Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel

Favorite Garden Photos of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:21:00 +0000

There's much to enjoy (and learn) from reviewing garden photos. Here are a few of my favorites from 2011 that I love for the colors. Some photos were taken near while others far away. Click the photos to view in a slideshow lightbox.

Hemaris thysbe (hummingbird moth)
visits the liatris ligulistylus in my meadow garden.

Zinnias in my cottage garden.

Fiery colors at Dole® Plantation in Hawaii.

Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France.

Leopard's Bane in a garden in Paris, France.

Pink prevails in my deer resistant
meadow garden in June.

Rich red monarda 'Jacob Cline' in my east garden.

Blue nigella and pink autumn sage
in my cottage garden.

Battery Park in New York City.

In a North Carolina public garden.

Bright colors in my
meadow garden.

Stipa (grass) and spirea (shrubs) in
my front deer resistant garden.

Ring around my sundial
in my cottage garden.

Agastache, flax and salvaia
in my deer resistant meadow garden.

Larkspur and rose campion
in my cottage garden.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Flipping Frittata! Have No Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:36:00 +0000

Cooking is right up there with gardening and travel. The experience alone is rewarding and the result is usually satisfying. There are times when I love to spend hours in the kitchen purely for the creative outlet and enjoyment. I'd love to cook from scratch more often, but with only two in our empty nester household and a desire to remain healthy, I seldom make "big meals" anymore.

My pent up need to cook was released the other day when I decided to make a frittata for dinner, using an early birthday gift from my husband. I tend to use recipes as a loose guide to cooking unless baking a cake where ingredients and measurements must be precise. For most main courses, I add, subtract and substitute ingredients according to whim.

With that flexibility in mind, I embarked on making a frittata with the gift, a Calphalon Unison Slide Nonstick Fritta Pan Set from Williams-Sonoma®. In the past, I've used the stovetop to start a frittata and the oven to finish it. Nothing wrong with that method, but I was never sure if I was undercooking or overcooking the frittata. With the pan set, I can flip the frittata several times to finish the cooking.

A frittata is an egg-based Italian dish that I prefer to make instead of individual omelets and without the fuss of crust or calories of a quiche. Although we like our frittata served hot, it is often served at room temperature.

I have scanned through hundreds of frittata recipes published on the Web and buried in the pages of printed cookbooks in my kitchen for ideas. Once you master the cooking method, you can be creative and use the ingredients that you choose to combine.

Caramelized onions! Oh my, how I love the flavor, so reminiscent of onion tarts in France. With that ingredient on my short list, I started with the Wilted Greens and Gruyère Frittata as the basis for my experiment in mastering the art of flipping a frittata in the pan set without dashing the mixture all over the stovetop.

Thinly sliced yellow onions are required for proper caramelization. I tend to literally cry over this chore, rendering myself too blind to read the recipe while I recover. Using my mandoline makes quick work of onion slicing, producing only a teardrop or two from my eyes while delivering perfectly thin slices. This manual device is worth the investment for anyone who wants to turn out mounds of julienned, cubed or sliced veggies.

V-Blade mandoline produces thin slices of onion in a flash.

Cook onion slices slowly to caramelize.
You can make these a day ahead and
store in airtight jar in the fridge.

Almost caramelized, not burned.
I used the deep pan in the frittata set for prepping
the onions and sautéing mushrooms and wilting Swiss chard.

To caramelize onions takes an hour and patience. The slow cooking and light browning makes the onions quite sweet, a perfect compliment for the gruyère cheese. These onions are also wonderful for omelets, quiches, savory tarts and pizzas. The good news is that you can prepare the onions in advance. The onions must be cooled before adding to the whisked eggs in the recipe.

I altered the recipe with sautéed shiitake, oyster and baby bella mushrooms. I simply wiped out the pan to sauté the mushrooms once the onions were finished. The recipe also calls for wilted Swiss chard, and I used the same deep side of the frittata pan. If you want to use meat in this recipe, bacon is a good choice. Brown the bacon ahead of time, cool and crumble for delightful flavor.

The frittata cooking in the deep pan for 7-10 minutes.

After whisking eggs and adding all of the cooled ingredients, the mixture is poured into the deep pan. Using a spatula, you have to gently stir the raw eggs quickly at first before they firmly set. This ensures even cooking. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes.

The preheated and seasoned shallow pan is then placed on top, interlocking the rectangular handles. This is where the fun starts as you must swiftly flip the pans so that the deep pan is then on top and the shallow pan on the bottom. Cook for three minutes longer, then flip the frittata back into the deep side.

Pans are used in unison to flip the frittata.
1. Put shallow pan on top, then flip. Cook 3 minutes.
2. Flip to put deep side back on the bottom.

The frittata is ready!

With a rubber spatula, I gently
loosened the edges.
The frittata slipped right onto the plate
without sticking to the pan.

The frittata was so delicious for dinner! It also refrigerated well and we microwaved individual slices for breakfast and another dinner the follow day. We still didn't finish it! This easily serves six generous slices for a main course or eight slices as a side dish.

I plan to make a frittata for an upcoming brunch to save time and serve more people at one time. Of course, I have a few ideas for other ingredients to use in the next frittata.

As for the flipping—I spilled only a little bit of egg on my first flip of the pans! From now on, I'll have no fear of flipping.

Disclaimer: I assure you that this story is not a paid advertisement, but I am a satisfied customer of Williams-Sonoma® and linked to their site to reference the products that I used to make this recipe. Nothing mentioned has been provided for free.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

A Carpet of Snow in December

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Drifts of snow white blanket the cottage garden in December. On a sunny winter day, the few remaining pollinators buzz among the blossoms. So far undaunted by frost, Sweet Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' still flourishes.The honey fragrance of the blooms makes it nearly impossible to resist picking a stem to deeply inhale the scent. Braving the cold morning, I snapped a few photos of the alyssum, just before the sun warmed up the garden.

Sweet Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow'
(8:00 am, December 3, 2011)

Alyssum with burgundy leaves of loropetalum.
(December 3, 2011)

I sow seeds the tiny seeds of Sweet Alyssum (lobularia maritima) from October through March. Known as a cool climate annual, the small investment in seeds was worth the effort here in zone 7b of North Carolina.My cottage garden is a micro-climate more like zone 8a.

The alyssum patches spread remarkably wider in 2011 compared to 2010 and I believe this is due to some self-sowing. The height is relatively low, less than twelve inches. Beginning in April, the fresh and new alyssum sprouts bloom and they gradually spread over the next few months.

