For the Love of Gardening

Perky Perky

2012-02-12T23:27:00.000-06:00

Perky. Perky. Perky. I've talked death, politics, left and right wing, gray skies and I'm ready for perky.

Bright flowers fall into the perky category for me and there are some real beauties out there this year. I'm going to borrow most of the photos from on line catalogs - give credit where credit is due - and the only endorsement I'm giving is to say the photos do look beautiful - - - and perky.

This beauty is called "Amish Cockscomb" and it's featured at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds www.rareseeds.com This variety was discovered growing in an Amish garden near Arthur, IL. Beautiful large red heads on compact 1-foot tall plants.

I haven't seen cockscomb growing in gardens in years. I plant a few every few years and always wonder why I don't do it more. Children love it and it really packs a punch in late summer when other flowers have stopped blooming.

The antique Sweet Pea "Queen of the Night" from Renee's Heirloom Garden www.reneesgarden.com The Queen has super fragrant blend in the deepest shades of navy blue, mauve-blue, bicolor maroon and lilac, dark crimson and salmon pink.

This is grown as an annual up here and could grow to eight foot.

People shy aways from sweet peas for some reason. There are also perennial varieties. They won't grow where there are walnuts (sigh...)

The stunning Union Jack dahlia from 1882, is one of the world's oldest. It's also known as the "Star of Denmark". Featured in Old House Gardens, a heirloom bulb supplier www.oldhousegardens.com plus they have loads of information.

The good thing about dahlias is you will have the bulbs from year to year (plus all the babies they produce.) The bad thing about dahlias is they must be dug up in the fall/replanted in the spring.

Nothing beats dahlias for the huge formal wow factor.

Campsis "Minnesota Red" Trumpet Creeper is one you may want to consider the fact it can grow in Zone 4 to 40 feet. Do not plant where it can damage siding or trees. I have mine planted on a twelve foot stump of an old tree. This native vine is from Brushwood Nursery at www.gardenvines.com

Oakes Daylilies at www.oakesdaylilies.com is where I bought my stunning "Dorothy Lambert". Registered in 1966, it is a vibrant rosy pink 6 inch flower that is often called tropical. Anything but tender, it is hardy to Zone 4.

Hope you've enjoyed some bright perky flowers because tomorrow we have snow predicted and I'm so sure a little perky will be just the ticket.

“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

Love Is In The Air

2012-02-12T07:22:00.000-06:00

Does the love of your life want roses for Valentine's Day or can you go a little into the garden scene for a sweet treat?

If you have a love, and you get a valentine's present for your love, and you haven't had "specific instructions" - Perhaps some of the following might expand your options.

I realize some recipients only want big and expensive and specifically REALLY big and expensive.

I realize some recipients want a beautiful card, the traditional dozen red roses, heart shaped box of chocolates and dinner at a fine restaurant.

The reason I feature the photos of wine gift baskets is to help you towards thinking about some different types of gifts for this valentine's day. If a gift is nice, is thoughtful, and something the recipient actually enjoys, why not go different?

Think about these:

Gift certificate from a nursery
A trip to a nearby botanical gardens - including lunch
A new set of garden tools
Ergonomic rake, shovel, or hoe
A red wide-brimmed garden hat
A water feature for the yard - plus installation
A computer program to record garden plants, etc.
A camera with a good zoom lens
And for the adventurous - a wagon load of aged manure
Bird houses and feeders
Subscription to a garden magazine or a new garden book. (if you subscribe for a Kindle type device, make sure it will download photos well or it is pretty worthless for looking at beautiful gardens.)

Should you both be gardeners:

A set of his and her outdoor lounge chairs
A large patio umbrella
A ceiling fan for the porch
A train trip to an area of the country for an annual flower convention or tour of historic gardens.
A tree
A pergola
Outdoor cooking devices
Weather station

Warning: If you've got the traditional kind of love in your life - do not and I stress DO NOT attempt to break that tradition on Valentine's Day. There is nothing wrong with red roses, chocolate candy and a great meal topped off with something from your favorite jeweler. The point (aside from increasing market sales) is to show love and that you care.

Budget minded: If you are in your lean years (I mean financial not weight) - a love letter could be the most important and favored gift you ever give to your sweetie.

Out of Style?

2012-02-10T11:52:00.000-06:00

The other day I heard someone described as "classy" and "dignified". I realized it's been a long time since I'd heard those descriptive words used.

According to my Websters:

Classy is slang for something elegant or stylish.

Dignified is marked dignity of aspect or manner; noble; stately.

Do you think the reason for disuse comes from:

There are fewer classy or dignified people or things?
Today's descriptive slang uses different words?
The words are of another generation?
Maybe all of the above?

Classy and dignified can definitely be used in the garden world:

How a plant looks and behaves.
How a garden is composed or designed.
The manner an insect or bird goes about it's tasks.
The position of a plant in a photograph.
How a gardener presents his or her self to others.
The descriptions or claims in a catalog or nursery.
The design of garden structures.
Maybe all of the above.

I always considered classy and dignified a positive attribute - still do. Hope these descriptive words don't fall into such disuse that the the description or behavior are removed from society.

On that note, I read an article stating what 2011 descriptive words are now "OUT" and using them in 2012 means you're not up with the times. I realized I didn't use any of them in 2011. Does that mean I'm so out - I'm actually in?

Purple Tomatoes?

2012-02-09T15:15:00.001-06:00

I grow a few heirloom tomatoes every year. I consider them fun and in the process I've had some favorites. The Cherokee Purple (Solanum lycopersicum) heirloom tomato tops my list of favorites.

When growing heirloom tomatoes be prepared to "think out of the box" on flavor, looks, texture, seeds, disease resistance and production.

The flavor of a Cherokee Purple is a very VERY sweet old fashioned tomato taste. One of the best for serving fresh.

This plant doesn't have a huge production of tomatoes - plant with other varieties if you plan to use with lots of cooking or preserving.

As you would expect from a tomato named "purple", don't expect to see bright tomato red. As the photo shows, it's green and purple and dark red when ripe.

This tomato has very dense insides, translating into good sauce and juice. When cooked, it will tint the product a darker shade of red.

It takes a lot of moisture to do well in the garden. During drought years, you will need to water deep twice a week for high production and to stop the skin from splitting. Insects love a tomato that has a split. During perfect summer weather, they are relatively maintenence free. Otherwise, keep watch for the usual tomato problems and fix early.

As this Burpee catalog photo shows, the tomatoes are large, dense and heavy (about 12 oz.). The plant should be supported on something sturdy. They take about 80 days from the time the plants are in the ground to production.

If you get plants in the garden early, they may grow over six foot. Keep that in mind when your placing in your garden plot. There are catalogs featuring organic tomato seeds if you care to raise your own.

Cherokee Purple was the first "black" tomato. It is considered beefsteak style. Craig LeHoullier claimed the cultivar is over a century old and originated with the Cherokee Native Americans. It has been included in the Seed Savers Exchange as a heirloom.

A gentleman developed his own web page for the tomato:    www.cherokeepurple.com
I have to admire a person who is so excited about a single variety of tomato, he has dedicated it with photos of every stage. I tend to do this with my daylilies, so, I can understand that kind of passion.

If you're a tomato lover - one that anxiously awaits your first tomato sandwich, one that eats cherry tomatoes straight from the plant, one that always plants more than a sane person can consume - aren't you almost tasting that fresh tomato as you read this article???    Soon - very soon!

2012 The Year of the Herb

2012-02-08T06:45:00.001-06:00

The National Garden Bureau and the Herb Society of America have named 2012 the Year of the Herbs!

The International Herb Association has named 2012 the Year of the Rose!

Looks like a busy year for gardeners striving to be involved in the year of herbs and roses. Members of these respective non-profits voted their "Top Ten" list:

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Chives(Allium schoenoprasum)
Dill (Anethum graveolens).
Greek oregano (Organum vulgare hirtum)
Bay (Laurus nobilis)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Common sage (Salvia officinalis)
Lavender (Lavandula)

The IHA is promoting the rose as a herb because of the many edible uses for the petals and the seed heads. The seed heads, called hips, are a common ingredient in teas, herbal medicines and natural vitamins. (Use only roses not treated with chemicals.)

How easy to get involved in this year's herb extravaganza. Grow from seed or buy plant sets. All of the above "Top Ten" are easily found, pretty easy to grow and can be used in your cooking and food preservation. Not to mention they are lovely plants in the gardens.

____________

I typically don't lay down in front of moving traffic for my ideals - although I do occasionally pick up the pen for what I consider a deserving cause. Today, there appears to be one looming in California at UCLA. Check out http://www.hannahcarterjapanesegarden.com If you find the cause to preserve this garden something you care to support, sign their petition. They need 2,000 signatures.

___________________

It's especially difficult to insure even the simplest home gardens will be preserved once the original gardener sells the property. It may be the new owners simply can't afford the gardens, doesn't want or can't work at gardening, loves the house/hates the yard, has different tastes or priorities, or who knows... With the above Hannah Carter Japanese Garden, even a trust with an organization and signed legal documents aren't insurance a national treasure will be preserved. How less insured is a simple family garden.

If gardening is your passion, I suggest you involve your family - the next generation if possible. It's a reason to take time from the process and enjoy the beauty you create. Photograph your gardens and invite others to enjoy your works. As-much-as most of us think our particular garden is wonderful, the next resident may not. (Right here I visualize many a gardener clutching at their heart with a little whimper of disbelief!) I know, who wouldn't love the daylilies, the old walnut trees, the hosta, the old brick paths, etc. etc. etc.????

My garden instruction for the day:

Enjoy your gardens every single chance you get.

“Who loves a garden still his Eden keeps, perennial pleasures plants,

and wholesome harvests reaps.”

- Amos Bronson Alcott, American educator, philosopher (born 1799)

Thick as Soup

2012-02-07T11:23:00.000-06:00

A few pretty photos taken during one of our recent fogs. Another reminder so many weather conditions often produce beautiful photographic opportunities besides those in full sun.

Little bird perched on a frosty bush.

Always busy, a resident squirrel is in his favorite walnut-eating place.

Our weeping willow is always beautiful and even more dressed in the hoarfrost.

Fog and frost lend an aged appearance to photos. This picture of an old barn might be today or fifty years ago.

Old trees by the former strip mine lands, lean towards the road.

As the sun pushed through the fog, layers of "clouds" rose from the tilled fields.

Off subject, here are three pots trying to sprout. I had place the left pot out in the garden late last spring. I tossed it in a bed and pretty much forgot the leftover Easter lily. "Assumed" it was long dead/ruined one winter day so brought the pot inside, sat it on the garage work bench and forgot to compost. Last week I noticed it had sprouted! What fun. Sometimes procrastination works! The other two pots contain Amaryllis bulbs I'd stored in a paper bag in the basement. (I never seem to have the time to get them going for a Christmas display. I was once told by a visitor to my home that I shouldn't have them in March - only at Christmas. Aw well, we each have our own opinions...) The one in the plaid container had already started it's sprouting - perhaps a reminder it was ready for Christmas blooming after all. At any rate, I'll have some pretty awesome flowers in a couple of months.

Side Note: If you'd like to read more about hoarfrost, check out a past article "The Snow Fairy Was Here" #109.

Pooh and Piglet

2012-02-05T23:47:00.000-06:00

Traditionally, a memory garden honors those we’ve loved who are no longer with us.

It can be a generic type such as seen in church yards, cemeteries, and parks.

It can be about a specific person, pet or death in general.

Like funerals, memory gardens are for the living. They should bring comfort, a cherished remembrance, and perhaps even a smile. Some memory garden insights:

Commercial signs, stepping stones and statues are in abundance with angels and verses.

In the Eastern, Asian and African cultures, white often symbolizes mourning and death. In cold climates, white is the color of winter or the death of summer. A white themed garden can be beautiful, especially at night. White flowers are often very fragrant.

Black is traditional for mourning in Japan, Taiwan, European nations and the Americas.

Certain religions have specific colors for mourning – some being violet, black and white.

Objects portraying mourning infiltrated the nineteen century and symbolized broken life. The use of broken columns, draped urns, weeping willows and extinguished torches were seen in tombstones, literature, and gardens.

A mourning garden should not only be pretty, it should provide comfort. Comfort is in the eye of the beholder and yours should be exclusively what helps you.

Shade is cool and restful and is easier to enjoy during the heat. A sunny area is cheerful and might pick up your spirits.

A place to comfortably sit is as old as time in memory gardens; a simple rock beside a grave, a granite bench tombstone, and park benches. No need to think traditional, comfort is the only criteria if you want to linger any time at all.

There are millions of flowers that have people’s names or feelings. A daylily garden with names such as “Kindly Light”, “Little Heavenly Angel”, “Pure and Simple”, “So Lovely”, “Tender Love”, or others. Flowers could be your loved one’s favorite.

As with funerals and family customs, respect for those that are mourning is important. Regions, nationalities, religions all may differ but one thing for sure, respect stands out as the first custom considered by most. The things included in a memory garden should show respect to the one who has passed and to the survivors. If that means adding a hubcap from a ’54 Ford to the garden, so be it. If your loved one was all about bright colors, plant a garden full. If you want to bury a little box with Spot’s favorite chew toy, go for it.

Your memory garden is how you spell love.

From Winnie the Pooh:

Piglet, "How do you spell love?"

Pooh, "You don't spell it... you feel it."

The above daylily "Hey Mr. Blue" was planted in memory of my friend, David Johnson, who died in Vietnam.

X is for Papaver

2012-01-30T09:16:00.000-06:00

I could not come up with a reasonable article on "X". I'd already written Xeriscope Me back in July 2009. Nothing is as boring for a writer as revisiting a story unless I've totally forgotten and do a repeat and then it's not because it's that interesting, it's due to short term memory being buried with last year's bulbs...

Today, I'm going to expound on annual poppies because I've seen loads being advertised in paper and on-line catalogs. If you've ever raised annual poppies, you know they are twice as beautiful in the garden. No photo does them justice.

Annual poppies are so fragile looking they look as if they are made of some expensive silk or by an expert pastry chief. They aren't all that fragile and typically self seed easily.

They need rich soil and full to partial sun. Get them in the ground right after the last frost for the longest blooming season. Deadhead some of the flowers to prolong bloom time. If you want them to self seed, you'll have to let some go.

There are very short and single petal varieties - such as the California types. Others may grow to several foot, some are super double, most are fragrant. They go into vases easily and take little care. Some nurseries carry plant sets. If you mulch, the tiny seeds must have light on the soil to sprout so either use the little seed starter containers or scrape away the mulch until the plant is a good 3 inches tall.

Annual poppies are perfect for cottage gardens and look especially nice when taking little spaces between and around perennials.

These are not the same as the beautiful perennial poppies, although the blooms do have similar characteristics. The perennial poppies have another set of planting and care criteria.

This photo of two-toned red and white poppy was taken from Annie's Annuals at www.anniesannuals.com

Take a look at your catalogs for a variety of these little beauties. Add a sticky note for the ones that trip your trigger - or in a lame attempt to stay on task: X will mark the spot!

