Garden Gal

New plantings

2008-05-15T10:29:00.002-04:00

I finally got over my Gardener's Block this past weekend and stopped marvelling at my purchases and started actually planting them!
I tried my best to start with the perennials. Afterall, they're the ones that will more or less occupy their spaces for a long time to come.
First off, my order from Breck's. Pictured first is the Little Blue Wonder Sea Holly. It's a smaller, bushier version of the original Blue Sea Holly, which I purchased from Michigan Bulb last year. While not much happened with the larger version last year, they are coming up really well so far this year.
Isn't the bloom interesting? Not only the extreme blue color, but the feathery petals really caught my attention too. Anyway, I thought I'd try the smaller version just to see which one I like better. It got a nice placement by the Lighthouse and is just starting to break the surface right now.
Next up is the Astilbe in Amethyst. I already have 3 Astilbe's in pink, red and white in my shade garden and couldn't resist this lavendar version. I've had great luck with these. The Astilbes provide a really nice follow-up to the Bleeding Hearts when they fade. Yes, another shade-loving plant that actually blooms!

And, finally, the Columbines. Described as "a beautiful plant with graceful flowers that are highly attractive to hummingbirds," Columbines will bloom from spring to early summer in our area. They average 1-3 ft. tall and about 1 ft. wide, do well in partial shade to full sun, and adapt to a variety of soil conditions.
I've never tried these before, but always liked their intricate-looking blooms. So instead of easing into it, I decided to go whole hog and get a bunch! My order consisted of the Giant Blue Barlow and a separate Giant Mix of six assorted Columbines. And if that weren't enough, I bought three more established Columbines at Glick's! One with a pretty pale yellow/pink bloom whose actual name escapes me and 2 William Guinness Columbines (pictured above) that feature a gorgeous dark purple bloom edged with white!
And speaking of hummingbirds -- we had our first tiny winged visitor Sunday afternoon. We spotted him on the patio tending to the unplanted annual Red Salvias! Remember, if you plant it, they will come ... take time to enjoy the wildlife that your garden attracts. Every garden provides an environmental habitat for something!

Bleeding Hearts

2008-05-14T09:39:00.004-04:00

Bleeding hearts, my favorite spring flower, are currently in full bloom. The outstanding characteristic of this Japanese native is no doubt the shape of the flowers. As the plants' common name suggests, bleeding hearts bear heart-shaped flowers, from which a little "drop of blood" dangles at the bottom. Just look at it, isn't it beautiful?

Unfortunately, after its spring bloom is finished, the whole plant just dies back into the soil, not to be seen again until next spring. So enjoy it now, while it lasts!

Bleeding Hearts are herbaceous perennials and are hardy in Zones 3-9. That means it's perfect for our zone (6). This woodland plant usually reaches 2-3 ft. in height with a similar spread.The plant's flowers are either pink or white, and they appear in April or May. They love partial to full shade and well-drained soil.

This plant is a traditional favorite in shade gardens. Yes, a shade plant that actually blooms! To extend the foliage life, give bleeding hearts liberal doses of water after flowering. It's also a good idea to surround bleeding hearts with hostas and other shade-loving perennial flowers that will fill in those vacant spots during the summer. Bleeding hearts are striking enough to warrant their use as a focal point in the spring.

Starting tomorrow I'll let you in on what I'm planting for this summer's spectacular display!

Peonies in cages!

2008-05-13T09:38:00.004-04:00

Peonies in cages -- not as dramatic as it sounds. If any of you have peonies in your garden, you probably already know what I mean. But if not, here's a little info about one of Pennsylvania's favorite flowers.

Peonies are long-lived, perennial flowers that produce large flowers in the spring. Colors include black, coral, cream, crimson, pink, purple, rose, scarlet, white, and yellow. By planting early, mid-season, and late flowering cultivars, you can have peonies flowering for 6 to 8 weeks. Two types of peonies are grown in Pennsylvania: garden peonies (Paeonia valbiflora or Paeonia officinalis) and tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa). Garden peonies are herbaceous perennials (height 20 to 36 inches) grouped into five types according to flower shape: single, semidouble, double, Japanese, and anemone. Tree peonies produce large numbers of flowers on a shrub-like plant; the stems do not die back each year (but need to be placed indoors to survive Zone 6).

Enough info for ya? Well, if not, there's a whole lot more on the Internet, including a great web site for ordering all kinds of peony varieties -- www.peonies.net

Anyway, back to the cages. The flowers produced by peony plants, while striking, are also so huge and heavy that the stem usually can't handle the weight and the whole plant droops, with the flowers dragging on the ground. Not to appealing huh?

So, you need a peony cage to help support the huge blooms. I think I got mine at Boscov's a few years ago. It consists of a plastic coated wire hoop with three spikes dangling from it. The hoop unhooks to make it easier to wrap around the peony stems. After surrounding the stems, simply place the spikes into the ground and voila! -- Your peonies will stand up and look beautiful even in the hardest rain!

