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

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 / Earth and Oils / 5 Comments

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!

Lessons Learned in the Garden – Midsummer Report

July 23, 2017 / Earth and Oils / Leave a comment

Happy summer! It’s hard to believe it’s the end of July– no doubt it’s been a busy one for us. My daughter is at an age where she can do a lot of stuff that she couldn’t before, and we have been taking advantage of it. Life has been busy, and unfortunately blogging has taken a back seat, but I honestly can say that I have been having the time of my life, and as long as I keep getting in a blog post in when I can, I am happy. Family time before all else!

Weather-wise, Western New York has been very rainy and much milder than last summer. I have enjoyed the cooler temps, though, but I have missed going to the beach! Honestly, I have not once had to actually water my plants. No sprinkler posts this year! My window boxes have been thriving, and have not looked sparse and brittle like last year!

A little wilted after yet more rain, my window boxes are thriving this year!

Despite the weather, we have busy bike riding, hiking, rollerblading, swimming, camping, all that good summer stuff, but I have been also doing a lot in the garden. I am at the stage where I really am not adding much, but doing more of the routine maintenance on what I do have, and there are certainly some lessons I have learned that I won’t try to intentionally “unlearn” in the future!

Lesson #1– It’s OK to have space between your plants.

I know, I have even mentioned this in past posts, I planted too many things VERY close together (we are talking so close you can smell the body odor on the person next to you close). I was so crazy about trying to get every plant I wanted, I planted them too close together– this resulted in what I like to say “The Survival of the Fittest” in my flower beds– I lost a lot of really cool varieties because I got a tad bit overzealous in my planting. I have spent a good portion of my summer thinning out a lot of my plants, and even moving them if needed…which leads me into the next lesson–

Lesson #2 Plants not blooming/growing that well? It’s OK to MOVE them.

Yes. The biggest thing I have learned in the past few years is if your plants are not doing well in the location you have them– try moving them. They just may need a new residence to make them happy!

A great example of this is my very pretty gayfeather. I purchased these three years ago for 50% off at the local farm store. I put them in an area I had some space, and they grew, but they never actually flowered. I finally had the sense last year to move them to a sunnier location. Ta-da! Full on flower power action!

This bee is very happy I moved this lovely gayfeather!

Lesson #3 — Remember to do the little stuff.

I can honestly tell you that I don’t have time to weed my whole garden at once. BUT, when I am outside and my daughter is swinging on her swing, I pick an area and go to town! Even if it’s a little area, it makes such a difference! I have managed to keep weeding all summer– little by little, and I feel better about how my landscape looks! I also pruned my Lilac bushes this year, as they were getting a little to “bushy” for me. They were growing right over the area I have my daffodils and muscari, and I want that distinction, if you will, between all of my plants.

If you are follow me on instagram, you will see all the goings-on in my garden. I post pictures of my blooms and my gardening adventures. I will be posting about our little veggie patch, and my mini “cutting” garden. Two new ventures that I would like to expand next year! Until then, take care, and I hope that the summer has been good to you in your neck of the woods!

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

March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 / Earth and Oils / 2 Comments

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.

The Hedgerow: The Benefits are the Birds.

January 28, 2017January 28, 2017 / Earth and Oils / 7 Comments

It’s hard to believe it’s the end of January already!! While at my house, we have not had any snow for the whole month, but a lot of rain, freezing and mild! The weather has not allowed me to go out and do any skiing or snowshoeing, so I have been inside making plans to give some rooms in my house a new coat of paint. It’s funny, when I moved in nine years ago, I was young and had no clue how to decorate and put things together in a home, and now I am finally getting an idea of what I like and want!!

Well, the same goes for your landscape as well! And one of the things you should consider for your landscape, if you can, is a hedgerow.

What is a hedgerow?

A hedgerow are bushes/trees grown closely together to make a wall or border of sorts.I love the idea of having a natural fence, rather than the chain link fence I have in the back yard now. I have seen hedegrows from everything including forsythia to traditional boxwood.

My hedgerow in the front yard, to be honest, has been a source of contention between my husband and I since we moved in! He wants to rip it out, but I like that we have the hedgerow in the front because of the security it gives. The sidewalk is right on the other side of this hedgerow. I like my privacy!

This is a picture I posted over the fall that showed I am planting tulips in front of my hedgerow.

Hedgerows are very elegant, but they are also very important for animal life. Especially in the winter. They protect the birds, who like to seek cover from predators and perch there during the coldest months of the year. And if you are like me, and have a bird feeder on your front porch, they especially like to sit in there and wait to get their food!

My hedgerow looking bare from my front porch.

