gardens

Dahlias, Roses and Silently “Growing”- The 2018 Wrap Up

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I am not even going to talk about how this year has flown by, or how it has been since May since I have last blogged. Life has been full and good, and trust me, I have not stepped away from the garden– I have been still digging, growing and learning new things.

I am at the point where I have pretty much quit adding to my garden (there are just a couple things I want to add this year), but maintaining and working with what I have. As I mentioned in my wrap-up post from last year, I went plant crazy in the beginning, and I paid for it. A lot of them did not come back after one season, so instead I am moving the plants I have to either 1. Give them more space, or 2. Make my garden beds look a little more put together.

In October, I worked on this bed. I extended it so I could bring more full sun-loving plants over here.

As I mentioned in my only couple of posts earlier this year, I had Dahlia tubers from last year that I planted, along with some new varieties. Here were my results:

  • My dahlia tubers I had from last year did not make it. I put them in the ground at the same time as my new dahlia varieties, and when they weren’t coming up, and the others were, I dug them up to find mold on them. I was disappointed because I overwintered as I was advised to, but it just didn’t happen. I have also read where some people just treat dahlia tubers as annuals. I thought I would try again this year, and if they didn’t come up again, I too, will be just buying new tubers every year to give me one less headache!
  • My new dahlia varieties this year were beautiful. I have caught the dahlia bug! I am now wanting to try many different new varieties. I am going to make more room for dahlias this year. I love how many blooms I get, and I love cutting them every morning before work to have fresh blooms in the house and to give them away to neighbors and co-workers.
  • Clockwise from top left: Cafe Au Lait, Kelvin Floodlight, Burlesca, and Nadia Ruth.

I loved all the varieties I planted, but of course the “Cafe Au Lait” did not disappoint, which is why I plan on buying more for my little cutting garden this year. What was the biggest surprise was the “Nadia Ruth” variety, it blew me away and I got the most blooms from that. One variety did not come up for me at all, and that was the “Creme de Cassis”.

The “Burlesca” variety was marketed as a honeycomb shaped flower, but that was not the case at all. Still beautiful, but not what it was supposed to be.

My rose:

It did not bloom this year. I planted the David Austin Rose “The Pilgrim”, and it grew on my trellis, just never flowered. I am hoping this year it will, as with our 6-month winter last year might have had something to do with it. Fingers crossed!

So, looking ahead– I am going to concentrate on mulching all of my beds this year, and adding more dahlias. I also would like to purchase one more David Austin rose, and then really start “landscaping” my yard. Now that I have a bulk of the planting done, it’s time to give these beds some shape and definition!

I hope you all have a nice New Year, I look forward to getting back to business with blogging all of my outdoor and gardening adventures. I post on Instagram most often, so, feel free to take a look when you get a chance!

Everything is Coming Up Roses — Back in the Garden!

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It has been wayyyy to long since I have last blogged! We have had a lot going on in our home– since March, we have been laying down new flooring in phases– which, we finally finished this past weekend! That, and winter being sooo longggg here, it’s been a tough few months, but I got back in the garden this past week, and I have learned quite a bit!

I bought my first Davin Austin® Rose this year! My plans were a little loose as far as the garden was concerned, but one of my major plans was to plant a rose. I splurged and purchased my new “The Pilgrim” rose in February, and they mailed it to me two weeks ago!

Photo source: David Austin Roses

Here’s a little bit of information about The Pilgrim:

  • As you can see above, it is a beautiful yellow climbing rose. Climbing roses to have bigger flowers and don’t grow as fast or vigorously as rambler roses.
  • It does very well in shady areas— particularly North facing areas, which, I was thrilled about, because I planted the rose on the front of my house, which happens to be North facing.

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I got the rose on the Thursday before we went camping, and, by the way, it was SNOWING and 30 degrees that weekend. I left the bare root in the box. I called David Austin® Roses USA based out of Texas, the Monday after we got back, and wanted to get some info about my rose, and when I should plant it, considering it was snowing the past weekend–why would I bother until it got a little warmer? The customer service representative was a little snarky with me, saying I needed to get the bare root in the ground immediately, but first, I needed to soak it in water for several hours before I planted it. If you follow me on Instagram, you know my desperate call for help when it came to soaking the bare root– several hours, or several days, or just a couple hours? I soaked mine for seven hours and then planted it.