The focus of my mass plantings is an edge of the cottage garden path that is seldom seen until September. The heaviest blooms crank up from September until...we shall see!

During the hottest, scorching months, I grow taller annuals and perennials to shade the south side of alyssum. The blooms take a break on the hottest days, but the foliage is still lush until re-bloom. I've found the annual to be remarkably drought-tolerant and rabbit resistant. Given that the rabbits haven't touched the alyssum, I've sown seeds outside the fence in deer territory. I'm optimistic that the annual will be deer resistant.

I am so enamored by alyssum that I have already sown seeds in a new cottage garden bed that is based upon white with nandina 'Alba', phlox 'David' and a few other favorites.

Alyssum is the perfect plant for hiding the stems and ankles of taller plants. I've given thought to growing this versatile annual in so many spots! It is a wonderful companion for annual dianthus and verbena 'Imagination' as both are still blooming on this December morning.

With the low cost of seeds, the many months of blooms, fragrant scent and food for pollinators, Sweet Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' has earned a permanent place in my garden.

Annual dianthus, verbena 'Imagination' as companions.
(September 2011)

Alyssum and tender perennial/annual salvia 'Victoria'.
(August 2011)

Alyssum blooms are fewer and smaller in the heat of July.

In the beginning.
The first white blooms of Sweet Alyssum in May 2011.
(Lower left hand corner)

Easy Colors, Easy Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Yellow yarrow (achillea),
Purple salvia 'Caradonna' and
Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'

Achillea, salvia and nepeta are three easy perennials for a colorful combination. While I'm fond of purple and yellow/gold, there are other colors of achillea and salvia that pair well. The nepeta is just a great all-round companion for many designs.

When walking through my garden on this rather warm November day, the basal foliage of all three plants was easily recognizable. Seeing these hardy favorites today was a reminder to spread the word to other gardeners.

The yarrow and nepeta are easy to divide and the salvia 'Cardonna' is a self-sowing favorite. Would you believe—there are still a few remaining blooms on the nepeta in my cottage garden!

Deer, rabbits and drought don't faze this plants.

Plant all three in the spring in full sun. Well-drained soil is important to keep the plants happy.

Achillea 'Moonshine' zones 3-9
Salvia 'Caradonna' zones 4-8
Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' zones 3-8

Thankful in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:27:00 +0000

Hope you and yours have a wonderful, safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.

My cousins and their husbands.
Blowing Rock, North Carolina. January 2011.

Family dinner at home. March 2011.

Me, Richard meet up with SlowTravel friends in Paris.
David, writer & wife Nancy, translator;
Shannon, GrapeHops.
April 2011.

Writer Kristin & husband Jean-Marc Espinasse
at their vineyard, Domaine Rouge-Bleu.
Saint-Cecile les Vignes, Provence, France. April 2011.

Happy in home & garden. May 2011.

Exploring Reynolda Gardens,
Winston-Salem, NC. June 2011.

Visiting the Duke Lemur Center. July 2011.
Richard & I now volunteer to help with the data.

Boys from Carolina (Richard on upright bass).
Roost, Fearrington Village, NC. July 2011

North Carolina Coast at
Fort Fisher. August 2011.

Wedding of Chris (son) & Nicole.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. October 16, 2011.

Thanks to all of the gardeners, travelers and other readers
who visit my blog.

Lush Foliage with White Berries

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Nandina domestica 'Alba'
November 15 2011

With the arrival of cool autumn days, creamy white berries drop in weighty clusters on nandina domestica 'Alba'. This variant sport may be difficult to locate in nurseries, but should you stumble upon it, it's a great cultivar.

This nandina, as with most plants that come to my garden, had to pass the deer resistant test in order to have a permanent location outside of my cottage garden fence. Unfortunately, deer eat nandinas. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

For at least four years, I have grown the 'Alba' outside my fence. Every winter the deer devoured the foliage. The deer will literally eat nandina down to stems and stubs. It's sad to see, but the shrubs do bounce back. The nandinas sprouted new foliage every spring and were fine in the summer. That said, they were never going to be fully enjoyed or allowed to mature with the yearly winter feast.

Over the last few months, I have moved all of my nandinas (I have one other variety, 'Gulf Steam') to locations inside my cottage garden for more enjoyment. I had to first remove a few other shrubs to make the space. The changeover has now been completed.

Nandina 'Alba' is a great evergreen shrub for zones 6-9 and can handle sun to part shade. Though it is drought tolerant, the nandina responds well to some pampering. I can't report on foliage color changes due to the deer dining, but in the summer, the leaves have a wonderful blue-green tint.

I love to underplant shrubs, so I am keep my 'Alba' nandinas trunk-pruned like small trees. Only two of my three nandinas survived the deer destruction.

I transplanted one to a small spot beside a stone fence corner and the gable gate to the cottage garden. The nandina replaced a phlox whose color had changed from purple to salmon pink. It is underplanted with ajuga repans 'Chocolate Chip' that holds up well in summer droughts and doesn't spread as enthusiastically as other varieties. This ajuga has dark leaves and blue blooms in spring. I chose to underplant the nandina with this ajuga (also moved from another part of the garden) because there are blue-blooming geranium 'Brookside' along this same path.

The poor little deer-devoured nandina
(now beside the stone corner column)
deserved to be protected. November 2011.

Given another chance, the nandina
is underplanted with ajuga repans 'Chocolate Chip'.
November 2011.

The second nandina replaced a large 'Royal Red' buddleia that was taking up too much space within the confines of the cottage garden. I have an abundance of buddleia in the deer resistant gardens, so I won't miss the shrub that I removed.

This nandina is planted beside the bridge to the stream. I added lots of good soil and compost and smoothed the area. With the large oakleaf hollies backing this area on the outside of the fence, I'm going with a white-flower theme.

An underplanting of seeds includes white snapdragon 'La Bella White' and my favorite sweet alyssum 'Carpet of Snow.' I usually plant snapdragons and alyssum in the spring, so this is a fall sowing experiment.

To the sides of this nandina, I sowed seeds of black peony poppy for spring drama, to be pulled out for summer when a division of phlox paniculata 'David' will bloom along with the alyssum. The snapdragons, phlox and alyssum are fragrant.

As gardeners, we show patience and optimism as we plan and create new garden areas and wait months or years for the results.

The new bed will include fragrant
white phlox, sweet alyssum and snapdragons for 2012.
November 2011.

