Tangled Gardens

VIEW FROM THE COOP!

2012-02-14T06:14:00.000-08:00

I am always astonished when people say that they don't think animals have distinct personalities when they are born. Some people seem to think that we give them their personalities. I disagree with that. Even my chickens have their own personality. Sometimes a particular breed will behave very similarly but they are still each one unique. I have one rooster (Winston) who feels he is in charge and must assess my every move as I enter the run to feed them. Frequently, he becomes so concerned he spurs me. The first time that happened I was shocked at how fast and furious the action was. It literally took as much time as a blink of the eye. Of course each time he does this I make certain he knows he is not in charge of me by sending him away from me with the inside of my foot, gently but definitively. But now I am familiar with is posturing (puffing up and acting very protective) and have learned that he does not like it when I carry unfamiliar objects into the run. I have one little Polish (Violet) who is very independent and more often than not is off by herself digging holes. My Welsummer rooster is very fearful and does not like to interact with me at all, the Polish rooster is pretty laid back about it all. I adore my Welsummer hen (Dot), she is very friendly and is an only child in her "flock". My first ever chickens are my Americaunas. They are large and beautiful and have nice friendly personalities. The Panadasenca hens are all in a flurry and run in a crowd.

Sadly, very sadly, I had my first chicken loss yesterday. One of my Americaunas (Latte or Breve, I am not sure) pushed her way out of the run gate as I was going in. They have all started crowding at the gate and making it very difficult for me to get in without them getting out. She got herself in a frenzy and pushed her way out behind me. My two dogs of course were right on her. It was awful, but something that is a fact of life when you have chickens and dogs. There was nothing to do but hope for a quick end to her terror. My heart was and is broken. I do everything in my power to keep my chickens all safe and happy and now it is time to reevaluate how I enter the run with treats. Ho hum, life with animals is fraught with happiness and heartbreak.

Below is a pic from inside the coop, they are all very curious when I am in there cleaning and can't wait to come in and roll around in the newly fluffed up bedding.

WINTER TIDY UP

2012-02-14T05:50:00.000-08:00

As it is still officially mid winter there isn't a tremendous amount of activity going on in the gardens. However, it is the perfect time to see to the "winter tidy up". Around here that means quite a lot of heavy lifting and cleaning. Large limbs fall from the old trees, as well as multiple small branches, leftover leaves and the annual deep cleaning of the wooded areas on the property. It's amazing how much input Mother Nature has around here. I have given up the fight with the wild anemone that is here and there. It insists on being very present. Following are a couple of pics of the areas I have finished round one with. The ferns are all natural and it's anyones guess to how long they have existed. Each year I trim out all of the dead brown fronds and clean the leaves out of the center. One year my husband thought I should know that they all got along just fine without me doing all of that. Yes, they did, but did they look this good after being cleaned up? Hmmm... doubt it.

COMPOSTING

2012-01-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

I have been using my current (albeit minimal) composting method for many years now. It has worked well during the winter & fall months. This spring we will be building three large compost bins that will accommodate the 100 lbs. of horse manure I am anticipating getting daily when I bring my horses home. To this I will add chicken manure, trimmings, weeds, produce etc... and will begin composting correctly and efficiently. But for now, I thought I would share with you my process at this point. It works and gives me nutrient rich soil for my vegetables. Once the garden has been cleared of its bounty and the left behinds, I begin turning the soil manually with a shovel. Once it is all turned under I add a layer of leaves and grass clippings in each bed and during the fall/winter months anything that my chickens won't eat goes into the beds. Throughout the week as I clean out my chicken coop I add their bedding and manure to my raised beds. At the end of January I begin turning the organic matter under (again with a shovel) and continue adding produce and chicken manure until the end of March. At this time I turn the beds every week so that the organic matter decomposes and is no longer identifiable when it comes time to plant in the spring. (usually just before Mothers Day). Below is a before and after pic. Happy Composting, whatever your method!

TWINKLE, TWINKLE!

2011-11-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

The steel gazebo that we had built and installed this summer (see earlier post) has been carefully painted (by yours truly) with first an epoxy primer that was like working with glue and then with a black machine paint. All total it took me about 25 hours to complete. It looks great and is (I am told) rust proof. With this being it's first Christmas here on the property I felt that we should honor it by trimming it with little lights. It looks sweet out there in the dark by itself, romantic and feminine. I'm thinking this would be a great gazebo for an intimate wedding someday (in the summer or early fall of course). Just the beginning of the holiday season preparations here at our place. What are your plans for decorations for the holidays?

A TINY SURPRISE!

2011-11-27T20:20:00.001-08:00

I was stripping down the chicken coop the other day and discovered this teeny tiny egg hiding in the corner on the floor in the bedding. I was quite surprised by this little find and discovered that other chicken owners have found the same thing. Some of them told me how they preserved theirs but it was too late, I was dying of curiosity and just had to crack it open after taking it's picture. Inside was a teeny tiny yolk about half the size of a pea. Imagine that, perfection in miniature. I will preserve any future small gifts I should receive as they seem to be very precious and few.

Autumn

2011-10-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

The potager has been "put to bed" for the winter ahead. This is a rather small vegetable garden but it produces very well and is more than enough for me to handle. I call it my salad garden, using it mostly for on the spot, in season produce that can be put on the table right after it is picked. Sometimes I get lucky enough to need to can tomatoes but not often. The beds are raised with gravel paths in between, making weeding and overall management rather simple. I compost the beds throughout the winter so they are rich with nutrients and don't get worn out and the soil is ideal. The vine on the arbor is a grape that I got as a start from my neighbor, it is a Sweet Madeline Angevine. It grew like crazy this year, I had a hard time keeping it in check and even got a few teeny tiny grape clusters. The leaves are just now turning color and it looks like it's going to be golden and beautiful. Sweet dreams little garden of mine.

2011-10-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

We have had a beautiful fall here in the Pacific Northwest. We can usually count on very nice late summer weather in September and perfect fall weather in October. One of my roses has surprised me with late season blooms and my asters are beautiful as they always are. Asters are so nice in the garden for fall color. They are hardy and dependable and look inspirational on fall days when the sun casts its golden glow. Consider Asters for your garden if you don't already have them, they won't disappoint.

FIRST DOZEN!

2011-10-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

This is why I have chickens. Granted I have a few too many but my excuse is that I wanted 4 different breeds and only 2 of those could be sexed. Actually, only 1 was 100% accurate (Americauna). So after doing the calculations I determined that I should have enough to give me two hens of each breed. I had decided that if I ended up with too many roosters I would find them new homes. Well, it all worked out. I have 12 hens and 3 roosters and I love them all. I will have plenty of beautiful eggs to share.

HOW FAR CAN IT GROW?

2011-09-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

I have posted about this clematis before but this year it's performance has astonished me. The cool summer has really made this plant a "happy plant." It is planted at the base of a Tuteur and each winter I cut it to the ground. It grows up the Tuteur and reaches out towards the picket fence as it gets longer. This year I have measured a total of 28 feet in length! The vines just keep growing and growing. My only regret is that I do not know the name or variety of this clematis. It has delicate flowers, blooms prolifically and is a delight to see every day. I hope you enjoy the photos of this lovely vine.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

2011-08-23T22:21:00.000-07:00

August is upon us all and in the gardening world it means different things in different areas to different gardeners. As I have mentioned before we had a very cool summer this year but August is what it is and the plants all seem to stall and go into a holding pattern before giving in to autumn. I too change my focus; less watering, minimal deadheading, less weeding. I do however deep water my roses and young trees. Time to gather like crazy (hopefully) from the vegie garden and see to the excessive zucchini crop, pole beans and lettuce. Still eagerly awaiting the first ripe tomato (I know... it is the end of August) and cucumbers. Slugs played havoc with my beds this year and all had to be planted twice, losing precious growing time. Slugs also managed to eat every one of my much desired Walla Walla Sweet onions. Sad. I am already composting that bed. C'est la vie. So I will take advantage of these "dog days of summer", and take on some much needed painting projects and start my mental list of the fall projects ahead of me. I am also being careful to take time to soak in the last weeks of the "blooms in my beds". Echinacea, Hollyhocks, Loosestrife and Gaura to name a few.

