Angela England's Blog
Posted by Angela England
Well the new year is arriving and I've barely survived the last year - but here I am gamely trying to create some "goals" for my garden.
My gardening New Year's resolutions include:
~ I will only buy healthy plants. No matter how much those discounted half-dead piles of wilty leaves need "rescuing".
~ I will finally decide on a theme for my front garden perennial border. That way I can actually begin planting the plants instead of drooling over all of them and never making an actual decision.
~ I will get my children more involved in the garden. This means more planting, weeding and cultivating - less mud pies and dirt throwing. Hmm....on second thought, mud pies are fun.
~ I will stay ahead of the weeds this year. I will. I promise.
~ I will put all my tools away as soon as I'm done with them. If I haven't lost them in the weeds that is. Either way they are out of sight though so that should count, right?
~ I will grow enough vegetables to preserve extras. And I will actually take the time to can them. Right after I'm done weeding.
All joking aside, it is helpful for me to take serious stock of what happened in the garden last year and what can be improved this year. The vegetable garden will be expanded and plant materials ordered from reputable plant companies that are known to send healthy plants.
What are some of your goals for the garden this year?
Posted by Angela England
My current poll asks the question, "What is your most common method for collecting new plants for your garden?"
Here are the poll choices and the totals so far from reader's who have responded - Scroll down to the bottom of the Plants and Bulbs main page to add your answer before December 31st!
- Mail Order - Do you purchase from Mail Order Catalogs and Companies? 25% say they do!
- Web-Only Companies - Like Sooner Plant Farm and other web-based nurseries without print catalogs? No answers yet.
- Neighbors and Garden Clubs - Sometimes trading seeds and divided plants is easiest. 12.50%
- Local Nurseries - Seeing the plants ahead of time allows you purchase healthy plants. 50% buy plants this way.
- Other - Do you get your plants by other means? Come to our plant discussion board and share with us! 12.50% chose this answer.
However you choose to select your plants make sure you are ordering from reputable companies, or select strong plants.
Posted by Angela England
A recent gardening company review was about David Austin Roses, Inc.
David Austin is the English rose breeder who is responsible for many of the lovely new roses we see today that are crosses between Old Garden Roses like Gallicas, Albas and Centifolias with the modern hybrid tea roses.
I have to admit, looking through the Handbook of Roses, 2008 was like a sugar-addict visiting a candy store. The beauty of the English Roses are simply delightful and I was pleased to see they had separated the English Roses into some new catagories according to form and breeding.
Here are the groups of English Roses as defined in the book by David Austin The English Roses -
- The Old Rose Hybrids - The original English Roses are a result of breeding Old Roses with Hybrid Teas and Floribundas and are close to Old Roses in character.
- The Leander Group - These English Roses retain a growth habit closer to the modern roses and tend to be a bit showier than the other groups.
- The English Musk Roses - These English Roses are closer related to Noisettes and Hybrid Musk Roses so they tend to have paler foliage, more delicate flowers and great disease resistance.
- The English Alba Hybrids - English Roses developed from Alba roses giving them the wild-rose daintiness, gentle nodding flowers and a lighter scent than other English Roses.
- The Climbing English Roses - Large, shrubby roses with stems that are more flexible than typical hybrid teas make these excellent roses for trellis, pagola, fences or other climbing situations.
Whatever your garden situation, if you want to try your hand at roses, David Austin's English Roses might be an excellent place to start.
Posted by Angela England
The Plants and Bulbs department has expanded and now includes a category for articles about Biennial Plants, Shrubs and a new Catalog and Garden Center section. Be sure to check out these new categories and keep your eye out for future articles in these Plants and Bulbs areas.
One of my favorite things about winter is how much fun I have spending imaginary money in my mail-order garden catalogs. I've decided to share that fun with you as I create several articles reviewing garden companies, their websites and their catalogs.
The first three are finished and I'd love your thoughts!
These three companies are all rated in the Top 30 at Daves Garden Watchdog site so they are companies that have proven they can be trusted. I hope you have as much fun planning your garden this winter as I do planning mine.
Posted by Angela England
It finally happened! I now am fully in the mood for Christmas and it happened because this week when I went to the store I was greeted by rows and rows of Poinsettias - cheerful in their bright red and green.
Every year poinsettia plants are one of the most popular holiday gifts. Who can resist the bright red bracts that look like huge Christmas flowers and contrast so nicely against the green foliage? Not I!
- Did you know this Mexican native plant was first brought to America by a US Ambassador in the early 1800's? That man's name was Poinsette giving us the name Poinsettia.
- Did you know that according to the United States Census Bureau over 75 million Poinsettias are sold around Christmas each year? Well, let's not let all 75 million of them go to waste once the holidays are over and the leaves begin to fade.
This year I'm making it my New Year's resolution to save the Poinsettias. Here's how to grow your christmas poinsettias year round to enjoy them for yourself again next year.
So enjoy your Christmas Poinsettias during their blooming season over the holiday months. You will be one in 75 million when you do.
Posted by Angela England
This week has brought a drastic change in the landscape around our home. Gnarled oaks are adorned in an earthy red-brown. Grand maples, tall and stately, are bejeweled in stunning gold or fiery red. Even the under story, full of honeysuckle, cotoneaster, hawthorn and dogwoods, are showing yellow, red and orange tones throughout. All this autumn color splashed against the evergreen pines so popular on the rolling hills of Southeast Oklahoma.
