The Garden Buzz

Squares of Savannah: Sometimes It's Hip to Be Square

2012-01-28T08:29:57-08:00

I'm not getting around to as many blog posts down here as I'd hoped for during my stay in Savannah. I expected time for exploring and writing, unfortunately health issues for myself and some family members have taken necessary time away. And then my car was smashed the other night while parked along the street. Even though I don't drive as much here, it's always something, isn't it?

I'll be busy this week too since I have a friend coming to visit, so I thought I would at least link to my Star Tribune post where I temporarily leave off my obsession with courtyard gardens and talk about the lovely squares of Savannah. It's not quite gardening but it is all about making beautiful spaces.

Here's hoping things calm down and next week I'll be back to my usual garden espionage!

The fountain on Lafayette Square The Garden Buzz

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: January 15

2012-01-14T20:15:35-08:00

I'm "borrowing" some blooms for this January Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

Camellia japonica on the square The Garden Buzz

Without my own garden I've resorted to photographing a few of the flowers blooming here in Savannah while I sit out the coldest part of winter up north. I pass these beauties every day while walking so perhaps that gives me some small right to claim them.

Lots of shoe leather The Garden Buzz

I have vague memories of camellias growing up in California, as well as from my time living in Memphis, however I have never 'owned' one. They are most appreciated blooming now while everything else waits for another month to get started on spring.

Camellia buds ready to burst The Garden Buzz

I pass a particular venerable camellia in one of the squares, Chippewa Square I believe, that has two distinct colors, one side is that soft warm pink almost coral, while the other side has a stripey pink and white, candy-like variegation. Grafting gone bad or perhaps intentional? One of those two-in-one specials from a catalog?

Meanwhile, there is a shrub, blooming all over Forsyth Park at the moment, that I feel I've seen before but am struggling to identify. It's probably a common one, but just out of my realm. Is it just a double, ruffly camellia? It's about 4x4 feet wide. Maybe a savvy southern gardener can clue me in?

Mystery shrub?

I'll repeat this photo of potted pansies, because they are just that cute.

Potted pansies on the steps of Fabrika, a darling fabric store in Savannah

And I'll include these not very bloomy but very lovely containers of winter greenery southern style.

Large fern in windowbox with containers below
Urns with green motif

A dog friendly town if there ever was!

I'll end with this sweet little rose bouquet from our bistro table at the Paris Market today.

Peach roses...my favorite.

I hope to have lots more to show come February, by then I'll have probably "adopted" a few more worthy specimens! Until then, Happy Bloom Day. And as always thanks to the lovely and talented Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

And last but not least a birthday shout to DesaRee and Stella,my sweet nieces who share this birthday.

Forbidden Fruit: Seduction in the Garden

2012-01-11T05:20:41-08:00

From the kitchen window of this little "mouse house" I'm renting for the winter, I can see them, huge golden lemons; they hang heavy from the limbs of not one but two potted trees sitting in the courtyard of a grand home behind my little cottage. A stout iron gate protects this citrus from my impulsive need to harvest unappreciated fruit.

The entry courtyard to yet another inner courtyard

In this case the idea of forbidden fruit is twofold. The entire idea of the courtyard here in Savannah is to cordon off a little privacy from the bustling street scene. Life here is a mix of the gritty and the genteel.

This green gecko figure appears to guard the gate

At this moment, lamplight burnishes the red-papered parlor of the posh inn across the square, while at the other end of the street, revelers at Pinkie Master's bar loiter outside on smoke breaks shouting and cursing, the sound reverberating through the high walls on this short street off Lafayette Square. In between and in perfect counterpoint sits a soaring cathedral whose punctual bells contribute to the cacophony.

St John the Baptist Church, a few days ago on 12th day of Christmas

I can understand the need for an oasis, a safe island within the fray. And yet I find all these courtyards so frustrating. I want to see inside them. I want to sit inside them. I want to pick those darn lemons!

Ripe lemons dangling just beyond my reach. For goodness sakes, someone, pick them!

There are a few courtyards with solid, shuttered doors, with no possibility of entry or even a peek. Those people will pay for that privacy with a lack of air circulation on hot, humid days. But most of the courtyards are screened with see-thru hedges and iron filgree fences, allowing for a quick glom here and there. Gates otherwise are the best chance for a lingering glimpse.

