Note to self...

Dear self,

Please remember to take more photos of the garden from the other side of the fence. Try to do this more than once a year, let's say once a season or even once a month.

When your back aches and your arms are dead, you will turn green with envy when you see the amazing view your neighbor has. Actually, all you really need to do is take a photo of her yard from your side and you will love your garden more than ever. Trust me.

Love, me

Ugh Slugs...

Still sitting here today scanning millions and billions of slides.

Ok, maybe I scanned one or two hundred today but WHEW! It's hard to look at all these beauties and not want to climb the walls.

Hurry up spring!

Tonight I only have time for a short post so I thought I bring this slide to the fore. As you can see, there's been a bit of slug activity around these Hosta.
Thankfully I took this photo at a nearby garden conservatory and not here at my own piece of heaven.

Truth be told, when I show this photo at lectures half the audience sees the slug damage and the other half shout out loud "What kind of Hosta has flowers like that?"

The reason I chose this slide? The one thing that I've been able to continue to do outside this winter is add things to my compost heap. Egg shells are always saved, crushed and sprinkled on the compost in winter. During spring and early summer, I spread those egg shells right in the Hosta beds. Yes, just another way to kill slugs.

A number of years ago the local paper wrote an article about me and my "slugaphobia". I thought it was funny at the time, until I went into the butcher shop and somebody said "Hey! Aren't you the slug lady?"

At one time I should sit down and write a list of all the ways I've tried to kill slugs. For instance, when I first began to garden I'd sneak my husband's golf club out of the shed and WHACK those slugs off the walkway. I've never been on an golf course but let me tell you, when it came to hitting those slugs, I was great! Then one day I heard a resounding 'Thunk' after one of my near perfect shots. It only took me a moment to realize that it was the sound of the slug hitting my neighbors house. Ah ha, no wonder they never said hello. OOPS!

Good thing we moved soon after that and that's all I'm going to say on this topic.

Missed you too!

Don't ask me why but only four of the ten photos I tried to send to this blog came through. Until I figure this glitch out, I'll have to post in parts.
This is part two so scroll down a bit to read part one first!

The top photo simply shows marigolds. Now I haven't grown marigolds in many years but how pretty are these babies? I just remembered that they will also attract slugs. Not a bad thing if you have a spray bottle handy with one part household ammonia and 5 parts water. Just go out early morning (foggy days are the best!) and looks for those little white blobs on your marigolds. Give them a few good squirts and shout DIE SUCKERS. Hmmm, maybe just whisper or your neighbors might be avoiding you for awhile.

Opium poppies. There's nothing like having a good friend willing to share some opium poppy seeds with you. Don't think I've seen these for sale anywhere. Wish I still had some here. Maybe they'll surprise me and pop up this year?

Simple as can be but oh so beautiful. Zinnias, hard to find in cell packs because they are so darn easy to grow from seed! Cut and Come again variety was well named. Great cutting flowers for those darling country arrangements in watering cans.

And finally, to finish off today's post is this shot of the Amaranthus (Love Lies a Bleeding) I grew many years ago. As far as I'm concerned, love lies a bleeding is to die for :-) Ok, not the best pun but I sure do wonder why I haven't grown this show stopper recently.

Off to have fun,
Melanie

Missed you

You know the old adage "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade". Well that's what I've been doing here. Last Friday I tried to get out of my computer chair only to find out that my back was totally locked. Don't know exactly what I did to it (ok, maybe too many six mile hikes that week) but I knew enough to stay home for a few days and do nothing.

How's that? Do nothing!!! Impossible, so I decided to take on a chore that I've put aside for several years now. I pulled all my old slides out of storage, hooked up that fancy Konica/minolta Dimage scanner I spent big bucks on and began to scan my slides.

Talk about a tedious, time consuming project! I've only gotten through the first few hundred but almost immediately I noticed something. These stunning plants that captured my attention 10 years ago are missing in my garden today. As I continue to search out new and wondrous plants, I've set aside some amazing performers just because they were "ordinary" or gag...annuals! At the top here is a shot of Cosmos growing by the cottage at Old Westbury Gardens. It's one of the first slides I ever took.
Here's some more beauties I find myself missing.

