Heavy Petal

Heavy Petal is moving

2006-04-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Blogger, it's been swell. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but all-in-all, it's been good. So why am I leaving you? For Movable Type, no less? There are two main reasons: I can categorize my entries (yay!) and I can have my own URL (www.heavypetal.ca).

It's a beautiful new site, and I'm having a contest to celebrate its launch. Have a look and let me know what you think. Oh, and please update your links and bookmarks.

I think the new site is simply fabulous. The design is a little bit Art Deco, a little bit high school binder doodling. Huge thanks go out to my friends at Industrial Brand Creative for the energy, creativity and brilliance that went into it. Their award-winning blog was the original inspiration for this one. Thanks, guys.

Cherry blossom time

2006-03-31T11:58:00.000-08:00

the long road
boughs of white blossoms
light the way

Helen Baker
North Vancouver, British Columbia

This is one of my favourite times of the year; of course, there's the beauty of the spring garden and the potential it holds, but it's also a time that makes me feel extra blessed to live in Vancouver because of the Japanese flowering cherry trees.

Our most common street tree, Vancouver has over 36,000 Japanese flowering cherries. This year, some lovely people decided to start the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival in celebration. You can take plein-air painting classes under the trees, order a blossom picnic, check the website for updates on what's blooming where, and read the submissions for the haiku contest (like the winner of Best Canadian Poem, above).

Spring is here!

2006-03-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

Today, I went out without a jacket.

This weekend, there's a work party organized for my Community Garden.

This can only mean one thing: Spring is here!

Garden aesthetics

2006-03-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

So I bought this raised bed kit from Lee Valley Tools for my roof-top veggie garden. I was hoping that it would look as passable as it does in the above photos, but, when I got it home and assembled it, it looked like I had nicked a curbside recycling bin. In short: it's ugly.

But, I reasoned, no one will see it but Ben and me and our occasional guests. But Ben wasn't having any of it. "How am I going to be able to relax on the deck with that thing," he complained.

Which brings me to my rant: why is it so hard to find garden accessories that are sleek, modern and affordable? I can't be the only one who doesn't want - or who's home doesn't suit - rustic chic or "Asian inspired"?

Hmm. Maybe there's a business idea there somewhere.

Sprouting

2006-03-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

Phew! That didn't take long. Seeds are a continual source of amazement to me; they're like little miracle pods. These, from a West Coast Seeds lettuce variety mix, rewarded me in just two days!

The sacred garden

2006-03-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

I'm happiest in nature.

It shouldn't come as such a surprise to me to realise this. In a world I've often struggled to make peace with, I've always felt most calm, most content, in the forest or garden. Sometimes, when I work in the garden, it feels like a holy rite. Something sacred. It's like a great wave of peace and joy washes over me, and I emerge, cleansed.

In my garden design course this week, we learned about the history of Japanese garden design, and the common thread informing its progression: Shinto. Shinto involves the worship of kami, which can be translated to mean "sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility." Practitioners have a profound love of nature: they believe nature is sacred, and to be in contact with nature is to be close to the Gods. This love and respect for natural elements has informed Japanese garden design for centuries.

I'm mixing religious metaphors, but perhaps in a past life I was Shinto. Sure, most of the time pulling weeds is purely secular, but I'm sure there've been moments of transcendence.

Modern garden accessories

2006-03-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

Chiasso carries a number of items that will interest gardeners with a modern minimalist aesthetic. These botanic vase bookends merge my top two passions: gardening and books, while these aluminum planters would solve my container crisis. And just check out birdie in his swanky pad! Love it.

For want of a pot

2006-03-20T11:50:00.000-08:00

Spring has definitely sprung here in Vancouver. It was a glorious, sunny weekend, and I finally got started on my garden plans. The first order of business, I decided, was to buy some new containers for the soon-to-be kitchen garden right outside, well, the kitchen. Since this is a highly-visible location (on our front patio) I wanted all my containers to have a similar look that would unify them.

Admittedly, this was inspired by a gorgeous display using AW Pottery at the NorthWest Flower and Garden Show. So, rejecting my usual jumble of terracotta, galvinized aluminum and "found" planters, I decided that a matte black ceramic would be perfect for this sophisticated townhouse.

Several trying hours ensued as I set off to find said containers. I tried my local nursery, Figaro's Garden. I tried David Hunter, Moe's, Bloomfields, and even Home Depot. The only result was frustration. I saw tons of planters, but every store seemed to carry the same ho-hum designs (except Bloomfields, which had gorgeous stuff but seemed targeted to the grossly rich. $50 for a 4" pot? Do I look like I'm INSANE?). Okay, there are still a number of nurseries I can visit, but why is it I can say "yes!" to the first wedding dress I try on, but can't find a damn pot? Is there some secret container shop I don't know about? Or should I just have a yard of soil dumped on the patio?

South Central Farmers need support

2006-03-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

Since 1992, the 14 acres of property located at 41st and Alameda Streets in South Central Los Angeles have been used as a community garden. The City divided the land among 350 families who live in the impoverished community, and those families have used the land to grow crops to feed themselves and their neighbors. The land is also used for local gatherings and public celebrations, and helps tie the residents together into a community. It is believed to be one of the largest urban gardens in the United States.

The land, however, doesn't belong to the gardeners - or the city.

In 2003, the Los Angeles city government succumbed to pressure and agreed to sell this farmland to a business called LHIC for around $5 million.

LHIC argues that they bought the land fair and square, that it's legally theirs, and that the gardeners need to get off their land. And the farmers are arguing back, saying that the city violated its charter when it agreed to sell this land without following proper procedure. So far, the courts are agreeing with LHIC and the City of Los Angeles, not the farmers. But the gardeners aren't giving up, despite an eviction notice posted March 1, 2006. It's your classic David v. Goliath battle, with gardeners fighting the corporate world.

Find out more, make a donation, or write a letter of support via their website.

Revelation and pipe dreams

2006-03-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

We're on to the theory of garden design in my course now, something I was kind of afraid of... Until my instructor started the lecture with, "A good garden design hangs off a good concept - an idea that unifies it". Suddenly, an Ah-ha moment (I can't remember who called it that - but what I mean is that I experienced one of those internal smack-yourself-on-the-forehead Homer Simpson 'doh!' moments. I finally got it). "It's just like a good ad," I realized. "I can do that."

You see, I work for the Man. I work in marketing. And one of the first things you learn about creating a good advertising campaign is that it has to have an idea behind it. You can't just throw words and images together - no matter how pretty they may be - there has to be an Idea that makes it compelling and cohesive. And, yes, I can see that about good garden design. At that moment, I actually thought, "maybe I could be a garden designer." Maybe.

Embrasse-moi Roméo

2006-03-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

I love the gorgeous vases created by Marianne Guedin. Check out the quirky, beautifully-designed glass vases with names like Embrasse-moi Romeo, Zab and Coupelou at her website. I love this one, the Virgule (literal translation, comma). Its description, below, will give you a taste of the design concepts behind these delightful vases.

This vase welcomes a bundle of flowers, one of which will stick in its 'tail'. Like a comma, the stalk punctuates this basic form. This outgrowth is the slip of the pencil, the brush of an excited painter. With only one flower, this vase gives the impression that the flower is floating, defying gravity.

Via MocoLoco.

Now planting ... anxiety

2006-03-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

Alex asked what I'm starting from seed right now, and honestly, my response was, "Oh Christ, I'd better get on that!"

Aren't I, as a "real" gardener, supposed to be trembling with excitement now that the gardening season has started in earnest (at least here in Zone 8)? I should have started my seeds by now, but instead I'm thinking, "Wait! I'm not ready for this! I need more time!"

Here's what's going on in my garden right now: nothing. Well, that's not entirely true. Schnoopette (our cat) is testing the timbers of the new fence. Yep, it'll make a great scratching post. But other than feline destruction, there's no garden action in sight. The inside of the new house has been taking up the majority of our spare time, but next weekend I'll be outside ripping out the mint. Yes, you read that right. They planted mint. A highly-invasive plant. In the ground. In a new development. I am now justified in suspecting that the landscape designers had made questionable plant choices.

So, back to Alex's question. What am I planting? Well, I'm poring over the West Coast Seeds website, and wondering what the heck they mean when they say:

Wait to plant until the soil is really warm in early June, or start indoors and transplant out when the rain stops. (Soybean 'Early Hakucho')

Rain doesn't ever really stop in Vancouver. But I'll interpret that as a lessening of the rain... say, May? Phew. That's one planting I don't have to worry about. Yet.

Plugged in

2006-03-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

I finally have ADSL again. One month without Internet access at home and I was about to go mental. Who knew it would take so long to set up a new account? But we're into the new place, and while far from settled, we're in. From now forth, I'll be back to my more frequent publishing "schedule". Promise.

History of Garden Design 101

2006-03-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

I had my first garden design class last night: The History and Theory of Garden Design. Sound dull? I'm telling you - it was fascinating! I was nervous, I admit, because I have a history of nodding off as soon as the lights go out and the slide projector whirrs on, but I was alert as Bush in Afghanistan (oh, wait, maybe that's a bad analogy. Bush, alert?)

Anyway, I promised to report back, so here's a terminology tidbit from my class last night: ha-ha. Brits, bear with me.

Ha-has, or sunken fences, became popular in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. The top of the sunken stone wall was level with the garden, so that the view to the pasture beyond was uninteruppted, while still keeping out the livestock. Here is a sketch of a ha-ha, so named, apparently for the surprise expressed when someone came upon one! My instructor, Ron Rule, calls the ha-ha "the most important evolution in garden design." Hmm.

The view from the other side of the ditch wasn't so pretty. This article discusses the class implications of the ha-ha.

2006-02-27T12:22:00.000-08:00

How neat are these edible birdhouses? A wee bit more sophisticated than those pinecone feeders we used to make in Brownies! From Atelier Oi, an online portfolio of architecture and design.

Via Moco Loco.

Back to School

2006-02-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

I'd been contemplating taking either the Master Gardener or UBC Garden Design program for some time now.

I'm happy to say that I applied and was accepted to the UBC program. I have my student orientation tonight, and start the first course, "The History and Theory of Garden Design," in March.

I'm so excited! This will be the first time I study something that's just for me. The way I look at it, I can't lose. I'm not going into it with the intention of becoming a garden designer (although, if I discover that I'm skilled at it and love doing it, why not?). I just want to be a more informed gardener and more informative garden writer, and to share what I'm learning with my blog readers. And it can't hurt that my new garden will reap the benefits of my new-found knowledge, can it?

How to make seed balls

2006-02-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

At the Seattle Flower and Garden Show this weekend, these Seedballz reminded me of a personal project, dormant while I lived in the suburbs, but ripe for rebirth now that I've moved back to Vancouver (well, sort of. We're still moving!).

Seed balls are a method of sowing seeds that apparently originated with our First Nations people. To protect seeds from being blown away or eaten by birds, they'd hide seeds inside little balls of clay.

Regular readers will recall that I have a bit of a fascination with guerilla gardening, so it won't come as a surprise that the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the Seedballz booth at the Show was, "Those would be perfect for chucking into empty lots!" Except I wasn't about to pay $6.50 for a package. So I googled "seed balls" and two seconds later, had my own recipe for making seed balls!

For my next spare moment. LOL.