I also made another trip to Glick's Greenhouses over the weekend and they now have the sweet potato vine I told you about last week. It's called the "Ace of Spades" sweet potato vine (pictured here). Better get them soon, they were going fast!

Up next: My spring favorite -- Bleeding Hearts!

Spring Bulb sale

2008-05-09T11:21:00.003-04:00

The Friends of Boone Area Library are selling flowers, primarily spring blooming bulbs, to help raise funds for the library. The library receives 45 percent of the proceeds. The sale ends May 16.

The bulbs or plants will be delivered to the buyer's address at the correct planting time, which is generally in the fall.For more information, contact the Boone Area Library at 129 N. Mill St., Birdsboro, or call 610-582-5666.

And speaking of bulbs, I've officially started my spring planting Wednesday night with some Agapanthus bulbs I received from Breck's in Holland. As pictured here, Agapanthus are beautiful bunches of lavendar flowers that bloom mid-summer. The plants get up to 3-ft. tall and will make a great focal point along my garden path. I've chosen to plant them in large ornamental pots because Aggies will not survive winter in Zone 6. They will have to be taken indoors in the fall, dried and saved for replanting the next spring. Aggies feature prominently in HGTV landscape shows (primarily filmed in California), and I've always wanted to try them. Wish me luck!

That reminds me, now's the time to get those Elephant Ear bulbs into the ground. Mother's Day is generally regarded in our area as the date we're free of any possible frost. And speaking of Mother's Day, go out and buy Mom some flowers/plants this weekend and give thanks to the lady who probably got you started gardening in the first place (I know mine did).

And remember, the best time to weed those planting beds is right after a good rain. Tomorrow should be perfect for this!

Next week I should have lots to share as I plan on doing a lot of gardening this weekend.

Master Gardeners Plant Sale!

2008-05-08T10:55:00.002-04:00

I was going to wait till tomorrow to put this in, but since it starts Friday, I figured the sooner you knew, the more you could plan to attend!

The Penn State Master Gardeners of Berks County will hold their spring plant sale on Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Berks County Ag Center, County Welfare Road, Bern Township.
Master gardeners will be on hand to offer information on soil preparation, planting techniques and plant care and answer questions on gardening and landscaping, with emphasis on appropriate plants for home gardeners particular sites.
Included in the sale will be vegetables, including dozens of heirloom varieties, plus herbs, native plants, ornamental grasses, perennials and woody ornamentals including flowering shrubs and some small trees.
For Mother's Day, the sale will offer hanging baskets and dish gardens of selected herbs.Sale proceeds will benefit Master Gardener volunteer projects throughout Berks County.

See you there!

What to do with Daffodils after blooming

2008-05-08T10:15:00.003-04:00

Today I was all ready to tell you about how to care for your daffodils after they're done blooming. I was going to share Martha Stewart's braiding method that I've been using for a couple years that helps keep your garden looking nice while the daffodil foliage fades away. Or maybe the bend and tie method, sometimes made easier by just using rubberbands ...

I'm a little behind at home with my own daffs; I haven't taken the time to braid them yet so I don't have any current photos. So I went to the Internet to look for some usable photos to accompany this blog entry.

While searching "daffodil braided foliage," I came across a bunch of warnings about this technique. (So, Martha doesn't know everything afterall ...)

According to Barbara Martin's garden tips on flowergardens.suite101.com, "You may hear or read suggestions for braiding the daffodil leaves or bundling them up with rubber bands and who knows what else, but it doesn't help the bulbs at all to do this and it is a lot of extra work for the gardener, too ... give yourself -- and your daffodils -- a break: Leave the leaves alone!"

"Daffodil foliage needs the sun to make and store energy this year for next year's flower. That concept is alien and hard to accept by some. However, if one follows the daffodil bulb growth, a dissected bulb clearly shows next year's flowers developed in this year's bulbs. It is for that reason that the theory of letting the folliage die backnaturally is so strongly defended," writes Clay Higgins on the same web site.

Easier said than done. I know, I know, who wants to look at those long green leaves now when it's time for all those pretty, colorful annuals? Well, I'm going to give it a shot this year, since it was an especially good year for my daffs! I want to do everything I can to ensure a good showing for next year, even though I had to move my double daffodils to make room for those dwarf rhodies I showed the other day.

Suggestions for "living with" the faded daffs include: Hiding the foliage with taller perennials and planting colorful annuals in front to take the eye away from all that green. At least it will save me some time not having to braid all that foliage this year.

Gardener's Block

2008-05-06T10:16:00.004-04:00

Ok, you've heard of writer's block right? Well, I'm suffering from a case of gardener's block.

