winter gardening

Well our winter storm has come for 2008.  This year they are calling it Arctic Blast 2008.  I love the news coverage we get in Oregon.  I have been busy covering all the plants I do not want to lose.  Moving plants into the garage and greenhouse and covering the worm bin with a blanket.  We made sure the chickens' combs and waddles were covered with bag balm today.  I made sure my neighbor Natasha's hardy fuschias were covered.  Don't forget to take care of those wild birds as well.  Give them water and seed.  There are things to do in the garden every month of the year in the PNW.  The picture here are some birds my dad captured in there yard in front of their Forest Pansy.  

Sustainability

My friend Danielle and I have talked a lot about this topic. We get really jazzed about it. I thought it was an appropriate topic on my garden blog. With the state of affairs in our government and the world we must rely more on what we can grow in our yards and what we can trade with our friends and neighbors. In the spring we got chickens. Our lovely ladies lay us eggs nearly everyday. I believe we could have 3 more to really have enough eggs. We eat a lot. Perhaps I wouldn't name the next 3 so that we could eventually eat them. Although if my cranky chicken attacks me one more time she may become stew but that is another topic. We also had quite a bit of food growing this year. Next year we will have even more. We are ripping up our front yard and will have a bounty there as well. Some worry that food will be stolen. I figure if someone needs it that badly then by all means help yourself. Hopefully leaving me a bit as well. We had so much basil this year I was happy for neighbors to help themselves whenever. By growing our own food we are being responsible for our own sustainability. We know where it comes from and what is put on it. Only sun, water, compost and love in our case because we garden organically. Using worm tea as a fertilizer. By being able to grow and trade food we save money and we protect the earth. We are not relying on trucks to bring us our food. Our children know where it comes from and appreciates the work that goes into growing healthy food. If I am able to grow food as well as I can grow fuschias we will be in good shape next year. I am posting a picture of our heirloom tomatoes that we grew this year. We planted six plants. I have saved the seeds and will plant more next year and share many of the plants with neighbors.

Fuschias

It is a rainy day in October. Halloween to be exact. My fuschias are starting to fade. This year I really went nuts over fuschias. It all started with a fuschia my mom gave me about five years ago. A lovely upright f. magellanica. A delicate yet very hardy fuschia. Dark pink with purple corollas. Fuschias are such a wonderful addition to a garden. Many people think of fuschias as basket plants that you get in the spring and throw out at the end of summer. There are 1000s of different types of fuschias. Many are hardy and do great in the NW in our climate. I have I think about 19 different kinds. Most are in the ground and over winter just fine. Some do better if brought into my cool greenhouse or kept under cover. Most you can just mulch well. A good tip about fuschias is to plant them deep. Dig the hole twice as deep as you think you should and cover that plant half way up. Cut them back in the spring hard. This way they will become bushier and not get leggy. You can continue each spring to mound compost around the base of them. It is also a myth that fuschias need to be in shade. Some of mine do better in part to full sun. I have two called "golden gate" The one plant that is in the sun has done much better. It is bigger and brighter. I have another in full sun called checkerboard that thrives in the sun. The truth is that they like warm feet rather than wet feet. Many people over water their fuschias as well. They do need water but down drown them. There is a great fuschia farm in Woodburn called Monnier's. If you ever get a chance to visit it is quite a treat. The best time of year to go is in September. Sometimes they visit Joy Creek Nursery in St Helen's off of Hwy 30. Check out Joy Creek's website.

Fragous

So the last few days have been absolutely FRAGEOUS. Yes I said it FRAGEOUS. Not many people know this word. My mother taught me this word. I will explain. A day in October when the morning is crisp. The sun breaks and the day is 60-70 degrees yet the air still feels brisk. The colorful leaves are on the ground and flowers haven't quite disappeared. The sunrise is pink and Mt. Hood can be seen at 6:30 am. The other day I could see Mt St Helens, Mt Hood and Mt Adams. It was a blessing.