Vinales Botanical Garden, Cuba

2006-02-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

After six days in Havana, we left for Vinales, a small village a few hours west of Havana, and immediately wished we'd gone there sooner. As it was, we stayed until we absolutely had to go back to Havana to catch our flight. Friendly, idyllic and beautiful, the village of Vinales is home to a fantastic jardin: the Jardin de las Hermanas Caridad y Carmen Miranda. The afternoon spent there was one of the highlights of our trip.

Passing through a gate decorated with fresh fruit and doll's heads, a dense garden crowds the path to the small house.

The garden is maintained by two sisters (the eldest is shown above with one of the many hens that live on the property). They welcomed us, and we enjoyed home-grown tropical fruits while taking in the house, which was papered with magazine ads and decorated with bizarre tchotchkes.

The garden itself was lovely and serene, except for the dismayed chatter of a mother hen when you got too close to her nest.

As in other tropical countries, houseplants like Cordyline grew larger than I've ever seen them. Also prominent in the garden was the use of dolls and doll heads, the photos of which were too creepy to post, proving without a doubt that doll parts have no place in garden design.

Orchids grew everywhere, usually grafted onto a rootstock, and as they did elsewhere in the province, air plants grew in tree branches.

Containers were created out of old tires, pop cans, and of course, rusty buckets.

One of the sisters told me that this little burst of excitement was called Aroma floridita but I can only find referred to as the Hawaiian flower 'Ohi'a Lehua on the web.

You can see more of my Cuba photos here.

Cuba redux

2006-02-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

Cuba. Ten days. Two very different experiences. Today I'll write about the first: Havana.

Both over and underwhelming, Havana is a city of conflict and wild contrast. Walk down one quaint cobblestone street in Habana Vieja (Old Havana), a UNESCO Heritage Site, and every building along it will be precisely restored, paint fresh, potted palms lining the tidy streets. Turn the corner and you may fall into an open sewer. Pass decaying buildings that are so decrepit you believe they must be adandoned... until you catch a flash of movement inside and realize it's someone's home. The juxtiposition of the two extremes is jarring and unsettling.

It's not just the physical nature of the city that is precariously balanced. The contrast between rich and poor - tourists and Cubanos, and, although it's illegal to amass wealth, poor Cubanos and rich Cubanos (who generally get that way through working the black market or other illegal activity) - is a constant source of tension and strife. We were constantly bothered by jinetaros - hustlers - out to get our money. And who could blame them?

But the spirit of the place. The music! And yes, the people - once you got past the jinetaros and met the real Cubanos.

Contrary to what I read before my trip, I saw little evidence of urban agriculture in Havana proper. Houseplants were popular, but silk flowers even more so. I couldn't understand why when even a pot of herbs would supplement their meagre rations.

I only saw a couple of these makeshift gardens in Havana.

We stumbled across this plant shop, run out of someone's home.

We did attempt to visit the botanical gardens, but found them completely abandoned. Only a few unkempt rose bushes indicated that the property was once something more than an garbage-strewn lot. A group of old men warned us not to enter because thieves frequented the area.

In the Afro-Cuban neighbourhood, the heart of which is a street called Callejon de Hamel, an artist named Salvador Gonzalez Escalona has painted brightly-coloured murals, and installed works of art like this bathtub planter.

We also visited the gardens at a restaurant on the sea, which appeared to have been inspired by both Gaudi and Japan.

Unfortunately, the gardens suffered with last autumn's hurricanes. Evidence of damage was everywhere.

Like the majority of gardens in Havana, the variety of plants was limited. Cacti, Eucalyptus, and Sansevieria were the mainstays.

You can see more of my Cuba photos here. Tomorrow, I'll write about Vinales.

North West Flower and Garden Show

2006-02-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

Any of you Pacific Northwest types going to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (in Seattle) this weekend?

I'm particularly looking forward to A Place to Take Root, one of the show's highlights and the first exhibit devoted to the evolution of the common flower pot. Described as a "traveling museum piece," it will feature over 40 historical American pots. Renowned potters Guy Wolff from Connecticut and John Weber of Seattle will be demonstrating their art live.

But probably my favourite thing about this particular show is its timing: at this dreary time of year the display gardens always seem like a harbinger of spring, of sunnier days to come and of coming times in the garden. I can't say the same for Groundhog Day, whatever the outcome!

The Best Week Ever

2006-01-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

I've been back since Monday, but this being the Best Week Ever, I've been a little busy. Certainly too busy to look at all 900 of my Cuba photos, let alone upload them and write about our vacation. So I'm giving you a very small sampling with the above photo of what the locals called Aroma floridita but I can only find referred to as 'Ohi'a Lehua on the web. In short, Cuba was awesome. Yay!

The day after we returned, we had the inspection for our new townhouse, which is finally finished (another yay!). I couldn't really concentrate on the finer details of the water heater and whatnot because ... Ben proposed! (In the kitchen, which is very appropriate for my gourmand boyfriend - whoops - fiance. Strange, that word.)

I can't stop grinning. Having a fiance - and a pretty ring - is so fun! Wheeee!

More later... when I can control my use of exclamation points.

La Habana

2006-01-13T18:46:00.000-08:00

Well, we're off. I'll be in Havana and Viñales, Cuba, until January 24. I promise to bring back photos, stories, and tales of Cuban gardens. Until then, here's an excerpt from the Havana Moon Handbook on the royal palm, Rostonea regia:

The indisputable symbol of Cuba is the majestic royal palm, which grows singly or in great elegant clumps and graces the Cuban capital at every turn. Its smooth gray trunk, which can tower 25 meters, resembles a great marble column with a curious bulge near the top. Long leaves droop sinuously from the explosive top, blossoming afresh with each new moon.

Even found on the national emblem and protected by law, the royal palm is as useful as it is stately. Its fronds make good thatch, and the thick green base of the fronds, being waterproof, also makes an excellent roof or siding material. The trunk itself makes excellent timber. Bees favour palm honey; and pigs seem to like the seeds, which are used for pig feed. Humans devour the delicious, succulent palm-heart from the centre of the trunk. And birds love its black fruit and carry the seeds all over the country.

Adios!

Container water gardens

2006-01-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

There are three - count 'em - three ponds where I live now (mind you, it's a half-acre property). I love the ponds. I love the sound of the waterfalls, I love the waterlilies that bloom in the summer, and I really love the koi. Kids get such a kick out of feeding them; some of the bigger guys are so tame, they'll eat out of your hand!

So, when I become a city girl once again, I'm contemplating the addition of a small water garden. I won't be able to keep koi, but I look forward to growing some water plants. Unfortunately, most plants, especially those gorgeous waterlilies, want sunshine - and lots of it. I doubt I'll get the required six-hours daily to keep them happy.

But I've read that there are some water plants that do well in shade and are also small enough for a container water garden, such as floatering water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), sweet flag (Acorus calamus), water mint (Mentha aquatica), Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), and broad-leaved taro (Alocasia or Colocasia spp.) for example.

Oh how I love a gardening challenge!

Exploratorium - Science of Gardening

2006-01-11T12:53:00.001-08:00

I'm a fan of anything that gets kids interested in gardens and gardening. From planning a child-friendly garden to helping your (grand)child plant his or her first sunflower seed, anything that encourages kids to turn off the TV and get outside is okay with me.

Exploratorium: Science of Gardening might just do that. An online museum from the San Francisco-based brick-and-mortar Exploratorium, this is an incredibly beautiful site that kids - and gardeners of all ages - will love.

Props to Degan for the tip.

Rain, rain, go away!

2006-01-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

Listening to the radio on the way into work today, I heard that Vancouver hasn't had a day without rain since December 15! Of course, that includes every time we've had a drop of rain, even if that was the only drop that day. But still, it feels like it's been raining forever. And the garden desperately needs me. (Or maybe I need the garden...)

I must be a true Vancouverite, because I'd rather have it wet and mild than cold and sunny. But the rain is probably the Vancouver gardener's biggest ally - and our biggest winter enemy. The winter wet kills more plants here than does the cold.

What's the weather doing in your part of the world? How does it affect your garden?

Horsetail in the home

2006-01-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

In what seems to be a glorious moment of serendipity, I've discovered Livinglass, laminated architectural glass that can be used in furniture, doors, partitions, floors, countertops and more. Described as "inspired by the colors and textures of nature," Livinglass "captures organic materials within luminous sheets of clear glass." Perfect for gardeners, n'est pas?

I mentioned serendipity because Ben and I were discussing the fact that, except for the fireplace, the back wall of our new living room is floor-to-ceiling window.

"But fireplaces are supposed to have art above them, not windows," I whined uncreatively. "Although, the extra light will be nice."

Livinglass's Sutra collection, one of five, would provide the perfect solution.

Although it's a menace in the garden, I love horsetail when it's enclosed in glass!

Via Inhabitat.

All the gardening catalogues you'll ever need

2006-01-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

As much as I try to reduce the amount of paper I use, there's something wonderful about settling in for the evening with a mug of tea, a cat on your lap and a big ol' stack of seed catalogues.

During these dreary winter months, us northern-hemisphere gardeners can mostly just dream about springtime and more active gardening ahead. I find gardening catalogues to be a great comfort at times like these. To that end, here's a fairly comprehensive list of gardening catalogues I've found. I'm sure you'll let me know if there's a fabulous nursery or seed house to be added, right?

Has the fat lady sung?

2006-01-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

I was always told that paperwhite bulbs were only good for one round of forcing, and to throw them away after the party ended. Of course, I had to at least try to get them to bloom again. I saved last year's forced bulbs and replanted them, hoping to force them for Christmas. Sadly, only one of the five bulbs bloomed this year.

So, I've decided to try planting them outdoors, after reading that you cannot force the same bulbs year after year - oops! - with the exception of amaryllis, but that some gardeners have success replanting the bulbs in their yard.

I've learned that when you force a bulb, you interrupt its natural growth cycle. But apparently if you replant them soon after they finish blooming, bulbs will usually return to their normal cycle within a year or two.

Has anyone ever tried this? Did it work for you?

The New Place

2006-01-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

Since Takoma Gardener asked to see the "before" photos of our new place, and since we've recently been informed that our final inspection is scheduled for January 9 (seven more sleeps!)... may I present... the New Place:

The photo above is of the view from the street, and actually isn't even of our place. We're going to be in the building behind this one (there's a courtyard separating them, accessed through the gate behind the porta-potty in this photo!). But it gives you an idea of what they're going to look like. This building has three-story townhouses on top of double-wide main-floor suites. Our building is comprised of just three-story townhouses.

This is a view of the back of our building. These are the tiny backyards, minus fencing. You can also see the third-floor decks in this photo, where I intent to abandon the carefully-chosen zen palette of the ground-floor garden and grow just about anything I feel like. It will probably be the sunniest place for gardening, too.

This is a close-up of a backyard like ours. I think there was a porta-potty in ours at the time of photographing! So, as you can see, they've put down the cheapest, ugliest pavers they could find. Those won't last very long in mine, though. And the fencing isn't in yet either, nor any of the "landscaping" (damn you, hornbeam).

Even considering the fact that these photos were taken over a week ago, could they possibly be ready in seven days??

Recycle your Christmas tree

2006-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Penny makes herself at home under the tree

If, like mine, your Christmas tree is looking a little worse for wear (why do cats try to climb them when they never attempt tree-climbing outdoors?), it's time to get rid of it.