Favorite Combination: Fragrant Phlox and Lily

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:15:00 +0000

A little rearranging and tweaking of existing plants evolved into a favorite combination. Inspired by lilies combined with monarda, I tucked my oriental 'Starfighter' lily up against my monarda (bee balm) 'Raspberry Wine' to replicate the garden inspiration. The two create a color echo with the raspberry color of the bee balm echoed by the throat of the lily.

In April, I transplanted 'Starfighter' to the new location. It is related to 'Stargazer' and that variety will provide a similar look. Oriental lilies are best moved from mid-September through mid-October, but moving the lily in the spring didn't deter the bloom.

Knowing that there are no guarantees with bloom times, I hoped for at least a week of overlap of the bee balm and the lily bloom. The bloom times weren't synchronized but, I was not disappointed with the results because there was another plant that worked just as well!

The lily is fronted by the pure white snowballs of 'David' phlox paniculata and purple coneflowers. This was the first bloom season for the phlox, so the blooms were a bit sparse. That said, 'David' kept blooming and blooming as long as I kept deadheading.

'Starfighter' Lily with 'David' Phlox and
'Prairie Splendor' Echinacea. July 2011.

One month prior to the lily blooms. June 2010.
Monarda 'Raspberry Wine', Phlox 'David, Echinacea 'Prairie Splendor'.
Loropetalum shrub foliage in lower left corner.
(The lily blooms where I've placed my name in the photo.)

My photos of the combination are few because we experienced many days around 100° F during the July blooms. Trust me, the phlox and lily are fabulous companions.

There is another bonus by pairing the 'David' phlox and 'Starfighter' lily. Both are very fragrant and can be cut for flower arrangements.

To replicate variations of my combination, here's the scoop:

Oriental 'Starfighter' Lily; zones 4-9; 36-48" high.
Phlox paniculata 'David'; zones 4-8; 36-48" high.
Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'; zones 4-9; 30-36" high.
Echinacea 'Prairie Splendor'; zones 3-8; 24" high.

I grow all four in full sun in the location shown in my photos. I also grow all four perennial in part shade with success. Rabbits will eat the phlox and echinacea. I have to protect the phlox and coneflowers with rabbit repellent. Deer will eat the phlox and lily, so protect accordingly. This combination is inside my fenced cottage garden.

Wide view shows 'Happy Returns' daylilies,
loropetalum shrub, liatris 'Kobold', perennial heliotrope.

Local Dining: Follow That Food Truck!

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:12:00 +0000

Food truck dining is taking the Triangle Area of North Carolina by storm. Foodies make a game of finding new and exciting food trucks. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and late night options are flexible and fun while the prices are reasonable.

The Parlour Ice Cream truck parked
behind the Chirba Chirba Dumplings Truck.
At MotorCo in Durham.

Roving diners search out trucks for simple fare, the unusual or to satisfy sweet cravings. Want a homemade pimento cheese sandwich with a side of tomato soup? Find the Grilled Cheese Bus. Got a thing for caramel? Try a caramel apple cupcake at Daisy Cakes followed by salted butter caramel ice cream from The Parlour!

Chirba Chirba Dumplings Truck.

The best thing about dining from a food truck? These are LOCALLY owned and operated. In fact, my husband and I were so impressed by the many young adult owners and operators. If these folks were trying to establish a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, the cost and risk would be high. This new trend is an affordable option for breaking into the restaurant business.

These friendly entrepreneurs conjure up beverages, pizzas, sliders, ethnic foods and more. Young culinary artists craft their food with a passion for quality. The results are delicious! The long lines that form outside the trucks are proof of popularity of this new food scene.

The epicenter of food trucks is Durham, located west of Raleigh and north of Chapel Hill, between Interstates 40 and 85. While it is easy to find these cities on a map, the trucks are always on the move throughout the entire Triangle area. They often show up in smaller towns such as Hillsborough, Carrboro and Pittsboro.

To find the names of trucks to follow on Twitter® use the search term “Durham food trucks.” As food trucks are quickly gaining popularity across all of North Carolina, check Twitter for trucks in the cities where you live or visit.

The trucks typically “tweet” their location several hours or days ahead of schedule. Most maintain regular stops, but schedules are subject to change as museums, farmer’s markets, local events and private parties invite the popular food trucks to serve their attendees or guests.

If you’re lucky, you may find a “food truck rodeo” or “roundup” where multiple trucks gather at the same place. There is camaraderie among the truck owners who cheerfully recommend other favorite food trucks. The trucks sometimes organize their menus around a theme, such as chocolate! Do you want a spicy, sweet chili chocolate crepe? Really. Parlez-vous Crepe did that!

Parlez-vous Crepe was in
Carrboro during our visit.

A Sampling of Triangle Area Food Trucks on Twitter®:

Bluesky Dining @blueskydiningnc

Bulkogi @ncbulkogi

Chirba Chirba Dumplings @ChirbaChirba

Bike Coffee @bikecoffeedrm

Daisy Cakes @daisycakesnc

Dang Good Dogs @DangGoodDogs

Don’s Classic Ices @donsclassicices

Farmhand Foods @farmhandfoods

Grilled Cheese Bus @grilldcheesebus

Indian Food Truck @IndianFoodTruck

KoKyu BBQ @KoKyuBBQ

Locopops @locopops

Onlyburger @onlyburger

Parlez-vous Crepe @parlezvouscrepe

Pie Pushers @piepushers

Slippin Sliders @slippinsliders

The Parlour Ice Cream @parlourdurham

Valentino Truck @valentinotruck

Will and Pops @willandpops

Not all Food Trucks are trucks.
Bike Coffee set up at Motor Co in Durham.
They are going to be pedaling a bike!

I received no free food, pay or incentives for writing this story. However, I dined well!

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Wild Quinine, A Native Plant

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:29:00 +0000

I'm wild about Wild Quinine (parthenium integrifolium) after seeing mass plantings at The Battery Gardens in New York in June 2011. In fact, I was so mesmerized by the tiny white pearl blooms that I failed to take one photo, but found a few on the gardens website!

I returned to do a bit of research and decided that this is a native wildflower to try in my meadow garden for 2012. Quinine is a perennial that blooms in summer. Seed heads can remain over the winter.

zones: 3a-8b

height: 36-38"

light: low to full sun

soil: medium

Finding the plants is not impossible, but I decided to try seeds for next year. According to the instructions on my seed packet, it is best to plant quinine in the fall or cold stratify for two to three months.

Fall sowing has always given me good results as our weather can often turn too hot, too soon in the spring. I'm not one to pamper pots, so I prefer to direct sow into the ground.

With the moisture from autumn rains and daytime temperatures forecast for 60-70° F for the next two weeks, I'm ready to sow! I have cleared a section of the garden for a mass planting of the quinine.