Loosing Eloise

2012-01-28T18:06:00.002-06:00

Today, a best friend and close as a sister cousin passed away after a long battle with cancer.

That's Eloise in the front in the little pink dress and the bow in her hair looking angelic and that's me second from her left with dark hair looking like a little mischief maker. Truth is, we were a little of both. Because we were close in age, both girls, and our folks were together every week of our young lives, we had a bond no time or distance could erase.

Being a sentimental type person has led me to keep things that haven't much worth other than they are tied to a memory. A little this or that can bring a memory of some event or of someone special.

Sweet memories of my mother's "French" iris, the Boston ferns my Grandma Shenk had in pots on her summer porch, and the blue corn flowers that were a favorite of my friend, June.

I can't imagine a garden without memories tied to them. It's why I have a cottage garden style in my yard. It allows me to tuck in every odd plant willy nilly just because it holds a memory for me.

Where there isn't a specific flower, I've loaded (and overloaded) a bed with daylilies named after family. Since Eloise wasn't much into gardening (she was married to a career Air Force man and lived all over the world), I'm thinking an "Eloise" daylily will be perfect.

Today I may cry again for her suffering and my loss. Tomorrow I may touch a flower and smile at her memory.

“Let’s be grateful for those who give us happiness,

they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.”

- Marcel Proust

Happy Happy Happy

2012-01-26T13:39:00.002-06:00

Happy!

Ecstatic!

Joyful!

Or, just plain Glad!

Oh, there's nothing plain about Glads - better known as Gladiolus.

If they're so beautiful, so easy, and make everyone so glad, why don't we see them in gardens more often? My guess it's the whole daunting thing about planting those little bulb-like things in the spring and digging them up in late fall. So friends I'm here today to debunk all the reasons you may offer for not having glads - or being glad - or glad handing. . . . . .

First, a little history: Gladiolus is from the Latin word gladius meaning a sword. It's in the iris family and is considered a bulb known as a corm. It is sometimes called the sword lily and they are mostly native to Africa. They have a rich relationship with insects both for pollinating, use of nectar and are food for some larvae.

Glads have been extensively hybridized and are a major product for florists. Glads symbolize strength and moral integrity. They represent infatuation, with a bouquet conveying to a recipient that they pierce the giver’s heart with passion.

Glads are the "birth flower" for August birthdays and 40th wedding anniversary flowers. And there is a whole boat load of things you could know about glads but let's just move on to your garden and mine.

First, glad corms may be purchased individually or in bulk. They can be fairly cheap from a big box store. They can be a new hybrid and only one will cost as much as a new pair of shoes. There are other differences between cheap and expensive. Cheap bulbs tend to be smaller and you pay more for larger. Smaller bulbs means smaller stems, flowers and perhaps production. Cheaper usually means not as many color choices.

Here's the test: If you buy glads and simply cannot make yourself dig them up each fall - buy cheap. You're what we call "Cazzzzz" or the casual lover of glads. If you're more into glads, then move down to the next paragraph and get GLAD!

You can get beautiful hybrid glads in the medium price range - about 8 for $10. The flowers may be larger, have color combinations that are wild and wowzer, texture may be pearlized or velvet, and the edges may be ruffled. IF you dig up your glad corms each fall - the price of good bulbs becomes so much cheaper if you think how many years you will use that same bulb or some of it's babies.

Here's some things to know when planting glad corms:
They like sun and well drained soil that gets plenty of moisture.
Start planting about the time the leaves start to come on your trees.
Plant in intervals of two weeks and you'll have weeks worth of blooms.
If it's dry, water once a week.
Apply liquid fertilizer about every ten days from when buds appear to when flowers are in bloom.
Mulch.
Dig up before it frosts. Trim off any leaves to about one inch above corm. Don't trim down the leaves prior to digging up because you will forget where they are - I promise.
Store in a cool, frost free, well ventilated place. I lay them on newspapers on my basement shelf. Others hang them in old nylon stockings from a nail. They shouldn't dry out totally or be so wet they mold.

If you plant one color together, it usually gives more impact.
Planting around perennial flowers and bushes helps to hold them up when it's windy. Otherwise, you may want to stake and tie them.

I tuck them around my daylilies (being careful not to damage the daylily roots). They can look nice near perennials that bloom in the spring. It's a way to add color to an area where it is mostly green leaves in the summer/fall.

I mostly use my glads for bouquets/cutting so I'm less than caring about where they are in relation to other plants.

It's so easy to get glad!

Pretty Pictures

2012-01-21T13:04:00.000-06:00

Pretty Pictures ~ Pretty Ribbons of Blue

Pretty pencils to write "I love you."

OK, OK, I know I've taken liberty with the lyrics, but they go so lovely with these garden themed photos. Most of these photos are from the ~Romantic~Vintage Home~ facebook page and Karen is gracious to share with others.

This is a bit of a fluff piece although most gardeners are inspired by the beauty around them. These photos are beauty from the simple to the wonderfully over-the-top. Enjoy!

This is the over-the-top creation - made from fresh flowers. Don't you wonder why this was created - what event - the client?

No doubt this takes "Shabby Chic" to a whole new level. And my husband and I have had a few laughs about this photo. To explain: Husband was born in an area of the country where there might be a multitude of vehicles and car parts in the yard. Much of it is on cement blocks - involves rust and high weeds. Admittedly, they say the same thing we gardeners say, "I have a plan for it."

Old architectural pieces (in this case an old door) can be used as garden accents if done with aesthetics in mind. **see the above for those that might slip into what we call "Georgia yard ornaments". Old doors can be used to fence off an area, leaned against something to add character, to make an entry into a little area or as a arbor. Life of these pieces isn't all that long in our area of the country. Still it can be a beautiful accent in the right garden and used well.

Many of Karen's garden photos involve entertaining and/or eating and drinking. What I enjoy about them is most are done with what someone had on hand (or gives that impression). I so like the idea of taking a little of this and a little of that and the end result is beautiful. It takes the pressure off first timers that they must have real china, real crystal, real silver, real butlers and waiters - you get the idea. My idea of REAL is how a host or hostess treats their guests.

I loved this one (yes, I'm a farm girl) and thought my husband would find it a project HE would want to jump right into. Those of you familiar with barbed wire know it's difficult to work with in the most simple situations - let alone bend into this beautiful form. I haven't given up hope although I'm guessing there is precious little hope my husband will put it on his "to do list".

I'll close with the beautiful little corner. It looks so easy and that's the fooler for really beautiful shabby chic. It's not always easy to look easy. Done poorly, it could like a corner where junk has been left to fall apart. Pulled together with the right kind of flowers, in the right places, the "casual" placing of the quilt and it becomes a showpiece.

Have a lovely Saturday - dream a little dream for me!

Seeds of Wisdom

2012-01-19T10:14:00.001-06:00

I’m an advocate of organic mulch to help control weeds, preserve moisture and improve the soil as the mulch decomposes. How then are we suppose to plant seeds without undoing all our mulching work?

· Only plant perennials.

· Use only plant sets from a nursery.

· Use only plant sets you’ve grown over the winter.

· Or, try the following.

Once the danger of frost is over, purchase the little peat starter pots or make your own out of newspaper.
Set them side by side in an old rimmed cookie sheet.
Fill each to within ½ inch of the top with potting soil.
Gently water this mixture. Allow water to stand in the tray to about ½ inch.
Check the next day to make sure the pot and soil is damp.
Plant two seeds in each pot following the directions for that variety.
Move a small area of mulch aside with your hand.
Dig down in the soil to half the depth of the pot.
Water the hole.
Set the pot gently into the hole.
Make sure the soil is pushed against the side of the pot.
Push mulch back around the pot but not over the potting soil.
When the seeds sprout to about 1 inch, pull the weakest one in each pot. If done gently, they can be transplanted to another area or a flower pot. Otherwise, dispose of them.
Keep the little plants damp (not soggy) by watering gently so as not to wash out the seed/sprout.
If there is going to be a hard rain, you may want to lay an old sheet over the pots until it’s over.
Once the plants are taller, leafed out, and established, brush more mulch around them.

A few additional hints for those of you who drool over your new plant catalogs this time of the year: Some vendors list the number of seeds to a particular order. Do you want 1,000 of the same variety? Knowing the number of seeds in a packet allows you to get the most for your needs. You can always share seeds, although, not everyone will have your same needs and wants. Most local nurseries carry a small variety of the most common seed varieties. Seeds are much more economical than buying plant sets IF you actually use them all. Make sure your seed supply vendor sells only new seeds. A packet of old seeds may not be so cheap if only a few sprout.

Here are a few of my favorite annuals easily grown from seed: Four O’clock, Alyssum, Phlox, Nicotina, Cleome, California poppy, Forget-Me-Not, Cornflower, Cosmo, Nasturtium, Marigold, and Zinnia. A garden filled with these would be a beautiful summer-long cutting garden.

I turn to Henry Ward Beecher for this seed of wisdom, "As for marigolds, poppies, hollyhocks, and valorous sunflowers, we shall never have a garden without them, both for their own sake, and for the sake of old-fashioned folks, who used to love them."

Pe-TOO-nee-uh

2012-01-17T12:24:00.001-06:00

This Petunia is an old fashioned climbing petunia with attributes galore! I've found conflicting names and descriptions for the actual botanical name.

In our area, the petunia is the workhorse of summer annual gardens and pots. New varieties have many new colors, forms and resistance. Who of us hasn't marveled over the "Wave" series when they flow over the sides of hanging pots?

If your ancestors had flower gardens, they probably included the old fashioned petunia multiflora variety. It's one of those plants that almost disappeared in lieu of the newer varieties. After all, who wants a petunia that's leggy, refuses to behave, and only comes in pastel pinks, whites and lavendars? I do! I do!

This heirloom plant variety was abandoned by commercial seed growers and you may only get seeds today from speciality and heirloom flower growers or from friends.

The lovely vines (up to 3 foot) are one of the most fragrant evening flowers you could plant. Fragrance is one of the things bred out of most current hybrids.

This variety blooms all summer, likes lots of sun and self seeds. In most cases, once you have a successful planting, you will have this beautiful heirloom for years. It is recommended they be fertilized (as all potted plants should) but if they are in fertile garden soil, they will do well without additonal fertilizers.

This petunia was usually planted near a porch or entrance. It would lay it's pretty flowers up and over the posts and braces and provide a lovely scent while folks sat on their porches in the evening. Simple pleasures!

An added plus, these plants are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.

Their soft colors are attractive in cottage gardens, informal beds and as ground cover around taller perennials.

Do they have any problems?
To keep blooming, they must be deadheaded occassionally. Pull off the bloom or give them a little haircut with your garden shears. Don't do a month before frost if you want it to self seed.
They also tend to look rather sad after a rainstorm. They will perk up on their own.
They belong to the nightshade family (same as potatoes and tomatoes) and won't grow well near walnut trees.
Towards the end of the season, they may look a little scraggly, but, they're well worth that small issue.

Heirloom and the new varieties isn't an either/or situation. There's a place for both if that's what you like.

Some places where you can find the seeds for sale:
www.SelectSeeds.com - listed as "petunia - old-fashioned climbing"
www.heirloomseeds.com - listed as "petunia old-fashioned vining"

Side Note: The photos are of this heirloom petunia. The seeds came from my late neighbor, Clarence Medley. These two photos show self seeding in our stone walk. I've always wondered how I can do three-hundred things to ensure a plant grows well in all the right conditions and then have something grow in the crack of a stone/brick walk...

Betwixt and Between

2012-01-15T14:36:00.002-06:00

I always hesitate to write about something current in the newspaper because it will probably be obsolete by the time it’s published. What could be more obsolete than last week’s weather? Today, I publish on my blog instead.

The late run of summer-like weather in December/January has confirmed I’m not a snow bird (those friends who head south during the Midwest winters). I enjoy winter weather and would hate to face every day with perfect temperatures.

I’ve had quite a few folks mention their plants and trees were acting as if it’s spring. New perennial sprouts pushing up, trees budding out, and grass is still green. The plants are confused.

The questions are will any of these plants die and will the spring flowering plants have flowers next spring? The answer is “depends”.

If you have a plant that has been severely stressed, this could push it into dead. With the late summer drought conditions in 2011, the energy for two spring-type buddings could stress a plant, especially trees.

Now before you worry - realize there’s not much you can do about it at this point – especially if we have a continual freeze and a layer of snow.

I’ve heard it recommended you drag out your hoses and water trees and other plants (especially those recently planted) until the ground freezes so hard and deep it no longer takes in the water. I agree but realize most people simply don’t get this task accomplished once hoses are stored inside.

For otherwise healthy plants, they will probably survive. We’ll have to wait and see if the spring flowering trees and bushes bloom come spring; my unscientific guess is bloom quantity will be down.

Once the ground freezes, it wouldn’t hurt to toss a few inches of additional mulch on those perennials sprouts. It won’t preserve the sprouts but it will help insulate the tender plant parts underground. A continuous covering of deep snow does much the same thing.

If our winter continues to be mild, you might see a large quantity of insects next summer since the natural winter kill numbers will be less. Same with birds and critters.

We could still have months of normal winter weather – freezing temperatures, ice, wind and snow. Meteorologists say we have now moved into a period where we can no longer make up the lost averages for winter moisture and temperature (or as Terry Swails says, “The winter that wasn’t.”) That doesn’t mean it's clear sailing into spring. What it does mean is next spring and summer could be different and interesting.

The point of this article: Don’t spend time worrying about your outdoor plants at this point. Sit back and enjoy the beauty of our Midwest winter. If there are ramifications this spring, deal with them in the spring. As for me, I’m just thankful I don’t have to deal with the weather in Cordova Alaska!

Side Note: Don, a school mate who is also a beekeeper, said bees come out on warm days to unburden themselves (poop) and will not be killed from coming out of hibernation. Bees do not hibernate, they keep their wings moving and stay close together to keep the hive warm. The largest winter kills are during very cold February and March because they starve to death.

Sweetie

2012-01-13T23:51:00.003-06:00

For the person who wants to treat their sweetheart to a valentine weekend to remember ~ try the weekend in St. Louis MO.

Reservations at the Moonrise Hotel, 6177 Delmar In The Loop, St. Louis, MO 63112 is guaranteed to be the perfect overnight stay. Romantic, beautiful rooms, great service and the added benefit of the wonderful Eclipse Restaurant. 314-721-1111 Front Desk and Eclipse Restaurant Reservations
314-726-2222.

For the nature lover, make reservations at the St. Louis Zoo for "Untamed Hearts: An Intimate Valentine's Day Dinner. February 11 and 14 - 6 and 8:30 p.m. seating. A four course meal for two by candlelight at McDonnell Center at River Camp, followed by a look at some secrets of animal attraction. $125 per couple (t&t incl.)

Limited reservations. Call (314) 646-4857 by Wednesday, February 8, 2012.

The Missouri Botanical Garden (Ridgway Visitor Center) February 11, 2012, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Over 800 orchids are on display and you will be in the middle of this fragrant beautiful show.

