 | 7:05 amYes, I know. It's blowing a blizzard in your corner of the world, while Central Texas is enjoying a green...
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clay and limestone
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May Blooms For Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day-2012
15 May 2012 | 2:00 amA few blooms to help us all celebrate the marvelous and magnificent month of May.Iris 'versicolor'Blephilia ciliata (Downy Wood mint)Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops)Penstemon calycosus affectionately known as Penstemon XGillenia stipulata (American Ipecac)Aquilegia canadensisSpigelia marilandica (Indian pink)Tradescantia Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' in the Susans' bed with Oenothera speciosa, Asclepias tuberosa in the backgroundHave a marvelous and magnificent May Bloom Day!xxoogailNow, it's time to visit May Dreams Gardens, where our delightful hostess, Carol, has set up the Mr… -
The Faux Gardener
13 May 2012 | 3:00 amLet me tell you a story. It's a gardening story about my mother and a little about me. My mother never in her 83 years of living tried to give anyone the impression that she liked gardening. She didn't like the hot sun and wasn't the least bit interested in sweating. She loved air conditioning more than fresh air. She was city girl through and through.The year before she passed away, she moved to a retirement community, where she made new friends and participated in all the activities. She became part of a group of women called the Fun-shine Group. They were so popular… -
Bumbles Love Penstemon
11 May 2012 | 5:30 am....and so do I!Penstemon calycosus formerly known as X!The infamous Penstemon X is in bloom. Long time Clay and Limestone friends have already met X and heard the story. But, if they don't mind I would like to share it with you now. Bumbles dart in and out and lucky is the gardener who can snap a photo or two"Many years before Clay and Limestone, this sloped land was a rocky forest of native trees, shrubs, perennials and ephemerals. Fifty years ago a developer's bulldozers cut streets through the woodland. They built brick houses that had deep backyards and grassy… -
I Feel Bad About My Vinca
9 May 2012 | 6:30 amPenstemon calycosus in the GOBN...and the other invasive plants in my garden. If I didn't fight it the vincas would overrun the GOBNI really do. I haven't been able to get rid of it. I've tried, but, it's even more tap-rooted to this garden than I am. Even if I hired a crew to work sunup to sundown on eradication they would never finish. Removing invasives in this garden is like painting a really long bridge, just as you finish it's time to start all over again. Luckily for me, previous owners did not pesticide away the wildflowersI have a theory that way… -
Sometimes I Like My Garden, Sometimes I Don't!
4 May 2012 | 3:00 amIt's a clown pants colorama mixture of natives and carefully chosen exotics that makes me smile.Central Basin natives and carefully chosen exoticsThis morning my across the street neighbor told me the garden was beautiful. That made me so happy. Central Basin native Baptisia australis is a colorful companion for Peony 'General MacMahon' Although, I garden for my own pleasure, getting positive feedback from neighbors feels fantastic. Rosa 'Lovely Fairy' is another strong color in the garden. Especially in a garden with as few design restraints/rules as…
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North Coast Gardening
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Giveaway! The Triolife Triangular Planter (Kitty Not Included)
16 May 2012 | 12:30 am***Giveaway! Comment below to win a Triolife planter from Eartheasy.*** I’ll admit it: I’m bad with containers. I love planting them, placing them and admiring them. What I’m not so great at is watering them. So when Eartheasy offered to send me one of these stylish triangular Triolife planters to test out, I wasn’t feeling too confident that I’d be able to create an effect worthy of its awesomeness. I mean, look at the thing – it’s all modern and fresh and thrilling-looking. But when I looked further at the design, it’s actually got an open… -
P. Allen Smith’s Garden2Blog Event: Sunshine, Southern Punch and Plant Geekery
11 May 2012 | 9:00 amI’m a humble landscaper in a small college town, so when I got the email inviting me on an all-expenses-paid trip to Little Rock, Arkansas to meet P. Allen Smith and hang with some garden writer peeps at the 2012 Garden2Blog event, I was thrilled to say the least. I’ve never been anywhere besides the West coast, and getting to meet Allen, who’s a big celebrity in the gardening world, sounded amazing. Where do I even begin to share with you all I saw? Allen’s two properties have amazing gardens, and they are so totally different from anything I do for myself or for… -
The Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook
9 May 2012 | 2:11 pmA month ago when I visited San Francisco, Sunset Publishing invited me (and a number of other garden writers) over to breakfast. Never one to turn down either free food or a garden tour, I accepted with glee, and ate as much of their fresh, delicious food as I could fit in. (The plate shown at top, I hasten to add, was not my own. Mine contained a heaping slice of zucchini chocolate walnut cake with rum sauce which dwarfed all of the non-cake items on my plate. Hey, it had zucchini and walnuts in it! And rum! All healthy breakfast foods in my book.) While my caffeine hadn’t yet sunk in… -
New 2013 Proven Winners Varieties
9 May 2012 | 10:29 amOne of the things I love best about being a garden writer, besides all of the gardening and the writing, is the loot. Getting to try free plants before they’re even out in the nurseries? Yes please! My idea of heaven. So last week, when my box full of 2013 Proven Winners plants arrived, I was all excited to dig in and start planting. (A tip to my fellow garden writers: if you haven’t yet started making hanging moss baskets, the Proven Winners loot box is a great reason to start!) While I’m not usually a fan of the warmer colors, one of my favorites in the box was their new… -
Gen X and Y Gardeners – Can We Quit Worrying About This, Please?