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My first experience with a bare root anything!! 

Thanks in large part to the David Austin® Roses website, which, I highly recommend visiting, because it is an extremely easy and informative website to understand when it comes to everything roses.

So, what has this rose-growing novice learned so far?

  • Bare root roses need to be soaked for hours (that could be anything from 2 hours to 2 days, everybody has a different preference), so it can be re-hydrated before it is planted in the ground.
  • Make a hole large enough to fit the large root system of the stem. (You could go with the usual rule for any plant, make a hole twice as large as the plant).
  • Give your rose some room to grow– make sure it is not competing too much with other plants. Hmmm…I think my plants might be a little closer than they should be, but hopefully it won’t be a huge issue.

I am happy to report that so far, so good. My bare root has buds on it, and they are growing. I will be giving a full report and time goes on and as I learn more about roses, and what I need to do to keep them alive! I honestly never thought I would ever grow a rose, so the fact I am actually doing it now is very exciting to me.

Stay tuned for more info. I hope you all weathered the long winter well!

What’s Growing On In: Montana

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Happy June, everyone! Life has been full and busy, which has lead me to get behind on posting. But, have no fear, I have been very busy preparing my gardens now, so I can relax and enjoy the summer time, and blog about them!

I wanted to take a minute and write about my travels this year. In April, our little family went on a spring break trip to Montana. Yes, you heard it right, Montana. We stayed in Kalispell, Montana and visited Glacier National Park where we did some exploring and wandering. We also did some hiking in Lone Pine State Park. I really recommend trying to make this a future trip for anyone. In fact, we didn’t get to see it all due to the snow, and plan on visiting again.

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From the top of Kalispell, Montana and a view of the Northern Rockies.

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We traveled on the famous Going to the Sun Road, but unfortunately only about 12 of over 50 miles of it were open. It takes all summer to plow out that road! 

Now, while most people went South to Florida, or the Carolinas, we decided to head out West, where in fact it was snowing while we were out there. But, it was definitely worth it!

So, I thought I would give you a little background on gardening in Montana, and what a great destination this is to travel to yourself some day!

Kalispell, Montana

  • Hardiness Zone(s): Zone 5a, primary, but go to the mountains close by and it’s one 3a.
  • Since it’s the Northern Rockies, you would have to wait a tad longer to start planting fruits, veggies and plants. Average time to put things in the ground is June-July.
  • The flora and fauna in the alpine environment is amazing. I took a lot of pictures of stuff you just don’t find around Buffalo!

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Gigantic Cedar Trees on the edge of a very foggy Lake MacDonald.

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A small hair lichen, one of many different kinds that grows on trees in alpine environments. I hope I have ID’d it right!!

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This, I believe is called Green Old Man’s Beard lichen, that hang from the trees in Montana!

So, I thought I would give you a glimpse of our trip and introduce you to some new-to-me botanicals that you only find in the mountains. I love going to different regions of the country and learning about not only the vegetation and wildlife, but the culture as well.

 

Easy Spring Garden Prep Info

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I hope everyone is having a wonderful April– it has been a busy month for me, as we just got back from vacation in Montana! We visited Glacier National Park, and it was beautiful! It was really nice to experience a part of the country we have never visited before!

As nice as our trip was, it was REALLY nice to come home to the trees on the verge of bursting with green leaves! Everything was looking stunning! My flowers were in full bloom, including my tulips:

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I am now getting ready to do a full spring garden prep! Seeing as May is just a couple weeks away, which, I still can’t believe, because April feels like it just started!

So, here are a few garden prep tips you can consider doing this spring!

