Prickly Survivor

I don't remember how it got there, but there is a low growing prickly cactus in my parent's yard outside Binghamton New York. Every summer it blossoms in yellow flowers, then takes the rest of the season to grow new sections. It survives the New York winters, nestled in its small micro climate along the south facing side of the house.

Last year, I received a few sections of the cactus, thinking they would be great for the new south-facing side yard garden where the platforms to the deck are now built. The plan is to create a small garden of succulents and cacti in a small micro climate, and maybe try some zone 7b and 8 plants (hey, with global warming and all...) This would be the charter member to join the yucca and agave already on the wish list.

With fall chores in the garden turning into indoor chores for the holidays, the cactus remained in its soil-less pot outside during most of the winter - no roots, collecting water and snow, freezing, thawing, and in a 'droopy deflated' appearance. In February, it was finally planted with little expectations.

This month, after settling into its new home, it is sending out lots of new growth along with three blossoms. It would be good to find out the name or variety of this cactus. I did see many similar types on my Grand Canyon hike four years ago, surviving the winters in the high desert, and growing along side some similar magenta-flowering types. If I can only find some of those to keep my yellow one company, the cactus garden will be off to a great start.

For The Record: • No fertilizer • Full sun • Somewhat heavy soil on a slope that drains Garden Calendar: • Blooming: salvia, corepsis, some hostas, alyssum, coneflowers, asian lilies,      loosetrife, daylilies, white nicotiana • Harvested: 1 broccoli head

Tale of Two Yards

Starting last fall, a tale of two lawns developed - the front yard and the back yard. The front lawn was relatively attractive, with some patches of coarse 'cowgrass', and a constant battle with crabgrass every summer. The rear yard had its overabundance of exploding bittercress, and some bare areas beneath the star magnolia due to heavy shade and lots of roots.

With the completion of the new cedar deck and an elimination of many overgrown photinia, fall was time to start the rehab of the rear yard. A soaking with Roundup was made to kill off the grass and weeds. After two weeks, I was left with amber waves of grain punctuated with healthy green garlic and weed clusters. The grass died but nothing else. A stronger application of Roundup finally accomplished the goal.

Next, a rototiller was borrowed and work began. They look so easy to use in the tv commercials, slicing through all that soft rich moist soil. After two weeks of clay soil and a third of the yard tilled, I realized the truth about rototillers. Additional work was going to be needed to smooth and refine the soil for my grass seed. The cavalry was called in.

A landscaping company shaved off the skin of dead lawn in the rear yard. I dug up the remaining garlic clumps. I spread manure-humus, gypsum, lime, and peat and planted the seed. I bought rolls of degradable woven grass starter mats to protect the seed planted, to keep it moist and to discourage weed germination. Another idea gone bad. They blew around like billowing sails every time the wind blew, which only happened when it was raining. Chasing these around the yard in the rain was not my idea of starting a new lawn. After stomping on the new seed to retrieve and reposition the starter mats, the seed germinated and winter set in. However, I am pleased with the results thus far even if there are lots of bare spots to fill in, and lots of weed seeds beginning along with the grass. Soon, it will be time to begin edging. It makes a great looking photo though, if taken from the upper bedroom.

While the landscapers were shaving the rear yard, a spur of the moment decision was made to also tackle the front yard, so sod was ordered. The sod was laid after the old lawn was shaved and rolled up. With virtually no work on my part since, the front lawn looks marvelous. That's it - no muss or fuss and no weeds. The front yard sod was affordable, being so much smaller than the back yard. Both were reduced in size from their former - the rear lawn is about 85% as large and will be smaller yet when edging around the perimeter beds is complete; the front about 95%.

For The Record:   • Organic fertilizer (Milorganite) and manure-humus in spring Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: poppies, salvia, corepsis, some hostas, alyssum

The Dead Zone

I call it the garden's dead zone: the time in the seasonal calendar between spring and summer when there is little in the garden blooming. Last year in an attempt to add some interest to the garden at this time, a new salvia was planted that I saw blooming around a nearby 7-Eleven store. A trip to a local nursery produced a purple salvia (salvia nemorosa) called May Night. This one was awarded the "1997 Perennial Plant Of The Year" by the Perennial Plant Association.

The blossom color is a very intense violet blue. I do not appreciate the smell when the leaves are brushed against. The first surprise was that the plant produced a seedling from last year's seeds, even after growing in dry conditions, and after a winter that killed my crocosmia and oregano. The offspring is now blooming, too. The second surprise is that it grew a healthy amount of blooms this spring, only its second year.

For The Record:   • Medium soil, somewhat dry conditions   • Full sun   • No fertilizer Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Mountain laurel, salvia, geranium, coreopsis, astilbe   • Cleome, snapdragon, castor seedlings planted

So That's What They Look Like

Last summer, my landscape architect friends gave me some bearded iris (Iris germanica) that I planted in the rear yard. They could not tell me what color or size they were. The leaves were somewhat narrow, so I believed they were a small size flower. The iris took to their new home well, and this spring came up with a large wide bearded iris leaves and several flower stalks.