The weather is fantastic with chilly nights and “Indian Summer” afternoons perfect for horse back riding – or gardening. We've planted the last of this seasons Fall Planted Bulbs and mowed the grass for what will probably be the last cutting of the season.
We've also Prepared the Garden for Winter and are beginning to notice the beauty that comes with the stunning simplicity of the winter landscape.
I remember last year when I was a brand new writer for the Plants and Bulbs department at Suite101 and thinking, “This is the middle of winter – what can I possibly write about?” Yet once I began writing and really observing the beauty of the winter garden there was much to be found!
Here are a few highlights of the beauty to be found in the winter garden:
Posted by Angela England
This past week my husband and I spent quite a bit of time outdoors tending to last minute garden and landscape needs. With very cold evenings in our area, we were taking advantage of the still-warm afternoons to finish our winter gardening tasks.
Our charming three-year-old was “helping us” of course, running around the backyard chasing the dogs and generally having active, toddler fun. Apparently he saw his father and I trimming back the brush and shrubs that were threatening to migrate from the neighbors backyard jungle into our lawn. At some point he decided to help us.
It slowly registered in my mommy-brain that I was no longer hearing him running about, but instead was hearing a steady: Whack! Whack! Whack! I looked and there was my son, also “trimming” shrubs and brush with a giant stick. I'm not sure how he was swinging it was powerfully as he was but the damage was evident. The bushes on his side of the yard were thoroughly pruned. In fact, I think they were sounding the retreat and promising to never cross over the fence line again!
That said, autumn and winter gardening tasks can be a family event. Over the course of the past few days we have pruned, moved containers, hauled compost, dug up weeds and laid down mulch. Who knew family work time could be so much fun!
Posted by Angela England
Sometimes the many species and cultivars available can make selecting a plant tricky. Do you need a dwarf form? Will the plant perform well in that hot, dry spot? If your Snapdragons bloom in yellow will they clash with the pink flowers on your Hydrangea bush?
Selecting plants for your garden or landscape can be difficult sometimes so I've collected all the plant profiles and gathered them up into one, ever-expanding plant encyclopedia.
Perhaps you, like me, don't see the plant profile you are looking for? Be sure to let me know if there is a particular plant you are looking for information about and I'll see about adding it.
Recently I began searching for some information about growing Cosmos flowers because I was planning some gardening lesson plans for my son and wanted some easy-to-grow plants. It was hard to track down the information I needed!
So, the most recent addition to Online Plant Encyclopedia is the Cosmos Plant Profile. This way I don't have to go far to find the information I need.
Posted by Angela England
I love gardening in the fall. Fall colors....crisp, cool mornings....the misty sunshine.....after the sweltering Oklahoma summers they are a welcome relief and my personally favorite time to garden. After writing the recent article about Creating Fall Containers I was inspired to make my own.
So I hit the local nursery and brought home a few new flowers to combine with some of the old plant elements to create a dramatic fall planter that looks great!
I purchased a pot of rust colored mums that were not quite in bloom yet (see this article about how to purchase healthy plants to see why I chose those over the ones already blooming away) and paired them up with some cheeky yellow pansies. To those I've added the two asparagus ferns from my first porch rail containers which have now outgrown their cocoa basket boxes to give some trailing form and create interest.
I think the final product is very beautiful and will look great next to my rustic water barrel feature and the straw scarecrow I plan to put out for Halloween.
Have you prepared your Fall Containers yet? Please stop by and share with us what you used in yours!
Posted by Angela England
At my house we've been planning for Halloween. Not only trying to measure wiggling children and, yes, energetic puppies - we are preparing our garden for Halloween "Trick-or-Treat!" greetings. There are two main things we did to help prepare for Halloween at our house.
- Easy Walking: This week my husband carefully mowed the grass smoothed and filled in a couple uneven places in that lawn making it safer for foot traffic. We also buried the stepping stones so the top surface is even with the ground making it easier for children feet to operate without any trips or falls.
- Plenty of Lighting: We installed four new solar powered garden lights along the walkway and porch area. Of course, with the potential for many little ones running around it is important to have plenty of good lighting at your house. Outdoor lighting is now available inpexpensively and is a wise investment for any type of garden party. We have not only our regular porch light by the front door, but two garden lamp posts by our trellis porch, and now the solar powered outdoor lights along the path. I might move them around the garden beds later, but for Halloween they will shine brightly for the children's safety!
Want more Halloween Ideas? You've come to the right place!
Enjoy!
Posted by Angela England
It is a common routine in our family. "We" go browsing through a garden center or nursery - at least that's what we tell people. In actuallity, while I skip with delight from row to row smelling, feeling and laughing; my husband stands nearby with the kids looking on in mild amusement. Or he cruises slowly down the aisles confidant in knowing I'll catch up to him on my next lap.
This particular occasion I brought back a gorgeous, hybrid tea rose with flaming red flowers. I talked about planting it hear the patio at the end of the steps. He leaned over, sniffed at the roses and then shook his head. "There's just something wrong about a rose that doesn't smell good" came his dismissal.
