Old Friend, Longfellow

This is a poem "Woods in Winter" written by Henry W. Longfellow.

I have this weakness for little old books. Many little old books are of poems. If it's old, beautiful and cheap, I'm a happy camper. This book is bound in the softest leather with "Longfellow's Poems" printed in gold. It precludes when publishing houses printed dates. Anyway - to the story:

Longfellow's poem is full of the sadness of winter. As I read the lines, I almost feel as if I'm trudging along in the snow, the sky a deep gray, I'm very cold and I'm pretty darn sick of winter. There's a reason Longfellow spoke to the masses.

I doubt there's many of us, even if we are sitting in the warmth of our homes, that aren't sick of winter when it moves to the end of February. I'm just sure the only reason chocolates are sold for valentine's day is most of us can't get through the month without something sweet to boost mood.

For me, reading is perhaps the best antidote for winter blues or grays. I've got a stack of flower/garden catalogs that can keep me happy for hours. In addition, I'm rather into historical gardens right now.

Historical gardens are often so very over the top in size, design and budget that I simply enjoy the beauty and perhaps adapt a few things for my own use. I plan how someday I might visit and tour these gardens.

There's something mystic about a garden that had someone, long ago, walking along the same path as me. The thought process, the station in life, the availability of plants and labor at the time, and the fashion and fads. It's a tie, the silent but present hand of another who loved this garden and the land.

Longfellow takes your hand and guides you with his words to a winter garden. He points to the trees and the woods. Grab a book - whether of poems or pictures - and pass the last refrains of winter with me.

REAL Ice Cycles

This isn't scientific or even horticulture based. This is a picture of my Colorado Blue Spruce with real, YES REAL ice cycles!

All my live I've seen store bought crystal glass, foil, aluminum, plastic or other ice cycles for Christmas trees. I've seen pictures painted on Christmas cards and picture books with ice cycles on trees. I've seen ice cycles on houses, eve troughs, and other things. Never have I seen ice cycles on a real pine tree made by nature. The sun shining on them was just beautiful.

It took lots of heavy snow, a very sunny day and very cold temperatures to produce this beautiful sight.

Almost, but not quite, made me want to plug my outside Christmas tree lights back on. Almost.

Another Sweetie

Sweet Pea "Gwendoline"

Renee and her Sweet Pea garden. Check out her web site. I've never bought from this site but she certainly knows how to present sweet peas to make a show!

Bouquets of sweet peas from Renee's Garden Sweet Peas.

The name “Sweet Pea” might conjure up thoughts of an endearing nickname, a restaurant in Geneseo or visions of an old Victorian garden.

The annual sweet pea “Lathyrus odoratus” is a native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete. First mentioned in 1696 and was hybridized from the early 17th century to today.

Most sweet peas needs support to climb and have a strong sweet fragrance. The flowers are purple in the wild plant. Through hybridization, it is available in white, pinks, reds, purples, peaches and shades in-between. To date there is no yellow sweet pea.

Henry Eckford’s hybridization program in England was the start of the Victorian obsession with sweet peas. Prior to 1908, the Burpee Seed Company illustrated the sweet pea on its cover thirteen times. There were several hundred different choices during this period.

Although the fragrance of the sweet pea during the Victorian era was wonderful, it fell out of favor and was seldom seen outside of an old garden where the perennial “Lathyrus latifolius” continues to self seed.

The perennial L latifolius, or everlasting pea, can grow up to twelve feet, is pink, white or mauve and seldom has any scent. It is hardy to zone 3, likes full sun and does not like wet feet. Due to self seeding, it has naturalized in much of North America.

Sweet peas were popular in bouquets and in nosegays (called tussie-mussies) especially by Victorian and Edwardian ladies prior to deodorant products. Held to the nose, sweet peas produced relief from personal and environmental smells of the time.

Sweet peas are not without their pests, including being attractive to slugs, mildew and other common garden problems. Supplying a clean non crowded area will help these situations. Perennials that self seed may be considered a pest when they sprout where you don’t want them.

Eckford’s breeds were called the L. grandiflora sweet peas. Although quite small by modern standards, they were larger and more impressive than the old antiques. They are unscented and do not seed which means you must buy plants.

There are varieties over 200 years old and listed as heirlooms, antiques or old fashioned. They are famous for their strong spicy fragrance and huge range of colors and patterns.

Aside from the beauty and fragrance, sweet peas make excellent erosion devices on slopes and hide unsightly fences or walls. They have been extremely helpful in genetic plant engineering. Another scientific use is the sweet pea’s toxic qualities. In large quantities, the seed produces a toxin that is referred to as “sagging skin”. It is being tested to see if it can be used to stop the hardening effect in scars.

Sweet peas are drought tolerant and deer resistant. Do not plant perennial sweet pea on trees and bushes as they can shade and kill them.

Sweet peas are making a comeback and with sweet results. As American botanist, horticulturist and agricultural science pioneer, Luther Burbank (1849-1926), said, “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul.” For a man who developed over 800 varieties of plants, he must have known the sweet pea.

Taming of the Shrew

A male American Cardinal.

A gray squirrel.