Given this idea of a patio peep show, it's hard not to write about the concept of the courtyard in such terms as flirtatious, titllating and seductive. A courtyard is nothing more than a coquette that leaves the outsider wanting more.

The locked courtyard through the screen of my kitchen window

The idea of sitting in the cool shadows beneath umbrella-like banana leaves, while glinty water trickles from a fountain shaped like a fantail fish or some Roman goddess. It all seems very otherworldly and exotic and wonderful.

For now I'll just walk the streets and try to be discreet while I gawk at these little almost secret gardens. As I tell my kids, it's good to have something to wish for.

Escaping Winter, Almost: Savannah Getaway

2012-01-03T18:42:30-08:00

If you're a regular reader you know my daughter's a grad student at Savannah College of Art and Design, otherwise known as SCAD, and that I visit whenever I can. This winter I count myself very lucky to spend two months here in beautiful Savannah, escaping the Minnesota winter and all that entails.

The often-photographed fountain in Forsyth Park The Garden Buzz

I guess it's ironic that this Minnesota winter, unlike last year's record-breaking one, has been relatively mild and pretty much snow-free! And in the past few days, it's already been summer and winter here with me walking in a 13 degree wind chill this morning. It's so funny to see Savannahians in Ugg boots and parkas.

Still I'm excited to be "living like a local" down south. I'll be back to my usual courtyard-snooping and square-sitting, and sharing my photos soon.

I hope to explore and share more pictures of nurseries and historical gardens too. Can you believe it, the camellias are already blooming!

I've got lots of garden writing work to do while I'm here. And my daughter is starting her thesis. Let's hope we can be disciplined enough to get our work done and a little fun too.

The journey down here included Henry-dog and the trip was not without it's moments. My car decided it needed a new differential the same week we were leaving. With winter weather to avoid and a wedding to make too, we went with plan b and drove my husband's smaller car, mailing our clothes ahead.

It's a two-ish day trip if you push it, but with the dog, we made it in three, with time for Hannah to visit friends at Mizzou and then a little time for good food in picturesque Franklin TN, where you never know if you might run into Jack White or Ryan Gosling. We didn't, but it's fun to imagine them hanging around in this cute little country-western village just outside of Nashville.

Henry-dog isn't the best car tripper. He likes to whine about not getting to sit in the front, bark at strangers and stand up the entire time so as not to miss a single thing. The rest of the family insisted he would settle down, but two days in, we braked at a pet store and bought a little something called Comfort Zone. It's a spray that mimics the pheromones produced by nursing mother dogs. Miraculously, it calmed Henry down quite a bit. Not enough to lay down for more than 30 seconds, but enough.

I am pleased to say that Henry's recent stay at "boarding school" has helped him to control his enthusiasm and contain, as Hannah describes it, his "zest for life", in order to be a proper Savannah-walking-dog now that's he out of the car. This is important since Savannah is extremely dog-centric and you'll learn the locals not by their name but more than likely by their dog's.

Meanwhile here's what I saw in the rear view mirror for 3 days.

Poor baby.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T03:56:11-08:00

Are you ready for 2012?

I'm in Savannah where they're stocking up on black-eyed peas for luck. I'll be back to blogging soon.

Happy New Year from The Garden Buzz!

Merry Christmas to Everyone and Happy Holidays for All

2011-12-22T02:03:24-08:00

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Gifts for Gardeners Part Three: For The Gardener Who Has Everything

2011-12-12T09:24:50-08:00

If you're still stumped on that perfect gift for the gardener in your life, hopefully Part Three in my gift giving series will reveal just the thing you've been seeking.

Let's get right to it:

Have you noticed your gift recipient's trees looking a little lackluster? Do they wear the same old leaves every year? Is their bark that same old drab gray from season to season? This product promises to give their trees the sparkling personality that they lack. The Yelling Tree Face is bound to grab the attention of surrounding plants and people. Before you know it, their trees will be the life of the party.

Topiary is a time honored tradition in the grand gardens of Europe. Whether it's a French poodle or the Loch Ness Monster, these whimsical additions will give anyone's garden that certain "je ne sais quoi". And just let them try to re-gift this one!