And in a lot of ways, he is right. A plant without some sort of scent seems almost incomplete.
As a result of his comment I've put together a series of articles for gardeners who feel, as my husband does, that flowers should "smell good". Fragrant annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, vines, and ground covers can all come together to create a complete and scent-filled garden that will not only look amazing, but "smell good" too.
Posted by Angela England
I have an easy philosophy when it comes to gardening and selecting plants. Three strikes and you're out! With two young children, and more recently two new puppies, time management is a necessity.
I've accidentally figured out a fool proof way to find out which plants are drought tolerant in my area.....don't water them for a week. With all the madness at my house I suddenly realized it had been almost a week since my garden plot had been watered and I went out with my husband one evening to give the plants a drink, and survey the damages. What stood the test and what faded away?
Plants that survived the drought:
~Asparagus Fern – Even in a container!
~Rosemary – Both the upright and trailing forms look great.
~ Knock-Out Roses – All three of them are still blooming.
~ Almost my kitchen herb collection which includes two varieties of Lavender, Thyme, Dill, and perennial Sage.
Plants that need more water than I gave them:
~ Tomatoes – They had stopped producing a couple weeks ago and so were rather neglected. We'll till them under soon.
~Stevia – A sweet herb for my tea garden that I'll keep on the porch (and in eyesight) from now on.
~ My Lilac bush - The only large shrub I lost, it was a rescue plant I picked up for only $1.50 late last spring.
In areas with very hot or humid summers it is often better to plant new plants in the fall months to give them a chance to get well established before they have to weather the heat and abuse of a Texas/Oklahoma summer!
Guess it's time to break out my catalogs and start planning!
Posted by Angela England
“Fyower! Mommy, Fyower! Leaves! Fyowers!” My two and a half year old son was yelling with delight at the beautifully colored plants and flowers that surrounded him as we entered the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory portion of the Myriad Gardens. I shared his awe as it seemed we had indeed entered a new world.
The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory houses two main ecosystem displays; the Tropical Rainforest Zone on the southern end and the Tropical Dry Zone on the northern end. The Tropical Rainforest, or Wet Zone is watered daily because the plants in this area are accustomed to lots of rainfall – some areas in the wild receive as much as eight feet of water a year. The Tropical Desert Zone is a little bit warmer, and much dryer with plants being watered only in certain parts of year.
Kendle Riley, Operations Manager has been part of the Myriad Gardens staff since 1983 and took us on a quick tour of the gardens sharing some of his favorite features. He shared how the positioning of the Crystal Bridge Conservatory allows the variance in ecosystems as well as one side of the hall to be planted with sun loving plants, and the other side with shade loving plants. We also enjoyed viewing the rainforest from up above the canopy line because of the walkway that runs the full length of the Conservatory and allows viewing from above. Rily said it's the only time, “Visitors get to view the tropics from above”.
The Myriad Gardens and Crystal Bridge Conservatory is financed in partnership with Oklahoma City, the Myriad Gardens Foundation, and of course, revenue from the over 1 million visitors that tour the gardens each year. There are also school education programs geared for 2nd-6th graders that teaches rainforest conservation as well as adult education programs and special events. Riley also shared that visitors can even rent the facility for reunions, receptions or weddings.
Whether you want a tropical wedding setting, or just a fun family outing, the Myriad Botanical Gardens would be a great vacation spot to consider visiting.
Posted by Angela England
A recent blog described planting a strawberry jar with my son. But a strawberry jar doesn't have to be planted with strawberry plants alone. Here are five different ideas for non-strawberry strawberry jars! Each combination describes plant choices for the various levels of the strawberry jar.
Salsa Strawberry Jar: Homemade salsa is popular at our house and the only thing better than homemade would be home-grown!
Top Level – Patio Tomato
1 level – Basil Herb Plants
1 level – Cilantro Herb Plants
1 level – Chives or Onion Starts for Green Onions
Salad Strawberry Jar: Nothing beats a fresh salad right out of the garden and now it's easier than ever. In a small garden or porch area you can grow an entire salad!
Top Level – Patio Tomato
1 level – Nasturtiums
1 level – Lettuce Greens, Mixed
1 level – Arugula or Mescula Mixed Greens
Potpourri Strawberry Jar: Fragrant and aromatic plants that can be dried to create homemade potpourri blends.
Top Level – Scented Geranium
1 level – Chocolate or Scented Mint
1 level – Lavender
1 level – Rosemary
Succulent or Desert Strawberry Jar: A Xeric gardener's strawberry jar with succulent and drought tolerant plants.
Top Level – Snowball Cacti
1 level – Pachycereus pringlei
1 level – Sedum with compact growth like 'Angelina'
1 level – Hens and Chicks
Yellow Flowering Summer Strawberry Jar: The bright warmth of yellow flowers looks really good against the terra cotta color of most strawberry jars. Make it a jar of sunshine for your porch or patio.
Top Level – Dwarf Coneflower or Coreopsis
1 level – Trailing Lantana with yellow blooms
1 level – Marigolds in yellow
1 level – Yellow miniature roses
Posted by Angela England
Th Peace Rose is a Modern Hybrid Tea and the Yellow Lady Banks Rose is an Old Garden Rose. Both are yellow roses that are popular in todays gardens for a variety of good uses.
