There a good article over at the New York Times about Piet Oudolf. The writer tours his Hummelo garden in winter and notes his love of the look of perennials that have died away - the shapes and forms of seedheads and dried foliage. . . .
I sell a lot of these. Are they perfect? No, but they are the best I have seen so far. The biggest problem with this pond vac or any of them is the time it takes to vacuum the bottom of the pond because of the depth of the pond. If you are vacuuming a pond a foot deep, you will have your maintenance done in no time. In order to make the shortest work of your vacuuming job in deeper ponds, keep the pond vac as close to the water as you can. The higher the vac is from the bottom of your pond, the more power it takes, so the slower it goes. . . .
reBlogged
to tools
Posted by Jan Goldfield Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2008-02-01, 18:07:17
This is a great online organization. I have found wonderful articles in here about water gardening around the world, informative articles about water lilies and such. Good place to cruise around on these cold winter days.
Try our gardening community Gardeners Gumbo to meet gardeners from around the world. Ask questions, get answers, or just gab.
The man who wants a garden fair,
Or small or very big,
With flowers growing here and there,
Must bend his back and dig.
The things are mighty few on earth
That wishes can attain.
Whate’er we...
reBlogged
to whimsy
on Feb 1, 2008, 1:42AM
Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to whimsy on 2008-02-01, 18:06:20
It has been so cold and dreary lately and Spring is like a distant memory. Our patience should be rewarded in just three or four weeks with scenes like the following (fingers crossed) -
reBlogged
to spring
Posted by Phillip Reblogged by Old Roses to spring on 2008-02-01, 18:05:58
Bring home some wonderful blooming flowers to enjoy around the house!
Look around the garden (if it isn't covered by snow) and be sure none of your perennials have been heaved out of the ground by frost. If they have, press them back down. . . .
I first read Dear Friend & Gardener, a collection of correspondence between Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto, several years ago. When the Garden Bloggers' Book Club chose it for their December-January selection, I was thrilled, both at the chance to reread it and because I thought that I would have a "head start" on this month's post, having already read the book once. As my garden has expanded, and as I grew more into my own kind of gardener (whatever kind that might be) I suppose it's only natural that my reactions to this book have changed as well.
reBlogged
to books
Posted by Blackswamp_Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2008-02-01, 18:05:11
Hello Everyone! This is Matt, Melinda’s husband, and I’ll be posting here for the next two weeks while Melinda is in the Dominican Republic. I’ve been reading along from the beginning, and I’m so excited about how this community has grown and how passionate everyone is about living different and better and more just lives. I’m really honored to be filling in for Melinda, and I hope to be an entertaining host while Melinda is away. . . .
reBlogged
to blogs
on Feb 1, 2008, 3:01AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-02-01, 18:04:26
Mulch plays as important a role in winter as it does in summer, as Marie Iannotti discusses in this article on winter mulch. Sometimes, Old Man Winter does the mulching...
reBlogged
to mulch
on Feb 1, 2008, 12:11AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to mulch on 2008-02-01, 18:02:49
One year ago today I started my blog, SWEET HOME AND GARDEN CHICAGO. At the time, I had no idea that I would meet so many people as crazy as I am about gardening . So many different personalities in the garden blogging world and each give fresh views on blogging and gardening . . . .
reBlogged
to blogs
Posted by Carolyn gail Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-02-01, 18:02:26
The garden sleeps under a blanket of snow The weather is cold and the winds do blow Bus as the days get longer And the sun grows stronger We dream of spring and warm days ahead Which helps push winter out of our head.
February is arriving with a major snow storm in Ontario. Depending on where you live in the province you can get up to 30 cm. of snow, ice, ice rain and ice pellets. This is the view from the back door early this morning just as the storm was starting. I'll try to get updated photos as the day goes on. . . .
Several winters ago it became quite evident that we had planted mostly deciduous shrubs because the yard looked bleak, brown and bare. We busily remedied the situation by planting many more evergreens, both broadleaf and conifers.
We also planted shrubs with colorful fruit, especially several deciduous winterberry hollies and Nandina.
The photos are of plants bearing fruit and berries for their color. I will post the various kinds of conifers we planted in a later blog.
reBlogged
to berries
Posted by Ki Reblogged by Old Roses to berries on 2008-02-01, 18:00:17
The light is definitely changing. I have to be quick now because in the middle of the afternoon the sun angles in the potting shed windows, arcs across the monitor screen and slides underneath my eyelids like it’s trying to poke me awake from my wintertime torporific stupor. Ground Hog’s Day has always been my favorite holiday because for me it marks spring within reach. . . .
reBlogged
to weather gardening
on Jan 31, 2008, 3:38PM
Posted by Kris Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening, weather on 2008-02-01, 17:59:42
To celebrate means to mark an occasion or moment in time in some significant way. Today I have reached my 300th post!