  • Plants any trees or shrubs. This is the perfect time to plant any trees or shrubs, the ground is moist, and rain is typically abundant in the months of April and May. As with planting anything, trees and shrubs need a lot of water to get established.
  • Start picking up the winter rubbish. It’s time to start raking up all the gravel, leaves, sticks, and anything else that is in your yard. For this job, you should use two different rakes to get the job done:
    • Rake– your typical rake that you would use to remove leaves in the fall. All the light, loose stuff like grass, twigs, etc. will get removed the fastest and easiest way with this rake.
    • Bow Rake- This long, straight-edged rake is perfect for picking up stones and dirt that have accumulated.
  • Mulch- Since I have made some new flower beds this past fall, I know I need to mulch them and get them prepped for the coming growing season.
  • Pruning/Removing old growth– Now is the time to prune/remove anything that will be blooming in the summer and beyond. I know I started manually removing the old stems of my Autumn Joy Sedum because it has already started growing! So, start removing winter interest and get your plants ready for summer!
  • Soil prep. Turn up the soil and get it ready for spring plantings.

There is certainly many more things you can do, but here are some of the basic hardscaping chores you can do to make it easier when planting season is in full swing!

What will you be doing for spring garden prep?

 

Let’s Cut to the Chase –Spring has Sprung!

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Good morning, and happy spring! I say that because our two feet of snow finally melted, and as I walk around my yard, I can see signs of life, everywhere–including my first hellebore I planted last November– in the dark!!

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I have to admit that this year has been a little more difficult to focus on gardening stuff, as I had the ambitious idea to start seeds way back in January/February, and that fell through– my work load has been extremely demanding since the beginning of the year, and any free time I had left me wiped out, and I would rather spend my free time roller skating with my daughter!

However, I did get some time to pick out some more seeds and even get a few bulbs to put in the ground as soon as the threat of frost is no more! After getting much inspiration from my Instagram friends and fellow bloggers, like Kate at Grey Tabby Gardens,(Please check her blog out when you get a chance, beautiful photography and a wonderful tour through her Central Florida garden) I wanted to start seeds for a cutting garden. I love having flowers in vases all summer long, so I figured I should get some seeds and bulbs that would allow for that.

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The Easter Bunny brought me my basket a little early!

So, most of the seeds and bulbs I have so far are for a cutting garden, but the other ones, I just added to the mix! I still have my eye on some other great seeds, and I am going to get up the nerve to do a little more container gardening this year!

What’s in my basket?

  • Dinner Plate Dahlias— I figured I would start with these two varieties, and see how successful I was with them this year. NOTE: Dahlias are hardy for zones 8-10, which means the rest of us who do not live in these zones need to take these bulbs out of the ground at the end of the growing season. I learned this lesson the hard way my first year living in my house!
  • Sunflowers— Of course, I can’t not get these seeds. Sunflowers are so hardy and so darn pretty– I actually have my eye on another variety as well! I have a great idea for these– so, stay tuned!
  • Bunny Tails– A great cutting garden addition– so unique, I couldn’t help myself. I bought these seeds last year, and never planted them, because I thought I lost them. Turns out, my daughter was playing with these seed packs and put it in one of her little purses– I didn’t find them until August!
  • Zinnias— I was inspired by Instagram friends and their pretty zinnias– now, that’s one plant I had never had! So, now I can only hope the seeds come up!
  • Amaranth— Not really for cutting, but read a really great article on these last year, and thought I would give it a try.
  • Flowering Kale— I really love this, and think it will be great fall/winter interest! Sometimes adding a few new things for the late seasons can make all the difference!

So, happy spring, everyone! I hope your gardening plans are in full swing– what do you plan to plant this year?

 

Don’t “Weight” to Get in Shape for Gardening

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We are getting back to fundamentals. Keep yourself in shape to avoid hurting yourself in the garden.

As I write this, it is snowing outside. We have measurable snow on the ground. The first time since December. Talk about a big let down– it has been a rainy, windy, warm winter for the most part, with a Lake Effect snow blast once in a while. My daffodils are coming up, and now they are covered in snow. My snowdrops were up, and now completely buried. Just as I was getting ready to start tinkering in my yard, the snow starts again! Welcome to almost-spring, I suppose!