APPLE ANNIE

2011-08-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

One never knows about fruit trees. Will the conditions be right for a bountiful harvest or will there be any fruit at all? I have no idea what the secrets to a successful harvest are, one year we have 0-12 apples on each tree (Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith) the next we have so many it is difficult to figure out just what to do with all of them. This year the Yellow Delicious (not a great "eating" apple) sprang forth with abundance and they began falling to the ground. I gathered up the ones on the ground and took them to the barn where my horses are and all had a good treat. I picked the rest (totaling close to 300) and spent several hours turning them into applesauce. I have never made applesauce before but with the aid of the ever handy sieve attachment (that I borrowed from a friend) for my KitchenAid it was actually very simple. Not sure if we will eat 24 jars of applesauce, but I am thinking apple butter would be very yummy too!

CUTTING GARDEN re-do

2011-07-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

When I initially began investigating the concept of a Cutting Garden most of what I read said that a cutting garden should be hidden away somewhere where it can't be easily seen. I already had my old lavender field at my disposal and it certainly wasn't out of sight. Also, I will be opening my cutting garden to the public and feel that it should be an inviting and memorable place to visit. So... my approach is a different one. It will be one of the focal points of our property. It is currently undergoing a re-do as I have decided to take a new approach and will be using mostly old fashioned annuals (that I will seed and grow myself) in addition to the already existing perennials. I will also have peonies as well as cutting roses. The edges will be bordered with flowering bushes of various varieties; lilacs, wigelia, dappled willow, old garden roses with hollyhocks tucked in here and there. There will be lavender at the front of the garden. I will add birdhouses, feeders and baths as well as a fountain or bubbler. As I type this it sounds like an impossibly big plan. Hopefully, if all of the stars line up correctly my impossibly big plan will take place next spring. The first step of this transformation took place this past weekend with the installation of a beautiful iron gazebo that my ever creative husband had constructed for me. It sits in the center of the cutting garden. It isn't huge but at 6x11 ft. it sits perfectly in the center of the beds. It will be painted black with a weather resistant paint and will one day act as host to several large vintage rambling roses. Lots of hard work awaits me out there, but I feel it will be well worth it. I will keep you posted next spring as to it's progress.

ALMOST ALL GROWN UP!

2011-07-31T22:46:00.000-07:00

My chickens have grown like weeds, as chickens do. I am truly enjoying listening to them go about their "chicken business", clucking, pecking and scratching. When I hear a commotion I feel compelled to run over to the coop and insist that they stop terrorizing each other. However, I refrain and remind myself that they are in fact, chickens. I have slowly begun to name them as they have matured and shown their personalities and individual markings. The Roosters are named Dickens (polish), Winston (Wellsummer), and Hemmingway (Penadasenca). Hemmingway is rather aloof and seems to be afraid of me, but he isn't aggressive. They each have a unique crow and I love listening to them. The Polish hens are named, Violet, Ruby, Pearl and Emmie. Violet is darling; she is tiny (about half the size of the other hens) and very independent and a bit of a loner. My Americaunas are named Latte, Breve, and Macchiato. Breve seems to have poor conformation in her tail, it hangs down all the time. I am still working on the others names. They love their big run and cozy coop. Every night just before dusk they all head into the coop and roost. I lock them in so that they are safe from murderous racoons and coyotes. I keep their coop and run clean and they get treats twice a day in addition to their chicken feed. Below is a pic of my Polish rooster, I think he is terribly handsome. I hope you think so too.

MAKING NEW LOOK OLD

2011-07-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

If you're like me you appreciate the look of old, well used garden tools and pots. It gives us an indication that they served (or serve) their purpose well and have a story to tell. I am fond of the vintage look of pots in particular. Terra cotta can be tricky however, because it tends to disintegrate over time. I have a need for 24 pots to go into some iron "window boxes" that my husband had created for me and wanted them to have a well worn look. I used the popular and easy method of lime application to the pots. I purchased powdered lime from the local hardware store (I now have enough for the rest of my life!), poured about 2 cups of lime into a plastic container and added water slowly, stirring until I reached the desired consistency. I have done this two different times now; the first time the lime was too watered down, which offered minimal results. The 2nd time it was too thick. After the lime has been applied to clean pots with a paint brush, allow it to dry. When dry use fine grit sandpaper and sand the lime off, stopping when you have achieved the look you want. Keep in mind that when you water the plants you put in your new "vintage" pots more of the lime will wash off the first time. Ta da! New "old" pots. It's a very simple and effective way to add charm to your garden.

RASPBERRIES RULE

2011-07-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

We have a bumper crop of both Golden and Red Raspberries this year. I don't know if it's the excessive rain or if the bushes have just finally matured. The berries are large and juicy. I had two gallon ziplocks in the freezer from last year and decided it was time to make jam. I haven't made raspberry jam before, just strawberry and pear jam. Speaking of pear jam, it is to die for. I use a recipe that was given to me by my mother in law. But again, I digress, back to raspberry jam. I managed to get 40 jars in assorted sizes. I can't imagine we will go through all of that in one year so I plan on giving plenty of it away as gifts. I must say it turned out delicious. Nothing beats homemade preserves. There are many, many more berries left on the bushes. I haven't decided if I will freeze them or make more jam. I'm sure I will give some of them away as well. Here's hoping your berries are producing profusely. Happy canning!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2011-07-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Rosemary only grows where the mistress is master - anonymouta

CHERRY TIME

2011-07-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

It is cherry season here in the Pacific Northwest. They are readily available at the farmers market and at roadside stands. There is even a little stand on the side of the road selling them for $1.00 a basket, quite a steal if you ask me. Rainier and Queen Anne varieties are in high demand. We are the proud owners of a Rainier cherry tree, unfortunately we have had this tree for about 8 years and this is the first year we had any cherries at all. We had exactly 5, that is until the birds managed to get 4 of them. We were so excited to see our little cherries finally making an appearance and just as they ripened the birds came snacking. However, they took mercy upon us and left us one. I took a picture of it just before we picked it and my daughter and I shared it. It was delicious. Hopefully. next year we will get more than 5 and hopefully, I will do some preventative maintenance and throw some bird netting over the tree.

UNEXPECTED VISITORS

2011-07-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

No, the unexpected visitors are not people who have just "dropped by". These visitors are of the amphibian variety. For some strange reason (all the rain we have had this year?) we have had one decent sized turtle, possibly a Red Slider, and two large bullfrogs show up in the back portion of our property. They appear to have made their way up from the seasonal stream/swamp that we have just behind us. They would have had to travel quite a distance to arrive at the location where we found them. I have no idea why they would leave their swampy home but they did. They managed their way through brambles, mud and skunk cabbage and crawled through a field fence finally coming to rest near the chicken coop. They probably stopped there because that is where the dogs found them. Fortunately, all they did was bark with alarm and did not harm them. We scooped them up and returned them to their safe haven. I wonder if they will try and come back to visit.

Georgia O'Keefe anyone?

2011-07-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Calla Lilies always remind me of Georgia O'Keefes beautiful paintings. She was a master at capturing the essence of the simplicity of beautiful flowers. I have not had much success with Callas but this one has done quite well. It must be in exactly the right place because the one that is just 10 feet south has never done much of anything. It is not a huge plant but delivers lovely blooms every spring and grows slowly but surely as the years pass. Green leaves and long strong stems support a single velvety white bloom with a yellow stamen. Does a flower get any simpler than the Calla with absolute perfection in form and beauty?

OH NO!!

2011-07-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

I have 100 boxwoods that I nearly ruined myself planting about 5 years ago. They were in 5 gallon pots and are on the list of "the hardest things we have done on the property." Up until this year they have done beautifully. They are the exterior definition of my back perennial beds with some of them on the interior of the border. Last fall I carefully pulled out the soaker hoses that I no longer needed. Some of the roots had grown around the hose so I clipped it on either side of the bush and pulled it out so as not to disturb the roots. This spring the result of that decision has hit hard. They are in shock and may be dying. I am just sick!! They are the backbone of my garden layout and were very expensive. As I have looked down into the center of the large dying areas I can see bits of green, so I have decided that I must cut out the dead so that the new growth can get light and air. This is going to be another one of my large tasks but must be done. Hopefully it is the correct thing to do. It doesn't make sense to me to leave the dead on the bush. They are no longer the perfect beautiful bushes they were last year. I am so sad. Does anyone have another idea as to how I can save these boxwoods?

