The Violet Fern

One In A Dozen for Diana

2012-01-21T11:06:00.000-05:00

I am joining Diana of Elephant's Eye in choosing twelve months of my favorite garden plants. In this month of January I miss the sun and what could be more fun than Sunflowers? My first selection is Sunflowers!

Ever since I planted that first tiny Sunflower seed and witnessed the gigantic bloom that sprung from the ground in what seemed like overnight, I have been growing Sunflowers. Bees, flies, butterflies, hummingbirds, song birds, woodpeckers, chipmunks and squirrels - all enjoy our native Sunflower.

There are many annual varieties to choose from but I always make sure I choose the varieties that do produce pollen. I also grow perennial Sunflowers, Helianthus Microcephalus.

I let my Sunflowers stand over the winter. Birds relish the seeds. Woodpeckers will search for insects inside their stalks.

I cannot imagine a summer without growing at least one plot of annual Sunflowers.

What's Blooming: Paperwhites

2012-01-15T16:39:00.003-05:00

It's January and now, finally, the garden is covered in snow. But indoors, I have blooms – big, beautiful Paperwhite blooms. The entire house is scented with their heavy perfume. I have two pots. One adorns the edge of my kitchen/dining table.

I have tied a ribbon around them to keep them upright. If you force these bulbs in water, I've read that you can avoid flopping by adding a little vodka or rubbing alcohol to the water. I have not tried to water mine, which I planted in dirt, with a little alcohol.

I am guessing, but maybe Paperwhites received their name because of the paper-like wrapping the buds leave behind.

The Paperwhites in my new cool, face pot are not flopping. They are planted deep within the pot and the edge seems to be keeping them upright. This is the first hair style this pot has tried on. I will have fun experimenting with new "hairstyles."

Bloom day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month. I always look forward to these monthly blooms.

Neither Rain, Nor Snow, Nor Sleet

2012-01-12T10:37:00.000-05:00

... nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds. I'm not so sure that motto will hold true today. I certainly don't envy our postwoman. The original saying was actually "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" and was said about 2500 years ago by the Greek historian, Herodotus.

People around here are quite wary of ice storms since the Ice Storm of '98. During that January over 100,000 people were without electricity. Electricity was not fully restored for more than three weeks. To this day our trees are strictly sheared so as not to cripple power lines.

Ice, not snow, nor frost, glazes the garden white today.

Most people are out shoveling and scraping, but not me. I'm skating around the garden taking photos. We all lead different lives.

Grasses look beautiful sheathed in ice. No worry about damage unlike my White Pine that sadly, alarmingly bows to the ground. I read somewhere it is best to not shake off the branches. I hope the bows bounce back.

I'm happy that I can walk, slip and slide, to work today. Safe travels to those on the roads.

Sources: The Phrase Finder, North Country Public Radio

Favorite Combinations

2012-01-08T11:55:00.001-05:00

Mine is a young garden, just coming into its fourth year. I have been busy, busy, busy planning, digging, building and planting new beds.

"You have extra Yarrow? Sure! I'll take some." ... "Black-eyed Susans? Sure!" ... "Oh, yes I'd love to try some Tarragon." ... "Isn't anyone going to take that last Purple Cone Flower?" ... "What did you say this was? I'm sure I can find a place for it." ... "It spreads? That's okay, I have a whole new bed I just dug up."

It seems I tossed plants here and there and everywhere however careful my plans. I just can't resist a give away plant. I can't resist stopping at the nursery. I can't resist purchasing mail order plants, either. Such as it is with a gardening addict. "Hmmm, I thought that Persicaria would look great there but that red is well, really bright. I know! Some Cardinal Flower over there for balance and some pinks and purples blending in between ..."

I continuously focus on what I need to do, or would like to do, in the garden. There's the whole new fence line. There's still the front yard, or what remains of it. There's that narrow south side with the undying Bishop's Weed and the see through kitchen window that needs a major overhaul and a view. There's ... STOP!

I decided to pause, to look through some of photos of the garden, acknowledge what I have done and pull out some combinations that I rather like. Yes, Forget-Me-Nots spread and may be common, but I love their complimentary sea of blue as a backdrop for spring bulbs and flowers, and they are native. Blue creeping phlox has the same effect. I think I would like to encourage more of this combination throughout the garden.

Daffodils and Forget-Me-Nots in the Bird & Butterfly Garden

Lady Jane Species Tulip, Blue Phlox and a surprise Forget-Me-Not in the "front yard"

Poppies float above Forget-Me-Nots along the Nice Driveway

I love what I have done in the "front yard." The many low spreading plants in different shades of green – blues, yellows, chartreuse – intertwining with one another and accented with purple and burgundy is so interesting to me. Even the textures of the leaves – soft and fuzzy, bristly, spiky, fleshy – add to the senses. I would like to encourage more of this combination in my backyard garden (which I tend to spend more time in), so that I can appreciate all of its little intricacies. Setting up a chair in the sidewalk and staring at my front garden is just asking to be the star of neighborhood gossip.