So, as your home landscape evolves, and you are looking to put up a fence but would like something more natural, please consider a hedgerow. My best advice to you when considering making one, if you are on a budget, is to wait until late summer/early fall, because that’s when all the spring nursery stock in on sale and you can save a bundle.

Do you have a hedgerow? Tell me about it!

A Natural Pause- September 15 2016

September 15, 2016 / Earth and Oils / 5 Comments

As summer draws to an end, I wanted to post a #tbt to the July 4th weekend. Enjoy.

Dare to Be Different: Unique Blooms for your Garden

March 10, 2016March 10, 2016 / Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

Spring is here!! Even though it’s 10 days away, I am loving the warm weather we are getting in my neck of the woods. Winter has never really felt long weather-wise, but I have been a little distracted with other things that have kept me away from really thinking about what I wanted to do for the garden this year.

With beautiful signs like this, you can’t help but get excited for this coming growing season.

So, I am now making my list of new plants I would like to get this year. It’s so hard because year after year, you visit the same greenhouse or lawn center and you see the same type of plants every year. How about something a little different?

Do not be afraid to add unusual plants to your landscape.

Where do I find “different” plants if they are not at my local nursery?

Research — read magazines, look at plant catalogs or do some good old fashioned surfing on the internet (it really sounds funny to me to say that).
Ask your local nursery. They may direct you towards a place to find them, or they may be able to special order them for you.

What is considered “unique”?

I am not talking about some ultra exotic plant from the jungle, but plants that you don’t see often and bring huge satisfaction and value to your landscape. Here are some plants that I have been looking to plant this year:

Witch Hazel

Source: whiteflowerfarm.com

This is my main plant I would like to purchase this year. It’s a beautiful small tree/shrub that blooms in the winter– yes, that’s right, the winter. This is something you don’t always see a part of your neighbor’s landscape. Consider this beauty to brighten up those long winter days.

2. Ruby Teardrops Spruce

Source: coniferkingdom.com

Ok, I am really loving this beautiful spruce, but I am not sure where it would go in my yard. I really have to rethink the layout of my “spread”, but I am pretty sure this stunning specimen will be worth the extra work. This is definitely for the conifer lover, or some one who just wants to add a little pop next to the other more common conifers you have on your property.

3. Peonies

Source: whiteflowerfarm.com

I described in a past post that I had planted some peonies in tribute to my grandmother.This is a new variety of peony that would really get people asking some questions. You don’t often see a yellow peony, but this is definitely worth taking into consideration, just to keep people guessing as to what it was!

And finally…what I believe will be the tribute plant to my recently passed grandmother:

4. Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, also known as Corkscrew Hazel

Source: halesia.nl

Another family member of the hazel family, the contorted branches of this specimen also have some of the most eye-catching blooms on it. Talk about winter interest– the branches on this shrub will make a great talking piece for anybody who passes through your property! Different and beautiful– exactly what my grandmother Joyce was. I don’t think anything else would fit as good!

All of these plants are not cheap– most average around $35 per plant. I understand completely that landscaping does cost a lot of money, and I have written posts in the past about gardening on a budget. Well, as my learning and interest have grown with gardening, I really do believe that plants and shrubs and trees are a tremendous investment for much more than the obvious reasons. It truly is an investment that “grows”. The pure joy and satisfaction I get from investing in a few of these more expensive plants every year are worth much more than a manicure or pedicure to me. As long as you budget and plan for a couple of more pricey plants with your discount finds (trust me, this is where I make my haul every year), it actually ends up evening out.

Gardening on a budget is great, I still buy seeds and the half dead plants at the end of the season. But, sometimes you need to splurge. So, how about passing up that fantastic pair of shoes for a great new tree just one time? You won’t feel so bad when the weather warms up and you see the fruits of your labor.

Happy early spring, and happy plant shopping!

That’s a Wrap — A Growing Season “Summer”y

October 18, 2015 / Earth and Oils / 4 Comments

We got our first snowflakes today! Overall, this weekend has been very cold, but after snowflakes flew this morning, it ended up being nice and sunny, so I went out and took a hike in an area park to get some nice autumn pictures.

Ellicott Creek in the fall.

Because it was so cold, I am thankful I got most of my yard work done when I did, even though now I am questioning myself as to whether or not I planted my spring bulbs too early this year. My parents came up to visit us (the first time since my daughter’s birthday in April– their social calendar is busier than mine), and I wanted to show my mom all my work that I had done in my back yard, and I came across this:

My bulbs are confused by the warm fall weather we are having.

