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Plant Whatever Brings You Joy
Admittedly, my upcoming birthday and the prospect of celebrating same with dear, beloved old friends and family is undoubtedly contributing to my rosy disposition, but the sheer delight of stepping onto the front patio and being greeted each day by a hot pink azalea, a sure harbinger that spring is...
Book Notes: The Seven Daughters of Eve
On first reflection a book review of The Seven Daughters of Eve by Oxford geneticist Bryan Sykes might seem a very unlikely choice for this particular blog. And, it’s true, I was reading the book for very different reasons, as it is an introduction to genetic ancestry from the perspective...
This adorable creature, aptly named Gabby, accompanied me yesterday on a delightful trek around Gabby’s pastures, where a group of friendly farm animals live under the care and guidance of a lovely woman named Dotty. (I am in love with this cat.) As we wandered about the three acres of...
This winter I introduced the idea of a Brownie Recipe Contest, the winner receiving a copy of a Chronicle Books recipe book I was reviewing, Luscious Chocolate Desserts. Many thanks to those of you who submitted recipes, which were far more varied than I could have imagined. A cousin sent...
Dearest Winter Body, You may have noticed the buds abounding in the garden. Yes. In spite of the chill temperatures and days and days of pounding unrelenting rain, spring is moving forward with its blessed perennial plan. I’m sure you’ve seen the signs. The crocuses next door. The quince in the...
In winter the gardener’s eye is scanning the landscape for anything and everything that will fill our enormous desire for the beauty to which we are treated all summer. And thus one is inclined to see what might otherwise have been lost in the splendor of roses and hydrangea, of...
The Blogging Nurseryman by Trey Pitsenberger
LED grow lights change everything
One issue with HID (High intensity discharge) indoor grow lights has been the energy use. A 1000 watt light uses just that, 1000 watts. This can add up when it comes to electrical costs. Never the less they are good sellers here at the garden center. You can grow just...
Garden Punks, and This Garden is Illegal
After my last post on social media I thought a couple of examples might be in order. The first is an example of how social media makes our lives better. Katie, at Garden Punks is a local garden blogger that has found herself in a sticky situation. She developed bacterial...
Is your offline life suffering?
According to Iconoculture, “while more than 400 million consumers are active online social network users, a growing subset are getting off the social media carousel. Many consumers are quitting online soc nets over concerns they worsen their offline lives.” It was bound to happen. Iconoculture continues, “Consumers aren’t ditching digital...
Came across this novel garden edging idea over at lifehacker. It’s promoted as a green solution. It just goes to show that with a little imagination anything can be promoted as a “green solution.” I like the one commenter that say’s, “Oh. This is a sin. Old wine bottles need...
Spoke to The Auburn Garden Club the other day. It’s an annual talk I have been giving for the last 10 years or so. It’s always about what’s new and exciting in the garden center world. This year we discussed starting seed indoors. What with our foray into indoor gardening...
The indoor gardening industry does it right.
This magazine, and others like it are free to our customers. We receive them from our suppliers to hand out to our customers. They are a fantastic tool for us. As soon as we realize that a customer has an interest in the subject matter they get one of the...
Cold Climate Gardening
Choose locations to plant fall bulbs now
In January, the snowdrops in the Secret Garden looked like this: This Sunday just passed–March 7th–those same snowdrops looked like this: Such are the vagaries of an upstate New York winter. Since then, the temperatures have been mild and the sunshine brilliant, and the snow is receding. This, my fellow cold climate...
First Snowdrops: Status update
First snowdrops bloomed today *and* it got up to 61F. Yes, mud season is here!...
Forced Bulbs: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day February 2010
The bulbs that I am forcing have started to bloom. I put one hyacinth in a forcing glass into the basement on November 29th. I potted the rest up on December 5th. I brought them all up when I saw green tips emerging from the bulbs. I now realize this...
Cut Flowers Are a Frugal Luxury
I had long considered flowers from a florist to be a frivolous expense. You couldn’t plant them, and had nothing to show for it when they finally shriveled up and died. Spend the same amount on groceries, and at least you’ve fed your family, even if it still seems like...
Black Plants: 75 Striking Choices for the Garden by Paul Bonine is the kind of book that drives me wild. Seventy-five gorgeous plants and over half of them are not hardy for me. Wait. Maybe it’s just that half of the ones I want to grow aren’t hardy for me....
January Thaw Discoveries: Plants
The January thaw of last week provided me with an opportunity to “check under the hood”–or, in this case, under the snow cover. It’s always thought provoking, prompting me to think about how different plants respond to this cold season. This snapdragon looked perkier the last time I saw...
My Skinny Garden
more Wordless Wednesday...
Ted's Greenshouse: Cactus and Succulents
One of the main reasons I was looking forward to the 2010 Chicagoland Flower and Garden Show was access to Ted's Greenhouse, the mother of all cheap awesome Cactus and Succulents in the Chicago area. This past Sunday, it seemed like MrBrownThumb, Diane and I spent more time on our first go...
