As every gardener knows, a garden is never finished. Something always needs planted, transplanted, or replanted. My dream garden would be an herb garden in the center and the beds surrounding the herbs chock-full of perennial and annual flowers along with herbs. The profusion of flowers and herbs spilling into paths, scenting the garden, and pulling visitors into an enchanted of world of foral romance. My beds along the edge of the garden would be in the style of the English cottage garden.
After measuring and marking the complete garden, finally, my picket fence was installed, albeit little by little. Once we had one side and the two ends of the fence completed, we built the beds, added top soil, and began planting. The plan was to have two garden gates, one facing the direction of the house, the second facing the yard to the north. Acorn finials would top each post to add a finish to the picket fence.
I started planting at the west garden gate. I can’t remember exactly what I planted first, but one of the first things was a pink climbing David Austin rose. I wanted the rose to twine about the fence with pink roses peeking through the pickets. To the immediate side of the rose I planted fountain delphiniums in sky blue. I love the combination of clear pink and sky blue. Coming forward were hardy geraniums or crane’s bill, Johnson’s blue being one of my favorites. Lavender edged the path creating a fragrant walk each time an ankle brushed against the foliage. Russian sage, lamb’s ear, monarda in pink, yarrow, lady’s mantle, globe thistle, and baby’s breath were all in the long bed.
The bed starting on the other side of the garden entrance held day lilies in pale yellow and pink. Victorian salvia, annuals and more herbs.
The end facing south would eventually become home to an arbor with a seat, at least that was my hope. Space enough for the arbor was created in the center of the end by laying down black plastic and covering it with pea gravel. Either side of the future arbor became home to true lilies or lilium. Stargazers emitted so much fragrance that it became overpowering at times.
I fell in love with a luscious pink peony and a foxglove I read about in the book, Tasha Tudor’s Garden, but I didn’t find the name of the peony until I picked up the book, English Cottage Gardening for American Gardeners by Margaret Hensel. Once I found the name of the peony, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ I had to find someone who sold it. I called nurseries and asked around. Finally, I found it at a nursery in Hillsdale, Michigan, called Gleis. The strawberry foxglove I found at Greenfield Herbs in Shipshewana, Indiana, one of the best herb & flower shops ever. Unfortunately, the owner sold Greenfield Herbs and although I’ve not been there, from the online description, I gather it’s changed a great deal.
Fall plantings of tulips and daffodils presented color in early spring. I was always on the look out for pink tulips with my favorite being ‘angelique.’ I transplanted from other flowerbeds into the new one. Snowdrops, from a large cluster in an old flowerbed near the pasture, were transplanted to the new garden. Digging and separating iris, daffodils, and other perennials cut down the cost of the garden.
Keep in mind that I usually purchased three of any one variety of plant in the same color to create a splash. Whether it’s a tall spire like a delphinium or a tiny violet, planting only one per color seldom creates much of a statement. Each variety of plant should not get lost in the riot of color, texture and pattern that is a cottage garden, but harmonize with each other displaying your personal gardening flair.
My dream garden was finally taking shape and I loved it. Next, came a fairy garden and that is a tale for another day.
Now get out there and make your garden dreams come true!
Cottage Garden Plants: Perennials
Roses
Peonies
Iris
Hemerocallis (Day lilies)
Lilium (True lilies - Asiatic, trumpet, Oriental, or species)
Hardy geraniums (crane’s bill)
Catmint
Monarda
Lavender
Lady’s Mantle
Lamb’s Ear
Balloon flower
Yarrow
Delphinium
Campanula
Dianthus (Cottage pinks)
Foxglove
Globe thistle
Showing posts with label gardener. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardener. Show all posts
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Bill & Judy’s Garden: Raising the Beds
Just the Basics Folks
There are gardens of all kinds, some folks bring in top soil and mix it with the existing soil. Some gardeners opt to create a garden in containers. Other green thumbers take the time to build raised beds and that’s exactly what Bill & Judy did. Starting from scratch gave them a wealth of choices, but they decided upon raised beds that were tall enough to decrease the time spent in back aching positions. How did they do it? Read on for the basics of building raised beds.
Why Raise Beds?