Well, despite the weather, I am sure everyone has been preparing for the upcoming growing season in the usual manner– garden planning, design, seed buying, etc. But there is one thing that most people forget about during the long winter season that is the most important to all of your gardening endeavors– Exercise.

Now, I have already wrote an article on the importance of exercise for gardeners. I also believe it’s worth a second look. Exercise is so important– especially strength– when it comes gardening. You do a lot bending, pulling, lifting, dragging– all using an enormous amount of strength to do the job. Exercising lowers your risk of injury in the garden. It makes doing all the “dirty” work in the garden MUCH easier.

Since I have gotten older (In fact, I just passed another birthday), I have really dialed into strength conditioning. I am a huge fan of kettlebells, but I also incorporate dumbells into my routine.

Lifting light weights two-three times a week will help you immensely when it comes to spring time garden prep. And, it doesn’t have to be heavy– 2-5 pound weights starting out, and then working your way up to your desired weight.

I don’t want to rewrite what I have already blogged about, but here are a few bullets that are worth mentioning again:

  • Bend with your knees, not at your waist. Your back has “your back” when it comes to gardening.
  • Work your CORE— sit ups, push ups, crunches– it’s your powerhouse, and it keeps your back in good shape.
  • Don’t forget– Walk. Walk far. Walk everywhere. Make sure to get some cardio of sorts into the plan as well.

I will tell you from experience that doing this stuff will make a huge difference. It may seem like it won’t do much, but the gains are amazing. Do the little stuff now to make for a great, enjoyable gardening season later!

Disclaimer: This blog post is extremely general advice when it comes to exercising. I am not a doctor or fitness expert, but these are the exercises I have been advised to do over the years and think they are universal enough for everyone to try them. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Hygge and Gardeners

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In a way, I feel I have missed the boat on writing this post tonight. It’s more of a winter post of sorts, and since it certainly does not feel like winter in my part of the world, I feel like the timeliness of this blog post could be questioned. Haha!

However, it still is, technically, winter, so I am going say that I got it in just in time! And it’s really interesting to me that there is an actual word for something that seems to be not a “thing”, but a regular way of life. Boy, was I wrong!

Hygge, (pronounced hue-gah), is the Scandinavian concept of coziness, and taking pleasure in the ordinary, day to day things in life, including:

  • Warm blankets, socks
  • Hot cup of liquid– tea, coffee, hot chocolate
  • Candles burning
  • Enjoying good people around you
  • Bringing the Outdoors In

Hygge originated with the Danish, and it was their way of coping with long, dark winters. Now, I don’t know about you– but I think I have been living the Hygge way all along! Western New York winters can be brutal, and I love my big, warm socks and blankets for sure! And most winter nights, you will find us playing board games, or going bowling with friends or family. When it’s REALLY cold, I am drinking tea like there is no tomorrow!

So, that’s nice, but how does this pertain to gardening? Well, that’s where the “Bringing Outdoors In” comes in to play. Buy some houseplants, try indoor gardening, make a terrarium, you get the point. We as gardeners are constantly thinking about spring and the start of the new growing season. Winter tends to stymie the average gardener, but as I blogged about almost 3 years ago, houseplants can fill that void nicely!

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Here are some houseplants that I am “wintering” — some belong on my patio. A fake reindeer pelt makes everything nice and cozy. It almost makes a great cat bed!

So, how do you “hygge”? What little things make you happy?

2016: A Look Back in the Garden

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It’s hard to believe this is the last day of 2016. What a year! Here’s hoping we have a more peaceful, content 2017.

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My bayberry candles are lit and I’m ready for a happy 2017!

I want to thank all of my readers for sticking with me through this year. I have been trying to change things up, but at the same time, I didn’t post as much as years before. This is something I am going to actively improve in the new year. Posting more, even if it’s something small, and it doesn’t have to be as uniform as I have been trying to make them in the past.

Now, back to the garden…

This was the first year my husband and I experimented with tomatoes! We had a great crop! We also had a few small pumpkins and gourds from the seeds of our Halloween pumpkins the year before! We have since expanded this bed and I plan to start shopping for more veggies to plant this year!