Peace Rose (Rosa 'Peace) – One of the most widely grown hybrid tea roses of all time, the Peace rose was red in 1935 but not released for sale in the US until 1945 because of the war. The Peace rose has pale yellow flowers with pink edged petals that are lightly fragrant. Peace roses make excellent cut flower plants and will repeat bloom from early summer through fall. One of the more disease resistant hybrid tea roses, Peace is prone to attack by Japanese beetles which can be pulled off by hand and drowned in a cup of water. Peace roses are hardy in zones 3-10 (with winter protection, hardy to zone 4 without) and will grow 5-6' tall. Full sun is preferred for Peace to bloom to it's full potential and the rose plant should be pruned only in the fall right before winter dormancy begins.
Yellow Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae 'Lutea') – Named for the wife of it's creator, John Banks, the Lady Banks Rose was introduced in 1824 and because it was grown in the garden of an Empress it soon became a popular rambling rose. Rambling roses like the yellow Lady Banks rose can grow to a huge size and are suitable as climbers up a wall, for large hedges against fence rows, or for sprawling down steep hillsides to control erosion. Hardy in zones 3-10 the Lady Banks rose is mildly fragrant and nearly thornless. Provide Yellow Lady Banks with full sun and well-drained soil of any kind and it is capable of growing up to 20' in a single year. Because the Lady Banks rose blooms on old wood you should prune only the canes that have finished blooming immediately upon completion of the bloom cycle finishes in summer. The new summer canes will grow 10-20' and produce huge clusters of bright golden-yellow roses the following year late spring through midsummer. While individual flowers are tiny, only about an inch across, the yellow roses are produced in large clusters that create a dramatic showing each spring along fence rows and hillsides.
Posted by Angela England
The garden writers at Suite101 have written many articles to help you create interest and landscape difficult garden areas. Here are a few plant suggestions for tough garden situations.
Plants for Small Garden Spaces - It's hard to feel like you have a lot of choices when your garden space is limited. Here are some articles with suggestions for small space gardening.
- Miniature Bulbs for Small Spaces - A list of miniature bulbs that are perfect for tucking into small garden areas to create a big spot of color.
- Plants for Dramatic Containers - Tips for creating dramatic container combinations which can be a great way to garden in limited space situations.
Tough Climate Situations - Whether you have windy, drought or rainy garden areas there are plants perfectly suited to thrive in your difficult garden area.
- Perennial Plants for Cold Climates - See a list of wonderful perennial plants that are all hardy through zones 3 or 4.
- Perennials for Moist Soil - A long and comprehensive list of perennials that will tolerate moist soil conditions - great for those boggy garden spots where other plants would rot.
- Evergreen Trees for the Desert - Some drought-tolerant information to provide evergreen color in low-water garden situations.
- Windy Area Plants - Some plants can't tolerate constant high wind, but other perennial plants hold up to windy conditions well. See what plants will work well in your area.
Shady Garden Spots - Oftentimes gardeners feel frustrated with shaded garden areas becuase they feel their choices are limited. These articles will show you what wide possibilities exist for shade gardening.
- Flowering Plants for Shade - Just becuase you have a shady spot doesn't mean you can't enjoy the beauty of flowers.
- Perennial Plants for Dry Shade - Some shady spots are in dry areas where tree roots compete for moisture, or roof overhangs keep rain off the ground. What plants work in dry shade?
Have a tricky garden situation you would like to see a future article about? Feel free to contact me and make a suggetsion!
Posted by Angela England
Low maintenance, heat tolerance, shade tolerance and a wide variety of flower shape and color make the daylily a good choice plant for many different garden situations.
Daylilies get their unique common name because each individual flower lasts for only one day, although the flower show can continue for 4-12 weeks depending on the cultivar.
Hardy in zones 3-9 (check specific cultivar information) daylilies are perennial plants that do best in full sun but can tolerate part shade. The grass-like foliage of the is glossy green, lends a vertical accent to the garden and is evergreen or semi-evergreen.
It is the beautiful daylily flower that gets the most attention however, and rightfully so. From skinny, twisted petals called “spider form” to wide, ruffled “tetraploid” form daylily flowers come in a variety of shapes and styles.
The flowers of this perennial plant also come in a variety of colors as well! My personal favorites are bi-colored daylilies with petals in one color and contrasting color in the throat of the flower. There are daylilies with one solid coloration, three colors blended together, or stamens (the part of the flower that holds the pollen) that are a contrasting color as well. The possibilities are nearly endless and as a result many amateur flower hybridizers experiment with breeding daylilies.
Whether your goal is to add some easy, bright color to a tough garden spot, or you want to try your hand at more advanced gardening techniques like hybridizing, the summer blooming daylily might be just the plant for you!
Posted by Angela England
In my area summer is here in full force, a lesson I learned the hard way when a recent three day trip resulted in the loss of some of my container plants. The predicted rain did not arrive so three days in 90+ degrees spelled the end of several of the plants in my containers.
How often should plants be watered? How can we water more efficiently so we aren't needlessly wasteful of natural resources?
Generally speaking, most plants should be watered when the soil surface is dry, but before the plant begins to wilt. More frequent waterings will be needed in summer months, times of low humidity, and on windy days. Less frequent waterings will be needed in winter months, times of high humidity, and on still days.