Many cities allow you to put your tree, divested of trimmings, at the curb for recycling. Greater Vancouver has had a curbside yard waste collection program in place since 2001. Yard trimmings are collected bi-weekly and composted at the Vancouver Landfill. Once a year, Vancouver residents can pick up all the compost they can haul away - free! The rest of the year, it's $10/yard.

There are alternatives to curbside recycling of trees: most cities operate chipping stations in January. Check with your municipality for locations. In Vancouver, call the Recycling Hotline at 604-732-9253.

I've also heard that many zoos offer free chipping; they use the mulch for bedding for many of their animals.

Happy 2006

2006-01-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, all. Wishing you all the best for 2006. It's going to be a good year, I can feel it!

LED overload

2005-12-31T12:15:00.000-08:00

Remember when, in the early 2000s, "extreme" became the lazy marketer's solution to naming new products and we were suddenly bombarded with extreme fruit juices, extreme razors and even extreme shower heads? Tack the word "extreme" onto any lame product and suddenly - it's cool!

That's how I'm feeling about LED technology these days. Yes, I know it's more environmentally friendly than standard lighting, but... well, it's just too darn trendy. Case in point: LED pacifiers. Ew.

Enter the Bloom Pot, an LED planter from Design Within Reach. Lightweight and lit from inside, Bloom Pots are made of double-walled plastic material, letting plants withstand cold far better than ordinary planters can. The four low-voltage LED lights provide more than 40,000 hours of illumination. Now that's what I call a worthwhile use of technology!

New year's resolutions for the garden

2005-12-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

1. I will be patient. I will get to know my new plot of land¹ before rushing to fill it with trend-of-the-minute plants. Please note, however, that I do not have the ability to wait for a full year, as some garden authorities recommend, to note sun exposure. I know my limitations.
2. I will have my soil tested, and amend as necessary.
3. I will be highly selective about the plants I allow into the garden. I have about 200 sq/ft of ground-floor garden to play with, and every plant will have to work hard to earn its place. I want four-season interest, impact, and - I'm dreaming here - edible bits.
4. I will apply for an allotment, now that I won't have enough room to grow my veggies anymore.
5. I will visit Vancouver's public gardens more often.
6. I will take on a boulevard planting in our new neighbourhood.
7. Get out and enjoy the garden - without feeling the need to suddenly start pruning or weeding.

I think that's about it for now. What are your garden resolutions?

¹ We are scheduled to move in to our new home on January 30. Yay!

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all my friends in the blogosphere. Wishing you the best and brightest for you and your gardens in 2006.

Gardening Gifts for Newsmakers

2005-12-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Since, on this Friday before the Chrismmukah weekend, no one seems to be doing any work anyway, I thought I'd pass on this slightly-amusing celebrity "Gardening Gift Guide" by Wes Porter of Canada Free Press.

Pamela Anderson

The temptation to offer a perfect pair of Mammilaria cactus was almost overwhelming until the Weekly World News announced the discovery of a new Brazilian meat-growing tree. "Instead of fruit it grows beef in a hard shell" and could eliminate vegetarianism, says the tabloid. The very gift for one so gifted.

Conrad Black

The beleaguered sometime British media mogul finds himself financially embarrassed thanks to the FBI grabbing his gravy. We can only offer a planting of Lunaria biennis for his Bridalpath home in Toronto while noting that as an alternative to Moneywort it is also known as Common Honesty.

Jean Chretien

Surely Justice John Gomery will agree there could be a nothing more fitting gift even for a small-town boy, than a collection of Coryphantha vivipara aggregata, Golf Ball Cactus.

David Dingwall

A few pots of Mentha canadensis, Wild Mint, well known cure gas.

Chuck Guite

For that example of Ottawa bureaucracy, a specimen of Clusia, or Fat Pork Plant.

Paris Hilton

A nice specimen of the plant known as Herb Paris, Paris quadrifolia, claimed by some to be of medicinal value but known for its poisonous berries.

Madonna

A nice big bunch of Equisetum arvense, or Horsetail plant, somewhat toxic it is true, but a reminder that she who takes up the sport of royalty should a mount with a long mane — if one wishes to remain in the saddle.

Stella McCartney

For that designing Brit, a nice big bag of all-natural bone fertilizer.

Dalton McGuinty

In salute to his fecundity, a copy of Alan Toogood’s concise tome, Propagation, or perhaps as an alternative, Lewis Hills’ Pruning Made Easy.

Kate Moss

A subscription to Rolling Stone magazine, a gift not to be sniffed at as it is a well-known fact that a rolling stone gathers no Bryophytes.

Mike Myers

One word: Bonsai!

Peter C. Newman

We can only offer the poor chap a cure for an unfortunate case of order Psocoptera, better known as booklice.

Olsen Sisters

A new perfume derived from extracts of Twinleaf, Jeffersonia diphylla which, although possibly poisonous is believed efficacious for nervous excitability, diarrhea, spasms, urinary infections and sores.

Prince Charles

A hybrid Camellia, along with instructions he kindly refrain from talking it to death.

Martha Stewart

A Windsor, Nova Scotia pumpkin carved into a boat along with a gourd baler, a souvenir of her much-hyped non-visit this past fall to participate in the passage of pumpkins across the local lake.

Moss Graffiti

2005-12-21T21:21:00.000-08:00

I'll just say it right off the bat: I love moss. I've always loved it. When I was a kid, there was a clearing in the forest I lived next to, and in the centre was a stone absolutely thick with the most beautiful emerald-green moss. I was convinced (and still secretly believe) that faeries congregated there. It was definitely a magical place.

So I really don't understand the effort expended to rid lawns of moss. My father-in-law, upon seeing my sad excuse for a lawn for the first time, said, "you need some moss killer." Horrified, I replied, "But I love the moss! I'm trying to get rid of the grass!"

Anyway, I came across a novel use for moss and thought I'd share: moss graffiti. It'd be a great use for all that moss starter medium you've been brewing up. You haven't? Oh. Well, you might want to try it if you've got a bare-looking log or rock in nice shady, damp area in your garden, or if you want to make your terracotta pots look aged, or if you'd like to start a moss garden. Here's my recipe:

Quick Moss Starter

Take a clump (a small handful) of healthy moss from your yard (or ask a neighbour for some if you don't have any) and crumble it into a blender.
Add 2 cups of buttermilk and 2 cups of water
Blend at the lowest speed until it is completely mixed and the consistency of a thin milk shake (add water if necessary)
Paint the mixture onto rocks, logs, pots or statuary, or simply pour it on the ground wherever you'd like your moss to grow

So, the idea of moss graffiti is that you apply this moss milkshake to your chosen canvas and create a design or object out of moss (as in the photo above). Imagine the possibilities! I'm picturing moss wallpaper a la William Morris (outdoors, of course!)

Via Make.

The Instructables

2005-12-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Heavy Petal readers, meet Instructables. It's a website devoted to collaborative DIY: participants show (step-by-step!) what they make and how others can make it. The "what" varies widely: from how to make a marshmallow gun to how to sew your own bra to how to divine water.

At the moment, I could only find one garden-related article: how to root plant cuttings. But hopefully once the site grows (hardy har har), more gardeners will contribute. A good one to watch.

Tuscan Farm Gardens

2005-12-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Like Girl Gone Gardening, I dream of owning a small farm. I'd grow my own organic produce, raise chickens and goats, sell eggs and veggies and bouquets of flowers at a roadside honesty stand, and have way too many cats. Sigh...

Tuscan Farm Gardens is one couple's version of that dream. Their 80 acre family estate, 40 minutes east of Vancouver in rural Langley, started when the retired couple moved from city life to "playing in the dirt" and has since become a destination garden, Bed and Breakfast, and apothecary. Famous for endless fields of lavender and echinecea, this West Coast farm is as close to Tuscany as I'll be getting - at least for a year or two.

Read Heather's Journal for the low-down on how their dream evolved, and add Tuscan Farm Gardens to your itinerary for your next trip to Vancouver.

Poodle flower arrangement

2005-12-17T11:37:00.000-08:00

Oh my.

Name this rose! Only $8000

2005-12-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wanted to be immortalized in name and in gardens everywhere, here's your chance.

Brad Jalbert of Select Roses in Langley, B.C., is selling naming rights to two of the three new hybridized roses he's introducing next year.

For between $3,000 and $8,000, you can purchase the right to name a new rose. Compared to prices on the world market, which range from $12,000 to $100,000 for the opportunity, these are bargain prices.

Jalbert says his are more reasonable, because even after 15 years in the business he's still considered new to rose breeding.

One of the roses up for naming is a Fragrant White Hybrid tea (above). Jalbert says, "A fragrant white hybrid tea is extremley rare in the rose world and I have yet to see one with this size of flower."

"This seedling is a sister seedling to my pink 'Gerda Hynatashyn' rose, named after the past governor-generals' wife. This white seedling has MASSIVE flowers, largest longest buds of any rose I have ever seen. The plant grows upright and tall, produces long stem white roses with a strong sweet perfume and high center flower. They look stunning in bud form. The foliage is large, very glossy deep green. We grow this rose own-root in the field and have about 30 plants available for spring 2006 digging."

Naming a rose or having a rose named after you is like buying original art, said Jalbert, who toils for five years before a rose is ready to be named and sold."

Name your rose and Jalbert handles the paperwork to register it with the American Rose Society.

"The name must be accepted and it's forever in the history books. Every few years, they publish a new rose bible -- this big red book called Modern Roses -- and the name of the rose with its full description is in there."

Jalbert would then propagate the rose and sell it from his 38th Avenue nursery. "You get the thrill of maybe seeing your rose in somebody's garden," he said.

Jalbert auctioned off the naming of a rose last year for the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation. A Victoria man paid more than $4,000 and named it for his wife -- the Sherry Parks Sunrise -- as a Valentine's Day gift.

"She was just thrilled," said Jalbert. "It's the greatest gift she's ever had."

Jalbert, who is passionate about his roses, has hybridized 40 new varieties in the 15 years he's run his business. (The Province)

I think it would feel a bit egomaniacal to name one after yourself, but would sure make a swell gift, especially as a tribute to a deceased loved one, or to commemorate the birth of a new baby.

Anyone interested in naming a rose can contact Jalbert through his website.

Brugmansia lamp

2005-12-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

You can really bring the outdoors in with this Angel's Trumpet Lamp, made of sculpted Unyru Japanese paper. The Angel's Trumpet is also known as Brugmansia, although I've also heard Datura referred to as Angel's Trumpet. Although similar, Datura is herbaceous rather than woody, and its flowers point upward. Brugmansia's flowers hang downward, just like this lamp.

Via FunFurde.

Glowing furniture

2005-12-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

You gotta love Gau Designs' Glowing Wireless furniture. Made of reclaimed and refinished wood, polyacrylic, and reclaimed steel, this indoor/outdoor bench/table has a built-in rechargeable lighting system (those acrylic tubes are wireless LEDs) which provide up to eight hours of light. I just love the juxtaposition of the sleek acrylic lamps and the earthiness of the reclaimed wood.

Via Inhabit.

Fun with Plant Finder

2005-12-12T01:35:00.000-08:00

As a garden writer, I rely on the RHS Plant Finder to double check the spelling and "accepted names" of the plants I mention. But it doesn't have to be purely pragmatic in use. It's fun to see what comes up when you type in certain words (no, there aren't any cultivars with "sex" in their name -- I checked!). For example, I tried out a few holiday terms, and it came up with the following:

There's Hemerocallis 'Holiday Mood' and Narcissus 'December Bride.' There are dahlia, dianthus and narcissus cultivars called 'Santa Claus.' Then there are the snow-related plant names: Amelanchier laevis 'Snowflakes,' Agapanthus 'Snowball' and Camellia japonica 'Snowman' to name a few.