The obvious answer to this question is that there’s less bending over when it comes to planting, weeding, and harvesting. Bill made his beds high enough that he can sit on a garden buddy ( I don’t know the actual name so I made one up), a wheeled bench with a compartment under the seat for storing garden tools, and do garden chores. According to Bill, the only thing missing on the rolling gardening seat is a holder for beer and maybe larger wheels for smoother rolling down the path.
Beyond the creature comforts for gardeners, raised beds offer solid benefits to plants. Drainage is not a problem with raised beds. Rain and watering, when needed, leeches through the soil, without becoming super saturated causing plants to stand around with their feet in water, something that most plants do not like.
Heavy garden equipment and even footsteps compact the ground in a garden. Raised beds keep the soil aerated and friable providing necessary air around the roots of plants.
Square-inch gardening or getting the most for the allotted space is much easier to achieve in raised beds where soil, fertilizer, and mulching can be controlled.
It’s possible to double the output of your raised garden.
Raised gardens look great in the yard. A well-planned and executed raised bed garden adds structural appeal and organization.
Believe it or not, plants grown in a raised bed poke out of the garden quicker or earlier and last longer into fall. Plants surrounded by wood, stone, or whatever the chosen medium receive just enough warmth to extend the growing season.
Materials for Raised Beds
What you use to frame your raised beds is a matter of taste. Before you decide, take a look at your yard and the style of your home. Creating a seamless look that embodies your personal style will keep you happy for years to come.
Almost anything can be used to form the beds: cement blocks, brick, stone, old railroad ties and of course, wood. Stay away from chemically treated wood, especially in a vegetable or herb garden where the intended use of plants is for eating. Creosote drenched railroad ties are better left out of your yard.
The Design
Again, the design of the beds is up to you. Most beds are laid out in geometric shapes of squares, rectangles, and L-shapes. You decide the size of your bed by making it appropriate to your yard. Keep in mind that you’ll want to be able to reach to at least the middle of the bed to pluck that plump red tomato. The length and depth is up to you. Take into consideration that most plants need a root zone of 6 to 12 inches.
Now that you know the basic basics, we’ll be checking in on the progress of Bill & Judy and their garden.
Why Raise Beds?
The obvious answer to this question is that there’s less bending over when it comes to planting, weeding, and harvesting. Bill made his beds high enough that he can sit on a garden buddy ( I don’t know the actual name so I made one up), a wheeled bench with a compartment under the seat for storing garden tools, and do garden chores. According to Bill, the only thing missing on the rolling gardening seat is a holder for beer and maybe larger wheels for smoother rolling down the path.
Beyond the creature comforts for gardeners, raised beds offer solid benefits to plants. Drainage is not a problem with raised beds. Rain and watering, when needed, leeches through the soil, without becoming super saturated causing plants to stand around with their feet in water, something that most plants do not like.
Heavy garden equipment and even footsteps compact the ground in a garden. Raised beds keep the soil aerated and friable providing necessary air around the roots of plants.
Square-inch gardening or getting the most for the allotted space is much easier to achieve in raised beds where soil, fertilizer, and mulching can be controlled.
It’s possible to double the output of your raised garden.
Raised gardens look great in the yard. A well-planned and executed raised bed garden adds structural appeal and organization.
Believe it or not, plants grown in a raised bed poke out of the garden quicker or earlier and last longer into fall. Plants surrounded by wood, stone, or whatever the chosen medium receive just enough warmth to extend the growing season.
Materials for Raised Beds
What you use to frame your raised beds is a matter of taste. Before you decide, take a look at your yard and the style of your home. Creating a seamless look that embodies your personal style will keep you happy for years to come.
Almost anything can be used to form the beds: cement blocks, brick, stone, old railroad ties and of course, wood. Stay away from chemically treated wood, especially in a vegetable or herb garden where the intended use of plants is for eating. Creosote drenched railroad ties are better left out of your yard.
The Design
Again, the design of the beds is up to you. Most beds are laid out in geometric shapes of squares, rectangles, and L-shapes. You decide the size of your bed by making it appropriate to your yard. Keep in mind that you’ll want to be able to reach to at least the middle of the bed to pluck that plump red tomato. The length and depth is up to you. Take into consideration that most plants need a root zone of 6 to 12 inches.
