Tag Archives: gardening

Le Jardin

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It’s Sunday morning in the neighborhood. The sky is misty. The plants are happy. A Sunday report on the state of my garden, and of the Brighton Dam azalea garden.

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We stopped at Brighton Dam today on our way to Boarman’s to get fennel. They didn’t have any and we had to go to Harris Teeter, but that’s another post. The azaleas are past peak. Still pretty out there, but azaleas are over the hill. The cormorants were out in full force though.

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As you can see, there are splashes of color but way past prime viewing season.

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My herb garden is going nuts. Check out the large number of chive blossoms. Edible, tasty, pretty too.

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And, of course, the mint, which is essentially a weed. Can’t kill it. Spreads like crazy. This one has been in the same container for five years. For the life of me, I can’t remember which variety it is. It comes back every spring.

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As for my non edible garden, we got our first white rhododendron this year. Never saw one before now. The rhodie are doing well. With lots of new growth and more blooms than I thought.

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Plus, these flowers have never appeared before. Sometimes I wonder where in the world they come from. There are about a dozen of them out there now. I believe they are a type of iris. Any suggestions?

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Finally, too, the tangelo azalea has bloomed. Not as much as other years but still awesome.

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In terms of the pleasure we get from our flowers, shrubs and trees, it is well worth the effort I put into keeping them healthy.

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Back in the Saddle Again

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West County style.

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The tractor. Probably driven some weeks more than the car. At least in hours.

I used to ride the tractor more than my husband. He did the trim stuff. The weed whacking. The cleaning around trees and under bushes. I rode the tractor. Until my surgery. Since then, I haven’t been on the tractor. October 2011, the last time I cut the grass.

Today I mowed the back yard. Slowly. Carefully. But, still a big deal for me to feel like I am once again back in tune with the land where we live. I also spent lots of time planting veggies. All but the tomatoes. Tomorrow is tomato planting day. All 40 plants. I must be crazy. Or a canning, freezing fool. Twenty cages each in two sections of the garden.

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Finally, it seems we are past the cold weather. Last night I used row covers to keep the herbs safe.

Today, I spent all day out in the glorious weather getting things in the ground. So glad my surgery is behind me and I can do those things I love, like plant my garden. The cukes are in. Ten plants.

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Putting anything interesting in the garden this year? I planted Thelma Sanders squash. They need 110 days until they produce. That means babying them until September. And, Japanese white sweet potatoes, in a shady spot.

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So glad spring is finally here. Even if the rhododendron are late, as are other flowers. Spring just creeps up on us and the flowers burst forth with color.

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The Good Earth

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To till or not to till … that is the question.

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We have the tilling debate often. I don’t know if we should. He thinks because we have a tiller, we need to use it. Actually, tilling hasn’t been a problem as it loosens up the soil and makes it easier to plant.

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I use black fabric and mulch to keep down weeds. Again, some people don’t like black fabric. I love the fact I don’t have to weed. At sixty, with arthritic knees, weeding is a pain, literally and figuratively.

The weather, of course, isn’t cooperating. I want to put the tomatoes in, but temps will drop tomorrow night to the 30s. I will be covering the herbs and keeping the tomatoes inside until Wednesday.

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Although the tomatoes are inside and well, the herbs have been planted. There will probably be row cover going down tomorrow. I don’t want to lose the herbs.

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My last request here in the garden for this week, give me garlic scapes. The garlic is doing well, but no scapes yet.

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Gardens and Parties

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Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Sometimes it seems to be another Hallmark holiday, but sometimes it really is special. Are you doing something for or with your mom that she really wants to do?

Even if it’s just a walk, or a meal, or a homemade card, those little things that bring joy are what most of our moms appreciate the most. The long leisurely phone calls where you listen instead of talking. Those little gifts taken to her, like in my case, getting her the heavier items she needs and can’t carry well anymore.

Driving her to someplace she really wants to go. My mom isn’t a flower or garden person, who doesn’t walk on uneven surfaces very well, but she loves to be driven out in the country just so we can talk.

Or, in my case, taking her to where she wants to go for a luncheon, even if it isn’t a place I normally like to go.

Today at the Conservancy lots of moms and grandmoms came with their families, even in the misty morning, to wander the grounds, have tea and scones in the farmhouse, visit the animals and talk to the gardeners.

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The children got to hear a Mother’s Day story. While proud parents took pictures.

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Mom may have even gotten a gift of some flowers to be planted when they stopped at the Conservancy community garden plant sale.

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All in all, we had a great morning. Tomorrow, if your mom loves flowers, the azaleas are in bloom at Brighton Dam, but if she isn’t into the crowds, maybe waiting a few days and having a visit after school, or early in the morning, when they open at nine.

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Here’s to all our moms.

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A Mother’s Day Garden Party

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At the Conservancy.

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May 11th Saturday morning at 10am. A Mothers’ Day Special-

Enjoy a beautiful Springtime morning out with your mother or a friend! Sip tea and sample home baked scones at the historic Brown sisters’ farmhouse.

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Stroll to the Conservancy’s 8 gardens and talk with the garden clubs, Master Gardeners, and staff who design and maintain these gardens year round.

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$5 per person, $10/family. In case of inclement weather, check website. This is something new the volunteers have been working. A Mother’s Day event. Last year we had children make cards and bouquets for their moms and grandmoms. This year, eight of the gardens will be open with many of them having the local garden clubs there to talk about what they do, at the Conservancy and in their clubs.