It's nothing severe, it seems to always strike this time of year. I'm sure some of you have suffered the same symptoms ... You've gone to your favorite greenhouse/nursery, perused the aisles for the perfect plants, made your selections, purchased the items, carefully drove home, unloaded your stock, placed them on the deck/patio and marveled at your score. Now comes the hard part -- exactly where to put everything!

I love when I first bring all my new plants in to their new home. I place all the containers on my back patio (this year, in the new greenhouse) and look at all the pretty colors. Then I sit and look at the various planting gardens and try to decide which goes where ... and that's when the "block" comes into play. So many new things to plant, so many open spaces, so many colors, perennials, annuals, seedlings --- AAAARRRGGHH!!

By rights, perennials should be the first to go in the dirt, since (with any luck) they'll occupy the same spot for years to come. Then the annuals, always making sure to plant up front because they provide the most color throughout the summer. Always try to take into account that perennials from prior years are just coming up now and some will get quite tall and block out the sun for the other plants. This is a hard one to remember, because a large empty spot may not be such a great place to put a plant that requires "full sun." Especially when the ornamental grasses are only about 2 feet tall right now and will go on to tower at about 8-12 feet, blocking the sun and any light rain from the new plant. (There's a reason you didn't plant anything there last year ...)

Oh well, I'm feeling overwhelmed right now, but I'll get thru it -- I always do. At least one thing's nice for now -- I can easily water everything right on the patio, it's all in one spot. I don't have to roll out the 150-ft. hose yet!

Anyway, the lovely little plant appearing in the blog today is the dwarf rhododendron I mentioned yesterday. Isn't it cute! I first saw it in my neighbors' yard and had to know where they got it. They got it from Lowe's about a month ago and, after checking for the last 3 weeks, I finally spotted some there last Saturday.

It's officially called a Purple Gem Rhododendron and it'll get about 2-ft. tall. It's described as having deep violet blooms mid-Spring to early-Summer with tiny, dense evergreen foliage and a low-mounded growth habit. It's an "excellent border plant," and enjoys morning sunlight.

Coming up: What to do with those faded daffodils and tulips.

Making your bed

2008-05-05T10:57:00.002-04:00

Well, wasn't this past weekend just a gardener's dream? The weather was perfect, not too hot, breezy and even Saturday was overcast, which is great for planting. My Saturday was not spent planting -- but buying!

All the local nurseries and greenhouses had to have been packed, and I mean with customers, not just flowers!

My local greenhouse of choice, Glick's in Oley, had to have moved a lot of merchandise on Saturday -- and not just because of me. Actually, I was there making my purchases Thursday afternoon, Friday night and Saturday afternoon! There's always something else I absolutely have to have for a perfect garden display, and I guarantee you that Saturday was not my last trip...

I also made a trip to Lowe's and got a great little shrub that I'll tell you more about tomorrow. And I found a new variety of sweet potato vine at, of all places, Redner's Market in Douglassville! You never know where you're gonna find that new must-have plant!

Anyway, today's entry is all about making a new garden/flower bed. Last year, toward fall, I joined a national gardening club, and was sent a pack of Cutting Garden seeds as a Thank You. Since my beds are pretty packed with plants already, I decided that I had to create a new one. A cutting garden is just what it sounds like -- a garden that features flowers meant for cutting and displaying in vases indoors or outdoors.

So last fall (yes, that's right) I staked out an area in my side yard next to the gardening shed. This particular spot gets plenty of morning sun and will also make a nice view for my neighbors' kitchen/dining window. After attaching some chicken wire to the stakes, I gathered up some dead leaves and chopped them. If you don't have a leaf vacuum that will do this, you can always just put the leaves in your trash can and use an electric/gas lawn trimmer to chop them.

I placed five or six sheets of used newspapers on top of the grass and then covered it with about five inches of chopped leaves. It's important to do this in the fall because over the winter, hopefully, rain and/or snow will wet the leaves, help break them down and keep the grass from coming through.

OK, so it doesn't work perfectly (at least not for me). The grass has been starting to come thru, so yesterday I figured I'd better either clean up the whole mess or really make a garden of it. So I went up to the ole' compost bin and started pulling compost material off the top. And guess what I found underneath, way on the bottom -- I think it was some actual usable compost!! Finally! It only took two years, but I think it's ready. (I detailed my composting problems in a prior blog, it's in the archives if you're interested.)

Anyway, I put a good layer of the compost on top of the not-so-decayed leaves and then finished with a layer of topsoil. A few retaining wall blocks to hold it all in and voila, a new garden bed! Now it's all ready for the seeds -- I'll let you know how it goes!

Coming up tomorrow -- can't wait to show you my Dwarf Rhododendrons

A Fish Story

2008-05-01T10:17:00.004-04:00

Way back in March, I told my backyard pond story. If you missed it, you can find it in the archives. Today I'm going to get more into the story of my pond's primary inhabitants -- the fish.