NEW VS. OLD

2011-06-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

It's a wonder how the "new and improved" items we use in our everyday lives are more often than not, not "improved." With the exception of course being technology. I won't touch on that subject as it is irrelevant here. Except of course for the fact that I am writing a "blog" which is new and I am doing this on a newer version of the Apple laptop. But I digress; the point is that sometimes the old is better than the new. Case in point, the lightweight, colorful, easy to use and relatively affordable plastic watering can. Yes, it's true, I who prefer vintage furniture, garden furniture and gardening "accroutrements", do in fact own a plastic watering can. I have had it for a few years now. I also have a lovely galvanized watering can that I use for display purposes (lest something should happen to it, it would be difficult to replace). However, it is very true that you pay for what you get and plastic watering cans are no exception. Last year mine became one of the dogs favorite toys. It is hysterical to see them running across the lawn with either the spout or the handle in their mouth; they think they have hit the jackpot. My galvanized can sits proudly at the corner of my deck year after year doing its duty of being "garden art." The plastic watering can bit the dust this past week as the youngest of the dogs managed to completely chew through the handle as well as the spout of the plastic watering can. I looked at it wondering if I should replace it or not and remembered my galvanized watering can that at some point in time served another gardener well. Needless to say, I will not be purchasing another plastic watering can, but instead will put the galvanized one back into service. It has the better spout anyway and my dogs will be hard pressed to use it as a toy. It's time to let the old be new again and share with me the wisdom of it's past uses.

LATE SPRING

2011-06-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

It seems that in many places across the country this year it has been a wet and cool spring. It certainly has here in the Pacific Northwest. It has only been recently that my beds have not been soaked with water and I am actually able to move soil around. Everything is blooming much later than usual. Yesterday, when I was puttering around in the evening I realized that spring really is the longest season here. It lasts at least until the first week of July and depending on the summer, beyond that. I have decided that rather than fuss about "summer never coming" I will enjoy the long springs that we have and the abundance of lasting blooms that it brings with it. The Wigelia are profuse with blooms, which in turn makes the hummingbirds very happy. This blooming bush has quickly entered the realm of one of my favorites and is very easy to maintain. Consider it for your perennial beds if you haven't already. Lovely in spring and summer and autumn brings out it's beautiful reds and golds.

DELICATE WISTERIA

2011-06-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have so very many favorite flowers that I could never choose just one or even a dozen. Amongst them is of course the Wisteria. Some people find if too consuming both in care and in growth habit and would rather not have it in their gardens. I love it's wild ways and the delicate flowers. It's intoxicating fragrance floats on the breeze and causes one to glance around wondering where that incredible scent is coming from. Mine is climbing on our "pavillion" helping to hide the hard edges of the roofline both on the outside and on the inside. I spend time trimming it twice yearly to keep it in order, it is still young and relatively easy at this point. The pic is of a single bloom that is tucked inside some branches of my dappled willow. I love it when the plants intermingle. I guess that is why I prefer a cottage garden style to any other.

SNOWBALLS IN SPRING!

2011-06-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

My snowball bush is quite large this year and heavily laden with beautiful creamy white clusters of hydrangea like blossoms. They don't offer much of a fragrance but their beauty wins out. My bush is very large and has a wonderfully wild look to it. The branches reach up to the sky as well as droop downward, giving it a very romantic and old fashioned appearance. I trim it yearly but all of the rain we have had caused it to grow excessively. Unfortunately, after I took this pic one of the branches split down at the base during a downpour the other night. Happily though it hasn't changed the symmetry of the bush and all is well. I was sad to see all of those beautiful "snowballs" laying on the ground however. Enjoy your spring.... it is a season filled with uncertainty as well as promise.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

2011-05-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

Recently my blog has been flagged as a "phishing site." This is an inaccurate warning and I am currently trying to remedy the situation. I appreciate your patience and understanding.

SIMPLE PLEASURES OF SPRING

2011-05-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

It has been a very wet and cool spring around here. Very different from last year. My flowering cherry tree bloomed 5 weeks later this year! Then of course 3 days later a hail storm arrived sending a good portion of the beautiful blossoms onto the ground. The lilacs were late as well, typically blooming just before Mothers Day. However, they finally arrived and their scent has been lilting in the breezes ever since. There is no mistaking the wonderful fragrant perfume of the lilac. I am certain it is my favorite. The forecast is for more of the same through June so everything will be delayed and diminished but I will continue to enjoy the simple pleasures of spring even if they do arrive at the beginning of "summer."

NEW DIGS!

2011-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

The chicks became "tweens" and it was time for them to move out into their new coop. They seem to be very content and happy to have more room to move around. The oldest of the flock (Americaunas) wasted no time in trying out one of the roosts. Funny how their instincts kick in, no one taught them to do what chickens do, they just do it. They have loved going outside and can run back into the safety of their coop as they wish. The only ones who are named at this point are the Americaunas as they are all hens. My daughter decided that they should be named after coffee drinks (after all we are in the Northwest), the bravest one is named Breve, the most timid is Macchiato (Macchi for short), and the middle one is named Latte. Their names suit their personalities. Hope you enjoy seeing their progress, it is actually very entertaining watching "chicken TV.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2011-04-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow. - Anonymous

A PEEK OF PERI!

2011-04-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Who can resist the sweet Vinca Minor more commonly known as PeriWinkle. It is a delightful ground cover that puts on a beautiful display of delicate periwinkle blue flowers covering evergreen leaves. Mine is located at the front of our property in the first bed I created. This pic shows the periwinkle tucking itself inside the tangled looking stump left behind after a beautiful, old and very large Maple tree decided that it had been upright long enough and simply lay itself down across our driveway in a very quiet manner. I must say that we were surprised and devastated. Of course it was rotten from the inside out, as is usually the case with these old maples, so we have another interesting large piece of wood left behind for plants to ramble on and small creatures to move in to.

CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP!

2011-04-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

More babies arrived today! The darling Polish with their little cotton topped heads along with the Penadasenca joined the three Americaunas. The original three had no idea what to think of this and huddled together in the corner of the crate probably thinking safety in numbers. After a bit of settling in however, they all began to intermingle and are now one happy flock. I currently have 13 chicks, more than I ideally would like but I have to factor in possible loss of babies and too many roosters. It has been a lot of fun watching "chicken TV" and seeing them work out their social order. Below are pics of each of the breeds. Polish, Penadasenca and the one week old Americauna. I hope you enjoy their sweet little faces as much as I do.

TRILLIUM TIME AGAIN

2011-04-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

When I first started my blog last year one of the first pictures I posted was that of the early spring wild Trillium that graces us with it's presence annually. As I mentioned last year it is a native wildflower that if picked, the plant will die. It is such a beautiful delicate looking flower. The more we clean out the wooded areas of our property, the more Trillium appear. First a single flower and as the years progress the flowers spread, I have clumps of Trillium as well as the single flowers. They stand out against the bright spring green that all of the rain here in the Pacific Northwest brings us. It has been such a dreary and wet early spring this year that the bright white of the Trillium really shines and brings great joy and hope. They never fail to make me smile inside.

THE FIRST OF THE FLOCK!

2011-04-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to introduce to you the very first members of my first flock of chickens. These little girls are the Americauna breed and when grown will give me beautiful blue eggs. They are just darling with lovely markings on their heads and around their eyes. It is so much fun to watch them and marvel at the instincts that they were born with. Once they settled in and were no longer stressed, they ate, drank, scratched and preened. When chilly they go under the warmth of the red light and when too warm they retreat to the edges. Today they were feeling very confident and ventured out of the crate they are housed in to check things out (with my supervision of course). I try to hold them three times a day for just a few seconds each so that they become comfortable with human contact and hopefully will not be fearful and act out. The remaining flock will arrive this Friday, 4 Padacasencas, 5 blue white crested polish. These last two breeds are "straight run" so I am sure to have a couple of roosters. Hooray! I have always wanted a big beautiful rooster.
Look for more postings in the "peep show" category in the future. I'm sure there will be lots to share.

GARDENERS

2011-03-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering the concept of what makes a "gardener" truly a gardener for a very long time now. Of course the polite answer would be that anyone who "gardens" runs the gamut from the potted plants on the deck or balcony to those who have beautiful large sweeping gardens that have been designed and maintained by professional landscapers while the "gardener" does the puttering.
However, it seems to me that to truly be a gardener requires a lot of toil, trouble and a certain degree of dirt under your nails. There is the "potted plants on the deck" gardener who may very well be unable to acquire a plot of land of their own and this is how they feed their passion for growing beautiful flowers or edible vegetables. Some of the very best gardens are those that are small and charming and filled with the gardeners personal flair. The gardens that have been professionally designed, planted and maintained with the "gardener" doing the bits of trimming and has the luxury of enjoying the final effects of all of that hard work are those that I take issue with. I ask, "how can they consider themselves gardeners?"
To me, to be a gardener literally means starting from the ground up. From the beginning stages of the planning of the beds all they way to completion with all of the mistakes, frustrations and successes that accompany the hard earned title of "gardener" whether it is on a small or a more grand scale, the gardener doing the majority of the work themselves. True, as we all age and get older we may be looking for help with the heavy work, but those of us with the gardeners soul will never turn over the actual tending of the garden. It is something we will do until we can no longer.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2011-03-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and mental illness. - author unknown

HELLO HELLEBORES!

