Walk Down the Garden Path

Vegetable Garden Update - February 2009

2009-02-20T07:00:00.005-05:00

Well there isn't much happening in the garden this month, other than some deer trampling around in the snow. The only bright spot is that the stores have their seeds in, so it's very easy to get caught up in the thought of spring planting.

We did just that while at Lowe's the other weekend, coming home with the latest home repair necessities AND a bag full of seeds AND a trunk full of whimsical garden decorations. The garden decorations were an early Valentine's gift for me. Too bad they had to go right to storage and I probably won't see them again for another two months, but they can make their debut on the blog then.

Some of the seeds we purchased were:

Tomato - Juliet hybrid
Tomato - Jelly Bean hybrid
Pumpkin - Big Max
Pumpkin - Jack O'Lantern
Sunflower - Apricot Twist
Sunflower - Mammoth
Sunflower - American Giant
Sunflower - Autumn Beauty, mixed colors
Sunflower - Chianti Hybrid
English Daisy - Double Mixed Colors

Juliet tomatoes are a favorite of ours and although you can usually find them as plants at one of the nurseries, why take the chance that they'll be sold out.

The sunflowers that really interested me are the Apricot Twist and Chianti Hybrid. The colors are so very unusual. Hopefully I will win the battle with the deer this year and actually get to see some blooms.

This is the Chianti Sunflower.

And this is the Apricot Twist Sunflower. We'll see if mine end up looking like that.

And so, the garden still sleeps under a blanket of snow. These pictures are from January but it doesn't look much different right now, maybe just a little less snow.

February Flowers

2009-02-18T14:17:00.004-05:00

Hello Blogging World!

I had taken a little vacation from blogging, well, maybe a long vacation from blogging, but I have not abandoned this blog. It's just that January and February are not so very exciting, gardening wise, here in Western Pennsylvania. And so I have been focusing my time away from the computer somewhat. Especially since if Lillian is awake and you are at the computer you will get nothing done as she must be at the computer working with you. So even though I have not been a good commenter as of late, my blogging friends, please know that I do keep you in my thoughts and I will be back into the blogging mania soon.

I thought I would post some pictures of my Valentine flowers and maybe it could bring some cheer to you as they have to me. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and that Spring is soon around the corner, despite what that Pennsylvanian groundhog indicated a couple of weeks ago.

Of course, I have to post an updated photo of my sweet baby who just keeps on growing and going! She doesn't like being shut up inside on these cold, cold days and can't wait to be outside digging in the dirt come Spring.

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day 12, Planthropology

2008-12-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Finally we reach the final day of this gift extravaganza. I almost thought I wasn't going to make it. I am sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs recently, but hopefully after Christmas I will have lots of time to catch up. I've had a lot of fun with this series and I hope you have too. Please know that I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season. Now, onto the gift selection.

"Planthropology" is the latest book by Ken Druse, and it's one that I'm sure any garden lover will enjoy. Planthropology is a word he made up to describe the study of plants and their particular history. In this book he shares with us scientific facts, myths, controversies, anecdotes, and good old fashioned garden wisdom. And lots of great pictures to boot.

So if you are looking for that last minute gift for someone else or yourself, you can't go wrong this this book. List price is $50. Amazon.com has it for $31.50.

Other posts in this series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai
Day Five, Hand Lotion
Day Six, Tabletop Tree
Day Seven, Magazines
Day Eight, Garden Gnomes
Day Nine, Stuff for your Vegetable Garden
Day Ten, Whimsy
Day Eleven, 10 Year Gardening Journal

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day 11, 10 Year Journal

2008-12-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

Warm Hanukkah Wishes to those celebrating today!

When I choose the 10 year journal as the gift for Day 11 of this gift extravaganza, I was thinking of a regular journal, not specific to gardening, but one that could be adapted to gardening. However, while searching on the internet, I did find a 10 year gardening journal! Exactly what I wanted for this gift.

Lee Valley Tools is where I found this gem of a journal.

Because there description says it perfectly, I have copied it here. The journal costs $39.95 and can be started at any time.

"Because you will want to remember your gardening triumphs (and occasional setbacks), A Gardener's Journal is set up as a ten-year perpetual diary, which you may begin at any time.

In the diary section, one page is given to each day of the year, and each page is divided into 10 sections – more than enough for 10 years of personal jottings. In addition to the diary pages, there is also a section on such gardening techniques as composting, digging garden beds, tree care, soils, and garden tool maintenance, to name but a few. We also provide reference material and numerous charts.

There are several pages to record your inventory of perennials, more to record sketches of your garden, yet more to list plantings and harvestings, etc. In all, you will find 544 pages, most of which you can write upon. (An interactive gardening tool?) This format is designed to help you plan your way through years of gardening. Also, for your enjoyment, we have included intriguing notes on the history of plant lore, culled from arcane and often surprising sources.