You'll also want to try to do most of your watering in the morning becuase the lower temperatures mean less evaporation waste and the foliage will have time to dry before night sets in. If you have to water your plants at night take care not to wet the leaves, which can encourage fungus growth.
Since so much of the water usage in the average home goes towards landscaping and gardening needs it would be wise to learn to water more efficiently. Often rainwater can be collected and saved for watering containers and pots. Large mixed borders are often most effectively watered with a soaker hose or other irrigation system that waters at the soil level, cutting back on evaporated water loss.
Remember when watering your plants that clay soil absorbs water much more slowly than sandy soil so you'll need to apply the water slowly over a longer period of time to prevent run-off waste. Sandy soil, however, won't hold water as long and will need to be watered more often. Adding organic matter like mulch to your soil will improve the soil quality.
Plants absorb water from the root zone which extends beyond the bulk of the plant you see above the ground. Be sure not to water just under the leaves and branches, but extend the watering to the ground around the plant as well.
A final word on water wisdom. If you haven't yet applied mulch around your plants, this is the time to do so. Soil temperatures are warm now and 3 inches of mulch will help conserve water, extend the time between waterings, cut back on weeds (which steal water and nutrients from your plants) and cut back on evaporation loss.
Posted by Angela England
This summer is bringing many changes in my life as I'll begin working part-time as a massage therapist with a friend from church who owns a hair salon.
Since I am in charge of plants and landscaping so the first order of business was to create some interesting containers that would require very little maintenance but still have a high visual impact.
Using what I've been learning about how to create dramatic containers through careful plant selection, I chose three different plants to mix and match in my new containers.
Here's what I chose to use and why:
- Blue Rug Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii'): This lovely conifer will cascade down over the front edge of the container and also has attractive, needle like foliage.
- Helene Von Stein Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina 'Helene Von Stein'): Broad foliage and fuzzy, silver leaves provide instant contrast to the juniper in front.
- Red Dwarf Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis) : Upright growth habit and large blossoms serve to make this plant a real focal point in the container while still contrasting with the other plants.
The black pot I chose to plant them in helps bring the attention back to the plants and by using the conifer for a weeping plant in front and large, vibrant blooms as a focal point the entire container has a slightly Japanese/Eastern feel to it which is carried over into the decor of the massage room I'm working on.
All of the plants are moderately drought tolerant and don't require any other maintenance which means this beautiful container should be a show-stopper all through the growing season. I'll deadhead the hibiscus once it starts blooming, and pluck any yellowing leaves off the lamb's ear and other than that the container should provide plenty of color for months to come.
See photos of the new containers for ideas on how the foliage texture and color contrasts so nicely!
I'd also love to hear about container combinations that have worked well for you! Please stop by the discussions and share your thoughts with us!
Posted by Angela England
I recently purchased two shrub roses, the Double Knock-Out Rose and Pink Knock Out Rose. We planted two of the medium red flowered Double Knock-Outs and one of the Pink Knock Outs on the side of our driveway just in front of the fence between our yard and our neighbor’s yard. The goal was to create a natural barrier between their nippy-snappy little dogs and my two year old son. What I got, however, was more than just that.
My Knock-Out roses have been blooming since two days after our late freeze had me out covering and protecting them. It has been a non-stop show, which is impressive considering these roses are newly transplanted and I’ve cut many flowers for my indoor vases. In fact, I have three beautiful red roses in a vase beside the computer right now.
To have the longest lasting cut flowers pick the roses when they are about halfway opened as they will continue to open even after they are in the vase. Make sure to remove any foliage that would be below the water line to prevent them from rotting in the water.
When cutting roses for indoor flower arrangements it is good to lightly smash the semi-woody end of the stem so that the water from the vase can be absorbed more easily or cut it at a steep angle - just over 45 degrees. If the stem end is quite woody consider cutting a slit about an inch long up from the end of the stem to help with water absorption.
My blooms last about a week sitting here next to the computer. They brighten the entire room and make me smile when I see them. And with my Knock-Out rose bushes still flowering away like mad I am sure I’ll have many more cut flowers to replace them with once I’ve added these spent rose blooms to my compost pile.
Posted by Angela England
My son is nearly two and a half now and finding tasks he can do in the garden without doing damage can sometimes be a challenge. See the great "Seed Mishap of 2007" for details on that front.
But when I found an old-fashioned strawberry jar at Wal-Mart I knew this was something we could do together. So on impulse I picked it up along with a nine of the $.88 cent strawberry plants and two herbs as well.
Once home it was simple enough to put the strawberry jar together. First we filled the jar with potting soil level with bottom of the first balcony openings and then I showed my son how to remove the strawberry plants which came out of their pots easily. He could get them in the holes almost completely by himself and of course scooping in more soil to the level of the next highest openings was great fun!
We continued adding soil and plants until all the side openings were full. At the top of the jar I planted the herb plants: sweet basil and sweet marjoram just I would in any regular container. Packed in the last of the soil and we were set!
Then, I let my son water the entire thing with the waterwand slowly (I kinked the hose). I knew, even if he didn't, that watering the strawberry jar too quickly might cause the water to run out of the top level of side openings without seeping down to water the lowest plants. The key to watering strawberry jars is to water often (terra cotta pots can dry out quickly) and water slowly.