Chives, Thymes, Sedums and Lamb Ears in the "front yard"

A woven tapestry of plants with Black Lace as a back drop in the "front yard"

Sea Holly pokes through the leaves of Black Lace in the "front yard"

I don't have room for too many large trees but I do like the way the Blue Spruce commands attention right outside my new back door. I love how Lamium 'Orchid Frost' skirts its blue needles. In the fall and winter, the stems of Cardinal Dogwood somehow don't just turn red but cast a deeper shade of blue on the spruce.

I do like the way the grasses and flowers combine in my Bird & Butterfly garden. The Bee Balm and Purple Cones are hot in the summer and then the Susans, White Cones and Aster start to mellow. I am hoping this flow between blooms and grasses continues in the newly planted Woodland Edge as it starts to fill out.

I particularly like this combination of yarrow and sage. I would like to add more striking combinations like this throughout my garden.

Yarrow 'Coronation Gold' and Meadow Sage 'May Night' along the Nice Driveway

What about you? Are you focused on what needs to be done or changed in your garden? Maybe you can afford a moment to sit back and focus on what you do like about your garden. Is there a combination that you love?

Project: Painted Pots

2012-01-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

I completed this project late summer but really, it's a perfect winter project. These planting pots I painted for our local library as their houseplants were in dire need of repotting, but I imagine painting more pots for summer containers either to brighten up a shady spot or to add personality to a porch or deck. I have a good stash of what I call craft paints - the kind you can purchase at Michael's or a similar store. They are basically an acrylic paint. There are many different economic brands and believe me they last for years. They also wash up with dish soap and water. I used paper plates as a palette (not the most earth friendly), but I didn't want to mingle these paints with any of my watercolors. I also used old, inexpensive brushes (not my watercolor brushes!). You could also use different sized foam brushes depending on your design.

I came up with designs that would invoke images of the area in which we live: the river, the pebbly and rocky shores, the white pines, the beautiful sunsets. I then proceeded to transfer those ideas to four inexpensive terra cotta pots.

I like free form. No need for perfect stripes or lines. You could do the same. Just brush away. Maybe the brush strokes will remind you of a flower. Maybe you just want to capture the colors in your garden. Maybe you want to mimic your favorite glaze. Maybe you just want a bright blue pot, or a series of blue pots for a grouping of plants you have in mind. This is a relatively inexpensive way to achieve what you want. Ceramic pottery can be pricey. Once painted I like to add a coat of water-based polycrylic to protect the design.

I mixed up the library's plants and attempted to match their personalities to the pot designs. To me, having a variety of different plants in one pot seemed more interesting. I also added some new plant cuttings I had started for them.

Imagine the possibilities in designing your own pot, and "potlings," for your porch this season. Or maybe you have a favorite houseplant that needs a new pot – you could cater your creation to make a perfect fit. This project has the potential to brighten up a dull winter day and I hope you try it.

Tipsy Chai Toddy

2011-12-23T09:37:00.002-05:00

Tipsy Chai Toddy

Spice mix:
Dash cinnamon
7-8 cardamom pods
3-4 star anise pods
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
8 oz water
(You may substitute 1 Tbsp of loose-leaf Chai for the spice mix)

Tea infuser
1 Tbsp loose-leaf black tea such as English Breakfast

1-2 oz aged rum
1 tsp honey
Lemon juice

Twist of lemon and cinnamon stick for garnish

Combine the spices with water in a small pot. Cover and bring to a boil for a strong decoction. Once boiling, remove cover and lower heat to simmer. Fill tea infuser with loose-leaf black tea and steep in pot for about 4 mins. Remove the tea infuser and simmer for 7 more mins. Strain the spiced decoction into your favorite mug. Add rum (if you haven’t already drank it by now), honey and a squirt of lemon stirring with cinnamon stick. If you want to get fancy, garnish with a lemon twist. Tip back and enjoy!

Single serving

Warm wishes, Christmas cheer, and a merry new year to all.

Going Native: Joe Pye Weed

2011-12-21T10:57:00.000-05:00

Even though the holidays are only days away and I have a long list of things to do, here I am dreaming of Spring and planning changes for my garden ... you are too, aren't you?

Well, if there was one native plant I had to choose or recommend as a nectar source for pollinators, my choice would be Joe Pye Weed. If you do not have this beautiful American native and can grow it near you, be sure to include it in your plans. I have two patches started in two different areas of my garden. The minute Joe Pye comes into bloom, it is covered in bees, flies, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

There are many varieties of Joe Pye to choose from. I am growing Eupatorium purp. maculatum Gateway, a cultivar which I purchased from Bluestone Perennials. It is so far, the tallest Joe Pye I have in my garden. This fall I discovered a few volunteers and have moved them into other areas of my garden.

