December Gardener......

December---cold, gray, wintery days have started to set in.  Keeping that gardener's spirit up can be a challenge.  One good remedy for those doldrums is reviewing garden photos and remembering the gardening days of summer.

Perennial geranium blossomed nicely last spring.  The light and airy purple flowers seem to float above the foliage....

Was there a time you especially enjoyed the beauty of your garden?  You can always take a mental escape back to summer, even on the grayest of winter days.  Now is the time to take notes and make plans:  add a spot of color here or there next spring, or make plans to move that tree or shrub----It would look oh so much better......over there.......When the weather breaks, you will be ready!

Enhancing Your Curb Appeal-Workshop Handout

(glad you asked for the notes from my recent workshop)

ENHANCING YOUR CURB APPEAL

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Workshop by Nancy J. Zink, Consultant

360.597.6436

www.nwgardengal.blogspot.com

nancy@zinkconsulting.com

1.     Where do I start?

2.     What style do I like?

3.     How much time do I want to spend on my yard?

4.     How soon do I want this done?

5.     Will I need to hire some help?

6.     What is my budget?

7.     What does my front yard say about me?

8.     What can I do right now to achieve my goal?

Books I recommended at my workshop

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Think Summer Now!

Start envisioning how beautiful your yard can look next summer......

Taken on a bright, sunny day, this is my backyard.

A true Do-It-Yourselfer, over time, I created a great outdoor space. You can too!!!

Taken from under Stella cherry tree.

Taken from the back corner of the yard.

Rake those last fall leaves, put away your tools, grab some garden books and start dreaming....

Heart Garden---solving a problem

FALL PROJECT

Problem:

Compacted soil laden with gravel and rocks.  Grass won't grow, on a budget.  What can I do?

Supplies on hand:
1. river rock
2. broken chunks of concrete from neighbor's old sidewalk
3. old newspaper and cardboard
4. bark dust

Supplies to purchase:
1. tulip and daffodil bulbs  (100-150 were used here)
2. potting soil, several bags
3. optional:  Casoron (pre-emergent weed control)

Process:

1.  Since you cannot grow much in that area, disguise the problem.  In this case, I enlarged the bed with the evergreen tree and made a very generous bed.

2.  Lay down weedblocker (my favorite is old newspaper or cardboard) over entire area.  If you chose to use Casoron, do not place it in a planting area.  Stay about 1 ft away from where you want plants to grow.

3.  Using large rocks, outline the heart. (about 4ft across)  With a shovel, loosen the soil inside the heart,  a few inches if at all possible.

4.  Fill inside of heart with potting soil mix.

5.  Plant bulbs as directed on pkg.

6.  Cover heart bed with 1-2" barkdust.

7. Complete heart design placing the broken pieces of concrete around the edges.  In my example, it looks almost like lace.

7.  Surround the concrete with more rocks to fill in the area and balance the design.

8.  Spread 2" of bark dust on entire bed.  Water into place and fill in all cracks.

9.  Next spring you will be rewarded for your efforts!

What's that color spot way back there?

Daffodils bloom first.

Tulips are second

Wow, would you guess it's all rock beneath?

Gardenscaping......

Gardenscaping?

Gardening, creating, molding, shaping garden beds, flower beds, what-have-you! One term that seems to fit is gardenscaping.  Creating your own unique setting by using plant material.  If you can do it with a shovel and a pick up truck load or two to your local supply store, in my book it qualifies.

My joy has been helping people put their ideas into action and watching the results as their plantings mature.

Join me here often for hints and tips on 'Gardenscaping.'

Next blog:  The heart garden:  using salvaged concrete pieces.

New Endeavor:  GARDEN COACHING

I am now officially accepting appointments for personal, on-site GARDEN COACHING sessions with individuals and families.

My specialty is creating flower gardens and vegetable gardens that meet the interest and ability level of the gardener.  Creative and thrifty, I will give you time-tested tips and ideas that will save you time and money----and make your gardening experience much more enjoyable.