Hardcover, Smyth sewn, and protected by a sturdy cloth binding, A Gardener's Journal is both a useful reference and your companion for gardening adventures. Measures 9" x 11". Published by Lee Valley."

Other posts in this series:
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai
Day Five, Hand Lotion
Day Six, Tabletop Tree
Day Seven, Magazines
Day Eight, Garden Gnomes
Day Nine, Stuff for your Vegetable Garden
Day Ten, Whimsy

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Ten, Whimsy

2008-12-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

We're moving right along in this gift giving series. For Day 10 we are headed into the world of whimsy. And Plow and Hearth is just the place to take us there.

Look at this adorable Elfin Door, perfectly decorated for the holidays. Your garden fairies and elves will appreciate a portal for getting between their worlds.

Elfin Christmas Door - $12.95 on sale for $9.99. 7 1/4" x 8" H.

This is not something I would ever see me having a use for but it does qualify under the heading of whimsy. Does anyone use bush covers like this? You'll have to let me know.

Snowman Bush Cover - $19.95. In their words "Bags made of special non-woven Frost Protek™ polyester fleece cinch easily around your bushes when the forecast calls for a freeze. Stick-on facial features let you give the snowman his smile."

Onto something that I actually own, these cute animal ornaments. Although they were among those items which stayed stored away this year, safely out of Lillian's hands.

Animal Ornament Set includes Skunk, Raccoon, and Beaver for $24.95

They also have plenty of garden statues which would also lend a bit of whimsy to your garden or your gift giving. Thus concludes our list of ideas for today.

Other posts in this series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai
Day Five, Hand Lotion
Day Six, Tabletop Tree
Day Seven, Magazines
Day Eight, Garden Gnomes
Day Nine, Stuff for your Vegetable Garden

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Nine, Stuff for your Vegetable Garden

2008-12-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Being the 20th of the month, which is a day when several garden bloggers often give updates on their vegetable gardens, I thought I would pick today's gift to also center on the vegetable garden. You can go to Tina's blog, In The Garden, to find other vegetable garden updates.

There are many, many websites which sell gardening stuff. For this post, I visited Gardens Alive because I like how they are dedicated to the biological control of garden pests. Even though it may be hard to think about vegetable gardening when there is snow and ice in abundance, it's never to early to start planning for spring. Spring is just three months away, you know.

Jump Start Lighting System - $64.95
Just the thing to get those seedlings started. Especially if your windowsill space is at a premium.

Seedling Heat Mat - $39.95
For faster germination and higher success rate - pamper those little seedlings.

Mason Bee Nest - $39.99
According to the website "Mason bees are up to 90% more efficient at pollinating plants than honeybees. Plus, they don’t sting. You can encourage their presence in your garden by offering a place for the bees to nest. About 2/3 the size of a honeybee, mason bees nest in holes created by woodpeckers and beetles, so this similarly designed nesting habitat will invite these hard-working pollinators to nest and help pollinate your garden. Made of durable, decorative cedar, it is easy to hang. No assembly required; nest includes 10 nesting tubes and 2 replacement tubes. Comes with complete, easy to- read instructions."

And if you can't wait for spring to grow something tasty...

The Portabella Mushroom Kit - $39.95
Everything you need is provided in the kit and it produces in 3-5 weeks. Just add water and place in a cool, dark location, such as a basement.

Other posts in this series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai
Day Five, Hand Lotion
Day Six, Tabletop Tree
Day Seven, Magazines
Day Eight, Garden Gnomes

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Eight, Garden Gnomes

2008-12-18T07:28:00.005-05:00

On the subject of Garden Gnomes, I know people either run hot or cold. I happen to like these industrious and sometimes mischievous looking imps placed sporadically throughout the garden. Mine inhabit the vegetable and herb garden. Although I have to admit, they did take some getting used to, I am now a fan. But despair not, for if you don't like gnomes for your garden or they don't fit into your gardening gift giving scheme, there will be another gift idea tomorrow.

According to Wikipedia Garden Gnomes were first manufactured in Germany in the mid-1800's and the terracotta gnomes were made for people to enjoy the local myths that gnomes helped garden at night. Garden gnomes were first introduced to the UK in 1847 at Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the originals survives and is insured for one million pounds. Garden Gnomes have endured many pranks and kidnappings as well as exclusion from some of the more prestigious garden clubs and events.

Thanks to the internet, I was able to locate Kimmel Gnomes. Their gnomes are not mass produced but are handmade and cast from rare 19th century antique gnomes and from original sculptures by Welsh artist Candice Kimmel. They are glazed inside and out for a frost resistant finish. They are made in the U.S.A. and are outdoor safe and UV protected. Although it is past their ordering date for Christmas delivery, I still had to include them in my gift series because they are everything that the mass produced plastic, tacky gnomes are not.

All descriptions and photos are from Kimmel Gnomes.