2011-03-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

The earliest part of spring can be a true delight or a great frustration in the Pacific Northwest. This year, a great frustration. It seems as if the sun will never come out, however... without fail the charming Hellebores always appear. They are delicate looking and very hardy. This year they poked their heads up out of the cover of leaves that I hadn't been able to remove and reached upwards. Their heads have been loaded down with rain and this weather has probably lessened their "show", but nonetheless they are here, giving me cause to smile and look forward to sunnier and drier skies.

NOT A PRETTY PICTURE!

2011-03-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

The pic below makes me terribly sad as a gardener. It was once a honeysuckle that was actually thriving extensively after it's third home. The first move was necessitated by the neighbors dogs chewing it to pieces, the second home was just not right and it's third home was perfect. Full sun and picket fence as well as an arbor to ramble along. It grew like crazy and was gorgeous, the hummingbirds loved it. One offense against this determined honeysuckle was my husband. It needed to be trimmed (when I wasn't present) in order for the septic tank to be pumped and he recklessly wacked away at it dead center. I managed to do some aesthetically pleasing tidying up. Just a couple of weeks ago, the worst damage to it yet was done by our young dog (whom shall remain nameless). In just a very short period of time he completely destroyed my beautiful honeysuckle. All of it's main branches were shredded to bits! There was nothing to do but cut it to the ground and say a little gardeners prayer.
Of course we all love the pretty pictures of flowers growing happily, but as a testament to the hardiness of this plant I wanted to post this pathetic picture because I am betting that by the end of summer it will be reaching it's way towards the picket fence once again.

BABY CHICKS FOR EASTER!

2011-03-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Just ordered my first flock of chickens. Padacascenca, Americauana and blue Polish. They will be here just in time for Easter. Looking forward to all of those yummy purely organic eggs that will be coming our way. Will post pictures of them when they arrive. Can't wait!

COTTAGE GARDEN PLANNING

2011-02-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

As our thoughts turn to spring, now is the perfect time to start planning for the cottage garden you may have always dreamed of having.
Cottage gardens are always associated with roses: shrub roses, climbing roses, and old garden roses with lush foliage. They may include the Gallica rose, Damask rose, Provence rose, China roses, Bourbon rose and Noisette rose. As well as a multitude of perennials. They seem to be the mainstay of the cottage garden and frequently have a "wild side" to them. Vegetables are very much at home in the cottage garden as are herbs. They can be intermixed with very little effort and blend in nicely.

Cottage gardens simply must have climbers; roses, honeysuckle, clematis, climbing hydranges, wysteria etc... They add height to the garden and help to create a charming effect..

HOW TO DESIGN YOUR COTTAGE GARDEN:

There are many ways to create a cottage garden in your already existing garden or you can start from scratch.

As you begin to plan your garden, take the time to evaluate how you currently use the garden space and/or how you would ideally like to use it. Keep in mind access to the garden from your house, driveway, sidewalk etc... You will want to create pathways that draw people into and through your garden space. The use of materials that are unstructured, such as flagstone, or gravel are a wonderful way to create meandering pathways through the garden or to a focal point, such as a birdbath or seating area. Cottage gardens typically have picket or simple wood style fences with possibly the addition of arbors and gates. These allow for the opportunity to have a place for climbers to grow as well as flowers to peek out between the pickets. Gates with arbors around them are a wonderful way to encourage visitors to enter into the garden.

You can also consider the use of hedges as fencing and for privacy. The traditional boxwood makes a nice exterior border, as do many other hedge type bushes.

The addition of birdhouses, birdfeeders, and birdbaths or fountains encourage beautiful birds to visit the garden and enhance the charm of the cottage garden.

As you plan your cottage garden consider creating areas for entertaining amongst the flower beds. A covered area for dining, or a fireplace or firepit make a nice location in the garden where you and your guests can enjoy the beauty you will have created.

PLANT AND FLOWER CHOICES:

In the cottage garden almost anything goes. The favorites, hollyhocks, daisies, old garden roses, phlox and many more require full sun. However, you can create a cottage garden in the shade as well. Hydrangeas, hostas, astilbe, ferns, bleeding hearts, hellebores, trillium and other shade loving plants create an enchanting wooded cottage garden effect.

Personal preference is to your advantage when choosing your cottage gardens flowers. Shrubs typically don't have a place in the cottage garden but Hydgrangeas, Wigelia, Lilacs etc.. fit in nicely and give it some "bones." A mix of free flowing flowers with those of the more contained style create a sense of balance. I prefer hardy wild looking flowers that have a long blooming season. Ground covers cannot be understimated in the cottage garden. Mosses (for shady areas), and sun loving ground covers look spectacular when growing between flagstone walkways, as well as ground covers filling in between perennials and companion plants. They help tremendously with weed control once they are established, on the down side some ground covers can be very invasive and must be watched after.

MAINTENANCE;

Starting a cottage garden is not for the faint of heart. They require diligence and constant attention; but once established have matured and filled in the work load will be much less. If your garden space is on the large side, you may want to consider creating individual beds slowly so that you don't become overwhelmed. I have been working on my beds for 6 years now, with 8 new ones being planted this spring all while maintaining the ones I have. Remember, if a plant is not thriving in its current location consider finding a more suitable space for it. I give mine one year. Also, patience pays off more often than not. If a plant seems to have expired give it some time and a bit of attention. More often than not it will revive itself. Woody perennials are the exception here, it seems as though once they die it truly is over for them.

EXPENSE:

Gardening is a costly hobby but can be done in a frugal manner by trying the following; starting from seed what you can, sharing plant divisions with fellow gardeners, waiting for the end of the season sales or shopping on-line for good buys from the larger suppliers. Once you have a few beds established you will be able to divide what you personally have and add to new beds.

PATIENCE:

I have never considered myself a patient person, but when it comes to my gardens I am very patient. It is very satisfying to see the results of diligence and hard work.

I wish those of you pursuing a cottage garden great success with loads of patience.

FEBRUARY

2011-02-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

The robins arrived 4 weeks early this year. It will be interesting to see if spring comes early. It can be hard to tell around here because spring lasts a long time and is unpredictable. Just the same, I have never seen the robins return home so soon. Every day I see a big fat male with a bright red chest keeping an eye on a pretty female. He sits on the arbor closest to my back door and she perches herself on the top of one of my birdhouse/feeders. It really is amazing what wildlife will tell you about weather if you have the luxury of being able to pay attention as you go about your day. My honeysuckle is already sending out tender green leaves, the weeping pussy willow is starting to bud out and several of the perennials are sending up green shoots. My early spring to do's will begin once I get the winter to do's that didn't get done taken care of. I still have leaves that have to be raked, my berries need to be tidied and trimmed and some of the bushes require attention. Then I can get to the needs to be done now to do's. One thing I must wait for is the ground to dry out a bit. No weeding will take place until the soggy conditions around here subside, I can however complete a multitude of tasks that will easily eat up my time, ie: pressure washing the mildew off of my deck and porches (blah!). Well, better that than shoveling snow.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2011-02-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

Every gardener knows under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dreams. - Barbara Winkler

WOODLAND ADDITION

2011-01-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

For the 2nd year in a row for Christmas one of our trees was a live tree so that we could plant it outside and enjoy it on a permanent basis. This year we chose a Golden Deodora. It is such a pretty evergreen. Light green needles tinged with a yellow/gold, if you didn't know what you were looking at you might think that it is on the anemic side. I adore it. It's branches droop down a bit giving it a romantic feel which fits in nicely with the multiple cedar trees we have. However, it needles are as sharp as the dickens. I think it looks sweet out there in it's new home filling in the space where years ago we lost a Douglas Fir in it's youth. It has towering evergreens one either side and reminds me of a small child with a big brother and sister looking out for it. It seems to be looking up to them for protection and friendship. It will look nice behind the gazebo that is planned in the area in front of it.

NEW YEAR THOUGHT

2011-01-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Years Day. Edith Lovejoy Pierce. British poet.

BRINGING THE OUTDOORS IN FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2010

2011-01-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

I meant to publish this post a couple of weeks ago, but the holidays got the best of me and time was limited. Now that the frenzy is over I thought it would be fun to share with you anyway before our thoughts turn to seedlings and spring to do's.