7 May 2012 | 8:08 pmEvery year or two, some horticultural marketing team gets a buzzing insect in its collective shorts about Gen X and Y and how we aren’t gardening enough. The subtext is that gardening is a boomer activity and that at some scary date in the future, we will be left with no gardeners at all because all my generation likes to do is play video games and text with people who are sitting in the same room. While the world has certainly changed, it hasn’t changed so much that gardening isn’t still an attractive activity. In fact, my generation’s reliance on technology has given…
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Mr. McGregor's Daughter
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May '12 Bloom Day
15 May 2012 | 6:34 pmCornus alternifoliaHappy Bloom Day, everyone! I almost didn't get this post done on time. I had been so busy putting together the presentation for the talk I gave last night at the library about the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Wordless Wednesday: Abstract in Blue
9 May 2012 | 5:30 am[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
A Clematis Correction/Caveat
6 May 2012 | 9:39 amDear gardening friends and readers, I got a lovely email yesterday from Edith Malek the Clematis Queen informing me that Clematis 'Asao' isn't supposed to have chartreuse foliage and that... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Plant Shopping: Clematis 'Asao'
4 May 2012 | 9:42 amOn her way out the door to school, my daughter stopped by the dining table where I was still having breakfast. She pointed to a Clematis bloom in the vase and asked, "What's that flower, I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Exciting News Flash!
30 Apr 2012 | 3:14 pmPardon the hyperbole, but it is mostly true. Something has happened, and I find it very exciting. Never mind that this has happened before, because it has never happened so spectacularly. Okay,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Thanks for today.
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Native Trees & Shrubs for Arbor Day (& MORE for Wildflower Wednesday!)
27 Apr 2012 | 9:10 amOver the last three years, I've been adding native plants, shrubs, groundcovers and seedlings to my yard. Recently, the local chapter of the Audubon society had a native seedling sale and I took advantage of it. I'm still trying to decide the best 'spots' to plant each of the various seedlings, depending on their needs for sun or shade, dry or moist conditions, etc. in my zone 7-A yard. Since they are all native to my area, almost any area will suffice, but with young seedlings, I still need to take into consideration whether the soil is in its 'natural' state or whether at some point in… -
Wildflower Wednesday: Native Ginger
25 Apr 2012 | 8:30 pmI have two varieties of native ginger. Asarum arifolium and Asarum canadense. Both are low growing herbs with kidney or heart-shaped leaves, spreading by rhizomes. They are planted in fairly shady, moist areas near my stream. *Wild ginger is not related to common ginger. It is in the 'Birthwort' family. Variety #1: Asarum arifolium (Arrowleaf Ginger, Heartleaf Wild Ginger) has anise-scented leaves and produces tan/gray flowers in the shape of jugs, thus the nickname 'little jug'. The leaves can be variegated, although the leaves on my plant look pretty much the same… -
Mid-March Blooms Are Way Ahead of Schedule
19 Mar 2012 | 4:22 pmAs others in various parts of the country have been noticing, this was the winter that wasn't. At least where I live it wasn't was;~} Many of my plants are at least 2 weeks ahead this year. Others seem more like months ahead... Dicentra, Brunnera and Pulmonaria did not bloom until April last year...but not this year! Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart) Dicentra spectabilis 'alba' Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Buglose) Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Splash' (Lungwort) I have barely been able to keep up with the blooms that pop daily out of the ground and begin to show off their… -
What's Blooming Now
8 Mar 2012 | 6:39 pmIt's March 8th and I've decided to show 'what's blooming right now' in my garden. The last time I blogged was in January and I had 'vowed' to blog at least twice a month. Somehow, February completely slipped away without a single post. Did anyone notice?! Probably not! Crocus 'Romance' (Just planted bulbs in January!) Hyacinth I took photos daily, or at least several times a week, throughout the month of February, so it's all 'on record' if I want to share anything. I'm not sure what the reason for lack of blogging was, but it could have been the fact that most of my blooming plants were… -
Backyard Birds--We've Got 'Em Here!