Forest 12" green gnome with free mushroom. Regular price $89.95, On sale for $59.95
Forest is a classic gnome. He is handmade in Stoneware pottery and is glazed on the outside and inside so may be placed outside all year round with zero maintenance. A fantastic, large, robust gnome full of character.

Harold is a shelf sitter gnome with a grasshopper. 7" x 7" x 4 1/2" - $69.95

Mr. and Mrs. Gnome, set of two 9" gnomes. Regular price $84.95, On sale for $49.00.
Mr & Mrs Gnome have been married for 500 years and they're still smiling! A beautiful gnome couple that will bring a ray of sunshine to any home and garden.

And you can't forget your gnome accessories.
Set of Three Round Cap Mushroom Spikes, 5" to 6" tall - $24.95.
Life-sized clay mushrooms are designed to look like they are growing out of the ground. Use to accent your gnomes. Set of 3.

Other Posts in this Series:
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai
Day Five, Hand Lotion
Day Six, Tabletop Tree
Day Seven, Magazines

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Seven, Magazines

2008-12-17T08:00:00.003-05:00

We all have them, probably piles of them. I know I do and I just pulled one from my stash that's dated 2003. But for Day Seven of this gift giving series, I think Gardening Magazines is just the thing. If you have a favorite that you know the giftee doesn't already receive, maybe you would want to give a subscription. Or if you aren't sure of their taste in magazines, you could pick out a few and give the latest copy of each. A couple of magazines stuffed in a stocking along with the fixings for some hot cocoa would make a delightful gift to be enjoyed by the fireside on a cold winter's night. And winter is the best time for catching up on the latest trends in the gardening world.

Currently I don't subscribe to any magazines, but here are a few that I've subscribed to over the years. Please let me know what your favorites are in the comments. Maybe one or two of them will find their way into my stocking this year.

Horticulture - 6 issues for $19.95. Classic magazine with lots of design and plant info.

Gardening How-To - You receive this magazine when you become a member of the National Home Gardening Club. I believe the magazine is bimonthly and that dues are $1/month, if I'm reading the info on the website correctly. I was a member a few years ago, and if I remember correctly, you could also sign up to test new products. I was sent a type of plant food to test.

Taunton's Fine Gardening - 6 issues for $29.95
This is a bit pricey which is why I don't subscribe all the time but Taunton's Fine Gardening and Taunton's Fine Cooking are two magazines that I LOVE. If you've never read them, you should treat yourself and check them out.

Garden Gate - 6 issues for $20. In Garden Gate you'll find plant info and design info but not one ad. I love that.

Birds & Blooms - 6 issues for $14.98. If you love to garden and watch the birds and butterflies this is the magazine for you. Tons of reader input and ideas. And I don't know if it is still this way but when I subscribed there were no ads.

Backyard Living - 6 issues for $14.98. I think this is published by the same people as Birds & Blooms. It covers gardens, grilling, recipes, and weekend projects. Again, with lots of reader input and ideas and my issues don't have ads.

That's what's in my magazine bin. What's in yours that you would recommend?

Other posts in this series:
Day One: Amaryllis
Day Two: Jasmine
Day Three: Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four: Bonsai
Day Five: Hand Lotion
Day Six: Tabletop Tree

Intermission

2008-12-16T12:57:00.005-05:00

I decided to take a break from the 12 Gift series today and give you a brief intermission. Here are some pictures of our tree and some of my favorite ornaments. Of course, there are just a small number of ornaments on the tree this year as it had to be able to withstand Lillian's grasp. But the Little People Nativity Village under the tree and the trains seem to divert her attention from the tree, so there hasn't been any damage to report so far.

This ornament is made from Christmas Cards. It was one of several my girlfriend and I made one year.

I cross-stitched this Santa.

This is one of 12 that my Mom cross-stitched for me. Each is a different Christmas carol. She made a set of 12 for each of her 8 children. That's a lot of x's.

This is one of my ornaments from Royal Copenhagen that I bought when working in Denmark. The heart is a reoccurring theme in their ornaments.

Lillian's having fun playing with her village.

Here Lillian has gathered up all the train cars for some reason.

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Six, Tabletop Live Christmas Tree

2008-12-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

Today we reach the halfway point in this gift giving series. Let's head back to one of those catalogs which are endlessly filling my mailbox. The catalog du jour is Jackson & Perkins but it's not roses that we will be selecting today. No, it's the Decorated Tabletop Live Spruce Tree.

Now, I realize this tree is not for everyone. But it is the perfect size for many households who have downsized or travel away from home at Christmas or shortly thereafter and don't want to deal with a big tree and all the decorations. Or what about the shut in or nursing home resident or the youngster starting out who might not put up a tree in an apartment? These trees come fully decorated with lights! Of course, I don't know what you do with the tree once Christmas is over. Over at Poor Richard's Almanac, they wrote about the debate between cut, live, and artificial trees where they did touch on the subject. You can read about it here.

