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6.21.2011
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.
The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.
- Abram L. Urban
I hope this blog entry finds everyone well, enjoying the summer and their gardens. AHHH sweet summer!
Our trip to Bethlehem, PA was delightful. Jonathan took us to a motorcycle climb that was a blast. I have never seen so many gutsy motorcycle enthusiasts climb such a steep hill; and get this, one of them was a woman….YEA!!!
We took an afternoon trip to Paolini’s Cast Stone by way of Morgan Hill Road where the landscape could not have been more beautiful. Pennsylvania farmers REALLY know how to keep a farm neat and tidy with beautiful, beautiful old barns! Unfortunately I did not have my trusty camera with me; so sorry I have no pics of Morgan Hill Rd to post. Frank and I are looking forward to our return trip in August for Musik Fest. Paolini’s was wonderful but hot! Paolini’s has the biggest yard of cast stone I have ever seen in my life! You can spend all day wandering their yard; I know for certain I’ll be making a return trip. My husband Frank found David, the bust did not have an open head planter to plant in but he was so perfect for the shade garden I simply could not leave him behind.
My orange oriental poppy finally bloomed; there is a second group of 8 that have not yet opened that will look great with my yellow Asiatic lilies that are now in bloom. Some of my red onions have started to seed so this morning I went out to my little garden and pulled them. The bulbs are the size of large scallions; I cut the seed stems and set them in a vase of water along with a couple of strands of ornamental grass which made a very pretty display on the deck. I am happy to report my efforts to keep the hoodlums of deer out of my gardens by planting garlic is working….YEA!! Not one single bite has been taken from my roses; surrounding the roses with garlic along with a good dbl strong batch of Way-Too-Hot Sauce a recipe from Jim Wilson author of Deerproofing Your Yard & Garden has done the trick. I’ve also used the Way-Too-Hot Sauce on my hosta and bugbane with great success; doubling up on the hot sauce really gets ‘em good…..HA, sweet revenge! Happy Gardening!
Dawn
Yesterday Frank and I along with Sammy our toy poodle drove to Bethlehem, PA to visit my son who is a packaging engineer for Crayola. I love visiting Bethlehem it's such a sweet American apple pie city I could just stay here forever! The downtown area is just beautiful and the Moravian Book Store along with the Franklin Hill Vineyards are two of my must do stops. Today Jonathan is taking us to Green Acres, I am on a quest to find a head planter of Medusa or David. I would like to plant a corkscrew plant if I find David and a fern if I find Medusa for hair. I think it would make a very cool addition to a little corner of the house that gets a mix of sun and shade. My other quest is for a "Bird Girl" statue, one would recognize it from the movies "in the garden of good and evil" for my shade garden along the side of the garage. Below is a pic of my Sammy, he's a great little dog who loves to hang out the car window with the wind in his face. Have a wonderful weekend! Happy Gardening. Dawn
It’s been a couple of busy weeks for me planting annuals, painting the deck and a couple of antique pharmacy cabinets from my husband’s store to use on the deck. I’ve been working on converting our deck to an outdoor room once complete I’ll post pics of before and after. But today going is to be another sweltering hot humid day so I’m putting the last of my painting off until it gets a little cooler and I am off to work in the shade garden along the woodlands, it seems the weeds keep marching forward into the garden so much so that they have taken over a couple of large hosta’s planted along the split rail fence and the English cut edge needs to be cleaned up. The grass does not grow well in this area as it was a swamp of cedar trees before we built the house; we removed a few cedars and pushed the woodlands back to create a side yard along the south side of the garage. I have decided to take 2’ of the lawn along the garden out and replace it with groundcover which I think will grow nicely.
Last fall I planted a group of Persian blue alliums in one of the island shade gardens behind the barn; they are finally in bloom and look so nice with the Francis William hosta and Evergold Japanese sedge grass that I have ordered 30 more bulbs to add to the area to create a mass planting. Once the sedge grass grows in the foliage from the alliums will be well disguised once it starts dying back.
Maintaining the gardens is a lot of work, thank heavens for Preen, but the gift of their display is priceless!