I noticed that in the new extended spring bulb bed that I made, that some of them are popping up. I hope this doesn’t mean that I have lost them until the following spring. Western New York has had an unseasonably warm October, with temps in the 60s and 70s, I have even notice that my clematis and a few of my coneflower varieties have new blooms!

I just hope they still manage to come up in the spring. Good thing it was only a few bulbs and not a lot. After seeing this yesterday, I went out this morning with my daughter and noticed that the deer ate a good part of my ryusen weeping japanese maple. That depressed me a little, but I know it’s too early to start wrapping things up, so I will do the “wait and see” for the next couple of days. If it becomes more frequent, I will have to start covering things earlier than I would like.

The deer are now taking a liking to my little Japanese Maple.

Looking at this carnage somehow got me thinking about the past growing season– what I did right, what I did wrong, and I what I would do better next year.

Most Improved Duty: Watering

Yes, I must say, I worked really hard this year, especially after purchasing three trees, to make sure everything was watered. I learned my lesson last year when I didn’t water my arborvitae enough and they died over the winter because they lost more water than they had. I want to make sure everything has an adequate water supply as we go into the winter. I am even watering in the fall here, when we go without rain for extended periods of time.

What I Need to Work On: Plant Placement

Ok, so this one is kind of a misleading title. I mean, gardening itself is a process where you are constantly moving things to another place to see if does better, or transplanting because they are outgrowing their place, etc., etc. I think sometimes I get so plant crazy that I end up planting things too close together and then there isn’t any room for them to grow when they actually mature. Maybe I am just worrying too much, but I just want everything, and with such little space to plant things, I wonder if I am crowding some out!

What I Need Work On: Taking Better Care of my Containers

I will tell you I need to water these better than I do. Containers always dry out faster, and I somehow seem to neglect them. I must be better with this next year!

What I Did Well On: Creating Balance

I can honestly say that I feel I have finally created zen with everything that I have planted. It feels good, nothing is lopsided like it used to be, and it genuinely makes me happy. Even after tearing out everything behind my garage for a third time in two years, I can now say I am satisfied. I actually feel like I know what I am doing.

So, how did your garden do this past growing season? What would you like to do differently next time?

So “Mulch” To Talk About In the Garden

July 7, 2015 / Earth and Oils / 1 Comment

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Our weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Every minute of the weekend was booked, as usual.

This was quite a grand finale!

My weekend was rounded out with a trip down to my parents house, where the valley was abuzz because it’s haying season.

As I went and visited my with my Aunt at her house, she mentioned that her Lady’s Mantle was growing like crazy and that she still had to mulch her one bed that was full of it. So, that of course got me thinking about mulching and why it is important and why you should do it.

Mulch is any layer or covering over soil. Mulch can be a number of things, I found out. And I was surprised that some of it was considered to be mulch. But, it makes sense.

There are several types of mulch, the most common being bark or wood chips. This is considered organic mulch — mulch that will decompose over time. Some other examples of organic mulch include:

compost
manure
grass clippings
newspaper
pine needles
leaves
straw

There are also several synthetic or inorganic mulches — mulch that does not decompose. Examples of synthetic mulch are:

rubber chips
landscape paper
garbage bags, or plastic sheets
gravel or stone — Inorganic

What do they all have in common?

They keep the weeds out and retain moisture–they make your beds look nice and well-manicured.

What are the differences between organic and synthetic/inorganic?

Organic mulch decomposes, therefore it helps with the soil’s fertility. The more you use bark chips, grass, pine needles, etc, the more it enriches your soil. You will not get these benefits from synthetic mulch like plastic sheets. Even though it keeps the weeds away, it won’t allow water in either, which goes against the idea of using mulch in the first place.

The mulch most people closely associate with, bark or wood chip mulch, comes in different colors, and from different trees. Hardwoods and softwoods, such as Cedar, are made into bark or wood chip mulch. It comes in colors of red, black, and natural.

What mulch do I use?

Many moons ago, when I was just moving into our home, and the backyard was just that– a backyard with nothing in it, I took my first stab at landscaping the one side of my fence. I went over to Lowe’s and picked out a mulch that didn’t make me recoil– sorry folks, but I really don’t like the bright red mulch that most people/places have. It drives me nuts!

I asked the guy to load up my then Honda Civic with 8 bags of natural cedar mulch, and he told me I picked the best mulch there was! Totally a crapshoot. I liked the natural color, and because it’s Cedar, and, as we all know, Cedar retains moisture quite well, so it was a lucky guess!

Do you mulch only in the Summer/Growing Season?

No, you can mulch in the fall, too! BUT you don’t have to buy any, just wait for your leaves to come down from the trees! Leaves, in my opinion, are the best mulch for the winter– it protects your plants from harsh weather, and when it decomposes, it leaves your soil full of wonderful nutrients.

