Something New!

Harvesting lettuce isn't new.  I've posted time and time again about the lettuce I've been harvesting this winter.  I harvested lettuce in December.  I harvested lettuce in January, and I harvested lettuce in February.

Last month, I also posted about my broccoli starting to flower.  Well, the temperatures have dipped back down, so we are still harvesting broccoli.  Although the heads are tiny, they're still delicious!

I even harvested a few Brussels sprouts.  They melted in my mouth like butter!  Yum!

The green peas are flowering - for the third time now.  They flower, then get frozen.  Again, and again. I'm hoping this time it won't freeze again!  Not a good track record for growing green peas through the winter.  Next time I'll plant them in late winter/early spring instead of in the fall.

So, what's new?

Well, if you look very, very closely, you can see the very first asparagus spear peeking out!

Boo!

I decided to give growing asparagus a try - in a stock tank.  The reason behind the stock tank (with holes drilled in the bottom) was twofold.  First, hopefully they get the winter chill they need.  That's the main reason asparagus is not grown here - not enough winter chill.  Perhaps this will be a good solution to that problem.

And secondly, since they stay in the ground, I felt like this dedicated container would be a good way for me to remember not to dig them up.

And do you want to see something else that's new?

Look!  I'm enlarging my vegetable garden!  Wahoo!  I love being able to harvest vegetables throughout the entire year.  I've even talked a few strangers I've met here and there into starting their own vegetable garden!  If you live in this area, you really should give growing vegetables a try.  It's amazing how much you can harvest each month!

But, that was just the teaser.  I'll dedicate an entire post to that project later.  I'll tell all my tips and tricks.  You'll see how easy it can be to make your own vegetable garden.

I'm joining The Gardening Blog for Garden Bloggers Harvest Day.  Are you harvesting any vegetables this month?

Extra Early

I've always dreamed of having an iris walk.  I have yet to put one in, but am still giving the idea much consideration.  Irises are sold with labels such as "Late", "Mid Late", "Mid", "Mid Early", "Early", or "Extra Early".  It is advisable to get several type of irises with different bloom times so that your bloom time is extended.  Of course, now there are also re-blooming irises.

So, putting in an iris walk has more consideration than just what color (or colors) of iris you prefer.  And, of course, there are bearded irises, siberian irises, louisiana irises, dutch irises - well, you get the picture.  There's a lot of irises to choose from!  Designing an iris walk would take quite a bit of research and planning.

Still, I hope one day to do just that.

I have a few different irises in my garden, but the majority of them are "Extra Early".

These are iris albicans, some call them "cemetery irises".  These irises in my garden came from the secret garden in the woods close by my house.  They are easily transplanted, and I just dug these up while they were in bloom, and put them gently in my garden.  They should be planted shallowly, almost on the top of the ground.

These irises grow in zones 4 through 9, and are usually passed from gardener to gardener.  The buds have a slightly silver sheen to them, opening to a pure white.  In my garden, I love how they draw attention to the new red leaves of the 'Mrs Dudley Cross' rose.

When/if I ever create my own iris walk, I will definitely include these in the mix.  They are one of the most reliable early spring blooms in my garden.  I can't imagine my garden without them!

A Recurring Theme

February flew by, didn't it?

And as I began to take pictures for The Patient Gardener's End of Month View, I realized that there was a recurring theme going on in my garden.

Let's see if you can figure out the theme.

The winter garden looks nice enough.  And there are some small bloom in those beds outlined with boxwoods.  I've begun planting the camellias I've nursed all winter.  But I am not through planting.  Soon there will be other plants arriving by mail that will need to be put in this bed, too.

The front Knock Out roses have been cut down.  But all the trimmings are still waiting for me to discard them.

Some weeding in the East Bed has been done.  But there's a lot more weeding to do here!

The main rose garden is coming to life.  The irises are beginning to bloom here.  But, I haven't quite finished pruning my roses!

The walking bed looks fairly bare.  I've been thinning out the pavonia and transplanting the salvia.  Plus, there are numerous plants that have not yet emerged.  Still, I feel like I've made some progress here, even if there is still a big pile of trimmings and dead wood in the middle of the pathway that needs to be picked up.

Have you figured out the theme?  Do you think it's:

chores?  

I could see where you might think that, especially as you see all the unfinished tasks.  But I think the theme is:

fun!

Because I've been out in the garden!  And garden work is fun work!

And if you look closely, there is still a lot of beauty to be found there.  How fun!

Experimentation

"Hey, Mom!  Can we grow peonies in Texas?"

"Well...."

My family has learned.  Anytime I start a sentence with a drawn-out "Well...", well, they know it's going to be a long explanation before (if ever) the question gets answered.

So, basically, the answer to the question was:

"I don't know."

