Mrs. Blossom's Garden

APRIL in the GARDEN

This year I am hoping to document the gardens on a more regular basis with an eye toward improvement.  Here is the front street garden as of today.  I have been working like crazy to eliminate the thugs of this garden and make more room for flowering plants that I love, dahlias, phlox, dianthus, verbascum, veronica, etc etc.  I keep digging up GOUTWEED and LILYBELLS. YUK! Do not ever plant these in a mixed bed  or any bed for that matter.  DO NOT!!

Digging lots of plants for the PLANT SALE on May 5th.  Wish it were not so warm and so dry. Finally had to set up a sprinkler today.  Big sale this year as I am re-configuring one of my big gardens.  Anyway, it's busy here - spring does lift ones spirits, yep, it does.  Aches and pains notwithstanding and for that there is Merlot and/or Advil.

BLUESTONE PERENNIALS

I have been ordering plants by mail from Bluestone Perennials for at least 15 years - they have evolved from a company that offered starter plants at a very reasonable cost to more mature plants at greater cost.  I ordered this year and was very pleased with what arrived Sat.. Packaging very environmentally friendly - cardboard holders, coir pots (which bio-degrade upon planting) and excellent size plants with good root systems. as the song says "who could ask for anything more?"  I am happy to recommend them for good plants, good value: www.bluestoneperennials.com

A lot going on in the garden at this time - getting ready for PLANT SALE, MAY 5th and just getting things organized in general.

We are fully 2 weeks early this year.  Trees in leaf, tulips in bloom, whoa - Mother Nature, slow down, please!!!

Readying my deck pots for veggies.  Purchased 5 yards of a horse manure, compost and manure mix and adding that to a potting mix.  We'll see how that does, eh?  The rest goes on established bed to rejuvenate the soil.  A never ending task, folks, never ending.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

You'd think after 28 yrs in the same house/yard, I'd grow tired of spring but the thrill and thrall continue as I see each little horticultural friend emerge, yet again, even when winter conditions have been less than favorable.  I'm busy digging and dividing for my annual plant sale on May 5th.  I'm also trying to eridicate many pests that have invaded my beds like lilybells, goutweed, and spiderwort.  Really, folks, DO NOT PLANT these thugs.  They take over and are darn near impossible to irridicate,. REALLY, TRULY!!

Keep hoping for rain - I was 3 towns away today and it poured and I thought, great, everything is getting watered - finally.  HA, no rain here in Hingham.  I mean I know we are a blessed community and all of that but damn, some RAIN would be really GOOD!!!

Anyway, back to digging and dividing tomorrow.  No rest for the wicked or those that need to convert plants into labor costs for those younger and fitter than I.  Do you detect the flaw in all of this - ah, yes, the curse of the aging gardener!!!

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

In keeping with what I hope we all are subscriping to - reduce, reuse, recycle - I've repurposed many of the plastic containers eggs, berries, & other produce come in for this year's seed starting containers.  The photo to the right is a combination of Jello pudding cups and MeowMix cat food containers.  The seeds here need total darkness thus the "capping"

Most of these containers already have drainage holes (key in germination) and  lids that allow them to function like mini greenhouses while seeds prepare to germinate. 

I also recycle old telephone books (WHO uses those anymore??) to raise/lower plant trays as seedlings gain some height.  I've also started using 7 oz plastic drink cups to pot plants on - they're sturdy and I just punch a drainage hole in the bottom.  Way cheaper than buying plastic plant flats! 

It feels good to find new uses for things that will only end up in a landfill. Plastic is something we all need to cut back on so I urge you to reduce, reuse, recycle.