But back to Jackson and Perkin's and their live decorated trees. They currently list three on their website, ranging in price from $69.95 - $89.95. Here are pictures of two of them, as you can see, very prettily decorated.

They also sell Rosemary Trees in different presentation pots ranging in price from $29.95 - $39.95. These are undecorated.

Or you could be like Cameron at Defining Your Home Garden and buy one at the local market for at least half that. All you have to do then is add the decorations. Check out Cameron's post here on her Rosemary Tree. When Christmas is over you'll be able to cook with this tree.

No matter what size tree you have or whether it is cut, live, or artificial, that is not where the Spirit of Christmas lies. The Spirit of Christmas is in each of us, just waiting to be shared with the world.

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Five, Luscious Hand Creme

2008-12-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today's gift is one which is useful during all seasons. During the outdoor gardening season, my hands are constantly dry due to digging in the dirt. I wear gloves, but not always, and regardless, my hands dry out terribly. And now that it's winter and the furnace is running constantly to protect us from the frigid outdoor temperatures, my hands are in a constant state of dry and cracked. I feel like Scarlett O'Hara, when her hands were so rough from working at Tara, after the war.

What better to protect and rejuvenate that dry skin than a luscious, luxurious lotion. Here are a few which qualify. If you know of others that you wish to sing the praises of, please do so in the comments. I'm always looking for a good hand lotion.

The Body Shop has lots of products that I really like, from their Body Butters to their Hand and Foot Care items to their Makeup products. But since this post is about hand lotion, let's focus on that. My choice is the Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Honey Butter. According to the website, the key ingredients are lanolin, shea butter, honey, and beeswax. I have this product and it does wonders on my dry skin, making my hands feel silky smooth. It works great on dry, cracked feet too. A 4.4 oz jar is $22. I've had mine for a couple of years now and it's almost gone. I don't use it all the time, just when my hands and feet are really bad and a little goes a long way.

Another great thing about The Body Shop is that they participate in Community Trade programs. Community Trade is a targeted purchasing program of accessories and natural ingredients from disadvantaged communities around the world.

Another good hand healer that I've used is Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. This also works great on my dry hands and I love the smell. It's key ingredients are sweet almond oil, aloe, and vitamin E. A 2 oz. jar is $8, and like the Honey Butter, a little goes a long way.

The last one that I'm going to mention I know I've used before, but I've never owned it. But my memory reminds me that it was very good for my dry skin and I know there are people who swear by this creme. It is of course none other than, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Originally invented for use on dairy cows, it is now used for dry and chapped skin. According to their website, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream is "a greaseless, stainless, water-based moisturizer with a light fresh fragrance." It is also available fragrance free and comes in 2 oz. tubes, 4 oz. tubes, 8 oz. jars, 10 oz.with pump, 12 oz. jars, 16 fl. oz. bottles and 32 fl. oz. bottles at your local store. They also sell it online where a 12 oz. jar is $5.75.

So that's my pick for today. Hand lotion would certainly be a gift I would love to receive. Stay tuned for the next gift pick. We're almost to the half-way point!

Other posts in this series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Four, Bonsai

2008-12-13T06:00:00.003-05:00

Continuing on with the tree theme in our line of gifts, today I offer you a Bonsai. Bonsai literally translated from the Japanese means tray planting. Bonsai can be either indoor or outdoor trees and refers specifically to the training and artistic vision applied to the tree. Bonsai is an art which requires practice, a good aesthetic eye, and patience. Many different species are used for Bonsai, including junipers, pines, maples, and flowering and fruiting trees.

To embark on this new hobby or to set someone up for this pastime requires a little planning and knowledge. I found several websites offering trees of various prices and ages, equipment, how-to books, and info right on their site.

Bonsai Boy of New York has a wide selection of trees, even artificial and preserved ones. Now even the non-gardener can enjoy the beauty of a Bonsai. Here is just a sampling of what they have available.

Medium Juniper Procumbens "nana" Bonsai Tree - $29.95 on sale

According to the site "This dwarf Juniper from Japan is the most popular evergreen in the U.S. When we think of a traditional bonsai and what it should look like, we think of a "Juniper Procumbens Nana." It is very hardy, long-lived, and tolerates many adverse conditions. This is an excellent tree for the beginner."

Artificial Flowering Golden Shower Bonsai Tree - $59.95

According to the site "The flowers and branches of this artificial Golden Shower tree are created from luna clay, making them very flexible and, therefore, can be adjusted to your personal preferences or left as shown in the image. The hand-painted flowers are so life-like that people will want to touch them to see if they are real. This tree will retain its beauty for many, many years to come and can be cleaned with a dampened cloth."

Monteray - Double Trunk Preserved Bonsai Tree - $89.95

According to the site "Neither plastic nor silk, this real live bonsai tree that was carefully crafted and preserved to protect its natural fragrance, color and texture indefinitely. No watering, trimming or maintenance is required."

