Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree....

Abies koreana- Korean Fir Tree 

At long last the Korean Fir has grown large enough to drape with lights.  Blue just seemed to be the right color this year.


Remember, the other half of gardening is stopping to enjoy it!!!


Merry Christmas Everyone!

Bringing the outdoors in at Christmas

Gather plant material

Cut the "Oasis" floral foam to shape

Soak foam with water and place in container

Insert small clippings firmly into foam

Cover entire foam, using a variety of colors and textures.

Materials used:

• Vase with a large diameter at top, about 10"
• One block of 'Oasis' floral foam-purchased at a craft store for about $2.00
• Evergreen branches (any variety will do).  I used 3 small branches that I wanted to eliminate from the tree anyway
• Privet hedge clippings 3-6"long, about 20 or 30
• Camellia bush clippings 3-6" long, 5-7
• Fine leaved viburnum clippings 6-12", cut in half, with orange berries intact, 25-30
• Rose campion, 6-10 very small plants
• Ornate berries from wild iris
• Sprigs of native sedum (they turn red in the winter)

Feel free to substitute with whatever you have on hand!

Proceedure:

1. Start at the bottom with the largest clippings of the evergreens
2. Create a nice looking top 
3. Fill in the middle with evergreens
4. Add the other types of plant material, covering the foam base completely.
5. Add accents of berries, contrasting plant material, etc
6. Water regularly to enjoy this arrangement for weeks to come

Silver Frost....

Euphorbia

Leopard's Bane

Peony

Rhododendron

'Autumn Joy' Sedum

Spending time in your garden can seem a bit dull in the fall and winter.  However, when the weather gets clear, we often have frost the next morning.  You will find some spectacular silvery lace touches on leaves, buds, tree branches, and whatever else is out there.  Remember, one half of gardening is doing the work---the other half is stopping to enjoy the beauty.  So, yes, you can enjoy your garden in the winter.  It's just a little different than in the summer.  Take some time, look closely, and maybe even grab your camera!

Happy Gardening!

Bringing the Outdoors In.....

Creating a centerpiece from the fall garden can be a great way to bring the outdoors in for the holidays.

This arrangement started with the glossy leaves from a few twigs off the camellia bush, several sprigs of 'Angelina' golden sedum, a few blue-green euphorbia stalks and for the burgundy base: 'Autumn Joy' sedum.  To add just a little more interest, a few wispy branch tips from curly willow finish off the the whole ensemble.  It was placed it in a low ceramic pot of similar colors.  By keeping the total height of the centerpiece to about 12", it was perfect on the dinner table and did not obstruct view while the family was visiting.  

While the turkey was roasting, I dashed out to the garden and gathered up whatever I could find that looked nice.  Selecting healthy, lush plants of various colors and shapes, I put together this arrangement in less than half an hour.  With a set of tapered candles, it completed the dining room table setting and welcomed the family on that chilly, damp Thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving Day Bouquet

Flax---Beautiful and nutritious....

Dainty blossom of the flax plant.

Flax seeds.

In the past several years, flax seed meal has been gaining popularity as a food supplement packed with Omega 3 oils.  The shiny, flat, ovate seeds can be eaten whole or ground as meal and added to other foods.  This is one food supplement that I personally use on a daily basis.  The benefits are far reaching but for starters, research is finding it to be a systemic anti-inflammatory, an aid in balancing blood sugar and a great source of fiber.  If you are not currently taking Omega 3, you might look into this.

Curious gardener that I am, I planted some of the seeds in my flower garden one spring.  By late summer I had some lovely blue-green wispy plants with dainty blue flax flowers.  A very nice addition to a cutting garden or bed that needs a 2-3 ft tall filler row late in the season.  A seed pod followed the bloom and, not surprisingly, yielded what you see above!

This would be a fun project to share with young children.  Be sure to end by whipping up your favorite fresh fruit smoothie reinforced with 2-3 tablespoons of raw flax meal.  It will be a thick, satisfying and nutritious treat. 

Flower gardening and nutrition meet and you are the winner!

Happy Gardening! 

More notes on flax:

Common flax (linum usitatissimum), also known as linseed, is also the source for linseed oil.  The boiled oil was used by our grandparents to finish wood.  I remember an older relative recommending that a bench be treated with a "nice coat of linseed oil."  Common flax is also used in the production of linen.  The wispy stems contain long tough fibers that are extracted by a process that leaves just the long fibers.  The fibers are then woven into linen fabric known for its durability and beauty.

Evergreens turning brown?

Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecypress) with a bit of brown.

 Normal

A closer look---this is normal.

                                               Abnormal

Chamaecypress that is dead

Close up---no green at all!

What is happening here?  Evergreen "leaves" do not live forever.  They are constantly being replaced.  Most notably in late summer or fall there will be some old material turning brown and falling.  This is sometimes call flagging or fall foliage drop.  Some is normal as shown above.  In the Northwest the event is more pronounced after a very wet spring and a dry late summer.