Eupatorium Gateway

White Admiral Butterfly on Eupatorium Gateway

I am also growing Eupatorium maculatum or Spotted Joe Pye Weed, a true native I purchased from Prairie Moon.

Eupatorium maculatum

Monarch Butterfly on Eupatorium maculatum

A native choice for more shaded areas would be Eupatorium purpureum or Sweet Joe Pye Weed (which I have just added to my wish list for the north side of our garage/workshop). Its blooms have a vanilla scent and Prairie Moon notes that Native Americans used this plant to cure fevers.

I am also growing Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate,' or Snakeroot. Its leaves are burgundy and its blooms white. It blooms much later in the fall.

Just a note that on Lady Bird Johnson's Wildflowercenter site, the Joe Pye Weeds have been assigned to the genus Eupatoriadelphus to separate them from the Bonesets (Eupatorium). Some sources still refer to Joe Pye species as Eupatorium. The genus Eupatoriadelphus differs from the genus Eupatorium by whorled leaves, while Eupatorium has opposite leaves. I find that the blooms of either genus attract many pollinators.

If you like merry butterflies, try growing a variety of Eupatorium, or Eupatoriadelphus. Maybe more than one?

What's Blooming

2011-12-15T09:32:00.002-05:00

Here I am in zone 4 and believe it or not, I have blooms in the garden! Outside today the wind is howling, huffing, puffing and what sounds like, blowing our house down. The skies are slashing us with rain, maybe sleet, but I dared to step out on the front porch for a quick shot of our native Coral Honeysuckle. Hey, it's blooming in December and deserves to be seen crappy photo or not. Calendula is also still blooming in the garden but I am not venturing that far today and heck, the Calendula will probably bloom right through winter snow and all.

It's red and the grass is, ah, green. I suppose appropriate for Christmas, though we are used to white. Another red and green scheme, the white-winged bloom of this peace lily that seems to practically glow against the red wall by the dim light of the windows. A shot up close reveals more of its delicate details.

And what would a gardener's Christmas be without the blooms of a Christmas Cactus? Here in this tabletop garden, they are just beginning to bloom.

Short and sweet this month. I love the blooms of Pointsettias but can't seem to keep them alive much past Christmas time. I hate to throw them away so didn't purchase one this year. I opted for Paperwhites instead and they should be blooming in time for next month's garden bloggers bloom day, I hope.

Garden bloggers bloom day is hosted each month by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Stop by and see what's blooming out there.

What's Growing

2011-12-12T15:02:00.000-05:00

I still like to wander outside and stroll through the garden, especially along the paths of the potager even though not much is happening. Today is cold but sunny. I notice the swiss chard has finally wilted but the broccoli rabe still looks edible. Sunflower stalks are still standing for the birds. The little snow we had has mostly melted. The ground is crunchy.

I harvested some of these carrots just last week for a favorite soup. I was able to clip some fresh thyme as well. The strawberries are red and green – colors of the season.

I was sure to plant lots of garlic. This time with space between rows for sowing lettuce come spring. I marked the rows with sticks and whatever I had on hand. Hopefully the garlic will deter any flea beetles from tasting my lettuce next year.

Inside I am trying to keep a few fresh herbs on my kitchen windowsill. This sill receives the best light in the house. So far, parsley, cilantro and basil are still growing. I usually reserve this spot for my two rosemary pots but this year they are on the kitchen table. I love to rub their leaves.

Beside the rosemary I am forcing paperwhites. Dirt still clings to their shoots. I am looking forward to their blooms and heavy fragrance.

I also have some in this fun pot I received as a gift. Hopefully this face will grow long, flowering hair. What a great gift idea for any gardener ... a beautiful pot and paperwhite bulbs.

This winter I hope to try my hand at sprouting – anything fresh. Let's see if sprouts will be on the menu by next month!

Project: Winter Boxes

2011-12-01T09:09:00.001-05:00

Each year I arrange my outdoor containers with greens for the holidays and throughout the long days of Winter. This year is no exception.

Once again, I cut the bulk of my greens at our local dump where large limbs of pruned or taken down trees wait to be chipped into mulch. Very inexpensive.

This year I also drew inspiration from the garden. Seed heads of Sunflower, Black Eyed Susan, Sea Holly, and dried Hydrangea blooms add to the arrangements. I also looked to nature. Red Staghorn Sumac, branches, Pine Cones and Milkweed Pods are tucked in among the greenery.

A basket on our new back porch steps. (The greenboard makes for a festive backdrop. Hopefully by next year we will have permanent siding.) An old, twisted root winds its way through this arrangement.

I stick my greens right into dirt and then water them generously. If the dirt is frozen, I bring the containers indoors to defrost. Sometimes an old screwdriver helps to make a "planting hole." This incredibly warm Fall, I did not have to worry.

This year, I placed Summer containers throughout the garden so I also decided to create some Winter containers throughout the garden. The greenery will be welcome once the snow begins to fall.

