Saturday, February 28, 2009

Another Day in My Garden Journal


A day without sunshine is . . . well, a cloudy day!

The last two days were definitely NOT cloudy days! I am from Nebraska where we make hay while the sun shines so I happily spent my time recently out of doors in the yard/garden.

Hmmmm, I've often wondered aside if I should call the area in which I toil a yard or a garden? That is a musing for another day I suppose.

Anyway, whatever it is, it beckoned! Thursday dawned bright, warm, humid and quite windy. Assuredly, it was not a day for an industrious raking of the leaves (where they spawned from, I do not know as I raked all of them up in the autumn!). Not only was the day absolutely perfect for doing more clean-up of the garden but it was ripe for inspecting the ground for "almost spring" surprises. Frankly, this time of year is as exciting as Christmas for me! There is no more thrilling sight than to see a plant reawakening after winter's freeze! Okay, I can think of one but this is a close second . . . :)

Back to my gardening :) My efforts were concentrated on the front gardens, the brick patio and the "small triangle" bed.

The front gardens had liriope to be cut back before the new growth begins and as full as it is becoming, the hands quickly became sore from the shears. Roses and the woody parts of the nandina were pruned. Winter-damaged stems of the hydrangeas were cut. Dead foliage from last year was picked up. Woodland poppy seedlings were transplanted along with two clematis (a burgundy and a white) which will now grow up a new cedar and copper trellis. Pulmonaria seedlings were popping up and needed to be relocated. While tending to these chores, lo and behold! What did I see? A hosta shoot! This is the earliest ever for one to appear in my garden! Who DOESN'T believe in global warming?!

My "small triangle" bed is an area at the front door of my parent's home (a guest house in my backyard). This garden contains a variety of plants, one of which is my favorite: Black and Blue salvia. It is the best hummingbird magnet I've ever had in any of my gardens! Bees love it also. One small plant has become quite a mass and was a mess of dead, dry, sticks. This is also the earliest I've seen growth on it. But the lovliest surprise of the day came when I saw the surprise peony.

Year before last, I purchased a gorgeous orange daylily that apparently had a stowaway in it's nursery pot, for last spring Inoticed a plant that I'd certainly not installed. It was too soon to flower but was easily identified as a peony! It is pushing it's way up again this year. The anticipation builds until it does bloom to see what wonder I have! Will it be white? Pink? Red? Whatever, it is exciting! Plus, I got TWO plants for the price of ONE! What gardener does not like a deal?!

Here, I might mention, is where I explain my brick patio. Over time, it seems to have turned into a small nursery of sorts. I have a 9 x 12 greenhouse but that is where I store my tropicals over the winter season and start seeds for the spring. The patio outside my laundry door is where I store the perennials, shrubs and trees I find at close-out sales. I purchase them at fantastic prices and then use them in my community for beautification projects, mainly at the public school campus. This "nursery" is the bane of my 83 year old father's existence! You see, he is my chief waterboy :) "Are you ever going to plant these?!" What he does not realize is that I DO plant them but then buy more, constantly turning them over :) To him, if you have seen one sedum, you have seen them all. I would like to come up with another viable solution for "nurserying" them. We have a new commercial greenhouse at the school but then I would have to traipse over there all summer to take care of them.

All of the "nursery" plants need to be spruced up, pots cleaned of their debris, repotted if they are outgrowing their current containers, and moved (for the brick patio itself to be cleaned). What is fun about this job? I come across thrilling plants that I forgot I had! And of course, I see the baby plants emerging from their winter sleep. Again, the proverbial Christmas!

The above took two days of work. Why does it seem that although I spent two days working in the gardens, there is more to do than there was before I even began? I do believe the chores are splitting and multiplying before my very eyes . . . like some type of alien life from outer space!

Regardless, I had a blast! The sun was on my face, the wind chapped my cheeks and the fresh air invigorated my very soul! My three dogs had interesting adventures helping me sniff out the new shoots and making themselves general nuisances :) My dog Mikki, spent most of the time Friday laying at my feet, wanting affection which I was glad to give. She is dying and loves to be with me in the garden. There is no more fitting place for her to be for her last days.