Amaranthus are just incredible in their weirdness! This bronze beauty (don't know the name) wasn't in my garden, I grew the deep burgundy 'Love Lies a Bleeding' variety.

How about this? Yes, for three years I had Edelweiss in my garden. If I had actually done a bit of research and planted it in the right location I might still be growing it today :-(
The hot pink blooms are masses of annual Silene armeria (catchfly) that self seed
with abandon here.

Simple Cleome. How stunning but Look, don't Touch! Wow, I was shocked when I tried to pull one out and found those teeny thorns that love to bite. Also, don't mass these under a window you like to open, phew...unless you have a affinity for gym socks.

Ok, now scroll upwards and read part two of this post.

Testing

Ok, new year, new me :-) Time to try to figure out how to get these images here in the right size.

Let's hope this comes through ok. If so, I'll be posting more later today.

bye!

Melanie

You will soon have to learn German!

    The long process whereby one of the world's leading horticultural journals has been dumbed down to yet another magazine (albeit a very good one) seems to be complete. A member of the editorial staff admitted to me last week (regretfully and somewhat defensively) that The Garden is "no longer a journal of record". In other words no longer something you turn to reference or to back up a statement or argument.
    The whole process which began, I cannot remember when, 'The Journal' became 'The Garden' is complete - magazinification. I am all for breaking down the doors of elitism but I personally feel the process has gone too far. The Garden now seems to operate on the same principles as garden TV, that we are all beginners, that none of us want to know about the latest science, research results, innovative techniques or read what experts write (as opposed to in house journalists). There also seems to be an assumption that we are all interested in design. Hello! This is the Royal HORTICULTURAL Society - we are first and foremost gardeners. Design certainly has a place in the journal but I suspect many gardeners would like to see less snazzy decking and more horticultural know-how. Besides which, other magazines do the design side so much better. The Plantsman has taken over some of what The Journal used to do, but only partially. Can't we have something in-between.
     What `I think many of us object to is the assumption that a journal cannot cater for both beginners and experts alike, and that many people new to gardening or with little knowledge might actually be interested and stimulated by more in-depth 'expert' pieces.
    It is a relief to turn to Germany's 'Gartenpraxis' - apart from the fact that it is in German!, and therefore a bit of a slow read (though a dictionary on my computer helps a lot). It seems to combine a huge range of material, popular stuff and latest research, pieces by experts, and where to go on your holiday next to see good flowers and gardens. There seems to be an assumption in Germany that people should not be talked down to, that technical knowledge is something to aspire to. Is 'dumbing down' a peculiarly English phenomenon?
    The slow decline of The Garden is, I suspect, part of the commercialisation of the RHS. How many members want to be part of  a business as opposed to a society is an interesting question.

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Alasdair Forbes garden at Coombe House

    Anyone who came to the 'Vista debate' at the Museum of Garden History on Jan 8th or has  a copy of this month's House and Garden  (February) will be aware of a very exciting 'new' garden.

   Alasdair's garden is completly unlike any other, although very much in the tradition of the 18th landscape garden in its use of trees, hedges, sculpture and landforms to make philosophical points. In the H&G piece I said that I thought that the garden was the most important intellectual statement in gardening since Little Sparta. Much to my relief Tim Richardson said he agreed with me  after  a recent visit.

    Visiting the garden.
    It will be open for a local charity first weekend of June. Not sure of day or time yet. Keep logging on to find out!
    We would also hope to be able to organise a Vista Outing to the garden. People could either meet there (North Devon) or if there was enough interest, a coach could be organised from London. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE EMAIL ME, and let me know whether you prefer an April visit or a June/July one. And whether weekend or weekday is preferred.

    Alasdair has kindly sent me his notes for the lecture, but does not want them posted, but made availalbe to anyone who wishes to see them. So, please email me if you want a copy.


My email is

noel@noelkingsbury.com


keep digging, keep talking!