I will add a mix of organic soil, compost and conditioner to the area; rake it smooth; sow the seeds just below the soil line; walk across the area; water with a gentle spray to keep the soil moist.

The test in my garden will be to see whether or not quinine is deer and rabbit resistant and can tolerate the droughts here in zone 7b. I'm optimistic!

Quinine is an attractor for pollinators and food for chickadees, so I'm excited about the birds, bees and blooms for next year.

My Life Beyond the Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Frost on the pumpkin? So it was...though I have no pumpkins. We've already had several frosts here and I'm way behind on my fall gardening. Life happens—wonderful things as well as the not so good.

I'm now on day twelve of a cold. It's behaved more like the flu, though I received my annual flu shot on October third. At any rate, I missed one glorious week of weather before the frost arrived.

Cabo San Lucas
View from our room.

Prior to my plague, we were in Cabo San Lucas for the wedding of son, Chris and his stunning bride, Nicole. I need to request permission to post their photos, but I have to share with you that the private beach ceremony, followed by a champagne brunch was marvelous! Richard and I spent a few extra days in Cabo and will definitely be going back. More about all of this in a future post.

Prior to the wedding, I was writing furiously. One day, I just began writing a fiction novel and couldn't stop! I wrote 60,000+ words in 30 days. Then, I decided the second half was so much better written than the first half of the book, that I spent another 30 days writing the novel again—changing the plot, too. Writing the novel has been so addictive that I now find it difficult to blog as my creative writing has been consumed.

Prior to the novel, I wrote a few pieces for www.visitnc.com, the North Carolina tourism website. I link to those here on my blog. It's free reading and might inspire you to visit our gorgeous state.

Just today, Richard and I finalized our plans for our annual spring vacation to France. We're going back for the third time to Antibes, followed by another visit to Paris. We have to book these trips in advance because we can only afford to go by using frequent flier miles for one or two free tickets.

I could write several stories on how to make travel to Europe affordable. Perhaps soon? Would you like to know that renting an apartment is far less expensive than hotels? You also get to immerse yourself in the culture by shopping for toilet paper in a grocery store or cough drops in a pharmacy—and attempting to do so by speaking the local language—not perfectly, but enough to be understood.

Food trucks! There's new world for foodies and I must tell you all about the amazing food available from food trucks in our area. In addition to the delicious restaurant choices around here, I love the options from the trucks.

Then, there are the lemurs! I went to the Duke Lemur Center, a non-invasive research, education and conservation center in Durham to write stories about the lemurs. I went back and took Richard over there. We have volunteered to help them take their 45 years of data and consolidate it from disparate systems into a SAS® analytical database. That project is just now starting up, but my cold has sidelined me. Richard is taking the lead. I shall confess that I've fallen in love with the endangered lemurs. If you're on my Facebook page, then you know that I'm always sharing photos and videos from the DLC.

I digress...you want to read about gardening...not my life, right? Okay, the next story will be about all the wonderful seeds that I've purchased for the 2012 flowers....I promise!

Garden Inspiration: FRANCiful Things I've Seen (Part Two)

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:39:00 +0000

Château Val Joanis winery and gardens.
The white rock radiates warmth to the grape vines.
Pertuis, France (Provence). April 2011.

Fanciful and French—here are a few FRANCiful things I've seen.

Part Two. Provence.

We found Château Val Joanis with a little help from our friends on the SlowTravel France Forum, a car and a GPS. The winery is located between Pertuis and Villelaure, twenty-five kilometers north of Aix-en-Provence—our home base village during our April 2011 visit to Provence.

The château gardens are open from April through October and if you are on a driving tour, I recommend that you go a bit off the beaten path to stop by for an hour. The famous Mistral winds were kicking up during our visit on April 12, but as stated on the website, "...the terraced gardens are carved out of the slope and constructed in an area protected from the Mistral winds using stones salvaged from a Roman pool."

Table vignettes are strategically placed
around the garden courtyard.
(Click photos to enlarge.)

The Val Joanis gardens are made up of three terraces. This is a productive garden, with veggies and fruits. Although laid to formal lines, there were touches of fun and whimsy though out the gardens. I was particularly intrigued by the copper post caps and the use of trellises in the gardens to add vertical height as well as provide support for climbing plants.

There is a mix of international influence in the garden. Rusty oriental-style lanterns hang on a parallel trellis across the garden from the copper post caps. There is even an interesting English-style wattle edging. Look closely at the photos to discover the material used instead of woven willow branches.

The garden was started in 1978 by the owner and a landscape architect. The vision was to create a 19th century garden. With paths, pergolas, parterres and arches, it's an inspiration on a smaller scale than many of the mammoth public gardens. Not overrun by tourists, this is a quiet little garden where a visitor can take time to study the plants and structures and watch the gardeners at work.

I've not mentioned the wine! This is a working vineyard and wine-tasting in the gift shop can be enjoyed either before or after your garden visit. The gift shop is also stocked full of interesting Provençal products.

My favorite whimsy—copper post caps.

Take note of the "wattle" edging.
Willow branches? No.

Rebar is used to make the edging!

Every garden needs a red birdhouse!

Interesting alignment of vine-covered arches;
one arch is within a woven pergola.

Wisteria blooms on the long arbor
that connects three terraces. The arbor
is made from nineteenth century
couloir à autruches.

Garden Inspiration: FRANCiful Things I've Seen (Part One)

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:29:00 +0000

Fanciful and French—here are a few FRANCiful things I've seen.

Part One. Paris.

I discovered a true fairytale garden shed in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. "Shed" seems a rather shabby description of this round turret. The red French door with a lever handle is perfect.

Jardin des Plantes; April 2011 in Paris, France.

Parfait, qui?

Intricate gazebo in the Jardin des Plantes.

An iron gazebo topping a hill in Le Jardin des Plantes reminded me of a wedding cake decoration. What cannot easily be captured in a photo is the spiral of hedges winding around that layered hill to reach the destination. Picnickers had already filled the gazebo to capacity on our sunny April day.

Of course, what gardener doesn't dream of a fabulous greenhouse? A pair of matching glass houses are literally filled with jungles of tropicals and other indoor plants. We can dream, can't we?

To visit Le Jardin des Plantes in Paris, I highly recommend jumping on a Batobus (boat) on the river Seine. Float through Paris and disembark at the stop for the Jardin des Plantes.

There are multiple street access points to the gardens: 57 rue Cuvier, 2 rue Buffon, 36 rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, place Valhubert 75005 Paris.

