Yesterday I asked people what varieties of vegetables they would recommend from their own experiences. My goal is to add a few new vegetables each year just to try something new. Some vegetables are tried and true and will always be in my garden but there are so many types of vegetables out there that … Read more
As real gardening time approaches and we stop planning and dreaming to actually begin planting we have to know what we are going to do with our gardens. The big thing on my mind lately has been the vegetable garden. I miss the tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers that came out of our garden fresh everyday. … Read more
Things are going well with the vegetable garden remodel even though the pictures may not fully illustrate it (see the layout to get an idea as to what it will look like). Right now it looks kind of like a war zone complete with with bunkers, foxholes, and fencing but soon it will come together. … Read more
Recently I was asked some questions about gardening with children and while there are certainly quite a few tips I could mention about the subject there is one idea that stands out above all others in my mind. Do what the kids love! Every kid is different and each one has as many different ideas … Read more
I’m amazed this year by the blooms I actually have in the garden. Maybe it was the warm snap, or maybe we’ll be lucky enough to have some great blooms each and every February. My feature plant today is one that comes every spring much to the chagrin of the lawn lover. Tiny purple flowers … Read more
Happy Valentine’s Day! I gave these to my wife but thought I’d also share them with you. Too bad you can’t smell them!
Who would have thought? A daffodil (Narcissus) blooming in mid-February! The little sprouts are coming up all over but this one and a couple others like it have decided they like the weather. It could be that they are in a slightly warmer micro-climate near concrete but mostly it’s because of the extremely unseasonably warm … Read more
In my last post I mentioned 11 Things to Think About When Designing Your Raised Bed Vegetable Garden. Here are a few more ideas suggested by commenters! Think about a fence (From Tina). Whether for aesthetics or for function fences are good for the garden. Different fences can solve different issues. A simple wire fence … Read more
What a weekend! You don’t get weather like we had very often. The thermometer hit the 70’s for the first time in a long while and we took advantage of it. We spent very little time indoors, how could we? After being cooped up in the house since fall any outside opportunity had to be … Read more
To kick this Garden Blogger Seed Swap off I’ll share with you what I have to offer! Anyone is invited to join in even if you don’t have a blog. Just post what you would like to trade for and what you have to offer in the comments or drop me an email! I will … Read more
I know, it’s early to start seed but I have a plan and just couldn’t resist. Inside of a walk-in closet I put up a grow light and suspended it about 12-14 inches above the seed starting spot. The lights are 48″ fluorescent shop lights that I used last year to start my seedlings. I … Read more
What’s not to like about moss? It’s green, soft, fuzzy, grows well in shade, and is as resilient as they come! While gathering rocks over the weekend I stumbled upon (not literally) loads of mossy cover rocks. This little ground covering plant attaches itself and needs no soil. It gathers its nutrients from the air … Read more
Do you need another reason to like Red Twig Dogwoods? Take a look at these pictures from Ann Althouse. These pictures illustrate exactly why I like them as much as I do! The fiery stems really add color to the snowy landscape. More on Red Twig Dogwoods: Red Twig Dogwood Propagation Red Twig Dogwoods (Cornus … Read more
It was a pretty good weekend for me. You might even say it rocked! Of course that’s partly a play one words, can you guess why? Maybe I went to a concert. Nope. Once our kids came around exciting rock concerts were out of the picture. Not that I really mind I never was much … Read more
I had an idea a while back that needed a little more refining before I posted on it: A Seed Swap! At first I thought I would just offer a couple types of seed to trade among anyone who follows this blog but then I thought a little bigger. I thought “What if a bunch … Read more
In times like these can you afford not to garden? The other day I was thinking about the actual value of a garden. What do you get out of it? Not just the sense of satisfaction of eating the greatest tomato ever grown. That’s pretty valuable in itself. Not just the pleasure of being able … Read more
It’s been days since we’ve seen any sign of the sun. He was back today and even a little yesterday. I don’t think I’m alone in missing my friend the sun, am I?
