The Occupy Movement

There's an Occupy Movement going on in my garden.  I started to name this "The Ugly Post" because it's not pretty.  Not pretty at all.

What's occupying my garden that's so ugly?  The eastern tent caterpillar.

They have started making their home in my crabapples.  They have told their friends, and they have increased their hold in my garden.  They are ugly.  If these caterpillars turned into a beautiful butterfly, I might think differently.  But the eastern tent caterpillar turns into a nondescript moth.

I am a lazy gardener.  That's why I garden organically most of the time.  And I've found that there is usually a natural predator that will come along eventually.  Like ladybugs that come to eat the aphids.  But because most birds won't eat a hairy caterpillar, I've read that the eastern tent caterpillar's only natural enemy is the cuckoo bird.

It's unlikely I'll have any cuckoo birds passing by, looking for caterpillars in my garden.

So, I've been wondering how to take care of these unwelcome guests.  I've tried winding the tent around a stick, but the tents are usually very high up where I can't reach, and I don't see any progress being made with this method.

Look closely - there's a caterpillar here!

And now they are everywhere.  Eating leaves.  And leaves.  And more leaves.

And what do I do?  Wring my hands, and wish I knew a cuckoo bird owner!

It seems every picture I take has a caterpillar in it!

Next year I'm going to have to do something with these caterpillars.  I'm just not sure what!   Do you have a cuckoo bird I could borrow?

Donald Trump is Coming to My Garden!

Donald Trump, aka "The Donald", is famous for the line, "You're fired!"

I have decided my garden needs Donald Trump.

Safrano is working hard.

There is a lot of my garden that I love.  But there are parts.  Oh, yes, there are some parts that need to be fired!  And I've decided to do it this year.

I've given these plants plenty of time.  I've tried everything I know to do to make them happy.  Maybe someone else could turn these plants around.  But I'm tired of being frustrated, disappointed, and embarrassed by their performance.

Mr. Lincoln won't be fired.

A couple of the plants that are going are roses.  :(  To be fair, it's not really their fault.  I tried to cut costs by buying these off Wal-Mart's parking lot.  Big mistake.  That's why Connie at Hartwood Roses tells us every year to purchase only quality roses. It really does make a difference!

Of course, I had to learn it the hard way.

So, I tried to save money, but in the end it cost me.  Maybe not so much financially, but in time.  I'm sad that it came to this.  I really don't have the heart to be ruthless.  But it was needed.  I'm not going to overlook a plant's performance any more.  The Donald wouldn't have an underperforming plant in his garden, I'm sure!  And if my garden is going to be beautiful - really beautiful - not just in my imagination, but in reality, I need to do this.

Tamora is looking good.

Underperforming plants - you're fired!

Wow, I feel powerful!  I just might fire some more plants next year!

Watch out, garden - I'm learning from The Donald!

I Dream in Color

I dreamed of a garden.

And after a bit of trial and error, I realized roses did well in the sunny soil here. 

So then I began to dream of a rose garden.

And after some work, a few years of waiting, some mistakes, and a few changes, my dream has begun to come true.

I'm still changing things, and still waiting.

But when I dream, I dream in color.

Start a garden.   

And you'll be dreaming in color, too. 

Tracery

Tracery.  A word that is not in my every day language.  But it was the word chosen for Word 4 Wednesday.  Have you heard of Donna's meme?  Every month, Donna of Garden Walk Garden Talk picks a word randomly, and bloggers write a post using that word.  Today the word is tracery.

Tracery?  Hmmm.....  Sometimes her words are quite challenging.

Tracery's an architectural word, the definition being:

1. Ornamental stone openwork, typically in the upper part of a Gothic window.
2. A delicate branching pattern.

Well, I don't have any gothic windows in my garden.  But I did see this the other day which reminded me of stained glass:

Before I had a chance to look up what I thought was a butterfly, Cynthia of On a Hays County Hill identified it as an Eight-spotter Forester moth (Alypia octomaculata).   A moth!  Not a butterfly.  A moth that is frequently seen during the day.

Like this Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe), that is also often seen during the day:

What does this have to do with tracery?