Listening to my own inner voice to create and share the sights that speak to my heart through photography, never did I imagine when I began blogging that I would be blessed in meeting kindred spirits, photographers, fellow gardeners, gifted artists, writers, crafters and decorators. . . .
reBlogged
to blogs whimsy
Posted by Naturegirl Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs, whimsy on 2008-02-01, 17:58:47
Well, I've never grown tomatoes before. I never really had a reason. I don't especially like tomatoes, especially raw. But, the thought of fresh tomatoes in my spaghetti sauce, to go along with the fresh oregano and fresh garlic, was a bit much in the tempation department. So, I ordered a plant. . . .
reBlogged
to tomatoes
Posted by millionbells Reblogged by Old Roses to tomatoes on 2008-02-01, 17:57:52
I am looking forward to the weekend, I hope to dig into my stack of catalogs and place a couple of orders. I always order from Bluestone Perennials and want to get that order placed this weekend so I get their early order discount.
bract (brăkt) A leaflike or scalelike plant part, usually small, sometimes showy or brightly colored, and located just below a flower, a flower stalk, or an inflorescence.
I believe this is a sharp shinned hawk...looking for a snack near my birdfeeder. Soon after I got this photo he took off after a finch over in the privets...I couldn't tell if he got him or not. The day care children have been learning to identify our usual feeder visitors and 5 year old Ian knew this was not one of them! He alerted us in time to grab the camera and binoculars.
reBlogged
to birds
Posted by Leslie Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2008-02-01, 07:01:41
Those green tinted root vegetables are carrots but they taste a little like what they look like -a variation on a Daikon. I've never had them before and I love them, not as sweet as a regular carrot. The beets were also really good and surprisingly not beet red when cooked - more like a turnip that had been dipped quickly in a red stain. The poatatoes and parsnip are on the menu for tomorrow.
They were all from the same vendor in Union Square - he also had burdock, horseradish, salsify, jerusalem artichokes, all piled up in box trays.
I enjoyed this month's Garden Design magazine (February 2008). The issue's main feature stories cover European gardens, including Piet Oudolf's famous Hummelo garden.
Oudolf has been a great influence in my own gardening, and we even have a bed that we used to call the Oudolf border. . . .
I was reading Layanee’s post about color combinations and it made me think about how a bit of planning now could make me a lot happier about my own color mixes comes summer. There are certain things I can’t do much about in the perennial beds, but containers are the perfect blank canvas for this sort of thing.
Last year I had red bedder nicotiana and strobilanthes (Persian Shield) in a couple containers: deep red and purple. That looked OK, and I might repeat it.
The other cool combo (temp-wise) I like is white and purple, as with these silvery white petunias and the blue ageratum, though they aren’t combined as they should be here. . . .
reBlogged
to plants
Posted by EAL Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-02-01, 07:00:45
1. Create a Garden Plan. Make a sketch of your garden. It doesn’t have to be perfect, you’re the only one who needs to decipher it. Go take a walk through your garden, and note where you have permanent garden plants and trees. Also shade your drawing where shade hits the ground from trees, shrubs, and building structures. Note any major terrain differences. . . .
reBlogged
to gardening
on Jan 31, 2008, 3:00AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-02-01, 07:00:14
All month we have been seeing posts about the stacks of seed catalogs that appear in gardeners' mailboxes. I love reading about people's excitement for seed catalogs.
Just for the record, here is my new 2008 seed catalog collection:
I'm curious, what effect do all of these catalogs have on gardeners decisions as to where to buy their seeds? So what better way to find out then to ask some gardeners? . . .
reBlogged
to catalogs
Posted by Marc Reblogged by Old Roses to catalogs on 2008-02-01, 06:59:46
There is more than one plant that I wish I had never introduced into our garden... the lamium from hell being a prime example. Bluebells, a native spring ephemeral, with their sweet, dusty blue and lavender flowers would hardly seem like a garden thug, but turn your back on them and they somehow sweetly end up taking over a flower bed. . . .
reBlogged
to wildflowers
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to wildflowers on 2008-02-01, 06:59:11
There will be a plethora of horticultural events to choose from over the next couple of months.
Here???s one that sounds great. Sorry for the late notice ??? but it looks like they???ll be able to take registration at the door. For more information, follow the link to the flyer or call the number provided below.
GARDENERS GALORE
Friday, February 1st, 2008
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Clackamas Community College, Gregory Forum
Event description found on the CCC horticulture program's website:
A litany of experts, gardening clubs, and organizations will be on hand to answer your questions and speakers will share the latest techniques and information. For information contact Loretta at 503-657-6958 ext. 2246. Fee: $7.00 (CRN 151691 HOR 009-02). Registration flyer here.
reBlogged
to shows
Posted by Darcy Reblogged by Old Roses to shows on 2008-02-01, 06:58:47
If you're up just before dawn tomorrow and if you have clear skies (here in Virginia, we won't), look to the southeast to see Venus and Jupiter very close together.
Skies were clear this morning and I couldn't help but notice brilliant Venus; then I saw she had a companion. I assumed it was too bright to be a star. A quick check on Stellarium told me it was Jupiter.
via Bliss on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