 

 

This Week in the Garden

I've been a bit reluctant to uncover all my tender little plants even with Mother Nature seeming so benevolent in terms of temperature.  However, whereas she can be cruel,  I am taking it slow.  The warm temps have forced many things into premature bloom - magnolias in March??!!  NOT REALLY, not here in coastal MA. (USDA ZONE 6A)  So I'm digging hardy perennials for the plant sale - they will happily settle into their pots and put on some growth between now and May 5th.   Phlox, goat's beard, astilbe, asters, foxglove, bellis,  -so many just shooting up!  More potting tomorrow.  My loss - your gain??  Really it's a win-win - I can't take of them all so they need a new home.  The endless cycle of life etc etc etc

SPRING - bring it on!!

 

Tiny, 'tis true but when I found this little gem yesterday it really felt like Spring had sprung!

 

Lectured to the Seaside Gardeners of Marshfield today.  A lovely, enthuiastic group which always makes it more fun for me!  Topic was Succession of Bloom - near and dear to any gardener's heart.

Spring seems to be here - albeit early - but one cannot ignore the signs everywhere including an early return of red winged blackbirds, FLOCKS of robins, Carolina wrens - lots of chirping going on.  Nesting season is upon us so if you have dryer lint, yarn scraps or other soft nesting materials, put it out - our feathered friends appreciate the help!!

Myself, I think it a tad early to be uncovering beds, Mother Nature can be quite a fickle gal,so I plan to wait another week to 10 days and if the weather holds, I'll start uncovering & digging for my plant sale.

I've already started a number of biennials and perennials from seeds - they are basking under the flourescent lights in the cellar - more to start tomorrow.  I noticed all the Apricot Foxglove I started last year have happily wintered over both in the ground and in  containers on the deck.  Yep, they will be in the plant sale.

Boston Flower Show this week - it was disappointing last year, but perhaps I'll pop in.  Has anyone been yet - oh, wait, I think it doesn't start until the 14th.

My daughter is revamping this website so look foward to a better layout and much more info!

Happy March 12th!  I'm sitting here in a tank top, lovin' it!!

 

Seeds, Miraculous Seeds!

Here in the northeast, it's definitely time to be perusing those yummy seed catalogs, getting your orders in and even starting some into growth.

Seeds have gotten quite expensive so it's good to compare catalogs (or on-line sites).  Pinetree Garden Seeds in Maine www.superseeds.com specializes in smaller packets at a corresponding lower price.  I'm finding Burpee and Johnny's have gotten tres cher - I mean, $4+ for a packet of flower seeds?  Not for this gardener!

If you're interested in heirloom flower seeds, Select Seeds  www. selectseeds.com is worth checking out.  Stokes Seeds  www.stokeseeds.com is a Canadian company which gives excellent starting instructions with every seeds packet.  I've used them for a long time with excellent results.

Territorial Seed Co. www.territorial-seed.com out in Oregon had some unusual offerings this year.  A morning glory called Split Second - yummy! And I've never seen 
 it before! Pic didn't scan well, so check out their website.

Seed catalogs are a wealth of information and worth ordering a few for reference.

In addition to the above and if you're concerned about paper use, check out the websites for

www.burpee.com;  www.johnnyseeds.com; www.t&mseeds.com; www.seedsofchange.com

Next post I'll chat about equipment needs for successful seed starting.

Now, go take a look at those catalogs!

 

Lecture Offerings 2012

The following are my lecture offerings for 2012.  Please call or email if your group would like me to speak.

And now I am off to peruse seed catalogs!

 

 

Lecture Offerings 2012

Just a reminder of programs I 

am offering this year.  Please

call or email me with any questions.

And now I'm off to read seed catalogs!!

Autumn Solstice

Ah, cooler nights, clearer days, some rain, some sun, the garden year winds down (and so does the gardener!). There is still much in bloom - Autumn Joy, 2nd flush of Nepeta (catmint), glorious dahlias, zinnias, butterfly bush, coreopis, monkshood, morning glories on the clematis oblesik.  Yep, all still colorful and beautiful. The fall garden relies on later blooming perennials and any number of annuals.  I expect my garden to be lovely right though October.  And yours, too.