Happy Gardening,
Dawn
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.
The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.
- Abram L. Urban
Presenting My Gardens
Today I decided to enter my front entrance gardens into the Celebration of Gardens Contest at Yardshare.com . There certainly are some impressive entries that people have put a lot of thought, design and hard work into; if you have a moment check out the entries. My entry is Front Entrance Gardens . If you decide to vote for me THANKS!
http://www.yardshare.com/yard_
contest_info.php?contest_id=18
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Happy Gardening!
Dawn
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.
The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.
- Abram L. Urban
AN ANNUAL EVENT
Today I am working on compiling my laundry list of annual flowers I will need for my gardens this year. I always look forward to laying out the annuals but look forward to purchasing them even more. Every year the local market in town has an annual flower sale on the first Tuesday following Memorial Day. The sale offers locals deep discounts off annual flats, hanging pots and patio pots; I guess it’s the markets way of giving back to the community that supports them through the busy summer season and very slow winter. Here in Boyne City the annual flower sale is more of a social event for the locals; a time to catch up with on all the latest news and happenings with neighbors and renew friendships. People arrive around 7AM and the market serves up fresh brewed coffee and those wonderful sugary donut holes as everyone waits in sweet anticipation for the trucks to arrive. I personally love those white powder sugar donut holes; HA you know how that powder sugar gets all over you and you realize you’re still wearing it late afternoon because people are looking at you like you have a third eyeJ. When the trucks finally arrive you never know what beautiful treasures will be hiding behind their roll up doors, it’s crazy excitement; a gold rush and EVERYONE starts to jockey for a good position as they start unloading the flower carts; you can sense everyone is setting their strategy; prioritizing those annuals that are most important to them and then it begins, the barrier rope is dropped and everyone starts rushing around trying to fit everything they need into their shopping carts; gardeners make the spouses, children, and other relatives join them to hold on tightly to additional shopping carts to be filled; in the end we all smile as we haul our annual annuals off to the car. Crazy fun!
This year I have decided on a softer color palette for the patio area to match my pink rose bushes I planted last season along the stone walk. Green leaf pink begonias, bright yellow marigolds, and sky blue petunias backed by my Stella Oro daylilies in the beds at each end of patio, fuchsia geraniums, yellow marigolds and sky blue petunias in the pots that sit on top the brick piers at each end of the patio wall. For the front entrance, courtyard, and shade gardens I have decided on green leaf scarlet begonias, bright yellow marigolds, victoria blue salvia and taller yellow perfection marigolds; variegated leaf geraniums with fuchsia blossoms, with dark purple, red and yellow petunias in the large urns.
My potted tulips have bloomed beautifully; as the flowers aged their color has become more interesting and intense. In the early morning and evening the blooms are closed and are a medium pink apricot with touches of blue and purple that run through the middle of the underside of the petal; in the daytime when blooms are warmed by the sun they open up to daisy like blossoms and become a brilliant orange with a black eye. Also planted in this pot are daffodils and Muscari blubs that are days away from bloom; I anxiously await their display. My next challenge for these beautiful little gems is to find the perfect place for them to spend the summer and die back, a warm sunny location with semi dry conditions until fall, and then it’s off once again to a protected winter season behind the patio wall.
As I proof read this blog entry I am reminded once again of the sweet blessings God has bestowed upon me in my life; a wonderful husband who puts up with my constant chatter on garden design, children, family, friends, and the love of gardening.
Happy gardening!
Dawn
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.
The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.
- Abram L. Urban
Well it’s been a few weeks since I have written a new blog entry; there just wasn’t much happening here in northern Michigan, wait, wait, wait, patience, patience, patience was all that was posted to nature’s agenda. Just 3 short weeks ago on April 17th we had snow and 50mph winds; since then I have the weather has become warmer and I managed spring clean all of my gardens and finish them off with a nice crisp spade cut edge which was once used in the renowned English gardens. The crisp edge really defines the gardens; the edge sometimes needs a little maintenance once or twice a season but the look is well worth the maintenance.
