Thoughts of spring…really?

12 Wednesday Jan 2011

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

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Note: My site has moved to a new server…it had crashed Monday and wonderful, Son #1 was able to fix it yesterday. I apologize for being unavailable. Thank you for coming by for a visit.

Any of my friends and family will tell you that I don’t especially love summer. Spring is wonderful if it’s not too hot, but generally speaking, I prefer cooler temps. I love sunshine but I want the temperature to remain in the mid-seventies as opposed to the baking hot temperatures that accompany most summer months.

Brabourne Farms image

I’d like to work on my garden bench and surrounds so that it more resembles this than the ‘catch-all’ that it is…{add it to the list}

I definitely want to add more hydrangea to my garden. I would like to add white and maybe blue, which will turn pink if you don’t add some additive to the soil (I purchase this from the garden shop but I have a friend that just put’s a couple of nails in the ground.

I have a little man-made (by me) dry river bed that could use some attention, maybe a few plants that thrive in and around rock.

The exception we experienced this year and last is that we had a very unseasonably cool summer followed by what I believe weather experts are declaring the wettest and possibly coldest late fall/winter for some time. Maybe that’s why my daydreaming has involved visions of what I’d like to do to the garden as soon as it’s warm enough.

Note: Some might consider us Southern California folks real wimps when it comes to weather, and we usually just want perfect weather! Is that really too much to ask?{smile}

I lost all of my lavender in the rains (my planting areas resembled small ponds during much of the time). So I am definitely going to plant more French lavender this coming spring.

I’d also like to take out a couple of rose bushes that aren’t holding their own and replace them with something great for cutting and bringing indoors. {Suggestions welcome!}

Besides wanting my yard to look good, my goal is to be able to do more harvesting of my own flowers and greens to make bouquets…

photo by Michael Kraus via Garden Design

There are step-by-step directions on how to create an arrangement similar to this HERE.

There are some wonderful mail order sources (probably more than I’m even aware of). Here are 5 unique sites as recommended by Garden Design:

Images except where indicated via Garden Design

So, is it just me? Are you tempted to have thoughts of spring gardens once Christmas is put away?

Moving the fountain

08 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Gardening, Maintenance, Outdoor living

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Gardening, maintenance

The other day I needed to do some cleanup work in the atrium (the fig ivy starts growing like it’s attempting an escape during the summer months). After fertilizing and hosing off everything I sat down for a rest and the little gray cells started working on an idea—this only happens every so often so I need to capitalize on it when it hits me.

This vine was perfectly happy in the atrium but I felt it could branch out and grow even larger (be happier) on the patio where our fountain sits.

We have a fountain on our patio that I had purchased many years ago. It’s been a bit of a disappointment due to the sound it makes when the stream hits the water bowl—it sounds like a little boy peeing in the pool. How do I know this sound? I raised sons. If any of you out there in blog land can tell me how to fix this and make the stream sound more like water drops gently landing on a pool I’d be eternally grateful.

The fountain was something I thought would add to our dining enjoyment when we ate on the patio---unfortunately it really took up more space than we had and the sound was not as relaxing as I'd hoped. I believe it will be much prettier in the atrium.

Anyway—the fountain and the 2 large pots I had on either side seemed to crowd the patio a bit and it dawned on me (the day I was working on the atrium) that the fountain might look better in the atrium. It would also stay cleaner since my gardener doesn’t work in the atrium so his blowing of dust and leaves wouldn’t be a factor.

One of the bower vines got a new home on the patio post with this angel doorknocker.

The birds in our yard actually use this birdbath (when it has water in it). I think one of the local sparrows has a crush on the iron bird that rests here.

I’ve moved the bower vines that book-ended the fountain—one is in the atrium and one is on the patio. The calliandra (‘red powder puff’) vine that had been in the atrium is probably going to be a lot happier on the patio—that’s the goal, keep those plants happy.

See, doesn't this vine look happier on the patio?

Now we can listen to the splash of water all through the house.

Have you rearranged any planted items or changed the look of your garden lately?

Small Yards – Making the cut

20 Tuesday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

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Gardening, replacing plants

As you may have gathered, we live in a cottage. We love small spaces and it works for us. It certainly keeps us on top of the weeding out what we don’t use game. And because we have a small house we have a relatively small yard. I should mention that I know this isn’t the case in all regions of the U.S. but in California, where real estate is always at a premium, this is often the standard.

In small spaces some plants aren't able to hold their own year round.

So my dilemma has become…should I get rid of the few plants that haven’t been living up to their end of the bargain? I hate to be heartless and cruel but there are several plants in my yard that just don’t look very good and because of their close proximity to the house (i.e. small yard, etc.) they are highly visible.