When to go? I have been the first week of April and the first week of May on warm, sunny days. Layering your clothes for Paris is always good idea. On a trip one June, it was cool enough for a jacket.

Please watch for the upcoming: Part Two. Provence.

MUMblings

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:37:00 +0000

A Bright Morning:
Encore® Azaleas, Persian Shield and Mums

Simple mums (chrysanthemum morifolium) with repeat blooming azaleas and annual Persian shield (strobilanthes diyeranus).

It all started with one hardy garden mum that I divided and divided and divided...

This is the east wall inside the cottage garden that receives afternoon shade so most plants want to lean away from the wall toward the sunshine.

The mums were transplanted in the spring. I rounded up all the offspring and planted them together for this mass. I was surprised that all the little plants matured in unison for the fall bloom.

During the summer, the mum foliage stayed green and pretty with minimal water in this rich soil location. I shaped the mounds until July 4th and will be a bit more severe with the trim next year to prevent the falling over from so many heavy blooms.

Here in zone7b, the mum foliage will be evergreen through the winter. In case you're wondering, I've not had a problem with deer or rabbit munching the mums. I have additional mums growing in the deer resistant garden. I even have a four foot mum about to bloom.

No grumblings here!

Glow to Go

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Helianthus angustifolius 'First Light'

The tall, glowing masses of swamp sunflower, helianthus angustifolius 'First Light' must go. It is high maintenance for one reason. Deer. This perennial is listed as deer resistant in many nursery catalogs.

After five years, I'm tired of trying to keep the deer away from it all summer long. It is the only perennial in my deer resistant garden that has failed miserably.

This is so unfortunate as the sunflower quickly forms a big mass of glowing, fabulous and perfect blooms! Although, it does require support when it towers over five feet high.

Gorgeous. But, the glow has to go.

This is one of those difficult decisions that gardeners are forced to make. How much effort do we put into saving one type of plant? There are so many other plants that I can use in the space consumed by the sunflower.

This has been a five year love-hate relationship. When the enjoyment is out of proportion to the maintenance and space required, one must shovel-prune. I must be brave. I must do this...when it finishes blooming!

Learn About Katie's Krops

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Katie and the Giant Cabbage

The idea for Katie’s Krops began with a 9 year old girl and a 40 pound cabbage. In 2008 Katie brought home a tiny cabbage seedling home from school as part of the Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program. She tended to her cabbage and cared for it until it grew to an amazing 40 pounds.

Knowing her cabbage was special she donated to a soup kitchen where it helped to feed over 275 people. Moved by the experience of seeing how many people could benefit from the donation of fresh produce to soup kitchens, Katie decided to start vegetable gardens and donate the harvest to help feed people in need.

Everyday Health has a new TV series that profiles ordinary people who overcome extraordinary obstacles and who are helping others lead healthier, happier lives.

Episode 5 airs this Saturday, October 1 on local ABC stations, and features Katie Stagliano, an inspirational 13-year-old girl who founded Katie’s Krops, a movement designed to gets kids to grow food and feed the less fortunate in their communities.

Plus, there's surprise guest Ellie Krieger, New York Times bestselling author and registered dietitian. The show is inspiring and feel good for everyone who participates in the fight against hunger.

For more details on the show, recap episodes and other information, check out:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/tv

This courtesy announcement is provided by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel for Everyday Health and Katie's Krops. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

September in the Cottage Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:15:00 +0000

Cottage garden rock path.
Salvias, ageratum, perennial heliotrope, stachys, gaillardia, zinnias.

Perhaps summer should be siesta time for blooms? The best cottage garden color this year has been spring and now early fall. Maybe that's going to be my focus for blooms in the future. Summer has been too hot for two years now. Cooler temperatures and rain have brought color back to the garden.

The stellar performers are in the salvia family. Blue, white, red, purple and pink perennial salvias are packed with blooms. The hummingbirds are still here and grateful for the trumpets of salvia blooms.

The Knock Out® Roses have made a come back after the Japanese Beetle damage in June and July. I hate the beetle season and every time I see the stripped foliage of the roses I think I'll rip them out. Then, the roses bounce back and bloom and I keep them another year.

It has taken a few years for my sedum to mature without breaking over. A thick planting works best for sturdy stems. My favorite is 'Green Expectations' as shown in the photo with the blue salvia 'Victoria Blue'.

I rely upon creeping perennial heliotrope (heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies' in so many places throughout my gardens. It's a great edger that blooms non-stop from April until frost.

Annuals that bloom in early fall include alyssum, dianthus, verbena (bonariensis is fading, but imagination is non-stop), zinnias and rudbeckia.

With today's highs in the sixties, it is wonderful to have such a colorful cottage garden.

View across rock path to fence plantings.
Sedum, salvias and roses.

Sedum 'Green Expectations' is a favorite with dark stems.
Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' is the companion.

Low-growing annuals include
white alyssum 'Carpet of Snow',
purple verbena 'Imagination'
and bi-color dianthus.

Cottage garden mix:
alyssum, zinnias, susans, verbena, salvias.

Every cottage garden needs zinnias!
Benary's Giant in front.
Candy Mix in background.

Soft lambs ear provides big leaves and works with so many sun plants.
Perennial heliotrope (heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies') back.

Big White Bloomers

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:07:00 +0000

White butterfly ginger. September 2011

Huge blossoms of white butterfly ginger, hedychium coronarium, fill the air with fragrance each September. My gardenia 'August Beauty' and my osmanthus fragrans are also in bloom and highly fragrant. It's tough competition among the white bloomers!

For zones 8a-11, I have a mass planting of ginger against the east side of my house. The ginger was a passalong plant from a friend, just after we finished building this house on Labor Day 2005. In spring, I divide the ginger into eight inch sections to transplant around the garden.

Because of being up against the house, the ginger likes to lean out toward the sun. This spring, I decided to cut it back after it was just over one foot high. This worked well, so I won't hesitate to reduce the height using this method for 2012. Uncut, the ginger easily grows to six feet in height.

The ginger likes moist soil and it is situated beneath one of our outdoor faucets where it catches whatever drips fall when the garden hose is in use. I've not intentionally watered the ginger at all this summer. It does just fine as you can see in the photo of the mass planting.

Part-shade works best, but I also grow this out in other areas of the garden in full sun, including planted directly into our water feature. The leaves can get wilted and scorched in the hottest areas of the garden, so you'll have to keep an eye on it during the summer. Heavily composted, rich soil is super for this ginger.

No critters eat the ginger—the deer, rabbits and voles haven't touched it.