Now that you know the basic basics, we’ll be checking in on the progress of Bill & Judy and their garden.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Hardening Gardening
Acclimating plants started indoors to the outdoors can mean the difference in success and failure. Think of plants as babies, nurtured and introduced to the wide world in small doses. The transition from greenhouse or indoors to Mother Nature and all her whims is called “hardening off.” Familiarize yourself with the steps for hardening off your plants and you won’t find tender seedlings withered from wind, burned from too much sun, or drowned in spring rains.
Ready!
When is a plant ready to be introduced to the garden? Read the information on seed packets. Seed packets provide a transplant date and depending on the maturity of the plant, you may want to begin hardening off about a week before that date. If your plants have not reached a sturdy stage with a strong stem and full leaves, wait a few more days.
Become a weather watcher. Do not attempt to harden off plants on cold spring days when the frost lies heavy on the grass. Wait until all threat of frost ends.
Set!
Gradually acquaint plants to the outdoors. Seedlings often die from transplant shock when not properly hardened off. Over a week’s time, set your plants out each day, lengthening the time spent outdoors until the need to bring them in no longer exists.
Day One
On the first day, wait until the sun warms the air. Set your plants outside in a shaded area or on a porch. Leave them out for 2-3 hours and then take them back into the greenhouse or garage.
Days Two, Three, and Four
Each of the next three days, place your plants outdoors in the morning sun. Around noon, place the plants under a shade tree for protection from the warming sun.
Days Five and Six
By now you’re plants should be able to withstand the afternoon sun and will no longer need to be placed in the shade.
Day Seven
On the seventh or eighth day, weather permitting, leave your plants out all night. The temperature should not fall below 50 degrees for optimal conditions.
During this time of transition, check plants daily for water needs and weather damage. Be prepared to run outside to gather the plants indoors if winter conditions should suddenly occur.
Go!
Once the plants you started indoors or purchased from a greenhouse are hardened off, transplant them. Choose a cloudy day for planting, watering each plant generously.
There are other methods for transitioning plants to the outdoors, but gradual hardening off is the technique I’ve always used with great success. Putting your plants in a wheelbarrow or wagon makes moving them in and out convenient.
“Your first job is to prepare the soil. The best tool for this is your neighbor’s tiller. If your neighbor does not own a garden tiller, suggest he buy one.” —Dave Barry
*Thank you CP for the title
Ready!
When is a plant ready to be introduced to the garden? Read the information on seed packets. Seed packets provide a transplant date and depending on the maturity of the plant, you may want to begin hardening off about a week before that date. If your plants have not reached a sturdy stage with a strong stem and full leaves, wait a few more days.
Become a weather watcher. Do not attempt to harden off plants on cold spring days when the frost lies heavy on the grass. Wait until all threat of frost ends.
Set!
Gradually acquaint plants to the outdoors. Seedlings often die from transplant shock when not properly hardened off. Over a week’s time, set your plants out each day, lengthening the time spent outdoors until the need to bring them in no longer exists.
Day One
On the first day, wait until the sun warms the air. Set your plants outside in a shaded area or on a porch. Leave them out for 2-3 hours and then take them back into the greenhouse or garage.
Days Two, Three, and Four
Each of the next three days, place your plants outdoors in the morning sun. Around noon, place the plants under a shade tree for protection from the warming sun.
Days Five and Six
By now you’re plants should be able to withstand the afternoon sun and will no longer need to be placed in the shade.
Day Seven
On the seventh or eighth day, weather permitting, leave your plants out all night. The temperature should not fall below 50 degrees for optimal conditions.
During this time of transition, check plants daily for water needs and weather damage. Be prepared to run outside to gather the plants indoors if winter conditions should suddenly occur.
Go!
Once the plants you started indoors or purchased from a greenhouse are hardened off, transplant them. Choose a cloudy day for planting, watering each plant generously.
There are other methods for transitioning plants to the outdoors, but gradual hardening off is the technique I’ve always used with great success. Putting your plants in a wheelbarrow or wagon makes moving them in and out convenient.
“Your first job is to prepare the soil. The best tool for this is your neighbor’s tiller. If your neighbor does not own a garden tiller, suggest he buy one.” —Dave Barry
*Thank you CP for the title
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Farmer JoAnn
A chill wind blew across the fields as I walked from my car and into the warm greenhouse on County Road G outside of Bryan, Ohio. Long tables of lush plants growing in pots, boxes and flats lined both sides of the shelter and paraded down the middle in vibrant colors. There’s something about a greenhouse that touches the senses of gardeners and gets the endorphins pumping with excitement.