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This past year was the first time I really enjoyed Spring. I loved all the cherry and apple blossoms on the trees, and I planted more unique bulbs that truly made me happy.

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This hair allium was the showstopper of my back of the garage flower bed. I was so happy they came up!

I also took a big interest in window boxes. For those of you who can actually have window boxes, please try having one. I love how they make your house look so homey and quaint!

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Another highlight– seed collecting. I had never taken the time to do this before. It was actually very enjoyable, and I found a new appreciation for the beauty and uniqueness of seed pods. They are all different– some you wouldn’t even think were seeds!

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This is a Giant Hibiscus seed pod. I think it’s beautiful, and gave these away as Christmas presents!

So? What on the schedule for 2017? I am tackling projects I have wanted to get started on for the past few years, but something else always took priority.

Here’s what’s on my list for 2017, and you can hold me to it! 

  • Pergola project –I am going to make sure my pergola project gets under way. I have been dreaming of one of these for about 3 years now, but we have always had to set it aside for something else. Sometimes you just have to make it happen!
  • Window boxes— I am going to add a few more window boxes to my little house. I really LOVE how they add so much character. My dream would be to have one at every window, but I have to get approval from the hubs, first!
  • The Veggie Garden— we are expanding! If you follow my instagram account, I posted a picture of how I extended the bed on the side of the garage to accommodate more veggies– my hubby wants it bigger, so we will be expanding the bed even more, which means more veggies in the garden!!
  • Garden Appreciation — I am going to start touring more and spotlighting more great gardens this year. So many people have so many great gardens, I think their designs should be shared!

I want to wish everyone a great 2017– enjoy every moment and be happy with everything you have. You wouldn’t believe how much more beautiful life will be!

 

 

 

 

Go Ahead, Spoil Your Soil

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Is it me, or do the days get busier and faster? This fall has been wonderful, and our days have been filled with the usual day to day work schedule, along with all the other things that have helped our weekends go by at warp speed– weddings, birthday parties, pumpkin picking, walks, bike rides, etc. I have also been busy doing things around the house as opposed to any garden work. I got some necessary painting done, along with organizing the house, while the weather is nice.

Now I am back to the garden, and I am so happy to be– it’s been another spectacular weekend here in Western New York, and I really don’t know how much longer we will have days that are 70+ degrees. Fall garden prep is underway! I have been collecting seeds as much as I can, but also need to work on some other very important parts of the yard. My front yard and flower beds are in desperate need for improvement. My garden plan for next year includes revamping the front yard and foliage. I seem to have some serious problems with things doing well in my front beds. With last year’s house remodel and other things going on, I haven’t given them enough attention. I need to start from the ground, up (Hehe) — I need to spoil my soil!

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Since we sank our toes into veggie gardening this year, (tomatoes, and some gourds from seeds of last year’s gourds), I have been learning more about soil and how important it is that it is healthy for the sake of not only your veggies, but your plants and flowers as well.

Soil contains many beneficial bacteria and organisms that are vital to everything on earth. Sometimes it needs a little boost:

  • Time to turn it up. I use a garden hoe or a spade and turn up my beds to bring up some of the good organisms to the top to revitalize the soil.
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  • Give it some help. Add more fresh top soil, manure, peat moss, compost to your existing flower beds to give it the health it needs to keep your plants and flowers energized during the growing season.
  • It doesn’t cost much. Top soil, mulch, compost, etc. does not cost a lot, so if you are on a budget, this will definitely not break the bank!

I decided this year I needed to add some composted manure to my front beds. Every other year I usually add top soil, but I thought adding manure to my existing soil would give my beds a good boost of nutrients for a healthy, bountiful growing season next year!

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I am using a bow rake to level out the manure I added to my flower beds.

My large front bed also got a few allium bulbs added to it. It seems too bare out there! I need more of a four-season feel out front of the house, too!

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New layer of manure and new bulbs will make this bed look a little more full come spring! 

Happy fall prep to you all– what do you do in your part of the world?