Yes, I know I promo'd this yesterday as "Trouble in the Pond," and I'll get into that later. First a little background ...

We started out with a much smaller pond by buying a kit that included two plants and four fancy goldfish (Red Comets, to be exact). We added four more fish that first year -- fancy Shebunkins. Shebunkins are basically more colorful goldfish. They don't require additional care or specific water conditions like Koi, but they come in color combinations similar to the beautiful Japanese carp. Red, gold, silver, black, spreckled or paint, Shebunkins are every bit as beautiful, just not as expensive.

Anyway, the following year our fish gave us four babies that survived spawning season (the fish tend to eat their young, and since they give birth by the hundreds, this is not a bad thing). But before that, I went and bought four more, never thinking in a million years that they would breed!

So now we're up to 16 fish in a 240-gallon pond. (We upgraded to a bigger pond two years ago, because the fish were getting too big for our original pond.) Our biggest fish is almost a foot long from nose to tail tip (and since, she's so big and white, we call her "Moby"), and the other "original" fish are almost the same.

Well last summer, the fish got really busy in the new pond and as far as we can tell, we have about 30-32 fish now (it's hard to count accurately when they're all swimming around). Don't get me wrong, we totally enjoyed watching the tiny babies last year, especially at night. Our pond has three underwater lights, so at night we can spy on the fish and they don't really see us. When we first discovered them, they were only a few millimeters long. All survived the winter and are about 4-5 inches now.

This is all great, except having too many fish in a small pond is not good for them. We have to clean the filter twice as much (that's twice a week in prime summer months), because naturally, they make more waste. And, over the winter in January, I spotted a tiny white fish that must have been born sometime in December (isn't that against the rules of nature?), followed by the discovery just last month of a tiny black fish (the black ones are really hard to see) that was probably born the same time.

Now on to the Trouble in the Pond -- Just the other day I noticed one of our big white Comets (not Moby) looking particularly huge toward her tail section. I think she's pregnant!!! and it's only April (well, actually it's May as of today). In the past the fish waited at least until June to give birth, which means, this is just the first pregnancy of the season ...

I think I'll be having a fish sale this summer!

Starting those seeds

2008-04-30T10:41:00.002-04:00

OK, let me reiterate once again that I'm incredibly late starting seeds this year. They should've been started weeks ago, but I just got around to it last Sunday. Shame on me.

Oh well, better late than never. This year I picked up a new "green" trick from of all people -- Martha Stewart -- yes, good ol' Martha, the woman who can always come up with a better way to do -- EVERYTHING!!

Anyway, while perusing one of her many magazines, I came across her suggestion for saving used yogurt cups to start seeds. (She really thinks of everything, doesn't she?) So, since we throw plenty of used yogurt cups in the recycle bin every week, I figured why not? Other plastic containers can be used just as well, like butter containers, Cool Whip, Beneful dog meals, etc.

So on Sunday, I got out my menagerie of "recycled" plastic containers and went to work creating what I hope will be beautiful seedlings to add to this year's garden. (I say this every year ... only to find it's easier to go out and buy the plant, letting the pros do the seeding work.) But darn it -- this WILL be the year I get those seeds growing!!

I planted a wide assortment of Celosia Plumara (ordered from the Jung Seed catalog), Gaillardia/Monarda (sometimes called Mexican Daisy), Zinnias (virtually guaranteed to grow), Wayahead Tomatoes and Cucumbers (both freebies from Jung Seed). And, of course, fancy Sunflower seeds -- yes, I'm going to try to grow them again.

As I've stated before, every year I put out sunflower seeds, only to have the chipmunks, birds and squirrels (mostly the chippies) dig them up, within minutes I'm sure, after I walk away, and eat them!

I also have a pack of Wildflower mix and a Cutting Garden mix that I hope to start this weekend in a new flower bed I'm developing...

After carefully putting all the seeds to bed with a little watering, I proudly stacked them on the top shelf of the new greenhouse and zipped the cover closed. Now comes the hard part --- WAITING ....

Up next: Trouble in the Pond!

The Greenhouse

2008-04-29T09:25:00.002-04:00

Ever since I started with my gardening obsession, I've wanted a greenhouse. Of course, you can spend thousands of dollars on a nice walk-in greenhouse that you can use year-round. That's still I dream of mine ....

This year, though, I finally found an affordable way to have a little greenhouse all my own. I was perusing the isles at Lowe's about a month ago when I came upon a reasonable 5-ft. plastic greenhouse that was only $35! I had to have it.

So this past weekend, after another trip to Lowe's, I decided I'd better get the greenhouse out and put it to use. I had just bought some new perennials and figured it would be a good place to keep them until I was ready to plant. (No more trips to and from the garage, bringing out fragile annuals during the day and taking them back in at night because it was going to get too cold.)

I also finally got around to starting some seeds (yes, I know I'm very late) and this little greenhouse is just perfect for that task.