Vermiculture

  As many of you know I am a worm farmer.  I love worms.  I love vermiculture.  I love that I can have these darling creatures turn my waste into glorious dirt.  Many don't share my love of worms.  My friend Natasha shares the same love.  My mom digs the worms as well.  When I went out to check on my precious darlings today I discovered they had delivered 3 gallons of glorious tea for me.  The castings that they produced were like black gold.  If I could figure out how to make a necklace or a coat or even use it as a facial mask I would.  I wanted to post a picture of the product but felt I could not do it justice with my photography skills.  My big dilemma now is where to distribute the black gold castings.  I want to be careful as to where I put it.  What area of the garden deserves it?  I will stew on this a bit.  

Cement Leaves by Pop Sid

So my Pops made these beautiful cement leaves. I tried to put these photos on my blog awhile ago but something went hey wire. So without further ado finally they leaves....

Weird Bug

I think this guy was eating my Clematis. But he is so bright and happy.

Dragonfly

It always feels good knowing your garden attracts such creatures.

I thought it was time to add some more pictures. Here are some lovely pictures of the fountain that Danny and our friend Greg built for a our oasis in the back yard.

Been awhile

Well I thought I had post a few pictures of the garden. I have just trying to keep up on the weeding while Danny is gone. Sterling has been helpful with the watering. It does a mama proud to see her boy watering the tomatoes. You'll see in the pictures below.

Mother's Day

For Mother's day my mom and I went to Joy Creek Nursery to listen to the Monnier's speak about fuschias. Very inspiring. They have a nursery in Woodburn and we plan to visit it at the end of summer when the blooms are really nice. I got a blue bloomed fuschia and a delightful yellow ground cover fuschia. I must now grow a rock garden for it to grow over. We also saw some wonderful things at the Joy Creek Nursery which I will share with you.
One is a Heuchera which I had to take home with me. The leaves look as though they were painted by my friend Kathleen. I think that must have been why I picked it up, it reminded me of her. The other was Hypericum called summer gold. I would love to have this in my front hell strip. I plan on ripping all the grass out and putting some fabulous hardy plants up there. Lets do away with lawn. Who needs it. I had to add one more, this Heuchera Monet. Look at the verigated bi colored leaves with those sweet little coral bell flowers. Sometimes Heuchera's flowers don't show up but these really pop with the background stage of the light leaves.

Tulip Fest

We went to the tulip festival a week and a half ago. It was quite wet but well worth it. It is free during the week. For once Danny and my indecision payed off. We kept putting going out to Woodburn for the festival because, well frankly, we can never make our minds up about what we are doing. At any rate by us waiting we went at the perfect time for the tulips to be blooming. We saw many that we liked and may order some. I have to say that I didn't see one quite like the one that is blooming in our yard. I am unsure of the name but it blooms from early April and is still blooming. It is very hardy. It is a dark wine red and goes nicely with the rose leaves that it is planted next to. If you haven't gone out to the tulip festival it is worth the trip.

Hello from the ladies

Clematis

I can't seem to get my photos to download properly so I am going to blog about my love of Clematis. I remember the day I fell in love. It was at my Aunt Cheryl's. She had one by her front door. I remember thinking that this is love at first site. Had I not payed attention before. Or was this the moment my eyes were opened to gardening at this wonderful plant. I had to have one. I have five in my yard and hope to add more. So many to choose from. It truly is a love affair I have with this plant. It climbs, it has big wonderful flowers and so hardy. One of my favorites, Asao is so happy to please. She is out there standing so proudly these days. Buds about to burst open with her crisp champagne pink flowers. She doesn't stop blooming either. My champion plant. And when the flowers fade they leave you with a wonderful straw colored fire work of a seed pod. What more could you ask for. If I weren't already married I'd marry this plant. Don't tell my fuschias. They might get jealous.