Ever since we built our home on our five acres, I trudge around our small woods with clippers in one hand and a shopping bag in another in search of cedar branches, mossy twigs, holly foliage etc..., anything that catches my eye in order to bring it into our house for holiday decorating. More often than not this is done in at least a misty rain, so by the time I am done with collecting, my clothes are wet and my hair flattened to my head and probably dripping wet. However, one night I ran out of miscellaneous greenery and was anxious to get my decorating done as it seemed to be taking longer than I would have liked. I looked out at my very dark property and the damp fog that was enveloping it, put on my raincoat, grabbed a flashlight and convinced the dogs to go out into the night with me. I was counting on them to chase off any coyotes that may have been lurking about. The fog was light but the flashlight still cut a line through it as I made my way towards the back where the holly bushes are. As I have walked the property countless times in the dark I was unafraid. I am always enchanted by the stillness that surrounds me outside in the woods, in the dark (with the dogs of course) . I cherish the sound of animals moving about and owls calling to each other and it is usually with hesitancy that I re-enter the security of our warm home as I truly enjoy the solitude that the dark woods offer. I managed to acquire the necessary "accoutrements" to finish my decorating that night and thought you might enjoy seeing some of the "vignettes" I created utilizing some of what nature has to offer. Nothing too fancy, just a bit of this and that. I love the look of natural rustic items paired with the more formal ornaments, candles etc... .

SNOW? REALLY??

2010-11-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

Well, when I posted my last blog I mentioned that winter was clearly was on it's way. However, I didn't expect snow! This first thing I did when I finally returned home after doing my Thanksgiving Day shopping was run out and rake. Yes, that's right, rake! This cold snap caught me unprepared and I had to scramble to get my lily beds blanketed with leaves before any more damage was done. My family thinks I'm crazy, but they know me well by now and very little stops me. Fortunately, the amount of snow received was minimal and I was able to accomplish my task even though the leaves were frozen. In the 19 years we have lived in the Pacific Northwest I have never seen it snow this early. Granted, it isn't much compared to other parts of country but it still brings along it's constant companion; cold temperatures. My poor, poor plants. They aren't used to this type of weather. Who knows what the rest of the winter will bring, last year was quite damaging. We are supposed to get about 2" tonite and then it will disappear as always, leaving shocked perennials, lilacs, roses etc... in it's wake. I must go out and fill the bird feeders my little winged friends are probably hungry.

AUTUMN DAYS

2010-11-19T16:29:00.000-08:00

Autumn seemed to come and go far too quickly this year. I was able to get most of my "to do's" done, but there are a few left unfinished. Unfortunately, a couple of unexpected events on behalf of mother nature have taken place and created even more work. A tree fell on my cottage, where I will have my gift shoppe and floral design studio, but fortunately no damage was done. Then, for some unknown reason the majority of the posts in my cutting garden fence have rotted underground and two of the four sides have fallen down. Needless to say, I can't ask my husband to rebuild that large fence so we have opted to eliminate the fence completely with a front facade only, where I have some climbing roses growing. Time for a new plan for the perimeter of the cutting garden. I'm contemplating large old garden roses, wigelia and lilacs to create a natural wall and this will also entice even more feathered friends. I managed to get a couple of pics of the beautiful autumn we had. Below is one of the Wigelia in full fall colors, and a shot of one of our very old maple trees that somewhere early in its life had to grow sideways in order to reach up towards the sun. As I write this post it is clear that autumn is leaving and winter is arriving. Very blustery and on the chilly side outside. I have many, many leaves left to rake and may end up doing it in the rain. Thats life in the Pacific Northwest/

VIGNETTES IN THE GARDEN

2010-11-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Vignette: a small impressionistic scene. I must admit that I need to work on the "vignettes" in my gardens. I have been so focused on getting plants in the ground and maintaining them that I haven't seen to that detail much yet. I have a few, here and there but know I need many more. They are one of the many extra details that are imperative (to me) to help create a charming effect on my property. So that said, added to my goal list this spring are of course vignettes. They are the final touch and make all the difference. In the post before this one I featured a garden I had visited named Laurel Hedge and neglected to post this very charming vignette pic. It is simple and very effective. I think you will find it inspiring if you appreciate small details as I do.

CHARM IS IN THE DETAILS!

2010-11-05T23:21:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, upon the advice of a friend of a friend, my husband and I visited the very charming gardens at Laurel Hedge in Estacada, Oregon, as she had been told that I was working towards creating a "destination" garden and thought I would find it inspirational. It isn't often that I have the chance to visit other gardens and was thrilled with the opportunity to visit this one. It was once a Christmas Tree farm that over the years has been converted into multiple beds, pathways and charming outbuildings by two very creative individuals. The gardens include a large pond, several clever fountains, charming outbuildings including a greenhouse made of salvaged windows and a boutique featuring a little of this and that found here and there. Not to mention an adorable outhouse unlike any I have ever seen and many birdhouses that make excellent use of vintage everyday objects. These are men after my own heart! We came home with three salvaged windows that will be suspended from our pavillion creating a cozy feeling for our future outdoor kitchen and seating area. Below are some of the pics of Laurel Hedge. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed visiting them. I will return in the spring to see what's new. Check out their website at www.laurelhedge.com, and if you are in the area, stop by you won't be disappointed.

BLOOMING SPIDERS!

2010-10-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

There aren't many annuals that I am fond of, but this is definitely one of them. The Cleome (spider flower) is amazing! I had never seen one until I thought they looked interesting on the cover of a seed packet and were considered one of the old fashioned types, so I propagated them and fell in love. They grow to about 4.5 ft. tall with hardy stalks and amazing wild looking blooms that are in a full ball at the top and have spidery looking sections going down the stalk. I must admit however that scent is not their strong point. It is a little on the musky side so I'm not sure how popular they will be as a cut flower but I will have them in abundance none the less. They were better performers last year as I had started them in pots, this year I allowed them to self sow. I don't know if it was our late summer or if they just fare better with a headstart in pots. Next spring I will go back to my original method as I must have these. Their blooms last a very long time and when they begin to fade they dry out and open up revealing dozens of tiny seeds in long narrow pods. Enjoy these pics and consider giving them a try in your garden. (full sun)

TEENY TINY DAISIES!

2010-10-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well not really. This is actually a woodland aster, a very hardy perennial that is sweet smelling and very sweet to look at. The bees go crazy for it as it blooms in the early fall and is almost the only fresh flower available for them to utilize for their bee "to do's". A must have if you don't have.

TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK

2010-10-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

Time has gotten away from me this season. Obligations other than gardening have taken precedence. I have managed to stay on top of things, but my scheduled projects did not take place. I won't bore my readers with unnecessary details and I am fearful that if I did actually write down what "did not" get done this season I might have a panic attack. So... best to leave those thoughts swirling around in my head, while I convince myself that there is always next year. The problem with that however, is that with every passing year I get older! That thought in itself is enough to make me feel like screaming at time to STOP so my "to do's" can get caught up before my body will no longer keep up with the demands. Of course, the unfortunate reality for all of us is that time does not stop, not ever. It literally marches on, and too bad if we can't keep up. Get going, keep moving. So, I do. I keep going, trying my best to keep my multiple goals in focus and accomplish what I can. Thus, my lame explanation for my lack of updates on my blog. Funny how gardening blogs are hardest to maintain when we are actually... gardening.

SHOWOFFS!

2010-09-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

These late blooming, long lasting favorites like to strut their stuff when the other flowers are fading away. These particular shots were taken in my cutting garden. They are some of the last ones still blooming. I love the bright yellow of the Black Eyed Susans paired with the purple Asters and the multi-colored Cosmos. The wiry long stemmed purple flowers scattered here and there are Brazilian Vervain (Verbena bonariensis). No one believes me when I tell them they are Verbena. Never mind that they don't grow where I want them to but are profuse everywhere else. Oh well. I just let them pop up wherever they want. They are light and airy and you can see other flowers through them. They truly grow like weeds and some people don't care for their disrespectful wild ways. They are definitely on my favorite list.

SURPRISE IN THE SKY!