This white bower vine was pretty last year. This spring, due to the rains we had, it looks like it doesn't have enough leaves.

I am going to replace them with a new player (as in sports team language). If a plant/team member isn’t doing what it takes to make a pretty yard/winning team then I’m forced to make a change!

This corner has struggled due to the shade. Tree trimming is necessary before next fall!

Am I being heartless? What do you do when a plant is struggling and you’ve nursed it and it still looks pitiful?

When there is limited space you want all of the plants to look good all of the time, is this too much to ask...probably!

I hope to plant a rosemary near this bed, the old one outgrew its location.

What do you do when plants begin to look like they aren’t happy where they are planted? Do you have a solution? I’d love to hear from you.

Work in the garden

30 Sunday May 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

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Garden, Gardening

It’s Memorial Day weekend and I have big plans to work in the garden. My front yard needs some work since the roses are finished with their first bloom. I need to fertilize them and cut off the dead blossoms.

Iceberg and freshly planted impatiens

I redesigned the bedding area as you walk up to my front door earlier this Spring. I had my gardener remove some plants that weren’t holding up their end of the bargain (to thrive and bloom). We planted 3 white iceberg roses and I will be planting impatiens and lobelia in and around the boxwood bordered bed.

Lobelia & Impatiens - with any luck these will double in size over the next 6-8 weeks.

I’ve said it before, impatiens are simple to grow and perform without much work and that’s what I love about them. With a busy schedule that is what I’m looking for!

I'm counting on this little guy to keep an eye on my newly planted flowers.

I hope to get to the side and back yard for some maintenance chores but I’m taking it easy—something I have a difficult time doing so if I don’t get those areas finished this weekend I’ve been told the work will be there waiting for me next weekend!

Antique metal planter - planted with mother fern

What chores are you taking care of this long 3-day weekend, or are you relaxing the entire time? Good for you!

How to Prune a Tree

31 Sunday Jan 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Gardening, Maintenance

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Before Pruning - California Pepper Tree

My husband and I decided we could save the $150 our gardener would charge us to prune our Pepper Tree by pruning it ourselves. The tree should have been pruned this past fall, however time got away from us and we just didn’t get around to it.

The tree is threatening to take over our tiny front yard and the roses have begun to protest. By “protest” I mean they are stretching to find sunlight, making them look more like climbing roses than shrub roses. The tree provides our home with much needed shade in the summer months by blocking our west-facing cottage with filtered light rather than hot sun.

Even though I was Partner to a landscape business for 12 years, I never really pruned large trees. My partner and I designed cottage gardens for our clients and we had an excellent team of workers that usually implemented our ideas. That said, how hard can it be? With the help of the internet I have printed out some key instructions on pruning a pepper tree. This particular tree is less than 10 years old and the branches are still fairly small. I have observed the ‘after’ of a professional tree trimmer and honestly, they sometimes butcher the tree they are attempting to prune. I plan to keep the overall grace of the tree while removing the dead wood and unnecessary branches. My tip sheet recommends that the larger structural branches are called scaffold branches. Because my tree is still fairly young I don’t expect to have to prune any of the main scaffold branches, however the expert recommends that if you do have to remove a scaffold branch you should begin sawing from the bottom to avoid stress on the remaining joint. Once the main part of the branch is down you can cut the final 2′-3′ away from the trunk.

Start small with your cutting, it’s easier to remove more branches later then feel badly for removing too much. If you do cut too much keep in mind the branches are like hair, they will grow back. The Pepper Tree I’m attempting to prune will grow even faster once trimmed.

Tools needed: 1 pole pruner (our friend lent us an electric one, it should be easy to use), small landscape hand saw (for details that the pole prunner can’t handle), plenty of space to cut the removed branches into managable sized bundles for composting or disposal. Fortunately our city recycles and we have a ‘greens’ can. Wish me luck!

After the Tree Haircut

Trimming Roses

16 Saturday Jan 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Gardening, Maintenance

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Winter in Southern California can be a bit warm at times. Like today, it was sunny and 70 degrees most of the day. I decided to take full advantage of the day by doing some much needed clean-up in the front yard. I have several Iceberg roses in the front yard and while I realize that to some, Iceberg’s are more a flowering shrub than a real rose, I find the abundant blooming pattern and ease of care to be an ideal rose for my busy life. I mean, after all, I work full time and try to keep domestic bliss by doing all of the cooking and most of the cleaning. Anyway, back to the front yard. I like to prune the roses by cutting each branch to within about 2 feet from the base. It’s nice to remove some of the branches that are small and spindly. I also make sure that when I cut the branch I leave a little eye (the small piece that peeks out of the base of a leaf). The eye needs to face outward, not inward for the next growth to grow gracefully. I like to remove all leaves on the bush—this often takes care of problems later down the line, like rust and mildew. I spread a layer of compost around the base of the roses and spray with Volk oil, which is supposed to keep insects at bay.