There's Buxus sinica var. insularis 'Winter Beauty' and Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Winter Gold.' There's Callistemon pallidus 'Father Christmas,' and a whole slew of Christmas-themed dahlias: Dahlia 'Christmas Carol,' D. 'Christmas Star,' D. 'Kenora Christmas,' and D. 'Snoho Christmas.'

There's Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' and Heuchera 'Jack Frost.' There's Galanthus 'Icicle,' Fuchsia 'Igloo Maid,' Begonia 'Frosty Fairyland' and Fuchsia 'Jingle Bells.'

Fun, hey? Try your name. I think I might need to find room for Rosa 'Andrea.'

Best gifts for gardeners

2005-12-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner! It's time to get shopping, so to save you some stress, here's my list of the most desirable garden gifts:

The Lucca Adjustable Lounge Armchair, from Design Within Reach would look fabulous on the third-floor deck of our townhouse.

It's nerdy, but I've always wanted to get a shiitake mushroom log and grow my own. From Amazon.

What to do about garden lighting... I know! How about these inconspicuous rock lights from Canadian Tire?

One of Fortune magazine’s 25 Best Products of 2004, the Egg Birdfeeder is "handcrafted of ceramic earthenware that is cast, glazed and fired...the birdfeeder’s glossy-surfaced egg shape prevents squirrels from getting a grip, appropriately melding beauty and function." At Design Within Reach.

This is neat. It's a seed keeper, described as "the ultimate seed saving device." It's comprised of a binder, plastic sleeves with zip locks to keep moisture out and the seeds in (so they won't be lost even if they do rattle out of the envelopes), and a pack of envelopes (self-sealing and reusable) to save your own seeds or to repackage those from other sources. At Lee Valley Tools.

Also from Lee Valley Tools, I'd love some tools to help me expand my floristry repertoire. Garden tools = plenty. Indoor tools = not so much. This set of two florist tools - a stem stripper and design snips - would really go a long way in restoring the balance. While you're there, pick me up a good frog or two.

In addition to renewals of my current magazine subscriptions, I'd love a year or two worth of Garden Design. Sigh... now I just need time to read them all.

I love these Garden Hoe panties, from You Grow Girl. They also carry garden-themed t-shirts, pins, stationery, and lots of other neat things.

Guys, score major points with your lady by planning a weekend away. Maybe combine a stay at a nice B&B with a visit to a garden. Or, ladies, if your husband is just as likely to stick a fork in his eye as agree to that, plan a weekend with the girls! From Vancouver, great weekend getaways include Heronswood, Milner Gardens, or Tofino Botanical Gardens.

These pink Wellington boots are not only practical AND fabulous, but partial proceeds go to a great cause: The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

No one should be without the CobraHead. I already have one, but if your giftee is without, I swear they will love this all-purpose hand tool. Promise.

I don't have an indoor composter though. Nature Mill makes one that looks brilliant. At $399, you can really show how much you care.

The Royal Horticultural Society's online store has tons of sweet stuff. I love these organic-looking bird feeders, though it's more likely they'd end up as mere garden ornaments because I couldn't fill them as fast as they'd be emptied.

Not nearly as frivolous, these wine glass holders are a must-have, if silly, item. For all those times you're lounging about on the lawn. Ha!

Despite what the Garden Gnome Liberation Front would have you believe, I bet your favourite corporate slave needs a Desktop Gnome. Available through Jackson and Perkins, the little guy comes complete with interchangeable backdrops, four whole "arrangeable" flowers and a full-color book on the history and lore of gnomes.

Also from Jackson and Perkins, I like this rosemary bonsai tree. Edible and pretty, but for some reason I want to remove the flowers.

And finally, there's always gift certificates - to any of the above online retailers, or to local specialty nurseries. I'd love one for Thomas Hobbs' Southlands Nursery, or Phoenix Perennials.

Check back frequently. I'll update this list as I discover new gift ideas.

How to: make an evergreen wreath

2005-12-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the only thing better than the scent of fresh-cut evergreen boughs is having that scent come from a wreath you've made yourself.

My mom and some friends did just that last weekend and I played photojournalist. And so, may I present:

A step-by-step guide to wreath making

You will need:

A wreath frame (available at your local craft store).

Green florist wire (or just plain silver wire - it's not really going to show)

Secateurs (pruners or clippers)

Moss (available at the nursery or some craft stores) soaked in water for at least an hour

A variety of fresh materials. Along with Western Larch and Cedar, we used:

Seeded eucalyptus

Holly

Pine

Laurel

How To

1. Gather an assortment of 12-20cm (5"-8") stems into small bunches (between 2-4 stems per bunch), and wrap the ends tightly with florist wire.

2. Wrap the cut end of the bunch with damp moss. Lay the bundle on your wreath frame and secure with more wire.

3. Place your next moss-wrapped bunch on the frame, facing the same direction so that the tips of the second bunch overlap the first, covering the wire. Secure.

4. Proceed as above, overlapping the bundles and wrapping the whole thing with wire. Once your frame is entirely covered, step back and assess. Add extra stems where needed, and affix extras like bows if desired.

Voila! You've got yourself a wreath.

Festival of Lights starts tomorrow

2005-12-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Van Dusen Botanical Garden's Festival of Lights runs December 9th through 31st from 5:00pm to 9:00pm (except Christmas Day). The Festival of Lights is a Vancouver tradition now in its 21st year. Over a million lights decorate the Garden's 12 acres, and it's really quite a magical scene. You can't help but get into the Christmas spirit ... especially with the scent of roasting chestnuts and the sound of carollers.

On a more practical note, the event is also one of the year's biggest fundraisers for the Botanical Garden, which plays a huge role in botanical education and conservation. If you're lucky enough to be in Vancouver this month, you must check it out.

Humble Viburnum

2005-12-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

This little guy was one of my first perennial purchases. At the time, I didn't know much about gardening, so I asked the lady at the nursery for suggestions.

My requirements: must do well in a container and in shade, look good most of the year, and not require too much work. She suggested the Viburnum tinus you see above. I'm not sure which cultivar it is - the tag is long gone (and the RHS plant finder lists 32 cultivars) but for years I felt disappointed by it. It was gangly and sad, and never flowered or produced berries. I labeled it a dud, but nonetheless hauled it from house to house when I moved.

Finally, I ended up with a south-facing backyard. I decided to prune it back, eliminating all the gangly bits, and placed the pot at the foot of the steps. "This is your last chance," I told it.

I guess it wasn't happy in the shade after all, because sure enough, it performed brilliantly. Pink flowers in early spring all through summer, followed by glossy deep-purple berries in fall through winter. Sure, some may consider it boring, a ubiquitous landscaper's shrub, but I'm thrilled with it. Especially in winter when it looks most lovely. And mostly, just because it reinforces an eternal principle of the garden: give it what it wants and it will reward you. Or, you might say: right plant, right place.

International Garden Festival

2005-12-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

The International Garden Festival recently announced the names of the designers invited to take part in the 2006 festival.

The Festival, which has taken place on the site of Reford Gardens/Les Jardins de Métis in Quebec, asks landscape designers from Canada and around the world to create temporary gardens on-site.

The Festival has become an exceptional showcase and launching pad for the participating designers from a host of disciplines. The event gives visitors a chance to discover inspiring spaces bringing together the visual arts, architecture, design, landscape and nature.

You absolutely must check out the photo gallery of previous years' gardens.
Via Land + Living.

Under the influence

2005-12-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finally decided to apply to the UBC Garden Design program.

As part of the application process, they ask that you list five books, journals, and/or magazines that you have found influential. I'm kind of struggling with it, because at different points during my life and growth as a gardener, I've required different information. When I was a "beginner," I dog-eared books I probably wouldn't give a second glace at now. Likewise, when I had my rooftop garden, I was drawn to books on container gardening, and of course, rooftop gardens.

That said, I have some favourite resources that I have found valuable at any stage/need:

Garden Design and Fine Gardening magazines are almost always inspiring. And GardenWise is great as a source of regional information.

As for books, I've enjoyed the second edition of 100 Best Plants for the Coastal Garden by Steve Whysall. Subtitled "The Botanical Bones of Great Gardening," the new edition lists complementary plant combinations for each featured "best plant."

Rosemary Verey's Good Planting Plans
was invaluable when I was planning my last garden. I especially love her potages.

Thomas Church's Gardens Are for People, is still good reading years after its initial publication, and, I think, important in understanding garden design from a historical standpoint.

Sunset's Western Garden Book by Kathleen Norris Brenzel is a good one-stop book, especially for looking up a particular plant.

Those are my picks so far, but I want to hear from you. What books, magazines or journals have influenced you as a gardener?

The revolution is fertile

2005-12-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Yippee, we're going to Cuba!

Ben and I have been attempting to go for years now, but one thing or another always prevented us. Now, in a spontaneous and daring manuver, we've booked a flight to Havana for mid-January.

Of course, I started researching gardens immediately. They do have a botanical garden and several smaller gardens I'd love to check out, but while searching, I came across several articles on Cuba's green revolution, which sprang out of a food shortage brought on by the ongoing US embargo and Russia's 1990 withdrawal of food subsidies.

An article on metropolismag.com writes:

Although the streets of Havana, Cuba, are dominated by decrepit buildings, it is rare to come upon an abandoned lot strewn with rubble and weeds. Instead, these disused plots are coveted prizes: sites that precipitate heated standoffs between gardeners with trowels and boys carrying baseballs and bats. But, because the Cuban state favors redistributing vacant plots to those willing to grow food on them, the gardeners usually win. The result is that Havana's urban fabric now boasts an unusual juxtaposition of decay and growth, as urban gardens and farms arise alongside crumbling architectural remnants of bygone times.

In 2002, Cubans produced 3.4 million tons of food from 35,000 hectares of urban land; in Havana, 90% of the city's fresh produce came from local urban farms and gardens.The urban farms and gardens come in various shapes and forms. One type is the organoponico, or intensive vegetable garden, where vegetables and herbs are grown in containers on hard surfaces. Then there are the smaller plot, patio, and popular gardens, which are managed by a family or group. Factories, offices, and businesses offer a third model of urban gardens--workplace gardens--which grow the food served in company cafeterias.

The workers of Havana are not the only ones who reap the rewards of Cuba's ambitious urban agriculture program; retirement homes, schools, and hospital kitchens also receive anywhere from a fluctuating donation to steady supply of food from neighborhood plots.

City Farmer says:

Participation in the popular gardens range from one to seventy people per garden site. The majority of gardeners are men, although women and children also participate. Popular gardens are usually organized around a household, but it is not uncommon to find arrangements in which more than one household shares or subdivides a garden site.

A wide selection of produce is cultivated, depending (on family needs, market availability, and suitability with the soil and locality. In addition to vegetable and fruit cultivation, some popular gardens also cultivate spices and plants used for medicinal purposes.