22 Jan 2012 | 9:12 pmEvery year we look forward to an influx of colorful birds in our yard. The numbers generally pick up in January, and usually coincide with colder temperatures. While birds are here at any given time throughout the year, there is more obvious activity at the feeders during the winter months: Finches and a Bluebird at one of the feeding stations What do we do to attract the birds? One thing we do is provide a variety of seeds, nuts and berries in several different bird feeders. Black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower nuts, peanut pieces, safflower seed, nijer seed, and suet is…
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Native Sons - Plant of the Week
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Erigeron glaucus 'Cape Sebastian'
11 May 2012 | 10:52 amSeaside daisy. 'Cape Sebastian' is a compact selection of the ever popular seaside forming a dense mound of foliage 6 to 8 inches tall. The plants in our garden have spread slowly to 3 feet wide. Lavender flowers with yellow centers cover the foliage from early spring to summer. In our opinion 'Cape Sebastian' is the most durable and long-lived selection available and we consider it one of the best North American native plants we grow for coastal gardens. It is useful in perennial borders, meadows, or as a small scale ground cover. Erigeron glauca 'Cape Sebastian' is available this… -
Penstemon 'Sweet Joanne'
4 May 2012 | 2:11 pmPenstemon 'Sweet Joanne' is an impressive perennial, boasting lavender-pink flowers clustered on sturdy upright stalks to 24 inches high. Glossy green foliage spreads to 24 inches wide and provides an excellent foil for plantings of shorter perennials such as Violas or Festuca 'Elijah Blue'. Tolerates heat and blooms spring through summer. Hardy to 0F. Penstemon 'Sweet Joanne' is available this week in #1 and #5 gallon containers. -
Achillea tomentosa 'Maynard's Gold'
27 Apr 2012 | 2:05 pmAchillea tomentosa 'Maynard's Gold'. This low, creeping selection of 6 to 8 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide becomes covered with brilliant gold flower heads from Spring till Summer. A perfect choice for rock gardens or the spaces between stepping stones. Hardy to 0F. Achillea tomentosa 'Maynard's Gold' is available this week in #1 containers. -
Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Red'
20 Apr 2012 | 2:31 pm'Gallo Red' is a robust selection of blanket flower forming a low mound of gray-green leaves to 12 inches tall. Bright red flowers form on upright stems from summer-fall. 'Gallo Red' is a good choice for perennial borders, container plantings, or mixed in meadows. The long flowering season also makes it a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies. Best in full sun and well drained soil. Hardy to 0F. Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Red' is available this week in #1 containers. -
Genista lydia
13 Apr 2012 | 1:25 pmBroom. Unusual deciduous shrub to 12” bearing tiny, linear green leaves on woody green branches. Golden-yellow flowers blanket the stems through spring and summer, making this a valuable groundcover for dry banks. Plant in full sun in well-drained soils and provide moderate to occasional water. Mature plants do not tolerate heavy pruning. Hardy to 0F. Genista lydia is available this week in #1 containers.
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Sharing Nature's Garden
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May showers also bring May flowers...
15 May 2012 | 7:34 pmI know why Carol of May Dreams Gardens dreams of May. We've had just that kind of May this year. Full of sunshine AND rain - giving all our parched gardens a good long drink before the relentless summer takes its toll. Garden bloggers around the globe join Carol on the 15th of each month to share what's blooming in their gardens. Come take a stroll with me and see what catches my eye in the garden today.This beautiful ditch lily, a passalong from Lori, of Gardener of Good and Evil, who literally dug it up from a ditch in Wisconsin and brought it back to me in a bucket in the… -
More Texas wildflowers to enjoy...