The jar is now sitting on a block next to my perennial vegetable bed where it can get plenty of sunshine and I turn the jar every other day to make sure all the plants get enough sun exposure. Already the strawberry plants are growing nicely and beginning to put out delicate looking white flowers that bode well for a future strawberry crop! You can see pictures on my personal Gardening Blog.
Strawberry jars are quick and easy ways to plant a large number of plants, even in a small space. And to have a large amount of fun, even with small kids.
What are you waiting for?
Posted by Angela England
In my garden we had not only planted new rose plants, grape vines and raspberry bushes but many tender annuals had already been set into the vegetable beds. Then the "blackberry spell" - unexpected cold weather that came seemingly from no where after such a mild and temperate spring.
A quick phone call to the county extension office and a discussion about protecting plants from the elements uncovered some helpful tips.
A bedsheet or mattress cover will give about 5 degrees of protection and is a quick, easy way to protect shrubs or large beds from a mild drop in temperature. Especially if the plants are cold hardy already and may just need a little extra protection from the cold weather becuase of being newly transplanted, as was the case with my rose bushes.
Straw packed around the plant, or soil loosely banked up around it, will give you closer to ten degree protection and is probably the best choice for tomatoes or other annual vegetables that may have been set out too soon. We used feed sacks to hold the straw in place and provide extra protection in case of freezing sleet and ice.
We actually used straw on everything because it was readily available, but my tomatoes and pepper plants got a double layer and then covered over for added protection from the cold Oklahoma winds we often have here.
A quick check to uncover everything for watering and sunlight this morning revealed all my plants are doing well and the rose bushes are even putting out new buds!
Posted by Angela England
As I've been delving into the tasty, I mean exciting, world of heirloom vegetables it is the unique and flavorful heirloom tomatoes that have caught my attention the most.
So many colors! So many sizes! How do I decide which heirloom tomatoes to cram into a 500 word article?
Sometimes just a clever name, the fact that it originated from a foreign country, or has an interesting backstory. Like "Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter" - a large beefsteak that sold so well the radiator repairman who first bred them was able to pay off his debts completely.
My Square Foot Garden vegetable plots are only so large this year and already I've added two containers, a strawberry jar and a vegetable trellis to make room for all I want to grow! I've managed to limit myself to "only" 6 different tomato plants this year, 4 of them heirloom varities. Yum! The others were impulse buys. Who could resist a cherry tomato called "Jelly Bean" tomatoes? Destined to become a favorite.
It seems that we always manage to make room for our favorites but it leaves me wondering what makes them a favorite?
A new contributing writer, Julia Williams has also added her voice of opinion on the topic with a list of her favorite heirloom tomatoes. And she does an excellent job explaining why they are her favorites.
What are your favorites? Share your voice with us!
Posted by Angela England
While planning a landscape design for several planters around the new church sanctuary I came across these lovely reblooming Azaleas; Encore Series Azaleas. They are offered in a wide range of colors as well!
Encore Azalea 'Autumn Empress' is a beautiful medium pink.
'Autumn Carnation' has ruffled, semi-double pink blooms.
'Autumn Chiffon' has light, blush-pink flowers with much darker accents in the center, streaking out towards the edges of the petals.
'Autumn Monarch' has dark orange-red flowers and is one of the selections we chose for the church planter.
'Autumn Angel' is the other selection we chose for the church and this Azalea has glistening white flowers.
All the Encore Series Azaleas will bloom a large flush of flowers in the spring as with any other azalea, but these will also have sporadic blooms throughout the summer with a second flush of blooms again in the fall. The joy of azalea flowers year round! What will they think of next?
Posted by Angela England
Last fall I posted about Planting Bulbs in a layered technique that involved combining three different types of bulbs in one planting.
Now the warm weather is beginning again and the bulbs have grown into large, beautiful blooms that turned out even better than I could have hoped. Here are the pictures I've posted on my garden blog for the world to see. You can see how lovely the daffodils, tulips and grape hyacinths all looked blooming together!
Four days after those pictures were taken the daffodil blooms are beginning to fade so I'll be cutting the flower stalks down completely now. The tulips are in full force and two dozen additional buds have opened and are fully in bloom now so should hide the dying daffodil foliage nicely.
One of the benefits of layering bulbs with successive bloom times is that the next wave of colorful blooms takes over just as the previous wave of blooms is fading. Couldn't ask for a more lovely side yard for such little time investment!
Posted by Angela England
When creating the Alba Rose Plant Profile I came across some fascinating cultural information about this classification of roses. Becuase alba roses were so popular during the Renaissance era they were often featured in paintings from that period of history. Here are a few examples.
Artists often included the Alba rose in paintings of the Madonna like this painting “Madonna in the Rosary” by Stefano Da Zevio painted around 1410. The painting details the alba roses forming a hedge fence around the edge of the painting. (Click on the painting itself to see an up close picture where the roses are visible.)
Shakespeare often mentioned roses in his plays and sonnets and probably the most famous mention of roses is from the play Romeo and Juliet (2.2.45-7) "What's in a name? that which we call a rose or his Sonnet 130 "I have seen roses damask'd, red and white; But no such roses see I in her cheeks..." In fact, it is Shakespeare who is first credited with the use of actual white and red roses to depict the warring factions of the two Houses during the "War of the Roses". By any other name would smell as sweet."