JoAnn Beucler, busy at the other end of the greenhouse looked up and hurried to the front to greet my grandson, Redding and me. JoAnn, the owner of Farmer JoAnn greenhouses has been selling plants for 20 years. She started with a 50-foot greenhouse and has expanded her business to 375 feet, which includes a 50-foot shade house. JoAnn passionately shares growing tips, new varieties, and flower and foliage suggestions for hanging baskets and containers.
I talked to JoAnn about the tough economic times and her business, but her concern lay with the cold spring northwest Ohio has been experiencing. As I squeezed a thyme leaf between my fingers the scent escaped and filled my senses with the delicious aroma, I listened to her exuberant talk about tomatoes. The majority of her plant sales come from tomato and pepper plants. She currently carries 14 varieties of tomatoes in three sizes.
JoAnn and her son, Pete, start most of the plants from seeds, nurturing the seedlings until ready to sell. All the vegetable plants sold, started right there on the farm. Many of the annual plants available for purchase began as seeds inside her greenhouses. She carries between 50 and 75 different perennials, some she divided from existing plants on the farm.
Who could walk into the greenhouse and not look up? Over 300 hanging baskets grace the air space creating a riot of color. You can find beautiful mixed pots of flowers in six sizes, the largest one a large round 21 inches.
For foodies that love to cook, Farmer JoAnn offers an array of pepper varieties: Hungarian wax, jalapeno, habaneras, along with green and red bells, and some usnual ones just waiting to be grown and harvested for hot, spicy dishes. Popular culinary herbs like chives, sage, thyme, and rosemary offer home chefs a reason to start that herb garden or plant a few in a pot outside the kitchen door.
Farmer JoAnn offers so much for gardeners. Her expertise and knowledge is an added bonus that makes her plants that much more desirable. She’s keeping her prices low in order to compete, but don’t let the price fool you. Farmer JoAnn offers quality plants tended with passion and a genuine love of growing things. Now that’s something you won’t find at big box stores that sell plants.
JoAnn Beucler, busy at the other end of the greenhouse looked up and hurried to the front to greet my grandson, Redding and me. JoAnn, the owner of Farmer JoAnn greenhouses has been selling plants for 20 years. She started with a 50-foot greenhouse and has expanded her business to 375 feet, which includes a 50-foot shade house. JoAnn passionately shares growing tips, new varieties, and flower and foliage suggestions for hanging baskets and containers.
I talked to JoAnn about the tough economic times and her business, but her concern lay with the cold spring northwest Ohio has been experiencing. As I squeezed a thyme leaf between my fingers the scent escaped and filled my senses with the delicious aroma, I listened to her exuberant talk about tomatoes. The majority of her plant sales come from tomato and pepper plants. She currently carries 14 varieties of tomatoes in three sizes.
JoAnn and her son, Pete, start most of the plants from seeds, nurturing the seedlings until ready to sell. All the vegetable plants sold, started right there on the farm. Many of the annual plants available for purchase began as seeds inside her greenhouses. She carries between 50 and 75 different perennials, some she divided from existing plants on the farm.
Who could walk into the greenhouse and not look up? Over 300 hanging baskets grace the air space creating a riot of color. You can find beautiful mixed pots of flowers in six sizes, the largest one a large round 21 inches.
For foodies that love to cook, Farmer JoAnn offers an array of pepper varieties: Hungarian wax, jalapeno, habaneras, along with green and red bells, and some usnual ones just waiting to be grown and harvested for hot, spicy dishes. Popular culinary herbs like chives, sage, thyme, and rosemary offer home chefs a reason to start that herb garden or plant a few in a pot outside the kitchen door.
Farmer JoAnn offers so much for gardeners. Her expertise and knowledge is an added bonus that makes her plants that much more desirable. She’s keeping her prices low in order to compete, but don’t let the price fool you. Farmer JoAnn offers quality plants tended with passion and a genuine love of growing things. Now that’s something you won’t find at big box stores that sell plants.
You can find Farmer JoAnn 3.6 miles outside of Bryan at 13390 Country Road G off Ohio route 15
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