Well, as I was noticing the Eight-spotted Forester's wings, and the beautiful (although hard to see) pattern on the clearwing hummingbird moth, I realized there was tracery everywhere in the garden.

In every butterfly:

In the smallest of blooms:

Even foliage:

Tracery

Tracery

Tracery

I couldn't stop seeing it, once I had started!

Man-made tracery may be pretty.

But nothing compares to the intricate patterns and beauty of nature.

I guess that's why God is often called the Great Architect.

Look for tracery in your garden.  I guarantee you'll see it.

Thanks, Donna, for another word that opened my eyes to seeing the garden in a different perspective.

My Goal

I went outside to take a few pictures.  And as I looked around, I noticed some weeds.  Of course.

It's been a bad year for weeds in my garden.  Due in part to the mild weather.  Due also in part to my not finishing the mulching.  I never finish the mulching.

As I began to weed, joy filled my heart.  I worked, not with an 'I've-got-to-get-all-these-weeds-out-of-here" attitude, but with an "I-can-enjoy-letting-my-mind-wander" kind of attitude.  I wasn't really weeding to get rid of the weeds.  I was weeding just to be out in the garden.

And I remembered something I read a long time ago.  (Pay attention - this is important.)

It was a story written by a garden magazine photographer.  He (or was it she?) said that every garden she (or was it he?) had photographed had weeds.  Every one.  In fact, there had been one garden that was so weedy, it had been challenging to take a photograph!

I remember that story each time I weed, and I smile.  It's such a great lesson for any gardener, but especially for new gardeners.  Gardens are rarely, if ever, perfect.

Which is fine, because perfection is not my goal.  Don't get me wrong.  I would love to have the perfect garden.  I would love for visitors to see a weedless garden.  But I know that will never happen.  So, that is not my goal.

My goal is delight.  Delight in a bloom.  Delight in the life in my garden.  Delight in the changes, the seasons, the colors, the scents, the surprises.  The pictures in this post are from this spring, and I have delighted in every tiny bloom.

Donna of Gardens Eye View has started a meme called Seasonal Celebrations.  Beth at Plant Postings has a meme called Garden Lessons Learned.  As Beth wrote, "Lessons Learned looks backward to the recent past, while Seasonal Celebrations looks ahead".  I wondered how one could look forward and look back at the same time.

Then I remembered the lesson.

As I look forward to a new season, I will work toward my goal:

Not perfection, but delight.

And with those few words, I can look forward to Seasonal Celebrations and look back and remember the Lesson Learned.  Today I'm joining both Donna's and Beth's memes.

I'm Seeing Spots!

I spotted a seven-spotted ladybug yesterday while out in the garden.  Actually, I saw two!

The seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) was introduced to the United States from Europe as a biological control for aphids.  Each of these ladybugs can eat up to 5,000 aphids in their lifetime!  As a rose grower, I am happy to see these ladybugs in my garden.

Seven-spotted ladybugs

These ladybugs are mating.  Well, maybe I should say ladybug and manbug!  ;)  In a couple of months, the female will lay between 200 to 1,000 eggs.  I hope her babies will call my garden home.

If you want to know more about ladybugs, check out this website: www.ladybuglady.com

My Favorite Pet

A pet is something "kept for companionship and pleasure and treated with care and affection."  We have a few pets - some cats, and a dog.  But my favorite pet is my garden.  "What?", you may ask.  Yes, you read that right.  My favorite pet is my garden!  After all, I talk to my plants (companionship), I take pleasure from my garden, and treat it with care and affection.

Let's just make some comparisons:

• A dog must be walked at least twice a day, possibly more.  And a cat's litter box must be changed several times a week, ideally daily.  But with the garden, clean up is only once or twice a year, with occasional bursts of weeding.  Garden wins.

"Intruder" doesn't look very happy that the garden won that one!

• How about feeding?  Everyone knows a dog must be fed at least daily, and most people feed their dog more than once a day.  Ditto for the cat.  Feeding the garden is a little different than just putting out a bowl of food, but feeding is only recommended once or twice a year.  If you forget to feed little Rover or little Tiger, you're in serious trouble, but a garden won't complain even if you skip a year or two!  And no one will turn you in to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Gardens.  Thank goodness!  Can you imagine how many of us would be turned in?