14 May 2012 | 6:16 pmThe deer nibbled on some of these coreopsis tinctura when they first started growing in the spring, but they persevered and are now full of blooms.I love how they look against the structure of the grey Gopher plant.This is in the bed planted outside our back fence where there is no irrigation. Once or twice a month in the middle of the scorching summer heat and drought I drag an extra long hose out there and water a little. It's my drought- tolerant test bed. These are REAL drought conditions.We've had lots of fall and spring rain, so the plants are quite happy -- for now! -
Mother's Day Flowers - in and out of the garden
13 May 2012 | 5:27 pmHappy Mother's Day.It's been a great Mother's Day weekend for me.First, my son graduated from college yesterday with two degrees and we spent the afternoon and evening celebrating with lots of family and friends in our garden.Then today, my daughter presented me with her hand-painted poster of hand-painted Texas wildflowers, all created with meticulous detail. How wonderful that the garden is the gathering place and inspiration for sharing love in our family.I feel very blessed. Can you name the wildflowers and 2 cutting flowers in the painting above? Let's see how many you… -
Loving my lush Central Texas garden
9 May 2012 | 10:27 amMy garden is reaping the fruits of Mother Nature's labor. Our wonderful spring rains have reinvigorated the gardens here in Central Texas, especially mine.Lush isn't a word I typically use to describe my garden. Hardy, drought tolerant, hot...those are the terms that come to mind most often. But after this morning's rain, I took a walk to look at all the lush hues of green in my garden. I hope this means that the deer have plenty to eat elsewhere -- I'd like to enjoy all this juicy foliage for a while.Before the sun gets blistering, it's nice to enjoy this mottled… -
Purple plumes peeking out in the spring garden
5 Apr 2012 | 5:38 amAs the temperatures creep up to early summertime highs here in Central Texas , irises, salvias and other purple plumes are putting on a pageant in my garden.Maybe I like the purple and blue hues so much in my garden because they seem to cool off our scorching heat.At least they give the impression that it's cooler in the garden.And because blue hues on the color wheel make things seem to recede, they also make my garden seem bigger.One of my very favorites is Indigo Spires. It's tall, deep purple blooms sway in the breeze and make a real statement.Luckily for me, the salvias I'm collecting…
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This Grandmother's Garden
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May Day Walk in the Gardens
1 May 2012 | 12:10 pm"I love Spring anywhere, but if I could choose... I would always greet it in a garden."- Ruth Stout My early morning walk in my gardens revealed some beautiful blooms, the first of our Spring. Sensation Lilac New in my gardens and planted last Spring, this lilac has captured my heart. White trimmed dainty blossoms with a true lilac aroma... full growth will be 10 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide. Blossoming Flame Maple Tree These trees delight me in every season and the bees are crazy about them! Red Twig Dogwood Another every season favorite. In Winter,… -
More Wier(d) Stuff and Setting the Stones... Completing Our Waterfall Part 6
6 Apr 2012 | 9:17 amThis post reflects the final steps in building our waterfall. It's almost time for the water to flow... can you sense my excitement? (Actually the project was completed a year ago, but it's been great fun to experience it all again through this series of posts.) The exact placement of the wier at the head of the stream is not critical, nor is the level of the wier from front to back. However, side-to-side leveling of the wier is extremely important. If you want the water to cascade evenly along the lip of the wier, you'll want to spend some time stabilizing the wier on… -
Laying the Liner... Building our Waterfall Part 5
27 Mar 2012 | 9:30 pmFinally... it's time for our waterfall and stream to take shape. All of our research and planning was actually beginning to pay off. Before placing the felt underlay, it's important to remove any stones in the soil along the stream bed. The underlay will provide a cushion between any sharp rocks left in the soil and will protect and extend the life of the rubber liner. Be sure to lay down a wider path than you intend the stream to be. You can piece the underlay if need be to get your desired result. Don't worry too much about buying just enough, as this material is fairly… -
Oh Spring... where art thou?