The explanation I gave before the answer of "I don't know" was this:

I've never seen peonies in Texas, so that's not a good sign.  However, I've heard that peonies can be grown in Texas - with a few provisions.  I was told that if the peony didn't go dormant, you might have to pull the leaves off of it in the fall.  And, of course, it also depends where in Texas you want to grow peonies.  Northern Texans will probably be successful, south Texans may not.  Texas just don't get the chill hours that a lot of plants need.  Plus, there are some varieties that are supposedly more successful here than others.  They take several years to bloom.  So, if you want to grow them for their foliage only, you might not be as disappointed than if you expect a lot of blooms.

That's why my answer was "I don't know".

BUT -

I'm growing some in my garden right now, just to see.  And, so far, I didn't have to pull their leaves off!  That's a good sign.  They went dormant on their own.  And now, their beautiful red stems are reaching up, as if in a victory stance.

So, maybe!!!!

Shirley at Shirls Gardenwatch is hosting a Garden Blog Prequel, where she asks the question: How has your garden changed since you became a blogger?  And my answer would have to be: I'm experimenting more.

I see beautiful photos of so many plants in other blogger's gardens.  Some of these plants I never would have known about if I hadn't begun blogging.

I've ordered snowdrops, edgeworthia, cimicifuga (my first one died, so I'm trying again), witch hazel, hakone grass, mountain laurels, and Virginia bluebells to try out in my garden.  This is a list of plants I've ordered just this year!  That doesn't include all the other plants I'm already trying out in my garden.

I would have never added any of these plants to my garden if I had not started blogging.  My garden would have been full of plants that were easy - roses, boxwoods, and crape myrtles.  It would have been pretty, but not as much fun.

"I don't know."

Those words may scare off some gardeners.  But I love those I-don't-know type of plants.  They may not always be successful (like the lilacs I tried), but then again, they just might!

And some day I just may have peony blooms to show off because of it!

Blooming Snow!

Before I became a blogger, my family didn't mind if I checked my emails while visiting with them.  But since starting my blog, my family has a new rule:  If Mom comes to visit, don't let her get on the internet!  :)

While I was returning, I heard reports that West Texas was getting record amounts of snow.  Too much snow.  They were unprepared, and even major interstate freeways were closed.  Here in East Texas, we got the wind, but no moisture.

As I drove home, I wondered what changes I would find in my garden.  Sure enough, there were a few more blooms greeting me upon my return.  But, the loveliest blooms were coming from the snowflakes (leucojum).  They have never disappointed me.  But snowflakes are just one type of blooming "snow" for the garden.

Snowdrops (galanthus) are the most popular early spring blooming bulb.  These little bulbs are so popular, there is even a name for collectors: galanthophile.   Snowdrops can be grown in zones 2 through 9, but do best in zones 4 through 7.  I have ordered some (arriving soon!) to try out in my garden.  I am hoping that they will be happy here.  Snowdrops generally have longer petals on the outside, and shorter petals on the inside.

Leucojum

Then, there are snowflakes (leucojum).  Their petals are generally even all the way around the bloom.  I have had snowflakes in my garden for several years, and they are dependable, beautiful, and easy to grow.  They can be grown in zones 4 through 9.   There are two common types of snowflakes: spring snowflake, leucojum vernum, and summer snowflake, leucojum aestivum.   Snowflakes seem to be overlooked by collectors, but I'm not sure why.  Perhaps in the future there will be leucojumphiles.

Since my snowflakes bloom in February, I had always assumed mine were leucojum vernum, or spring snowflake.  But, now I think they are leucojum aestivum, or summer snowflakes, because even though they are blooming in February, I've read that spring snowflakes (leucojum vernum) usually bloom with one or two flowers per stem, while summer snowflakes (leucojum aestivum) have two to seven blooms per stem.  You can correct me if I'm wrong.

Either way, now that I'm adding snowdrops to my garden, I definitely need both spring and summer snowflakes in my garden, too.  After all, one can never have too much snow - if it's the blooming kind!

Garden Book Reviews February 2013

Each time I purchase a garden book, I expect to enjoy it.  Some I do.  Some, not so much.

And then, there are the few that I truly savor.  I drink in the enjoyment of reading each page.  I relish each and every photo.  I appreciate the way in which the topics are presented.  And I delight in the wisdom of words by experienced gardeners.

Gardens Private and Personal: 

A Garden Club of America Book 

by Nancy D'Oench, 

is a book that was meant to be savored, and I did.

This book accomplishes several things.

First, it educates one on garden design.  It starts where anyone starts in touring a garden: from the gates and garden entrances.  Just as if you were walking through a garden, the book moves you through a garden one chapter at a time.  As you enter the gates, you ponder the views, which is the next chapter, then pathways (again, the next chapter), then areas of rest, etc. until you have experienced an entire garden tour.  The catch?  You have just toured over 90 gardens!