I also trimmed my Lace Cascade (a climbing rose related to Iceberg roses). I have the climbing rose trained to go over the wooden beam that frames the entrance walkway to our home. I remove all of the leaves and trim all of the dead wood. I cut back the small branches that grow off of the main stalks, to within 3 inches.

There is a pepper tree in the front yard that my husband and I will be pruning within the next few weeks. All in all cleaning up the garden in Winter, if you aren’t living in snow, always feels good. I think the garden reflects ‘winter’ in spirit if not with a fresh sprinkling of snow, by its starkness. I guess I have to look for winter where ever I can.

Clearing the Decks for Summer

27 Saturday Jun 2009

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Maintenance

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This is probably the simplest of ways to create a change for the warmer months around the house. Look around your living spaces. Remove anything that reminds you of the fall/winter months. This is the season to be reminded of cool ocean breezes and relaxing fun in the park or at the beach, even if you don’t actually have the luxury of enjoying these activities. You can create a ‘summer mood’ in your home that can have a very relaxing effect on you and your family every time you enter a room. This should really be the goal for your home year round but in the summer we want more time for rest and relaxation. So pack the throws in the cupboard, put away half of your decorative accessories and pull out a basket for magazines, a vase for flowers or a cache pot for ivy (or any house plant that makes you smile). This simple step will make the room feel lighter, less cluttered and you may get a breath of fresh air from just those simple changes. If you have an area rug, consider a sisal rug for the summer. These come in a variety of sizes with a wide array of cloth borders and at a wide range of prices. Target to Pottery Barn carry variations of the natural grass rugs and they all impart the feel of summer.

Less is more this time of year so make a few changes and sit back and plan an outdoor BBQ for friends and family. Summer has arrived.

Gardening

17 Wednesday Jun 2009

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

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Keeping with my ‘divide and conquer’ theme in the garden, over Memorial Day weekend (I know, I’m a little behind with posting this) I worked on a stretch of my garden that had become overgrown and needed some serious help. I had an azalea that had seen better days (I’ve heard that asaleas can stop producing because of the alkaline soil conditions prevalent in certain areas of Southern California). In any event, I decided it was time to put the plant in the compost pile (our city collects our greens, I assume they are used for a good cause such as compost). I purchased 2 5-gallon ‘Alaska’ white azaleas to plant in place of the struggling azalea. During my renovation of the area I divided 2 large Lady Ferns athyrium filix-femina and replanted them in places in the garden that needed a little green. My final clean up included moving a wronght iron ‘astro lab’ I had purchased some years ago in Rosorito Beach, Mexico, to a more prominent spot in the garden. I planted a Clerodendrum Thompsonae (Bleeding Heart Vine) within the stucture so that it can use the iron frame of the astro lab to climb on. The garden is beginning to take shape and although I have much more to do, the finished areas provide incentive to keep working. I hope you are having fun in the garden. P.S. Maggie, our 12 year old cat supervises most of my work.

Tending to the Rose Garden

23 Monday Jul 2007

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

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I know that every garden zone is different, however, that said, I thought I would share some of my personal success stories (where roses are concerned) while tending my roses in Zone 22. I have discovered throughout my history of caring for not only my own garden, but the many gardens of clients my partner and I took care of, that sometimes garden care is a trial and error type of endeavor. What works for one individual plant variety doesn’t alwys work when applied to someone else’s garden. Some gardens thrive while being basically neglected, while other planting beds can challenge even the most patient of people with it’s recurring problems, no matter how much attention you devote!

I have several hybrid tea roses and even more shrub roses. The reason for this is a simple “more bang for the buck” theory. My shurb roses are constant performers in my garden. I will confess that they do not make fabulous cut roses for the house, however in the garden they add that punch of color and are fairly easy to care for. Some of my favorites are: Burgandy Iceberg; White Iceberg; and Brilliant Pink Iceberg. The only problem they ever give me is ‘mildew’ in the early summer months. This is caused by cool nights and warm days. It doesn’t impact the bloom, but it is a little unsightly during this time—usually only lasting one bloom cycle. I prune these roses in January and cut them to the shape I need. I clean out some of the smaller inside canes and mulch with a good compost after pruning. I feed them monthly between February and October.