St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks. 6:00 p.m.www.stlouisblues.com, (800) 745-3000 or (314) 622-5400.

Enjoy the beautiful outdoors with your Valentine at the Shaw Nature Reserve in St. Louis County. The reserve is hosting a special evening hike for couples just before Valentine's Day. Couples will also enjoy hot chocolate and delicious desserts by the fire. The cost is $29 a person. February 11th - 7-10 p.m. 314-577-5140.

Dust off your dancing shoes February 11, grab your partner and head over to the Casa Loma Ballroom for a Valentine's celebration. Get in the groove with the Fabulous Motown Revue featuring Velvet & Satin. The doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the dancing begins at 8 p.m. Admission is $15 a person. 314-664-8000.

Members of the St. Louis Symphony will be performing a free concert on Valentine's Day, February 14, at the beautiful Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park. The doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. 314-286-4432

For the person who would really like to find alternate living space after Valentine's Day:

Candlelight. Romance. Sliders. You'll find it all at White Castle on Valentine's Day. Once again, the burger chain is serving up a special Valentine's meal complete with candles, tableside service and romantic decor. Dinner will be served from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at all local White Castle locations.

And on the way or back, travel down the Great River Road and stop along the Mississippi River for some eagle watching. Or take advantage of the February 19-21 eagles and much more at the National Great Rivers Museum, Alton. The World Bird Sanctuary will have eagles, falcons, owls and other birds of prey on display. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Kids 3 and under are free.

And the final suggestions:

Do not and I repeat "do not" buy inferior chocolates. It tastes like brown wax - bla -uck - gurf. If you can't afford good chocolate, make a batch of chocolate chip cookies - oh be still my beating heart! Some Big Lots carry Godiva Chocolates.

If your mate loves flowers and the only thing to satisfy is roses, check out local florists or discount stores. Both have flowers waaaay cheaper than the call and order teleflora things. If roses aren't her thing, consider a potted flowering plant or other garden related lovely.

My all time favorite flower was the white gardenia wrist corsage when we were married. I kept it in the car and wore it for days - heavenly fragrance. Does anyone even wear wrist corsages anymore? But still ~ it was heavenly!

Side note: I'm sorry for some of the unusual looking print and arrangments of text - Blogspot was doing odd things tonight and didn't want to be corrected.

Hitting the Big Time

2012-01-07T13:54:00.000-06:00

During the Victorian era, garden design was over the top - in a good way unless you were a minimalist. The above example is the layered look using tropicals in a round bed. To achieve this look, the round plot needs very big and tall plants in the middle.

Very large annuals are not typically native to the Midwest unless you use grasses. Grasses can work, but, I'm talking about the large and distinctive leafed plants. The ones that look like they just came from the rain forests.

I've found very few local nurseries offering much of a variety of large leafed plants.

Hornbaker Nursery, Princeton IL, does carry several large variety hosta if your plot will be in partial shade. I do find that hosta tends to drape over too much for the above type design. If you're looking for a perennial bed in some shade, keep in mind the width of these large hosta (such as "Empress Wu", "Glory" and "Golden Sculpture") and plant the next row farther away. Also, a perennial bed of this design will take a year or so to get established and picture perfect.

If the local nurseries in your area don't stock what you want and are reluctant to stock, turn to catalogs and on line sites. I'll do my usual caution: don't order fifty bulbs unless you've confidence in the nursery.

I was amazed at the www.floridahillnursery.com site's variety of Alocasia and Colocasia elephant ear plants! For the above type display, the elephant ear plant would need to be tall. If you choose one of the variegated varieties, it will help determine the colors of the other plants in this design. I'm quite taken with the red stemmed varieties such as their Colocasia Cranberry pictured here. Additionally, they have white stemmed/veined, all black, irregular mottled, and chartreuse.

Elephant ear does best in bright indirect sun or morning sun. This pairs them well with Caladium; another large leafed but shorter annual. There's a large color variety of Caladium and choices to go with most any design you can imagine.

Another large plant is the Canna x generalis. There are variegated and striped leafed varieties, plus, flowers of orange, yellow, peach, red, orange and white. Use the Canna in full sun locations.

The ricinus communis Caster Oil Bean plant is controversial because all parts are poisonous. If you have children or pets that could eat them, I'd pass on this beauty. Seldom can you find the seeds in nurseries or on line because of the safety issue. Most of mine have been from friends who save the seeds and share/replant. www.selectseeds.com has a few varieties as shown in this photo.

Caster Oil Bean plants are very tropical looking and have immense leaves resembling a hand spread out flat. Varieties come in green, decorative white ribbing, purple, and chocolate red. Plant these in full sun.

There are other tropical plants that would look good in the middle of this arrangement. If you choose tropical trees such as Burgmansia, palm, banana, and etc., I'd advise planting in pots to make it easier to bring in the house before frost.

All of the above plants can be preserved over winter by potting, saving the bulbs or gathering seeds. These plants and the quantity needed for a display such as above, is not an inexpensive bed. Overwintering is a good way to cut the annual expense.

It's not recommended to use seeds for this kind of display bed. Seldom do the plants reach maturity or bloom at the same time and the desired effect is never quite achieved especially in the Midwest where the growing season isn't all that long. If you are living in a warmer zone, your options for this kind of a bed are larger.

To get any mixed bed to look good, all plants need to have the same requirements - soil, light, water, fertilization. Many of the companion and smaller plants for the edges can be from local nurseries. All look best if they don't spread a lot. Prepare the soil using suggested amendments necessary for tropical plants. I typically fertilize with fish emulsion. Some require tropical dampness while others will rot if watered too much. Use LOTS of organic mulch.

Hard edging is optional. I've seen this type of bed planted in old cement ponds.

The thing to keep in mind is this particular look is Victorian in design. It's balanced, bold, formal and seldom has flowers. It's not rustic, light, cute, pastel or crowded into other beds. Which doesn't mean you have to follow the "rules" ~ it's your garden.

This is one of the Victorian gardens at Biltmore Estate - note the large circle planting. This takes it to a whole larger level. Enjoy your winter gardening dreaming!

One Flower At A Time

2012-01-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

What do gardening and politics have to do with one another? Quite a lot both worldwide and in your own back yard.

Consider the laws pertaining to our water and air quality, the park systems, roadsides, outside recreation, disposal of waste, protection of wildlife, native plants, and preservation. Not to mention the standards created (by laws) for what can be sold and truth in labeling. Research labs, big business, and universities are all tied in some manner to laws. Laws are tied to politics. Politics is tied to money. Money is tied to self interest.

We have some great benefits for the protection and advancement of nature in the United States which resulted from legislation. Consider our vast park system that was created by legislation.

This photo from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas in Austin. www.wildflower.org

I thought about all this while reading an article about Lady Bird Johnson’s influence upon the landscape of America. She not only used her position as First Lady to influence preservation and reclamation laws, she did it as a volunteer.

Lady Bird knew how to rally people into making laws (Wilderness Act-1964 and The Highway Beautification Act-1965 among others); she knew how to get things done using donations and volunteers. Often she used her own funds for projects.

And herein lays my point: We don’t always need to use tax monies for well deserving projects when government is in debt. While expecting our politicians to get their National, State and local budgets in order, citizens will have to accept the responsibility for our special interest projects.

I think we’ve see this kind of citizen participation in our own town of Galva where volunteers use donated flowers and volunteer labor to beautify public areas. Whereas in years past local citizens may have expected the City to handle those expenses and duties, it now falls to volunteers. Bravo to those who have taken this project and shown we don’t have to lose something just because government can no longer provide.

As the President of the Freedom House Board of Directors (a women and children’s domestic abuse shelter and services), I see firsthand how government monies can affect the operation. The Board and staff are dedicated to keeping the shelter open, perhaps expanding. To do this we must have volunteers and benefactors who take on the responsibility of replacing lost government assistance.

Citizens can no longer sit back and “care” without stepping up and “doing.” It’s a shift in mindset.

Not all government programs can or should be discontinued. That would be as irresponsible as our current debt crisis. If our political leaders decide to balance the budget with significant and intelligent fiscal management, our citizens must step up to the plate. Improving this country’s fiscal situation starts with one tiny flower planted by a volunteer in a city garden and one informed vote for government officials who understand they must act responsibly. Citizens and government working together – is it possible? One flower at a time folks!

More Fun!!

2012-01-03T09:16:00.000-06:00

Notice I used exclamation points and not question marks after "More Fun!!"

Although not a resolution, I think deciding to have more fun in your gardening endeavors this year is about as perfect as it gets. Let's talk through a different kind of garden fun:

Eliminate all plots of garden that have become too much to handle. My friend, Kathy, has done this and at the time I thought she must have lost her mind. DECREASE areas of beauty - Nooooo! Alas, Kathy figured out if you can't take care of it, it is no longer a place of beauty, it is a burden.

It doesn't mean you throw beautiful flowers into a dumpster or composter. Donate them to friends, public gardens or have a tag sale and donate the proceeds to your local garden club. Or, combine them into other beds.

It's doubly hard for me to embrace Kathy's "less is more" because I've been an advocate of mowing less by the use of heavily mulched perennial beds. It's still a good practice, but, the rub is when you can no longer (physically, time or money) keep the beds worked.

An alternative to sowing with lawn grass seed is to sow with a grass that only needs mowed a couple of times a year or never. And then, the ability to look at that grass and embrace it's casualness and not give in to pressure for perfectly groomed.

The alternative of planting a wild flower/grass garden is not exactly maintenance free. It takes good soil prep to make sure you have no competition for the native plants and either a burn or fall mowing to keep the seeds active and weeds/trees/shrub starts from taking hold.

Another alternative is to pack perennial beds full of very hardy varieties. It still takes some weeding and mulching but if done right in the very beginning, it will be less work. This will work better if you don't live in a rural setting where weed seeds are blown, migrate or are dropped by birds.

An indicator your gardens have become too much is:

If you walk outside and begin to feel stressed because things aren't done.
You're embarrassed all summer when someone drops by to walk your gardens.
You can't sit in a chair on a beautiful day and enjoy your yard because the tasks are so many.
You can no longer lift a bag of mulch, fertilizer, a full wheelbarrow, or pile of weeds.
The kids you hire to help actually do more harm than good.
You can't afford to hire competent and dependable garden help.
You can't take a good flower picture because there are too many weeds in the way
You can't be on your knees, bend over, or use other parts of your body without hurting - always..

For most avid gardeners, our life has been spent adding more and more beauty to our spaces. We try another variety, another color, and another space. To change that life long journey can seem sad and the beginning of the end. In reality, it is simply another beginning. Remember the point of most ornamental gardening is the enjoyment by the gardener.

It's not failure to change our gardens to our present condition - it's what gardeners have always done. We've always had to deal with changes: weather, disease, pests, product failure, soil nutrients and etc. If you've reached the point where you need to make changes to your gardens that involves easing tasks, face it headlong with a gardeners spirit. Downsizing isn't failure, it's another design and adventure!!

THE List

2012-01-02T09:52:00.002-06:00

Kids are back to work, grandchildren going back to school and daycare, gifts distributed, decorations down and now: THE List!

Some call THE List their "New Year's resolutions". I don't do resolutions, never have, just not my thing. I consider New Year's resolutions similar to party games; something to talk about when having fun and forget the rest of the year.

Considering the fact that I'm a tend to organize to the point I've been called "Monk" by those less than generous, it may seem odd I don't organize my thoughts on gardening every January 1st. Garden book authors tell us we must. Internet sites, educators, friends and perfect strangers tell us we must.

I think my reasoning is: (1) I think about changes and improvements to my gardens throughout the year. and (2) I've never been into self imposed garden deadlines, restrictions and rules. I suppose that has the implications of an undisciplined, impulsive and immature mind. I prefer to think of it as creative.

Most of us can point to persons whose success in a favored field included personality traits we ourselves possess. We tend to ignore those with those personality traits who have failed miserably. Aw, human nature, we are but a repeat process.

I am fortunate to have grown up in a era where they didn't tag kids with personality disorders and use those tags to push them into a box of conformity. My flaws and tendencies were not labeled as wrong, although at times, they might have incurred some strong parental "direction".

I come from a family with quite a lot of artists and engineers - polar opposites although both must be creative. Sooner or later, one of the off spring had to be a bit unique on the organizational side.

And that little bit of self disclosure brings me back to "New Year's resolutions". I never look at my gardens (even in passing) that my mind doesn't do a little analyzing and changing. Sometimes they're discarded when another glimpse offers another idea. Other times they may go into the mental list for quite some time until they are either accomplished, revised or discarded.

Putting ideas into a "resolution" list means they are either accomplished perfectly in the next year or I have failed. Seriously, who wants to set themselves up for that kind of self imposed black or white resolution? Life has enough negative things going on, I don't need to purposely make something in gardening one of them.

Even when I don't get a garden something accomplished or an idea doesn't turn out well, I seldom consider it a gardening failure. I usually consider it a learning experience.

I'm not preaching that goal setting is bad, striving for your best is pointless and planning for the future isn't necessary. I do all those things. I just don't consider "failure" the flip side of not achieving everything exactly as I thought was important on January 1st.

And now, on January 2nd, I take my cup of hot coffee and a leftover Christmas cookie and watch the house finch in his red attire while a few lacy snowflakes drift from the sky. This might be the best resolution for January 2nd I've come up with today!

Happy New Year's

2011-12-31T21:48:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year's garden friends!

Remember:

"A garden is never so good as it will be next year." By: Thomas Cooper, American scientist and patriot, 1759-1839

Mon Petit Chou

2011-12-30T08:40:00.002-06:00

Mon Petit Chou is a phrase of affection used by the French meaning: "My little cabbage."

Growing cabbage in the garden is not all that popular anymore. Eating cabbage isn't all that popular anymore. I'm guessing there's a generation that doesn't realize the slaw they get with their chicken tenders is made from cabbage.

The approaching New Year's Day prompts this little cabbage article. Cabbage has long been considered "good luck" if it's consumed on New Year's Day. It may go back to the belief that cabbage leaves are a sign of prosperity, representing paper currency.

The Irish consider eating corned beef and cabbage on New Year's Day insurance for a coming year of good luck and prosperity. Cabbage has been farmed from as far back as 400 BC and the wild version used for thousands of years BC. It was credited with saving many lives during the Irish potato famine.

The Germans traditionally have a roast pork with sauerkraut on New Year's Day. They don't mention good luck; perhaps it's just a favorite tradition. Again, I suspect there's a generation that not only doesn't know sauerkraut is cabbage, but, would not let it touch their lips on a bet.

As with most holiday food traditions, many came from superstition and a specific legend. They're often specific to nationality, race or religion.

As you get ready to feed a bevy of Rose Bowl fans or simply fix a Sunday meal, consider the cabbage. Cook (most boil) with a flavorful meat, add potatoes and carrots (maybe a few onions) and feel the warmth of good cooking. Some cook with black eyed peas, others in cabbage rolls, stir fry, au gratin and soup.