The other day I was out and about (as happens often) when I was surprised by the sight of a couple hyacinths coming up. It’s not that I’m surprised that the hyacinths are emerging but rather that I didn’t realize they where there to begin with! This would be one of those time where plant … Read more
I was outside on Tuesday afternoon walking around the yard while a thirty minute window in the clouds opened to allow the sun to shine down. It was a short respite from the rainy weather but this time of year any respite is a good respite. While walking about I was struck by how white … Read more
Over the last year I’ve been enthralled with heucheras. I see a new one and I have to add it to the garden! If you are looking for a versatile foliage perennial then definitely take a look at the heucheras (Coral Bells). There are many varieties so far I have at least 5 different kinds … Read more
Over this weekend our travels found us at one of the local big box stores looking for shelving hardware for our downstairs closet (another project but not one that will make it to the garden blog). While there I went through the seed kiosks looking for the plants that made my master list for seed … Read more
This time of the year it seems like there are a million and one choices for seeds. The catalogs have been rolling in at record paces enticing us with beautiful pictures of what we could have in our gardens but how do you figure out what you need to buy especially if your trying to … Read more
My recent fascination with the snowy owl visiting our town isn’t something new, I’ve always been interested in birds and wildlife. Gardening and nature to me are so closely woven together in the tapestry of life that you don’t get one without the other, and if you do you’re doing something wrong. Nature in all … Read more
I got a few more pictures this morning of the Snowy Owl here in Spring Hill, TN from Pete. The first one can only be described as spectacular with a sunrise in the background. He also managed to get a few close-ups! Related Snowy Owl Posts: A Snowy Owl Story Snowy Owl Visits … Read more
After my post yesterday about the Snowy Owl Visit to Spring Hill, TN, Pete sent me a few of his pictures of the owl. He was able to get much closer to the bird than I could and his pictures are fantastic! He prefaced the pictures with a story that I’ll share with you in … Read more
We’ve had an unusual visitor here in Spring Hill, TN. A snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) flew in with the arctic air that’s been hanging over our state. I had heard rumors of the visiting bird through the Nashville news stations (OK that’s a little more than a rumor) and set out today to investigate. My … Read more
There is a kind of magic in making cuttings. Watching something as simple and unremarkable as a little twig come to life with roots and branches all of its own can only be fascinating to the gardener. Several weeks ago I planted my Winter Garden with various plants which included three red twig dogwoods (Cornus … Read more
Where do I find the seeds for my gardening activities? Lot’s of places! The most obvious location is in a store, either online or one of the old fashioned brick and mortar stores. The local Co-op always has seed to find as do the box stores (they have already begun putting out seeds for spring. … Read more
It’s January but if you are like me you’ve been rapidly perusing the seed catalogs about as fast as they come in looking for new and exciting plants for this year. It seems that each day a new plant catalog comes in the mail and I see all kinds of plants that I’d love to … Read more
Part of my worm bin composter is finished. This really is a very simple project that anyone can do at home. To complete this part of the composter it only took about 30 minutes which also included the time to gather the materials and to put them away. Since the weather outside this week is … Read more
What do winter blooms, buds, bark and branches all have in common? You will have to look at the end of this post to find out. See if you can guess! The Winter Blooms The henbit in our area is beginning to show signs of blooming. Masses of little tiny flowers will over take yards … Read more
The cold weather combined with morning clouds and the light of a new dawning day create a genuine tapestry of light. Six minutes later (after scraping the ice off my wife’s car) the sky changed palettes to include more gold. Mother Nature’s paintings are ever changing which is probably why we appreciate them. … Read more
In order to raise worms for worm composting (vermicomposting) you have to have a place to put the worms and the kitchen scraps. There are all kinds of composting bins that can be effective but they all work on the same idea. A box houses the worms, kitchen scraps, and bedding. As the worms eat … Read more
Here’s a list of this year’s gardening events that you don’t want to miss! Click on the links for more information Nashville Lawn and Garden Show – March 5-8, 2009Bloom ‘n’ Garden Expo – April 3-5, 2009Perennial Plant Society Plant Sale – April 4, 2009Middle Tennessee Hosta Society – Annual Hosta Sale – May 9, … Read more
Several years ago I used to watch a cartoon called Earthworm Jim. (Yes I’ll admit I watched cartoons in college!) It was based on a video game that I never played but I guess was somewhat popular at the time. In the cartoon Earthworm Jim was a space traveling superhero worm valiantly ridding the universe … Read more