I wonder how they do that.

Indoor Bonsai Trees also has a wide selection of trees and offer a do it yourself Bonsai starter kit.

American Bonsai Society is a site full of good resources.

Bonsai Gardener is a site with a collection of articles pertaining to everything Bonsai.

Other posts in the series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards

Twelve Great Gardening Gifts: Day Three, Give-A-Tree Card

2008-12-12T06:00:00.003-05:00

For Day Three of the Twelve Great Gardening Gifts, I go back to the mailbox for inspiration. We received a envelope from The Arbor Day Foundation with the following thank you gifts if you become a member: 2 Give-A-Tree Cards, A Rain Forest Rescue Calendar, and The Tree Book. All for the basic $10 membership. And who can forget the free address labels, I love those.

What intrigued me though, were the Give-A-Tree Cards. So off I went to their website to investigate. Every card plants a tree in one of the National Forests in honor of the card recipient. What a great way to honor someone while helping reforest America. Due to the large numbers of recent fires, there is a great need to replant trees in our National Forests. And I know I don't have to tell you about the many species of wildlife that make the forests their home.

The cards are $5.95 each, quantities of 100 or more are $3.50 each. You can order at their website and get cards for various occasions besides Holiday cards. There are also Birthday cards, Just Because cards, Special Occasion cards, and more. If you normally buy cards at a card store, this is really not that much more. Of course, if you buy cards at the Dollar Store like me, it is quite a bit more. Regardless of the cost, it would certainly be a nice gesture to show your support of a good cause.

Another thought I just had was that this would be a great way for a company to do something green. A lot of businesses spend lots of money at the holidays (maybe not as much this year as most), but if they were going to spend the money anyway, why not have it do something for the Earth as well. The cards can also be custom printed and a logo included.

Be sure to check out the Arbor Day Foundation's website. Besides the Give-A-Tree Cards, they do have other gift ideas. The Earth could always use another tree.

Other posts in this series:
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Scented Jasmine

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Two, Jasmine

2008-12-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

For Day Two of my gift giving list, I will stay with White Flower Farm's catalog just a bit longer.

Every time I look through this catalog I stop at the Jasmine page. There is something about these exotic, delicate looking flowers that calls to me. Maybe it's the thought that I know I would love to have that scent lingering throughout the house. I think I may have once sent a jasmine as a gift. Is it wrong to give gifts that appeal so strongly to yourself? I guess not, as long as you believe it would also appeal to the recipient.

In the words of WFF's writer:
"Fragrance Beyond Description in the Dead of Winter"
"Jasminum polyanthum is a handsome, subtropical vine whose dark green leaves provide a perfect backdrop for its January display of elegant and exquisitely fragrant white flowers. This is the perfume of Arabian nights, a rich, sweet scent that will fill a house or lightly carry through a southern garden."

It goes on to say: " Jasmine is easily grown as a houseplant but will not tolerate dry heat or dry soil, and temperatures above 65 degrees F are to be avoided while the buds are developing. If plants are placed in a cool spot and enjoy bright, indirect light, we guarantee bloom."

They offer their jasmine in several different pot presentations ranging in price from $42 - $62.

Check back tomorrow for the next gift in the series Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts.

Other posts in this series:
Day One, Amaryllis

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day One, Amaryllis

2008-12-10T07:09:00.007-05:00

In amongst the truckloads of catalogs which are overloading my mailbox lately, I have found some inspiration for a garden blog post, actually twelve garden blog posts. These are not the coveted seed catalogs, eagerly awaited and carefully hoarded for later perusal on a winter's night, while dreaming of spring. I am talking about the catalogs from clothing companies, toy companies, tool companies, and over-priced gift companies. We get several every day and most of them go right into the recycling bag. I did keep a few out just to look and see what pretty things were available, not intending to buy, just out of curiosity. These were mostly garden related catalogs, by the way. I saw several nice things that I would love to have but would never buy for myself, which is when I thought of doing a series of posts highlighting twelve great gifts for the gardener in your life. Things that they probably wouldn't buy for themselves, but would love to have.

Today's selection brings us to the White Flower Farm's catalog. The one labeled Distinctive Holiday Gifts. Although not on the cover, the first several pages are filled with the gorgeous blooms of amaryllis. Now, I don't need any more amaryllis. I have a big planter in my basement right now, waiting to be brought out after Christmas to see if I can get my beauties to bloom again. But just because I don't NEED any more, doesn't mean I don't WANT any more. And I think I did buy most of my bulbs from White Flower Farms, so I can vouch for them.

There are several lovely varieties to choose from, I'll just highlight a few.

'Ice Queen': double blossoms of purest white, touched with yellow-green at their throats ($32-$62).

'Sumatra': narrow, orchid-like petals in color blends ranging from deep orange to coral ($30-$72).

'Red Nymph': enormous, scarlet, fully doubled, abundantly petaled blooms ($32-$75).