2010-09-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

A beautiful rainbow graced us with it's presence the other day and I felt compelled to share a couple of pics. They are always such a delight and so unexpected. A rainbow always makes me smile inside.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-09-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. - Lou Erickson

HOLLYHOCKS

2010-09-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Summer is waning quickly as are most of the flowers in my beds. However, the beautiful old fashioned hollyhock is hanging on to remind us of the beauty summer flowers provide. This was not a banner year for my hollyhocks. Typically, they are at least 8 ft. high and too many to count. My guess is it was the wet June we had, as I found many of the rootstock had rotted in the ground. Sad. However, I know that as always they will prevail and return next year in all their stately glory. I never actually plant Hollyhocks, they just show up. I do transplant them usually with success. Colors intermingle and change as the bees go about their busy business. The pretty peachy/yellow and lilac colored ones are some of my favorite. So... for now a final photo to look back on during the long days of winter as we gardeners pine and plan for spring.

GUILTY AS CHARGED!!

2010-08-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

This adorable pup is just 4 months old weighing in at 33 lbs! He has a destructive (but oddly enduring because I know it won't last) habit of leaning up against my tall perennials and collapsing upon them. The first couple of times he did it I became alarmed thinking something was wrong. But no, he just wanted a cool place to lie down. I have had more than my fair share of damage caused by large over zealous puppies. Usually I become hysterical chasing them all over the place only to make the situation far worse. My approach now is to turn away and keep in mind that this too shall pass and that next summer this particular puppy will be grown and my perennials will have yet another chance at survival. At least that is what I am hoping for.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments - Janet Kilburn Phillips

PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES!

2010-08-16T22:22:00.000-07:00

This pic was sent to me by a visitor to my cutting garden. A lovely lady (visiting from West Virginia) and her daughter (featured in the photo) stopped by hoping to see a field of lavender. What they found instead was the beginning stages of my cutting garden and the final stages of my lavender. However, they were very sweet and complimentary and seemed to be very pleased with what they saw. They were especially impressed with the size of the Shasta Daisies, hence the photo. As you can see she isn't attempting to eat them, just smelling. They went home with plenty of cut flowers and lavender to enjoy. It was a delight to have them stop by, as I haven't officially been open for business for awhile now, and haven't had the chance to talk "flowers" with visitors. I truly hope that when they are in town again they will have the opportunity to drop in. There should be new flowers to smell and cut and young fresh lavender to admire.

CLAMORING CLEMATIS

2010-08-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

This is an extra pretty clematis that I acquired at a local independent nursery located in an obscure area in Brush Prarie, Washington which is just down the road from my house called Collectors Nursery. They seem to focus on shade loving and unusual plant varieties. The only sign they have is a mailbox on the road with their name painted on it. Every once in awhile they will have a small wagon up front with end of season deals. One year I purchased Hellebores in gallon pots for $6.00 each, which is a steal. Their website is collectorsnursery.com. You should check it out.
As for this clematis that I purchased from them about 6 years ago, I cut it to the ground every spring and it grows like crazy, filling an entire corner of this particular bed and as you can see rambles all over the picket fence. Visitors often comment on its beauty and prolific growth. I have no idea what the name of it is (as is typical with me), all I know is that it is definitely one of my favorites.

I feel the need to put a question out there to anyone who reads this blog, no response necessary, just a little something to think about. Am I the only gardener out there who is possessive of their plants? I have a friend who stopped by the other day and as we were wandering around the beds, she would randomly pull a weed here and there, okay great if you want to do the dirty work for me. But then, she began rearranging the above featured clematis along the fenceline. I instantly felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck! I had to refrain from saying what I was actually thinking which was, "what do you think you are doing? Stop rearranging my clematis!" Then after she left I began questioning myself and wondering if I am completely obsessive or what? I do know that if I ever hired anyone to do any work around here it would not be weeding or trimming. I would spend far too much time hovering over them making sure they didn't pull out something they shouldn't as some of my plants are a little wild looking. I had this conversation with my husband, and because he knows me so well, assured me that I was indeed obsessive and possessive about my plants. To me it is in the same category as someone coming into your home and randomly rearranging the furniture without being invited to do so! They truly are my babies, anyone is invited to enjoy, smell, touch, and certainly cut from the cutting garden (which I am finding is a difficult task for to bring myself to do, and my daughter has to keep reminding me that it is indeed a CUTTING GARDEN!!)

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plants point of view". - H. Fred Ale

NOW THAT'S A SHASTA!

2010-07-30T23:26:00.000-07:00

This pic is of the Shasta Daisies that are in my cutting garden. They are over 5ft. high and are a stunning sight. They seem to glow with their beautiful white petals and yellow centers. Being a perennial they require no care other than watering and because they are so abundant they manage to hold themselves upright. Truly a delight in any garden.

I have several large stands of Shastas throughout my perennial beds. They really stand out next to the Coneflower and Black Eyed Susans when they are all in bloom at the same time.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-07-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

As Rosemary is to the spirit, so Lavender is to the soul.

LOVELY LAVENDER

2010-07-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

My lavender is now eight years old and this will be it's last season. It will be very hard for me to dig them up, we have spent many seasons together. When I first became entranced with the idea of a flower business my immediate thoughts were to lavender. It was the trend at the time and a trip to Sequim, Washington sealed the deal in my mind. I ordered 1,000 tiny plants, 500 Provence, and 500 Grosso, the french varietal. An area approximately 1/4 of an acre was tilled and prepared. The tiny plants arrived and the frenzied planting began. I employed the youthful, yet unwilling, energy of my two young children at the time as well as my ever supportive husband. Many years, a ridiculous amount of weeding, and several backbreaking harvests have come to an end. I currently only have about 125 of the original plants. Two years ago the majority were removed to make room for my current cutting garden. I will replant this spring in a more easily managed manner (keyword; more weedblock) with no more than 100 plants. I will continue with the Provence, I am enamored with the rich fragrance of this variety, as well as the Grosso which is very fragrant as well and is widely used for lavender wands and the dried buds for sachets.
So for now... please enjoy these few photos of my lovely old ladies as this will be their last.

THE HEAT IS ON!

2010-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

After a very long and wet spring, summer has arrived as is typical, shortly after the Fourth of July. No transition this year however, we have gone from 64 degrees and cloudy for nearly two months to 96 degrees for the next three days. No complaints here though, just have to really move to see that all of the plants receive sufficient water (by hand!) and with the help of one or two sprinklers. Definitely a full time job at this time of year.
The quote below is one I am sure many of us gardeners would love to embrace, and allow the weeds to do as they wish. But then of course, that would mean relinquishing the joy of gardening to the rampage of the weeds, which would result in ... not much of a garden! In my wooded areas however, there are some lovely natural ground covers that for years I tried to control. No such luck, and I have come to the conclusion that they are rather pretty and die off quickly after their season has passed. My husband notified me this year that he constantly weed wacks a very persistent weedy looking bush type plant, that always reappears in full force. Once he showed me the plant I then asked him to cease and desist instantly, as it is a wild Anemone and is much prettier than a nasty blackberry bush that would most certainly fill its spot. There truly are some "weeds" that are worth keeping.
The pic below is just a quick snap of one of my gated entries into my cottage garden (as always, a work in progress). I like looking at it as I walk through it several times a day and thought I would share.
Happy watering!

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-07-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

"What is a weed?" A weed is a plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered. - Emerson

BABY NEW DAWN

2010-06-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

This beautiful and popular climbing rose was just planted this spring and is thriving. If it performs as I believe it will, next year it should look amazing. The flowers bloom a beautiful pale pink, turning to white as they age. Very fragrant and seems to be quite disease resistant, the excessive rain here didn't affect it much where it severely damaged many of my other roses. I believe it is a once blooming variety, but most of my roses are and I am fine with that. I can't wait to see what it will look like next year!

FRILLY FRAGRANT PEONIES

2010-06-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love the scrumptious fragrance and voluptuous appearance of the peony. Their beautiful delicate petals form large drooping heads filled with an old fashioned fragrance that is unique to them. They come in a large variety of colors ranging from rich burgundies to luminescent whites. My favorite personals are the pale pinks. This color range seems to suite their delicate nature. Considering the amount of rain we get here in the Northwest in the spring I am always tempted to run out and place an umbrella over each of my beauties because their blooms become so heavy with water that they are unable to keep themselves upright.

Alas, this has yet to happen and I try to rectify rainy day damage by cutting the drooping flowers and bring them indoors so that I may enjoy their scent and beauty inside as well as out.