…digging the rain garden. I looked back at the January 12, 2008 post to see what I wrote about one year ago. During that week I was heavily entrenched (forgive the pun) in digging the rain garden. Today I’m very pleased with how well it functions. This January we’ve had at least 3 inches of … Read more
As previously mentioned in my 2009 garden project list I am working on a self sowing garden. I mentioned the advantages to a self sowing garden earlier in the week and my own personal reasons for wanting to plant it and now it’s time for the next step…seeds. But first, what are self sowing plants? … Read more
I was looking back at photographs of the past year in the garden and found these shots of the front sidewalk garden. When the weather is cold and rainy outside it’s nice to look back sometimes and see how things were where they were in bloom. The sidewalk skirts the garage portion of our house … Read more
This bell may not make a sound but it sure strikes a chord with the chickadees and titmice. We received the seed bell as a stocking stuffer for Christmas. The birds must have loved it. After two and a half days the seed bell is all gone! At least I managed to get some nice … Read more
Please bear with me while I make a few cosmetic changes! I’ve been wanting to find a new look for the blog that is more functional and I think I have found a template that works. There will be some minor tweaks and repairs over the next few days. All the content and comments should … Read more
A springtime flowering favorite of mine is the Yoshino cherry tree (Prunus x yedoensis). I’ve written about these trees several times in the past and I know I’ll write about it again as it is such a valuable tree in the landscape for it’s ornamental beauty. I’ve never been able to root this tree…until now! … Read more
One of my projects this year is a self seeding garden. I showed you in yesterday’s post what I’ve done so far and I mentioned a few of my personal reasons for planting a self sowing garden but since that post I thought of a few more general ideas why someone might want to consider … Read more
It won’t be long before the warm weather approaches (or at least I keep telling myself this) and gardening begins for the 2009 season in earnest. One of the projects I have planned this season is the self sowing garden. A self sowing garden is pretty self explanatory, it has plants that seed themselves year … Read more
While we were away last weekend picking pecans I snapped some photos of the setting sun. Sometimes I think wintertime sunsets are trying to make up for the lack of color in the garden and elsewhere during this season. This picture was taken overlooking one of the fields near my wife’s grandmother’s home.
Over the holidays we went to the West Tennessee town of Trenton to visit my wife’s grandmother. Her home rests in the middle of several acres of rich Tennessee farmland where they typically grow either soybeans, corn, or winter wheat depending upon the whim of the farmer. The crop is most likely determined through a … Read more
Not many plants bloom in the dead of winter but you can count on Mediterranean White Heath (Erica x darleyensis) to put on a subtle show. It blooms with tiny little snow colored blossoms that (at least in my Tennessee garden) emerge during January and February. I have five of these little winter gems located … Read more
Rather than talk about useless resolutions for 2009 I thought I would discuss my project plans for the garden. I do have one goal that encompasses all things gardening and in my life that could be considered a resolution: to do all things better than I did the last time. That one statement covers pretty … Read more
Today is the last day of 2008 but unless you’ve never seen a calander you probably knew that already. As one year ends and new one begins. It’s time for a short look back at 2008 and a glance into the future. 2008 was the first full growing year that we really had in the … Read more
OK, I wouldn’t have titled the article with Pimp My Yard (I’m really not cool enough to do that) but there’s a very good article on Slate about garden coaching as an emerging horticultural profession. Garden coaches offer guidance for do-it-yourselfers who want to learn how to garden better. For more information beyond the Slate … Read more
The Plant of the Month for December over at Gardening Gone Wild is all about sedums! Sedums (also called stonecrop) are a type of succulent and are capable of storing water in their leaves which makes them very drought tolerant here in Tennessee. We have several kinds of sedum in our garden with one of … Read more
The gardener returned to the garden today from his voyage across Tennessee. From his home, to the lands of the cedar glades, and to the western lowlands he crossed the miles in only trio of days. Friends from long ago were coming to visit from the northern winterlands and he had to return in time … Read more
One of my favorite shrubs is the Japanese dappled willow (Salix integra). In the springtime its new foliage emerges with variegated green and cream leaves that persist through the fall. The leaves darken some as they grow older (or for those who prefer different terminology “grow more mature”) until they bare themselves when the light … Read more
Here’s a quick look at the view from Mt. Juliet, TN where we spent our Christmas Eve. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!
We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Posting over the next week will be irregular as we celebrate the Christmas season with our family.