And my sentimental favorite, 'Sweet Lillian': a small flowered variety of cotton-candy pink marked with a white star ($29-$49).

There is even an option to send freshly cut amaryllis ($69-$99) if you would rather a bouquet over bulbs.

All photos from White Flower Farm.

Stay tuned over the next two weeks for the other 11 gifts that your gardener would love to get (well, at least that I would love to get!)

Zygocactus - A Big Bloomer

2008-12-04T07:50:00.004-05:00

While at this time of year there is not much going on in my outside garden, it is the time for the inside plants to shine and take center stage. So over the next several indoor months, this blog will just have to focus on the inside beauties with the occasional update to the outside.

In that spirit, I bring you pictures of my blooming Zygocactus. I hesitate to call it a Christmas Cactus because it does bloom at Thanksgiving for me, without fail, every year. There is also an Easter Cactus which obviously blooms in the Spring. The tag that came with my "Holiday" Cactus does not indicate a botanical name other than Zygocactus and gives the following information.

Features: Thick, succulent leaves and large flowers.

How to Grow: Indirect light. Moderately moist soil. Cool/moderate home temperature 60-70F (15-21C).

I give it exactly what is called for. It gets bright, indirect light, it is watered about once a week, and we keep the temperature in the mid-60's during the winter. I do turn it every so often so it gets even lighting all around. Every year we get great blooms as you can see for yourself. We keep this plant in an area where Lillian is not too often, which is good. She is very intrigued by the blooms and likes to touch them and pull on them, which will make them fall off.

I did read that it is fairly easy to propagate these from leaf cuttings. And although I have never done so, I may try it. They would make great holiday gifts in a year or two!

This is my entry in my blogging friend Fern's latest contest at Life on the Balcony. You can check out the contest by clicking the link to her site, but to give you the gist of it, you are to post a photo of your favorite, most beautiful indoor plant. Thanks Fern, for always sponsoring such interesting contests.

Veggie Garden Update ~ November 2008

2008-11-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

I am amazed that I actually have something to report about my veggie garden in NOVEMBER! Although, it is admittedly, a short report. For more veggie garden going's on check out Tina's blog, In The Garden where you will find links to other garden bloggers reporting on their veggies.

I finally got around to planting my Egyptian Walking Onions and my garlic on one of the nice days at the beginning of November. While looking for someplace to buy garlic bulbs (other than the grocery store), I came across Egyptian Walking Onions and they sounded so interesting, I had to try them. The description, according to the Burpee site, is as follows:

"Each bulb produces a clump of stalks atop which form bulblets of hardy scallion-size onions. Held high above the plants these “floating” onions offer an early harvest of very sweet scallions in the spring. When left until summer they become much hotter in flavor. You can eat either end, but usually you eat the bulbs from the ground and plant the top bulbs for more onions. If not harvested the top bulbs will fall over and replant themselves, thus beginning their “walk” across the garden. "

So I will let you know in the spring how they turn out and we will see if they walk across my garden.

This year I really branched out when it comes to garlic. In the past I just planted the cloves from whatever garlic I may have had laying around the kitchen, even though this is not what you are supposed to do. And sometimes I wouldn't plant any garlic but bulbs left in the ground from the year before would sprout and that would be my next years crop. But this year I thought I would order some bulbs of the proper type for my area.

I found Gourmet Garlic Gardens on the web and since they offered several different variety packs I chose them as my garlic supplier. They also have a great website with all sorts of garlic history and information about many different varieties. There are two main types of garlic, hardneck and softneck. Softneck varieties are what are most often found in grocery stores. They store a long time, have many smaller cloves, and should be able to grow pretty much anywhere. Hardneck varieties form a stalk (scape) which curls at the top. These generally have fewer but larger cloves and tend not to store as well. But they do grow best in cold/cool winter areas (like Pennsylvania).

I ordered a hardneck garlic sampler which would grow best in my area. You don't know ahead of time what varieties you will receive, it's based on what they have available, etc. I received 4 varieties, with two bulbs of each one except one which had three bulbs. The varieties I received were Carpathian (Rocambole), Purple Italian Rocambole, Slovenian Rocambole, and German Extra Hardy (Porcelain). Rocambole and Porcelain are two of the three distinct families of hardneck garlic. Purple stripe is the third but I did not receive any of those. Rocamboles should store for 5-6 months, while the Porcelains store 8-10 months. I'm really looking forward to trying these different varieties.

I ended up planting one bulb of each of the four I received. That should give me plenty of garlic next year. I plan on using the remaining bulbs now so I can get a taste of what to expect next year. I can't wait.

There's more than frost on these pumpkins!