The greenhouse is made by Garden Treasures and it was a breeze to put together -- no tools needed. It's covered with a fitted plastic sleeve that zippers in the front, so you can open it up on hot days. As you can see my little helpers, Lexie and Bailey were quite interested in the new addition to the patio, giving it a good sniff-over.

So if you're interested in a little greenhouse gardening, check it out online. Just Google "greenhouse kits" and you'll get a huge array of choices. Or you can go to your local garden center and see if they have something that's right for you.

I'll get more into the seed-starting tomorrow -- and don't forget, after all yesterday's rain, tonight is the perfect time to pull those weeds!

Dianthus, a very durable flower

2008-04-28T09:53:00.002-04:00

Ok, as promised last week, today I'm writing about Dianthus, a very durable plant for your garden. Dianthus is a beautiful and hardy little flower that's sold in our zone as an annual. However, that's not totally true. I currently have a few Dianthus in my garden that are into their fourth season. While I can not classify it as a perennial, it does come back for a few years. So load up on it this season, and you can count on it coming back big and bright next year.

It comes in many varieties, the ones pictured here are the Sweet William variety featuring clusters of tiny flowers. But you can also get Dianthus with blooms as big as a silver dollar. Lots of pinks, from pale to magenta, solid or spreckled or just plain white. You can get a lot of color from this little plant. And, I've found that if I cut them back after the initial bloom, I can get another bloom before the end of summer. The clump will also spread the second year, and eventually trickle off to nothing over a few years, but at least you get a little more bang for your buck!

After finally getting some rain this weekend, I'm happy to report the Rain Chain I talked about last week is working well!

Now that we've had some rain, it's the perfect time to do that oh-so-fun gardening chore -- WEEDING!! Yes folks, it's time ... after a good rain is the easiest time to get those pesky weeds out. Pull 'em now -- or you'll be sorry later. As you can see, I've got plenty of dandelions sprouting up all over the gardens. (We get our lawn treated every year, so the dandies just pop up in the untreated flower beds!) Anyway, make sure you get that stubborn root or the dandies just come right back.

Here's a cheap little trick: For weeds and invading grass on paths, patios or decks, pour some vinegar on them. It's a lot cheaper than Round Up and it does just as well. You can also put the vinegar in a spray bottle and do it that way. Within days, you'll see the weeds turn brown and die!

Just don't use vinegar on weeds in your beds, because it will taint the soil. Sorry folks, pulling weeds by hand is still the best method. And use a trowel or garden claw for really deep roots. If you don't get the root, it'll just come right back.

Up next: I finally got my own little greenhouse, put it up this past weekend and can't wait to tell you about it!

Local tips for your garden

2008-04-25T12:24:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note to check out The Mercury today for our Lawn & Garden section. It's full of helpful tips for planning this year's garden and landscape. Also check out the local advertisers, because it's going to be a big weekend for nurseries and greenhouses.

And speaking of greenhouses, on our Berks County shopping pages in today's paper, there's a wonderful article on Glick's Greenhouses (my personal favorite) in Oley. Cider, Glick's furry mascot, is ready to ring you up at the register!

Also featured in this section is Spring Garden Farms in Birdsboro.

Remember to save some money this weekend for Monday's big Spring Bedding Plant Sale at the Western Center for Technical Studies in Limerick. It will feature their greenhouse grown annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets and flower pouches. The sale runs through May 10, with hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check it out.

And coming up on May 5, The Mercury will publish its Home & Garden magazine. So don't miss your copy!

Terrible Trimming

2008-04-24T10:08:00.008-04:00

Last night I was reminded of one of my least favorite gardening chores (yes, it's a chore) ... trimming! ... as in trimming the grass around all the hardscape in the yard. The term hardscape refers to any non-living garden materials used in construction of your "landscape," i.e.: pavers, retaining walls, patios, decks, gravel paths, boulders, arbors, gazebos, etc.

Anyway, to keep your landscape looking neat, after mowing you need to "trim" all the grass that grows close to the hardscape that the mower misses. So, if you're like me and have plenty of gardening beds that are rimmed with retaining walls, various stones, or even vinyl edging, resign yourself to the fact that you need to invest in a decent electric, battery-operated or even gas trimmer. It's definitely worth it. Trimming by hand can take lots of time, whereas, putting out the money now can mean cleaning up your landscape in only minutes. Mine takes about 20-30 minutes, which is bearable, I guess.

I happen to have a battery-operated Black & Decker trimmer which is nice because there's no cord to worry about. The gas powered trimmers are even better (and more expensive), but with the skyrocketing price of gas, I don't know if you want to go that way. Electric trimmers work well, but as I mentioned above, you do have to worry about lugging that extension cord around.