For a quick, easy, and cheap stocking stuffer gift idea try a homemade seed packet! I learned how to put together these seed packets that use a technique of paper folding from Nancy Ondra’s blog Hayefield House. Go take a look at her post titled Origami for Seed Savers to learn how. The only thing … Read more
How cold was it this morning? The wireless thermometer said 15.5 Degrees Fahrenheit at 8:00 AM. That’s pretty cold! The low last night in our little nook on the hillside was somewhere around 3-4 degrees! But really, how cold is that? Cold enough that the bird’s won’t receive any enjoyment out of the birdbath in … Read more
This week’s name that seed might be a challenge. The seeds are in the exact state that I found them in however they do not look exactly like they would if they were freshly formed on a tree. Here is your one clue: the tree prefers shade. All answers should be posted by the morning … Read more
We had a short reprieve from the cold winter temperatures we’ve been having. It reached nearly 70 degrees and we actually saw the sun for the first time in days. It felt good to be outside this afternoon tending to some minor garden chores. My first task was to pot up some more Purple leaf … Read more
Today I was stumbling through Stumble Upon and happened to come across a great tutorial on building a $50 greenhouse! What is especially cool is that the author of the blog (The Door Garden) who wrote the tutorial is also a Tennessean (Cookeville). The greenhouse he built is a hoop house made from PVC and … Read more
Even in winter gardeners in Tennessee need to keep up with the weeds. Cool season weeds like chickweed and henbit can easily take over while you aren’t watching your garden beds. I actually like the look of henbit in the lawn but not in the garden beds. If you have a warm winter day get … Read more
If you like Heucheras or Coral Bells as much as I do then take a look at this video from Fine Gardening Magazine. In it Alan Armitage talks about the heucheras in the trial gardens at the University of Georgia. Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ and Heuchera ‘Rave On’ stand out as two perennials I will have … Read more
Since I have very little to show for Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day in December I’ll display a review of each Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day post over 2008 that I’ve done. Inside this post you will see one or two pictures from each post that in my view are the best of the blooms. Unfortunately I … Read more
The answer to today’s Name that Seed is the White Ash! The White Ash is a dioecious deciduous shade tree that grows to nearly 80 feet tall. Dioecious means that individual trees (or plants) are either male or female and not both, very similar to hollies. Last week I featured the Persimmon in a Name … Read more
I’m starting a new theme for Sundays that will last through winter until Spring time after all the seeds have been planted. Seed Sundays will be all about seeds! Seed planning, plotting, planting, and any other seed related subject that can be thought of and written about. You’re welcome to join in if you wish … Read more
Though I have not told her, I have officially named my wife’s snowman Gumdrop. You will see why when you look at the picture! The snow was dry and hard to pack. At least it was for a while, later in the day it melted some and snowmen of various shapes and sizes appeared through … Read more
It was a moment of pure beauty early this morning. We awoke to find the landscape covered in snow and with a winter wonderland waiting before us. I was out just before dawn to catch the sunrise and take some pictures in a setting that I very rarely get to photograph. I’m especially pleased with … Read more
For the last part of my Winter Garden series I have a special treat planned. I arranged for snow to fall upon Middle Tennessee so I could illustrate how great a winter garden looks! OK, of course I’m joking but snow is very cool to look at on the garden (please forgive the pun). The … Read more
I managed to plant all the plants for my new winter garden on what was a warm December day. With temperatures in the 50’s it was somewhat pleasant, which is about the best you can expected from December in Tennessee. You’re probably wondering which plan I decided to go with, the Symmetrical Plan or the … Read more
For those of you who took a stab at the Name that Seed post they were seeds from a Common Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)! In the fall you can see these fruit trees laden with orange pulpy fruit. According to my Field Guide to Trees from the National Audubon Society persimmon trees grow up to 70 … Read more
Here’s a new take on the name that plant challenge, Name that Seed! See if you can guess what plant these seeds came from and what they could grow to be. Each seed is slightly larger than 1/2 an inch in length and ovular in shape. The one clue that I’ll give you is that … Read more
OK, here’s your chance! Your weekend assignment is to come up with a garden/landscape plan that would fit a roughly 6′ by 10′ area that incorporates as many elements of the winter garden as you wish. There are no rules or guidelines to follow, just do something that you think will look great and show … Read more
Here is the second of the two hand drawn sketches of my winter garden layout. The first one was symmetrical. This layout uses mostly the same plants just puts them in different places. One addition to this plan is a miscanthus that I originally planted in the Japanese Maple garden. It was only placed there … Read more
Now before you go looking at my hand drawn art please note that I do not claim to be an artist, just a gardener. The paint I am used to is usually accompanied by foliage, flowers, and fruit. The “artistic rendering” below is intended to illustrate the image inside my head for one of the … Read more
In all our gardens we start small and add plants as we go. If you look back the the birdbath garden you can see what I mean. What started with a birdbath and five small plants has slowly turned into a medium size garden area with about 15 different plants. The winter garden will be … Read more
One of the areas that I would like to improve upon in our garden is the lack of winter interest. I can look outside our windows and see lots of stark naked deciduous trees waving in the wind. If they were covered in snow we would have plenty of winter interest but here in Tennessee … Read more
Lately the birds have been returning to the feeders. These goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) all dressed in their winter coats after molting are partaking of a feast of niger seed, which is excellent for attracting finches. Like all birds they seem to prefer the seed d’jour. Afterall who doesn’t like the fresh stuff? Thistle, coreopsis, sunflower, … Read more
Meet Prunus caroliniana, better known as a cherry laurel. This evergreen tree makes an excellent privacy screen and is great for attracting birds. It’s a native to the eastern United States from Florida on up to North Carolina. It very low maintanence as my parents can attest. Just plant it and water it then let … Read more
Why do I like Red Twig Dogwoods (Cornus sericea or Cornus stolonifera)? If you look in the picture below the reason should become red-ily apparent. The multibranched shrubs stand out with a bright red coloring that looks fantastic in the wintertime. When the trees are bereft of leaves and the stems are left, the red … Read more
I’d like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! And please, for the sake of this fellow and his friends here, take it easy on the turkey! I usually fill up on the sides anyway!