Have you ever wished for larger hands? That's the question asked by the company selling this nifty little number. The Leaf Rake Hands will dispell any inadequacies in that department. Once they slip their puny little hands into these, your gift recipient will feel like a garden superhero as they scoop up large piles of leaves in an instant. Wolverine will have nothing on them. Great for scaring the neighborhood children off your lawn too.

Look no further than the Lawn Stryper for the gardening man in your life. This handy invention allows him to transform his turf into Target Field or favorite golf course lookalike. Be the first on your block to get this gift. But it begs the question for us gals, when will they invent a similar device to mow cute polka-dots or a subtle check?

Many gardeners love to grab a cup of coffee and stroll through their garden fist thing in the morning. These stylish High Tech Plant Examining Glasses will let them see what's wrong with their garden right out of the gate. Developed by Nasa these lenses filter out light from healthy green chlorophyl and spotlight disease and pest damage before it's visible to the naked eye. Who needs rose colored spectacles for their roses when they can have these?

Gnomes lend a certain old-world charm to any garden. When you've wearied of gnomes in such tired and cliche poses as "wheeling a cart", "digging with spade", "carrying water bucket" and "picking flowers", there's nothing like "gnome in a mankini" to liven up your garden plot.

Happy Holidays to all my readers! May all your gardening gifts be wonderful and well-received.

Gifts for Gardeners: What We Don't Need

2011-12-05T08:43:06-08:00

Here we go with Part Two of my holiday gift suggestions for the gardeners in your life. And what a gift they are to you, by the way.

A few days ago I talked about all the great practical and appreciated gifts that gardeners would love to receive. Today I'm all about the things we don't need.

Some people just love thingamajigs and inventions "sure to make your life easier", and if that's the case, you can leave quietly and go sip egg nog in another room until I get to Part Three in a few more days.

However, just as many accomplished chefs believe you can make good food with simply a pan, knife and spoon, I think that gardening doesn't have to be complicated by lots of specialized tools,widgets and what-nots.

Thus a short and succinct list of things we'd rather you didn't get us.

Whimsical Watering Cans: Watering cans shaped like elephants with silly spouts or any other shapes that made you say, "Oh, isn't that cute", probably aren't worth a fig. It's funny how good design suddenly makes sense once you've hauled a few hundred pounds of water around in a container that hurts your hand and sloshes liquid all over your feet. Classic watering cans are classic because that's the shape that works.
Bulb Planters: I'm talking about that device with the small cone-like piece on the bottom of a long handle that you supposedly insert into rich, loamy, crumbly soil (because less than ideal soil like most of us have compacts in the little cone and has to be scraped out, each time), twist and pull to reveal the perfect little pocket-sized hole to nestle your daffodil bulb. Really? Real gardeners don't plant 2 or 3 bulbs. We go for quantity. All you need for planting bulbs is a sharp shovel to excavate big kidney-shaped indentations to house large platoons of tulips that will bloom in natural drifts. Think of all the money you'll save avoiding carpal-tunnel surgery too.
Garden-Themed Gift Baskets: They look tempting, but step away from the ribboned and cellophaned ready-made gift basket. More often than not they contain cheap and flimsy gardening tools, weedy seeds and some smelly hand lotion. If you genuinely want to encourage or support a gardener, cobble together your own basket, referring to the previous blog post for better ideas.
Butterfly House: You've all seen these charming little houses, painted in pretty colors with coin-width slots arranged on the front. They look like a little butterfly Motel 6; you can just imagine them, wings folded, all tucked in for the night. Leave it to science-based research to poop that party. It's been found that butterflies won't use them. Plant a few sheltering evergreens though and they'll thank you. If you insist, they can still be used as decorative elements.
Potted Plant-of-the-Month: Don't get me wrong, we love to get plants, but those catalog offerings are "hothouse darlings" that look good for a week or two and then send us into throes of guilt because even we intermediate to advanced gardeners have a hard time keeping them alive until spring to plant outside. (This entry not applicable for gardeners living in California and other perpetually sunny places. Just plant, plant away)
Cute Little Containers with Herb Seed Packets: You know what I'm talking about. They masquerade in all form and fashion purporting to be an instant and endearing little windowsill/kitchen counter herb garden. They are not. Even if you faithfully water the diminutive pot that dries out every few hours in your heated home, chances are the light conditions in your home will not support growth beyond a few measly sprigs. See # 5 re:guilt. See # 2 re:quantity

If I sound a little surly with this list it's because I want everyone to have successful, happy gardening experiences. I want things to grow and flourish and bring joy to the person that tended them. A lot of the gimmicks and gadgets aimed at gardeners bring about guilt and disappointment. Many are just another marketing ploy that reinforces the faulty notion that you don't have a green thumb.