If you go the battery-operated route, I do recommend purchasing a second battery, the charge doesn't last long enough on one battery to do my whole yard. So it's nice to have two, so you can charge one while using the other. There's nothing more disappointing when performing this chore than running out of juice half way thru the task. Then having to wait another day to charge the battery and finish the job.

Up next, I'll be blogging about the durable Dianthus and why this is a must have for every garden in our area!

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-21T20:35:00.004-04:00

Hi and a Happy Earth Day to all! Today is an important day to stop and think of what we're doing to our environment. While doing this, resolve to make a change in your daily routine or at home that will benefit the environment.

Last night after getting home I decided in honor of the big day, to plant some of the free vegetable plants I got last week from the generous students at St. Aloysius School. If you read in The Mercury or on our website, last week the students made a salad for lunch out of vegetables they had grown from seed along with help from Strogus Greenhouses. Well, the plants grew so well and were in such abundance, that some of them made their way back to The Mercury for whoever wanted a good start to their vegetable garden. So, of course, I helped myself to some radishes, spinach and a couple of cherry tomato plants. Thanks a lot!

Ok, here's a few things you can do today and maybe afterward in honor of our environment. Instead of using paper cups today for your coffee/tea, how about using or buying a travel cup. Sure, it's plastic, but you can use it over and over again, instead of using a new paper cup everyday. And if you make coffee at work, save those used coffee grounds. You can mix them right into your garden beds. They're full of nutrients for the soil.

And if you absolutely have to have bottled water -- try using glass bottles. I'm not even going to get into the statistics of how many plastic bottles are used EVERY DAY in this country.

Recycle your copy/printer paper if you can and use the other side. Turn your computer off every day, it uses less energy that way. And, my parents' favorite, turn off any unnecessary lights if you're not in the room!

This past weekend, we installed a rain chain just off our patio to catch rain water. Here's how it works. The rain chain is installed at the end of the rain spouting, where it connects to the down spout. The chain hangs down into a catch basin, any kind of planter, bucket or barrell will do. When it rains, the water comes out of the spout and follows the chain into the catch basin. The fresh rain water can then be used to water the garden. Rain water is better than tap water for the garden, it doesn't contain all those additives from the treatment plant.

In addition to conserving water, the rain chain is an interesting focal point as well as a water feature when it's raining. It provides a pleasant trickling sound, depending on how hard it's raining. Now all we have to do is wait for some rain.

And last, but not least, why not rent "The 11th Hour" on DVD. This documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio will surely open your eyes to what we are doing to our environment. Or you can just tune in at 8 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel for "Naked Earth: Glacier Meltdown" for more information on the subject. So get out and do something "green" today!

The Lighthouse

2008-04-21T10:21:00.002-04:00

In my garden, the surest sign that Spring has sprung, is when I deem the weather is good enough to bring out the lighthouse! This past weekend, the newly-refurbished lighthouse made its debut.

OK, if I can back it up a few years ... about five years ago, when my gardening habit started, my family surprised me with the lighthouse. I always wanted one, but never really had any place to put it. We had a beautiful Japanese cherry tree that was a big focal point in our yard and it had just died.

So, one thing led to another and I constructed a whole new garden and put the lighthouse where the tree used to be (spotlighted at night, of course). I love to see it out in the yard, it reminds me of the seashore.

Nothing lasts forever, and the lighthouse started showing wear from the elements. To tell the truth, we decided to sand and paint it over the 2006-2007 winter, but I only got around to it this past Easter!

Oh well, no harm done, and I think it looks great, back in its place of honor, overseeing the rest of the garden path. What do you think?

Update: My ambitious weekend plans went pretty well. The weather was great and the garden beds are all ready for planting! The compost was tended and turned (still nothing ready to spread on the beds yet, but that didn't stop my bichon Bailey from climbing into the bin and rolling in the fresh coffee grounds -- Ugh!) The patio is clean and the furniture is ready too.

I still didn't start my seeds yet, and I have a new plastic greenhouse to put together (don't get too excited, it's just a small thing I got at Lowe's last weekend).

I also got an email from Breck's confirming shipment of my perennial order! I can't wait!