19 Mar 2012 | 9:31 amOur Waterfall in Winter... oops... I mean Spring. Early morning in my gardens... 22° F... brrrr! There is fresh snow on my Waterfall! The sound of running water rippling over the rocks... heavenly... even in snow! Lovin' my Waterfall...through every season. And it will all be melted by tomorrow. For those of you following my How to Build A Waterfall Series, sorry for the diversion. We woke up to fresh snow and I couldn't wait to go out and take pics! (Imagine me in pj's and slippers... in the snow.) Stay tuned for the series to continue in our next post, I promise. -
What in the World is a WEIR? (Building Our Waterfall Part 4)
16 Mar 2012 | 7:10 amThe waterfall and stream actually begins at the waterfall WEIR. There's a WEIR under there A weir is just a box which diffuses the water to create a natural appearing waterfall. Weirs can be expensive and since we're always on the lookout to save money, we discovered a much less expensive alternative that has worked very well. Our local hardware store sells a plastic storage bin that looks very much like a weir, needing only a round hole cut in the side to which a PVC plumbing fitting can be attached. This video provides a complete…
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Natural Gardening
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Community gardens
15 May 2012 | 7:01 pmI love visiting community gardens. They come in all shapes and size (and levels of maintenance, too). Some have art work, some are focused on production of vegetables, and others are a mix.Burton Street Community Peace Garden is on the Asheville Fling (the fifth Garden Bloggers Fling) first day tour. As a bus "captain" -- I was doing my homework. The Fling is this weekend. My first drive-by found me unimpressed.But a second, more thorough visit, revealed the eclectic nature of the space and the enthusiasm that both gardeners and artists have brought. Check out this… -
Philadelphus inodorus
13 May 2012 | 5:09 pmA native mock-orange, Philadelphus inodorus is a plant I've not actually seen in a natural habitat, although it's native to limestone areas in the Eastern U.S. Philadelphus inodorusIt thrives in garden plantings, however, and this old plant, next to our small house in the mountains, is a great example. This shrub flowers profusely each spring, without any care whatsoever (the neighbors are renters and not inclined to gardening, although our efforts, on their behalf have encouraged sporadic improvements).It's a lovely plant, and deserving of inclusion in modern plantings, too, although I… -
Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden
10 May 2012 | 6:52 pmThomas Jefferson's contributions to the scope of American life are remarkable. My mother had a deep interest in his writings, philosophy, and contributions, so a family visit to Monticello in my early teens made an impression.Later visits, after the renovations of Jefferson's gardens had begun, found me fascinated by the scope of his interest and knowledge in all sorts of plants, as well as vegetables. By that time, my interest in historic and heirloom vegetables (and vegetables of all kinds) and the history of plant exchanges and gardening in the Americas and beyond had been kindled,… -
A glorious full moon
6 May 2012 | 7:56 pmLast night, coming back from dinner, the almost full moon was exceptionally large and luminous above the horizon, looking towards downtown Asheville from Broadway. I'd heard a piece on NPR earlier in the day about how exceptionally close the moon is currently to Earth, so I was keyed into thinking this was special.I wish I had my camera, I said to my gardening companion, thinking if I dashed back, I might have got a decent shot. But it was getting late, full moon photos aren't that remarkable after all, etc. (I've made plenty of posts on the subject already!)Tonight, the moon will be… -
Blogging and gardeners
5 May 2012 | 6:43 pmGetting ready for the arrival of garden bloggers from across the country for the 5th Garden Bloggers Fling in Asheville, NC has been fun (and taking up a bit of blogging time). My recent two Fling posts were about Asheville and the NC Arboretum.But, it's such fun to be welcoming blogging friends to our small mountain city, and enjoying the real-time community with like-minded bloggers. Gardeners are normally generous and interesting, and it's been a pleasure to get to know them through their blogs, but even more fun in person.I'm looking forward to a great few days!