Come spring, add a few cabbage plants to your garden or flower beds. They take very little room and attention and are rather pretty. Plant where no other related plant has grown the previous year: such as brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc. They don't like full sun and are perfect for tucking around other plants. They thrive on compost and about 6 inches of mulch. They need adequate moisture but the soil should drain. Put a collar of newspaper around the plant when setting in the ground if you have cut worms. Use fine meshed fencing around them if you have rabbits.

Cabbage is a good source of riboflavin, vitamin C, glutamine, indol-3-carbinol, and is low calorie. It is fairly easy to preserve, keeps long in the refrigerator and may be left in the garden until right before it freezes. Some like the flavor better after a frost.

Cabbage production is a big industry in other countries with the US being the nineth in production. If you like US grown and regulated foodstuffs, check the labels and know what US companies sell imported products - or - grown your own.

You may purchase seeds or starter plant sets at most full service nurseries and on line.

There are quite a few varieties, including red and curly leaf. Try a few this year and treat yourself to this delicious vegetable. Introduce it to your children and grandchildren. Learn to cook with it.

And here's a couple of cabbage quotes:

"Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education" Mark Twain
"I want death to find me planting my cabbage" Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)

The top photo is from the University of Illinois web site and it also has a lot of good "cabbage growing" information. The other two photos are from my early cabbage sets prior to the heads being fully formed.

Capture the Fire

2011-12-29T09:40:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons I enjoy living in the Midwest, in the country and on a hill is the beautiful cloud formations. Combine those with a sunset and photo opportunities abound.

I tend to take many photos when there's a sky like the one in these recent pictures. Not only do the different areas of the sky have different views (is that a duh thing on my part), but, as the sun sets, the colors play off the clouds in different ways and colors.

The above photo is directly west. Because the sun is shielded by the clouds, there isn't a huge fire ball making reflections in my camera lens.

This photo is southwest and captures some of the wind turbines. Allowing structures, such as trees, buildings, and these turbines adds depth and perspective.

As the sun sets over the horizon, the sky pulls in shades of purple, pinks and yellows.

If the sunset is your primary focus, it's important to use hardscapes as frames. If you're not someone who has artistic visualization skills, it's important to take many different examples. Discard those that just don't work and keep the ones that are "wow" moments.

Although the entire photo has branches in the foreground, the sunset is the primary focus. The colors and intensity of the sun far outweighs the black branches.

If you're not adept at arranging the subject matter in real time, consider purchasing a photo editor package for the computer. AND take loads of pictures. I'm always amazed when a quick click results in a stellar view. Enjoy the clouds, they not only bring rain and snow, they bring lovely photos to be cherished.

Christmas Is Coming

2011-12-26T08:17:00.000-06:00

Christmas is coming,
The geese are getting fat,
Please put a penny
In the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,
A ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny,
Then God bless you.

The music to Christmas is Coming was composed by Edith Nesbit Bland in the late nineteenth century.

The author of the lyrics is unknown but the popularity of this traditional Christmas song

is handed down from generation to generation in the form of a nursery rhyme.

Christmas not only came - it went for 2011. Our Christmas was busy, but, in a good way. We had one group of family for supper on Christmas Eve and another for Christmas Dinner. Some were in other states, but, we did get to talk to most. Eight children, 14 grandchildren, and 2 on the way. Add to that spouses, etc., and we add another eight more.

My best laid plan of writing this little wish was pushed aside by cooking and celebrating. Not a bad way to get side tracked. As the above little poem/song indicates: If you can't do it all, then downsize until you can do what your situation allows and "Then God bless you!"

Waste Note - Want Not

2011-12-23T16:06:00.000-06:00

Do you remember looking through Grandma's things and wondering why she kept so many old things? Why were there half-used bottles of condensed strong smelling perfume? Why the many tubes of blood red lipstick - all worn down to the nub? Why were there twenty-three tins of various brands of talc, all open with no smell left? Why was there a drawer full of hand crafted starched and ironed hankies? Why were there five satin bed jackets - all pink and embroidered?

It's because our grandparents (perhaps even our parents) were raised in the era of "waste not - want not". You just never knew when that luxury item would be your last. In an era of soup lines and respectable hard working people losing their life savings - tomorrow was uncertain.

My folks saved the foil wrappers from gum and string from packaging. Every kitchen had a ball of both. They were not only saving for their own use, they were saving to help others. Aluminum foil was donated to the war effort. I have no idea what the millions of balls of string were used for - perhaps it made a great baseball in lean times.

When Gram and Gramps passed, those things got thrown away or went on the hay wagon. I think that might have been when the expression, "Grandpa would turn over in his grave if he saw that." was first quoted.

Much of that era's need to save "for a rainy day” was subconsciously passed on to my generation. We, too, had that embedded fear that tomorrow was not certain and the economy might falter making luxury items impossible to buy.

While that might be true, I had an awakening many years ago when I read an Erma Bombeck article about how she wished she had used those things and enjoyed them before they got all icky from years of waiting for the right moment. I believe Ms. Bombeck was in ill health when she pinned this.

And although I had a college professor make fun of my using Erma Bombeck as quote worthy, she certainly knew human nature.

Even though retired, I use my perfume every day at home. I wear that pretty blouse to the grocery. I put the fragile knickknack on the table. I use grandma's china for Christmas dinner. I pick flowers and have them in a vase in most every room in the house. I don't kill the violets growing in the grass. I use the bubble bath given to me by my grandchild.

“Waste not - want not” is simply using what is available at the time. The unused perfume becomes too strong to ever use. The never used china doesn’t give your own children/grandchildren a lasting memory. Killing violets deprives us of one of the most beautiful fragrant flowers. Saving the hunk of expensive cheese gives you a hunk of mold. And it goes on. Saving precious consumables doesn't save for bad times, it wastes. It wastes the money someone spent on the item, it wastes the potential enjoyment, and it wastes a memory.

What it does not do is help you store up for an emergency. By the time an emergency comes, consumables are past consuming. And that's the difference. Save the foil gum wrappers for recycling if you want, but chew that gum before it becomes so hard it will break your tooth. Erma Bombeck was right.

W is for Wicked

2011-12-20T06:25:00.000-06:00

I featured one of Amy Stewart's other books, "Wicked Plants" and the "Wicked Bugs - The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects" has just been released.

Ms. Stewart's book is not for the squeamish or the Entomophobia sufferer. It could almost make you lock yourself indoors after thoroughly fumigating the structure.

From creepy to crawly - destructive to deadly - biting to burrowing - let's just say it's really interesting and slightly frightening. Should you not have a good imagination, the etchings and drawings (by Briony Morrow-Cribbs) will put you right over the top.

I find it interesting to read how certain insects plagued the world in by-gone days. What ones are still out there bothering parts of the world. How many threats have been eliminated thanks to heightened cleanliness, medicines or better farming methods.

Need a little curl-up-on-a-cold-winter-night reading? Pick up a copy of this little thriller and let me know if you think of any of these the next time you are down on all fours gardening next summer.

Wind Turbines

2011-12-19T05:33:00.000-06:00

This is a photo of the first portion of two windmills going in behind our property. The blades are already attached to the gear housing.

This is the crane holding the gear housing and blades as they are attached to the tower.

This is another location about a mile away from our house. I liked the contrast of the old and new.

Wind turbines (or windmills as they used to be called) are the topic of conversation by neighbors and those afar. The wind farm will have hundreds of turbines and our area will encompass the first phase.

Whether residents are proponents of the wind turbines and wind generated energy, most admit it's been an awesome thing to watch how efficiently this project has unfolded. Dedicated crews are used for each step, they work long hours and they have been careful to create a minimal amount of problems for residents.

Unless we are in a hurry, many residents have sat and marvelled at the equipment being trucked onto farm land. The size of each blade, the housing and the towers have surprised those of us who have viewed them up close. The number of cement trucks used during the foundation phase, the amount of gravel put down to secure sturdy roads, and the speed of the project is pretty amazing.

To date, my vote is still out on whether it will be a plus for the area. Tax moneys, landowner leases, gifts to area towns, workers patronizing local business, clean energy are some of the pluses. Complaints have often been centered around speculation, the looks on the landscape, and gripes and grudges.

Maybe it's my utility - energy background, but, I'm enjoying the process. As those babies start turning and producing, I'll be more informed. Today they are awesome!

80 Roses!

2011-12-18T14:39:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine, Brett, recently sent his mother 80 bright pink roses for her 80th birthday. I'm betting it took two strong delivery persons just to get it into her house. What a beautiful treat.

What do you do with 80 roses or for that matter a few stems of any cut flower?

It's pretty much the same for florist and garden cut flowers. Just a few always and most cut bouquets should last at least a week and sometimes weeks.

Make sure the container is sparkling clean. Wash the residue out of a used vase with hot water and a good detergent. Rinse. I usually run mine through the dishwasher after hand washing the residue off. Aside from making the vase pretty, it's essential to remove any and all bacteria.

Fill with warm water. Warm water is taken into the stems faster than cold water.

The little packets of professional grade preservatives have a mixture that will help the flower take up nutrients, water and prevent decay. Mix into the warm water.

Remove all foliage that will sit beneath the water line. Wet foliage will quickly rot and ruin the bouquet.

Cut off the end of the stem and insert immediately into the water. Any stem that has been cut for even a few minutes will have formed a barrier over the end. The new cut allows water to be taken up.

Change the water (cleaning the vase in the process) every few days and make a fresh cut off the bottom of each stem.

Don't sit the vase in bright direct light or where it will be hit by a cold burst of air (near outside doors) and not on or near heat sources.

Remove flowers as the wilt. When a good portion of them have been removed, take the flowers that are left and trim for a smaller vase.

According to the University of Illinois garden site, doing the above will prolong the life of flowers and foliage.

Side Note: As the green leaves drop off your poinsettia, cut off the red top with as much stem as needed and place in a vase as if it is a fresh cut flower.

Come On Honey, I'm Bored

2011-12-16T10:47:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - everywhere I go. Well, perhaps not everywhere. In the wild Midwest (the Midwest isn't all that wild - but the wildlife in the Midwest):

Raccoons den up and breed during snow storms. Mr. Raccoon, "Come here honey, I'm bored."

North American bats hibernate. Screech and Barred owls call (should you be outside in the evening). Gray squirrels start mating and continue through February (talk about busy). Red fox and raccoons breed. Evening grosbeaks visit feeders. Unbred does enter second estrus. Badgers will dig up, kill and eat hibernating woodchucks. Rabbits use abandoned dens during heavy snow. Bald eagles move toward open water at locks and dams. Skunks sleep during weather of 15 degrees or colder. Beaver feed on sapling reserves. Whitetails form winter groups. Canada geese start migrating into southern Illinois.

All this breeding during the cold winter months is not all that different than humans. The month where most U.S. babies are born is September - during that cold snowy dark winter, men say, "Come on honey, I'm bored."

On December 1st, we entered into the Meteorological Winter or the three coldest months of the year. Temperatures usually drop at least 10 degrees (on average) during December. The average snow for the month is 8.4 inches. 2000 saw 32.9 inches. 1889 saw none. We are currently below average.

The record low temperature for December was minus 24 degrees in 1924 and the record high was 71 degrees in both 1970 and 1982. Typical average lows are 17-25 degrees and average highs 32 - 41 degrees.

I'll be looking forward to year end averages and comparisons. Right now I'm like the rest of the little kids in the Midwest: I'm wishing for snow for Christmas.

Here's a funny from the facebook page of "The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti" Whole lot of work for a joke, but, I sure did enjoy his humor.

Hundreds gather to protest global warming!

Yupiq

2011-12-10T20:31:00.002-06:00

(This is a photo taken from Ah Alaska Blog - eat your heart out fishermen everywhere!) Our nation is so very diverse and this little Christmas video points that out so clearly. Looks so cold I almost wanted to get a sweater while watching. It's refreshing to see a video with faces etched by the elements, work and normalcy of neighbors. (Don't you just get tired of everyone on TV looking perfectly plastic?)
I looked at the coordination and song the first time around, the next time the surroundings and the last time I looked at the faces. Good job Village of Quinhagak - nice Christmas present to us all.

And as far as gardening - wow - that would be some tough lessons learned to grow what we traditionally think of as gardens. A place I'd like to visit and get to know. Here's a few facts:
This video from the Yupiq Eskimo Village of Quinhagak, Alaska, population 669. The village dates back to 1000 AD. Over 96% of the population is Native Americans. Over 27% of the families are below the poverty line.

A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Native Village of Kwinhagak (aka Quinhagak). The community is primarily Yup'ik Eskimos who fish commercially and are active in subsistence food gathering. The sale, importation, and possession of alcohol is banned in the village. Almost half the households haul water and use honeybuckets.

There is one school with 225 students and it's mostly the 5th grade class in this video filmed in 2010 by teacher Jim Barthelman. Check out his BLOG "Ah Alaska!" at http://www.jsbarthelman.blogspot.com and check out www.adn.com the Alaska Daily Newspaper.

(This is his photo of a 10 p.m. sunset on April 15th - they are having 14 1/2 hours of sun a day.) Quinhagak is located in a marine climate a mile from the Bering Sea coast. They average 43 inches of snowfall a year. Summer temperatures average 41 to 57 °F, and winter temperatures average 6 to 24 °F. Extremes have been measured from 82 to -34 °F.

Now you know the rest of the story - enjoy the great video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=LyviyF-N23A

Say What??

2011-12-09T21:16:00.000-06:00

Was reading a little ditty on hardiness zones and low and behold (whatever that means), the zone boundaries have changed. Seems they haven't been revised in years. The Arbor Day folks did an average and have revised zone boundaries. It's not a huge difference although it might encourage some of us on the edge to try something not quite as hardy as we previously experimented.

I've always thought my particular bit of land verged towards the colder zone. We were listed as zone 5 and I've found anything planted on the west/north/east better be pretty darn hardy to Zone 4. On the south side of the house, we have fences, bushes, trees and lots of winter growth - we can occasionally over-winter an annual or two.

To the right of this blog, you will find a link to the hardiness zone finder. Click on it and enter your zip code.

Remember: Hardiness zones are "guides" not gospel. Most garden spaces have a number of hardiness zones depending on the lay of the land, sun/shade exposure, wind/windbreaks, soil composition, and mulch.

2006 arborday.org Hardiness Zone Map

The Smells of Christmas

2011-12-08T09:54:00.000-06:00

WAIT! Isn’t that supposed to be the “Sounds of Christmas”? Certain smells just might be as important to your Christmas memories as that favorite yuletide carol.

Think a moment, what fragrances bring a feeling of Christmas even if it’s the middle of June?

I’ve talked about the human sense of smell and how it is the strongest memory provoking sense we humans share. Seriously, fry up a piece of bacon and try to keep the smile off your face.

The candle and oil industries have made a fortune scenting our homes. Something perfume manufacturers knew for thousands of years.

Let’s take the fragrances most likely to invoke a holiday memory:

· Pine: Even if we don’t want the mess of a live Christmas tree anymore, most of us love the smell of fresh pine in our homes.

· Pumpkin pie: This is the dominate smell of cloves and cinnamon.