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now and I just couldn’t take it anymore. It was just too much. The pressure of leaving has been building since the Garden Blogger Fall Color Project and each day it built a little more, another layer added to the top. I … Read more
While I claim no great skill or knowledge about cooking that big ole Thanksgiving turkey I can tell you about a couple herbs that may help you have a successful culinary experience!; I have the good fortune to have a mom who is an extremely good chef and I’ll share the recipe (or at least … Read more
Before every Christmas season begins I am asked by various family members “What do you you want for Christmas?” Of course sometimes it’s phrased more like “Get me your Christmas list by X Date!” Does this happen to you too? As an avid gardener and blogger I thought it might be fun to think of … Read more
It’s a horticultural crime. A serious crime. One with lasting repercussions on the garden and your landscape. What is crape murder? It is the unnatural and unsightly mass pruning of wonderful crape myrtle trees. These garden trees are hacked down in the prime of life destroying what could potentially be an amazing tree. Why do … Read more
After the summer garden is gone there is still work to be done. My daughters and I went out last week to take care of some last minute raised bed winterizing. We are doing one important step now: adding organic matter. Why? Because organic matter matters! By improving the soil you enrich it with the … Read more
One of the most interesting things about the fall season is the ability to observe the transformation from lush flowers and foliage to seed heads and dried leaves that flutter on the wind. It’s the beginning and the end of two gardening seasons for many plants. The seeds are the bridge that will reach across … Read more
Like the neighbor’s cat holding onto our railing, many of the maples have decided to hold onto their leaves, at least for a while longer. Not all of them of course, the reds lost their leaves several days ago. The sycamore trees still have some dead leaves hanging onto their branches. Their leaves will remain … Read more
First let me apologize for not getting these posts up sooner. This weekend has been a fun filled hectic one with carpet cleaning and a surprise leak that required a new kitchen faucet replacement. The two events were not related unless you count the fact that they took time away from the computer! Skeeter is … Read more
One of the greatest places to find fall color is on the campuses of our country’s learning institutions. Each of these beacons of knowledge are aesthetically landscaped to entice new students to come and to give the students and faculty that attend a sense of nature to enhance their education. This idea is alive at … Read more
We were sitting at the breakfast table on Sunday morning when an unusual sight appeared from the wooded area in the back of our yard. We watched as this dog-like apparition glided from the woods and crept across the grass. It was a coyote and it wasn’t a welcome sight to my eyes. As a … Read more
As autumn’s colors have wrapped us in a cloth of color we have peeked into the foliage around the gardening blogosphere. Participants from Canada to Florida and Illinois to England have offered up wonderful illustrations of fall’s foremost feature. It’s time to take a look back and see where all that fall color came from … Read more
It’s that time of year when the leftovers of the gardening season go on sale at the nurseries and home improvement centers. The last of the stock plants are ready to go home like misbegotten playthings on the Island of Misfit Toys. For whatever reason these plants remained unsold and can now be found as … Read more
Through the generosity of other gardeners and the creative use of old materials you can do a lot! Last week a friend of my parents was cleaning out their basement and found some things that they passed along to me. One of the items was a kitchen sink. It’s really more of a bar sink … Read more
The Ginkgo tree is one plant I don’t have in my garden but have wanted for a long time. The reason is simple, it has great fall color. When I was in college there were two amazing ginkgo trees on the campus. Each fall (I won’t tell you how many falls I spent there!) it … Read more
Here are a couple pictures I took on Friday November 7, 2008. In the morning it rained; in the afternoon it rained sunshine.
My fall garden is much less impressive than the trees that surround us. In fact if you were to take away the trees little else would be remaining with any significant color. There are a few things that defeat my previous statement in our garden but I see a definite need for improvement in the … Read more
Fall color can be enjoyed in many ways. From a distance where you see swaths of golds, reds, and oranges mixed together with evergreen foliage. Through the observation of individual leaves with their unique textures, colors, and shapes. One way I like to look at fall foliage is to see what they all look like … Read more