White butterfly ginger is a great companion plant for a fragrance-and-white themed garden. I also grow star jasmine (trachelospermum jasminoides) and sweet bay magnolia (magnolia virginiana) in the same garden, and those bloomed in the spring. The gardenia bloomed in spring and is repeating now. The osmanthus blooms in spring and fall, too.

I plan to sow seeds for the white, honey fragranced, sweet alyssum for next year. The annual alyssum blooms all summer unless the temperatures are too hot. It is now blooming again.

All of these fragrance plants—perennial, vine, shrub, tree and annual—are wonderful performers. I'm happy to recommend these white bloomers!

Better give ginger lots of space! September 2011.

Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow'

Rays of Sun, Leaves of Yellow

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'

If there was ever a perennial that mimics a sunburst, it has to be yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard' when backlight by the rays of the morning sun. Planted at the top of my south-facing garden, the yucca glows when the sun rises and shines through. The wispy hairs add to the unusual beauty of a plant whose sharp points must be carefully handled with gloves.

I fell in love with this yucca when I was looking for a companion for coreopsis 'Redshift'. The yellow in the yucca blades echo the coreopsis blooms. Other companions include the yellow and green variegated osmanthus 'Goshiki', lantana 'Athens Rose' and three agastache 'Salmon & Pink'.

Just before a rain, and when temperatures are between 70-90° is my favorite time to plant during the summer. I've had no problems planting or transplanting xeric or drought resistant plants in August through September as long as they are rated for at least one zone colder (to establish over the winter) and two zones hotter (to survive the shock of planting).

This yucca is suitable for zones 4-10 in full sun, is rabbit and drought resistant. Is it deer resistant? We shall see how it does in February. I have a common yucca that is nibbled by the deer in winter, but comes back without any indication of damage by the time it blooms. The rest of the year, the deer leave the yucca alone, so go ahead and plant one!

The color is too good to pass up and the structure of 'Color Guard' adds so much to a full sun garden that is packed with so many plants with small, wispy leaves or blooms. I can think of a few more places where I'd like to plant this yucca. The yellow and green would look great with blue or purple blooming plants!

Yucca 'Color Guard' (middle)
Coreopsis 'Redshift' (left/front)
Osmanthus 'Goshiki' (left)
Lantana 'Athens Rose' (right/back)
Purple fountain grass (right)

Coreopsis 'Redshift'

Osmanthus 'Goshiki'

Lantana 'Athens Rose'

A Wildflower that I'm Afraid to Mention

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Superstitious? Maybe. There's a lovely wildflower growing in my meadow garden. I've been afraid to write about it. I planted just one (on July 4) as an experiment. The small nursery pot quickly grew to four feet high. The blooms have started and I'm totally smitten. White, frilly blooms and lovely green foliage. The perfect wildflower for middle of the border.

Eupatorium altissimum (Tall Boneset).
August 2011 photo in my meadow garden.

Eupatorium altissimum (Tall Boneset) is native to many states from the Midwest to the East; from as far south as Texas and Florida and as far north as Canada. That's a pretty good track record that covers multiple growing zones from 4 to 9. I'm growing mine in full sun and the plant is tolerant of a variety of soil conditions and moisture.

This native is sometimes called 'white joe pye weed' or 'prairie jewel' and flowers from August until frost. Seeds can be sown in the fall in most areas, so I'll be sure to let this one self-sow. Colder zones may try winter sowing or stem cuttings to propagate.

So why I'm I so afraid to mention this wonderful, white wildflower? The deer. I could find little information on whether or not this plant is deer resistant. So far, they've left this one alone. I rush out every morning to check to see if there has been any damage. I've planted the boneset with asclepias incarnata (native swamp milkweed for the Monarch butterflies), solidago, stipa and a tall garden mum (don't ask why a mum). I hope to show you more photos of eupatorium altissimum as the fall season approaches!

If you are interested in reading more about wildflowers, be sure to check out the blog, Clay and Limestone and join her Wildflower Wednesdays series.

Creativity with Cottage Garden Annuals

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:34:00 +0000

Zinnia 'Candy Mix' with Rudbeckia hirta and
Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue'. August 2011

I love the freedom of growing annuals. While I can certainly sing accolades about specific perennials, annuals give me the chance to change the look of the garden—in spring, summer and fall as well as from year-to-year—by simply planting seeds or buying a few small pots.

Planting annuals is somewhat like playing with a box of crayons and cans of molding clay. I color the garden according to my latest taste in color schemes and shapes. I love the creativity and flexibility of changing the garden with annuals.

While I use annuals in my meadow gardens, it is the cottage garden where I have the most fun. Sitting on the front porch, I overlook the cottage garden and ponder many different ideas to try in the future. I get inspired and excited about what to grow next year!

A purple Persian Shield provides a dark background
for the delicate and pale yellow California Poppies. May 2011

Same Persian Shield. Poppies replaced by a container (out of rabbit reach) of
Gomphrena (and Million Bells in same purple, not seen). August 2011

Sweet Alyssum (white and fragrant) is the perfect
annual edger and ground cover. August 2011

Tall lilac, pink, dark purple spires of larkspur back up
the perennial daylilies and heliotrope.
In the mix, there are also pods of annual blue nigella and
blooms of bachelor's buttons. June 2011

Unfortunately, there was a casualty of recent rain storms. The huge castor bean "tree" planted against the stone chimney was beaten and broken. I ended up pulling the poor annual that had stood gloriously through the drought and high temps. Just as the red seed pods were ripening and beautiful, the plant, and all of the seeds are now gone. So easy to grow from seeds and such a great architectural annual, I'll reserve the chimney spot in 2012 for another castor bean. Next time, I'll put supports around the plant before the summer storms do their worst!

This 2011 castor bean was grown from the seeds
of the 2010 plant...that was grown from seeds
shared by Helen Yoest in 2009. July 2011

Every year, I experiment with different varieties of zinnias, marigolds and poppies. I try new colors of nigella, cornflowers and larkspur. I rearrange annuals every fall and spring, trying out various vignettes to suit my mood. There are many annuals that can be grown, but here are my personal favorites (links are to my blog stories about these favorites).

