Well, I'm glad nothing died in the garden this morning; it's just Ravenel's stinkhorns opening up. A few weeks ago I talked about the dog stinkhorns which were bestowing their malevolent perfume on us at that time, but they are pikers when it comes to odiferousness; Ravenel's stinkhorn is bigger and definitely stinkier, with its white stalk and large, olive brown slime head. . . .
reBlogged
to fungi
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to fungi on 2007-09-23, 07:15:06
Have you been following along on my quest to renovate the foundation plantings on the east side of my house? Today I finally got to the fun part. I got to plant some shrubs, including this Beautyberry, Callicarpa dichotoma 'Issai'. It is supposed to only grow to three or four feet with a nice arching habit and have these purple berries on it until early winter. . . .
reBlogged
to shrubs
Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2007-09-23, 07:14:34
Plant names can drive you crazy, sometimes, and never more so than when we speak of the false cypress trees and shrubs. But all confusion over plant names aside, false...
reBlogged
to trees shrubs
on Sep 22, 2007, 3:02AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs, trees on 2007-09-23, 07:13:45
We're having out of town guests for the next several days, so I'll be scarce around here. If I get my Garden Bloggers' Book Club post written by the end of the month, I'll consider that an accomplishment.
reBlogged
to blogs
Posted by Entangled Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2007-09-23, 07:13:35
If we think about the tree as a design, it's
something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water,
provides a habitat for hundreds of species, accrues solar energy, makes complex
sugars and food, creates micro-climates, self-replicates. So, what would it be
like to design a building like a tree? What would it be like to design a city
like a forest? So what would a building be like if it were photosynthetic? What
if it took solar energy and converted it to productive and delightful use?
—William McDonough
The quote is from a documentary, The Next Industrial Revolution, focusing on the very articulate Mr. McDonough and his colleague Dr. Michael Braungart.
These two are working to reinvent the way we look at things like architecture from the ground up. . . .
reBlogged
to environment
on Sep 21, 2007, 9:32PM
Posted by Jenn Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2007-09-23, 07:13:09
On Sunday I went out to the front of the house with plans to drag the garden hose out and map out where the curved beds should be. I just couldn't do it! I spent a good 20 minutes strolling up and down the sidewalk in front of my house, staring at the grass, trying to tell myself that it's not a big deal to just move the hose around until something looks like where a flower bed should go. I don't have a creative bone in my body. Not only that, I'm scared to even try to be creative. . ..
reBlogged
to design
Posted by Gina Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2007-09-23, 07:11:55
Mmmmm.... I think I'll take 10 purple Saliva plants. Where should I plant purple Saliva? Does purple Saliva have a scent to it? Can purple Saliva tolerate drought? A garden can't have enough purple Saliva, don't you agree?
reBlogged
to salvia
on Sep 21, 2007, 10:07PM
Posted by Angela Reblogged by Old Roses to salvia on 2007-09-23, 07:11:12
Well, I was knocked out in the first round. Only a pretender and not a contender at all. Carol pointed out to me that Chigiy (Sept. 17th post) submitted the smallest tomato and I have to admit it is tiny, very tiny. Chigiy's currant tomato will be hard to beat. Ever since Carol at May Dreams Gardens threw down the challenge for the tiniest tomato, I've seen a lot of pretenders to the throne but I think I have a winner. Here it is with and without its stem. It's a 'Sweet 100' tomato. There was actually a smaller one but it had split its skin and was a bit shriveled so I thought it would be disqualified under the dessication rule. ;)
"Read um and weep!"
reBlogged
to tomatoes
Posted by Ki Reblogged by Old Roses to tomatoes on 2007-09-23, 07:10:33
It was hot, muggy and very windy today, it just finished raining, the temps are supposed to get into the 40s tonight, I sure hope so, I am ready for some cool fall weather. My hardy hibiscus are still going strong, the last thing to pop out of the ground in the spring and one of the last to quit blooming in the fall.
