Fall Gardening Part 2 - Ornamentals

 

If HGTV has proven anything, it's that people like to live in beautiful places. Whether it's your front yard curb appeal or a backyard you like to hang out in, we all like to enjoy beauty. Gardening offers you the ability to spruce up your outdoor spaces, even after Labor Day. With some smart planning, you don't have to spend a fortune either. 

First, how you approach fall gardening has everything to do with where you live and when your frost date is. (For more info on that, click here.) Most of your plants are going to be toast when the weather hits 32 degrees for the first time. After that, your left with scare crows, straw bales, and pumpkins for decoration. Where I live, we get a frost sometime in mid-October so I plan on enjoying as much color as I can till that happens. 

Next, if you're looking for seasonal annuals to rejuvenate your flower beds, you're going to be in for as much disappointment as I experienced. After driving to four different garden centers, the selection of annual flowers was almost nil and what there was cost far more than I was willing to pay. Unfortunately, that means a lot of what I'm going to tell you will be for next years. 

Some great annuals to buy from seed, plant in the Spring and be patient with for fall color include (but are not limited to), late season sunflowers (some sunflowers are done already), China asters, celosia, marigolds and annual ornamental grasses. Some coleus comes in great fall colors too but be aware that the slightest nip of frost will destroy them forever. You can buy theses seeds for cheap and plant them in the spring. Then you'll have some great flowers in late Summer - mid Autumn. 

Sedum

Another great way to save money is to plan for the long run with perennials. Perennials are plants that will continue to come back year after year so you only have to buy them once. I like to sprinkle some fall blooming Perennials around so my borders have something blooming all the time. I'm not going to talk about Mums here because I'm giving them their own post later. Some of my favorite fall blooming flowers include sedum, trycirtus, and gaillardia. You can also have a beautiful wildflower meadow of goldenrod and asters. 

You can also think about the Autumn beauty of deciduous trees that turn color in fall or the appeal of ornamental bushes like beauty berry or burning bush. 

So, you can have a beautiful yard in fall, it just takes a bit of planning ahead instead of making impulse purchases in the store. What are your tricks to a great garden in fall? Please post below!

Enjoy Public Gardens

Asticu Gardens In Maine

Summer is, by far, the most popular time to travel. Coincidentally, it's also the best time to enjoy other people's gardens. What's better than enjoying the beauty of nature that you don't have to take care of? Perhaps in the hustle and bustle of summer travels to theme parks, beaches and sporting events you might have never thought to visit a public garden but few things are more relaxing! After a day or roller coasters and outdoor concerts, what better way to unwind than by strolling through a lovely natural setting and getting inspired? 

The Rose Garden at Hershey Gardens, PA

A few weeks ago we traveled to Mount Dessert Island in Maine and 2 highlights of the trip for me were the Wild Gardens of Acadia which showcased a lovely garden of native Maine plants in a forest setting and Asticou Gardens which highlighted Japanese garden design. Both were gorgeous, peaceful and very inexpensive.

If you're going out of town, or even having a nice stay--cation this year, make it a point to visit a new garden or two. In this age of technology, it only requires a quick google search to find them. Science has shown that time in nature is good for your physical, mental and emotional health. I have also found that it's a nice place to pray and feel closer to God. 

One regionally famous garden that I especially love is Longwood Gardens in south east Pennsylvania. They boast a huge conservatory, an authentic Italian water garden, Arboretum and so, so, so much more. Even children can enjoy this place as they have an indoor and outdoor children's garden. Seasonal displays ensure that it's worth visiting year round. No, thy don't pay me to blog about them, I just love the place. Unlike many public gardens, it is not inexpensive but it's worth it if you can get there.

Italian Water Gardens at Longwood Gardens

My daughter and I at Longwood Gardens

What public gardens do you like visiting? Please share about them in the comments below.

Review of the Dirt Doctor

Have you ever accidentally happened upon information that you needed at just the right time? A few weeks ago I had a blast at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA. One workshop I almost missed out on was "Tree Maintenance and Care" with Howard Garrett.  I almost didn't go (end of the day) but our only mature tree had been showing signs of distress and I was also planting several other trees and didn't really know what I was doing. This class really helped.

Please note, I don't get paid any thing from Mr. Garrett or his company nor did I get special permission to write about his methods. This is just my review of the class as well as how I've applied the information to my yard. Also, Mr. Garrett is also known as the "Dirt Doctor" and you can learn a lot from his website: www.dirtdoctor.com. 

Mr Garrett's main theory is that it is very difficult to plant a tree too shallow but it is very easy to plant a tree too deep. He says trees need to show a "flare", that is, you should see the root system starting to branch out away from the trunk. Trees should not look like telephone polls coming out of the ground he says. So, if you have a tree in need of help, here are his three steps.