Garden productivity has been achieved with minimal external inputs, applying principles of organic agriculture that are low cost, readily available, and environmentally sustainable. Gardeners seldom use chemical fertilizers, relying instead on organic fertilizers in the form of chicken or cow manure, compost from household food waste, and occasionally vermiculture (the use of worms). Also, there is no great demand or availability for chemical herbicides, as weeds are easily controlled by hand weeding. Inter-cropping is commonly practiced, and vegetation stories are sometimes used with taller trees and plants acting as a protective canopy for lower crops. Farmers often maximize the use of land by cultivating crops which produce in the ground, on the ground, and above the ground. A popular combination includes cassava, which provides abundant shade, sweet potatoes, which provides good ground cover, and occasionally beans, which fixates the soil with nitrogen.

What an inspiring example of necessity driving innovation. I'd love to bring some tools and seeds down to support these urban gardeners, along with the other basic supplies I plan on carrying with me. Can anyone who has been to Cuba before offer recommendations on gardens to visit, and/or supplies to donate?

Thanks, snowberry!

2005-12-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, snowberries, (Caprifoliaceae Symphoricarpos albus) grew wild all over our heavily-wooded property, along with other BC natives like ferns, Mahonia nervosa (Oregon grape) and Rubus spectabilis (salmonberries). I called snowberries "pop berries" because they made a delicious popping noise when you crushed them underfoot. I think my fascination with them terrified my mother because I remember being repeatedly admonished: "careful, they're poisonous!"

Today, just seeing the branches heavy with berries, lighting up their corner of the yard, I was thankful. For the dose of pure beauty before my day got underway, and for the memories of a simpler time.

Ethical bouquets

2005-11-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

With all the open houses and cocktail parties to attend at this time of year, think twice before you buy flowers for your host or hostess.

An increasing number of the roses and other cut flowers we buy have been imported from large flower plantations in Latin America and Asia, where workers, primarily women and children, are often exposed daily to chemicals long banned in North America.

According to Sierra Eco, an organization that certifies farms in Equator and Colombia that have adopted environmentally-sound production methods and adhere to high safety standards and working conditions, many workers often have no protective gear; they are bare-armed, with no gloves or face masks. Because many can't read the labels on the containers of the chemicals they use, they are not even aware of the hazards.

It's our responsibility as consumers - and conscientious gardeners and earth-lovers! - to avoid flowers produced under these conditions. Buy flowers via Sierra Eco, or from Gaiam Flowers, which certifies their flowers as organic, biodynamic, veriflora and/or green label.

Upside down Christmas tree

2005-11-29T12:12:00.000-08:00

Honestly, what is the deal with these upside-down Christmas trees I'm seeing everywhere? More room for presents? A way to differentiate oneself from the neighbours? I suppose I can't argue against them on the basis of being contrary to nature - your basic Christmas tree does that already - but really: an upside-down tree. I know someone's going to tell me that it's a throwback to a 12th century European tradition, but so were the Crusades. Let's not get carried away.

I prefer to think of my tree in less commercial terms (even if it does end up covered in gobs of spray-painted macaroni ornaments):

For centuries, evergreens have played an important role in Winter celebrations. Carried into homes and adorned with apples and other fruits, they were set up as symbolic idols. Such decorations were intended as food offerings to the tree and may be where the modern custom of placing gifts beneath the Christmas tree originated. According to some sources, the Christmas tree is actually a throwback to "Yggdrasil," the Great Tree of Life mentioned in Norse mythology.

Many pagan festivals used trees to honor their gods and spirits. In Northern Europe the Vikings considered the evergreen as symbol and a reminder that the darkness and cold of Winter would end and the green of Spring would return. (Emphasis mine.)

But to each their own. If you must, you can buy your upside-down tree here.

Heronswood

2005-11-28T15:39:00.000-08:00

It's kind of lame that I've never visited Heronswood, Dan Hinkley and Robert Jones' Kitsap Penninsula, Washington nursery, especially since we're only a couple hours away.

I heard Dan speak at a Vancouver Rose Society talk a few years ago - he's a delightful speaker. And from what I've heard and seen in photographs, the garden is delightful, too.

While I'm tempted to wait until the spring to visit, winter might be a good time as well. I love seeing gardens in the winter when they're so bare-bones. It's a great way to look at the underlying structure in a garden without being over-wowed by flowers and foliage. And, of course, it's a great time to check out plants for winter interest.

Read a NY Times story on Heronswood here.

Pyramidal European Hornbeam

2005-11-27T09:07:00.000-08:00

The garden in our new townhouse comes "fully landscaped;" I tried to see if they'd just leave it unplanted, but apparently it's not an option they've ever heard of. Anyway, the tree that the landscape designer chose for our yard is a Pyramidal European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’). It wouldn't be my first choice of tree; it looks kind of... bleh. And I'm currently enamoured of the Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku') in my mom's yard because it looks so lovely in the winter garden. But I'm willing to give the hornbeam a chance. Has anyone had any experience with this tree?

Photo of the hornbeam borrowed from Charlies Creek Nursery.

Christmas-season houseplants

2005-11-24T14:39:00.000-08:00

Around this time of year, the number of plants inside my house nearly doubles. Succulent planters come indoors for the winter, as do the houseplants that live outdoors during the summers. Then there are the seasonal plants: amaryllis, paperwhites, poinsettia.

I'm more of an outdoor-plant person, so I get kind of nervous when I'm charged with keeping indoor plants alive and well. Alive I can usually handle, but well - not so much. So I turned to the Royal Horticultural Society, and lo and behold, an article on "Christmas" houseplants: Cyclamen persicum hybrids, Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia), Rhododendron simsii (indoor or Indian azalea), and Solanum capsicastrum. Better keep that bookmarked.

163 Things to Compost

2005-11-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

Just when you think you know everything there is to know about composting, someone says, "hey you, why aren't you throwing that freezer-burned fish on the compost?"

Huh?

Marion Owen, creator of PlanTea, has a list of 163 things you can compost in her latest issue of the UpBeet Gardener newsletter. Hair clippings, wood ashes, and old pasta are just a few of the bizarre things on her list.

But back to that fish: has anyone ever tried this? I was always told that meat and meat products have no place in the compost.

Solar powered fountain

2005-11-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

This solar-powered fountain makes so much sense. Not only is it eco-friendly, it's also practical. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has faced a lack of electrical outlets in the garden! Not to mention the Problem of Cords.

This particular design isn't really my style so doesn't make it to my wish list, but is nevertheless a fabulous invention.

Via Treehugger.

Japanese garden style

2005-11-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

One of these days, our new townhome will be finished (it's currently six weeks behind). Although you can't tell from this floorplan, in addition to the deck on the third floor, there's a small front garden and a slightly larger back garden. By larger, I'm talking approximately 13' x 13' (3.96m x 3.96m). Acreage this is not. But it's all mine mine mine! Oh, and Ben's.

The wall which faces the garden is floor-to-ceiling window, so, to smooth the transition between indoor and out, I want to echo the interior's minimalist aesthetic outdoors. It's going to be a departure for me because I love plants - especially buying new ones! - and I'm going to be forced to restrain myself.

I'm interested in exploring Japanese-influenced garden design because I think the aesthetic would lend itself well to our new space. Garden Design magazine has a good interview with landscape architect and former Toyko resident Marc Peter Keane, who offers advice ("Keep the palette simple...Use honest materials") and - most important in these dreary winter months - inspiration.

Bulb thieves

2005-11-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

Over at Takoma Gardener, Susan reveals her secret to detering squirrels from stealing her bulbs: she scatters red pepper flakes over her bulb plantings. Brilliant!

The child-friendly garden

2005-11-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

Often, just a quick glimpse at a house reveals whether its residents include children. Kids have a tendency to make their mark: vagrant toys and boisterous games have a deleterious effect on perennial borders, while the brightly hued durable plastic that is typical of children’s play structures doesn’t make for the most elegant of garden furnishings. One can’t help but wonder, “Is it possible to have children and the garden of your dreams?”

Tim Folliott and Lisa McDonald, the couple behind a residential garden design and maintenance company called Urban Landscapes, are proof that you can do both.

The lots are narrow in their family-friendly neighbourhood just east of Main Street in Vancouver. Still, with careful planning and the odd shared resource – such as the communal tire swing that hangs from one of the ornamental cherry trees lining the cul-de-sac – there’s more than enough room for child’s play and great garden design.

Tim and Lisa bought their 1912 character home here in 1993 and welcomed the first of their two sons (Matt, 10, and Alex, 9) shortly after. At the time, a concrete driveway stretched from alley to attached garage, almost entirely consuming the backyard. Their first project was to remove the driveway, and replace it with an island lawn and simple beds.

“It turned out to be the first of many lawns,” Tim says. “Because it’s such a small, high-traffic area, any lawn we put in was just ground into mud. With active kids and the dog, the lawns just wouldn’t survive.”

These days, the only grass you’re likely to see on this property is ornamental. The lawn has been replaced by wide, pebbled pathways and curving beds. The gravel paths balance the lushness of the plantings: like pavement, gravel provides a resting place for the eye, but is softer and more fluid than conventional concrete or stone.

“I find that the smaller the garden, the more non-plant material (hardscaping such as paving, fencing, or steps) there should be, proportionally,” Tim says. “It looks better, it functions better. It’s almost counterintuitive, but it’s what works.”

Their lot is only 36 m long by 7.6 m wide (117 ft. by 25 ft.) but seems larger due to careful planning. And although it isn’t immediately apparent that two boys and most of the neighbourhood kids use it, the entire garden was designed to provide places for the children to play.

“There’s the tree house, the kids’ patio with the kid-sized Adirondack chairs, the basketball court, the hard-surface play area beneath the deck – but there is also plenty of garden in between, and that’s all very deliberate,” Tim says. By designating specific-use areas, the space succeeds in being both functional and attractive.

For example, the kid’s patio was placed where the afternoon sun hits – an important consideration in a shady yard. “The sun comes around the holly tree and a shaft of light hits the patio,” Tim says. “It’s a great place to hang out in the afternoon.”

The garden has undergone near-constant revision: changing as the boys grow, as the house is renovated and, often, as Tim “borrows” plants because they would look perfect in a client’s garden.

“Being married to a professional gardener,” Lisa adds, “means that you wake up some mornings and part of your garden is gone.”

The garden also evolves as the boys’ needs change. The playhouse, for example, used to be closer to the house, but was recently tucked into a leafy corner of the yard because Matt and Alex no longer need to be watched so closely.

“They weren’t using it in the same way,” Tim says. “They used to just go crazy out there, and now they use it in a pseudo-adult way; they read their comic books out there and just chill.” The playhouse’s unpainted timbers and surrounding screen of shrubs and trees add to the sense of it being a children’s hideaway, while making the structure less visible from the house’s main deck.

To provide space for active play, Lisa redesigned the stairs off the back deck – repositioning them to provide a place for the basketball court. The sunken area under the deck also provides a hard surface for activities like skateboarding and hockey.

Key to the success of both these areas is that they meld seamlessly with the garden – whether bordered by plantings or stone, the transition is smooth. But this isn’t necessarily good for neighbouring plants.

“The fact is, kids and dogs are bad for gardens,” Tim shrugs. Although foot-high wrought-iron fencing protects plants nearest the basketball court and other high-traffic areas, Tim says flexibility is the best way to stay sane.

“You can’t be really attached to, say, the blooms on an iris. I have a gorgeous bearded iris next to the basketball court, and without fail, the blooms get knocked off every year. The basketball lands in the middle of the peonies – it happens.”