This basket takes the place of ceramic bird bath tray.

These containers were filled with flowers but now they are green. The birds are enjoying the seed heads.

The window box to the shed.

A cedar box and galvanized tub on the front porch.

The matching baskets on our front steps with Milkweed Pods. If those seeds spread around the neighborhood and Milkweed pops up, oh well, the Monarchs will appreciate them.

I love the fuzzy antler-like stem of the Staghorn Sumac.

A few lighted grapevines, a Hemlock wreath on our front door made by our neighbor, and candle lights in the windows are the extent of my outdoor holiday decor. Inside, I am forcing Paper Whites, something I have not done in years. The anticipation lifts my spirits.

How do you deck your garden for the holidays?

Berry Berry Good!

2011-11-22T17:27:00.001-05:00

This year I can finally boast a few berries! Berries attract birds and just last evening a male Cardinal stopped by – a rare, but very welcome, occurrence in my young garden – the cover is not yet thick enough for a Cardinal's liking. Robins are still lingering. Robins actually spend the winters here where there are enough berries and fruit to sustain them. I see them regularly in a nearby state park through the entire winter where there are many dogwoods and chokeberries. (It is the Red-winged Blackbird that announces Spring for me.) The Catbird's calls were closer than ever this year, and more frequent.

My plan is for my garden to eventually offer a natural Winter feast. See, I hope to be able to migrate along with our feathered friends in the upcoming years. The Winters, though beautiful, are just too long here. My backyard birds will be able to feast on berries and seeds still standing in the garden instead of my feeders while I follow the sun. The progress in the garden looks promising.

The wild grapes were very abundant this year. I have seen migrating flocks of Cedar Waxwings enjoying these in the past.

Wild Grapes

Rosa Palustris Hips

Rosa Setigera Hips

Virginia Creeper Berries

Virginia Creeper will attract fruit eating birds such as Chickadees, Nuthatches, Mockingbirds, Catbirds, Finches, Flycatchers, Tanagers, Swallows, Vireos, Warblers, Woodpeckers, and Thrushes through the Winter.

Redosier Dogwood Berries

Cardinal Dogwood Berries

Elderberry Black Lace

Woodpeckers, Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, Orioles, and Grosbeaks are attracted to Elderberries.

Purple Prince Crabapple

Many birds enjoy Crabapple. So birds, enjoy the berry feast while I feast on, ah, hmm, er ... a bird of a different feather.

I am always thankful for the joy, work, clarity, groundedness, peace, harmony, abundance and enlightenment of the garden and life. Happy Thanksgiving.

Fall Foliage

2011-11-15T17:23:00.001-05:00

This fall, I have more trees, though still very young; shrubs that are beginning to fill out; grasses that have become masses and new beds and perennials all with changing foliage and interesting seed heads. Since it is the foliage and not the blooms that is now the star of Northeastern gardens, I thought I would attempt joining Pam at Digging for Foliage Follow Up! (Hopefully, I will stay organized enough to participate regularly in this monthly blog event.)

I like to journal (through blogging) my garden each fall. I enjoy looking back through the years to see how my garden has changed and grown. Here is my garden (forever in the making) this Fall of 2011.

In the Bird & Butterfly Garden you are seeing Evening Primrose Oenothera, Mints (still green), Miscanthus 'Morning Light', Panicum 'Dallas Blues,' perennial sunflower Helianthus Microcephalus, Joe Pye Weed, Forsythia 'Meadowlark.'

Garlic Chives in the Potager

Bluecrop Blueberry in the Potager

A new bed behind the garage workshop. The tree (facing to the left) I believe is an Amur Maple, not native and invasive so I cannot recommend it, but I cannot part with these trees. They were on my lot in Maine and two of them sprouted in a window box I brought with me – just look at this one now. I loved these trees in my Maine garden and keep them because they remind me of my home and garden there. Their fall foliage is always beautiful. Facing to the right, a Red Osier Dogwood.

Red Osier Dogwood

In the new Woodland Edge, much is happening. This Cardinal Dogwood's stems have turned and look rich before the Blue Spruce. In the foreground is the nearly purple foliage of Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Alice.'

Leaf of newly planted Red Maple (here, most of the Maples did not turn red this year)

Newly planted Pagoda Dogwood

Ligularia 'Desdemona'

Maidenhair Fern

Virginia Creeper

Leaves of young Tulip Tree in backyard

What's Blooming

2011-11-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

Blooms are scarce. Even the Persicaria's blooms are faded and gone, but I swear I could dig a hole in the snow and still find Calendula blooms!

Calendula and Alberta Spruce in the Potager

Calendula and Gro Low Sumac along the Nice Driveway

If you want to add a perennial vine that blooms continuously, I recommend our native honeysuckle. Just look at all these blooms, in November!