It was so nice in Chicago today that I decided to venture out to the garden. Here's some proof that Spring is here!Tulips (above)Cornflower (above)...
Planned Garden Adventures for 2010
I usually start thinking about giant garden projects fairly far in advance. Truthfully, I have a long list of gardening crap I want to do and the crap I don't finish just gets moved to next year's list. And even though these projects usually cause a lot of...
The world feels very fragile today. Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Suicides...Still, my thoughts are with Katie as she continues to fight for her life this weekend. "Go ahead, Cornelius, you can cry." Fight Club#fightkatie...
One Seed Chicago: Promoting Solidarity Amongst Chicago Gardeners
Seeds on the ballot for One Seed Chicago this year.Bee BalmNodding OnionP. ConeflowerVote here until April 1st, 2010.Winning seed will be announced April 24th at the Green and Growing Fair, Garfield Park Conservatory.I remember learning in General Psychology about how participating in tandem rituals builds loyalty and unity in societies....
Christian Science Monitor | Diggin It
Elegant, easy orchids to grow indoors
Moth orchids look spectacular indoors and are easy to grow. ...
Meet Rita Buchanan: author, gardener, and craftswoman extraordinaire
Rita Buchanan is an accomplished garden author and expert on plants used for dyeing. ...
Two amazing late-season annuals
Here are two annual flowers that, amazingly, extend an Iowa's garden season by several months. ...
Annuals and perennials that attract birds to your yard
Choosing your perennial and annual flowers wisely will keep birds coming back for more. ...
Cut flowers with an English accent
David Austin English roses are now available as bouquets of cut flowers. ...
Planning a vegetable garden this year? Consider cabbage.
Cabbage is often-overlooked gem in vegetable garden. ...
Melanie's Perennials
With February almost at an end, and March just around the corner, we are experiencing the big "meltdown". Ok, maybe it's not so big, that is, it's not like temperatures are a balmy 50 degrees.Still, with days 6-8 degrees above freezing and now lots of rain, we are finally getting...
Each year I visit a good number of gardens. They are always inspiring to me, filled with ideas, new plant material, a wonderful expression of passion.The feeling though of being in my own garden, is almost impossible to describe. There's passion for the plant material that is growing there. Joy...
One of my favorite photos is this one, taken in July of 2008 at the Herrenhausen Gardens in Hannover Germany. It was so far away from home and yet, at the same time, the gardens felt as if they could have been right here on Long Island.In the center left...
Today I only took five photos, I hadn't planned on taking any though so I guess I'm ahead of the game.Walking up my driveway, I noticed how beautiful Heuchera 'Caramel' still looked. Well, maybe it's not as beautiful as it looks in May but remember, it's mid November!I have 'Caramel'...
This morning when I was photographing my troughs (not bad looking for mid November!) I noticed a recurring theme. Volunteers.Volunteer plants are seedlings that pop up in your garden, whether you planted them or not.In this pot you can see the volunteer Digitalis (Fox Glove) seedlings at the back. You...
This morning I'm packing up my gear and heading west. I'm off to Pittsburgh where I will be speaking to a group of collectors. Daylily collectors, Hosta collectors, Iris collectors and Daffodil collectors too.I wonder if when I'm done there if they will also be Sedum and Succulent collectors :-)Got...
NYT > Home & Garden
Habitats: Part Library, Part Salon, Part Cast Party
The apartment of Delphi and Norman Harrington seems to exist in both the present and the past. ...
A New Breed of Guard Dog Attacks Bedbugs
Bedbug-sniffing dogs are the new and furry front line in an escalating domestic war. ...
Property Values: What You Get for ... $175,000
A cabin in Heber City, Utah, a Gothic revival in Seneca Falls, N.Y., and a condo in Milwaukee. ...
Currents | Décor: Children’s Artwork Inspires Line of Wallpaper
A new line from Bholu and Porter’s Original Paints was inspired by the artwork of underprivileged children in Ahmedabad, India. ...
Neighbors Oppose Green Label for the Software Mogul Mitch Kapor’s Big House
When the software mogul Mitch Kapor won planning approval for his 10,000-square-foot house in Berkeley, Calif., neighbors were surprised that it will qualify as “green.” ...
Currents | Rooms: Trash Recycled as Art
At the Manhattan restaurant Collective, visitors will see design that responds to concerns about the environment and the recession. ...
Dirt Du Jour Daily Blog
With tangerines coming along like mad these last few weeks, this recipe from the California Farm Bureau caught my eye…Hooray for Lipitor! 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 lb. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 14 egg yolks 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup fresh tangerine juice 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp. finely grated tangerine zest 1 quart milk 16...
One year anniversary of Dirt du jour!
When one starts a web adventure in their pajamas at home, it all seems like a good idea when the coffee is hot and the ideas are rolling out of one’s head. After a year though, one should evaluate for sure. It appears like readers heartily enjoy their daily dose...
Dirt du jour readers from Southern California should get their walking gear in order for a busy season of spring home and garden tours. First up is the Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden tour…April 10 and 11. It’s a biggin’. Fifty native landscapes are open on one or both of the...