“All you can do is give the kids some places that are definitely theirs, and others where they’re welcome,” Tim adds. “There shouldn’t be any no-go areas.”

It’s a philosophy that’s certainly worked for this family – and this garden.

Gardening with kids?
Urban Landscape’s Tim Folliott offers a few tricks of the trade:

Play ball. Basketball or other sports courts can be attractive and multifunctional. A brick patio can do doubleduty as a basketball half-court: create the play/patio surface using brick and border the edge in a contrasting colour.

Think water. “If you can find a way to introduce water - even if it’s a small water feature,” Tim says, “the kids will love it.” Be sure to take safety into consideration if your children are very young.

Plant a climbing tree. If you plant a tree when your children are toddlers, it will be ready to climb by the time they’re nine or 10. When choosing a tree, pay attention to its stature. “Trees are great to plant as ‘teenagers’ – skinny and lanky and full of potential,” Tim advises. “If you plant something larger, it will often sulk for a long time.” Prunus serrulata (Japanese cherry)(zone 5) and Acer rubrum (red maple)(zone 3) are Tim’s picks for climbing trees.

Plant a “birth tree.” Matt and Alex both have trees that are special to them – planted when each was born. Matt’s is a Japanese maple, and Alex has an apple tree.

Choose gravel. Tim used gravel underneath the playhouse because cats won’t use it the way they use sand. “When the boys were little, they loved to take their Tonka trucks out there and move the gravel around,” Tim says.

Give them a veggie patch. This is a great way to get kids interested in gardening – and maybe even in eating the vegetables they grew!

Copyright Andrea Bellamy 2005. First published in GardenWise.

To do: Coax Paperwhites

2005-11-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

There's something untoward about the term, "forcing bulbs." I always feel for the poor mistreated bulb: was it bullied? Terrorized? Coerced? That's why I prefer coaxing.

Whatever you choose to call it, forcing bulbs refers to the act of creating conditions that mimic nature's springtime, confusing the bulb in winter. My favourite bulb to coax is the paperwhite, or, Narcissus tazetta ssp papyraceus.

Paperwhites are so easy to grow and require only four-six weeks to bloom. And that makes now the time to plant for beautiful blooms (and that fragrance!) just in time for Christmas and Hannukah. You can plant them almost anywhere: in potting soil in a container, or in rocks in the bottom of any vase, bowl or container. The important thing to keep in mind is that the top third of these bulbs always needs to be above the soil/growing medium. My experience has been that the stems eventually require some staking to keep from flopping over, so this year I am going to try growing them in a tall, clear hurricane vase in dark, coarse sand. My hope is that the vase will support the stems as they grow while still displaying the blooms to advantage. I'll let you know how it works out.

Preparing for winter

2005-11-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

Today, a milestone. The first of many mornings with ice on the windshield. Joy.

In the garden, winter preparations are well underway. The bulbs are planted, the beds are tidied. It may be too late to plant a cover crop (also known as green manure) but according to Garden Organic, where you'll find a good month-by-month checklist, "whenever and wherever possible, you shouldn't leave soil bare overwinter as wind and rain will leach valuable nutrients from the soil, and weeds may thrive."

Hmm. I guess I should get on that mulching thing. Good thing I've got loads of gorgeous leafmold ready.

Galiano weekend

2005-11-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

Please excuse my absence: I've been without a computer - gasp! - for two whole days. Ben and I spent the weekend on lovely Galiano Island.

Galiano is part of the Gulf Islands, which lie between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Home to artists and artisans, farmers and small business people, they run on "island time," frustrating for those on a schedule, refreshingly laid-back for those who aren't.

Friends very generously lent us their cabin there - right on the waterfront! I could have watched the waves crash for hours on end. And while the weather wasn't great, I enjoyed the rain; it added to the sense of being hunkered down with nothing to do but read, knit, and eat great food. Tough life, eh?

I did manage to check out one garden while there, at a Bed and Breakfast called Serenity by the Sea. Being November, of course, the garden wasn't in top shape, but because a large part of its structure is defined by the stream that runs through the property, it was still lovely to look at. Check out the bathtub overlooking the ocean!

You can see more of my Galiano photos at my flickr account.

A different approach to flowers on the grave

2005-11-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

The Human Flower Project, a collaborative, international photo album and discussion of how people live through flowers, wrote yesterday about the Bolivian Fiesta de las Natitas, or, Day of the Skulls.

It's a modern ceremony with ancient roots. Think Mexico's Day of the Dead, but more, um, earthy. I found this just fascinating:

According to anthropologist Milton Eyzaguirre, the indigenous people of Bolivia’s Andes Mountains believe each person has seven souls, 'and one of them stays with the skull.' This particular soul can visit us in dreams and provide protection in waking life. On November 8th, the skulls are taken from home altars to a special mass for blessing...and are capped with crowns of fresh hydrangeas and roses, a spring rite long practiced in privacy and, more recently, a public observance of heritage and faith.

Though the Natitas (skulls) custom has been folded into Bolivia’s current day Catholicism, it possesses all the attributes of an older, more magical religion, one in which the dead and living maintain contact and ritual propriety reaps rewards of prosperity and health. In newer religions, the problem of fate is left up to a god, and typically flowers serve only decorative purposes. But there is an old and reasonable human inclination not to take chances; these more interventionist faiths use flowers to turn the wheel of fate favorably.

Via Pollenatrix.

Meet peat

2005-11-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Since the 1950s peat has been used by gardeners as one of the finest soil amendments for ericaceous plants (including heathers, azaleas and rhododendrons), as a mulch, and as a growing medium.

But peat is collected from wetlands, which harbour many rare and endangered species, and can take centuries to regenerate.

"In the past half century, 94 per cent of Britain's lowland peat bogs have been lost," says garden writer and BBC personality Monty Don. Which is what lead him to search out an alternative to peat.

He found it growing wild on his farm. Pteridium aquilinum, or, bracken fern, he says, is an excellent addition to compost for acid-loving plants. Trimming off the top of the plant for mulch and compost can also help bring the competitive weed under control without using chemical herbicides.

When I was a kid, I used to carefully "harvest" bracken, strip the leaves except for a frond or two at the end, and then use the poor fern as a "spear." Thankfully, I didn't completely decimate them, so my mom still has bracken growing everywhere. But what if you don't have access to endless bracken fern? Must you use peat?

In a word, no. Garden Organic has a good article on making your own peat-free potting composts. Peat alternatives, they suggest, can be made from the following:

Worm castings
Leafmould
Comfrey leafmould
Composted bark or fine-grade wood waste
Composted manure
Garden compost
Coir (a by-product of the coconut industry)
Brewery Grains

Chose your peat-alternative based on its planned use.

Next time you reach for peat, reach for bracken or coir instead; and save the peat bogs!

Via UBC Botanical Garden Weblog.

Guerilla Gardeners

2005-11-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

I've always been intrigued by the idea of guerilla gardening. Of resisting the concrete sprawl and challenging the ownership of vacant lots. It's not a new idea; the movement started in New York's Bowery district in the 70s with a landscape painter named Liz Christy.

She spearheaded the reclaimation of the streets by turning vacant lots into guerilla community gardens. More than 800 gardens moved neighborhoods away from crime, toward community action, better diets and cleaner environments. The gardens trained a generation of activists and spawned other environmental projects, in New York and overseas (Environmental Tipping Points).

The group experimented with tossing seed grenades, into vacant lots: Christmas ornaments and water balloons packed with seeds, compost and water.

I've always wanted to throw a seed grenade. I image it would feel exhilirating and a bit naughty. Whee! So it is my mission now to test this theory. And I have a perfect lot that needs beautifying. Except it's winter, so I can't grow seeds. Maybe I should do some last-minute guerilla bulb planting...

Top 10 Herbs

2005-11-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

Over at his Amateur Gardening blog, Stuart Robinson lists the ten must-have herbs from a chef's perspective. There's the usual basil, rosemary and oregano, but also lemongrass and even borage (I'll admit, I never knew what to do with borage. But that's why I'm not a chef).

Stuart, why no parsley? It's my standby. In fact, I think in all seriousness I could just plant parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme and chives and I'd be good to go. Of course, it's never limited to that. I always plant stuff that looks good at the nursery and then never have a use for it. I'd love to grow cilantro, and I do every year, but it always goes to seed faster than you can say Coriandrum sativum.

And I love to grow unusual edibles. I think, using the instructions here, I'll grow lemongrass next year.

New reason to justify a Prius

2005-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Toyota has developed a new shrub called Kirsch Pink. A derivative of the Cherry Sage shrub that is optimized for absorbing pollutants from the air, it is reportedly 1.3 times more effective at absorbing NOx, SO2 and other air pollutants than its parent stock.

The new plant, which flowers between May and November, also diminishes the urban heat-island effect 1.3 times more effectively than the Cherry Sage, according to the company. The shrub's main use is in green roofs.

Why, you ask, is a car company in the business of breeding?

Kirsch Pink is the work of Toyota Roof Garden, (one of the businesses in Toyota’s Biotechnology and Afforestation portfolio), originally launched as a way to mitigate the heat-island phenomenon that is worsening with time in Japanese cities.

Toyota sees a linkage between the automotive industry and the biotechnology industries in that both are aiming to achieve a sustainable society.

Via Treehugger.

Downtown Eastside residents find fulfilling work in gardening

2005-11-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Emerging Hope is a program that empowers residents of Vancouver's poverty-stricken downtown eastside by providing employment. Many are people who normally have difficulty finding suitable employment due to homelessness and addiction.

I spoke with a woman whose life had been changed by this program. She told me that, without Emerging Hope, she'd still be on the street. "It's hard to find a job when you're sleeping in alleys," she said. "No one wants you." Through this program, she's discovered a renewed sense of self-worth, and a love of gardening: "I love creating something beautiful."

Proceeds from sales of Emerging Hope services and products provide hours of paid employment. Programs include Wreaths of Hope, Baskets of Hope, and E-scape Landscaping Services. You can help by buying a wreath or basket, hiring E-Scape for yard work, or donating one or more of the items on their wishlist. See their website for details or call 604-873-9025.

Indoor composter

2005-11-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure I need the new Nature Mill indoor composter. Here's the scoop. Ben and I are moving into our new home within the next three months. And while I'm happy because it's the first place we've owned together, it's gonna be tiny. And the garden is going to be even tinier.

I've been struggling with the compost question. Where we live now, I have FIVE - count'em - five compost bins. But when we move...well, let's just say there won't be room for even the smallest compost bin. I brought up the option of an indoor worm bin, but Ben wasn't having any of it. But this is another story. Apparently it will take up to 5lbs of waste daily. There's no odor. It's clean-looking. And it produces a practically-endless supply of compost! I think this is love...

Via Gizmodo.

Leggo my Eglu

2005-11-03T12:47:00.000-08:00

I absolutely must have an eglu. Pleasepleaseplease, sweetie? I need it. And so will you, when you check it out. Here's what the omlet website has to say:

The eglu is a coop for the 21st century, featuring spacious open plan living for 2 - 4 medium size chickens or up to 5 bantams, it is a stylish and practical addition to any garden. Designed to be comfortable for the chickens and effortless for you, the eglu makes keeping chickens rewarding and fun.

The eglu offers a standard of living not seen before in chicken house design. It is fitted throughout with wooden roosting bars and an integrated nesting box with privacy screen to preserve your chickens modesty when laying an egg. The chickens are kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer, thanks to modern twin walled insulation. To make collecting your eggs easy, the eglu has an eggport which gives access to the nesting box

Available in five fantastic colours you can make a statement in red, be pretty in pink or keep it subtle with an eglu in green.