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Steve Creek Outdoors
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Bluebird Feeding Young
16 May 2012 | 3:40 amI am writing this post while sitting in my camper at Angelfire, New Mexico. I plan on staying a few more days if the weather clears up. I hope you are enjoying the Bluebird photos I have been posting the past couple of days. These were taken in my yard a couple of weeks ago. [...]Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsBluebird Feeding Young -
Baby Bluebird Checking Out The New World
15 May 2012 | 3:51 amI should still be in New Mexico or Oklahoma when you see this post. The weather could be better but I am still having a great time on this camping trip. I am sharing the photos I took of the Eastern Bluebirds that nested in my yard this spring. Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsBaby Bluebird [...]Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsBaby Bluebird Checking Out The New World -
Eastern Bluebird With A Grub
14 May 2012 | 3:46 amI watched a family of Bluebirds again this spring in my yard so I wanted to share a few photos of them this week. I am at Angel Fire, New Mexico so I may have trouble getting back to you because of internet service. (My site allows me to schedule posts ahead of time. This [...]Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsEastern Bluebird With A Grub -
Carolina Chickadee Removing Fecal Sac
10 May 2012 | 3:23 amI caught this Carolina Chickadee removing a dirty diaper (fecal sac). The fecal sac is a mucous membrane, generally white or clear with a dark end, that surrounds the feces of some species of nestling birds. It allows parent birds to more easily remove fecal material from the nest. (Wikipedia) Thanks to Darlene Hayden for [...]Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsCarolina Chickadee Removing Fecal Sac -
Carolina Chickadee Feeding Nestlings
9 May 2012 | 4:02 amThe female Carolina Chickadee sits on the eggs for almost two weeks. Another two weeks after they hatch, the young chickadees are ready to leave the nest. Post from: Steve Creek OutdoorsCarolina Chickadee Feeding NestlingsPost from: Steve Creek OutdoorsCarolina Chickadee Feeding Nestlings
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Raising Them Green
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Photos of Arizona’s Sunflower Fire
15 May 2012 | 10:42 pmArizona’s wildfire season seems to have started early this year with several good-sized fires already burning thousands of acres of land. I have personally visited one fire, the Sunflower Fire burning northeast of Phoenix, and the images I’ve seen are truly amazing. This is nature in its raw and violent forms. The windy conditions have helped the Sunflower Fire spread rapidly, already topping 12,000 acres. The fires themselves also create mini weather systems, I’ve seen fire tornados and today the pyrocumulus cloud created by the giant plume of smoke was visible from many… -
Summertime Challenge – Green Grilling
11 May 2012 | 10:15 amI tackle one of my favorite summertime activities in this week’s SC Johnson Green Choices blog post – grilling! Summertime is outdoor grilling time but this year I challenge the grilling lovers of the nation to make healthier and more eco-friendly choices. When I visit the local hardware store I see row after row of propane-powered grills and while this is a better choice than the old-fashioned charcoal grills of my youth, there are actually better options out there. Read the entire post: Eco-Friendly Grilling Ideas. Note: I receive compensation from SCJ for my blog posts however… -
Ava’s Impromptu Charity Donation Drive
6 May 2012 | 12:53 pmI just walked down the hallway and noticed a basket with money in it and a sign with a hastily scribbled “Donate to Charity” written on it. I asked Ava what she planned to do with the money and she said “Doh, donate it to charity.” Okay, thank you Captain Obvious but I could have done without the “Doh”. Unfortunately she’s launched her impromptu charity donation drive in a relatively low-traffic area, average daily traffic is four persons. Yes, Ava, her brother Alexander and my husband and I are really the only people that will see her charity drive. -
Recycling Your Children’s School Supplies
4 May 2012 | 8:49 amMy newest SCJohnson Greener Choices blog post is now love – Recycling Your Children’s School Supplies. The end of the school year is upon us and that means packets of papers and bags of gear are coming home from the classroom. Leftover crayons, partially used pencils, half used notebooks of paper and stacks of artwork will make their way into my laundry room on the last day of school, but this year I have a plan. I already know what I’m going to do with all of these extra school supplies. Note: I receive compensation from SCJ for my blog posts however my statements are truthful… -
Yes, Your Kids Can Help You Save On Your Energy Bills
27 Apr 2012 | 2:00 pmYes, your kids can help you save money on your energy bills. One fun way is to appoint one of your children as the guard of the light switch. Check out this and more in my latest SCJohnson.com Greener Choices article, Conserving Energy: Kids Can Help Too. Here in Arizona, the temperatures are already starting to climb and the 100 plus-degree days of spring and summer are right around the corner. This means that our electricity bill is going to go up and our family will be back into our focused energy saving mode. Conserving energy really is a family affair in our house and although my…
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Our Little Acre