Today has been a delightful day for this garden junkie. Last fall I mass planted Apricot Impression tulip bulbs in my courtyard urn; having never tried this planting technique before I did not firmly believe I would have such a beautiful outcome. This has truly been an ah-ha moment for me; life is good, thank you God for your blessing!
May 1st Prayer...Now I lay me down to sleep...one less terrorist this world does keep...with all my heart I give my thanks...to those in uniform regardless of ranks...you serve our country and serve it well...with humble hearts your stories tell...so as I rest my weary eyes...while freedom rings our flag still flies...you give your all, do what you must...with God we live and God we trust....Amen
In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.
The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.
- Abram L. Urban
Good morning to all! I’ve been working on spring clean up and with the nice weather I have completed the clean up in the front, driveway gardens and the woodlands. My potted tulips have started sprouting so I’ve moved them into the courtyard where they will be warm and toasty in the southern exposure. Last fall I tried something new I layered the pots with Apricot Impression Tulips and edged each pot with Muscari bulbs. The top layer of tulips in my large urn has pushed through the soil and I am excited to see the outcome, I hope I layered them correctly. My crocuses have bloomed in the front yard turf, a welcome sign…it’s so very nice to see color outdoors. In my ongoing quest to keep the deer at bay I have mixed a large batch of homemade deer repellent, sprayed all of the tulips, and dusted each one with blood meal. It seems to be doing the trick…..for now.
I came across a motion sprinkler called “The Scarecrow” used to repel deer and other various animals from entering the garden; it’s on my list of “must have” if you’ve tried this sprinkler in your garden please let me know, I would be interested in reading your review. You can catch it in action on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=A5D3GKlTkpY&feature=related
Today will be another nice day, however the winds off the lake by noon will be a brutal 25mph so I’m off to the shade garden behind the barn to finish the clean up before the wind picks up. Happy Gardening!
Spring has finally arrived here in northern Michigan; the lake is thawing and yesterday was sunny and 45. In my ongoing quest and defense against the deer hoodlums, I decided to plant the garlic and onions I would harvest for my pantry first in the southeast full sun garden. I’ve been a garden junkie for 22 years now and I’ve never planted anything edible, so I searched the web for guidance.
I found that fungal spore, or conidia and the eggs of pests such as mites to be the most common problems when growing garlic. I wanted to know what could be done to help detour these conditions organically and continued my search. I was fortunate to find some very useful organic prep and planting information along with a great recipe for success that includes Vodka…imagine thatJ at Bob and Merridee’s Gourmet Garlic Gardens website.
http://www.gourmetgarlic
gardens.com/index.htm Preparing the Garlic for Planting and Planting the Garlic
Bob and Merridee write that garlic is subject to fungal diseases and pest infestations that can be virtually undetectable until they strike. Prevention is the best way to deal with them. In our experience, garlic that is soaked in certain solutions and with the clove covers peeled off have a better chance of growing free of pathogen or pest.
When your soil is fully ready to be planted, take the bulbs you want to plant and break them apart into their individual cloves (Being sure to keep each variety separate from others. Soak each variety’s cloves in water containing one heaping tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and liquid seaweed per gallon to protect them from fungus as well as give them an energy boost. Leave the cloves in the soda water overnight or long enough for the clove covers to loosen so the liquid comes into contact with the surfaces of the cloves. Garlic’s clove covers can contain fungal spores, or conidia or the eggs of pests such as mites and are best discarded rather than planted since the first thing the cloves do is to shed them, anyway. The baking soda helps neutralize the fungi. Commercial growers don't have time to peel cloves bare but gardeners do.
The cloves should then be soaked in rubbing alcohol or 100 proof vodka for three or four minutes and then planted immediately. The alcohol kills pests and pest eggs and any pathogens the first soaking missed. Every time I have done this, the treated garlic turned out better than the untreated control group. Alcohols are on the National Organic Program accepted list and baking soda is accepted under part 205.605.
I have followed every detail of the prep and planting instructions, cheers, here’s to hoping and praying I have a good garlic crop.
Happy Gardening.