So, to this update I add the following that are now making themselves quietly known in my garden: Cape Cod tulips, daffodils, agapanthus, canna, pineapple sage, mexican marigold mint, stachys, peony, ajuga, creeping jenny, camellia, hydrangea, azalea, achillea, clematis, buddleia, solidago, weigela, pieris, beauty berry and akebia. Think that covers it!

A history note. Last year, the unthinkable happened: I couldn't have cared any less for gardening. I wondered if I'd feel the love for it ever again as I had in the past. I now happily know the answer: a resounding YES! My passion and excitement are back as strong as ever and it has returned to become the best therapy ever!

There are many more days needing to be spent on cleaning up and I welcome each and every one of them!

Plant on baby and let's get dirty!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Mail-order Nursery Report Card

With the exception of one order I placed just this last Thursday with Big Dipper Farm, all of my mail orders for plants have arrived and I thought it might be helpful to others if I shared the experience I've had with each of the various companies. Often times I am interested in purchasing from a new nursery but am hesitant, not knowing what to expect.

Here follows a report card of my findings:

Audubon Workshop - Grade A - Their prices are decent, the plants are very healthy, they are packed well, I've not had to use their customer service or their replacement/refund policy, they usually have a good coupon. I've used them in the past but have not had need of them this year. Their plants are pretty basic so the selection is not wide.

Bluestone Perennials - Grade A - Their prices are good, the plants are kind of small which is why it isn't an "A plus" but are healthy, they are packed well, their customer service is wonderful and their replacement/refund policy is great. They have good discounts and coupons. I like that most things are sold in threes. Shipping was about 13% of my total after discounts/coupons.

Breck's - Grade B - Their prices are decent and their coupon helps, their bulbs perform, they arrive in typical bags for bulbs/roots, I've not had opportunity to use their customer service or replacement/refund policy which is a good thing. Pretty run of the mill. Shipping was approximately 26% of my total after coupons.

Brushwood Nursery - Grade A plus - Their prices are competitive, their shipping is a flat fee which can be a plus, their plants are healthy and arrive in superb condition and are sizeable for their pot size, I've not had to use their customer service or replacement/refund policy. The way the plants were packed was terrific. My experience was outstanding!

Burpee - Grade D - Their prices tend to be high for both seeds and plants, two of the three plants arrived dead and all three were out of their pots with soil everywhere, they were packed poorly, I will be finding out how well their customer service and replacement/refund policy is :) Their seeds germinate reliably but I only order from them what I cannot get elsewhere because they are more expensive than all other seed vendors I use. Shipping was approximately 19% of my total.

Dutch Gardens - Grade B - Their prices are decent, their coupon helps, their bulbs perform, they arrive in typical bags for bulbs/roots, I've not had opportunity to use their customer service or replacement/refund policy which is a good thing. Pretty run of the mill. Shipping was approximately 16% of my total after coupons.

Garden Crossings - Grade A plus - Their prices are decent and are cheaper than some, you have a choice on many of the plants of the size you wish to purchase, their plants are very healthy healthy and arrive in superb condition and are sizeable for their pot size. When I contacted them about an item not shipped, they responded AFTER HOURS and told me they felt the plant did not have enough growth on it yet for them to feel comfortable sending it to me but will ship as soon as it does. I've not had to use their customer service or replacement/refund policy. My experience was fabulous! Shipping was approximately 12% of my total.

Henry Field's - Grade B - Their prices are decent, their coupon helps, their plants perform, they arrive in typical packaging, their customer service or replacement/refund policy is good. Pretty run of the mill. Shipping was approximately 16% of my total after coupons.

High Country Gardens - Grade A - (They'd be a plus if the shipping weren't so high) Their prices are great, their plants arrive healthy, they are packaged wonderfully, their customer service is great but I've not needed replacements or refunds, their focus on plants that are drought tolerant is terrific and they have plants that are not the "run of the mill". They are a very conscientious nursery. Shipping was approximately 25% of my total.

Johnny's Selected Seeds - Grade B plus - Their prices are good, their seeds germinate, I've not had occasion to need their customer service/refund policy. Shipping was approximately 20% of my total.

Park Seed - Grade A - Their prices are competitive, their seeds germinate, I've not had occasion to need their customer service/refund policy, I've not used them for their plants, just seeds. Shipping was approximately 18% of my total.

