A Good Life

Yesterday as I was walking the exercise path I created through and around our landscape I took a break to count the rings on a walnut tree just taken down. The tree was right on the fence line of our property and the farm behind us, and since it was rotten about one-third thru it was necessary to take down for safety.
The rings tell so much of the trees life. Their width tells a good year for growth and marks can tell a year that it substained damage. This tree had a life of 137 years, and I so wished it could speak to me about those years past.

Over the past few weeks I have been putting many of our flower beds and island to rest for the winter. The mulched leaves are providing a perfect blanket for the shrubs and flowers. Added benefit is that as they decompose they will provide nutrients in the spring.

The winter brings a whole new look to our landscape, and I have enhanced the arbors and paths with approx. 1,200ft of xmas lights. So as dusk comes our landscape becomes a lighted winter wonderland creating a magical feeling as one strolls about in peaceful wonder.

Our next project will be to install a aerator in the pond so that the Koi will have a sufficient about of oxygen thru the winter as they hibernate.

May your landscape provide you some winter wonder.. for each season has a beauty of it's own!

Today as I am raking and adding to a new 10ft x 15ft compost pile #3 I am becoming well aware of our vast variety of plant material. Over last seven years I have added many different species and genus to our landscape.

Along with the fact that our landscape backs up to a farmers Oak savanna once used as pasture for cows. I miss seeing the cows grazing in the savanna, for it added much charm to our rural setting.

The leaves that I have gathered thus far (common names) come from maples, ash, walnut, oak, butternut, cherry, mulberry, and elm. While the leaves from shrubs include hydrangeas, lilacs, forsythia, viburnums, chokecherry, witch hazel, and dogwoods.

This wide variety along with the evergreens give the birds a natural food source and protection in a natural habitat.

Our pond at present has a tented net over it at , but still there is access to water at the water fall for birds and mammals.

For the past two weeks I have been chipping branches and leaves for compost. The organic material has been added to several of my island beds. I also have two rather large compost bins which have been filling up rather quickly.

My point being is that the natural nutrients from these decomposing plant materials are a great source for the shrubs and herbaceous plant material in my gardens. Thus simulating a rather natural woodland bed.

Fertilizer with man made alternatives is fine to a point, but nothing beats natural decomposition as a nutrient for growth and production of flower.

May your composting efforts be worthy of time spent to gather and let time produce nutrients for your gardens.

Fall is a great time for transplanting , pruning, and dividing. So if you have not already given time to propagating by dividing. Time to take out fork and shovel to help out over crowded beds.

I am working on a site that has river rock as their mulch. After removing two dead shrubs I have suggested replacing them with a hydrangea x paniculata 'limelight' and a hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'.
The concern I have is that the hydrangeas prefer a acid soil and the rocks provide too much alkaline along with heat. I will amend the soil with organic material and fertilizer for acidic plants, however, if given the choice I would much rather mulch them with a hardwood mulch. This would retain moisture and provide them with nutrients needed over the long run.
I use all sorts of rock as accents in my gardens to provide different textures and to stop run off, but given a choice would always lean to use of hardwood mulch for the plants.

This past week we have received over two and half inches of rain which has resulted in many shrubs drooping from water. Seems the balance of water for a landscape is a never ending concern. Too little or too much can both have a significant effect on the performance of both shrubs and perennials. I am always pleased when I see plants that can adapt to the conditions given wet or dry along with hot or cold. Thus survival tis result of adapting to environment in which placed.

My grandfather who was a farmer in Iowa once told me when I was young that we must live with the weather not to fight nor complain about the weather. Wise words which I try to live by the best I can in this ever changing environment.

Thus we must just try to retain balance on our landscape and in our life!

Today as I am planning for a garden party at our home I was reminded of effect lighting can have on a landscape.

I just hung a light over our table on our deck. The light is a soft yellow bug light that has a warm feeling as one sits to eat or chat.

This week I will be hanging party lights with cans and xmas lights... just remember that down lighting or up lighting can really highlight a landscape. The spot light that I installed to shine on the waterfall at our pond creates a mystical mood.

So keep in mind that lighting is a real bonus to any landscape feature!

The mystery to lost Koi was revealed two days ago as I was weeding and cleaning garden behind pond. Within less than ten feet a dark furry critter scampered by me into the raspberry patch. I was not sure so I looked it up in my wildlife book and on google. To my surprise it was American Mink. Since they can dive to depth of sixteen feet my poor Koi had little chance of survival.