Everyone has green thumb potential. It's all about the right plant in the right place. Simple as that.

Attending classes and presentations put on throughout the year and throughout the country by Extension Master Gardeners who give the latest and most accurate information on gardening practices might be the best gift you can give yourself or suggest to others.

Stay tuned for Part Three: Silly, extravagant and ridiculous gifts for the gardener who has everything.

Gifts for Gardeners: The Good, The Bad and The Downright Silly

2011-11-29T10:30:26-08:00

Gardeners don't want for much. Other than a little healthy plant lust, they're a pretty contented lot.

While there are all sorts of gadgets and gizmos aimed at the dirt-digging demographic, I'll bet that 90% of them are useless or unnecessary. Heck, when I was a budget-crunched college student my gardening tool of choice was an old butter knife. I kid you not.

Recently one of my favorite gardening tools is an old stiff broom. Judging from the teal color of the handle, it's from the 80's, the straw shortened and slanted from use. You'd be surprised what I can do with it. And when it disappeared for awhile, I anguished and mourned the loss. Turns out my husband stored it so deep in the shed I couldn't find it. I did a little happy dance when it was found.

If you think that brooms and butter knives might underwhelm the gardeners in your life, here in Part One, I'll list what I think are useful and thoughtful gifts that gardeners would really appreciate this holiday season.

PART ONE: The Good

Soil Scoop: Trowels are very personal, what works for one might not work for another. But the Soil Scoop is more universal; my preferred tool for planting containers. Useful for digging, weed-scraping and potting up plants, but what really wins me over is the curved shape that follows the contours of the container as you fill in with potting soil. It manages what could be a big mess and conserves precious potting soil.
Gloves: You can never have enough gloves, and there are so many good ones on the market now. Rubber coated ones keep our fingers from getting wet and cold. Heavy leather ones protect our hands from thorns and sharp debris. Colorful gloves in stretchy fabrics make more delicate work easy while keeping us stylish.
Hand Creams: For when we forget to wear aforementioned gloves. Assorted balms and unguents for our dirt-creased and chapped hands, the thicker and more luxurious the better.
Load of Crap: Forget those diamond commercials. Compost, manure and other soil amendments delivered by the truckload are what really sets our hearts to racing.
Containers: A gal (or guy) can never have too many pots, although my husband will beg to differ. But now there are so many innovative containers for growing edible and ornamentals in all sorts of challenging situations. Collapsible containers that save space when not being used. Vertical growing containers when space is also scarce. I could go on and on.
Books: For winter time dreaming. And for practical advice during the growing season. There are lots of great books on growing edibles right now, like Grocery Gardening by Jean Ann Van Krevelen or Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy, and so many more. Regional gardening books by Lone Pine Publishing that cater to local gardening conditions across the country are valuable tools for getting it just right, right where you are. Cookbooks like P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes From the Garden to help cook what we grow.
Memberships: Botanical gardens, arboretums, and plant societies all offer memberships with various levels of benefits. Educational as well as inspirational, they can be renewed every year, thus making your shopping a no-brainer.
Seeds: They're tiny but mighty. Awe and wonder in the smallest of packages. And cheap.

There you have it. Eight great gifts for gardeners. Stay tuned for Parts Two and Three where I'll discuss worthless gifts, bad ideas and the silly and outlandish.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T09:14:30-08:00

Wild turkeys at morning light The Garden Buzz

As the wild turkeys by our home form familial flocks, called congregations, to insure winter survival, it's once again time for Thanksgiving. The garden goes to sleep, so that we can gather our thoughts and more importantly, our families close. Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers at The Garden Buzz.