There is not a lot of instruction on garden design in the book, but it will make you look at your garden through new eyes - as a visitor sees your garden.

Secondly, I loved the way in which the book was composed.  A short lesson at the beginning of each chapter is followed by photos of numerous gardens.  Each photograph has an informational description.  But most delightful is that also included are quotes from the gardener.  It is as if you are touring the garden with the gardener themselves.

For instance, under the chapter "Steps", Page 44 shows a garden with terraced steps and plantings on either side.

The description of the photo states:

"This was a steep, oval amphitheater until Virginia Israelit slid from the top to the bottom on a rainy Portland, Oregon, day.  Her husband suggested steps, and her landscape designer and friend, Michael Schultz designed the terracing you see here, edged with the glow of variegated Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'), a hosta collection, plumes from Rodgersia pinnata superba, and the upright foliage of Iris pseudacorus.  The broad stairs promise something grand at the top, and they deliver - a vista of mountains and the Willamette River."

See what I mean about the photo descriptions being informational?

Thirdly, it introduces you to the garden owner, and allows them to speak for themselves.  I really enjoyed being able to get a glimpse of the gardener through their quotes.  It brought a personal touch to each of the gardens.

Keeping to same example of the photograph on page 44, the garden owner's quote in conjunction to it states:

"I had heard about this word "perennials," so I said to Michael Schultz, a young landscape designer, "Let's plant a few of those."  That was in 1989; creating this one small area so I could have cut flowers for my office desk was like opening Pandora's box for me.  I was hooked.  Michael started introducing me to designers and nurserymen in the Northwest and ones who would travel to the area.  I liked to cook, and they loved to eat.  Dinner discussions were lively.  They insisted that I learn the correct botanical names before they would talk to me about new plants and where I could get them.  Many a night I would fall asleep with The Royal Horticulture Encyclopedia in bed with me.  My husband asked if I thought I could learn the nomenclature by osmosis if I slept with the book on top of me.

Recently, our whole family hauled sand in buckets to build the play area for our first grandchild.  Upon its completion, we all sat in the sandbox with champagne to toast a good day's work.  My son smiled and reminded me that not so many years ago I had yelled at him for knocking a croquet ball into my perennial border, but now thirty-six square feet of plants and shrubs could be decimated to make way for a one-year-old grandson's sandbox." - Virginia Israelit, Portland, Oregon 

This, to me, is what made this book so unique, and so charming.  Including the garden owner's own words was a bit magical.  It made the gardens personal, and gave the accomplishment of creating a beautiful garden seem achievable.

Each chapter has numerous photos, and while the chapter may cover a specific topic, the gardens in the book vary immensely.  From shady woodlands to sun-filled rose gardens, rustic to modern settings, and Japanese to Mediterranean styles, there is plenty of inspiration for everyone.

It is a book I have read slowly, taking my time, savoring each delightful quote, perusing each inspirational photograph, and digesting the advice in each chapter.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Now it's your turn!  You are invited to join us on the 20th of every month with your own garden book review.  Anyone can join in, and any book with a garden influence qualifies.  We would love to hear your opinion of any garden book, new or old.

If you have never joined a meme before, it's simple!  Write your own garden book review, then just click to enter, and follow the instructions.  I promise - it's easy!

Please visit the other participants, too.  You never know when you're going to find a book you just can't live without!

Pretty, Sad

My broccoli is so pretty!  Sadly, it's begun to flower.  :(

I never get those big, beautiful heads that I dream of.  My soil warms up too quickly in the spring, and the broccoli doesn't like it.  It thinks it's time to flower, go to seed, and reproduce.  Tiny little heads of broccoli are all I've ever been able to grow.

Of course, I will harvest the heads.  They won't be too bitter.  And I will keep a closer eye out on future heads so I can harvest them before they begin to flower.

No matter how small they are.

I guess I could pour ice on the soil to keep it cooler.  Or shade the broccoli from the warmth of the sun. Instead, I think I'll just give up on growing broccoli.  Sad, since I love it so.

These broccoli were grown from a packet of seed included in a giveaway Donna at Garden's Eye View had last year.  I was the lucky winner!  Now, I'm not the best vegetable gardener, but I did get a lot of tomatoes, some peppers, a few cucumbers, and am patiently waiting to harvest asparagus, just to name a few of the vegetables I grew from seed from the giveaway.

And, of course, broccoli.  Maybe not a lot of broccoli, but enough for a few meals.  She's giving away more seed this year - jump over there and sign up!  It's better odds than winning the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.  (I know, because I have tried to win that every year, but haven't yet.)

It's amazing how much can come from a few packets of seed.  Fun, anticipation, wonder, experience.  Sometimes confidence.  Sometimes joy.  And sometimes even a few meals!