Even "Patches" loves to stop and smell the roses!

• Ever feel like going on vacation?  If you have a dog for a pet, and don't want to take it along, pet-sitting or boarding are expensive options.  Ditto the cat.  I know because we have two that need shots twice a day and have to be boarded with the vet.  But the garden is easy.  Just water it well, then leave.  Unless you're going to be gone for a very long time, the garden will take care of itself.  How convenient is that!  Not to mention inexpensive.

"Callie" doesn't understand why the birds aren't bathing!

• What about limits?  We all know there is a limit to the number of dogs you can have.  One or two is usually the limit, although I do know people that have four or five.  With cats, the limit may be more than with dogs, but there should still be some limit!  With the garden, there comes a time when every gardener realizes they have reached their limit, but it's after hundreds and hundreds of plants.  Even after running out of adequate room, baby plants can be put in pots on a patio.  So, I say if you like a lot of pets, the garden wins again.

Hmmm, let's see so far:  Dog - 0, Cat - 0, Garden - 4.  Shall we continue?

"Bear" is a bit upset that the garden seems to be winning this competition!

• Companionship is a big reason for many people to get a pet.  And a dog can be a constant companion, even sleeping with you should you wish.  Ditto for the cat, except the words should be changed from "should you wish" to "should the cat wish".  (You know what I mean if you own a cat.)  The garden?  OK, you got me.  I have heard of people hugging trees, but usually gardens won't sleep with you or keep you warm.  Although, you can bring in some flowers from your garden and enjoy its scent while you sleep.  A lot less crowded that way.  Personally, I think it's a tie, but I'll be generous and give this one to the dog and cat.

Dog - 1, Cat - 1, Garden - 4    The garden's still ahead.

We touched on feeding pets above, but I want to point out that the garden can actually feed you!  Surely the garden gets another point for that!

Roses don't jump on the sofa or claw up rugs.

But what about the most important part of a pet - love?

Oh, yes, people love their dogs and cats.  There is no denying that.  And they receive love back in return.  But I love my garden, and I think most gardeners would say they actually have the feeling of love for their garden, too.  And my garden gives me love back - in all the little joys of blooms, bees, butterflies, and fresh vegetables.

So, honestly I think the garden is a winner here!

Thinking about getting a pet?  Why not get a garden instead?  Try it, you may like it!

*All the photos are old, and there are none of my dog because he knows to stay behind me when I'm out with the camera.  Maybe I should give dogs another point, but the garden would still win!  

What's your favorite pet?

Walk to the Big Pond

How about a walk to the big pond?  Want to see what's there?  Let's join Carolyn at This Grandmother's Garden and her Walk in the Gardens challenge.

Looky, looky!  There's water in the pond!

This area is totally neglected by me, but in the future I plan to place some plants here and there, and make it a real destination place.  At least, that's the dream.  A girl can dream, can't she?

Wahoo!  It's almost full!

Do you remember last June when this pond dried up?  Thanks to the rains we've received over the past few months, it's almost full again.  Hooray!

This pond completely dried up last summer.

My favorite memory of this pond is playing country-style ice hockey on it in December 1983.  What is country-style ice hockey?  The puck is a rock and the hockey stick is a real wood stick picked up off the ground.  Have you ever played it before?

It's muddy, and there are no fish, but it looks great to me!

According to Wikipedia, in December 1983, at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (the National Weather Service gets its readings from there), it was 32 degree F (freezing) or below for over 12 days straight.  In fact, snow that fell in mid-December in north Texas didn't melt until January, 1984.

I remember that cold spell.  I also remember that our water lines burst.

Today, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter.  Well, no disrespect to the famous groundhog, but I hope the nice, warm weather we've been getting this year will continue.  And that the rains do, too.  We could use a little more.

Have You Started Yet?