The second example, however, is not normal.  In a matter of a month or two the entire tree turned brown and died.  Unfortunate, but this does happen once in awhile.  The tree will need to be replaced, the irrigation system checked to ensure adequate water is reaching the root zone of the replacement plant.

The Perfect Marriage.....crocuses with daffodils...

Purple crosuses look great with yellow daffodils.

Plant an abundance of crosuses among your daffodils.  They will pop up early to encourage you.  Depending on the bloom time of your daffodils, they may still be blooming when the tall yellow faces appear.
Plant in groups of 15-25 for best effect.

If you don't have time or garden space, purchase a large pot and some potting soil.  In the pot or in the ground, the bulbs need to go through a winter season outside in order to bloom in the spring.  Set the pot in a sunny location, water it and wait for spring.  If the idea of an "empty" pot is not appealing to you, purchase a small evergreen shrub for the center and plant the crocuses all around it.


Happy Gardening!

Daffodil planting time.....

Daffodils always face the sun....plant now for spring!

Plant bulbs as directed on the package, at least as deep as the size of the bulb.  Wait until spring then waaa---laaaa!  Cheerful color spots.  Keep in mind that they will bloom with their "faces" to the direction of the most sunlight.  At my house that's south and a little west.

What is a biennial?

Sweet William

Biennials take 2 growing seasons to produce a flower.  There are many flowers categorized as biennials. An old time favorite is Sweet William.  A mini bouquet on one stem and a very fragrant spring bloomer.  They easily self-sow in the garden so allow some babies to spring up in late summer.  This "little growing season" is often enough to allow them to bloom next spring. Something to consider planting next year.

Happy Gardening!

Moss Growing in the Sun?

Help!  My velvety green lawn, growing so nicely in the full sun, is now looking sort of sick!

Lawn has a slight yellowish green tinge to it in places.  It gets full sun and regular watering.  What's happening?

Look closer and you'll notice bushy little clumps and strands.

A few strands pulled from that patch of lawn confirm that moss was the culprit.

Why does moss grow in the sun?  Doesn't it normally grow in the shade?

Yes, moss prefers the shade but will flourish in the sun if the soil is too acidic.  Rake out big clumps of moss and apply lime.  (See entry on applying lime.)  When the soil pH is balanced, the moss will die back and the lawn can thrive again.

Adding lime to your lawn...

Purchase lime by the bag, prilled is best.

Prilled lime is very fine lime rolled into "gravel" that breaks down very easily when wet.

Using a lawn spreader, following application directions on the bag, apply lime to the lawn in the fall.  The lime will "sweeten" the soil and help balance the pH.  Mushrooms growing anywhere in the lawn, and/or moss growing in sunny sections of the lawn, tell you it's time to add lime.

Fred Meyer carries the Lily Miller brand called Super Sweet.  At $6.48 for a 25 pound bag, it's an inexpensive solution to this problem.

Why are there mushrooms in my lawn?

Mushrooms show up in the lawn because the soil has become too acidic or "sour."  It's time to add some lime to reduce the acidity or "sweeten" the soil.   More on treatment later on...

Slippery When Wet...

A spring rake works best on wet leaves....

Mound them up in a tidy compost pile.  In a relaxed garden they can remain in sight and look fine.  The eye looks for uniformity, not perfection!

Be sure to keep leaves off pavement---slippery when wet!
A stiff broom or hose will quickly remove them.
(Just be sure to detach your hose from the spigot when you're done, to prevent damage from an unexpected frost.)

Purple Allium.....plant among your tulips!

Buy a bag of giant allium this fall and plant them in your tulip bed.  The 3" plus blooms appear late in the summer and are worth the 5 or 6 bucks!  Excellent as cut flowers---very long blooming.

To Rake or to Mow?

Gorgeous sunny day... a few leaves on the lawn.

Mulching mower handles the leaves just fine.

See?

Chopped leaves, green grass all mixed together.  Perfect ratio of green to brown for composting....

Apply to garden beds to feed the soils all winter long!

Urban Chickens....

Mobile Chicken Coop for city dwellers

 Last summer I had the itch to raise chickens once again.  A local handyman constructed this portable, fully self-contained unit that can house up to four laying hens.  It is adorable.

The lower level is fenced in and open on the bottom.  The hens can scratch for bugs and bits of dirt and leave a little fertilizer behind.  There's a little passageway up into the second floor where they have a roosting pole and laying box.  The large white roof raises up for access to the first floor.  On the far side is a wire fence-lined door to access the second floor.  And the last "little" door, shown open, is to allow the girls to get out and roam around the yard whenever you feel like watching them and enjoying their cute little hens antics.  

The whole unit stands about 5 ft tall and can be moved easily.  Note the thick, short dowels by the "little" door.  They are actually sturdily mounted and act as the handles.  On the opposite end of the unit,  a plump set of 8" wheels is mounted.  By lifting up on the handles a few inches, the unit can be wheeled along.  It works much like a wheel barrow.  I moved the unit nearly every day, watered in the fertilizer and had lush green grass a few weeks later. It was very handy, tidy and convenient.