Upkeep of this fantastic chicken coop is made easy via the innovative slide out dropping tray and fully removable lid. Made from energy efficient polymers using modern construction techninques the eglu will last for years and at the end of its life can be 100% recycled.

Absolutely brilliant!

Via Horticultural.

Still blooming

2005-11-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

Despite my complaints about the rain, ain't it grand to live in zone eight? I must remind myself, I could be digging out from a snowstorm, like the folks in Calgary. Instead, I wander around the garden and capture its last hurrahs.

Passiflora caerulea

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate'

Rosa 'Bonica'

Pernettya mucronata

Come again some other day

2005-11-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

It's definitely autumn in Vancouver. I can tell because my biceps are becoming nicely toned from constantly carrying an umbrella, the bottom of my pant legs are always damp, and all I feel like doing is staying inside, curled up by the fire with a book.

We've entered monsoon season, and while I hate it sometimes, I know that next summer, we'll have another drought and I'll be praying for rain. Wouldn't it be nice to spread it out a little? I think I'll make a rain barrel, a lovely rainy-day project.

Or, I could buy one ready-made. The City of Vancouver has designed and manufactured their own rain barrels for use by residents for garden irrigation. Rain barrels are available to City of Vancouver residents only at a 50% subsidy (proof of residency is required) and the cost is $70.00. Accepted methods of payments are cash, cheque, debit or credit card.

The rain barrels can be purchased from:

Transfer Station
377 W. North Kent Ave.
Vancouver, BC
Phone: 604-873-7350

Jack-O-Planner

2005-10-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

So, you haven't carved your pumpkin yet? It's not too late, and now you don't even have to waste time being creative. You Grow Girl has a Jack-O-Planner, a fun little flash game that allows you to, well, you know, plan your jack o' lantern.

(For those of you who were too obstinate to read the instructions, you drop the pieces by hitting the space bar.)

Mushrooms!

2005-10-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

I have kind of a love-hate relationship with mushrooms. I grew up loathing them; being forced to try "just one more bite" before I could leave the table. Now I largely like them; shiitake, oyster, enoki... anything but the bland, styrofoamy "white mushroom." Oh, and they all have to be cooked before they cross my palette.

Nevertheless, I find myself wanting to grow my own. I love the idea of being able to harvest something as exotic and gourmet as shiitakes, or Chicken of the Woods for that matter.

As you can see from these photos, I actually do grow my own. Except I'm not trying to. And I can't eat them because I have no idea what they are and don't feel like dying from a toxic mushroom. But I love them! I don't understand why people want to eliminate them.

These make me want to find a miniature gnome or Smurf figurine and give it a home.

You can buy shiitake starter kits at Dominion Seed House.

Seed saving

2005-10-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

You Grow Girl, a website dedicated to - you guessed it - gardeners of the female persuasion, has a good blog. What's neat about it is that it's written by a dozen or so gardeners from around the world (well, North America, Australia and the UK anyway).

The most recent post is about seed saving, which I always find thrilling. There's something inherently satisfying about being able to perpetuate a plant you've grown. It's kind of addictive.

And, if you run out of seeds to collect and save, volunteer for the seed collector program at Van Dusen Botanical Garden.

Apple time

2005-10-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Apple season is in full swing here in B.C., which brings loads of fresh apples to our farmer's markets and grocery stores. If you came home with just two or three of the 30,000 lbs of apples that were sold at the UBC Apple Festival, you're probably going to want to check out All About Apples.

TastingMenu.com has a free online cookbook written by North West neighbour, Scott Carsberg, Chef at Lampreia in Seattle. All About Apples is available via free download. Scott says:

When I created this menu it was between September and October in the state of Washington. Apple orchards are everywhere, especially in eastern Washington. There are so many varieties of apples, and they all have different textures and flavors. I wanted to combine them, not so much in a theme menu, but in a way that takes advantage of the season. I just wanted to do something that was true to this area. Apples are one of those products we’ve always exported. They’re a commodity. But there’s more to apples than apple pie.

He proves it with recipes like Dungeness Crab wrapped in Red Delicious Apples and Pork Prepared two ways with Apple Cider Sauce and Pippin Apple Dumplings. Mmm mmm good! And such a fabulous way to celebrate the apple harvest.

Autumn Decay

2005-10-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Fallen

Clematis seed head

Naked Canna

Scarlet

Tired

I've discovered the digital macro feature on our new camera! Now I'm starting to build my flickr library. Stay tuned for more images.

Peanut butter plant

2005-10-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

To go with your chocolate garden... Melianthus major (Peanut butter plant). It's a weird, dramatic shrub with large, serrated leaves. And yes, it really smells like peanut butter. Zone 8.

Eggling

2005-10-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

From the Cute-but-impractical File: Egglings (from Japan) look and feel like a real egg, but are made of white porous ceramic. Kids (or adults!) just crack it open, add water and sun... and voila! Basil, thyme or Italian parsley at your fingertips.

Plants grow for up to five months in the eggling's fortified peat mixture, and can then be moved them to your garden or window box.

But it begs the question, doesn't it? Why not just use real eggshells? Let Martha show you how.

Buy it at Romp.

Via Popgadget.

Chocolate-scented plants

2005-10-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

Chocolate. Plants. Put 'em together and you've got one of the hottest trends in gardening. If it weren't enough that there are a number of plants with "chocolate" in their name, (Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' and Eupatorium rugosa 'Chocolate,' for example), there are several plants that smell like chocolate as well. Here are a few of the best.

Berlandiera lyrata (Lyreleaf Greeneyes, Chocolate-scented Daisy, Chocolate Flower)

Berlandiera lyrata is the most chocolately-smelling of all chocolate-scented plants. A night bloomer, so your garden will smell like cocoa in the morning. Zone 4-10. Full Sun.

Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate Cosmos)
A must have for the chocolate garden. Plants form a medium-sized clump of dark green leaves, bearing cup-shaped blooms of deep burgundy-red, with the distinctive fragrance of dark chocolate. Sun. Zones 8-9.

Akebia quinata (Chocolate vine, Five-leaf akebia)

A deciduous to semi-evergreen twining vine with a chocolate scent, - Akebia quinata has clusters of rounded leaves and racemes of captivating purple-brown blooms with a spicy fragrance. Warning: potentially invasive if left to own devices.
Zone 4 but deciduous in zones 4 through 6. Height 20' to 40'. Full sun.

Mentha piperita cv. 'Chocolate' (Chocolate Mint)

Chocolate mint doesn't really taste like chocolate to me, but lots of people claim it smells like a combination of chocolate and peppermint. Who cares when it's got lovely bronze-green leaves. 12-24" tall. Sun to part shade.

Gilia tricolor (Bird's Eyes)

This annual California wildflower is deliciously fragrant. Meadow plantings. Full sun. Height 3'.

(Now only if they tasted like chocolate...)

Chocolate Flower Farm is a Washington-based specialty nursery offering "chocolate" (scented as well as coloured) perennials.

Read more about scent in the garden in Scent for all Seasons.

The Hundred Mile Diet

2005-10-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Never thought I'd say it, but I've found a diet I can fully endorse.

Fellow Vancouverites Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon are halfway through their one-year committment to the Hundred-mile Diet. No, it has nothing to do with the town named for the hundredth mile on the gold rush trail (my mom, whose parents dragged her city-girl ass up there "to homestead" half way through her grade 12 year, has another name for that diet. It's called bitterness.)

But I digress. Smith and MacKinnon's diet is based around a vow "to live with the rhythms of the land as our ancestors did." For one year (they started with the spring solstice in 2005) they are only consuming food and drink produced within 100 miles of their home in Vancouver.

This may sound like a lunatic Luddite scheme, but we had our reasons. The short form would be: fossil fuels bad. For the average American meal (and we assume the average Canadian meal is similar), World Watch reports that the ingredients typically travel between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres, a 25 percent increase from 1980 alone. This average meal uses up to 17 times more petroleum products, and increases carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount, compared to an entirely local meal.

Their ongoing account is a thought-provoking and fascinating read. Their struggles (Does locally-milled wheat made from wheat grown on the Prairies "count"? How are we going to get through the winter?) and triumphs make for inspiring reading. It's humbling. And wish I could at least give up the evil banana.

Annual Annihilation

2005-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

Upon arriving at work this morning, I was incensed to see the landscapers ripping out the annuals from the beds at the main entrance. Those hapless marigolds. Those wretched salvia. Snuffed out in their (late) prime. "Totally unprovoked," I cried. "I mean, we haven't even had our first frost!" My carpool buddy was, at this point, looking askance and probably thinking I'd gone nuts.

But it got me to thinking. What is it about beds of "cheerful annuals" that sets off so many gardeners? (Why are annuals always "cheerful," anyway? There's something untrustworthy about that.)

Amy Stewart writes:

What is it that's so offensive to serious gardeners about carpets of annual bedding flowers? I think it's the waste. For the same money and effort, you could plant extraordinary perennial gardens, or even, for that matter, extraordinary annual gardens. Hey, if you're going to grow annuals, let's see a wildflower meadow. A pollinator garden. Vegetables! Herbs!

Amen.

Jane Perrone writes about her trip to the Butchart Gardens with similar feeling:

The planting in a lot of the gardens within the garden were a case of "bung in the annuals": as soon as anything starts to wilt or die off, it's whipped out and replaced with more temporary bedding. The result was a blaze of colour, certainly, but not particularly sustainable or likely to get a thumbs up from many organic gardeners.

Now, in (weak) defense of Butchart. First, I have to admit that even though I'm a Vancouverite and even lived in Victoria for five years, I've never gone to Butchart Gardens. But still I feel the need to point out that it is a tourist attraction (some might say misleadingly masquerading as a garden). At least that's how the locals see it. As the website claims, it's "fifty-five acres of wonderful floral display." And I'm sure the tour groups love it in all its theme-park-like glory. It should just come with a disclaimer for "serious gardeners."

Guernsey Lily

2005-10-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Perennials, a Vancouver nursery specializing in "Distinct Perennials, Fragrant Shrubs, Hardy Subtropicals and the Botanically Intriguing" sent this grey-day-defying Nerine bowdenii (Guernsey Lily) to my inbox. According to their e-newsletter, Nerine bowdenii is perhaps one of the most colourful flowers for the late September and October garden. Nerine bowdenii is the only semi-hardy variety (it's a South African species of bulb, so most are tender). Blooms in bright candy pink...Wants full sun and protection from cold. Zone 8. Read more here.

Fall container no. 2

2005-10-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

It's not as exciting as the other planter I made up at the same time, but I like the simplicity of this one (also with 50% off perennials from David Hunter Garden Centre ).

Clockwise from left: Hebe glaucophylla 'Variegata,' Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' (Dwarf Fountain Grass), Chrysanthemum Showmaker™ grandiflora amor, Brassica oleracea acephala (ornamental kale), Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag), and Viola (Pansy) 'Trick or Treat mix.'

Zoned out

2005-10-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

The Canadian Forest Service has initiated something called Going Beyond the Zones, a new look at the old plant hardiness zone maps. Their website states:

It should be apparent to anyone who digs into the matter that both the old, and new, zone maps have limits and have not been calibrated to the wide number of plant species of interest to Canadians. Any single, national formula is bound to have limitations. For example, a decrease in snow cover may be disastrous for some plants in one part of the country, but may indicate generally warmer conditions in another region that may help some plants.

