November 15, 2005
Ice Garden
While we're on the subject of sculptures, if you live in England or will be visiting in December, you won't want to miss Cape Farewell and Oomf's presentation of ice works, soundscapes, and projections that will turn the Clarendon Quad of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University into an ice garden. The project aims to highlight problems with the Arctic ice and includes workshops and so forth, but it's the garden I'd like to see. Do send us photos if you attend.
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September 02, 2005
Pots Are Hot
Container gardening is becoming more and more popular! Changes in materials, the fact that so many more homes have patios, and new plants grown especially to look good in pots are revolutionizing this type of gardening.
The linked article from Bart Ziegler's Garden Journal column highlights these changes and gives tips on three-season planting and using ornamental grasses. The second link takes you to a great Garden Design article that will forever change the way you look at your pots. Time is waning in northern climes to plant in containers, but all of you in temperate regions can plant now for fall and winter color. Have fun!
Photo from Proven Winners.com
Pots and Planters [via The Wall Street Journal]
Garden Design
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August 30, 2005
The Dove Tree, Davidia involucrata
The flowers and bracts of the Dove Tree, Davidia involucrata, have been compared to large white butterflies when stirred by a breeze. This is a specimen tree of the north-temperate flora native to southwest China and was named after the French missionary plant explorer, Pere Armand David. It is also called Ghost Tree or Handkerchief Tree.
We feature this unusual tree, probably beyond the garden proficiency of most of us, in order to introduce you to the Plant Explorers website at www.plantexplorers.com. Its seed store is not available to United States' gardeners as yet, but all of you in Europe can order a variety of interesting seeds from the Van Dusen Seed Collectors' Store. I was charmed by the website and its articles but have no experience with the products sold.
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August 29, 2005
Integrated Pest Management
The integrated pest management movement has now reached the mainstream. IPM begins with choosing the right plants for your garden's microclimate and then planting them properly. This is important because stressed plants struggling in unsuitable conditions are more vulnerable to pests and disease. The next step is not only using a variety of controls when there is a pest problem, but knowing when to use them. Resisting the temptation to jump in too soon, the wise gardener uses his controls when the health or aesthetic value of his infected plants is in jeopardy, and not before.
GardenWeb Pest Management
IPM Resource Centre UK
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August 23, 2005
Peak Advice for Garden Harvests
After all that planning and hard work, it is such a treat to harvest from one's own garden. Most of us, however, know very little about the "science of freshness." If this sounds rather arcane, it isn't. This very informative article by Max Ernst of Organic Gardening explains it clearly and gives lots of good advice on when to pick, how to pick, and what to do with your fruit and vegetables after they are picked. These are good guidelines to have in hand, as well, for visiting your local farmers market and making the best choices.
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August 18, 2005
Eating Organically on a Budget
When I first became interested in organic foods back in the mid-70s, it was very hard to find them and almost impossible to find fresh organic produce. In the fairly large city where I lived at the time, just one grocery dared to fight the good fight, and it was a constant struggle. Organics had the reputation of being outrageously expensive, one they are still saddled with although the trend is moving in the direction of competitive pricing as volume increases and the number of organic farmers skyrockets. Demand has done it, plain and simple, and the more we demand organic foods at our traditional markets, the more they will be available.
Organics still tend to be a little more pricey (in some cases, a lot), so we present this article on eating organically on a budget to assist our readers who are interested in making the transition to organics. The writer, Susan Palmquist, has some interesting ideas and surprising tips. I was amazed that Costco, of all places, has organic field greens available, at least in some locations. Of course the ideal is to grow your own veggies, but that is difficult for some of us due to lack of space, lack of time or, as in my case, too many deer. I love them dearly but don’t fancy doing all the work of growing greens for my doe-eyed friends when they have plenty to eat without my labor.
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August 13, 2005
Where Can I Learn How to Garden?
We are often asked, "How do I learn to garden?" "How do I know what plants to use, where to place them, how much to water them?" "Where do I start? One answer to this sort of question is to spend time prowling your nearest large nursery. Look at the plants they have for sale. This tells you what is going to do best in your area. Talk to the nursery's experts. They are usually a reliable source of information and guidance. Often the nursery will have handouts, classes, and other helpful ways to assist you in building your knowledge of the leafy life.
Another and very fun way to learn about plants and the inside story on creating a beautiful garden is to visit your nearest botanical garden or arboretum (two words for virtually the same thing). Botanical gardens and arboreta are like museums and zoos–publicly-funded, user-friendly places were people of all ages and garden experience can study a variety of plants in their ideal settings and cared for by dedicated experts. Often these gardens offer classes, mount special shows and events, and have interesting little restaurants and delightful gift shops full of all kinds of irresistible goods of a garden nature. And in the spring, many public gardens stage really great plant sales and exchanges to benefit their programs. There the garden enthusiast, novice or expert, can find everything in abundance, from starter plants to exotics.
Here are links to some good lists of major botanical gardens. Or, look on your city or state's home page for a list of garden-related facilities in your area. Late summer is a fine time to see what is blooming in your neck of the woods and gather inspiration for spring planting next year.
U. S. Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens in the U.S. and U.K.
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