Coral Honeysuckle Lonicera Sempervirens and Skyrocket Juniper

The blanket flower I received from our local garden club during our fall plant exchange is already blooming – it just couldn't wait for next year.

California Poppy hangs on.

Lamium 'Orchid Frost' can take the frost and still keep on blooming.

The Sedums still hold their blooming heads high.

What's blooming in your garden? Visit Garden bloggers' bloom day host, Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month to let everyone know. I think I will have to turn indoors to find any blooms next month but we'll see ...

Going Native: Pin Oak

2011-11-09T10:29:00.001-05:00

When we moved to our home in October of 2007, our lot contained ZERO trees! I can't believe I chose to move into a place without any trees. Since then, of course, I have planted several trees. Most of them are smaller in stature because our lot is not very large. But I am determined for this lot to host as many trees as possible and have added some pivotal large trees including a White Pine and a Pin Oak, Quercus Palustris, named for its many short side twigs or pinlike spurs. (It is this dense branch structure that makes an ideal shelter for wildlife.) Palustris is latin for "swampy" or "marshy" indicative of the conditions in which Pin Oaks are likely to grow.

According to Douglas Tallamy, Oaks support 517 species. He states in his book Bringing Nature Home, "The value of oaks for supporting both vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife cannot be overstated ... What we have underappreciated in the past, however, is the diversity of insect herbivores that Oaks add to forest ecosystems. From this perspective, Oaks are the quintessential wildlife plants: no other plant genus supports more species of Lepidoptera, thus providing more types of bird food, than the mighty Oak ... A careful inspection of Oak leaves, particularly their undersides, often turns up caterpillars unlike any you have seen before."

This is why I chose to plant an Oak in my garden.

Pin Oaks are readily available in the nursery trade because they transplant well. They are naturally wetland trees with shallow, fibrous root systems, unlike other Oaks, which have strong, deep taproots. My backyard does tend to become a bit "swampy" in the Spring and after heavy rains. They are also pyramidal in shape – less sprawling than other varieties of Oak. A shape that better suits the size of my lot. When mature, the upper branches point upwards, the middle branches are perpendicular to trunk, and the lower branches angle down. Pin Oaks grow somewhat faster than other Oak varieties. I planted my twig of a Pin Oak in the fall of 2008. This is my Pin Oak last fall of 2010.

This is my Pin Oak now. This is the year it has leaped! It has not fully turned yet.

Its leaves eventually become a beautiful dark red in autumn and are the last to fall, if at all. Pin Oaks are known to retain their leaves through winter.

I will be sure to check the undersides for caterpillars next summer! Some interesting trivial facts about Pin Oaks are that black ink can be made from galls formed by insects, and Native Americans used its bark to treat intestinal ailments. Huh.

Its acorns are round but flatten at the cap, which is thin and saucer-like. I look forward to the day these acorns drop in my garden. The jays, grey squirrels, and new resident red squirrel are sure to appreciate them, too.

Pin Oak in nearby Grass Point State Park

The Pin Oak will attract songbirds, ground birds, water birds, hummingbirds, and mammals. It is the only known food source of the Bucculatrix domicola caterpillar, a kind of leaf miner that transforms into a very small moth. It is also the host plant for the Gray Hairstreak, Strymon melinus.

Sources: Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy, Wikipedia, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

I'll Die Beautiful

2011-11-05T11:41:00.000-04:00

California Poppy

Nasturtium

Calendula Flashback Mix

Lamium Orchid Frost

Tradescantia Osprey

What's Growing

2011-11-01T10:20:00.000-04:00

With reports threatening our first frost it was a mad dash to the potager and frantic picking. Basil, peppers, tomatoes, were all picked to the bone.

The tomatoes ripened indoors. I should have probably picked the basil a little earlier. It really does not like any sort of chilly weather. I still have pesto for the winter but not as much as last year. I'll have to hoard it.

I no longer have a fear of growing peppers. All the peppers I planted this year grew well. My husband made hot sauce with the Cayenne ... whooo, fire.

Our first hard frosts have arrived. The potager droops. Tomatillos die on the vine. It's time to start clean up and put it to rest. What's left of the broccoli rabe, carrots, kale and swiss chard I'll leave alone. They should grow well into the colder months. I'm not going to have the energy to build a hoop house this year.

Here's where my novelty shows as a vegetable gardener – I did not know I was supposed to cover a cauliflower head with its leaves in order for it to develop. I now have a contorted, monstrous head of flowering cauliflower. It's sort of grotesque yet beautiful.

The cover crops are growing pretty well I think – not entirely sure as this is a new experiment for me.

I managed one last pick before the frosts.

Blooming Blades

2011-10-25T13:23:00.001-04:00

I've added quite a few grasses to my garden of three years – though I've removed much of the lawn. I can't imagine a garden without at least a couple varieties of (no-mow) grass. Grass is structure, filler and foliage. More than that – those blades bloom! And this time of year, they are the stars of the Northern garden. In the Bird & Butterfly Garden, the first area I planted, Maiden Grass Miscanthus 'Morning Light' and Switch Grass Panicum 'Dallas Blues' have matured into sweeping drifts. The Maiden Grass bloomed last year for the first time, is blooming its little blades off right now, and the Switch Grass will turn a beautiful gold color come winter.