· Sugar Cookie: This is essentially the smell of vanilla. Vanilla invokes comfort.

· Peppermint: Peppermint oil is strong and easily resembles candy canes.

· Orange or Tangerine: For me, this is the smell of Christmas morning when I’d find one of these citrus fruits in my stocking. As they are peeled, the fragrance fills the entire room.

Often the cheaper man made fragrances have a chemical smell. It’s why the more expensive candles and oils still have good sales. Recreating those fragrances in your home is pretty easy without much muss or fuss.

Pine is simple: Cut a few boughs (or purchase) and strategically place in arrangements or simply in a vase. Replace when they become dry.

Pumpkin pie: Put one cup of water in a two cup measuring bowl. Add a tablespoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon. Heat in the microwave until your home is fragrant. Try in 30 second intervals since it tends to boil over and you don’t want it to have a mess or scorched scent. Open the microwave and let the scent fill your home – this container will be VERY hot at first.

Sugar Cookie: Same as with the pumpkin, except only add one teaspoon of pure vanilla to the water instead of the spices.

Peppermint: Same as with the pumpkin, except only add one-half teaspoon of peppermint oil to the water instead of the spices.

Orange or Tangerine: Peel a fruit and lay the peeling in a ceramic/glass saucer. Hide behind something and let it scent the room for days. Remove and replace when it starts to dry.

And “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” fragrance now.

Jingle Jangle

2011-12-06T06:03:00.001-06:00

Another home I've mentioned before in relation to their gardens is the David Davis Mansion, 100 Monroe Drive, Bloomington IL. They also have Christmas tours until the end of this month 9am to 4 pm daily. On December 17th, their evening tour of three historic homes (David Davis, Broadview & Mystery Mansions) are from 3-6 pm or 6-9 pm. Visit the www.ChristmasAtTheMansion.com for details. The Davis home is fully restored.

The interior photo of the Davis Mansion is from their web page. The Broadview also has other Christmas events www.broadviewmansion.org

Come see the Mansion dressed up for Christmas-Evening candle light tours! Reservations strongly recommended! Call (815) 224-5892 to reserve your tickets today!

The Hegeler Carus Mansion, 1307 Seventh St., LaSalle www.hegelecarus.org is beautiful in the winter. This fantastic photo of the Hegeler Carus Mansion was taken by Kemp Smith of the Newstribune and can be found on their facebook page. The Holiday Christmas Lights Tours on December 9th - call for specifics. This mansion isn't restored to original splendor, it is a glimpse at history and the tours and events lend a semblance to walking through a door to another era.

I tend to get a little festive and off "garden based" this time of the year. I enjoy touring the grand old homes of historically significant families and visualizing their life during those times.

For a rather different "tour" experience, the Frank Lloyd Wright's Kenneth Laurant home in Rockford, IL is up for auction (December 15th in Chicago). Many of the original furnishings and a companion 1.2 acres designed landscape will come with the property. The Laurant's are moving to an assisted living facility and historical preservationists hope to buy the home and turn it into a museum. This photo is from the realtor's page.


*SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011 3:00 to 8:00 PM**

The annual Decatur IL "Historic Christmas Tour" is all about eleven stops (both homes and other) and includes several events. Check out www.decaturchristmastour.com

Most central Illinois communities have Christmas celebrations, lighting, and tours. Pick a town, google Christmas celebrations or tours and hit the road.

For the garden purist: Many of the lovely historical homes have beautiful gardens - even in the winter. A testimony to good design, the winter "bones" are ideas waiting for you to copy. Most historic home tours will not allow inside photos, but, they do allow photos of the gardens.

Get your jingle jangle on and add a little festive touring to your December fun.

Side note: I simply could not get this article to apply facts where I wanted them. Pardon the odd parts.

Shop Small

2011-12-05T18:01:00.000-06:00

Hoerr Nursery, Peoria, IL has a gift shop in addition to their greenhouse and nursery services. www.hoerrnursery.com

Green View, Dunlap IL is like sightseeing your way through a winter wonderland. www.greenview.com In addition to things to buy, they have instruction sessions most Saturdays leading up to Christmas.

Sunnyfield Nursery, Galva IL, has gift certificates available by calling 309-852-4172. www.sunnyfield.com

Dew Fresh Market, Tenney St., Kewanee IL, has pine wreaths, garlands and greenery. When they are sold out - they close until spring.

Prairie Country Gardens, Galva/Atkinson Blacktop, Galva IL, is taking orders for pine wreaths, garlands and grave blankets. 309-927-8177 for Diane Nelson.

Distinctive Gardens, Dixon IL, always has beautiful, unique and often handmade gifts and decorations. Although you may be too late for this year, they offer Christmas decorating services. www.distinctivegardensinc.com

Old Mill Gardens, Atkinson IL OldMillGardens@yahoo.com has fresh green arrangements designed locally in addition to a large array of gifts and decorations. Love those new dusk to dawn window candles.

Emma's Bloomers, Inc. in Annawan IL has locally made Christmas gifts and decorations including some pretty amazing handmade Santa's.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture maintains a website promoting products made by Illinois food companies. There are 200 listed featuring everything from gourmet coffee, chocolate, wine and cheese. www.agr.state.il.us and then click on the right side of the page entitled Purchase Illinois Products Gift Items Online.

Many of the small towns are running the campaign "Shop Small" encouraging the public to do their Christmas shopping at the locally run mom and pop stores. With the craziness of big box stores (can you say pepper spraying another shopper?) and the malls, I'm pretty satisfied with the long list of wonderful local offerings. And - this is a big AND with me: they are genuinely glad to see you in their store, appreciate your business and strive to make it a good shopping experience. Your town may have other wonderful locally owned stores. Shop small - shop locally!

Seasonal Entertainment

2011-12-02T12:00:00.001-06:00

A few Christmas events happening in the neighborhood - all have some connection to gardening and gardeners. Or, just a good time looking at the beautiful.

Everything, All At Once, Forever is an installation of new plastic debris sculptures created specifically for exhibition at the Figge Art Museum by Aurora Robson. Runs through January 15, 2012. www.figgeart.org

Among many things the Davenport IA museum store has are handmade lamp work flowers by Lithuanian artisans.

The Missouri Botanical Garden www.missouribotanicalgarden.org The Garden Gate Shop stocks home furnishings, plants, books, and garden accessories. Shaw Nature Reserve's Visitor Center has a wide selection of books for every interest and all ages. The number of December activities could keep you busy for an entire week.

Johnson Sauk Trail State Park, located between Annawan and Kewanee on Route 78 has winter activities.   The summer hiking trails become 3 miles of cross country ski trails. The hills are ideal for sledding and the lake is excellent for ice fishing or ice skating. (Note:  all activities are unsupervised)

Bishop Hill, IL, an Illinois state historical site (see link to the right), has several holiday events including the Julmarknad Christmas Market on December 3 & 4. Shops are decorated and have a variety of beautiful items. Plus, hear special music, sample Swedish foods and stroll the streets and village park.

Side note: Congratulations to Linda and Crystal, owners of "The Filling Station" restaurant in Bishop Hill the past 18 years.

The Garden Conservancy   www.gardenconservancy.org   has numerous garden books, DVDs and their calender for sale.

Most small towns have Christmas celebrations throughout December. They offer winter entertainment and locally made gifts and food.

Looking for a unique family gift:

My friend, Nancy, is taking her brood on a weekend at Chestnut Mountain Ski Resort. www.chestnutmtn.com

My nephew's family all gathered at a State Park for the holiday staying at the lodge which has a pool, restaurant and entertainment. Check out: Starved Rock State Park, Utica IL.

This is a beautiful park and they have a wonderful lodge. Check the state's web site for particulars - such as when some things are closed due to hunting season. www.starvedrocklodge.com

The area of LaSalle County, IL, has many interesting sites and December is chocked full of events. Parks, water, mansions and great food. www.enjoylasallecounty.com

Many events are free - others require reservations. Broaden your winter gardening experiences in your area of the world. Sometimes the neighborhood events are pretty darn stellar.


(all photos are from the mentioned web sites)

No Doom & Gloom

2011-11-27T07:13:00.000-06:00

Typically, "doom and gloom" grabs the headlines. Incidents of things gone bad triggers predictions that all is going to hell in a hand basket and then the blame game begins. Nary (love a good "nary") a day goes by without predictions, backed by some one's irrefutable data: the globe is warming, species are becoming extinct, and "the man" is responsible. Hysteria is whipped and in the end it makes mostly good news print and not so good facts.

Top scholars try to figure out why things are happening. Often lacking any real reasons, they fall back on "scare tactics". Then nature, in it's slow and continuous cycle, proves it can't be predicted quite as surely as man would like to pretend.

As species appear to disappear from the earth, new ones are discovered. I especially love blaming global warming on every storm or weather event. Although I don't especially discount some theories of global warming, I do think it has become the reason given for everything we simply can't explain. Our scientific ego doesn't allow us to simply say, "We don't know why." Well that and the whole "if there isn't any news, the media must now make something into news."

And what got me going on this little editorial tidbit? Monarch butterflies are returning to Southern California in record high numbers this year. After several weather events where many (some estimate 80-90 percent) froze while wintering in the south, the Monarch had hit the doom and gloom media stories.

Theories for the decrease: Perhaps loss of milkweed (the only plant on which monarchs lay their eggs), development, agriculture and drought. Then speculation: Loss of winter sites and use of pesticides in gardens and farms.

Speculation for the increase is perhaps more rain which caused more milkweed. Temperatures might also be a factor. Laurie Davies Adams, executive director of the Pollinator Partnership of San Francisco say, "But all these things are as speculative as the stock market."

This huge explosion of butterflies is happening all over California, reported Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society. They monitor California's Western Monarch winter sights.

Monarch butterflies are one of only two insects in the world that make a true annual migration. The population east of the Rockies migrates to Mexico. So far, that population is not seeing this large increase.

What we do know is every gardener can improve the chances by planting varieties of milkweed, allowing flowering native plants to stay in your garden, don't clean off your gardens until after a hard frost, have a quantity of seasonal flowers and plants and avoid pesticides.

Side Note: For more information, see my article "Waves of Monarchs" #98.

Butterfly Photos: First: on fall asters. Second: on summer "Black" lily. Third: on late summer hosta blooms. Last: on all-summer blooming zinnia.

For the photographer, large butterflies are seldom spooked by your presence. They float and land on your flowers with a single purpose: FOOD!

Caregiving

2011-11-25T18:50:00.000-06:00

All gardens take a lot of care, but, that's not what I'm talking about today. I'm referring to those folks who step up to being the primary caregiver of a sick family member or friend.

Care giving is one of those things that can not be imagined unless you've been a caregiver. The little things that happen which you simply take care of and move on to the next thing. The huge things can not be described adequately.

I've done primary care giving first when my father was failing during the last year of his life. Second, when my husband had the kind of cancer where I was told if the disease didn't kill him - the treatments would. Fortunately, neither did.

I've written before about some of the things involved in care giving (Cardinal Story #61) and was reminded again Friday when a friend was talking about caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's.

And what, you might ask, does this have to do with gardening? Nature, when presented in a serene way, has a soothing effect on both caregivers and patients. It's why hospitals, extended care facilities and clinics have areas with natural settings.

Even though many care givers can't "get away" from their responsibilities for very long, having a setting where they can unwind, relax and mentally get away is important for their own well-being.

You may not be in the middle of care giving; I wasn't when I developed my own gardens. But, they were certainly one of the helps during the process. Having a peaceful yard allowed me to stay close and yet emotionally "get away" for brief periods.

In truth, even with unlimited money and willing friends and family, the bulk of care giving is provided by a close family member. Even when you can get away for brief periods, you are mentally tied to the situation. Plus, most of us do not want to impose the trails we know will happen on others.

My father and I would often sit on the porch swing and spend time gazing at the farm lands surrounding our home. We'd talk some, think some, and let the peace cover us with comfort.

It's often the very peace of nature that can calm a person suffering with forms of dementia and those facing life threatening diseases. It's that very nature that can help shore up the caregiver.

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

Bible, Isaiah 40:8

The Day Between

2011-11-24T18:35:00.000-06:00

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love and delicious food.

Thanksgiving, mentally and emotionally, seems to be the day between fall and winter. For most of us, it's travel without the threat of really bad weather. It's the time when we put aside the gold, orange and green of autumn and think about the blue of snow, glitter of decorations and twinkle of tiny lights. We put away our lightweight coats and haul out our survival gear.

As you transition into winter weather, clothing, celebrations and holidays, I hope you carry the thanksgiving of today into your daily routine.

(Both photos are from old illustrations - authors unknown)

Rue the Day

2011-11-23T16:02:00.002-06:00

Rue, the herb, is planted in my garden for one reason: It is the butterfly host or larval food plant for the Giant Swallowtail and Eastern Black Swallowtail. Since planting this one little herb, I’ve had an abundance of these beauties every year.

Ruta graveolens or Common Rue is called “Herb of Grace” by all historical accounts. William Shakespeare wrote in “Richard II” a gardener plants rue to mark the spot where the Queen wept upon hearing news of Richard’s capture: “Here did she fall a tear, here in this place - I’ll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace.” He included the herb in several other poems.

It’s mentioned in the Bible in Luke 7:42 saying rue should be tithed. In Jesus’ time it was cultivated and taxed. It’s in the national song of Lithuania, in mythology and is used in concoctions in many novels. It is found in witchcraft as a preventative against magic. It was at one time used by the Catholic Church in their holy water ceremony.

It’s not that rue isn’t a pretty little plant; its blue-green foliage is very pretty as a small bush. My plant seldom gets more than a foot high and wide. Others may reach 3 ft. It has fringed little yellow flowers.

The foliage has a small downside. It has a strong unpleasant scent when crushed. For this reason, it is considered deer and rabbit resistant and has been used as a dog, cat and insect repellant. It is said it’s the model for the suit of clubs in playing cards.

The herbaceous evergreen is rated for Zone 4, likes sun and is pretty drought resistant once established. It prefers poor soil and may rot in soggy soil. It prefers to have some winter shelter such as a wind block of higher bushes or plants.

Its bitter leaves were used in ancient Rome and in Middle Eastern cuisine. Caution should be used when handling as some people are so sensitive they get blisters from the leaf oil. It is still used in the Italian wine “Grappa”.

It has been used for medicinal and homeopathy cures for thousands of years. Caution should be used since ingesting could cause violent stomach pain, vomiting and convulsions. It’s still a very popular plant with Herbalists and used for a wide range of cures. Pregnant women should NEVER ingest any part of the plant. It was used in so many cures; I don’t have room to mention them all. If you enjoy that sort of thing, read “Gerard’s Herbal.”

Our Saxon friends might be interested in knowing the Saxony Rue has given its name to an order: A chaplet of Rue.

If you plant rue to attract butterflies, don’t use insecticides in your garden. Don’t plant if you have a child who may pick leaves and flowers. Otherwise, plant one – plant several. Rue your day – in a nice way! (Photos are from open web access pages)

Side note: Have a peaceful and loving Thanksgiving.