I can certainly say that Vancouver's wet winters can be harder on some plants than the cold is!

Going Beyond the Zones aims to go beyond a single general map and develop climatic profiles for individual species of trees, shrubs and perennial flowers. These climatic profiles will be mapped giving an indication of the possible range of each species.

You can help by registering and providing your feedback on which plants grow well (or don't) in your area.

You can alo play with their interactive zone map.

Master Gardener course

2005-10-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, I'm thinking about studying to become a Master Gardener. There's an information session this coming Monday, October 17, at Van Dusen Botanical Garden, during which I will have to complete "a multiple-choice test on general gardening situations."

Alternatively, I could apply to the UBC garden design program for significantly more money.

Thoughts? Advice? Anyone undertaken either of these programs?

Thomas Hobbs' garden

2005-10-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Arguably Vancouver's most famous gardener and garden personality, Thomas Hobbs owns Southlands Nursery and has published two books; The Jewel Box Garden and Shocking Beauty.

I was lucky enough to visit his garden this summer on a Vancouver Hardy Plant Group tour and saw first hand the "jewels" that his latest book describes.

His is not a typical West Coast home by any stretch. Rather, it evokes the sun-baked villas of the Mediterranean, with its adobe-like finishing, tiled terrazzas, and tropical plantings.

Succulents fill pots and bowls, and even sprout from walls and ledges. The colours of the walls and the materials used in the house and garden all serve to enhance the Mediterranean theme.

The pond, here seen from two different angles, lends a Moorish influence and reminds me of the gardens of the Alhambra.

The beauty of it all really is, dare I say, shocking. Hobbs has certainly pushed the envelope here, and it works.

Vegetables that are pretty enough to hold their own

2005-10-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Scarlet Runner Beans

An edible landscape, simply put, is one that provides value visually and on the table.

There are hundreds of good-looking edible plants that you can easily tuck into your perennial borders, containers, or even as a stand-alone potage. And just think of being able to pick and eat vegetables that you've grown yourself. Now isn't that more satisfying than scoring the last Echineacea 'Mango Meadowbrite' on sale?

Here are just a few of my favourite attractive edibles:

Globe artichokes (If only they could flower and still be eaten)
Beets (choose Burpee's Golden OP plus a standard red like Kestrel for contrast)
Chard (Rainbow or 'Bright Lights')
Pumpkin (lovely broad leaves followed by autumn joy)
'Flying Saucer' squash (and they do look otherworldly)
Corn (although, if you can find a way to keep the squirrels from stealing the cobs, please let me know!)
Leeks
Lettuce (I usually plant a few varieties so they mature at different times)
Herbs! (Basil, parsley, oregano, chives, dill, cilantro, sage, thyme, mint)
Tomatoes (cherry, roma, field)

'Bright Lights' Swiss Chard

Red Currants

Take a cue from your Commercial Drive neighbours and grow grapes, figs and, yes, tomatoes. Plant peas or beans alongside your clematis. Scatter dill, parsley and marjoram seeds among your flowerbeds.

It's a style of gardening that might not work for everyone. It takes a tremendous amount of foresight and planning, and not everything grows the way you want it to. I guess that's standard in gardening, but at least with vegetables you can more-easily grow from seed. And that's something that's satisfying in and of itself.

More reasons to RIP OUT your lawn

2005-10-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

The lawns in the United States consume around 270 billion gallons of water a week—enough to water 81 million acres of organic vegetables, all summer long.

Food Not Lawns is an organization dedicated to encouraging and supporting people in replacing their lawns with edible flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other useful plants. "Or," they suggest, "what about turning your whole yard into an organic food garden and using a local park, school or natural area for recreation?"

We already use herbs - such as tricolour sage, for example - in our plantings. Why not introduce more edible plants next spring? View my suggestions for planting attractive edibles.
Food Not Lawns says:

Lawns use ten times as many chemicals per acre as industrial farmland. These pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides run off into our groundwater and evaporate into our air, causing widespread pollution and global warming, and greatly increasing our risk of cancer, heart disease, and birth defects.

Scary. And it's all just about changing our land-use philosophy from one of ownership and control to one of sharing and cooperation. And isn't that something we were supposed to learn in kindergarten?
Via Dirt by Amy Stewart.

I can see it now...

2005-10-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Black Lace™ arrives in select garden centres in spring 2006. Normally polite Canadian gardeners will be knocking over little old ladies in a bid to secure what will quickly become the latest "must-have" perennial. Some will be reminded of the 1983 Cabbage Patch Kid™ shortage.

Seriously, though. Black Lace™ elderberry (Sambucus nigra 'Eva') from ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs by Proven Winners® is going to be hot.

First, it's black - and black foliage is still very desireable. Second, it has a fine, lacey texture (comparable to that of a Japanese maple). Apparently, it also has beautiful pink blooms in early spring and summer. Then - get this - in the fall it produces dark black berries that can be used for making wine and jam or for attracting wildlife! You really can't get much better than that.

Use: As a stand alone accent plant, mixed in a perennial and annual border, in a container or even as a hedge.
Hardiness: To Zone 4.
Size: 6-8' high and wide.
Exposure: Full sun to part shade.

Learn more.

Fall container with Canine schnauzer 'Shadow'

2005-10-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

An amazing selection of fall blooming perennials (50% off!) at David Hunter Garden Centre allowed me to make up some stunning containers. I combined tall, red Carex buchanii (New Zealand sedge) with two varieties of Heuchera; 'Dolce Peach Melba' and 'Velvet Night,' Ophiogogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Black Mondo grass), Bracteantha bracteata 'Sundaze Golden Beauty,' Capsicum annuum (ornamental pepper) and Viola (Pansy) 'Trick or Treat mix.' Perfect for combatting those autumn blahs, n'est pas?

Even the world's smallest balcony...

2005-10-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't this be the perfect this for those teeny Juliette balconies appearing in new developments all over Vancouver? (Yes, Degan, yours too!)

The Leopoldo City Vegetable Garden is kind of a modern version of a window box or hanging basket, but waaaay more stylish. I like the double-decker styling, which provides more growing room for your buck.

Via Treehugger.

transcendental kitchen scraps

2005-10-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Bette Midler on gardening:

"My whole life had been spent waiting for an epiphany, a manifestation of God's presence, the kind of transcendent, magical experience that lets you see your place in the big picture. And that is what I had with my first compost heap."

From the marvelous Horticultural, Jane Perrone's organic gardening blog.

I heart edamame

2005-10-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

There's nothing better than a bowl of steamed, lightly-salted edamame (soybeans) with your beer.

Why not grow yourself an appetizer? West Coast Seeds, which I love because they're local (president Mary Ballon and I even went to the same Elementary School, albeit 30 years apart!) sells soybean seeds.

West Coast Seeds carries the 'Early Hakucho' variety, but Soybean 'Edamame' is good too, and then there's the oh-so-literal Soybean 'Beer Friend'. Here's what West Coast Seeds has to say about growing soybeans:

They grow well in ordinary garden soil. Plant in mid-September to early November in mild winter areas, 8cm (3 in.) deep just before the ground freezes. Weed between the rows of these over-wintering plants in the spring, and incorporate a nitrogen fertilizer to encourage early growth for a yield in June. Or plant in February. Set the seeds 12cm (5 in.) apart, 4cm (11/2 in.) deep in double or single rows 1m (3 ft.) apart. Providing stakes or strings between the rows may help control the plant’s tendency to fall over when bearing heavily. When aphids attack in May/June, pinch out the growing tip to stop further new growth on which the aphids feed. This helps the plant to mature the setting pods.

Then, I might add, pick when pods are plump and green, make yourself a batch, and pour yourself a cold one.

I feel like paella tonight

2005-09-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

Did you have any idea that you could grow your own saffron?

Saffron is the dried, bright red stigmas of the flower Crocus sativus, which is a relatively easy-to-grow perennial. According to The Farmer's Almanac, it grows well in Zones 6 through 9. It lies dormant all summer, then pushes its purple blossoms up through the mulch just as other plants are succumbing to frost. Cool.

Each blossom offers up to three scarlet stigmas. You plant the bulbs in summer and harvest the stigmas in fall.

A starter supply of about 50 bulbs costs about $30 and will produce about a tablespoon of the spice the first year. However, each year more flowers will grow, and therefore you'll get more of the spice. Ultimately, your investment will pay off. Fresh saffron threads can be used immediately for cooking, or they can be dried and stored.

To dry them, place on paper towels and leave for several days in a warm place. Then transfer them to an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place.

Saffron is a staple in the diets of Mennonite farmers in places such as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where gardeners have been growing it for centuries. Robin, you gotta love that.

Tomato blight

2005-09-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

The last few years I've grown tomatoes, they've come down with the blight (kind of the tomato equivalent of bubonic plague). What to do?

I had dinner with some Italian friends, and we had a rousing discussion of how to prevent/cure tomato blight, which dissolved into conflicting "true stories" involving home remedies and nylon stockings.

So I checked out the BC Ministry of Agriculture website, which provides some answers to your questions about tomato blight and offers some good advice:

- Grow tomatoes in a warm, dry, sunny area. If you have had blight previously, move to a different area if possible, or replace the upper soil layer since "oospores" will carry over in soil.

- Water only underneath the plants, not the leaves or fruit. Drip irrigation is preferable to watering with a hose, to reduce water splash. Don’t overfertilize or overwater.

- Grow on a light sandy soil if possible or cover soil with a white plastic mulch to increase soil and air temperatures around the plants and reduce humidity.

- Growing plants under an overhang or a clear plastic shelter will help prevent spores from being deposited on plants by wind and rain. But plants must be covered before infection has occured. Covering the plants after they are infected may raise humidity and make the disease worse.

Read more.

The Eden Project

2005-09-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? You know when, in sci-fi movies, an alien bacteria creates an inhospitable Earth, the heroes simply band together and create a biosphere-type orb out of plastic wrap that they can live in safely while repopulating the planet?

Tim Smit, co-discoverer of The Lost Gardens of Heligan, who I'm beginning to think is the most brilliant man ever, has now brought us The Eden Project.

It started as a crater, and is now home to over 100,000 plants representing three of the world's climate zones ("biomes").

"The Humid Tropics" (Rainforests and Tropical Islands) is the theme of the first biome (the world's largest greenhouse!), while "The Warm Temperate regions" (the Mediterranean, South Africa & California) are represented by the second biome. The third, or "Outdoor Biome", is a temperate zone where a range of plants from the India to Russia rub shoulders with the native flora of Cornwall, and the Atlantic rainforests.

I wanna go!

Feed the birds

2005-09-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

...Tuppence a bag... (now see if that lovely Mary Poppins song doesn't get lodged in your head).

It's officially autumn. Crisp air greets us in the morning, the leaves are blazing red and orange, and the koi are looking a little sluggish in their pond. It's also time to be thinking about feeding the birds during the winter ahead. The Canadian Wildlife Federation's excellent website, Wild About Gardening, has a wealth of resources to help you attract wildlife to your garden. And it's not just about birdseed and squirrel-repellent feeders, either. There's advice on meeting the needs of bats, bees, and birds through planting, providing a water source, shelter, a pesticide-free space, and just basically meeting the needs of wildlife.