Maiden Grass blooms.

Switch Grass blooms heavy with rain.

Grass is also movement and sound. It is meditational to watch and hear grass rustle on the waves of the wind. Out front, Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis 'Karl Forester' does just that. It is tall enough now to watch when sitting on the front porch and its sound does remind me of waves along a shoreline.

Blue Fescue Festuca glauca weaves texture into my front garden, catching light and leaves. I will be planting more tufts of this wonderful blue shade along with some native grasses when I finally focus my attention on a real front garden design – hopefully in the Summer of 2012.

I moved clumps of this variegated grass from the back deck area this past spring to the back of our garage / workshop before our porch redo. I love that it is extremely low maintenance – grows in sun or shade – and that we no longer have to "edge" along the garage foundation. I acquired it from a plant exchange and do not know the exact name of it. It is now one big drift. I love how it sets off the changing color of the leaves. Its new growth is more green and gradually becomes more variegated over time. It also has nice blooms.

I acquired another mystery grass when I purchased a clump of Switch Grass Panicum 'Ruby Ribbons' for the Nice Driveway. You can see a couple of the ruby blades of the Switch Grass just beginning to turn, but those blooms do not belong to Ruby Ribbons! I really love the mystery blooms, but I should probably try to separate the two.

Also along the drive, native Indian Grass Sorghastrum Sioux Blue is nearing its mature height of 5'-6'. Truly a screen of green, er blue, er yellow ...

Tall they can grow, but grasses can make a wonderful see through veil. I love peering through the blooms of this native Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii, but I'm not so sure I'll be able to next year. This was just planted in spring and will eventually mature to 7' tall.

Also added this spring, native mound-forming Northern Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis. Native grasses are even more than blooming blades – they are shelter and seed. Many birds will eat the seeds of Switch, Fescue, Bluestem and Dropseed Grasses throughout the winter. Indian Grass provides nesting material for birds. Game birds, Finches, Sparrows, and even small mammals will eat its seeds. It is the host plant for the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper Butterfly. Bluestem is the host plant for the Delaware and Dusted Skipper Butterflies. Sparrows, Sedge Wrens and the Western Meadowlark eat its seeds. Hopefully I will be able to add some of these Skipper Butterflies to my list of insect sightings in the garden.

Sources: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Butterflies and Moths of North America

Project: Saving Heirloom Tomato Seeds

2011-10-19T10:53:00.001-04:00

On a return trip from Rochester, I fell in love with this beautiful, large tomato at an organic farm stand. It was huge – at least 5" inches in diameter and felt like a baseball in my hand. I had to have it. The woman who owns the farm said I could save the seed. Yes, I had to save the seed and grow these in my garden next year! When we arrived home, I put it on this cute little plate and admired it for days – maybe a few too many days.

It is a German Striped Tomato, heirloom. Because it was love and meant to be, I then came across an article in Dave's Garden newsletter on how to save heirloom tomato seeds. The author made it sound so easy that I said, "Hey, I can do this!" And you can, too. The best part about saving the seed is that you can still eat the tomato – and delicious it was. (I sliced it up and ate it on some sprouted bread with homemade cream cheese and a dash of salt and pepper.)

The first thing to do is to scoop out the seeds, along with the gel, into a jar.

Then add some water, about 1/2 cup. Store somewhere where the smell does not offend you, because it will smell. In about a week, a whitish/gray mold will form over the top. This is what you want. You are fermenting the seeds to weed out the bad and discourage disease. (According to the article I read, if you are trading tomato seed it is proper etiquette to ferment your seeds.) If you have a weak stomach, don't look below. Eeeewwww!

Now, carefully scrape off the moldy film. I used a little spoon. Add a little water to the jar and stir. Good seeds sink. Bad seeds and any remaining pulpy gel will float. Keep stirring and carefully pouring off the water until all you have left is clean seed. Then strain the seed through a coffee filter or other material, and spread them out to let dry for a full day or two.

The seeds are now ready to store. I store my seeds in a little box.

I cannot wait to plant these in my garden. Hopefully, I've done this right and I will be slicing up baseball-sized German Striped Tomatoes next summer! I should also be able to save more seed and share.

If you cannot get your hands on a German Striped Tomato, but would like to grow them in your garden next season, Johnny's offers the seed.

Source: Dave's Garden Saving Heirloom Tomato Seeds by Paul Rodman

What's Blooming

2011-10-14T19:01:00.000-04:00

Blooms are fading fast. In the upcoming months it will be challenging to find any blooms outside in the garden, but we have had a true Indian Summer here in the North Country.