I have seen too many people bite off more than they could chew, spend a lot of money, invest a lot of hard work only to have poor results.

If this has happened to you or someone you know, please contact me.  I have reasonable rates and would love to help you!

E-mail me for more information.

nancyjzinkconsulting@gmail.com

Thanks,

Nancy J. Zink

GARDEN COACH

Filberts are in bloom.....

Filbert Orchards are in Bloom

The filbert trees are blooming in the Northwest.  The gentle yellow catkins against the pale blue sky created a lovely early February scene last week.

Borrowing the beauty of another's work is a great way to extend your own appreciation for gardening.

Winter color: Witch Hazel

Winter can seem long and dreary in the Northwest.  On a recent sunny day, Hamamelis intermedia 'Primavera' (a variety of Witch Hazel) was in full bloom at the Oregon Garden in Silverton.

Enjoying the garden in winter requires looking for more than the lush, full colors of spring and summer.  Seek out the accents like this Witch Hazel.  Observe the forms, shapes, and lines of the plants and the landscape itself.  Take a close look at seed pods, flower heads, bare branches and tree trunks.  You will find beauty there that would otherwise be obscured by leaves and color. 

And by all means, go to botanical gardens year round.  There will be gardening delights any time of the year----if you just look beyond that summer-like expectation.

Witch Hazel adds a bit of color to a February landscape

The frnge-like flowers dot the branches

A close-up photo reveals the interest and beauty of the blossom

Weeds already? Is it Spring?

Weeds, like their more desirable garden counterparts, have a life cycle.  They germinate and start growing when their genetic code dictates.  For some weeds that cycle starts as early as December.  In order to prevent a hostile takeover of your garden, spend a little time out there pulling the weeds.  I know, it's only January, but the fresh air and exercise will do you a world of good.  By eliminating the weeds before those cute little white flowers appear, you will also prevent seed production and hopefully have fewer weeds to contend with next year.  

So, to answer your question:  No, it is not spring yet!  But it is time to weed...

Weeds are popping up in my perennial garden already!

Bittercress is a "winter" weed.  Pull it now to prevent seed production.

Handling Snow.....

January 2012 Snowfall

We rarely get snow and each time we do, I learn something new. This time I discovered that bamboo trees can't take much wet snow. The 2-3" of wet snow clung to the leaves of the bamboo and I was shocked to see them bending down and touching the grass.  Wind was predicted, it was raining heavily and the temperature hovered around 34 degrees.  I ran out with my camera to snap a few shots and then hurried to remove the snow.  Weather like this could quickly turn to more snow or even to ice.  I gently teased the snow off the branches, using a broom handle. The camellia bushes were buried under the bamboo and I was relieved to find them relatively unharmed.  As I shivered inside the house over a cup of hot tea, I was glad I had rescued my evergreen companions.  And thankful there had been so little damage afterall.

Snow had weighted down the row of bamboo trees.

Wet snow clung to the leaves, threatening breakage.

Elegant upright shoots were bowed completely to the ground.

Using a broom handle, the snow was gently teased off the branches.

Camellia bushes were trapped under the bamboo.

Thirty minutes later, the bushes emerged and the bamboo returned to nearly normal and upright, only a few broken branches this time.

What to do for your plants if it snows:

1.  Monitor the situation.  A little bit is fine but if the tree or bush looks stressed it needs to be attended to.

2  Listen to weather reports.  If snow is followed by freezing rain, all that extra weight could mean extensive damage.

3.  Wind damage is also a factor. The damage will be more severe if plants are covered in heavy snow.

4.  Gently wiggle the branches to remove the snow.  Work from the outside in, doing just a little at a time.  Gentle is key.

5.  Allow the branches to spring back up naturally.  Cold branches can be brittle and break easily.

6.  If bad weather persists you may need to attend to your plants more than once per day.