three is not a crowd

Hola!  Just a quick word about planting techniques.  I often see people planting their flowers in rows like little soldiers.  While this technique could be effective in creating a border, I generally stay away from it.  In my gardens, I like a mass of color rather than little specks dotted here and there.  So I plant in groups: usually threes.  That way the plant (in this case Victoria Blue Salvia - one of my very favorites) will make a statement and hold it's own against the rest of the garden.  With the exception of spreaders (wave petunias, nasturtium, licorice, etc), I plant all my annuals like this. 


In this picture, you can see how well the salvia holds its own against the hydrangea and cosmos (the cosmos were also planted in a group).  I love the way the blue color just grabs your attention!  Isn't it beautiful?

Anyway consider doing this in your own garden this year.

I am exhausted; another long, sweaty and dirty day in the gardens so it's off to bed with me!

rain and mud and shopping

The threat of frost is finally over and it's planting time!  I have been driving all over Northeast Pennsylvania and New Jersey looking for the best product I can find for my gardens.   It's tedious but worth it.  Although I confess I do buy from Home Depot now and then, I buy 90% of my plants and flowers from local green houses.  I find the people who own them are wonderful to work with.  They know and stand behind their product, are eager to share their information with you and have a vested interest in your progress.  Because they are local, your success is their success.

(Tammy Clucas, owner of Clucas Farms on Rt 521 in Harmony, NJ has been a terrific source for me.  Not only does she know a lot, her product is wonderful; I have never purchased something from her that did not completely satisfy me.  I often ask for plants or flowers she doesn't have or doesn't have a lot of.  Each time I do this ((she probably groans when she sees me pull in)), she does all she can to find it for me somewhere else.  You won't get that kind of service at Home Depot.)

Today I woke up all fresh and eager for my day in the garden.  Even though it was raining (a soft rain), I was undaunted in my fervor to dig, plant and prune.  It wasn't so bad in the beginning, but the soft rain became a steady rain and the steady rain became a hard rain and the hard rain broke me.  My pants were so wet they were sticking to my legs, my gloves were soaked through and it was so cold I could see my breath!!!  That was where I drew the line!  I packed up my stuff, called Bentley to follow and headed home where a hot bath was awaiting me.

Now I am warm, dry and ready to go at it again tomorrow.

(Get ready Tammy.  I need a few more baskets of bacopa)

ps  the lady in the picture isn't me, but isn't she hilarious? That was my expression at the end of the day too.

verses in spring

I love spring!  Really, who doesn't?  Ellis Peters said, "Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment."  Isn't that a delightfully true quote?  Now that the garden is waking up, I will endeavor to post some pictures along the way.  I've been weeding like crazy, laying Preen for the first time ever (will keep you posted as to its merits or lack thereof), and spreading holly tone and lime hither and yon.  All in preparation for the big build up of the blooming season.  Oh I can't wait!!!

The pictures I'm posting are of a fragrant and beautiful viburnum bush and a branch of the espaliered apple tree in gorgeous full bloom.


One last thought:

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.  ~Margaret Atwood

 

last word on lavender

Ok. I forgot to mention it in my post about lavender, but there is some soil prep that can be done to boost your blooms. Go to your local garden center and buy some lime (I prefer pulverized - less complicated to work with), sprinkle it around the base of your plants, work it into the soil and water (or do it on a rainy day). It sweetens the soil and they love it!

Also, if you live in the Northeast I HIGHLY recommend a trip to The Well-Sweep Herb Farm located in Port Murray, New Jersey. If there is anything to know about lavender or herbs, they know it. Their selection of plants is amazing and its just a lovely property with swings for your kids, a functioning outhouse, chickens, and a cute gift shop. I love it there!

I tried adding a link to the Well Sweep, but it's not working, so I will do it manually: www.wellsweep.com

Happy gardening!

spring cleaning

We have had wonderful weather here - last week was sunny, warm and beautiful. I couldn't wait to get out into the garden!

In the fall, I clean out very little of the garden. Basically I only prune what needs to be pruned and leave the rest. To me, a winter garden has a certain monochromatic loveliness of texture and and depth. I tend to romanticize it by thinking of it as my 'in the bleak mind-winter' garden.

However, in the spring, it just looks forgotten and ill fitting amidst the new green grass and spring buds and ambitions weeds growing everywhere. So I chop, cut back, prune away and clean like a mad woman. THIS is my spring cleaning! I prefer it a million times over to washing windows, dusting furniture and organizing drawers. Give me a garden to wake up any day.

I will be posting many pictures of the garden as it awakens. I'm off now to see if I can brave the wind and get some work done today; it's sunny and 42 degrees but so windy I may not be able to stand up straight. I will let you know...