Out front Sweet Autumn Clematis is blooming. This plant can be invasive and I cannot recommend it. Of course, I didn't know that when I planted it. I imagine that here in zone 4 it is not so problematic as it may be further south. To make myself feel better I just planted two native Clematis Virginiana in other areas of the garden – this spot on the front porch receives too much sun. I do have to say the Sweet Autumn smells divine.

This Woods Aster (pink blooms) always punctuates fall. The sedums are just about ready to burst into bloom. Catmint Walker's Low is still faithfully blooming.

Along the drive California Poppies are bright as orange pumpkins. In the background Helenium and Verbascum bloom. Along the trellis the Purple Hyacinth Bean vine is still blooming strong and Scarlet O'Hara is now finally gloriously greeting the mornings.

In the woodland edge geranium Sylvia's Surprise is surprising me with more blooms.

Persicaria Firetail is the work horse this summer ... still a stunning show.

Chocolate Joe Pye was moved this year to this spot due to the porch renovation. Though not as big and bold in previous years, at least there are blooms to let me know that this spot will do. Hopefully next year will be big and bold once again. (Spied several flower flies on Joe Pye's blooms though I am not sure of the specific species. Will have to revisit with guide in hand.)

Tradescantia Osprey says BOO! These were given to me through the mail by Jean at Jean's Garden and were just planted this spring. Thank you Jean! They seem to be happy and they are oh so beautiful.

The potager is putting on a fall display of its own, no pumpkins, but comparable are the bright orange of marigolds and nasturtium.

And at last the Exotic Love Vine is dripping with blooms! If we didn't have an Indian Summer, I'm not so sure if I would have been lucky at love.

Garden bloggers' bloom day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month. Join in the fun with your blog blooms!

Solidago Fireworks Attracts Fall Pollinators

2011-10-06T12:10:00.000-04:00

I would like to add more goldenrods to my garden for fall pollinators and late season blooms. I planted a Little Lemon goldenrod last year but it did not make it so I will try it again (perhaps in a dryer location) because I really liked it. Common goldenrod volunteered in my garden this year and I am very pleased, but I will try seeding it in the places where I would rather have it be for next year. Prairie Moon Nursery offers a variety of native goldenrods for different conditions that I will also have to give a try.

Appreciatively, Solidago Fireworks has just bloomed in my garden – later than common godlenrod. I am not the only one who appreciates it. I captured this short video of the pollinators it has attracted. Many flies, wasps, bumble bees and what I believe to be a Yellow-collared Scape Moth. It is nice to see the fall garden so active.

Though I am not fond of the way its lower stems tend to brown and bare, I love the firework-like display of the blooms. It is very appropriately named! I am hoping the Liatris planted in front of it fills in to hide the lower stems a little more next year. I would still recommend this plant for the garden in spite of its bare ankles. It stays upright and does not flop. The blooms burst into golden rays and are beautiful in the way they "spray" in arcs – a very welcome sight this time of year, and it's obviously a popular gathering spot for pollinators. I purchased my Solidago Fireworks plants from Bluestone Perennials in case you would like to add this pollinator-friendly-fall-bloomer to your garden as well.

Going Native: Smartweed

2011-09-27T09:33:00.000-04:00

This "smart" weed, which I believe to be Polygonum pensylvanicum L. or Pennsylvania smartweed, adorns itself with pretty flower tufts. It volunteered in my bird and butterfly garden but I moved it to my more "wild" area towards the back of my shed not knowing exactly what it was at the time. It transplanted well and this fall looks quite stunning.

The flowers attract long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, skippers, and moths. Smartweed plays host to several moth caterpillars, including Lithacodia synochitis (Black-Dotted Lithacodia), Lithacodia carneola (Pink-Barred Lithacodia), Haematopsis grataria (Chickweed Geometer; often flies during the day), and Dipteryia rosmani (Noctuid Moth sp.). The caterpillars of the butterflies Lycaena helloides (Purplish Copper) and Strymon melinus (Gray Hairstreak; eats flowers and buds) are occasionally observed on smartweeds as well.

Many birds eat the seeds: waterfowl, gamebirds, and songbirds. I do not see many waterfowl or gamebirds in my village garden although they are nearby. Songbirds that Smartweed might attract to my garden include the Cardinal, Redwing Blackbird, and a great number of Sparrows – Grasshopper, Savannah, Swamp, Song and Tree. In the winter Juncos will eat the seeds.

The foliage and flowers stand up well. I like that this plant is still blooming at this time of year. I think some Goldenrod mixed in with the Smartweed would be a nice combination.

Consider letting Smartweed star in your flower garden if it happens to volunteer. The birds and bugs will appreciate it and I think you just might appreciate the late fall blooms as well. Also consider Smartweed if you have a pond or wetland area in your garden and wish to attract waterfowl. It does prefer a moist soil. Seeds are available for purchase from Prairie Moon.