My gardens are planted with design in mind to create a very Natural setting, and thus we attract quite the variety of wildlife. As we enjoy the interaction of life within the gardens we must remember that birds and animals live by instincts.

May you enjoy the beauty of Nature within your own gardens!!

Today I built two stone benches at a firepit lakeside. They were built to compliment a arbor and outdoor room with shrubs, perennials, and mulched path just completed. As I was finishing the mortar on benches I was once again reminded of how well different textures compliment each other.

When designing a garden never forget the importance of texture as you blend the leaves of a plant with wood and stone. A natural blend is much more pleasing to a person's eye than boring repetition.

Somehow there is more serenity to a garden or park when it is more near natural than straight lines and sterile. May you find serenity in your own gardens, for if built with spirit in mind they can be also a health benefit for mind, body, and soul.

This past week we have had about three-quarters inch of rain. Tis great for the gardens when Mother nature does the watering. As for her timing it could not have been better for gardeners such as myself, for the rain came during the night.

Our pond was ravaged during the night by some unknown predator, and thus we loss five Koi to the natural food chain. Since it is just part of nature's natural plan must accept and replace them.

In my gardens this year I have had to transplant many perennials that were into their third year, for they had multiplied. Given the right 'home' perennials thrive and multiply. So fellow gardeners relocate them or PASS the beauty on to others to plant in their gardens. This spring I shared some Monarda with a neighbor and it was a treat to see joy on her face.

Enjoy the summer blooms for weeks ahead!

I have been dead heading my perennials that have been fading to extend their bloom time. Though it takes time to dead head the perennial flowers the rewards are well worth the effort.
So reach for your clippers and proceed to extend the bloom time of your favorite early bloomers.

My rosas and roses have been given their second systemic/fertilizer to promote blooms and protect from powdery mildew/black spot. Seems roses are like teenage youth they require plenty of food for their growth and to bloom.

This time of the year it takes a good eye to know when your plants require watering. Too little is bad for plants for they may go into distress, however, too much is just as bad. So let your trees, shrubs, and flower beds speak to you ...'Water me or Not'.

May your gardens provide many blooms and joys as our season proceeds thru summer into fall.

June 21st
Today I pruned the peonies back taking off the heavy past prime blooms to allow space in the garden. The surrounding phlox paniculata will greatly appreciate my work, for they prefer air flow around them. One of the major cause for powdery mildew on phlox is the lack of air flow.

I also pruned up the Blue Muffin Viburnum to allow understory plantings enough light to bloom.
It always amazes me on how fast plants can fill in to maturity, just like children they are small young plants turn around and they are full grown.

Pruning and dead heading are two chores that reap many rewards so feel free to clip..clip!

The cooler weather has allowed me to transplant many of my perennials that have outgrown their designated place. So early mornings my shovel has divided many and gave them new homes in empty places provided by NEW garden beds. Ah the joy of perennials the multiply so readily.

Last week I helped a elderly neighbor divide Siberian iris which she then kindly gave many to me.
In return I walked home with gift only to return shortly with three varieties of Monarda 'bee balm' for her garden. Remember fellow gardeners there is much joy in sharing Nature's beauty!
Rachel

June has arrived with a slow start for my many May/June blooms. As a gardener and a designer one thing that we can never count on is the weather. This year 2009 has thus far been colder than most years. This has caused many of the plants to bloom almost two weeks behind normal bloom time. As a landscape designer this can really upset my plans for transition in the gardens.

Another unexpected weather twist is the rainfall which has been far more than our normal Spring. Which has given has many overcast cloudy days, and reducing necessary BTU's for plants to germinate.

So in essence I am saying never count on the weather in our Midwest or any where else as being a constant. We must learn to work with what ever our weather is at the given time. May your 'Blooms' whether late or on time give you many joys!
Rachel

Yesterday before I left to install a garden for a homeowner I pulled 500 garlic mustard from various places on our landscape. I know that my persistence will prevail and keep them from going to seed. A little at time is better that putting one's arms up in despair and giving in to their need to occupy space in unwanted beds. So remember your other plants will appreciate your efforts as you remove invasive garlic mustard.

The garden that I installed yesterday was a cut flower bed that had transition of blooms the entire summer with colors of yellow,white, and pink. It now with provide beauty to them both outdoors and indoors throughout the summer.

We had a mild frost last night which only proves that the weather in Illinois (Midwest) even in May is quite unpredictable. Though the perennials and shrubs can handle it any tender annuals or vegetables that were not covered may have had a short life in 2009.