Additionally, the Master Gardeners will be at the historic garden plots. The community garden managers will be there to talk about their gardens, and the volunteers who will be busy grooming the Honors Gardens for Wine in the Garden will be hard at work, taking care of the three acre native plant site.

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Crossing our fingers that the weather is lovely. At least the gardens are flourishing from these spring showers.

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Brighton Dam Azaleas May 5 2013 Report

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They are getting there. The early bloomers are lovely. Lots of buds though. Mother’s Day should be perfect. And, how about this little gem?

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I assume WSSC planted the flowers. I can’t imagine them allowing an individual to do it, but who knows? Plenty of color even on a gloomy Sunday morning.

A romantic spot for a walk.

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Weekdays and early morning, this was at 9 am, you can have the place to yourselves. As you can see, many varieties are still in budding stage, not yet blooming. Still, there are spectacular blazes of color on some of the smaller paths.

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Unusual colors too.

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I could go here almost every day and be happy just to wander the trails.

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Easy to access on the Howard/Montgomery county lines. This is a treat for all of us who live here.

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Grillin’ Chillin’ and Whatever

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Puttering. Tweeting. Drinking. Planting.

What a lovely spring day. Warm, not humid. Perfect gardening weather. And, grilling weather.

We started out today pulling up black fabric and getting ready to till the garden. I also did some planting of herbs.

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Two kinds of sage in the herb garden. Then, I checked out the chives. They are getting ready to blossom.

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After pulling up the fabric and cleaning out the garden, it was time to chill. I made a simple punch. Ginger ale. Berries from the freezer. A splash of orange liqueur and light rum. Peach nectar. Served with the Chesapeake cheddar.

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A couple of the TLV farm ribeyes on the grill with a side of asparagus and zucchini. My pesto from the freezer. A Breaux cellar selection syrah.

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Later, a winechat on twitter with the vawine crowd. Viognier. Mine a 2012 from Breaux. Big and beautiful.

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I know why we eat at home often. The food, the wine, the view.

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The Much Needed Rain

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Rainy days like this make us happy. Soft gentle rain that greens up the yard, the field, and keeps my trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers healthy is always welcome.

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The lace maples went from budding to full glory in just a few days. These trees are my favorites. One in front and one behind the house. I now have to irrigate the front one as the underground drains carry water out to a grove with younger trees and shrubs that haven’t established their roots as deeply.

The crab apple has exploded with blossoms.

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This is one of those years where it is being covered in white flowers.

My second wave of tulips is loving it. The first bloomers are dropping petals but this variety is coming in with many flowers.

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When I planted the bulbs about six years ago, I used a variety of early and late blooming tulips to prolong their presence across the entry walkway.

This year so far only one iris came up on the side of the house. I think these were planted so long ago by the previous owner that they are pretty much wiped out, and the star lilies and tiger lilies have taken over. But, I did get this one blossom the other day.

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In a vase with a gorgeous deep purple tulip, the only one that color from out front. Sometimes it is weird to see a single bloom of a color that you don’t remember planting.

And, the dogwoods are at their peak. Two more trees that I take extra care to keep fertilized, pruned, watered and happy. Their colors just scream spring time.

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April showers bringing May flowers, and more. Here’s to erasing that deficit in our rainfall totals for 2013. In just a few days, I will be putting in the veggie garden, but still loving those flowers.

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To Forage, To Forage

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YES! YES! YES! The wild asparagus are back!

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I wrote about them last year, when I got at least 40 or so spears of asparagus that keep coming up under my crepe myrtle. Saturday there was nothing there. Today. I found four spears in various lengths.

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One white one buried in mulch. It will turn green as it emerges. Two more deep in the mulch although one looks a little ragged like something decided to chew on it. Maybe the bunnies.

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Today’s rain was welcome as it is nourishing my garlic, my herbs, my greens and these wild plants. Oh, and the tulips. I am lucky that the animals ignore them. I guess having a yard with clover, dandelions, chick weed and whatever else out there keeps them happy and away from my flowers. As I have said often, I am loving spring time.\

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Lovin’ the Springtime

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Finally, we seem to have stumbled upon a true spring time. Lovely sunny low humidity days. Perfect for al fresco dining. No bugs. No wind. Looks like a bit more of this weather in store also. Today we opted for dining outside as much as possible, and also spent time on the yardwork.

First, a report on our impromptu lunch on the patio. Using CSA items mostly, but making my simple salad as a topping. CSA greens with some scallions, baby turnips and red cabbage. A couple of pieces of that mozzarella I made. One of those huge spicy peppery radishes, and half a Valencia orange. Add to it some homemade vinaigrette. The topping is my Tuscan inspired tuna.

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In the little cup is a dollop of vanilla yogurt I picked up at Breezy Willow Wednesday, served with a few apricots and some frozen blackberries, left from my Larriland stash in the freezer.

Dinner is happily slow cooking in the oven, the last of the lasagne I made from my homemade sauce. Took it from freezer to oven. No fuss while we enjoy the weather in the back yard.

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I can hear the tractors, my husband in the field and my neighbor in his yard. Doesn’t everyone park their tractor by the patio while taking a lunch break?

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As for how things are developing in the flower and tree department. Azaleas really starting to flower.

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This purple one is really full of blooms. Also having a banner year is my crab apple. Within a few days, this should be a vision in white.

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Anything significant blooming in your space? Spring has definitely sprung in West Hoco.

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