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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Handmade Garden Projects
14 May 2012 | 8:46 pmLorene Edwards Forkner I had the pleasure of meeting Lorene Edwards Forkner and visiting her garden in Seattle last summer, when I attended the Bloggers' Fling held there. The entire event was fabulous - my first visit to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest - and it was a treat to see so many wonderful gardens. If you've ever met Lorene, you know that she's a bundle of energy and you rarely ever see her without a smile on her face. Her gardens reflect that energy and her creativity shines in all the personal touches she put there. Many of those things I saw in her garden are illustrated in her… -
Guest Post - My Mom
13 May 2012 | 7:30 amChristmas 2011 Many of you have gotten to know my mom through my blog a little bit and several of you have had the pleasure of meeting her in person. You know that she's a whirling dervish, with a passion for gardening and the energy of three people. That's why she has accomplished so much in her life. My dad has done his best to keep up with her, helping her implement many of her ideas, and the two of them will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 8th this year. On more than one occasion, Mom has talked about starting a blog. I know she'd have a lot to say. But she has never… -
Please Don't Make Me Eat Them
12 May 2012 | 12:00 amI hate fresh tomatoes. Let’s let that sink in a little bit. For those of you who love them and live for the summer days when you can sink your teeth into those love apples – really now, love apples??? – it has been brought to my attention that I just might not be American, what with hating fresh tomatoes and everything. But I thought it was “baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.” Check, check, check and my-first-car-was-a-Chevy-Nova check. 'Brandywine' tomatoes in my 2008 garden They’re red. I’ll give you that. Red is, after all, my favorite color. In fact, tomato red is… -
Garden2Blog 2012 with P. Allen Smith - Marlsgate Plantation
11 May 2012 | 6:43 pmYou may recall that I attended the first annual Garden2Blog event held in and near Little Rock, Arkansas, last year and hosted by P. Allen Smith. Allen is the creator of P. Allen Smith's Garden Home and P. Allen Smith's Garden to Table, both airing on PBS, as well as the author of several books, including his most recent, P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden. I was privileged to get to attend again this year, along with 23 other garden writers, on May 1st and 2nd. This is the first of several posts about that event. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our first stop on the… -
Wordless Wednesday: Coral Peony
9 May 2012 | 8:39 am
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Holy Kaw!
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Mammals may not get to cool climates in time
16 May 2012 | 12:09 pmNine percent of the Western Hemisphere’s mammals—and up to 40 percent in some regions—may not be able to outpace climate change. “I think it’s important to point out that in the past when climates have changed—between glacial and interglacial periods when species ranges contracted and expanded—the landscape wasn’t covered with agricultural fields, four-lane highways and parking lots, so species could move much more freely across the landscape,” says Joshua Lawler, associate professor of environmental and forest sciences at University of… -
Time of year matters for vitamin D risk
16 May 2012 | 12:08 pmWhen considering a patient’s blood vitamin D levels, it may be best to consider a lower threshold for concern, as well as the time of year. "In evaluating health risk," the University of Washington researchers conclude, "season-specific targets for Vitamin D blood concentration may be more appropriate than a static target when evaluating patients health risk." Full story at Futurity. More research news from top universities. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
The (not so correct) anatomy of sea life
16 May 2012 | 11:52 amMarine biology, scharine schiology. Pleated Jeans skips scientific facts for its series of sea life diagrams. Via Pleated Jeans. (H/T @laughingsquid) Laughing is good for you. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
The mechanics of eclipses [infographic]
16 May 2012 | 9:11 amWhen the moon passes in front of sun, as viewed from Earth, the eclipse that occurs is visible from a narrow path on Earth that corresponds to the location of the moon's shadow. During a total solar eclipse, this path is known as the path of totality. WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye. Severe eye damage can result and scientists use special filters to safely view the sun. Via Space. The view from space. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Clean air improves heart health, Olympics show
16 May 2012 | 8:39 amUsing the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a lab, researchers found evidence that even short-term reduction in air pollution exposure improves a person’s cardiovascular health. “Beijing is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and the Chinese government had proposed to reduce pollution levels to be comparable to other Olympic host cities,” says USC Professor Junfeng (Jim) Zhang. “We wanted to take advantage of such a huge intervention and look at what happens to people biologically.” Full story at Futurity. More research news from top universities. Permalink |…