Grown from seeds sown in the fall:

Larkspur
Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella)
Bachelor's buttons/cornflowers
California poppies
Peony poppies
Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' (annual/tender perennial)
Verbena 'Imagination'

Seeds sown in spring for summer blooms:

Rudbeckia hirta (big success and will try more varieties)
Zinnia ('Bennary Giant' and 'Magellan' are truly wonderful)
Alyssum (growing white, but want to try more colors)
Hyacinth bean
Castor Bean
Marigold

Annuals that I purchase as small plants:

Persian Shield
Gomphrena (used only in a container due to rabbits)
Million Bells (used only in container)
Cleome
Cosmos (rabbits eat young seedlings unless using the orange variety)

"Super Seeded" Blue Flax

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:02:00 +0000

Blue flowers for spring, pretty foliage through summer, repeat bloom in fall—easy to achieve by sowing the seeds of perennial blue flax. This self-sowing perennial is wonderful for dry, sunny gardens. A deer, rabbit and drought tolerant perennial that can be mixed with other perennials as well as annuals.

It is time to order seeds for fall sowing!

Flax is a perfect partner for the blooms of annual poppies, larkspur and cornflowers from April until June in my zone 7b garden. I sow seeds anytime between September through November for spring bloom. I have allowed some of the plants to self-sow and gathered seeds to plant in specific spots in the garden. In 2010, I planted some seeds in summer instead of waiting to the sow the seeds in fall. The foliage sprouted and was evergreen through winter, then bloomed the first time this spring.

If you try to collect seeds, it is a tedious task. Wait until the pods are brown and dry, then you must carefully pull the flat seeds out of the pod. I took the time for the task last year, but now I'm doing the "chop and drop" with the foliage and letting the seeds sow without my help.

Perennial blue flax blooms
with annual California poppy in April 2011.
Seeds for both were planted in autumn in zone 7b.

To keep the foliage looking good through the summer, I cut the flax back by one third. Today, many of my flax plants that bloomed beautifully in spring are beginning to bloom again.

Throughout our days of 100° F and with no supplemental watering, all of my flax plants have survived and thrived. They never look wilted. This is truly a "hell strip" plant for xeric gardens.

Perennials on parade in May 2011:
Salvia 'May Night' (back)
Linum perenne flax (middle)
Agastache 'Cotton Candy' (front)

I grow two varieties of blue flax and have mixed the two so much that I no longer pay attention to the minor differences. Linum narbonense 'Heavenly Blue' (zones 5-9) and linum perenne are both great performers, with the latter growing a bit taller and suitable for zones 4-9.

Flowers open in the morning and drop by noon during the bloom season. You'll have to take a morning garden walk with your camera to capture the beauties in bloom. I recommend sowing the seeds thickly and close together for a mass planting that is sure to please!

Blue flax with another salvia variety.

Photo Fun: Come Indoors Where It Is Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Come on back to the family room.

It's so hot outside in the garden; let's go indoors where it is cool so that I can show you a decorating project that's fun and easy for anyone with a digital camera and a computer.

Every few years, I like to change the "art" on my walls. I use the word "art" in the sense of being creative with what's unique and original in my life, rather than owning any masterpieces. The photos that I've chosen make me smile.

Previously, I've used framed photos from our travels in Italy. Recently, I decided to swap out Italy photos with those from Paris, France.

Architecture is a favorite photographic subject of mine. I'm not a professional photographer, but there are favorite photos that please me enough to view on my walls. Color photos don't really work with our family room color scheme and furniture. Therefore, I use a little photo editing magic (iPhoto® on my MacBook®) to convert my photos to sepia tone for framing. I then upload my photos to Shutterfly® and purchase 8 x 10 prints for under $3.00 per print.

My frames were purchased in 2006, therefore, I didn't have to purchase new frames. All of my frames came from Pottery Barn® and were purchased on sale. The mats were included with the purchase of the frames.

Inexpensive. Unique. Original. Memories.

To decide which of your photos will work, the resolution must be sufficient for the size of the print you want. One of the reasons that I like Shutterfly® is because their software will tell you whether your photo has the quality (in pixels) to be printed anywhere from as large as a poster down to a postcard.

If you go this route, pay attention to the edges of the photos. Shutterfly will ask you if the cropping is okay. They automatically set the cropping, but you may shift your image within the allowed space to ensure that no parts are cut off. Always preview the cropped image online before you put the order in the shopping cart.

The Louvre original in color, before cropped.

The Louvre photo as sepia and cropped.

Just a few of my candidates for framing.
I created a side-by-side collage to use to decide
which photos to print. Not all were chosen.

When grouping photos I like for them to "relate" to each other. For example, a set of four photos are building facades. I also use parts of bridges as a set; steeples as a set; or, sculptures as a set. Here is an example of the four building facades used in a photo grouping.

Matted and framed:
Top (L to R): The Louvre; Notre Dame
Bottom: Saint-Michel; Sacre Coeur
Paris, France.

The four photos shown on the wall
to the right of the family heirloom mirror.

On another wall, the photos are related
to three different bridges in Paris.
These frames are the standard "gallery" style
sold by Pottery Barn®.

Don't hesitate to use your photos to decorate your house. Whether you choose color, black and white, sepia or other special effects—your favorite photos reflect your experiences and memories. Go for what makes you happy!

A Funny Thing Happened in the Gravel Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Newly completed gravel garden.
Only the row of small rosemary plants
(left side opposite the bench) were added.
Photo: April 28, 2011

What do I know about gravel gardens? Not mulch!

I don't live in desert areas where gravel gardens are used due to low rainfall. Desert areas in the United States grow the grasses and succulents—cacti, yucca and agave— that come to mind when I think of plants surrounded by gravel.

I don't live in the northern latitudes where gravel keeps plants from rotting in rain while warming up the area from the winter sun. Gardens in Europe use gravel around trees and shrubs and that was primarily where I drew my design inspiration, realizing that it is hot here in the summer with little rain.

My garden is in North Carolina, zone 7b and the idea of a gravel garden was a gamble that I was ready to take in April 2011. The project started as a problem solver as shown in the Before and After: From Driveway to Gravel Garden story. We were really looking more for a beautification solution to reduce maintenance, but have been surprised by the other advantages.

Here is a list of the plants that were left in place BEFORE we switched to gravel, removing all of the organic hardwood mulch:

Burford Nana (dwarf) Holly
Oakleaf Holly
Yucca
Buddleia (multiple varieties)
Crepe myrtle 'Tuscarora'
Osmanthus 'Goshiki'
Iris ensata (multiple varieties)
Monarda 'Blue Stocking'
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Cream Ball'
Perennial heliotrope

We added a row of new rosemary and decided to take a "wait and see" attitude toward the existing plants. I watered the rosemary a few times to establish a root system.

The crepe myrtles bloomed and bloomed.
The container plantings of lavender,
juniper and succulents are thriving.
Photo: July 12, 2011.