Black Friday

2011-11-20T07:14:00.000-06:00

Advertising and marketing always push shoppers to get the latest and greatest come the day after Thanksgiving. It's traditionally been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005.

(Seriously, is this the best back yard sale sign you've ever seen!!)

Black Friday's name has been said to originate in Philadelphia because it caused heavy traffic. Later, it referred to the day when retailers would turn a profit - or - their books would be in the "black".

I'm just certain it could also refer to what we in the Midwest consider our black gold: our soil. It's black and full of nutrients enabling us to grow so many plants to perfection. It mostly allows us to have healthy productive crops without as much watering and fertilizing as some other areas of the country/world.

Tie Black Friday to Black Soil and what do you have? A perfect time to pick up gardening supplies for Christmas presents! Many stores move gardening supplies to the side in an effort to bring shoppers' focus to what they wish to sell during the holidays. Last year's item might just be this year's gift at a lower price.

Some items to look for when thinking of the perfect gift for gardening friends and family:

Garden gloves (forget the thin cotton blends - invest in leather or rubber)
Ergonomic tools (ratchet pruners, bent rake or cushion-handled trowels)
Sun hat
Stepping stone
Amaryllis bulbs
Gift certificate at a garden center or hardware store
Solar lights
Hand lotion
Wine and an insulated cup
Botanical print
Garden books
Bird house
Fruit of the Month Club (blood oranges in January - yum!)
And, my all time favorite garden tool: Chocolate

It's easy to make a garden gift basket. Containers might include any of the above inside:
Tool box
Picnic basket
Bucket
Hose holder
Large fabric purse
Wheeled kneeling bench

Little extras to add to a garden gift basket:
Ball of all-natural twine
Small box of chocolates (seriously)
Garden themed ornament
Pine cones
Bandanna (they come in all colors and prints)
Plant identification tags
Bird suet

Have fun shopping on Black Friday and think "garden"! Around the corner from that huge array of Christmas decorations and sales may be the perfect gift for your garden friends - and you!

Soup of the Evening

2011-11-16T08:37:00.000-06:00

SOUP OF THE EVENING
“Beautiful soup
So rich
So green,
Waiting in a hot tureen
Who for such dainties would not stoop.

Soup of the evening
Beautiful Soup,
Soup of the evening,
Beautiful Soup”
-Lewis Carroll -- "Alice in Wonderland"

Realizing I've lamented numerous times on the abundance of Butternut Squash both last year and the volunteer vines this year, I still enjoy it immensely.

Butternut Squash has a beautiful color and taste. It's a perfect thickening agent for soups. It's a perfect substitute for pumpkin and sweet potatoes. And it's rich in vitamins. My problem it's almost too perfect a rich unique taste.

I search for uses and recipes and I've had two in the last week. One was my contribution to our church potluck - my mother-in-law's rich and sweet sweet potato souffle' - simply substitued squash and no one knew the difference.

The second was another squash soup. Granted it's not Louis Carroll's green soup, but pretty darn good. The recipe was a take off from Olivia's Cookie Jar and Restaurant, Monmouth IL. www.olivias-monmouth.com She serves this lovely squash apple soup. Here's my take:

4 slices bacon, chopped fine and fried crisp (keep oil in pan and drain bacon bits on paper towel)

1 cup finely chopped celery and saute in bacon fat until tender

1 large clove garlic, chopped & mashed and lightly sauted in bacon fat, add:

4 cups cooked and pureed butternut squash, gently heat until hot (do not boil this soup) add:

1 pt. chunky applesauce, gently heat until hot and take off heat, add:

1/2 cup heavy cream, add:

1 cup buttermilk and stir to combine, add:

1/2 cup brown sugar (this is used to balance out the sour of the buttermilk-adjust as needed), add:

1 tsp Cayanne pepper (adjust for your own taste but it's essential to the end result), add:

1 tsp. Kosher salt (takes quite a bit but adjust to taste), stir and reheat (DO NOT boil)

Add a dollop of sour cream to the top, sprinkle with a little brown sugar and broil until sugar bubbles. (Can use hand torch) If you're not going to heat sugar, don't use as a garnish since it will be grainy tasting without being toasted. Top with bacon bits and serve.

Good served with large soft sourdough bread slices.

Oh yes, "Soup of the evening. Beautiful soup."

Speaking of Dreys

2011-11-12T12:26:00.000-06:00

A "drey" is the year-round home of the largest group of living mammals: The Rodentia. In that order lives the squirrel whose home I feature today.

As the leaves have fallen from our hardwood trees, it's obvious we have many large squirrel nests in the woods. They seem more abundant and built larger than normal - could this be a sign of nature sensing an especially brutal winter? We'll see...

Several of our nests have brightly colored fall leaves entwined indicating they are either new or newly refurbished. Since we have multitudes of walnut trees and this was a very productive nut year, we have an ideal environment for squirrels.

Plus, they seem to enjoy the many leaf "whips" from the walnuts and the long ends off our willow tree. Both are woven into the nest and stick out randomly all over the outside.

This is an especially active time for squirrels. In addition to making sure their nests are winter worthy, it is leading up to breeding which takes place from December through February.

Although our gray squirrels do not hibernate, during winter storms and severe cold they may not leave the drey for days. An adult squirrel normally lives alone. But will, in severe cold, share its nest with other squirrels to conserve body heat. Once the temperature rises, the guests will be on their way.

They need to eat about one pound of food a week to survive. They prefer nuts, seeds, and fruit. Reportedly they wipe seed shells on their faces to impart their scent, bury and can smell their own buried food even under a foot of snow. Others report it's all a lucky guess.

Another interesting fact: squirrels feet sweat. The sweat (and urination) marks their territory.

A word of caution: "Rodentia" is the formal name for "rodent". They can harbor fleas, ants, and parasites. They may also be infected with rabies. They bite - it's what they do and they have powerful jaws and teeth. DO NOT hand feed squirrels, pet or play with them. DO NOT take them in as a pet (against the law in some areas). They can not be house trained.

Watch, take pictures, and use an outdoor feeder if you want, but DO NOT try to make them your next favorite pet. Do I need to say "rodent" again? If you are wanting to "help" an injured squirrel, contact your local Wildlife Rehabilitation" expert and let them do the handling.

Back to nests: They may live in the leafy tree nests or in tree cavity dens. Oaks, beeches, elms and red maples are favored by squirrels for dens or leaf nests. Ground holes may be used as emergency shelters by tree squirrels.

Squirrel tree nests are almost always at least 20 foot off the ground. If grapes, bittersweet or other tall climbers are in your woods, they are often used as more support.

Construction begins with a platform of twigs roughly woven together, upon which damp leaves and moss are compacted to form a solid base. A spherical skeleton of interwoven twigs and vines is erected around the base. The outer shell is then completed with the addition of leaves, moss, twigs, and even paper.

According to Art Shamo of the "West Virginia Wildlife Magazine", "The inner nest cavity is six to eight inches in diameter and is lined with shredded bark, grass, and leaves. This soft lining is especially important to cradle the delicate infants which weigh about half an ounce at birth and whose skin is almost transparent.

Nests of gray and fox squirrels may measure up to two feet wide and a foot high. Red squirrel nests are proportionately smaller. Opposite the main entrance, the wary bushy tail builds a leaf-concealed escape hatch. Second and third homes are popular."

In researching, some folks with household pets empty their sweeper bags under trees. The pet hair is used to line the squirrel nests, especially the room used for the babies. There are also many diagrams/instructions on how to build squirrel nest houses.

Another good source for adult squirrel watchers or for school papers: www.squirrel.org/faq

The last little tidbit: Washington DC is called the "Squirrel Capital of the World" because there are more squirrels there than anyplace else. There has to be a joke in there someplace!

Touring

2011-11-10T09:38:00.000-06:00

Have you attended or hosted a tour of homes during the Christmas holidays? I saw my first one advertised today.

Just exactly what does a Christmas tour of homes do for me? It's a nippy little afternoon running from car to homes; made all the better if it's snowing. It's inspiration to get out my Christmas boxes and over-decorate every nook and corner. It's a chance to see beautiful homes dressed to their best. It's always made better if accompanied by good friends.

What exactly does it do for the hosts? It forces a major cleaning and repair frenzy. It allows sharing the collection of holiday decorations amassed over a lifetime. It's a time for heightening holiday cheer.

I enjoy the modernistic, the traditional, the over-the-top, the natural, the artificial, the real and the "what were they thinking?" approach to decorating.

I enjoy wondering the meaning of one-hundred and forty-five little snowmen, a tree in the bathroom, an orange and purple theme, an old snow globe, and how they're going to clean up that artificial powdered snow.

I like the smell of fresh pine trees and decorations, the smell of pumpkin pie (every tour home has some good smell going) and how the approach to the home if often bountifully decorated.

___________________

A couple of things I've seen from the gardens:

Evergreen and holly used in abundance in window boxes, planters, over windows, on mantels, tables and on doors.

Get your amaryllis, cactus, poinsettias, and other live flowers just before the tour to prevent missing prime bloom dates. Don't position them near the doors where visitors are coming and going. Don't set beside head sources. They will get freeze or heat burns and wilt/die.

Live trees are wonderful for tours, but, they will definitely not make it through to Christmas. Plan on replacing with another tree within the month. Same with live greens inside the house. They will all be highly flammable when they dry.

Decorations on a fireplace mantel should be well away from the fire and heat. Not only for preserving the beauty but it's a fire hazard. No tour of homes should be interrupted by a visit from the fire department.

Have plenty of family and friends on hand to help manage the crowd and make sure there are no items stolen or damaged.

If you're a gardener, it's fun to incorporate herbs and spices, dried leaves and flower heads into arrangements. And then, there's the all important pine cones! Put the pine cones in a plastic bag and in the freezer for a couple of days. This will kill all insects hiding in the little crevices. Then, lay them on a newspaper for a few days to let them open and the sap to run out without staining your home surfaces later.

It's alright to have some rooms "off limits" and that can be accomplished by hanging a pretty red bow on the door handle and thumb tacking the end to the door frame. I've seldom seen a teenager's room open for a tour - there are just some things that would be impossible - cleaning, decorating and their need for privacy.

The most important thing for Christmas home tour guests and hosts is to have a good merry time.

“The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!" ~ Charles N. Barnard, American author, travel writer

(The same might be said for holiday tour of homes!)

A Tree Is A Tree

2011-11-10T07:45:00.000-06:00

On our drive to Colorado, it occurred to me we leave very little behind of enduring value. Our belongings are either a necessity or vanity driven and through the ages disappear or significantly change. To plant a tree is the mark of optimism; a legacy to people we will never meet. As Warren Buffet said, “Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

As near as Tree City USA, local woods and to the many parks, we see evidence of mankind’s love of trees.

On our trip, we drove on Route 34 West. The farmland and hills of Iowa were lined with oaks, maples and various other trees. Certainly, the beautiful Red Oak, Iowa was a tribute to the native Swedish ancestors who settled that town.

Iowans appear to have kept their large cattle herds and many were enjoying the shade and protection from fence row trees.

In the first hundred miles, I saw an eagle, owl and many hawks using the trees as a perch.

Although I have a vague notion all those hundreds of summer birds must have nests, it’s pretty awesome to see so many in the bare tops of deciduous trees. The loose structures belonging to squirrels are amazing to survive the high winds and storms.

Many little insects (both harmful and beneficial) have nestled in the cracks and grooves of tree bark to wait out the winter.

The tight knit evergreens will be the protected roost for many a little songbird this winter.

And although the leaves weren’t the predicted perfect fall colors, they are still as colorful as an Amish quilt. For the compulsive photographer, the red maples, deep rust oaks and the gold of all the others is just the perfect opportunity – again!

Trees purify the air and return oxygen. Their roots hold the soil and protect from erosion. They redirect the wind. They improve the nutrients in the soil and provide mulch.

For mankind, trees have been life savers by providing building material, food and heat.

Where man has disseminated trees, disaster has followed. Where trees have been planted, all have benefited. That windswept state of Nebraska has been a dust bowl and a howling winter for its residents. I noticed many a farmstead and highway with relatively new windbreaks - No doubt a difficult endeavor due to the prolonged droughts. These individuals must be commended for understanding their toil today brings relief tomorrow.

Not all trees are right for every situation. Plant the right tree in the right place and it will be right for the ages.

“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider,

every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.”

Martin Luther.

Cornu Who?

2011-11-08T11:06:00.001-06:00

(this cornucopia photo from Telefloral)
Cornucopia! How many people under the age of 50 know what a cornucopia is?

We never had a Thanksgiving where we (actually it was me) didn't put a Lincoln Log built log cabin and a cornucopia filled with corn, nuts and various produce in the middle of the dining table. I know - I was a kid and it never occurred to me they didn't match perfectly.

Cornucopia (to those who've been deprived of my childhood centerpieces) is a horn containing food, drink, etc. in endless supply said to have been from the horn of the goat Amalthaea. Representation of this horn was a symbol of abundance or overflowing supply. Most current models are made of some woven wicker type material.

(this photo from The Orchid Boutique)
I would take pretty fall leaves, press them in the phone book for a week and include in the display. Yes, we were simple farm folks and we held our traditions dear.

I'd scout the yard for the "fixins" of our cornucopia - often called a horn-of- plenty. Field corn was a must. In those days (did I really say that?) corn wasn't shelled and sold. It was shucked and stored in corn cribs for livestock feed - easy pickings.

Pine cones guaranteed sticky stain on the "best" white table cloth. Dried grass heads and flowers would be stuck between fruit. Everything had to look like it was naturally tumbling out of the horn. There were usually apples and some root vegetables available from the orchard and garden.
(This photo is from Better Homes and Gardens)

I bought an old vintage cornucopia the other day simply for the pleasant memory of it all. Although most of these photos show very beautiful professional examples, the simple homemade "kid-constructed" ones are often the ones memories are made from.

I know all the elite food and home network hosts have many elaborate ideas for decorating the Thanksgiving table, sometimes the ones made around simple serve the best and are remembered the longest. Whether you go big or homespun, loved ones make the best Thanksgiving available.
Now - where did I put those Lincoln Logs???

(Photo from the Lincoln Log web site)

Then There's People

2011-11-04T23:03:00.001-05:00

We just got back home from Denver CO visiting family. A great time, no problems, and good to be home.

We choose to drive almost no interstate roads for many reasons. It's usually less stressful driving, it's filled with beautiful country side, small regional towns, local mom and pop eateries, and a better snapshot of the region. This time Route 34 was the main choice on the way out and I highly recommend.

We arrived after Denver's big snow had melted off the roads and scooted home right ahead of the next big weather system.

I enjoy the farm land and harvest time is always interesting. The size of the farms increased the farther west we drove - some fields stretching as far as one could see. The crops faded from corn and soybeans to corn, alfalfa and wheat. Huge cattle operations (both beef and dairy) had large square bales of both hay and straw stacked in the open. Silos and grain elevators took up a full block or filled a field.
Since we used a more southern route both ways, the Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado areas were hilly at the least and mountainous at the highest. It never became boring especially with the many colored fall leaves.