Noel

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If you can’t beat creeping buttercup, creep past it

In the mild British climate the real winners are ‘weedy’ species which can grow at low temperatures. Amongst the most problematic for gardeners are native grasses, particularly aggressive species of rough pasture, and creeping buttercup. Such is their ability to grow at any temperature above freezing, I reckon these guys can often grow 365 day a year. Anyone with a herbaceous planting that does not have a thick layer of mulch will begin to notice around this time of year that there is often a haze of young grass seedlings, or clumps of grass which you did not notice the last time you looked at the border (which was probably November) have begun to grow and spread. Most alarming of all is the relentless march of creeping buttercup, as it extends its runners out of the clumps of perennials where it often settles down, inconspicuously for the winter (or since when you last thought you had weeded thoroughly). In the milder and wetter parts of Britain bare soil in borders can be practically covered in this stuff, practically while your back is turned.
What to do about it?
First – ask yourself how much a problem this really is. Look at the plant – it may spread like a virus, but it doesn’t grow very tall. In fact so short is it, that by the time most herbaceous plants get going in May, they will soon overtop it and shade it out. Meanwhile the yellow buttercups in April are quite pretty – an added bonus. So, it may be a case of live and let live – dense planting of medium to tall, or very spready herbaceous perennials will outcompete the yellow monster – and peaceful co-existence will be the result.
Amongst smaller plants or where you want to reduce competition, such as amongst fruit bushes or new plantings, you will need to control the beast. The best way is to leave it, until it really begins to spread, with lots of nice healthy foliage. Then get out the Roundup ®. The herbicide will spread back and kill the base of the plants, which may be a good 20-30 cms from where you have treated it. Winter spraying is slow to take effect – it’ll be a few weeks before that yellow and wan look begins to spread, the yellow and wan look which brings an instant smile of gratification to the gardener’s face. There is something insolent about creeping buttercup, the way it so suddenly takes advantage of our winter lack of interest in the garden to make so much progress. Get it now, before bulbs have begun to emerge, let alone anything herbaceous and you can minimise its impact for the rest of the year, and even admire the pretty yellow flowers of the survivors. You will never get rid of entirely so you might as well stand back and admit they’re pretty.

www.noelkingsbury.com
noel@noelkingsbury.com

Happy New Year!

(A garden year is never complete without some "to die for" tours. In 07 we were treated to a perfect spring day at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay NY)

The beginning of a New Year is a wonderful time. It's a time to reflect upon the last year, and at the same time you can dream of all the incredible things you can do in the new year.

Resolutions? I haven't officially made any...yet. One thing I know is that I missed out on my garden big time in 2007. Was it burn out, or just to many pots on the stove at once?

All I know is that the feeling when I'm in my garden or sharing it with others is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. My hopes for 2008 will be based around finding my way back to the soil and to this site too.(Will 08 be the year the Schizophragma hydrangeoides finally covers the ladder?)

As a beginning, I've offered my plant knowledge to our local high school, Walt Whitman HS in South Huntington New York. In a short time I'll be beginning our first ever Adult Education program on gardening. I can't wait!

For now, here's a look at a few of last years highlights.

Read some of my posts of 2007 and you'll quickly learn how much I love Sedum 'Matrona'

Hardy Geraniums like this Geranium cantabrigense Karmina are star performers in my perennial borders.

My wish? 2008 I'll finally get a photo of the Polygonatum odorum 'Striatum' (Solomon's Seal) that does it justice. There's a reason it's the first plant that sells out every year at our plant sale. Can you say AWESOME?

Oops! This photo is sideways but you can just imagine my delight when I found that my Ipomoea (Morning Glory) not only seeded itself but grew true to the variety that was there in 2006. With fingers crossed I hope to find a seedling or two again this year and promise to treat it better!

One thing I'm thankful for is the few photos that I did take, hopefully so I'd remember things that need to be done. This lovely plant (I'm guessing a Lysamachia) is in the most horrendous location and needs to come out to shine. It can even be a vigorous grower, that just means I'll have more to share.

As for me? Just like Arnold...I'll be back!

Melanie