HPSS

Well I was able to protect my lovely finds from the Hardy Plant Society sale from the freeze. Thanks to my lovely greenhouse. I found some really fabulous things. I managed to get a few doubles due to a little mishap at the hold area. All turned out for the best though. I got a few white bleeding hearts, some lovely hellebores. (I am happy about those because my hellebore niger that I have is about the size of my pinky nail and is not going any where..hmm.) I got a lovely climbing hydrangea. I have planted this under my cherished mimosa. The leaves on this hydrangea are so yummy. They look like key lime pie. I got three wonderful clematises. Thank you Susan for the suggestions on these. I got three fuschias. They are hardy and they leaves are a lime green with red veins and stems. Real show stoppers. I planted one next to my persicaria (dragon's blood) It looks great.

spring freeze

Well Oregon does it again. Just as the spring Hardy Plant Society sale ends and I get some of those precious babies in the ground Matt Zafino tells us that it is going to freeze the next three nights. I did manage to cover my plants with some buckets and cardboard. Thankfully Pop called me to let me know so that I wouldn't plant the new Dahlias that just arrived in the mail. Well off to read about propagating. At least with the freeze maybe I will get some house work done.

Our new home, Hello?!

Here are the chickens in their new home. I think they like it.

Counting the hours...

I am just counting the hours until the Hardy Plant Society Sale. Thinking about all the fun new plants I will purchase. I went on a long walk today through my neighborhood. Lots of good gardens. I got some good ideas. I also tried out my new garden bibs. They are water proof as well as fleece. I am actually still wearing them. Well off to dream about plants and catch up on some unread garden articles. Happy gardening

Hardy Garden Society Sale

Don't forget the Hardy Garden Society Sale is this coming weekend. April 12th and 13th. Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-3. This year it is at the expo center in North Portland. It is a fabulous sale with lots of vendors. This year's venue is apparently bigger than years past. It is a great opportunity to talk to nurseries and acquire many natives and all those special treats you have been waiting for since fall's sale. Here are some pictures from last year's sale.

Pictures of my discoveries...

Discoveries

Yesterday while gardening in my fairy garden I made two lovely discoveries. I was carefully weeding and came upon my lovely trillium and then I found my Anemonell Thalictroides. The second of the two is very small and I have to mark it very well or I will pull it out with the weeds. I have successfully had this flower in my garden for two seasons. I feel like this is quite an accomplishment. You will understand when you see the pictures. It is the sign of spring for me seeing these arrivals. I must not forget to mention my frittalaria. She is a darling and makes my heart sing whenever I see her pop her head out. Whenever I first discover her I find her with a few small buds.

April 3rd 2008

Gardening today. Sterling just woke up so we are going to head out after he finishes his snack. Gotta start these kids out early. Teaching them about gardening, nature and the cycle of life. I planted a Heuchera that I rescued last year into the ground today. Hope to get some more in the ground. My fence is coming along quite nicely. I will post some pictures soon.

The Girls

Okay so I have made several posts just today but I gotta fill this thing up with good stuff. Sooo chickens. We have three, Myrtle, Ethel, and John Rambo (Pickles). I got Myrtle and Pickles at Foster Feed and Garden. Ethel was hatched by my sister in law Gretchen. She is a Rhode Island Red. The chicken, not Gretchen. Myrtle is a Gold Laced Wyandotte and Pickles/Rambo is a Buff Orpington. All good layers and sweet natured. Ethel is looking a little like a cross between Sam the Eagle from the muppets and some sort of turkey. What can I say they are all teenagers. All the pictures I have though she is looking right in the camera ready for her close up. I am obsessed with these chickens. I mean look at them. Wouldn't you be too.

Here it is ... !!

Oh heavenly. Here is a picture of the Dahlia. Isn't it to die for. 11 inches people of this bad boy. Now I can't wait to have you all see our chickens. What a wonderful addition to our garden.
Today I got to test out our new willow fence with the neighbor dog, Luther. It worked great. Probably won't deter the chickens but Luther is the most destructive of any of the critter with his big fat bull dog body. CHEERS!!

Bodacious

Dahlias

Today dad and I ordered out Dahlias for the spring. All I have to say is BODACIOUS!!! This dahlia is fierce!!! I can't wait to post a picture of it.
11 inches of wild red and yellow flame. Yummy. I want to eat it up. Can't wait to get that puppy in my garden!!!

Gardening

So the only people I think that might look at my blog will be myself and my parents. So Mom and Dad feel free to make lots of comments here about gardening.