for the first day of Autumn. Our neighbor Catherine came by, angling to trade some grape harvest for some tomatoes-- but she was out of luck at our house. Our tomatoes this year--pardon me--sucked. The only ones that produced anything were the SuperGold cherry tomatoes, and that apparently is no accomplishment. I fear we may have some ... problem. Next year we'll try harder. Maybe in barrels. Great tomatoes are the one edible I'd really like to do well. But the last couple years, definitely not-so-good. Alas.
reBlogged
to fruit harvest
Posted by LisaBee Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit, harvest on 2007-09-23, 07:10:04
Chilly (almost) fall mornings have been so misty dewy lately that I get soaked to my shins just walking across the lawn. Can’t beat the quality of the light though and my morning ramble is worth every wet footed minute of the day!. . .
reBlogged
to weather
on Sep 21, 2007, 2:30PM
Posted by Kris Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-09-23, 07:09:52
Comfrey grows huge here in the Pacific Northwest, and I know of gardeners regularly cutting the big leaves back and using them for dressing the beds. They say it really boosts plant vitality and of course keeps down the weeds. I also know comfrey can be pretty toxic if ingested... causing liver damage among other things. Does anyone have any experience with using fresh comfrey leaf in this way? Is there potential for direct leaching of toxins? My first instinctual answer would be yes, and perhaps letting fresh cuts composte for a time before using would be wiser?
Experience or thoughts would be welcomed.
reBlogged
to comfrey
on Sep 21, 2007, 9:57AM
Posted by grasshopper
Reblogged by Old Roses to comfrey on 2007-09-23, 07:09:22
So summer ends this weekend. The frost warning earlier in the week has thankfully given way to overnight temps in the low 50s and every morning is thick with fog. The grain elevator at the farm behind us is going 24-7 and some mornings with the fog, it makes it sound as if it is in the backyard. Fog does funny things with sound. The farmer started taking the corn down last night, so our days of having a wind block are numbered. But I do like how the landscape opens up again. . . .
reBlogged
to autumn
Posted by meresy_g Reblogged by Old Roses to autumn on 2007-09-23, 07:08:47
'Tis the season to be finding many, many acorns sprinkled among the fall foliage and flowers, courtesy of the tall pin oak tree that dominates the front yard. A small collection makes a lovely seasonal "bouquet."
reBlogged
to harvest seeds
Posted by Beth Reblogged by Old Roses to harvest, seeds on 2007-09-23, 07:08:24
Just a quick quote today. Well I think it's a quote anyway. I heard Paul James the Gardener Guy say something along these lines once. Definitely paraphrasing here,
One shovel full of compost has more beneficial microbes in it, than there are people on the planet.
Just something to consider the next time you're using some of the blue stuff on your plants. How can NPK compare to a billions and billions of little guys doing their thing? And why is it blue anyway? Makes you wonder...
There's already lots of leaves in my yard and the weather report looks good so this should be a great composting weekend. . . .
reBlogged
to compost
Posted by Anthony Reblogged by Old Roses to compost on 2007-09-23, 07:07:59
Andy didn't have any homework yesterday and he needs to be kept in a routine so when he doesn't have any homework I make some up. So yesterday I decided he could help me plant the garlic - after all learning about gardening and how things grow falls in the area of science in my book. . . .
reBlogged
to garlic
Posted by Kathi Reblogged by Old Roses to garlic on 2007-09-23, 07:07:32
It looks ugly as I take the plate off the top - but actually the mold is a bigger contrast and easier to see with the red cabbage vs. the green. The cabbage was more of a purple color when I cut it up, it has fermented into a real pretty red. . . .
reBlogged
to recipes
Posted by Kathi Reblogged by Old Roses to recipes on 2007-09-23, 07:07:11
So it's the first day of fall, but where are you, Blessed Autumn? Sure, the sun goes down earlier now, and we had a touch of frost a week ago, but this long, hot, record dry summer* just won't quit. . . .