I'm always interested in what's planted in yards and how things are landscaped in different regions. The hillside mansions, desolate backwoods shacks, ranches, farm hand homes, and towns that still reflect the tough life of when the west was settled.
Sadly, many little mountain towns almost exclusively rely on tourists dollars. Many buildings were vacant. The economy has had a negative effect on those small businesses. Overheard several merchants talking about how the streets used to be filled with visitors and now they're having days without anyone at all coming to their stores.

While riding or in a motel, I'll often read a local newspaper and it certainly shows one thing for certain: No matter where you live in the U.S., people are the same. It reports on the local kids' doings, the soldier who didn't make it home from war, town politics, the regional celebrations and it's reported as if it's the best place to live in the entire world. Something refreshing about that.

And then there's the local food. . . ate at a fun "Diners-Drive-Ins-and Dives" featured place with the kids. On the way home, had the best Eggs Benedict made from scratch to perfection in Breckenridge at the "Blue Moose". The eggs were poached in water to just runny and the hollandaise sauce was light and just hinting the lemon. It was a vegetarian version so instead of Canadian bacon it substituted a slice of tomato and slices of avocado. Someone hold my head - I'm gonna swoon!

This longhorn is downtown Dodge City but we saw many field longhorns, Angus, shorthorns, Holsteins and a few of the newer white grays that I'm not able to identify. When farmers in the Midwest stopped raising cattle and hogs, they started taking down their fences. Out west there was miles upon hundreds of miles of old fashioned barbed wire interspersed with electric.

I was quite surprised that we didn't see more windmill farms. We've got almost 260 coming to our neighborhood. You would think with the windswept plains, it would be perfect. Either too windy or perhaps not appealing to the land owners.

And as we drove home through Kansas we commiserated with Dorothy: "There's no place like home!"

Magic Garden Glitter

2011-10-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed the trees and bushes that are normally orange in the fall are deep red this year? The trees that are normally gold just dropped their leaves without much color. I'm guessing it might be from the lack of an early freeze or maybe the summer drought or then again perhaps the heavy spring rains. That's why there's always new opportunities for taking pictures.

For my friends who like shabby chic or recycled Victorian, I found a new Facebook site: ~Romantic~Vintage Home~ It's packed with pictures (as in the one below) of re purposed and frothy clothes, gardens, homes and baked goods. It's especially loaded with pink.

This garden lighting is fun and a good use for all those cheesy decanters you've collected but never really use because - well, they're cheesy. Seldom do any of us have ones made of cut glass lead crystal with sterling silver trim. We have $1.00 at the thrift store or it came with stinky bath salts on our "earlier birthday" decanters.

Seriously, can you imagine how these must sparkle if they were hung in the garden - yep, it a project!

Occasionally, I break the foot off a pretty wine glass - they are perfect with the stem pushed into pots of flowers or even along paths and in with the flowers. A simple tea light and the flame is shielded from the wind.

Granted it's officially time to bring garden things inside - away from freezing and breakage. It's not time to put away your imagination and inspiration. Maybe - just maybe it's the perfect time to make some changes in your gardens.

Catalogs, web sites, and most botanical gardens are available year round. Slip on your warmest slippers and sail that fantasy garden wheelbarrow over the snowy skies until you find winter's magic garden glitter. A hand full is all you need to find the most beautiful garden you've ever had - at least until Spring.

The Big Freeze

2011-10-20T23:15:00.000-05:00

We've been warned - it's suppose to freeze tonight. Not just frost - a full scale freeze. I debated just how much I wanted to save.

The odd weather this summer contributed to a very late burst of blooming on annuals as-well-as confused perennials. Was so enjoying them.

My yard's too big to cover everything in blankets, therefore, things are going to die back. My husband moved potted things into the garage as a first step towards getting them either inside the bay window or down in the basement for dormancy. Other pots were left outside to bring an end to the flowering and the next warm day I'll get them winterized, too.

I picked every rose on my Julia Child and have a beautiful bouquet. The rest of the perennial flowers will probably die.

Last week I had picked the garden of all nice sized tomatoes (both red and green) and any decent sized peppers (pictured below). After finishing that huge mess, I made up my mind I was done canning and the rest was just going to either rot or someone else could have them.

Today I had to take one more look - mistake. I simply could not leave smallish peppers, tomatoes and butternut squash. It somehow seemed ungrateful. Not sure what I'll do with this last batch of green tomatoes and peppers - I'm thinking I'll try something totally different.

Since we're having family over for our "Let's celebrate every one's birthday" cookout Sunday, I've left some things in the yard - chairs, candles, and decorations. Next week needs final winterizing tasks completed.

And so, this evening I've put away the flip flops, brought out the sweaters and slippers and I'm sure there's a cup of hot cider calling my name. I'll continue working my way through "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by Edmund Morris.

Tomorrow I'll tackle the garden produce. . .

Julia Child Cook Off

2011-10-18T23:02:00.000-05:00

I have one rose that beats all the contenders in my garden every time. It's the Floribunda Rosa "Julia Child" Registered by Carruth in 2006, it has everything I want in a rose.

It's one of the flowers that simply insists I take it's picture every time I'm in the garden. With it's butter gold medium, very full, old-fashioned blooms and a petal count of 35 plus, it's beautiful. It has medium glossy green foliage.

It has a strong licorice candy spice fragrance - often depending on the weather.

It grows to about three foot in height and is rounded and bushy - more so in full sun.

It's disease resistant and although the Japanese Beetles found it tasty, it bounced right back as soon as they stopped feeding.

It is consistent, hardy and floriferous in our Zone 5. Blooms continually from June through September. Mine is currently putting on the biggest show of the season.

Plant in full sun (although it will take afternoon shade) and keep mulched. It does not require extra winter protection in my yard although I do have them in a spot that gets plenty of winter cover.

The roses do not cause the stems to droop and it is vase worthy. My little cat thinks the petals make the best dessert - lesson learned the hard way.

I've never had a rose that is more dependable and is still beautiful. It's the perfect rose for someone who never quite takes care of roses well enough to keep anything but the extremely tough.

As Julia Child said, “Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

I think that applies to gardening as-well-as cooking. Apparently, this rose is as passionate about it's qualifications as Ms. Child was in her life. No other rose could have handled the name "Julia Child" without being robust and interesting.

Seasons

2011-10-14T13:21:00.001-05:00

Life has seasons as surely as nature. It’s a story told throughout history since Noah’s flood receded. I must have been in a pondering mood this past week since I reflected on these comparisons.

I spent a good part of this beautiful fall week driving places and it was a chance to watch farmers in the fields, the trees turning and yards full of harvest decorations. At one four way stop, a gust of wind brought a whirling of gold leaves all over us. As a group of drivers, we looked up and all of us broke into a laugh at the same time. We had been awed and we knew it showed on our faces.

I’m enamored with fields in the process of being harvested. Be it a huge flat expanse or terraced and hilly. It’s akin to a beautiful painting, the proportions, the colors and the story.

I’m not close to the first to expand on nature’s seasons as a parallel to the human lifetime. My little analogy is:

Fall, for me, compares to the age when our bodies are slowing. It’s how we visualized grandma and grandpa. It’s perhaps, where we look down at our own hands and see skin no longer soft and unblemished.

As a leaf, our hands show if the summer has been kind to us. This year’s leaves on many trees have little blemishes reflecting the huge population of Japanese Beetles. The early rains and then the summer drought have caused the beautiful fall colors we so love in the Midwest. The bark on our old walnut shows where it was struck with lightning.

Our hands reflect the amount of work we’ve done, scrapes and scars. Misshapen, perhaps, by an accident. Spots from too much sun, whether from gardening, farming or sports.

Like the leaves, our skin no longer is soft as it changes from summer to winter. It is more easily damaged as it becomes more fragile.

Some folks mourn the loss of youth during the fall season of their life. I don’t. I look at my friends, family and myself in this phase and celebrate resilience, the stunning fall beauty and know that life has shaped us to be perfect at this time in life.

Society tends to worship all that is young and supple. It’s a never ending focus and source of worry, not to mention the billions of dollars spent to keep us all young.

I would hate to think of my maple trees green all year. Or, our woods full of five foot catalpa trees never growing into the stately fifty foot beauties. No branches or trunks reflecting the effects of wind, lightening, pests and disease. I’d hate to think I had trees where bird or wildlife would be afraid to snuggle into the branches to have their babies or seek shelter from storms.

It’s the same with the human race. I’d rather be around someone whose veneer shows they have lived life. The wrinkles from laughing, the movements from years of doing something productive, and having a lap and arms where children come for snuggles and shelter.

I’ve heard more than one person lament, “I love the fall but hate the coming winter.” Just remember our spring would not be so wonderful or appreciated had we not gone through the seasons to come out on the other side of winter.

As we look at our “elders” or as we look at our own hands, honor and celebrate the seasons that brought them to this place. Take time this fall to enjoy this beautiful season of the year.

“Ere, in the northern gale,

The summer tresses of the trees are gone,

The woods of autumn, all around our vale,

Have put their glory on."

William Cullen Bryant

Autumn Woods

Shopping the Windy City

2011-10-10T16:30:00.002-05:00

Sponsored by and benefiting the Henry-Stark 4-H Program (administered by the Henry-Start Extension office):

Holiday Shopping Trip to downtown Chicago.

Oh Yea - Oh Yea

Bring it on - Bring it on

Uh Hah - Uh Hah

Harvest Home

2011-10-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

Today's just a bin full of photos I've taken of harvest - as a farm girl, a writer and what I loosely call an artist - I love this time of this year here in middle America.

This is a pumpkin face I just happen to notice in the soybean field beside the house. Is this too cute?

I don't think the sky is any more blue than in the Fall over harvest fields.

The gentle hills of this area make a quilt of beans, corn, trees, sky and roads.

The leafless walnut tree overlays the golden fields.

Yesterday's combining of the next door soybeans. A dusty business necessary to the process.

This photo was taken by someone else at a location in Pennsylvania. It applies to all farm communities. On my drive to Princeton IL yesterday, I got behind many farm machinery. The fields were full of farmers and equipment. Lots of turns into fields, ethanol plants, elevators and homes lanes. Don't become impatient, leave a little early because you can just bet your drive will take longer than normal. Take time to enjoy the scenery and the farming process. Say a little prayer of thanksgiving and protection for our farmers and their families.

"Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic."

by James H. Douglas

And from our little hill in rural American, I say "Amen to that!"

Second Hand Rose

2011-10-03T18:12:00.000-05:00

Second hand garden books are a good deal. My friend, Rebecca, donated this batch to Freedom House's Upscale~Resale Shop.

While working in Decatur IL, I often would visit "The Old Book Barn" which specialized in used and previously unsold book store inventory. It was a barn of a place and stuffed full - I could spend hours - days - eternity - perhaps too enthused at this point...

I doubt there's a town, large or small, that currently doesn't have a non-profit that sells used books. Some of our local "book joints":

Upscale~Resale, 214 w. St Paul St, Spring Valley, IL (a women and children's domestic abuse shelter and services serving Henry, Bureau, Marshall, Stark and Putnam IL counties)
Abilities Plus Resale Shop, Kewanee IL (309-352-4626 to find drop location and times) (benefits individuals with developmental disabilities)
Goodwill Industries, 137 W South St, Midland Shopping Ctr. (Old Kroger store), Kewanee, IL
Salvation Army, 115 N. Tremont St. (Old J.C. Penney store), Kewanee, IL

All of the above accept books, including garden books.

In addition to these great non-profits, who often depend upon the donations of others to fund their many programs, there's often book deals at commercial resale and antique shops.

While looking for garden books, note there are other closely related topics such as my new book "Botanical Drawing in Color" given to me by my friend, Marge. Other garden topics include books about birds and other wildlife, how to build yard structures, crafting yard ornaments, historical gardens and landscapes, botanical and horticultural masters and more.

A side note: Non-profit resale shops will gladly accept your used garden "stuff", IE: decorations and tools.

2nd side note: Many libraries have a book sale once a year. Always a place to find something interesting.

And, I've added this photo just because it was such a pretty little view of my yard today.

It's time to start "laying in" your winter stash of reading material - why not benefit a non-profit by scouting their book sales. Take along some of you own supply to donate. Win-win!

Free Falling

2011-10-01T17:26:00.002-05:00

What do you do with all those containers and pots once the summer and fall annuals have been thrown away or taken inside for the winter?

(photo at left was not from my gardens)

There are a couple of options:

Dump the soil on a flower or garden bed. Clean out the pot with a mild solution of bleach and water, rinse, and let drain. Either bring the pots inside and store or turn upside down outside. Don’t stack inside each other, as the freezing and thawing could cause them to break. They will be ready for next spring.

If the flowerpots have drainage holes, you can use with outside winter decorations. Dump and clean as above. Pack the pots with something that does NOT absorb water. You don’t want it freezing and breaking your pot. Use something lightweight like Styrofoam or packing peanuts for window boxes so they won’t become too heavy. Use small rocks, pea gravel, broken bricks for ground pots to keep them from blowing over. Soil, sand and kitty litter absorb too much water.

Cut evergreens at a sharp angle and insert into the pots. A variation of evergreen types adds visual interest. Evergreens such as holly, boxwood, and yucca add interest. We aren’t planting, simply using tips and leaves. Insert these into the pots. Next, add a little color.

In the late fall, add colorful leaves, nuts, a small pot of mums or flowering kale, corn, or gourds. If you use corn and nuts, wild animals may think you are offering a buffet and raid your pots.

In the winter, change to colorful berries, red twig dogwood branches, pine cones, plumes from dried grasses and dried flower heads. At this point, some folks will add Christmas decorations.

Change out the greenery if it begins to yellow or brown although once it freezes (yes, it’s coming) it stays pretty much the color it was when you put it in the pot.

I suggest you use “pot holders” for any pot left out all winter. They are the little “feet” to keep the pot off the surface of your porch or other surface. This keeps water from pooling under the pot and causing pot and porch damage from freezing/thawing.

A pot holder that works extremely well in adverse conditions is one made of wine corks. Take four clean corks, nail together and put under the corners of your flowerpot. Works well, uses free materials, recycles and is easily completed.

As I write this, it is a beautiful fall day and I think I’ll remove some of those summer annuals from my pots and plant in my garden. I’ll let them have one last hurrah before getting frost bit. I’ll take my annual grasses into the basement when I hear predictions of frosts and freezes. I’m just sure I can make a day of being outside – isn’t that what fall days call to us?

“Come said the wind to the leaves one day,

Come o're

the meadows and we will play.

Put on your dresses scarlet and gold,

For summer is gone and the days grow cold.”

A Children's Song of the 1880's

Extremes

2011-09-28T23:26:00.000-05:00

The highest temperature recorded in North America was in 1913 when Furnace Creek Ranch CA (Death Valley) was 134 degrees F.

The world record is in Libia at 136 degrees F in 1922.

The coldest temperature in North America was in the Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada in 1943 at a -81.4 degrees F.

The coldest in the world was in 1983 in Antarctica at -89.2 F.