If you haven't experienced the joy of the peony, I highly recommend it. They will take you back in time to an era that has been too easily forgotten.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-06-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

"The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before." - Vita Sackville West

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL SO SWEET

2010-06-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some pics of a few of my roses. I adore the Old Garden Roses. They are very hardy and smell divine. The pic of the small very pale yellow rose is actually a rambler named Rambling Rector dated 1910, that is just one year old, and should grow to about 35 feet and hopefully will cover the arbor entirely with these sweet little flowers. The rose with the dark magenta flower is a Moss rose, Mme Dubost dating to 1890 (thousands of evil thorns), the other one that is just beginning to bloom is a Bourbon named Charles Lawson, 1853. This one has at least a thousand blooms on it and is very difficult to keep upright, especially with the heavy rains we have had this year.

If you could smell their scent through my blog!

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-06-09T16:27:00.001-07:00

For every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.

SPIDERWORT

2010-05-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

This particular bed holds several perennials, the ones you can easily see are lambsear, spiderwort, and a Presidents clematis. In another blog I follow the writer referred to spiderwort as a weed. I can only assume that it grows prolifically in their location and becomes pesky. Here in my gardens it is pretty compact and always puts on a beautiful display, as long as I have it well supported, otherwise it falls flat to the ground and the only option is to cut it completely down. That did happen this year to one of them in another bed, and I am unhappy with myself that I allowed that to occur. The lambsear always amazes me. Last fall this was just two single cuttings from my more established plants, they certainly are content where they are, I can't believe how much they grew in less than a year! The clematis is another mystery, I have read that you should leave them alone and allow the "new to grow on the old". I have two clematis, both different varieties, each year in the very early spring I cut them down to the ground because they are such a confusing mass. They never fail to grow like crazy and receive many compliments from those who see them. A long portion of this particular clematis is on the ground, because it grew in the opposite direction and hasn't gotten quite long enough to reach the pickets.

There is Hardy Geranium planted at the base of the arbor, as well as Hollyhocks, Shasta Daisies and peonies.

Hope you enjoy and can't see too many weeds!

HONEYSUCKLE

2010-05-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

This Native Honeysuckle grows up and on the railing of my front porch. It tends to be rather spindly but has beautiful blooms in the spring, the hummingbirds love it. Unfortunately, once the weather becomes warmer it does not put on much of a display unless I am vigilant about watering.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-05-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow, grow." - The Talmud

DAPPLED WILLOWS

2010-05-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

My beds are waking up nicely so there are more photo ops available. These pics are of my Dappled Willows. They are a lovely free forming bush that has green foliage as well as leaves that are a creamy pink. They are underplanted with Lambs Ear, which I adore because it is a fast spreading ground cover. However, the thistles continue to make their way through (maybe it's the black thistle I feed the finches?) Anyway, the Dappled Willows are going into their third season and have grown like crazy. I hand trim them throughout the summer, trying not to take away their natural look. Fortunately, they are doing what I had hoped for, first; surviving, second; softening the end of our "pavillion". The wisteria is taking it's sweet time growing up the gables as I am hoping. I am new to properly growing Wisteria, so any suggestions are welcome.

The past two weeks have put me into a state of exhaustion. I have gone through most of my beds for the third time this season, however my largest bed which is semi-wooded and about 60 feet long and 25 feet wide has run amuck. Once the grasses get going in that bed there is not stopping them. It will be 10 more days before I can get to it as I am going down to Southern California for my daughters graduation from college. The vegie garden is in and some topdressing done in a couple of areas. However, another task waiting for me when I return is the removal of my mini forest of maple trees. I had this ingenious idea of laying some of my thousands of leaves on top of my next 5 perennial beds to keep the weeds under control and add nutrition to the soil. Lo and behold, no weeds but tiny maple trees instead. It shouldn't be too bad to take care of, a hoe and a rake, and some back breaking double digging. Right??

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-05-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

The best fertilizer is the gardeners shadow. - author unknown

FOR THE LOVE OF SPRING!

2010-05-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that Lily of the Valley should appear closer to Easter. I love their delicate tiny drooping flowers, tucked into the safety of elongated green leaves. I have quite a few planted underneath my lilacs. They are thriving, and spreading which is good and not so good. The good part is that they fill in the blank space in an area where it would be hard to grow anything other than a ground cover, they seem to do best in a shady, cool environment. The bad part is that they are prolific and need to be brought under control every couple of years.

I was at a large plant sale on Saturday and was aghast to see single Lily of the Valley being sold in 4" pots for $3.00!! Mine were given to me by a friend and when I divide them, I too will give them to family and friends or find a place for them in my wooded areas. If someone is going to charge $3.00 for Lily of the Valley they should at least put 3 in the 4" pot and you really need to buy only one because they spread so rapidly.

One of the many things I have learned in my self-taught gardening education is that you don't need to buy gallon pots of perennials, if available buy the 4" pots. Things always grow and you will save yourself money in the long run. Also, it's good to have a friend who gardens and you can share or buy from small independent nurseries, they usually have a little lower price. I have purchased very few of my hundreds of plants from large nurseries. I have learned to be patient and if the plant is not doing well within a years time I find a new location for it to give it a better chance. It usually works.

That's my tip for this particular post. Good Luck to all of you getting the weeds under control. I need it!

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-05-10T08:43:00.001-07:00

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. - author unknown

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-05-01T08:10:00.001-07:00

The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies - Gertrude Jekyll

OFF THE GARDENING PATH!

2010-04-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Spring is to me, the rebirth of the earth. In so many ways we see life spring forth, whether it is in plant or animal form. The birds are furiously working on their nests for the upcoming broods, and newborn animals stand on unsteady legs close to their mothers, ready to venture out into their new lives.

This beautiful filly was just moments old when I snapped this pic. She is the foal of my horse trainers Thoroughbred mare. I had the precious opportunity of being present when she entered this world looking around as if to say, "well, I'm here!" Yes, you are here and how lucky we are to have you.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-04-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. -
Doug Larson

Thoughts on a tangled garden

2010-04-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

I ran across this section this morning and found it to be very touching. Coincidentally, not only is my blog entitled Tangled Gardens, but it is also the name of my fledgling flower and garden business. This is the feeling I am trying to create in my flower beds. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

This section is from the book "The American Garden vol. Xl" by L.H. Bailey.

Tangled Gardens

IT IS a singular fact that the gardens which the poets oftenest praise are those in which no rule of landscape gardening and no method have been consciously employed. A rhapsody of one of our great parks would be an anomaly in literature, but a lyric of an old and tangled garden is the most natural and common of emotions; nor does it matter if the garden is small and cramped and poor, if only "... here and there some sprigs of mournful mint, Of nightshade or valerian, grace the wall," so long as the plants grow carelessly and naturally, it possesses charm. If this experience were analyzed we should find that the charm of these old gardens comes from the plants themselves rather than from mere arrangement, from the love of green things growing, so long as they grow as nature intended that they should. The moment we begin to shear and trim and "design," we turn the attention from plants to artifice; the garden thence loses its charm as a bit of nature. In the old gardens which we knew as children, there was a satisfying influence of which even the memory brings peace and contentment, but in the parks there is only the unsatisfied desire to see something more, the curiosity to seek for new wonders, and then the fatigue which comes from sight seeing. We long to escape the park and boulevard for some old granny's garden, where hollyhocks and pinks and jasmine grow and tangle as they will.

Here it does not matter if the family cat sleeps under the honeysuckles or if the spiders build their webs in the corners. The turf is free to walk upon and the flowers can be touched and picked. Birds build their nests in the lilac bushes. The dew waits long in the morning, a setting of pearls everywhere. All this is peace and purity. How the memory haunts us in these older days! How we long for that old garden which was "a mere growth of the years!"

DREAMING OF GREENS TO COME!

2010-04-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

With the majority of my flower beds being perennials and roses, things are growing but there isn't much to post about. My thoughts, as I am sure many of yours, are turning to the vegetable garden; planning on what to plant and when. This is a pic of my vegie garden from last summer, the lavender was removed last fall because it had gotten enormous and was taking up valuable space. I have spent the last few weeks double digging my raised beds and am waiting for the soil temperature to rise so I can plant. I had hoped to get the lettuce seeds in today, but spent far too much time pressure washing the deck. My preferred vegie garden style is a potager. I have planted climbing roses on the arbors and hope they will thrive. I find it easier to maintain the weeds and amend the soil with this garden style. The bird house and bird bath create a nice little habitat for the finches and chickadees. Speaking of soil, yesterday as I was finishing double digging the last bed I wondered where all of the soil was going. Each year I add organic matter and composted horse manure and each year the soil level declines. Any ideas? Maybe it's the garden fairies taking the easy way out for their own gardens.