After searching online iris descriptions, I found a match - these were Invitation. I shared my discovery with the friends, who informed my that they were happy to have given them away - bi color iris are not their favorites.

The Invitation iris are tall and have the largest blossom heads of any iris in the yard. Consequently, they fell over after the slightest rain, and needed to be placed on crutches. They also multiplied very easily after planting last summer, so dividing will probably be needed this year. I believe our fall plant swap already has some material.

For The Record:   • Dry clay soil   • Full sun   • Bone meal fertilizer in the fall with gypsum for the clay soil Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: allium, purple salvia, dutch iris   • Tomato seedlings planted, nasturtium seeds planted

Plant Swap Brunch

Four years ago, in an effort to promote gardening in the community, I began a Garden Club forum on our community association web site discussion board. Its purpose was to exchange ideas and information, and to possibly have tours of members' gardens during the year. Membership was simple - sign up for that group on the discussion board.

Several neighbors signed up, but participation was far below expectations. So, I tried another way to get gardeners together. A one-day neighborhood plant swap was set up in the spring. To entice more participants, it was organized as a plant swap brunch, with neighbors bringing something to share in the food department, too. There was a good turnout, so we organized a Fall Plant Swap Brunch in November, too.

I received my "Lets Boogie" iris and two no-name hostas in previous years. A few other gifts didn't turn out - angel trumpet ballerina seeds, lily, nandina.

Saturday was our third annual Spring Plant Swap Brunch. For about an hour, neighbors meet inside the community center to snack, gossip, thumb through plant catalogs, and sometimes talk about gardening. This year I picked up St. Johns Wort ground cover, lettuce seedlings, nandina (again), scented geraniums, and coreopsis. I donated Red Karma pepper seedlings, obedient plant, New England asters, purple basil, canna, as well as seeds for red cosmos and castor bean plants.

Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Bridal wreath spirea, azaleas, allium, purple salvia, bearded iris, dutch iris   • Planted onion, amaranthus, pepper seedlings   • Planted lettuce seedlings from plant swap   • Lifted emperor, apeldoorn tulip bulbs

Look At Me Now

Yet another plant that was found growing in the yard when the house was purchased was the Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea prunifolia). It was ignored and underappreciated, growing at the side of the house, but I did not have the heart to tear it out. It was trimmed (whacked down) every few years to keep the path to the front yard navigable, yet it dutifully kept blooming in spring.

Late last fall, a new deck was built at the back of the house. Step platforms in the side yard lead from the front, passing the spirea. Now that it has a new prominence along an enhanced path, it awoke this spring with long draping masses of flowers. I was previously considering a move to a less conspicuous place in the yard, but it is well-established in the present location, and can give some maturity to the side yard soon to be filled with rookie plants.

For The Record:   • Dry heavy soil   • Full sun in protected area   • No fertilizer or soil amendments Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Dogwood, bridal wreath spirea, azaleas, allium, purple salvia   • Lifted emperor tulip bulbs

April Snowflakes

One of the few ornamental plants that were growing around the house when it was purchased many years ago were these spring flowering Snowflakes (Leucojum). According to the linked web site, these are native to southern Europe, and are poisonous. Their name comes from the Greek word for 'white violet.' These are reliable, and are often confused with snowdrops which are shorter and bloom much earlier. The plants this year are blooming quite late. I believe they were planted in late November, so they are paying me back.

For The Record:   • Well drained soil   • Full sun   • Bone meal fertilizer applied in the fall Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Dogwood, bridal wreath spirea, azaleas   • Seed started: castor plant

Earth Month

Red peony tulips were sent as a free gift from Breck's with a fall order of bulbs. They started growing this spring, where I had forgotten what they were. As they started blooming, I then realized they were a free gift - something I would never have ordered. But I actually ended up liking them until it rained. They form a cup and hold lots of water in all those petals, and then tend to tip over.

The orange tulips were bought at a local hardware store late in the season about three years ago after everything else had been picked over. I since lost their variety name. They are mid-season and generally re-bloom each year and multiply.

Update: The orange tulips are 'Beauty of Apeldoorn.'


These are posted as part of a blog meme for Earth Month from FilterForGood Blog Meme Contest. The five actions I will pursue this summer to help out Mother Earth:

1. Install a rain barrel at the rear yard. This will catch rain water from the roof downspout, and save it for use on the vegetable garden during hot summer months.
2. Compost all kitchen vegetable scraps to cut down on household trash. Last year I got lazy and threw out more materials than I would want to.
3. Turn off the modem and router when I leave the house during the day to save electricity. Currently they are left on all the time.
4. Combine auto trips around town when running errands to reduce gas consumption, especially at weekends. This will take some planning at the beginning of each day.
5. Install that extra blanket of insulation to cut down on heating and cooling loads in the house. All winter long, I have been meaning to add another layer to the existing 6-inches (15 cm) in the attic.