Santa Rosa Gardens - Grade A plus - I received a gift of plants from this nursery from a friend and they were in great condition, healthy, good size and packaged beautifully! I have heard from my friend who sent the gift that they are a terrific place to do business with!

Seymour Seed - Grade A - Their prices are competitive, their seeds germinate, I've not had occasion to need their customer service/refund policy, I've not used them for their plants, just seeds. Shipping was approximately 18% of my total.

Springhill - Grade B plus - Their prices are competitive, their plants arrive healthy, they are packaged wonderfully, I've not needed replacements or refunds and they have a nice coupon. Shipping was approximately 27% of my total.

Totally Tomato - Grade B plus - Their prices are competitive, their seeds germinate, I've not had occasion to need their customer service/refund policy, I've not used them for their plants, just seeds. I've read some pretty negative write-ups on them but ordered anyway and was not disappointed in the least! Shipping was approximately 19% of my total.

K. Van Bourgondien & Sons - Grade A - So far. They all arrive roots and bulbs in typical packaging. Their prices are very good, I've not had to use customer service or their replacement/refund policy, they have a good coupon. Shipping was approximately 16% of my total.

Wayside Gardens - Grade D - Why oh why do I keep ordering from them? No more as soon as I use the in-store credit up for the plants that arrived dead. They are expensive, their packaging is okay, their plants are teeny or sickly or dead, etc. I've only received one thing that was really healthy and had size, it was a liriope in a gallon pot. They have been good about replacing but it is with a plant that was as dubious as the first. They were good about a credit on this last shipment but it is a hassle. I've had many hassles with their orders. I will not order from them anymore. Nope, no, zero, nil, zilch, nada, that's it, uh uh.

White Flower Farm - Grade A - I have both purchased from them and received a gift of plants from someone who purchased them from this nursery. Their prices can be a bit high, their plant size is about what you would get from most places, they are packaged well (in fact, I received a plant that was quite delicate and it arrived in PERFECT condition!), the plants are very healthy, and I've not had to use their customer service or replacement/refund policy.

Pinetree Seeds - Grade A - Nice small company with attentive customer service. When I did not receive my order, they reshipped immediately! Great prices! Germination rate of seeds was very good.

Maybe this information will encourage you to be adventurous and try a new nursery or maybe it might give you a heads-up when ordering from others.

Regardless, I wish you many happy plantings!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Is Spring Just Around the Corner?!




Nothing too introspective here. Just a heads up about what I saw in the garden today.

The weather has been warm the last couple of days with abundant sunshine! That kind of day beckoned me outside to do some weeding and cleanup of the debris which has accumulated over the winter. For you see, in my zone (7 with microclimates of 8 in my garden), weeds grow all winter long. Yes, I must weed in WINTER, too!!!

After weeding, I next went after the debris i.e. dead foliage, autumn leaves, and what did I find?! New growth! Already! Some of the plants poking their heads up through the soggy soil were echinacea (one even has a stunted bloom!), salvia, lemon balm, spearmint, sedum, day lilies, thalictrum 'Black Stockings', roses, hymenoxys acaulis (sundancer daisy), verbena, aster,, pulmonaria, woodland poppy, columbine, heuchera, and more that I've not noted here.

The hellebores are blooming but suffered breakage from the ice storm that roared through here two weeks ago. Hence, they are broken and sorry looking but there are a few courageous blooms to look at. Miraculously, the camellias are almost ready to pop and suffered not a single broken branch!

Speaking of the ice storm, there were other major causualties in the garden. The "Heritage" river birch has broken limbs at the top of the main trunks, a 20 year old crape myrtle was sheared in two, a blue point juniper was parallel with the ground and both of my full-grown willow oaks have severe damage that will require the work of an arborist and tree-trimmer. BUT, my coral bark japanese maple survived like a navy SEAL!

The neighborhood dogwoods did well under the weight of all that ice. Just an FYI in case you are looking for trees to plant in ice-prone areas.

So, I don't know about you but it was enough to get me excited about spring! In fact, this is the most excited I've been about spring in the last couple of years! I don't know what the new season will bring, but I am ready for whatever it is.

Let's get growing!