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!