For The Record:   • Full sun   • Moderate moisture   • Light bone meal fertilzer in the fall Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Red peony tulips, poet daffodils, Beauty of Apeldoorn tulips, dogwood, grape hyacinth   • Seedlings progress:      Tomatoes germination, 7 days      Amaranthus germination, 4 days      Lagurus germination, 5 days      Cleome germinated, 11 days      Snapdragons germinated, 9 days

First Bloom Day, April 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day
What's blooming in the garden on the 15th of each month
This is my first garden blog bloom day submission. I only recently learned what it was all about.

Red Peony Tulips A free gift that came with my fall order	Orange Midseason Tulips Don't remember their name

Poet Daffodils Need dividing	Muscari Still going strong after a week

Fifer Daffodils Found growing around the house 25 years ago	Lemon Chiffon Daffodils Creamy yellow cups turn to light peach

Count The Hyachinths

Count the hyacinths in this photo. I did not purchase this many bulbs. Apparently the 12 originally planted found time to visit a fertility clinic.

In the depth of their second winter, the grape hyacinth (muscari armeniacum) leaves were green and seemed to have grown through the cold season. I wrote about my concern and questioned their fall-winter growth [2.13.2009]. Now, as they are spewing forth flower spikes, I wondered if they were too crowded. One look at a photo of the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland answers that.

Some info found around the www:
• They are not actually hyacinths, but members of the lily family
• They are native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor
• The name 'muscari' comes from the Greek word for musk, relating to the smell of some types
• The name 'armeniacum' relates to Armenia
• The bulb is supposedly poisonous (hello, squirrels)
• Each 'grape' flower in the cluster has six petals

For The Record:   • Well drained soil   • Full sun   • Bone meal fertilizer applied in the fall Garden Calendar:   • Daffodils blooming: Lemon chiffon, ice follies, & fifer   • Tulips blooming: red emperor, generic orange, yellow dover   • Seeds started: Amaranthus, snapdragons, cleome, lagurus planted 11 April

Seedling Progress Record:
bell pepper	red onion

Bad Tulip Posture

The Red Emperor tulips (tulip fosteriana) are one of the favorites because these large-flower plants pop out early in the season. Last year, a few more were purchased to supplement my older collection. However, this year I noticed that these newcomers came on shorter stems in comparison to the older ones. Both were planted in the same bed under the same conditions.

The long stem emperors (right) were preferred since they stood taller and were more visible. As often happens, there were a few very windy days this spring. After Mother Nature calmed down, the long stem emperors all ended up leaning one way as a result of the wind. The shorter emperors (left) remained straight up. Maybe a short stem variety is better after all.

My past experience is that these bulbs always split and multiply, but the resulting bulbs may take two years to actually bloom. Also, warm weather in the spring tends to hasten the bloom decline faster than other tulips.

For The Record:   • Well drained soil   • Full sun   • Bone meal fertilizer applied in the fall Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Lemon chiffon, ice follies, & fifer daffodils; red emperors & orange tulips   • Seedlings: Tomatoes planted 9 April

Cherry Blossom Spring

Tidal Basin In Washington, we know it's spring when the cherry blossoms and the tourists come out. Both were in abundance this past weekend in Washington around the tidal basin. I haven't been to the area in years, and Palm Sunday seemed like an opportunity to trek into town on a warm sunny day. Blooming cherry trees can be seen here and there around town without tripping over the tourists, baby strollers, and stepping on dogs. But there is a unique feeling in experiencing so many trees (and people) in one spot along the water. This entry is basically just a photo souvenir for my journal. Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Emperor tulips, ice follies daffodils,     korean rhododendron, lemon chiffon daffodils   • Seedlings progress: Purple basil germinated, 7 days   • Outdoor progress: Spinach, radish germinated, 6 days   • Outdoor benchmark: Broccoli seedlings transplanted

Tulip Library The National Park Service maintains a Tulip Library nearby. Well, 'maintains,' is a matter of opinion. The area consists of about 100 beds of different tulips. It helps gardeners get a good idea of what different varieties look like, as well as their bloom times. In the past, a photocopy sheet with a map listing the varieties was available from a nearby box. This year, only an empty box stood, presumably a victim of budget cuts. There are no tags or markers in the different beds, leaving one to guess what varieties are planted. I found a map online when I got home.

Smithsonian Garden Afterwards, my feet carried me to a few nearby Smithsonian museums. The courtyard around the Sackler Gallery was in full bloom with fritillaria, thousands of purple hyacinths, saucer magnolias, and a weeping cherry.