Chickens are a great hobby, especially for young families.  You might think about starting your own little flock early nest spring.  There's nothing like farm fresh eggs...

Happy Gardening!

Drought Tolerant Garden

Drought Tolerant Garden

So, after really grasping that August and September are months of drought in the PNW, I decided to plant up a nice big bed of drought tolerant plants.  By planting just before the fall rains began, I knew these babies would have a chance to get well-established and do great all summer long.

Most of the plants I chose are sort of gray and fuzzy, a way to help them preserve moisture.  And being the thrifty gardener that I am, I simply divided my perennials out back and placed them in large groupings in the the front side yard.  Since we only had a light mist that day, I watered them in thoroughly, resolving not to drag the hose out to these little guys ever again.  One dousing and that was it.  By the middle of next summer, there should be lots of lovely pinks and purples lining the length of my neighbor's fence!

Thrify tip:  To convert a large area to garden, plan ahead.  For this 10-15x40 ft area, I layered newspaper and cardboard (that were headed for the recycle bin) over every square inch and then hailed the arborist to dump his load of chippings after he took down my neighbor's damaged tree. I spread the not so lovely chips out 3-4 inches thick. The arborist was glad to unload, I was glad for the free mulch.  It sat for about 2 years, decomposing from the bottom up.  I spot treated the few weeds that popped up and last week planted a few hundred starts.  By pulling back the mulch, digging a small hole and inserting the transplant, I had an instant garden.  Free is a very good price.  Let's see how it looks next summer!

Rose Campion-Lychnis coronaria

Pearly Everlasting-Anaphalis margaritacea

Yellow Yarrow-Achillea 'Moonshine'

Obedient Plant-Physostegia virginiana

Lamb's Ear-Stachys byxantina

Lavender-Lavandula

An un-named rambling rose  

Meadowsweet-Filipendula rubra

Remember, large beds, massive plantings.  

Young drought resistant plants settle in all winter long...

Happy Gardening

First Frost!

Purple Smokebush touched by frost

 As I predicted yesterday, we got our first frost of the year last night!

The lacy edgings on my plants were a delight to see.  How's your garden looking?

Maples leaves on a frosty lawn

Light at Night

Garden shed becomes a beacon in the backyard at night.....

Let's remember that your garden can also look wonderful at night.  In my backyard, the only lighting I have comes from my yellow garden shed.  That one little bulb casts a lovely light across the lawn, highlights the raised beds and outlines the curved garden path.  From my window, the view is serene and breath-taking.  Even during the long, gray winters a bright spot remains.

Excellent new book...

Has it really been a year since I last posted on this blog?

I started this little rambling place because I had been giving away starts of perennials from my garden and my friends wanted to know what they were, how to care for them, etc.  As it turns out, my friends were all passive users.  My blog has turned out to be a blogsite.  Yep, the 20 something crowd told me that this is really more a blogsite than a blog.

I guess I grew tired of not hearing anything back in response to my posts.

But I am back dear gardening friends.  And I've got a great new resource for you:  Gardening in the Pacific Northwest by Carol W. Hall and Norman E. Hall.  Published by Timber Press, it's not surprising that this book is filled with very relevant information that we all wish we had received years ago!


What's so great about it?  It's the first publication I've read that discusses the effects of the ocean currents, explaining our weather patterns.  Having grown up in the Midwest, I have spent nearly 25 years "translating" the seasons there to the seasons here.  There simply is no translation.  The oceanic effect has created a language of its own.  Now it seems so simple:  large body of water circulating cool currents means cooler air temperatures than one would expect.  Warm currents, likewise.  If those ocean currents shift early in the year---waa laa!  So does our weather.  And I hate to admit it, but they are right.  In the Pacific Northwest we only have two seasons:  wet and dry.  Usually October to April are gray and wet.  Usually May to September are drier and sunnier.  Summer arrives somewhere after the Fourth of July.  We get drought-like conditions during most Augusts and Septembers.  Then we get rain,  a killing frost, some chilly weather in November and December.  In January we get a few "spring" flowers that start to bloom.  Feb hits us with a stretch of sun most years and we all get out there and prune our fruit trees.  Sometimes we get another patch of ice or snow too.  Then a gradual, and I mean gradual, warming until we can finally plant seeds without having them rot in the ground.

Of course, we have all lived through these cycles, but if you are like me, you may not have put them all together.  It's classic PNW weather.  Not to be translated, follow a traditional calendar of seasons, but purely PNW in character.

And that folks, is just chapter one!

It's a great read and probably the most significant publication since Sunset Gardening came out.  That gold standard now has a companion.

Anyway, that's my opinion.....

Tonight, clear and cold.  Probably our first frost.  Brrr....  Cover your tender front door pots or you'll be composting them in the morning.


Happy Gardening!

Nancy