So far, we've experienced a June and July of triple digit heat with very little rainfall. The gravel garden is on the southwest side of the house. The crepe myrtle trees provide a bit of shade until 11:00 am, then it is baking heat. I have not given the plants in the gravel garden ANY supplemental watering. Seriously.

Meanwhile, in the cottage garden and the rest of the outer, deer resistant gardens, I've been dragging water hoses and watering cans in an attempt to keep—even my drought-tolerant plants such as agastache, salvia and coneflowers—alive.

Back in the gravel garden, the foliage of the Japanese iris looks splendid and green. The monarda 'Blue Stocking' bloomed gorgeously. Those moisture-lovers didn't get any supplemental water from me. Tucked against buddleia, neither did those plants receive the full onslaught of the sun, but enough sun that made those same plants wither and wilt in the hardwood mulched areas of my garden.

Interesting. I was curious. No watering and virtually no weeds in the gravel garden for three months. No adding of more hardwood mulch to keep the soil moist.

Perennial heliotrope was literally covered
in the gravel and emerged to make a happy
ground cover around the Oak Leaf Holly.
Photo: July 29, 2011.

The rosemary has grown a foot higher. The Burford hollies have increased in size. The buddleia are in bloom and the crepe myrtles put on a splendid show of blooms.The chamaecyparis has never looked so good. The yucca is happy. The osmanthus 'Goshiki' has a bit of scorch on the top leaves (not unusual), but is growing just fine. The perennial heliotrope emerged from BENEATH the gravel to make a soft skirt around the oak leaf holly.

After a recent rainfall of one inch of rain, I dug a hole in the gravel garden; a hole in the deer resistant garden; and, a hole in the cottage garden.

Eleven inches down, the gravel garden soil was moist all the way—even though I had never watered it!

The other gardens had barely an inch of moist soil and ten inches of bone dry powder and I had been struggling to keep those areas watered. If anything, the cottage garden and other outer gardens have better soil than that beneath the gravel plantings.

Can it be that gravel, a permeable surface that allows rain to penetrate also prevents evaporation of moisture, even in day-after-day of 100°F temperatures?

My test is not scientific, but it is definitely making me think carefully about other areas that can handle gravel. Many of my drought-tolerant plants will be happy surrounded by gravel.

Gravel is not temporary! Once in place, especially two inches deep, it is difficult to remove. Therefore, I shall proceed with caution as I convert more areas to gravel to reduce the need for supplemental watering.

It's far too hot to take on a project like this during the summer. I want to also see the performance of the gravel garden plants over the winter as well as whether the weeds will pop up in the gravel. More waiting, but in the meantime, I can honestly say that the gravel garden is making us very happy.

The rosemary is flourishing.
The foliage of the Japanese iris is green (without watering)
and the butterfly bushes are happy and healthy.
Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Guests do park here and the weeds
have been so few.
Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Merge of driveway with garden.
Perennial heliotrope skirts the large holly.
Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Light as a Feather Grass

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:57:00 +0000

Light textures. Movement. Soft brushes of delicate threads form a fountain of fluff among the heaviness of shrubs.

A favorite ornamental grass is stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass). Shown with two different spirea varieties, the grass texture breaks up the monotony of the shrubs. Stipa gently sways with the breeze, glistens with morning dew and lightens up the density of the surrounding plants.

Ornamental grass, stipa tenuissima, separates
two varieties of spirea flowering shrubs in May.

Deep pink blooms of Spirea 'Neon Flash' are backed
by a fountain of stipa grass.

When growing ornamental grasses, I proceed with caution. My husband will ban any grass that sows seeds prolifically in the gravel driveway or garden paths. So far, he has banned eragrostis (love grass). He says there's nothing to love about that grass!

In 2010, I planted six stipa. Given that this grass is considered invasive in some of the western states, I am closely monitoring it for seeds.

Three stipa are planted with the spirea and three are in place for another garden spot that is undergoing renovation. So far, I've found no seedlings in the garden. However, I've decided to be cautious when the garden wanes this year and proactively deadhead the tips. As gardeners, we must always be aware of the risk associated with the plants we grow.

This grass is rated for zones 7a-10b, but if it doesn't overwinter again, I will grow it as an annual grass. Stipa is deer, rabbit and drought resistant, making it a very suitable plant to grow—provided it doesn't misbehave.

What's your experience with stipa? Love it or hate it? Well-behaved or a thug?

Temporary Help Needed. Must Withstand Hot Summers.

noreply@blogger.com (Freda Cameron) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Cleome is a tall summer annual for filling big spaces.

Temporary help is needed to fill in garden space during the heat of summer. The perfect candidate must be tall, colorful and play well with perennials. Additional skills required include deterring deer and rabbits while attracting hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

A big gap in my deer resistant garden needed a summer filler to add color and height among the foliage of the fall-blooming perennials. The annual, Cleome hassleriana, fit the job description—planted among Joe Pye Weed (native eupatorium purpureum), solidago 'Fireworks', helianthus angustifolius 'First Light', stipa (grass), asclepias incarnata and a tall pink mum.

Without cleome, there would be nothing but foliage in the midsection of my front garden during the summer. In spring, rose campion and larkspur provide blooms for this space. When the temperatures rise and the rain is scarce, I can count on cleome to deliver!

This is one annual that I don't grow from seeds because I am still developing the space. I buy the tall annual in bloom at a local greenhouse so that I can transplant directly into the summer garden where needed. I don't have a greenhouse to do this myself and I find the price affordable and worthwhile given how barren the garden would look without cleome. These are hybrids (I don't even bother to remember/save the name), so I've not had any self-sowing seedlings pop up.

This is three cleome, purchased and planted
when already 4 feet tall and blooming.
There are five cleome filling in
the section of autumn perennials.

In the above photo (click to enlarge), you cannot see the three Joe Pye growing between the cleome. The cleome not only provides height and color while waiting for the Joe Pye, it shades the roots of the companion plants, helping to retain moisture in this south-facing garden. I like a mass planting of at least five cleome.

Without cleome, there would be a nothing but a low hole of foliage in my summer garden. Cleome bridges this gap from June until August, when the late summer flowers take over until frost.

As for maintenance, I provide water only when the cleome leaves droop. There are no supporting stakes around the cleome, and while they are packed in among perennials, I've not noticed any need for support of these strong plants.

Colorful, carefree and cheap. Deer, drought and rabbit resistant. I'll use cleome for temporary garden help every summer!

Cleome shines in the middle of bee balm in late June.
View is looking uphill from the garden path.

View looking downhill.
Foliage of amsonia hubrichtii (spring bloom) below.