Shrews, mice, squirrels, raccoons, deer, various birds and the list goes on regarding man vs. nature.

Many of us feed and entice various inhabitants to our yards while others formulate and execute plans to eliminate them. It's definitely the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" topic when it comes to the plus and minus of our fir/feather covered little critters.

As humans, we can't even agree on the plus and minus of domesticated animals let alone those in the wild. The passions swing from the far left to far right. Most gardeners walk somewhere down the middle.

While we may feed, water and provide shelters for some species in our yards, we may work actively to ward off others. Most of us don't want to tame a wild animal or bird and that's good.

That cute little squirrel at your feeder can take a hunk out of your hand, tear up a perfectly good home and have been know to carry disease.

A baby raccoon is almost too cute for words but grows into an animal with such a voracious appetite it will stop at nothing for food and shelter including destroying buildings and stealing food.

Ooh and Aw over an American Cardinal standing out red against a snow covered bush but battle a huge flock of Starlings all summer and you may not be able to stand the cackling of another bird.

Touch the coat of a soft downy mouse and look into it's little sweet eyes and there are visions of little toys in Christmas stories. Have them make a nest in your home and they will chew through wood, eat anything left unprotected and leave a trail of unhealthy poo poo.

Watch a herd of deer in a field, so regal and beautiful that it's the stuff of great painters and stories of "Bambi." Have them wreak your car or eat your garden to the ground and they become less beautiful.

Watch bats reducing the number of mosquitoes on a summer night and I feel blessed but clean up an attic that has been home to bats and it's a pure nightmare.

We ARE blessed with an area of the world that houses many beautiful and beneficial birds and animals. Respecting their need to stay undomesticated is essential to both our well being.

Assisting with food, water and shelter may keep the species from leaving or becoming scarce. It entices them close enough to observe and enjoy. Teaching them to become reliant only on humans for subsistence will have the opposite result. Making pets of wild things invites trouble because they still have "wild" in their DNA. Sooner or later they will act as they were meant to act and not like domesticated pets. It isn't that they are ungrateful, they are simply being true to their instincts.

Watch them - yes. Help them - in some instances. Let them live the life they were intended - yes. Have them become your new BFF - no.

Pay Now -or- Pay Later

I recently read an article in the AARP magazine (yep, you got it, I'm AARP qualified) called "Boost Your Brain Health" by P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D. and it targeted the aging effect.

Although they still don't know how or why everything in the brain works, "Studies show that diverse, mentally stimulating tasks result in more brain cells, more robust connections among those cells, and a greater ability to bypass age-or disease-related trouble spots in the brain. The more you work your mind, the greater your cognitive reserve. And the greater your reserve, the greater your ability to withstand the inevitable challenges of aging."

Here's the news gardeners: By the very acts of gardening you are not only exercising your body, you are better able to withstand the inevitable challenges of aging. Woo babe - good news no matter what your age.

Challenging your mind and body may not prevent all illness or disease but it can certainly go a long way and that's good enough insurance percentages for me.

Gardening takes planning; layout, costs, shopping, ramifications evaluations, investigation of new techniques, and on and on. The mental exercise is for every season.

Gardening takes muscle; lifting, pulling, reaching, pushing, moving, mowing, hoeing, spading, and on and on. Even if physical ability is limited, there are many physical activities for almost every level.

Gardening is social; talking, reading, visiting, helping, listening, sharing. Although there are many tasks that may be accomplished or even appreciated for the solitude, by and large gardening is a social exercise.

The article quotes, "...studies by (Fred) Gage (Ph.D. of Salk Institute for Biological Studies in LaJolla, CA) and others have suggested that the more physical and mental exercise you get, the more brain cells you grow, the longer they survive, the better they connect with other nerve cells."

"Movement is so crucial to brain health that some of the cognitive changes blamed on aging may in fact be the result of inactivity..." Gage added.

There was a good notation in the article that I'm taking quite seriously, it cautioned: "pay attention to what you're doing. As we age, we become prone to distraction...even a split-second loss of focus can prevent memory from being stored." (It's the can't remember where I laid the clippers thing).

This easy distraction issue can cause accidents. Tripping and falling can be deadly. But, most can be prevented by thinking out what you're doing and keeping your mind on what you're doing.

Now, between you and me - just the two of us - I was always sure gardeners had the edge on staying young both physically and mentally! Is it a look in the mirror and sing "Who's the prettiest of them all." kind of young - probably not. It's heart, body and mind healthy at any age.

Here's my prescription for your gardening spring: If exercise is something new or in your past, get a check up first. Once you're OK to hit spring running, start the day with stretching first.

Before leaving the house, slather on sunscreen. Wear a hat and sunglasses in the sun. These help prevent skin cancer and cataracts.

Will you have aches and pains from gardening? It would be unusual if you didn't. Ache from hard work is good - pain from injury is not good. Know when to quit or when to take a break. Know when your body goes from "boy what a workout" to "I just pulled a muscle in my back" and stop before the pull.

Enjoy gardening and enjoy the shared experience with others. As mom used to say, "It's good for you."

More Bang For the Buck

Picture:

Old heirloom biannual hollyhock. This flower self seeds or seeds may be gathered and planted elsewhere.