Sources: Illinois Wildflowers, USDA Plants Profile, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

What's Growing

2011-09-21T09:31:00.001-04:00

Now that the weather is cooler, I sure am savoring every bite from the garden. How I will miss all this fresh-picked produce. I am still considering making a hoop house over one of the raised beds. Hopefully I can pull it together by the first few hard frosts.

I've let my mustard go to seed. I hope to make some of my own fresh mustard once these seed pods start to dry.

Greens, peppers and garlic have so many possibilities. Sauteed up with some white beans pan fried – recipe idea courtesy of Heidi Swanson – yum.

I wanted peppers and boy, do I have peppers. My husband plans to make his own hot sauce with the cayenne.

Sweet Pimento Lipstick

Early Jalapeno Chile

Cayenne 'Ring-O-Fire'

Another stellar basil crop! I've been making lots of pesto and will make a huge batch to freeze for over winter. Pesto and sauteed cherry tomatoes topped with a little toasted pine nuts on baguettes make for a great appetizer.

Veronica Cauliflower is beginning to form.

I have a few soybeans to shell. I plan to make edamame and give a try at fermenting my own miso.

The tomatillos are sprawling all over the garden. I made a batch of fresh green salsa and salsa verde. I plan to make a really big batch of salsa verde to freeze for winter. Nothing will be better to warm us up on a snowy night than slow cooked organic pork (from a local farm), pulled then folded into warm corn tortillas and topped with salsa verde! We tried it the other night just to make sure ...

Quite a carrot crop this year. Delicious raw but also just in time for soup season and one-pot meals.

Dragon and Sunshine Mix Carrots

My parsnips never took off. Two seasons I have tried to plant them. I will be trying a different seed next year. I have planted new crops of lettuces, spinach, radishes, beets and carrots in one of the raised beds (that will hopefully be covered by that hoop house). Something new I am trying this year is a fall cover crop – green manure. Next month we'll see how these newly planted crops are doing. Until then I'll be "stocking up" on fresh produce as much as I can.

What's Blooming

2011-09-15T09:57:00.003-04:00

We have had beautiful warm weather so far this September with just a few cool, rainy days. Plants are just beginning to turn to autumn and there are still plenty of blooms to be found in the garden.

Volunteer Golden Rod.

Perennial Sunflower, Helianthus Microcephalus blooms among Miscanthus.

'Orchid Frost' lamium beneath Blue Spruce.

Common Beggar Ticks, Bidens Frondosa, and wild aster.

Unknown Veronica (lost tag).

Sedum Maestro

Beefsteak or Shiso, Perilla Frutescens in the potager – great sauteed!

Nasturtium in the potager.

Rose Mallows that reseeded themselves.

Borage that has reseeded ... and reseeded ... and reseeded.

What's not blooming is Exotic Love Vine and Morning Glory 'Scarlet O'Hara,' although both have just about covered the rustic trellis in the potager. I planted these for the humming birds but the blooms will be too late since the birds will be migrating any day now. I have planted two trumpet vines instead for next year, a yellow and a red – perennial vines that should offer flowers by mid summer. The red will cover this arbor, the yellow, the trellis by the driveway.

Exotic Love Vine and Morning Glory 'Scarlet O'Hara' on rustic trellis.

Sweet Autumn clematis is just about to bloom on the front porch.

Moon Flower has been blooming on the front porch for weeks.

Purple Hyacinth Bean is blooming along the drive and on the front porch.

Purple bean pods.

Also blooming are susans, sunflowers, cone flowers, obedient plant and a variety of asters and grasses. I think I'll feature the grasses in a separate post. Garden bloggers' bloom day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens the 15th of each month. Add your blog to the growing list so all can see what's blooming in your garden.

The Setting Sun

2011-09-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

Fall officially begins in just two short weeks but here, summer blazes on. After a small dip in temperatures and a few cloudy days, a sunny 80° is once again in the forecast. But even perfect weather cannot hide the fact that the days are growing shorter. The sun may be setting sooner but it is putting on a spectacular show, even through the clouds.

I was blessed to enjoy this sunset on the river along with friends and family aboard The Muskie, a classic wooden boat. These beautiful boats are always a welcome site on the St. Lawrence River and really, nothing else rides the river quite like them. If you find yourself in this area I would highly recommend taking in the fantastic sites along the river aboard The Muskie (with wonderful, knowledgeable Captain Jeff), or from the Antique Boat Museum.

A extraordinary summer finale.

The Bee and Butterfly

2011-09-07T13:14:00.001-04:00

The grackles are gone. I am keeping my humming bird feeders full but their visits are less frantic and less frequent. Last year I wrote on my calendar that by the 12th of September they had left. It is much cooler and leaves are beginning to collect on the ground. I meant to post this short video at some point and I think now is a good time. Just a moment to remember the bee and butterfly. Here, a White Admiral Butterfly and Bumblebee enjoying Joe Pye Weed.

The Bee and Butterfly