My To-Do List

2008-04-18T06:49:00.005-04:00

The weather is going to be perfect this weekend for gardening!
Here's a few things to keep in mind (that I'm having a little trouble remembering myself):
If you have already planted some new perennials, they need to be watered at least every other day, unless we get some rain.
Pond filters need frequent cleaning at this time too, due to sludge build-up over the winter. Don't forget to clean out your pump too. Afterall, it didn't get much attention over the winter.
Check your pond temperature before feeding the fish. Temp should be around 50 degrees, at least. It's still a little early, and if you have plants in your pond, the fish will feed off them.
As for those pond plants, now's a good time to take them out and divide them if needed. Also, scrub off any algae that is starting to grow.
Clean your pond heater before packing it away for the summer. Make sure you get any barnacles off now, it'll only be more work in the fall.
Get the rest of the leaves and old mulch off those flower beds. Put them in the compost pile, along with a fresh helping of grass clippings. Most of you are going to need to mow your lawns this weekend.
Turn the compost pile and see what's going on at the bottom. Chances are, you'll have at least some usable compost to put on those freshly cleaned flower beds.
Now is also a good time to take down your bird feeders and give them a good cleaning. Use warm water and a little dish washing soap. Just make sure to thoroughly rinse, nobody wants to eat soapy birdseed! And make sure they're good and dry before filling with seed or it'll rot.
Clean up your decks and patios. You might even want to get out your furniture and clean it up Saturday.
(I seem to be pretty ambitious this weekend -- I'll let you know Monday what I actually get done.)

And after all your hard work, reward yourself by taking stock of all you have in the garden to look forward to this season. Remember to enjoy those spring bulbs -- daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and, one of my faves, blue bells. They won't be in bloom much longer.
Neither will the forsythias, cherry blossoms and azaleas. So take a walk and enjoy what your local nature has to offer.

Here's my wild forsythia. And in honor of the Pope's visit, see if you can spot the Cardinal! Yes, I know it really needs a trim -- best time for this is right after it blooms. Make sure to routinely trim yours, and it'll keep blooming at its best! I'll let you know how it goes with mine.
Now start making your to-do list and remember, don't think of it as work - gardening should be Fun!

Gardening with the Masters

2008-04-16T09:39:00.004-04:00

An interesting press release came across my desk yesterday and I thought I would share it with you.

The Penn State Master Gardeners of Berks County will teach a series of three gardening classes at GoggleWorks, 201 Washington St., Reading.

"Backyard Composting" ($12) will be held April 28, followed by "Vegetable Gardening" ($5) on May 5 and "Container Gardening" ($5) on May 12. All classes are from 6 to 8 p.m. Pre-registration with payment of class fees are required by April 25.

You can also attend all three classes for one fee of $20. Class size is limited to 20 students per class. For information call the Penn State Cooperative Extension at 610-378-1327.

I wish I could take credit for the container garden pictured above, but that one was purchased last year at Glick's Greenhouses on Fisher Mill Road in Oley.

Gardening on the web

2008-04-15T09:25:00.002-04:00

Hey, I found a great website for gardening information and just wanted to share it with you.

If you're an avid gardener or just like to enjoy a few flowers in season, check out iVillage's Garden Web: www.gardenweb.com

Signing up for membership involves the usual name, address, email, birth date and password. But once you do, it'll open up a whole world of gardening info for you. And I do mean a whole world. You can chat with gardeners all over the globe as well as locally. There's also an email newsletter, promotions, coupons and special offers that you can have emailed to you.

So check it out, and remember, it's time to start getting out all your favorite tools from year's past and inspecting them to see if they need replacement. To steal from HGTV's 25 Greatest Landscaping Mistakes (hgtv.com/landscapemistakes) -- having the proper tools is so important when working your landscape. It cuts time, effort and benefits your plants as well.

For now, here's a shot of my Dutch Irises from last year, they're already off to a great start this season.

Cover it up

2008-04-14T08:46:00.003-04:00

I should have mentioned this yesterday, but better late than never. We didn't actually have a frost last night in Douglassville, but the next few nights could get pretty cold.

So, if you've received any early perennial deliveries and planted them during last week's warm weather, you'd better cover them up tonight thru Thursday.

I planted those perennial geraniums last Thursday night and I'm happy to say that they're really starting to come up. So last night they needed covering.

All you need is a leftover pot from last year or a bucket. Actually any container will do. You can even use plastic trash bags lying across the plants. Nothing too heavy to crush the plant though. Just remember to uncover them early in the morning after the sun is up, or it'll get too hot under the covers!

Enjoy these red lillies from last summer.

Take a walk!

2008-04-13T13:28:00.004-04:00

This weekend, the weather is perfect for a walk. So take one, it's free, it's good for you and maybe you can get some new ideas for your garden.

By the way, this is Lexie, she's one of my favorite walking partners. She also likes to help in the garden. If I'm digging holes, she digs holes too. If I'm pulling weeds, she pulls too, although not always weeds ...

I've already been out walking around the neighborhood this weekend. It was nice to see all my neighbors, out and about, working in their yards, or just walking, like me.

Anyway, while you're out walking, take time to look at what others have done with their landscapes. Chances are you'll get some ideas and, if someone happens to be out, ask them about their garden. I bet they'll be happy to tell you all about it.

So, why are you still sitting at your computer reading this? -- Take A Walk!

A backyard pond story

2008-04-11T10:27:00.006-04:00

In the Spring of 2004, after spending the winter watching HGTV and saying, "we could do that," I got the bright idea of eliminating our mowing time, by creating a garden path on the inside of the fence of around a quarter of our yard. Every year we've added a new garden area and/or feature.