Bang for the buck ideas:

1. Buy seeds instead of buying plant sets.


2. Some seeds take too long to germinate in our Zone 5 - using plant sets for these will end up giving you more produce over the summer.


3. Some showy annuals cost more than perennials.


4. Plant only annuals in pots that will stay blooming the entire summer (some won't) instead of replanting spring, summer and fall.


5. Periodically pinch back annuals to keep them thick and blooming.


6. Many herbs are good decorative flowers and food product combos.


7. Dwarf vegetables and fruits are good color additions to pots and flower gardens.


8. Many annuals can be brought inside as houseplants in the winter then replanted next spring.


9. Buy perennials late in the fall (one month before a freeze) to find sale prices.

More bang for the buck ideas:

1. Sunflowers are bird food, beautiful flowers, and can screen unsightly areas.


2. Some annuals may also self seed.


3. Flowers provide bees, butterflies, wasps and hummingbirds with nectar.


4. Some plants provide erosion control because of their root systems and dense habits.


5. The cost of a tree today will only increase as it gets older - shade, value of the wood, beauty, habitat.


6. The less grass you have to maintain, the more you save on fuel, machines, and emissions. Figure if you cut the area of your current grass in half, then half the amount of gas, machine upkeep, fertilizers, insecticides, grass seed and you certainly have a long range B4B.


7. Support local nurseries, garden shops and school plant sales.


8. Buy from plant auctions.


9. Don't throw away or let it go to waste.


10. If you have too much to eat fresh, freeze or can.

The following annuals have seeds that are easily collected and may be used the following spring:

Zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, Four O'Clocks, sunflowers, Shasta Daisies, Cornflower (bachelor buttons), cleomes, nasturtiums, and morning glories. (This is just of few of the very easy ones.)

Share - Share - Share:

• See if your local food pantry, homeless shelter, domestic abuse shelter, senior citizen center and nursing homes take fresh produce.


• Share with neighbors, friends, the elderly, the disadvantaged, and a local restaurant.
  
• Take produce and flowers to your church on Sunday. Send both home with others.


• Make a bouquet and take to someone who needs a lift.
• If your seed packet has more than you can use, give the rest to another gardener.

Aruba, Jamaica Ooh I Wanna Take Ya

Begonia illustration from Nature Hills Nursery.

Rhododendron illustration from Nature Hills Nursery

Great Gunnera from Spring Hills Nursery

For the Midwest gardener who wants a Tropical Paradise, there are options besides actual tropical plants.

Strong color is the main starting point. Tropical colors are turquoise, orange, ginger/browns, fuchsia, green and most any other bright color you want to introduce.

Colors are taken from the hard scape of tropical regions such as the ocean, flowers, sand, rain forests, and fruit. They are bright clear colors.

It is difficult to find flowers in a true turquoise. This might be where you introduce turquoise with pots, cloth, stepping stones and glass.

Obviously, water plays a part in the topical garden and if you don't have a pool, river or stream, introduce water through a small pond or waterfall. A simple table top water fountain will bring the "sound" of water to the landscape. A dry creek bed or pool of colored glass in turquoise or bright cobalt blue is another option. Cheap colored glass florist marbles or aquarium rocks will work.

Typical potted indoor plants such as palms and mother-in-law's tongue placed in shade will work. Jasmine and gardenia plants along with the Angel's Trumpet will perfume the air as if in a rain forest. I would never recommend planting bamboo, it is highly invasive and almost impossible to kill or contain.

Bulbs such as canna, especially the orange and yellows, elephant ears, dahlias, and begonias. These must all be dug in the fall or they will die.

Try a small lemon or orange tree placed in a pot (making it easier to move inside.)

If you have semi shade, perennial rhododendron bushes come in bright orange and magenta. They will bring in the spring with tropical shades. There are bright magenta Weigela bushes.

Clematis, honeysuckle, and trumpet vine all have bright perennial flowers. Scarlet Runner Bean and morning glories are two bright annual vines.

If you enjoying potted plants, you can actually use tropical plants - making sure they are inside well before the first frost.

To add additional zip to a tropics based landscape, include bright colored cushions and umbrellas. Use large flowered patterns on material for tablecloths, napkins and porch curtains.

Some go so far as to "tiki" with dried grass roofs and titi gods. Many of the tiki themed items can be bought at party stores.

Beach parties are part of the tropics and patio lights, tiki lanterns, candles, and oil lamps can play a big part of night life. The seven foot lighted cacti might be over the top for you but a few torches are in most every one's budget.

If earthquakes, the recession, and terrorism have you thinking twice about that sea side vacation this year, turn a portion of your yard into a tropical paradise and enjoy the tropics right in your own backyard. Did I mention the need for a "Beach Boys" CD???

"Aruba, Jamaica ooh I wanna take ya

To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama

Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go

Jamaica off the Florida Keys

There's a place called Kokomo

That's where you wanna go to get away from it all

Bodies in the sand

Tropical drink melting in your hand

We'll be falling in love

To the rhythm of a steel drum band

Down in Kokomo"

"Kokomo" by the Beach Boys