1. Dig away from the tree till you can see the root flare. You may see some superfluous roots spiraling around the trunk and they should be removed. 
2. Aerate the soil and sprinkle soil amendments over it. He mentioned a few but the only one I remember is Corn Meal. I remembered that one because it was the cheapest. 
3. Make Garrett Juice and spray on the foliage. He generously gives out the recipe so you can make your own. It's an organic plant food. 

So, on my ornamental cherry, I dug out several inches of mulch and soil to expose several roots. I had to remove spiraling roots and then placed decorative rocks to fill in a bit of the hole created without touching them to the trunk or putting them over the roots. I could have made the Garrett Juice but it was so much cheaper to order the concentrate online so that's what I did. I sprayed it on many of the leaves and also created a ground soak to pour around the trunk. I've bought corn meal but haven't used it yet. I won't really know how well it works till next spring though.

How about you? Have you tried Mr. Garrett's advice? What advice do you have for tree care?

Love Gardening? Host a Party!

The only thing better than spending time enjoying a hobby you love is sharing that hobby with others. If you love gardening like I do, then why not host a garden party? Perhaps the first thing you think of are ladies in fancy dresses and hats (nothing wrong with that!) but you can have any garden themed party that suits your style. I recently hosted a garden party at my home and here are a few easy take aways from my event. Party planning is not my specialty so if I can do it, so can you!

1. Your gardens don't have to look perfect to host a garden party. We just moved here in July so my garden talk was all about beginnings and how to get started without breaking the bank. Ain't no shame in keeping it real.


2. Keep in mind how much space you have and tailor your list accordingly. We had 15 ladies (sorry guys, that's just how it went) and it felt like a good number for my first time doing it.



3. You have to have food of some kind. Plan out a realistic menu. We had a seasonal garden to table theme which I contributed to with spinach and onion quiche and my friends brought delicious lavender bread, strawberry and spinach salad, and rhubarb upside down cake. Which is another great idea - make your party more like a pot luck.

4. Create an idea sharing platform so the party can be educational as well. I decided to give a "garden talk" covering a wide variety of garden subjects that my friends were interested in. It was informal and open to comments and questions. You might decide to have topics for group discussion or just have everyone share their gardening projects for the year.

5. Have a back up plan in case it rains. The weather was incredibly threatening during my party but thankfully, it stayed clear. However, if I had to, we could have moved the party inside to our finished basement. Garden parties are much better outside but if it rains, you'll need have a back up plan.

Have you ever hosted a garden party? What was it like? Feel free to write about it below!

Cheap Ways To Attract Birds To Your Yard

In writing this post, I'm supposing that everyone already knows the benefits to having birds in your yard - they eat bugs, they're indicative of a healthy eco system and they're just so fun to watch. You don't need to be convinced to attract birds but you may wonder how to do it without breaking the bank. Recently, I stopped by a specialty store just on bird watching but it was so incredibly expensive that I didn't buy anything. Apparently, lots of rich people enjoy birds too. However, if you are not one of them, then this post is for you.

Feeding

Gold finches on cone flowers.

The first thing people think about to attract birds is to put a feeder out. However, you can spend lots of money on a feeder and then spend tons of money keeping it full. It may surprise you to know that I only have two small feeders in my yard with no intention of putting up more. A small suet cake feeder can cost you only a few bucks and I don't spend more than $1 per refill. Despite it's size, I've seen large and small woodpeckers on it as well as chickadee's, titmice, nuthatches and many more birds. The other feeder I have is a small humming bird feeder that cost only a few dollars and the refills I can make myself.

You can, of course, make your own bird feeder out of anything from a milk carton to wood, to whatever strikes your fancy. You can also grow your own bird food. Sunflowers grow readily from seed and perennials like thistle and cone flowers attract many birds with their seeds.

Water

Unless you are lucky to already have a water feature of some kind in your yard, then adding a bird bath is a great way to attract more birds. My big advice here is to wait for sales or clearance items. Don't buy anything cheap that will blow away in the next storm. I recently found a great bird bath for only $23 on clearance. Of course, it's a one time purchase that can attract birds for years to come. You'll want to put it out someplace near your hose to make is easy to keep filled.

Housing

Bird houses come in all shapes and sizes but a simple, sturdy bird house doesn't have to cost more than $10 and will last for years if you clean it out during the winter. Bird's don't need anything cutesy, just the right size and shape. Perhaps that's a great post for the future...