These pictures are from previous springs, because I don't have any spring blooms to share - yet.  But I know spring is just around the corner.  So I've begun exercising.  Have you?  We gardeners have to be very fit to keep up with all that's required of us in the garden.  I've already started weeding, and I'm a little sore!  No wonder - no one type of exercise can do everything that gardening can.  Just compare:

Tai Chi - If you grow roses, you know the exact moves of Tai Chi.  Slow, methodical, very balanced.  If not, you may fall into some of those thorns!  (Ask me how I know.)  And I'm sure we've all been in some flexible positions taking pictures of a bloom at just the right angle.

Walking - I can walk five miles just looking for the lost tools I placed somewhere, but have no clue where!  Not to mention all the walking around looking for the perfect spot to plant that unplanned plant purchase.

Running - Most people don't think about running when they're gardening, but I do.  Chasing after an driverless wheelbarrow as it's bounding down the hill.  Chasing after the dog that has just pulled up a newly planted tree.  I see plant, he sees stick.  Running in from the rain, after lightening starts to hit close by.  Yes, running is very much a part of gardening.

Calisthenics - Sometimes I find myself flat on the ground (don't ask), and it takes about 50 sit ups to get enough momentum to propel myself up!  Jumping jacks come in handy when stepping in a fire ant hill.  One-arm push ups come in handy when you're under a bush trying to get those weeds that are just beyond reach.

Strength Training - Who do you think carts around all those concrete blocks back and forth, never quite deciding where they should go?

Brain Games - Can you remember all the names of your plants?  I can't either, but after looking them up continuously, I can name quite a few.  Plus, I'm learning latin!

No wonder it's so important to get ready for spring by warming up your muscles with some "regular" exercise.  Because nothing compares to the exercise you get in the garden.  The next time someone asks you what type of exercise you do, don't tell them you garden.  They will roll their eyes if they're not a gardener.  Instead, list all these exercises and tell them you do them all - every day - from spring to fall.

Party! Party!

To my blog buddies:

There have been so many new blog link parties (a meme in blog speak), that I decided to try to gather them all together in one list.  They are featured on my blog under a new Page.

Please check them out, and if you know of any to add, or any to delete, please let me know.  I'll try to keep this list updated, but will need your help!

I've categorized them by the month, the week, seasonal, and even non-gardening (but a lot of gardeners participate).  Instructions for any new bloggers is included.  As always, I am open to suggestions.

Party on!

I Blame it on Blogging

I would have never noticed before.  Before I started blogging, I stayed inside in winter.  A short walk around the garden just to check on things, then a run back into the house to read a gardening book.  But now I take my camera!  And look what I found!

A Red Admiral butterfly.  Poor little thing, it's wings are tattered and torn.  It's amazing to me how butterflies can fly in the first place, but to see them fly with wings in such bad shape is intriguing.  I wouldn't want to fly in a plane that had tattered wings!

I've read that Red Admiral butterflies may stay year round in mild climates, even in northern climates if the winter is mild.  I wonder if it's been here its entire life, or if it immigrated from the north, or if it's even coming up from the south!  I guess I will never know where this little one has been before now.

Even without answers, I loved seeing this little guy (or gal).  And even though the pictures aren't great, it was a fun experience.  One I wouldn't have noticed before I started blogging!

Lessons of Fish and Gum

My father doesn't like to go fishing.  This fact was hidden from us children for years.  You see, he took us fishing many, many times.  We never cared for it.  But, we went because we thought he liked it.  So we sacrificed for him.  Only years later did he confess he didn't like fishing, but did it because he felt we children needed to know how to fish.  He was the one that did the real sacrificing!  (Especially since he had to put the worm on the hook, and take the fish off!)

My father was always showing and telling us what he felt we needed to know.

Like how to make gum.  We thought gum only came from convenience stores.  "Not true", he said.  "There's a way to make gum."  We were amazed, yet doubtful.  No one else's dad ever talked about making gum.

But, lo and behold, one day we were driving along an old country road, and he stopped the car.  Little did we know - this was the day we were going to get a treat!

You see, he had spotted a sweetgum tree!

He took a pocket knife out, and slowly the resin collected in his hands.  Just a small amount, but enough for all of us to try a little.  Of course, we made him try it first.  He declared that it was "mmm, mmm, good", and it became time to give ours a try.