Heres wishing all of you a successful planting season for a rich harvest in the fall.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-04-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments. John Erskine

Flowering Cherry Tree

2010-04-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the beautiful flowers on my Shirofugen Flowering Cherry Tree. Today was the big day, and no rain! The Shirofugen is the last of the flowering cherry trees to bloom and it is a spectacular beauty to behold with its white/pink petals. A deciduous tree that grows to a height and spread of 15-20 feet. The shape is spreading and flat topped. Over time the tree may grow branches that arch downward. When the bloom first appears it is a very pale pink but soon turns to white as the petals open, only to revert to a pink-mauve with dark centers as the bloom ages. Our Shirofugen is approximately 13 years old. This is my personal favorite of the flowering cherries. It has a very romantic and feminine appearance with it's nodding branches and drooping blossoms. I chose this picture because it showcases the blooms themselves.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-04-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done. - Author Unknown

Bleeding Hearts

2010-04-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra - dy-SEN-tra). A beautiful heirloom woodland perennial that has been popular in gardens for centuries. The name of bleeding hearts typifies the unique flowers, which resemble pink hearts with drops of blood dangling from their tips. They are yet another one of my many favorites. They are so beautiful, delicate and unusual. They are most content in the light shade of a woodland garden. Paired with ferns, wild bleeding hearts and hostas they create a lovely contrast of size and shape. The beloved bleeding heart blooms with the tulips and daffodils much to the delight of all gardeners anxious for the gardening season to begin.

GARDEN QUOTE OF THE WEEK

2010-04-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. - Claude Monet

Spring Delights!

2010-03-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

Wild Trillium ( Trilllium grandiflorum),also known as wake-robin or birthroot. I am fortunate enough to have these beautiful native wild flowers growing on my property in the shady wooded areas. It is illegal in a few states (Washington being one of them) to pick or transplant trillium as it is a protected wildflower. Once the flower is picked it can take many years to recover. The plants have a perennial rootstock that was used medicinally by both Native Americans and early colonists. It is always such a delight to see them pop up here and there. Over the years we have had more show up each spring. This is my largest grouping so far. I am a little fearful for it's safety as the Hellebores seem to be creeping in. I will have to take care of that this fall when the Trillium are dormant.

Time To Tidy Up!

2010-03-29T18:34:00.001-07:00

The joy of spring brings with it the need to see to the tedious details of the garden. I find this to be a little on the overwhelming side and wondering "why on earth am I doing this, who cares" as I crawl along the flagstone and pick out all of the hundreds of maple seed pods and tiny pieces of rose trimmings that are lodged in the gravel between my flagstones causing me to have very sore fingers plagued with miniscule slivers and a very sore neck. I find myself also thinking, "why didn't we just lay this flagstone in concrete?" The answers to these questions are simple; first, I feel absolutely compelled to "get out there" and see to the cleaning up and I care (that's who!) Second, the reason we didn't lay the flagstone in concrete is twofold, it is expensive and not does not lend itself to a natural atmosphere. Thus, my current chore. One of the other many things that needs to be done at this time of year is the dividing of perennials that have overgrown their boundaries. I love it when I get multiple plants out of one and re-distribute them in my beds. Today, I managed to get eighteen new Loosestrife just by dividing them. Two days ago I was able to get 31 individual phlox out of two overgrown bunches. Yeah!! I love free plants! My poor body is feeling the effects of all of this early spring cleaning, but I would much rather garden like a maniac than sweat away in a stuffy gym. Happy Spring Cleaning!!

DIY Garden Design

2010-03-29T18:31:00.001-07:00

As a gardener who is always looking for ideas and am always wondering "how did they get from one point to the other?" I thought it might be fun to share with you my personal perennial beds progress. I have never used a professional landscaper other than hiring someone to excavate a portion of our property so that we could have a semi smooth lawn surface with an actual sprinkling system. (I felt spoiled as I watched someone else do the hard work.) It is impossible for me to have 5 acres filled with perennial beds and thus some of it has been relegated to lawn. Also, I will be bringing my "boys" (horses) home sometime this summer and they do best if they have a decent surface on which to stand. So, here are a few pics with some quick explanations. This spring will be my beds 3rd year in existence, some of the photos are from the first year, some the second. The first year they were completely bare as I spent time amending the soil with composted horse manure and doing a tremendous amount of double digging. The second year shows young plants. I will post the 3rd year photos this summer.

2010-03-29T18:13:00.001-07:00

View from the northwest end of the perennial beds that are behind our house. We first placed the flagstone in 3/4 minus gravel (backbreaking work). My husband did most of the heavy lifting and laying, he did a very nice job, being an artist everything had to be "just so". I planted 100 5 gallon boxwoods myself (kill me now!) and then amended the soil, and planted some of the larger plants. The one on the far right is a wonderful bourbon rose named Charles Lawson. It becomes monstrous in size. My hollyhocks grow like weeds and pop up everywhere, they typically get taller than 10ft.! The dog is our old girl Greta, she and our other dog "B" like to keep me company.

2010-03-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

View towards the new "east lawn". The metal arbors were custom designed by my husband. In this section on the left are two young dappled willows and on the right is a young Wigelia, Hollyhocks, Lavender, Gaura, Woodland Aster and a Hybrid tea rose, which you can't see because of the Gaura. No underplantings with the exception of the lambs ear under the dappled willow. I am waiting to see growth patterns.

2010-03-29T18:12:00.001-07:00

View of Southeast corner before we seeded the east lawn (by hand, very challenging). In the corner is a young Birch Bark Flowering Cherry tree (very pretty bark, red and peels like a white birch) the Woodland Aster, vintage hybrid tea rose, young Gaura and young Wigelia. The large ornamental rocks in my beds came from a pile one of our previous neighbors left behind on one of the front corners of our property so we snagged them and they sat in a pile for several years before I knew what to do with them. On the far right barely peeking out is a lovely vintage climber Rev d'Or, on the other side of the picket fence is the amazing Mutablis China rose, a small pink climber that has been moved since this photo was taken and a very young Lacecap Hydrangea (barely visible).

2010-03-29T18:12:00.000-07:00

View from the deck facing out to the northeast corner. As you can see we have what we call our "pavillion" which will have a wisteria climbing on it to soften up the edges and this will eventually house our outdoor kitchen, so it is still a bit unfinished. A young flowering pear tree is in the far corner with an antique birdbath underneath it. Our small firepit is in the middle with an ornamental rock for variation (husbands idea), the center bed is comprised of a Ceanothus victoria "California Lilac" which the bees adore and at this point is joined by Shasta Daisies on either side. Looks like I left a broom on the flastone, not very tidy!!

2010-03-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

This is a view of the northwest corner with the birdbath/fountain and the Charles Lawson rose behind it. I have Speedwell planted at the base. It will fill in nicely.

2010-02-24T11:25:00.000-08:00

Birdhouse nestled in the beautiful Mutabilis China rose, summer 2009

2010-02-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

Looking forward to summer. copper birdbath surrounded by sage.

2010-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog!

As I am new to this I hope you will be patient as I tread lightly through the murky waters of blogging. Tangled Gardens is located in Southwest Washington, closer to Portland, Oregon than Seattle so a little less rain. Considering it is January there isn't much to write about in the gardening arena, however living in the Northwest, January does afford us the occassional "teaser" days when you are pretty certain spring is just around the corner. We have had a record warm month (for January) and this has allowed me to see to some early spring cleaning or late fall catch-up whichever way you choose to look at it. The adorable and cherished tiny frogs are singing their nightly chorus as the temperatures lure them out. I have always thought these frogs were tree frogs but if that is the case then why do they live in the mud of the seasonal ponds? Closer towards the end of January and into February their chorus is so loud it can be overwhelming. I love it! The Robins will soon be making their return, and my heart goes out to them every February when we have a surprise snow or ice storm and they are searching for food. I have been keeping busy with small projects ie: painting my markers for my cutting garden rows, and re-painting bird houses that were damaged last year. Today will be more re-painting and some leaf raking. The five acres we live on are approximately 1/3 trees and the remaining is full or partial sun. The soil is rich from the old growth forest that once existed here ( I know, guilt, but I had no idea how many Douglas Firs had actually been cut down until we had purchased the property!) so I am able to grow pretty much anything as long as it is in the correct place. As the blog continues on I will post pics of my beds, both existing and new projects. It usually takes me three years to complete the various beds. My method helps me to create the cottage garden look I am so fond of without having to make too many changes, although I have always said, "it is a lucky plant that has a permanent home in my beds."

Thanks for joining me as I journey on through the wonderful and satisfying world of gardening.