Our pool needed extensive repairs and so we decided to demolish instead. The crew is in the back with a very loud jack hammer as well as sledge hammers.
Our city has guidelines for pool demos. Three large holes are created in the bottom of the pool, the sides are demolished, but the shell of the pool can stay in the ground.
reBlogged
to ponds
on Sep 21, 2007, 4:46PM
Posted by earlysnowdrop Reblogged by Old Roses to ponds on 2007-09-23, 07:05:24
Following on from a very occasional series of posts about dodgy garden ornaments, this post from Little Red Boat, one of my favourite bloggers (who also just happens to be a very fine work colleague) made me laugh and laugh ... Having said that, I have to admit to have wavered for a microsecond (yes, that is a unit of time, honestly) over some rather winsome pottery hedgehogs. Ah, what motherhood does to one's brain doesn't bear thinking about.
reBlogged
to whimsy
on Sep 21, 2007, 3:58PM
Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to whimsy on 2007-09-23, 07:03:44
Last night, a three foot long prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis caligaster) was secreting itself along our front walkway, undoubtedly waiting for a hopping cheeseburger (toad) to come along. These are beautiful snakes, with smooth scales and a grey-tan background, with rich, dark brown blotches. Two linear blotches just behind the head, and one or two rows of smaller, roughly diamond-shaped blotches along the sides, make it pretty distinctive. . . .
reBlogged
to beneficials
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to beneficials on 2007-09-23, 07:03:14
Before I tell you about my field trip to the gardens at SUNY Farmingdale, I want to tell you a bit about the guest lecturer and tour guide the class had at its disposal for six wonderful hours yesterday.
Richard Iversen, Ph.D. is a celebrated professor of ornamental horticulture at SUNY Farmingdale. He was awarded the Excellence in Teaching award at the college in 2006, and spent many years in Barbados, lecturing at the University of the West Indies and serving as director of Andromeda Botanic Gardens there. When he returned to the states, he brought with him unparalleled expertise in tropical horticulture. . . .
It won't be long before many of us till the herb garden and turn to limp, yellow store-bought herbs for the off-season. But thanks to a futuristic innovation currently on the market, we can actually enjoy home-grown herbs -- veggies, even -- all winter long. And I don't mean leggy plants sitting on a window sill trying desparately to soak up whatever rays they can from the short daylight exposure they'll get. I'm talking about hydroponics. . .
reBlogged
to herbs
Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to herbs on 2007-09-23, 07:02:07
It is hoodie weather here in the mountains. We haven't seen a frost yet, but there are obvious signals of the seasonal change. Yellow jackets are frisky, hickory nuts bomb my Jeep's hood, and well, it is cold sometimes. . . .
reBlogged
to autumn
on Sep 21, 2007, 3:40PM
Posted by Marie Freeman Reblogged by Old Roses to autumn on 2007-09-23, 07:01:47
These are one of my favorites..just beautiful blooms this year. I love sitting in my backyard with my morning coffee, just drinking in all of this. . .
reBlogged
to flowers
on Sep 20, 2007, 8:08PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2007-09-23, 07:00:47
It was fun watching these two morning dove youngsters grow up. Their nest was just outside of our landscape design office window. The parents would. . .
reBlogged
to birds
on Sep 20, 2007, 8:01PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2007-09-23, 07:00:02
via Weeder's Garden on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
Before I tell you about my field trip to the gardens at SUNY Farmingdale, I want to tell you a bit about the guest lecturer and tour guide the class had at its disposal for six wonderful hours yesterday.
It won't be long before many of us till the herb garden and turn to limp, yellow store-bought herbs for the off-season. But thanks to a futuristic innovation currently on the market, we can actually enjoy home-grown herbs -- veggies, even -- all winter long. And I don't mean leggy plants sitting on a window sill trying desparately to soak up whatever rays they can from the short daylight exposure they'll get. I'm talking about hydroponics. . . 