How often do you mulch?

You don’t have to mulch every year. In fact its better if you did it every other, or maybe every couple of years. However, I have mulched all of my beds the last two years, only because I keep making more! Once you have beds established, you don’t need to mulch as much. Just get out the ole garden hoe and mix up your mulch with your soil.

So “mulch” to talk about, but I believe this information will do for now. This is what I have learned about mulch, and I hope you find it of interest for your gardens, too!

Do It Yourself — Swing Set Flower Beds

May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 / Earth and Oils / Leave a comment

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Not only to get an extra day off from work, but to observe the meaning of the day– to honor those who have served or are serving to protect our freedom.

It was a very busy weekend for my family, as I made sure my daughter got her nature fill! Going on nature walks, a trip to the aquarium and the beach, she couldn’t get enough!

I promised myself since I had been working so hard in the garden the last two weekends, I was going to have fun. But then, my husband came up with a great idea for a little part of my yard that I was NOT happy with.

The swing set last summer, right after we purchased it.

My daughter’s swing set. There was this little square right underneath her slide that you can’t mow or really do anything with. My husband is terrified of our string trimmer, so that option is out. He suggested we actually make that little space into a flower bed! My twitter followers have already heard about my swing set flower bed, because I tweeted a picture immediately after I had finishing planting!

What a brilliant idea! So, he worked up the soil for me and I purchased a flat of marigolds to put in there. I actually bought some red petunias too, but I kind of liked the idea of just having full-on marigolds.

Presto! No more unsightly grass!

So, why did I choose marigolds — why not something else?

Well, I chose annuals because I know that someday this swing set will not longer be here (and I will cry), so when the day comes for it to be removed, we can easily just throw some grass seed over it and call it a day! For me, planting a perennial would not make much sense. However, everybody is different, and may have a different way of looking at it. That’s what makes gardening so fun!

*This brings up a great point– make any swing set/play set part of your garden plan.*

-I want to also include a flower box on the side just to make it blend in with the rest of my landscaping.

So don’t think of your swing sets as eye sores for your yard– think of them as just another creative touch to your landscape!

It’s Finally Spring — Now to Survey and Assess…

April 13, 2015 / Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

What a wonderful Sunday it was! And today is even better! Western New York has been waiting a long time for this weather, and we aren’t wasting any time getting outside! I took my daughter on her inaugural trip to the playground yesterday, and ice cream after made it the perfect Sunday afternoon.

I have heard everybody say that now that the weather is finally nice, they can actually take down their outdoor Christmas decorations! So sad, but true. The winter really kicked our butts!

Now that winter is in the rear view mirror, we can look ahead to the warm weather and the great things that come with it. However, one thing that I don’t look forward to during the spring is taking a look at my flower beds and seeing the damage that winter and animals have done with it once the snow melts.

So, I sucked it up yesterday and went out in my back yard, as well as the front yard. Overall, I am happy with the results. Some things I lost,which I had predicted and others have pleasantly surprised me.

As I had mentioned last month, I knew my arborvitae had bitten the dust. Well, they did, fabulously.

But despite this, there are signs of life everywhere, my tulips are coming up, and the Alliums I planted last fall.

So, what am I going to do with the damage I found?

I am going to ditch the arborvitae. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best location for those shrubs. I think I am going to get two more boxwood bushes that I already have next to the arborvitae now. Boxwood are a very common shrub used for edges, borders, etc. You can trim and shape them to your liking. They have worked well for me, and continue to grow. So, boxwood it will be!

Boxwood are commonly used for borders. Deer do not seem to bother these, which makes them even more ideal for your landscaping!

Boxwood are commonly used for borders. The deer do not seem to bother these, which makes them even more ideal for your landscaping!

A lot of my damage has also come from the deer that have parked themselves out in my backyard. I am putting new chicken wire around my raspberry bush, and I need to protect my dwarf burning bush that I planted last year as well. I also have an egg and water concoction that I am using for the spring/summer. More info to come on that subject…

Chicken wire is a savior for plants when it comes to animals. In particular, deer.

So, overall everything is coming along just fine. I planted a lot of new stuff last year, and it looks as though I will be seeing them again this year. I found some new bulbs and seeds that I am going to try this year as well, so I am crossing my fingers I will get something this year!

How did your garden fair this winter season, even if you didn’t get any snow? What do you need to do in order to get your garden the way you want it? Time to assess your gardens before the growing season is in full swing!

The Bent Trowel

Adventures of a Gardener Learning and "Growing"!

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