I can't say that I remember much about what it tasted like, but I think it was O.K., but not really "mmm, mmm, good".  We chewed it just long enough to say we had tried homemade gum.  And my father had given us one more lesson.

I'm sorry to say I've never given this type of gum to my children.  I can imagine that's fine with them.

But when I went for my walk to join in This Grandmother's Garden's walking meme, this beautiful sweetgum tree was showing all its beautiful colors.  And I can never look at a sweetgum tree (liquidambar) without thinking of that day, and that experience.  Even the latin for sweetgum looks like it would be fun to try, almost as if it's taunting you to give it's 'liquid amber' a chew.

Sweetgums are also known for these little prickly balls that fall off the tree.  Painted gold, they make beautiful Christmas ornaments.  They are also a very unstable surface to land upon when jumping off a porch.

But that's another story.

12 Gifts From the Garden

We gardeners give our time, efforts, hard work, and dedication to the garden.  What does the garden give back?  Joy, delight, surprise, anticipation, hope, exercise, education, and wonder, to name just a few non-tangibles.  But I wondered if I could come up with something even non-gardeners could see and maybe, just maybe, start to understand our obsession!  So, I decided to take a look back through my pictures, and join Diana at Elephant Eye's with a slight twist on her Twelve Days of Christmas meme.  Ready to sing?

On the First day of Springtime, my true love gave to me

One beautiful surprise in a crocus bloom:

I had forgotten that I had planted these crocus, and when they sprang up, I was so thrilled!  Almost beyond words, but not quite, as I quickly ran to my computer to blog about the excitement.

On the Second day of Summer, my true love gave to me

Two beady eyes hiding from me:

Bees and butterflies were becoming quite common to see in the garden, but this little lady was a complete and welcome surprise.  She watched me as I watched her, with mutual respect.

On the Third day of blooming daisies, my true love gave to me

Three butterflies lined up in a row:

Butterflies were plentiful in the garden this past year.  I loved seeing them.  Who wouldn't?

On the Fourth day of May, my true love gave to me

Four rose blooms framing the view:

Ah, my favorite time of the past year.  My garden was in its climax.  A glorious time!  I look forward to next year.

On the Fifth day the roses bloomed, my true love gave to me

Five petals on each Mutabilis bloom:

The catmint next to Mutabilis was a delight to me, and I began to fill the main rose bed with even more companion plantings.  Next year there may be another favorite companion - there's always something to look forward to in the garden.

On the Sixth day the roses bloomed, my true love gave to me

Six blooms on Perle d'Or:

My roses are growing and filling in the main rose bed nicely.  I hope next year it will be photo perfect!

On the Seventh month of the year, my true love gave to me

Seven trunks on the crepe myrtle tree (behind the bench):

Next year I'm going to actually sit on that bench and enjoy the view!

On the Eighth hydrangea bush to bloom, my true love gave to me

Eight tiny hydrangea blooms:

Hydrangeas are a sentimental favorite.  Even without the sentimental attachment, I would love their old fashioned charm.

On the Ninth stroll down the walking garden, my true love gave to me

Nine white echinacea blooms:

I should have bought tons of these!  I loved the touch of white in the garden.  But mostly I loved the way the butterflies loved them!

On the Tenth type of bulb, my true love gave to me

Ten purple alliums:

I wanted some alliums, and these were the cheapest I could find.  But the joy they brought was priceless.

On the Eleventh joy of springtime, my true love gave to me

Eleven alstroemerias:

I thought these were dead this past summer due to the drought, but they have sprung back up this fall.  I've learned to leave 'dead' plants in the ground for a while.  About half the time, they rise again!

On the Twelfth day of harvest my true love gave to me

Twelve crookneck squash:

Could anything be better than fresh vegetables from the garden?  I think not! 

These twelve gifts are just a small sampling of all my garden (my true love) gave to me this year.  Because really, it gives me something every day!  And I hope if you're a non-gardener I gave you the desire to become one!  That would be the best gift of all.

Which gift of the garden (from mine or from yours, listed or not) do you like the best?