My water gardening experience started that same year with a 20-gallon insert I bought as a fountain kit at Kmart. I knew nothing, except the sound of running water would create a more peaceful atmosphere in my "outdoor room."

We submerged the tub into a small triagular-shaped garden next to our patio and relaxed to the soothing sounds. I even placed floating plastic, can you believe it, plants in the water! Secretly knowing all along that this was my way of easing my family into what I really wanted -- a pond with real plants and fish.

Since everyone enjoyed the fountain -- especially the dogs, they thought this was their own private drinking fountain -- it wasn't hard to convince them that a small pond wouldn't be much trouble. Aside from digging the whole, it would practically take care of itself.

We got the smallest pond kit available (60 gallons) -- for those of you who "pond", it's the Tobago model -- and settled into pond life. We got four fancy goldfish fish and two plants with the kit. We expanded to eight fish and I bought a few more plants. Soon the pond looked like the photo above.

Everyone was really happy with the new feature. I took care of if, cleaning the filter once a week in the summer, and we even bought a floating heater for the winter to take care of our newest family members.

The following summer I discovered a small fish swimming in the previously mentioned 20-gallon fountain. We figured it got there off one of the floating plants that I routinely took out of the pond and put in the fountain to help keep it clear. We were so excited, figuring we must be doing something right, if the fish were happy enough to breed. Three more babies survived that summer (the other fish tend the eat the babies when they're very small, and since they have them by the hundreds, that's really not a bad thing).

The original fish were growing bigger and bigger (our biggest from nose-to-tail tip is almost a foot long), so we decided in Spring 2006, that we needed a bigger pond. We upgraded to the Trinidad, a 240-gallon preformed pond. And the fish couldn't be happier, and I do mean HAPPIER! Last summer they increased their "school" to over 30 fish!!

We also added a waterfall, more water plants and a whole lot more landscaping around it. Ponding is very addicting, but I couldn't recommend it more. It's great for kids too. They can learn a whole lot about the environment from a backyard pond. Like watching the frogs that show up every year. Where they come from, I don't know, but they always show up. Last year we had tons of tadpoles, but the fish ate most of them. (Thanks fish!) If you do it right, and take proper care, you'll have your own little ecosystem with prime seats right off your patio like we do.

Yes, it takes work, about an hour or so per week, maybe 1 1/2 during August, but it's very rewarding. As the season progresses, I'll get more into caring for the pond and pond life, specific plants, etc. But for now, here's some photos to enjoy, including how it looks right now.

What's Coming Up

2008-04-09T11:29:00.005-04:00

This is how things look today -- but not for long!

Spring is the season of renewal, and it's also an exciting time for gardeners.
It's when you get that feeling where you can't wait to get your hands dirty and to see what's coming up, so to speak.
All over my gardens, things are starting to pop up, and I don't just mean the spring bulbs. Of course, I have my share of daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and tulips -- most leftover from Easter blooms of year's past. Yes, each year, I can't resist purchasing one or usually more Easter flowers just to brighten up things in the house. And speaking of Easter blooms, now's the time to get them into the ground. Don't expect them to bloom next spring though, most were forced to bloom early for Easter this year and will need a season to recuperate.
OK, now on to the perennials! The daylillies are sprouting green stems, the tall lillies are coming up, the grasses are off to a slow start, but they'll catch up, and my spring favorites, the bleeding hearts are shooting up rapidly! I've got green leaves on the butterfly bushes, and best of all, there're plants coming up that I can't remember what they are! It's always a fun surprise to see where I planted all those perennials I divided last fall ...
The hostas are spiking up, the astilbe and hydrangeas are breaking through and even inside the core of the ferns are little green pinwheels just waiting to unfurl in warmer weather. It looks like it's going to be a good season!

In anticipation, a few photos of what's to come in my garden this summer.

Up next I'll be getting into planting my new perennials (hopefully tonight) and starting seeds, as well as opening up the pond for spring. I just hooked up the filter this past weekend and the fish are looking good!

2008-04-09T11:02:00.001-04:00

Just a quick note

2008-04-07T16:36:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to everyone... HGTV had an interesting show on last night -- "25 Biggest Landscape Mistakes".

If you missed it, you can get the tips at HGTV.com/landscapemistakes

Check it out, it's pretty insightful if you're just starting out or even if, like me, you already have an established landscape. I must admit, I'm guilty of at least 7 of them. We'll get into that later ...

Oops, I misidentified one of my grasses in a previous blog last week. The Maiden Grass I claimed grew to have 12-ft. plumes was actually Ravena Grass. Maiden Grass doesn't get bigger than 5-6 ft. I don't have any Maiden Grasses, but the Ravena Grass in full plumage is truly a sight to behold!

Here it is from a previous year's garden. It's the tall grass to the immediate right of the lighthouse.