Weather is of special interest to us gardeners because we are outside in it more than most folks. So of course I had to click on the very eerie environmental images by Matthew Albanese that I found on the blog The Daily Beast edited by Tina Brown. The tornado looks...
Edison Nation is the company (also a PBS television series Everyday Edisons) that partners with companies like Pet Smart and Bed Bath & Beyond to search the whole wide world for good ideas. Their current search partner is Ball Horticultural Company who is looking for innovative garden product ideas that lean...
Your own home and garden in pen and ink
Stumbled across Savannah artist Heather L. Young on Etsy, the web marketplace for all things handmade. You submit the photo, she creates the rough sketch and once approved, delivers a final ink of your home or garden to frame, use for note cards, thank you cards, whatever. Note to self:...
Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel
House Hunting is for the Birds
Spring is house hunting time. The new house must be perfect. It can't be too small or too large. A lavishly decorated house is nice, but a simple little cottage will do just fine. Of course, the house must have a garden! The birds are house hunting again! The chickadees...
The Monarch Spring Migration Begins in MarchThe spring migration of the Monarch butterflies starts around the second week of March. The Monarchs will leave their winter habitat in Mexico and begin their journey to our gardens in search of nectar and host plants. The Monarchs will travel through several sections...
Wading waist-deep through tall zinnias to select stems to bring indoors, I felt euphoric! Until summer 2009, my garden was based on perennials, shrubs and trees. A lovely view—I hesitated to cut flowers from perennials to bring indoors because I didn't want to destroy that view. Yes, I've had container...
Six Months of Bloom from One Perennial
Creeping heliotrope was unknown to me until a local plantswoman recommended the perennial. I brought six little pots home to my garden. Not knowing anything about the best placement, I planted the ground cover around a sundial and along a few rose bushes. After the first year, I realized that...
Ten Gardens to Visit in the NC Triangle
For a great gardener's getaway, visit the Triangle area of North Carolina. The cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are home to spectacular public and private gardens. It is so easy to fill up a weekend—or a week—with gardens!Even if you aren't a gardener, there's nothing more pleasant...
The Pastel Palette of Monet's Garden
Look to Monet's Gardens at Giverny, France for true cottage garden inspiration. Spring-blooming bulbs, perennials, annuals and vines are used liberally in a garden that is literally stuffed so full of flowers that no ground is visible. Pebbled garden paths add to the inviting, casual style. Soft spring colors...
Zanthan Gardens
Narcissus tazetta ‘Grand Monarque’
2010-03-07. Narcissus 'Grand Monarque...
2010-02-18. Here's something you don't see often in our drought-stricken land: a mossy bank. We are on heavy clay which is now saturated with rain....
Setsubun, Halfway Through the Season
2010-02-02. Bluebonnet seedlings. Given all the rain in central Texas since September, the bluebonnet plants are large and plentiful....
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2006-01-04. Unidentified paperwhites and spider. These paperwhites are short, but pleasantly sweet-smelling, not like some modern ones....
Book Review: The Sensuous Garden. Montague Don. 1997 "...this book is not about plants or plans but about gardeners with feelings and sensations." (from the introduction)...
Planet Veggie Garden
We’re growing the traditional green zucchini and another summer squash variety called ‘papaya’ – a cute yellow squash shaped like a papaya. I was scanning the NYT health section and came across two delicious sounding zuchinni recipes that I would love to try: Greek Zucchini and Herb Pie Provencal Zucchini and Swiss...
A good article in today’s paper on companion gardening. We’re planning on trying out the 3 sisters out in our front yard. A bit behind in planting but hopefully we’ll get it in on Sunday. We do have 2 of the sisters going in the back – corn with red noodle...
What happens to plants when they are deficient in minerals? Oftentimes, as in humans, they exhibit the symptoms commonly associated with disease. They do not do well…stunted growth, yellowing leaves, curling leaves, blossom end rot…just to name a few. Amending the soil and rotating crops can help prevent deficiencies but...
well, Winter is long past and we are nearly a month in to Spring. It was hard to get out into the garden (whine, whine) in the cold damp winter so we just let nature do it’s thing. In the Fall, we had planted: garlic, carrots, beets, daikon, watermelon radishes, kale,...
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Bill Moyers recently interviewed Michael Pollan. The conversation primarily focused on Governments role in how and what we eat as well as some suggestions for the Obama administration. Pollan called food the “Shadow Issue” as it influences our health, climate change, energy security and environmental pollution. We tend to only think of...
Garden Blogs Directory
A blog devoted to a love of all things garden and home. For me gardening isn't a state of mind, it's a way of life. I love everything about it....
A dilettante's journey in gardening. Savoring the growing season in Illinois, with a warped view of voracious bunnies....
Tips and tricks, product reviews, seed selection and other information about growing heirloom fruits and vegetables in your backyard garden...
A blog about growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers for enjoyment...
Discover how two Canadian prairie gardeners makeover 400 feet of backyard into a Caribbean Oasis, with ponds, waterfall, perennial gardens and a sand beach....