Roses have been cultivated and admired in gardens for so many centuries that their place in historic writings, paintings and other art forms is a long-standing tradition. What other mentions of roses throughout history have stood out to you? Use the comment button below to share your thoughts with us!
Posted by Angela England
Because asparagus and strawberry plants are perennial plants we wanted to provide them with a more permanent location so we created a perennial food plant raised bed. I double dug the area and turned everything over, working in some well-composted chicken manure as I went. Then we created the strawberry bed out of 2x4's and filled in the bed with topsoil we had purchased and turned the whole thing over again.
The strawberries I planted were two different types of everbearing strawberry plants: Quinault and Ozark. The asparagus I planted were also two different kinds: one-year Mary Washington Asparagus plants which will produce both male and female shoots, and two-year Jersey Knight Asparagus plants which will produce only male shoots and should also produce a few small shoots for harvest this year.
I was amazed how long the asparagus roots were! For a few of the two-year old plants I actually had my husband use the post hole digger to make sure the planting hole was deep enough to accomodate the full size of the Jersey Knight Asparagus plant roots.
I can't wait to harvest some of the tasty strawberries and tender asparagus shoots this year. And to know that next year there will be even more!
Posted by Angela England
Two new roses have been added to the garden this week. One is a lovely choice for a container and the other is a bright, cheerful climber that will add zest to a trellis, fence or archway.
The rose planted near the arched trellis by the gate is a 1999 All-America Rose Selection winner - 'Fourth of July'. Classified as a Large-Flowered Climber and red blend flowering rose, this climbing rose is expected to reach at least 8' tall. It will bear semi-double white and red striped blooms throughout the season. Another plus for this climbing rose is that the flowers are fragrant with a sweet-apple scent.
The rose bush that is planted in the large container is a small version of a "tree rose". It is grown on an upright rootstock so the flowering part of the rose plant is held at eye (and nose) level. Strong fragrance and beautiful mauve colored flowers are only a part of what this lovely rose plant has to offer. It is a Florabunda rose plant and is a repeat bloomer that will perform throughout the season. Right now, the new foliage is coming out in lovely purple and red tones. Grown as a 24" tall patio rose tree this container rose specimen will add a more formal air to the front Cottage Garden bed. With thyme planted around the bottom it will make a beautiful specimen planting.
Roses are a long-time favorite of gardeners and perform well in many situations. Climbing roses, and patio tree roses are just two of many hundred of ways to use roses in your garden. Join the discussion about roses and share how you plan to use them in your garden!
Posted by Angela England
As part of my continuing journey towards growing as a gardener the landscape design at our new house includes not only a large cottage-style flower and herb bed, but also a series of vegetable plots in the backyard. More about the vegetables later. My husband and I also decided to plant some fruit plants that are going to be a bit more of an investment to our self-sufficient living process as these grape vines and raspberry bushes won't bear fruit for two, maybe three years.
But as my husband says, if we don't plant them this year that will be just one more year to wait.
So out came the tape measure, the shovel, the posts and the wire. By the end of the day five grape vines and four raspberry bushes had been planted in the backyard behind the vegetable squares. I have to admit - I feel an immense feeling of pride when I look down the side yard and see the grape leaves beginning to appear on the plants.
This year while the grapes and raspberries are very young and don't take up much room I plan to plant so of my cucumbers, peas and pole beans between the grape plants. This will give me more time to prepare the vegetable beds properly for future planting.
Having a self-sufficient attitude in our gardening doesn't mean we have to go to extremes. For me, one step in the right direction is a huge accomplishment. Saving seed, trading plants, or including edible plants in your landscape are all steps you can take towards a more creative, and self-sustaining model of gardening.
It's also just a sign of how my gardening style has changed since I've had children and starting supporting a family on one income! How has your gardening style changed over the past few years?
Posted by Angela England
Using evergreen shrubs are one of the main ways to create winter interest in the garden. And if you are like me, by the time February rolls around you are nearly desperate for some color!
Broadleaf evergreen shrubs can help provide that by using plants that not only have green leaves, but also plants with variegated and colored foliage as well.
At our new house here in Oklahoma there is only one scraggly evergreen shrub stuck along the side yard where it is starving for light. It looks leggy, weak, and in desperate need of a good pruning. The lack of color is driving me almost crazy.
Hopefully by this time next year I will have a much better landscape design in place and winter interest will abound!
There are so many plants on my "wish list" it is hard to decide on a final plan. After all I have the entire house to landscape from scratch! Quite an undertaking.
What are your favorite evergreen plants in your garden?
Posted by Angela England
This year I decided to start some seeds indoors and I eagerly planted the first of the cool weather vegetables; broccoli, lettuce, mesclun, mustard and pansies.
The seeds were finally all peeking through the soil at last, even the stubborn pansy sprouts, when we had a big seed mishap. Named Evan.
After some repotting and replanting I made a new seed starting setup, homemade but effective and have been doing good ever since.
Today marked the first day of the hardening off process and I hope to have everything in the ground next week (if I can get the bed dug by then).