Plants

By far, the biggest thing you can do is install bird friendly plants. Almost any plant can provide great nesting spots, protection from predators and shelter from storms. Keep in mind that evergreens will provide cover for birds all year round. Some plants, like holly's and other bushes with berries will also provide food. What I love about these plants is that you buy them once and they live for a long time. If you focus on buying native plants, then you will increase the likelihood that they will succeed in your yard.

Avoid Pesticide

Ok, so this picture wasn't taken in our yard. Ha!

Any kind of pesticide or harsh chemicals put on your yard or garden will drive away any kind of wildlife. Your efforts to create an organic, natural environment will result in birds feeling comfortable in your yard.

So, that is my whole approach to attracting birds. Have you had success or failure in your attempts to watch birds at home? Feel free to post about it in the comments below.

Everything You Need to Know About Lilacs

A big thanks to my lovely mother in law, Cathy, for this weeks post. She sent me home yesterday with not just a big bouquet of cut lilacs but also with a section of her lilac bush to grow in my own yard. Lilacs are a sentimental and traditional flower grown in both my family and in my husbands family. The particular bush mentioned above was originally grown by my husbands great grandmother and now part of it will be enjoyed daily by my daughter as well.

Aside from sentimental reasons, lilac is a great bush to grow in your yard. The smell of fresh lilac flowers is absolutely to die for and even when the plant is done blooming for the year, it can still provide a nice privacy screen and habitat for wildlife.  As you can see, the blooms make a lovely cut bouquet in the house.

This plant is looking a little wilted because I had just
transplanted it. With time, it should do quite well here.

You can buy a lilac bush or get part of someone else's bush as I did. Spring and Fall are the best times to transplant a lilac bush. They prefer well drained soil in a sunny spot and may need some watering for a while after planting. However, once your bush is established, it will be very low maintenance. When established, I prefer to look the plant over towards the end of summer every year to prune out any dead branches but that's it.

If you're buying a new plant from a nursery, you may want to consider a "bloomerang" variety as they will re bloom again in the fall. One of my neighbors has a great specimen and it was quite surprising to notice it and enjoy the smell of fresh lilacs in October.

Do you grow lilacs in your yard? Do you have other sentimental flowers that you grow? Feel free to write about it in the comment section below.

An Update on Projects from Around the Homstead

Spring has brought on a lot of little projects here and has certainly spiffed up what were some real eye sores around the yard. Everyone loves some before and after pictures so here are a few for you. Keep in mind, with me projects are never completely done, they just improve slowly over time.

Our mailbox was such a problem. A rotted, hollow post falling into the street. We gave it a much better replacement.

Before

After

The front flower beds where an erroding mess of weeds when we first moved in. That spot has taken some serious work but it's getting better all the time. You can find more info on how to build the retaining wall here. 

Before

After

Finally, this past weekend I FINALLY got my perennial herb garden installed. Mostly. Still looking for a few plants but I got a lot of good ones including English thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano. In the after picture you'll notice it looks a bit empty but these perennial plants will grow to fill in the space. It's important to not crowd your plants. Decorative rocks can visually fill the space till the plants do so. You can learn more about growing herbs here.

Before

After

 So there's an update from our yard. What projects have you been up to? Feel free to post in the comments below.

The Pennsylvania Garden Show of York: A Review

By the end of February, most of us are pining for some sign of Spring. Consequently, the timing for the Pennsylvania Garden Show of York is fabulous as it occurs the first weekend of March. If it's a break from winter that you're looking for, then the garden show will not disappoint. Flowers and landscaping displays are everywhere and the over all ambiance is lovely. A very large room full of garden - themed vendors is my idea of shopping. Here are some of my favorite things from the show.

> We have really enjoyed the live music provided by Seasons Music. The musicians were very talented and friendly: even obliging my 2 year old daughter with a rendition of "The Wheels On The Bus".  www.seasonsmusic.com

>The landscape displays are lovely. It's very relaxing to meander through them and if you do have any questions about improving your own landscaping, the vendors are very willing to talk.

> The vendor room is fantastic. Flower arrangements take up an entire end of the room. The other tables are taken up by nurseries, home improvement companies, garden shops, local environmental groups and many artisans.

> Several area wineries have tasting tables set up. Need I say more?

> A large swing set takes up a corner and provides a place for young children to play.

If you go, I will say that you should definitely buy tickets online ahead of time as there is always a line to purchase them at the door and you'll get  a discounted rate that way. Also, the food available is nothing to get excited about. We always plan to go out for dinner afterward.

My interest in gardening has always been more about growing my own food then having pretty landscaping so it's not my ideal. (It's certainly nothing compared to the Mother Earth News Fair in the fall). However, given the time of year and the inexpensive tickets, I plan on going to the Pennsylvania Garden Show of York every year in the future. For more information, go to www.pagsy.com.