2008-11-17T09:40:00.004-05:00

There is always something magical about the first snowfall. Everything looks so pure, so clean, so white, it's such a drastic change from the reds, then golds, then browns we have been used to as fall progresses. I think the only thing more magical is the first ice storm, transforming the world into a crystallized ice palace so beautiful it's hard to be annoyed at the inconvenience and danger it presents. But we have not been visited by the ice fairy yet, only the snow queen who is covering our garden with the first mantle of winter. This is hardly any amount of snow to be worried about, a dusting I would call it, but the little flakes continue to drift down making it the perfect day to stay inside and drink hot chocolate. Won't you enjoy a cup with me as I share some photos with you.

The poor Flowering Quince has been confused by the recent warmer weather and is now rethinking her decision to bloom.

The Coneflower seed head catches the snowflakes perfectly.

A miniature forest of Rosemary

My late blooming mums, laden down with snow. This made me think of snow covered swans.

While this is my first snow, garden bloggers around the world have already experienced their first taste of winter. To follow the snow trail check out Nancy at Soliloquy's Garden Blogger's First Snowfall feature.

Remember Our Veterans

2008-11-11T06:37:00.008-05:00

Photo by Ian Britton

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Remember to honor our veterans today.

To all that are reading this who are currently serving or who have served in the military, you have my heartfelt thanks.

In the United States, Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th, honoring all military veterans. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, marking the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. From 1919 - 1954 this day was known as Armistice Day in the United States, however in 1954 Congress passed an act changing Armistice to Veterans, in order to honor all veterans, not just World War I veterans. Information from Wikipedia.

Check out this Contest!

2008-11-08T16:09:00.002-05:00

Fern at Life on the Balcony is having another contest this month. It's super easy to enter, all you have to do is contribute to the conversation by commenting on one of her posts. You can find all the details, rules, etc. on her site by clicking RIGHT HERE!

She has great ideas for container gardening and small space gardening and is always finding cool stuff on the internet to share with us. Go check it out, you might be her next winner.

Busy Bees

2008-11-06T07:41:00.005-05:00

We have been enjoying some fine Indian Summer weather this week and it has allowed us to be busy, busy, busy outside. The leaves are almost all down now, so soon the raking will begin. But first, the deck must be cleaned and then coated with the sealer and it has been the perfect week to do it.

We are not the only busy ones outside. My late blooming mum (now pretty much the only flowers left) have attracted quite a bevy of bees the last few days. I have to keep a close eye on Lillian as she closely examines this plant every time she goes by it. She sees those bees and would like to grab them!

And look, isn't Lillian so helpful. Here she is trying to shake the leaves off the lilac.

And then she is ready to sweep up the leaves.

And finally, she was ready to set these seeds free as only a child can. Or maybe she is going to eat them.

Gourds Galore!

2008-11-03T08:45:00.006-05:00

One of the best fall decorative items can be grown in right in your own garden - gourds! From those big orange orbs we call pumpkins to the little warty, winged gems - they are all wonderful in my book. This year the deer decided that I wasn't going to have any homegrown gourds, well, almost. I did get a few little pumpkins and some white spaceship squashy things. These all went to the fall display, but a trip to the farmer's market would be necessary to "round" it out and to pick the perfect pumpkins for carving. I like going to the farmer's market for gourds and pumpkins anyway, they always have a great selection. Even Lillian was able to pick out the perfect pumpkin for her.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin!

The Fall Display seems to be missing something.

Oh, yes. A child - that's better.

Little White and Big Orange Pumpkins

Carving on Halloween's Eve

Friend or Foe ?!?

The Monster Mash

If you grew gourds in your garden for crafting (like birdhouse gourds), it's probably getting to be time to pick them. Be sure to leave some stem on and use sharp scissors or pruners so you get a nice clean cut. If you are going to dry them, make sure they have lots of good air circulation. It may take several months for them to dry. You will know they are ready when they are light and you can hear the seeds shake inside.

Leaves, Freeze, and Eye Pleasing

2008-10-30T09:08:00.006-04:00

I have been waiting patiently this year for our trees to be at their peak color in order to photograph them to share with you and as part of Dave's Garden Blogger's Fall Color Project.

Of course, you never know when peak is, until it is past. Add to that the fact that I don't think our trees are in top color form this year, I think due to the extremely dry conditions for the past several months, and you have me waiting and waiting for the event that is not coming. I have been taking pictures over a couple of days and have not thought them to be as stunning as in past years (the leaves OR the pictures).

I also took some pictures this morning after a very hard frost and maybe a few snowflakes ?!? The lighting has helped make the leaves seem on fire but they are falling fast now. You could just hear them crinkling against one another as they drift to the ground. The maple closest to the house, which is always last to turn and drop, is still holding tightly to her leaves, but the other maples are shedding them quickly, as if the last couple of cold days have convinced them it is time to call it quits for the year and go into winter mode NOW.

So, here are some photos from around our house taken within this past week. Enjoy!

Finally, this Mum just starting to bloom added a nice surprise to my brisk morning walk.