What has been the most challenging thing starting seeds indoors this year for you? Head over to the discussion forum and share your triumphs and trials with us.
Posted by Angela England
During my research for the Medieval Herb Garden Plants articles I came across this interesting rose tea recipe from Rose Magazine. It is actually translated from writings from the medieval era.
Translated: 5 teaspoons of rose petals are steeped in 4 cups of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes; then sweetened with honey and served warm.
I know roses and rose hips are a common part of many teas but I have to admit I have never been brave enough to grow my own tea componants yet. Perhaps this year, with my large vegetable garden going in, I may grow some chamomile, rose hips and other tea plants for my own personal use and enjoyment.
What plants have you grown for kitchen use? Do you grow your own tea, pottpourri or seasoning blends? Tell me about your personal tea blends!
Posted by Angela England
Researchers at that Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, and Lund University compared the cancer fighting abilities of strawberries grown five different ways, including organically grown strawberries. Certain extracts in the strawberry inhibit cancer cell proliferation. The difference in how much the cancer cells are inhibited can from how the strawberry was grown.
During this study extracts from the regularly grown strawberries inhibited the colon cancer cells by 49% and the breast cancer cells by 38%. However, extracts from strawberries grown organically inhibited the colon cancer cells by 60% and breast cancer cells by 53%. The organic group was also higher in Vitamin C and antioxidents.
As if the simple sweetness of fresh-picked strawberries from our own backyard plants weren't enough incentive to grow some.
More about the study can be found here
Posted by Angela England
I'm working through a series of articles about different garden designs and plants that would suit each design. I think this is all stemming from my own growing frustration at the cold, icy weather gripping Oklahoma yet again - preventing me from actually starting on this barren, blank slate that is my yard.
The possibilities are endless - a white picket fence enclosure for the front side yard, a rambling rose arbor, a viburnum for winter berries, azaleas for evergreen foliage and bright blooms, lavender and mint for pottpourri and cooking herbs, layered bulbs for spring color tucked in between everything else, and of course a large vegetable plot for the tomotoes and snap peas.
The ideas aren't the problem. It's the deciding that is the problem.
What have you decided on for your garden plans this year?
Check out these ideas for a Medieval Herb Garden, Cut Flower or Heirloom Cottage Garden design!
Posted by Angela England
This year I get to start a garden from scratch. The house my husband and I purchased used to be a rental home so there are no foundation plantings or flower beds at all. I'm so excited about the possibilities!
My personal gardens have always leaned towards a cottage garden feel becuase of the eclectic nature of what I plant. Perennial herbs, annual vegetables, bulbs, climbing vines and shrubs all together to create a pleasing and varied garden.
While the two part article I wrote about cottage garden plants specifically lists heirloom plants, the wonderful thing about a cottage garden is that there is always room to try a new cultivar or two (or ten). The only set design is to put in whatever you want! That's my favorite kind of plan.
Look for medievel herb garden plants, and romantic victorian garden plants in future articles.
Meanwhile, head over to the discussion board and tell us your gardening goals this season!
Posted by Angela England
I've been working hard to finish the series of articles about plants with weeping or pendulous growth habit and only have one left - cascading annuals. As some of you have read through the articles written so far it's been interesting to hear your thoughts and ideas for future articles as well as ones already published. I've had several suggestions to include petunias in my article about cascading annuals. What other ideas do you have of what has worked well in YOUR gardens and hanging baskets?
Join us in the discussion forum and share your ideas!
Posted by Angela England
The Perennial Plant Association has been selecting a Perennial Plant of the Year for over 15 years now and plants are selected by members vote. Each year member's cast a vote for their favorite and submit nominations for next year's vote.
This year's winner is a beautiful and fragrant plant with lots to offer a gardener; Nepeta 'Walker's Low'. This catmint has gray-green foliage with a nice scent to the leaves. The catmint also has a long bloom time when the plant is covered with blue flower spikes. It grows 30-36" tall and is hardy in zones 3-8.
Previous Perennial Plant of the Year winners include Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Firewitch' in 2006, Hellebores x hybrida in 2005 and Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' in 2004.
Posted by Angela England
I recently recieved an email memo stating that Seminis Inc. was purchasing the familiar W. Atlee Burpee seed company. It also said Seminis was owned by Monsanto and so Burpee would now be part of the Monsanto Corporation. It startled me; I hadn't read anything else about Burpee selling so I did some research to verify.
The second part of the memo was easy enough to verify. A press release on the Seminis website from 1-24-05 confirms that Monsanto did acquire Seminis for 1.4 billion dollars, however the rest of the memo circulating about was harder to find information for. I put a call in to Seminis Inc to find out the truth.
A spokeperson for Seminis, Mica Veihman spoke with me this morning and answered all my questions. Veihman said Seminis has "no intent to purchase Burpee" and this supposed email message was a complete rumor.
Burpee is a dealer of Seminis garden products which is probably how this rumor originated. They have been a customer of Seminis for over 20 years. Other familiar seed catalog companies that purchase from Seminis are Jung Seed, Johnny's Selected Seeds, and Park Seed. A full list of current distributors is available here.
According to the Burpee website the company is, "owned and operated by George Ball Jr. - a passionate plantsman and third generation seedsman".
Rumors can grow as rampant as weeds in the gardening community. Feel free to discuss here.