Deer Resistance,
2010 was my first full year here in my small American apple pie city in northern Michigan and like most small towns when I showed up on the scene everyone wanted to know who the new girl was, including the deer hoodlums. Now being the new girl on the block there was no better treat than to walk down main street and have people say hello to you using your first name; the deer hoodlums however were not as neighborly and decided they were going to give the new girl a couple of lessons from the school of hard knocks.
Now I’m a city girl and the closest I’ve ever come to living in a small town atmosphere was taking my kids to the local farm that had a pumpkin patch in the fall every year. In the city deer hoodlums never grazzzzzzed my landscape and gardens, squirrels ran around the neighborhood looking for nuts but never dug up my beautiful velvet green turf, bunnies were cute little guys that you played with at Easter they did not eat your spirea or smoke bushes down to the ground or the bark off young sergeant crab trees in winter.
My beautiful step-daughter Jennifer was married here at our home last August and by the end of March last year the landscapers had moved in and were going strong. Frank and I worked like dogs from morning until the sun set, grabbed some grub, ran through the shower and drop into bed exhausted. By the time July 4th rolled around the landscape looked beautiful, the annuals and perennials in the shade garden were picture perfect for a wedding; that was until a late night appearance from the local deer hoodlums. Now while it’s nice to see a few deer every now and again those deer grazed my shade garden like they had been invited over for an all you can eat buffet; the inpatients were ALL gone, the hosta’s were ALL gone eaten like those deer were seated at their favorite salad bar… right down to the ground, gone all gone! My beautiful slender bronze bugbane plants that stood so tall and stately along the stone walkway were leafless, just bare branches remained, the top half of the red wood twigs’ along the barn were missing, it was awful I tell you awful! The next morning as I sat on the bench in the shade garden crying Frank put his arm around me, hugged me and whispered “they have no idea who their dealing with.” Well Frank was right! I’m stronger now; it’s a new season….. Let the games begin!
First order of business was to determine the point of entry and path. Fortunately the winter snow had provided me with a well traveled consistent path that revealed the hoodlums point of entry and the path they walk through the landscape and woodlands. I will begin my defense by planting garlic and onions LOTS OF THEM in every full sun spot I have available, and around the base of my rose bushes; not only will these help in my defense but the will be yummy for us after the harvest…ha-ha. Next, homemade blood meal packets stuffed with human hair will hang at the point of entry, and on the trees, bushes, cedar fence posts etc., and Milorganite at 5lbs/100 sq feet every two weeks. My hope is that this course of action will help reduce the damage in summer and fall when alternative food is available; it’s the best I can hope for.
Happy Gardening:)
!
My husband Frank and I have a morning ritual, we roll out of bed and in a daze make our way to the sunroom for coffee; generally we spend the first half hour speechless until the first cup of coffee starts to rev us up. Part of that morning ritual is to let our Cockatiel, Morrie out of his cage; he loves to climb all over and sometimes takes flight to burn off energy. One morning I asked my husband if he knew how to tell if Morry was a male or a female, he shrugged his shoulders and stared at me blankly “I don’t know, Google it” he said.
This morning we went through our standard ritual; and once again the early morning sky and sunrise were stunning and as the sun came up over the lake Frank walked over to opened Morrie’s cage and he grabbed the water dish; “Oh no” he said, I immediately thought there was something wrong, he turned and walked over to me, opened his hand and there in his hand was this tiny perfect little white egg. I guess we’ll have to start calling Morrie, Marie!
Oh Spring you continue to surprise me!
Being a garden junkie, I continue to wait patiently for spring to arrive here in Northern Michigan. Upon return from our winter get away we were greeted by a blizzard and 6" of new snow late last week. I was so desperate to see some sign of spring here in Michigan I traveled downstate this past weekend to buy climbing roses at one of my favorite nursery English Gardens. Cl. Orange Crush from Star Roses will grace my garden this year....ahhhhh, I think I'm OK now!
Not sure how to insert a photo into my blog, so I'm gonna give it a shot. If it dosen't work maybe someone could give me some instruction.
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