Meeting at a Crossroad

2008-10-24T06:00:00.001-04:00

As garden bloggers our paths cross every day on the internet superhighway. But it is not very often that our paths can cross on actual highways. I was very fortunate to be able to cross paths with two garden bloggers recently, Tina from In The Garden and TC, The Write Gardener.

This meeting was arranged because Tina was going to be traveling to Maine from Tennessee via Pennsylvania! Since she and her family, yes I got to meet Mr. Fix-it and her son Jimmy too, were going to be passing through Western Pennsylvania around dinner time, we made plans to meet at a Bob Evans not far from the highway. TC drove down and I drove over and wham-o, after fighting a bit of rush hour traffic, there were three garden bloggers face to face.

Here's the best picture I have from our meeting. That's TC, Tina, Me, and Lillian.

I was last to arrive to the party, with Lillian the days of getting out of the house quickly are gone. Then it was like Christmas as we all began to exchange little gifts. Tina made me one of her now famous stone markers and brought two gooseberry plants for me to plant in my garden. I will treasure these gifts and think of her each time I see them. TC brought us each a copy of "Tough Plants for Northern Gardens" by Felder Rushing. He wrote the forward for this book and was kind enough to inscribe it for each of us. This book is excellent and will be a good reference in the years to come. I brought some off shoots of my Century plant for both Tina and TC. Each went home with a tiny baby one and one that was a little larger. My original Century plant was a pass along plant from my great aunt and I am happy to continue it's legacy of giving.

The next order of business was the group photo. There were several taken with various configurations of garden bloggers and family. The parking lot had lovely trees filled with berries which made a great backdrop. Of course it was a feat to get everyone to stop chattering away in order to smile for the camera!

We eventually made our way into the restaurant and sat down for lively conversation on all subjects and a good meal to boot. The time just flew by and to tell you the truth I can just remember snippets of conversation, it all happened so quickly and there were often several conversations going at once. Of course there was plenty of garden talk and blog talk, but there were other topics as well. However, we couldn't keep Tina and her family too long because there were still many miles to be travelled that evening and more the next day. And Lillian was ready to be rambling about the restaurant and that is nothing but trouble.

One observation I would like to make about meeting fellow bloggers in person, is that it gives a voice to their blog that wasn't there before. When I read Tina's and TC's blogs now, it will be more personal, and I will hear their voices as I read the posts. Tina and TC, I am so glad we were able to meet and have even a short time to get to know each other a little better beyond the garden and the blog.

Veggie Garden Update ~ October 2008

2008-10-21T06:41:00.004-04:00

I had all the good intentions in the world to get this posted yesterday, to coincide with other veggie garden updates, such as those posted by Tina at In the Garden and Frances at Faire Garden. However, it was probably the last nice and relatively warm day we are going to have here in Western Pennsylvania for a while and much time was spent outside finishing up some tasks, some of which were necessary for this post, by the way. In fact, the rain has started and it is not to get out of the 50's degree wise here for the next several days. And yes, we have had our first frost and it did a great job at killing almost everything that was left in the garden. Although a few things close to the house did survive and there are still plants in the garage waiting transport to their winter homes in the basement. They won't have to wait long because the low of 27 degrees F tonight will force their journey today, rain or no rain.

So in my day of tidying up, first was to pull all the carrots and beets. Not that there were many and not that they were big. The deer had munched the tops so often this summer I was surprised to find anything grew. But there is a small amount which will be used quickly and enjoyed none the less. Lillian was very helpful with this task, as she loves to dig in the dirt, although she also likes just wandering about in the garden picking up bits of sticks and leaves.

The parsley did survive the frost and I will probably cut some of that today to bring inside. I don't know if it will survive the low we expect tonight and it looks so good right now.

Other things which were harvested a few days ago included the rest of the eggplants (this there were a lot of) and a few little peppers. I see some fried eggplant sandwiches and some eggplant parmesan in my future, yum.

On the inside, there is one lone kumquat ripening nicely. Not that one can do much with one kumquat other than gobble it up and wish there were more :) But wait, what is this growing in the kumquat pot, is that a pepper plant ? with a pepper on it ? The deer didn't find this one! Since you are probably wondering why there is a pepper growing with my citrus, let me explain. The kumquat came to us from my husband's parents when they returned home from Florida in April. Apparently the seed was in the dirt and grew and we just let it. We are going to be transplanting the kumquat soon and will split the pepper off and try to winter it inside and see if we get more peppers during the winter. Unlikely with our lack of good sun, but maybe it will be a good start for next year's crop.

So that is it for the harvest. Time was spent removing tomato cages, stakes, fences and posts meant to deter the deer which didn't work, and rototilling the gardens. Thoughts of next year are already bouncing around through our heads. For one thing, we will win the battle with the deer next year. I am tired of lousy yields after all my efforts. I have already bought Liquid Fence which is supposed to work. I haven't opened it yet but it is said to really stink. After it dries, humans can't smell it but the deer still can and they don't like it. I'll be letting you know how that works out for us.