The most rain in a 60 minute period in the world was in Holt MO in 1947 with 12 inches.

The largest hailstone weighing 2.25 pounds was in Bangladesh in 1986.

The longest dry period was in Chili and lasted 173 months in the early 1900s.

The point? Extremes can point out several things:
(1) Right Here - Right now - Things aren't all that bad.
(2) Extremes have been around for a long time.
(3) There's always someplace worse than here.

And remember these tried and true folk sayings:

A warm November is the sign of a bad Winter.

Onion skins very thin,
Mild Winter coming in;
Onion skins thick and tough,
Coming Winter cold and rough.

Flowers bloomin' in late Autumn,
A sure sign of a bad Winter comin'.

As high as the weeds grow,
So will the bank of snow.

Thunder in the Fall foretells a cold Winter.

If there’s ice in November to bear a duck
There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.

On All Hallow's Day cut a chip from the beech tree;
If it be dry the winter will prove warm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunny, windy and 74 degrees here tomorrow - I'll be a happy little Midwesterner. Hope it is where you reside, too.

Producing Help

2011-09-27T10:33:00.000-05:00

Gardeners Unite! When is the last time you were asked to unite? Perhaps the 1970s? As we move into winter, now is the perfect time to unite around sharing the produce from your gardens and pantries.

All food pantries need help. The guidelines and what they will accept may be different in each area, but, I guarantee there is something you could donate and that includes cash. The cash is typically used for bulk purchases from the Food Bank.

Our local Galva Emergency Food Pantry, 311 N.W. 4th Ave. (back of the old F.U. White school), will accept excess garden produce, such as tomatoes, sweet corn, potatoes, onions, green beans, carrots, squash (and in season strawberries, cherries, apples, pumpkins and other). All items need to be clean and free from damage.

Contact your Food Pantry (local contacts: Pete V. 309-932-2317 or Terry W. 309-337-1214) from 9 am to 4 pm weekdays. Contact your local ministerial association (or your pastor) to volunteer to work/staff the food pantry.

As you bag up some clean fresh produce, consider including non-food items such as diapers, feminine hygiene items, paper towels, toilet paper, dish washing liquid, laundry soap, etc.

Seriously: No one in the USA should go to bed hungry, but, many do. No child should have to go to school without breakfast, but, many do. No elderly person should have to decide between medications and food, but, some will. No young family should have to decide between shoes and food, but, some must.

I've always maintained gardeners are the nicest and most generous of the people I know. Not only share that beautiful garden plant with a friend, share your garden produce with a local food pantry. Donate your garden bounty, your financial gifts, and your time. Do so on a regular basis. Make it a monthly project for your garden club or other group. Teach your children and grandchildren the joy of helping others by your example. Share the bounty!

Side Note: Galva Food Pantry is usually looking for good used upright refrigerators.

"A friend may well be the masterpiece of nature."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good as Old

2011-09-25T19:07:00.001-05:00

"Good as new is easy

Good as old takes talent."

- Edson Construction Co. advertisement in 1988 "Old House Journal"

Although this advertisement is talking about remodeling homes, it applies quite well to gardens.

Seldom do we exclaim over a new garden. We save our "ooh" and "ahhh" for established yards. We want to copy yards and gardens that have character - the kind you can only get from years of growing, loving and attention.

What this little quote refers to is making something new look, feel and behave as if it was done perfectly years and years ago. Putting a row of little shrubs around the foundation of a new home is easy. Putting a foundation planting together that resembles an established home is much more difficult. And, it takes talent.

A few of the talents needed is know yourself, vision, define your style, horticultural knowledge, a good diagrammed plan, a budget and buying the right plant for today and tomorrow. It's not necessarily hiring a professional (although that is one way to help) and it's not necessarily spending huge quantities of money (although that's an option, too.)

Know yourself: What level of self involvement will you want?
Vision: How do you want your planting to look today and at maturity?
Style: Do you want a particular style and will it match your home's architecture?
Horticultural Knowledge: Do you know enough to do this project and will you be able to continue?
Plan: Having a diagram on paper/computer will help you visualize and keep the plan on track.
Budget: Knowing what you can spend prior to starting keeps your plan viable and is a must for both you and if you hire help.
Right plant: Make sure your plan will transition into the future years and not outgrow it's beauty and function.

I think we've all seen a new house with the little puff ball shrubs dotting the foundation every two feet or the twenty year old ranch home with bushes covering the windows. Both examples show lack of the above steps. Too bad since a planting gone bad typically costs as much in labor and material as a good planting.

Probably the last comment: If you have made a mistake, take it out. This is my personal difficult rule. I have feelings akin to disowning a child.

I've made my share of mistakes when planting. The hybrid Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus "fastigiated" that was to get a maximum of 15 foot wide and 50 foot tall. It sounded like the perfect tree between my four eastern facing windows - a blank spot on the house visible to the road. The thing is HUGE and starting to cover the bottom windows. It's just too beautiful a tree to remove and is said to live up to 400 years. I just can't kill it and it's way too big to move.

I've been fooled by "dwarf" varieties, "slow growers" and "maximum growth stats" several times. Some have been successfully moved, some have stayed and are awkward and some have left us. I try to rationalize:

Successfully moved: The HUGE H U G E forsythia bush by the front picture window was moved (thank you husband) and we were able to divide it into at least fifteen bushes now located away from windows. It seemed like a beautiful yellow addition to that area, where we could enjoy the flowers and birds and insects who frequented. Alas, it blocked all other views.

Stayed: The above mentioned White Pine.

Left us: Raspberry bushes as foundation plants. This was a method of keeping "peeping Toms and intruders" away from windows in Victorian times. I thought, "How perfect for my old Victorian home!" Not so perfect for the guys who were painting the house.

Read,
study,
ask questions,
research and
make your gardens as good as old!
It's worth building your talents.

Harvest Home

2011-09-24T06:43:00.001-05:00

Here's a great letter from the Indiana USDA office regarding farm safety and it applies to Illinois, too. I call farmers the "Big Gardeners" and many safety hints relate to little gardeners, too. As we see and hear farm equipment during this harvest season, let's all make an extra effort to be safe.

Farm Safety: A Serious Business

"As harvest is underway in the Hoosier heartland, how fortunate we are to benefit from the hard work and dedication of America’s farmers. National Farm Safety and Health Week is this month. As we reflect on the agricultural abundance we enjoy in Indiana and this Nation, let’s acknowledge the risk inherent in this occupation. As these hard working men and women are creating this agricultural abundance – food, feed, fuel and fiber – over the next several months, they must be ever-vigilant for their own safety.

From their toil on farms, we have an abundance of healthy food to sustain us and make our lives enjoyable and a wealth of materials for clothing and manufactured products. Every day our lives are touched and enriched by the fruits of their labors.

Indiana’s farm families are among the most productive in the world. An amazing bounty is produced on the idyllic family farms we picture in our minds. But while living and working on a farm might seem like an entirely wholesome and stress free existence, there are few jobs in America that are more dangerous.

The National Safety Council consistently ranks agriculture as one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. A recent survey by USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service showed 200,000 work-related injuries occurred on U.S. farms annually. Farm family members accounted for 65 percent of those injuries.

We often think of dangerous jobs as firefighters, police officers, or miners. But according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, agriculture faces an extremely high fatality rate of nearly four for every 10,000 farmers. Only fishermen, loggers and aircraft pilots have occupational fatality rates that are higher.

Dangers built into agricultural work include harsh weather, difficult environmental conditions, operation of heavy machinery and equipment and working with dangerous materials and chemicals. Tractor roll-overs and ATV accidents continue to be responsible for a great number of adult and adolescent farm fatalities on our Nation’s farms. Accidents happen in any field, but in agriculture, accidents frequently can be fatal.

I fondly look back on my childhood on the farm and cherish the hours spent riding on the tractor with my dad, or taking care of the Angus cattle herd. I still marvel at how quickly he then, and still today, can plant a crop, bale a field of hay or sort cattle. I also remember the fear I have had many times with the “close calls” on the farm with either the crop or livestock operation. He could easily have been severely injured. Our family farm does its best to practice farm safety every day.

My dad has been lucky, but others have not been. For every serious agricultural injury, the victim will have experienced 10 close calls and 30 cases of personal property damage. It is so easy to become complacent in daily farm work that safety basics can be overlooked. Farm safety has to be constantly reinforced.

Please join with me in expressing our appreciation and gratitude to our farmers and farm families for their phenomenal contribution to our very well being. At the USDA Farm Service Agency, we are taking this opportunity during harvest to raise the awareness of farm safety to help them stay safe, healthy, and on the job. After all, it is the very practice of farm safety that sustains the health of our Nation’s farm families. Here’s wishing all Indiana (and Illinois) farmers a productive and safe harvest!"

Indiana Farm Service Agency
5981 Lakeside Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46278
Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services
United States Department of Agriculture
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Op-ed by Julia A. Wickard (copied by permission)
State Executive Director, Indiana Farm Service Agency

OOoo La La Nina

2011-09-21T23:20:00.000-05:00

OK, it's not even officially fall and the Climate Prediction Center issued a forecast that Le Nina "will garner strength during the coming winter." That's the weather pattern bringing us both drought and record snowfalls in the U.S.

"While it is not yet clear what the ultimate strength of this La Nina will be, La Nina conditions have returned and are expected to gradually strengthen and continue into the Northern Hemisphere winter (of) 2011-12," the CPC said in a monthly update.

La Nina was blamed in part for the severe snow storms which struck the U.S. last winter and the worst drought in a century which has ravaged Texas and swathes of the southwestern part of the country.

Most of us in the Midwest prepare for a bad winter, La Nina prediction or not. Here's a few reminder preparations for a winter of heavy and deep snow:

Arborvitaes usually have two or more trunks. Loosely tie them together about 2/3 of the way up with old nylon stockings. Heavy snow will often weigh those down and cause them to split open - often no repair is possible.

Make sure you have your snow blower serviced and make sure it will start. If you don't own one, make sure you have a functional shovel, clean, sharp and oiled. Keep one at home and keep on in the trunk of your vehicles.

Clean out the debris from your gutters. Debris is heavy and added snow can rip them off the house. In addition, the melting and freezing of snow on the roof needs to be able to run off and away.

Remove and store all garden ornaments near paths and driveways that will be buried in snow and be broke or trip someone.

Get an extra supply of kitty litter to put down on ice covered walks. Put another bag/box in each trunk in case you need traction.

If your winter machines run on gas, make sure you have full gas cans in a place where you can access but not where they are a hazard.

Use large covered storage tubs to store quantities of bird seed. The tubs keep mice out and keep repeat shopping at a minimum. A heavy snow cover prevents birds and animals from reaching food on the ground. Consider putting up bird shelters where they can roost away from the wind.

If you can afford the electric expense, invest in a bird bath heater. Make sure the extension is placed where it isn't a hazard (tripping, cut with snow blower, whipped by wind) and for outside use only. Wrap the connection with electrical tape.

Put up outside Christmas lights while it's still decent weather. Maybe not the twenty foot Santa balloon but certainly lights on trees, bushes, fences, etc. It will allow you to check them out without freezing. It will also allow you to have a plan for placing the plug-ins. The same warning goes as with the above extension cord. Make sure all outdoor extensions are free from nicks to the rubber coating and have no frayed wires. Remember electricity and moisture do not mix safely!

Tie down or weigh down any yard ornament, holiday decorations, tables, chairs, or other yard things. We tend to forget the brute force of winter winds especially when in conjunction with a winter snow storm.

Cover your grill or take inside. Fall is the best time to wash and store screens.  Both last longer if they don't have to winter outside. Take in all fabric accessories: curtains, cushions, and pillows.

Any porch equipment, even if weather resistant, will last longer if you can store in a protected space. Rattan and wicker will rot away after a few years exposed to winter weather.

Wash all garden gloves and throw away those you can't save. No one needs twelve left hand gloves with no right hand gloves... Wash your ball caps and that stinky pair of garden shoes. THROW away anything ripped and uncomfortable.

Wash and dry all garden tools, oil metal and wood and store in a dry place. THROW away the tools that are simply past working right. If you can't throw away - hang them on the shed wall as decoration, but, stop moving old broken tools while your looking for the one that works.

Oil the rollers on your garage door, put up snow fence where it drifts (before the ground freezes), service the lawn mowers, weed eaters, blowers and any other machines with a gas engine. Add Sta-Bil to the gas tanks.

Add any raked leaves to your flower and garden beds. They make great insulation from the cold, they compost right into the soil, and they're free.

When adverse conditions are predicted, be prepared with a full tank of gas in your vehicles and generator. Have emergency medications, baby and elder care supplies and a plan if you loose your source of heat. Have your cell phones charged, extra batteries, a good flashlight, emergency band radio and perhaps candles and lanterns. (I always like to have a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies but that's just me.) Have your firewood dry and close to the house if you have a wood stove or fireplace.

And lastly, make sure your pets are able to have warm shelter from the winter winds and snow. My measure is if I'm not warm, neither is my pet and that's just not right. It doesn't mean they must be inside pets, but an insulated house, with a flap door that is protected from the wind, always fresh unfrozen water and plenty to eat. A nice layer of straw for an insulated bed and covered with a blanket. If it all gets wet, remove and replace with fresh. Bales of straw will make great insulation around a dog house and come spring they can be torn apart and put on the garden as mulch.

You know: one purpose of fall is to get all the winter preparations done that you've been putting off all summer. Since La Nina has been invited to the party, perhaps it's the perfect time to get your cha cha in gear and be prepared.

For the Love of Gardening

Perky Perky

Love Is In The Air

Out of Style?

Purple Tomatoes?

2012 The Year of the Herb

Thick as Soup

Pooh and Piglet

X is for Papaver

Loosing Eloise

Happy Happy Happy

Pretty Pictures

Seeds of Wisdom

Pe-TOO-nee-uh

Betwixt and Between

Sweetie

Hitting the Big Time

One Flower At A Time

More Fun!!

THE List

Happy New Year's

Mon Petit Chou

Capture the Fire

Christmas Is Coming

Christmas is coming,The geese are getting fat,Please put a pennyIn the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,A ha'penny will do, If you haven't got a ha'penny,Then God bless you.

Waste Note - Want Not

W is for Wicked

Wind Turbines

80 Roses!

Come On Honey, I'm Bored

Hundreds gather to protest global warming!

Yupiq

Say What??

2006 arborday.org Hardiness Zone Map

The Smells of Christmas

Jingle Jangle

Shop Small

Seasonal Entertainment

No Doom & Gloom

Caregiving

The Day Between

Rue the Day

Black Friday

Soup of the Evening

Speaking of Dreys

Touring

A Tree Is A Tree

Cornu Who?

Then There's People

Magic Garden Glitter

The Big Freeze

Julia Child Cook Off

Seasons

Shopping the Windy City

Harvest Home

Second Hand Rose

Free Falling

Extremes

Producing Help

Good as Old

Harvest Home

OOoo La La Nina

Christmas is coming,
The geese are getting fat,
Please put a penny
In the old man's hat.

If you haven't got a penny,
A ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny,
Then God bless you.