Enjoy your spring of 2009 and just take the weather as it is sunshine , rain, or (cold ..brrr)

My day yesterday was in maintenance as I repaired and cleaned any bird houses in need. Then weeded all our paths while transplanted any seedlings that had made a inappropriate home. I would not want the young tender plant children to be trampled.

Next I edged around the flower beds with my straight shovel to create the clean neat trench that I can mulch later today. I am not one to put in the plastic edging or metal, for in my opinion the grass just grows under being as persistent as it desires to spread.

Our pond has been inundated with tadpoles, and thus any cleaning will be delayed till they are bigger.

My loyal and reliable chipper will be put to use today, and then I will use my leaf/wood mulch to give all the beds a healthy layer. This will help them retain necessary moisture to thrive.

I am a little late on amending my roses this year with systemic fertilizer, for I generally like to have it done by end April.

To my fellow gardeners remember a little time and care will have immense hours of pleasure in reward as you gaze upon the blooms provided.

I returned last night from a week of creating landscape beauty on a magical piece of property in Fish Creek, Wisconsin (Door County). Long days of hard work as we created a granite fence wall on both sides of the entry drive each having shrubs & perennials to create a very country look. Many other projects completed that gave me as a designer very much satisfaction.

Today I told myself would be a day of rest, however, as I strolled our property to observe all the blooms that arrived while I was away GARLIC MUSTARD caught my eye. I just took a break after pulling over a thousand. Then some ferns were begging to be transplanted away from the edge of the yard.

It seems to me that gardens are like young children always in need of tender care and love!!

Today I planted two Witch Hazels one vernal and one common in the woodlands. Then I found old semi-rotten logs to accent followed by accents of Trillium, Mertensia, Bloodroot, and Trout Lily. I know that the spring native plants shall only last a short while, but i find joy in recreating what nature has done in the past.

I can only imagine what our property here in northwest Illinois would have looked like if i could have strolled through the woodlands and oak savannas one hundred years ago. With all the construction of new homes over the years the native plants have been at lost for ground to thrive in.

May you be fortunate enough to view our native Illinois plants in a habit that shows their beauty!
Rachel

Spring Has Arrived!

Today as I walked our woodland path I was ecstatic to see that the Mertensia 'Virginia bluebells' and the Trillium were blooming. Spring has arrived here on our property officially.

I also spent time once again pulling up garlic mustard so as not to invade new beds along with the fact it was trying to crowd out some established woodland plants. My persistence shall prevail in the long run!

Transplanted Trillium

This morning I transplanted 40 trillium to a new woodland garden in midst of viburnum. Now I just wait patiently for them to multiply and naturalize. Saved from the lawnmower and I feel like a successful rescue was completed.

Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses

Today I went to do maintenance on a rather large prairie garden I installed which takes some hands on time. While I was cutting down the prairie grasses I was thinking of homeowners who have installed ornamental grasses.

Thus I recommend NOW is the time to cut back if you have not already done so, and then you will not cut new growth. As you cut them back you will note green for the grasses are emerging with our warmer weather. If you are like me I enjoy the grasses through out the entire winter as they wave in the winter wind.

Gooseberries & Garlic Mustard

This morning I mulched all nine new viburnums from Fall 08 plantings, and also mulched/fertilized 7 gooseberries. The gooseberries are a excellent food source for the birds. However, I remember my Aunt Edith on her Iowa farm gathering gooseberries to make a pie.

As I have been for the past two days continued the task of removing garlic mustard from beds that have needed tending. At this point this morning alone I reached number 600 pulled/dug, and I never ever put them in the compost pile. Instead they are placed in a plastic bag to be disposed of with trash.

Spring cleaning of the gardens is a joy for me, for that is when I see my shrubs & perennials coming alive for the season ahead. May your gardens also be finding rejuvenation so that they may give you blooms that provide many days of joy.

Pond Waterfall Cleaned & Running

Got the pond waterfall going today so it's all set for migrating birds to arrive. There was still ice on top, so got stepson Blake to use a sledgehammer and break it up so we could remove some of the debris that had fallen in.
We also cleared dead trees from the new lot and prepared the campfire area for future bonfires and marshmallow roasts. Raked leaves out of the beds and broke an "unbreakable" rake in the process! Piles of leaves and branches await to be chipped when our chipper comes back from repair. The hammer inside broke, and the vibrations caused pieces to break off inside and come flying off at me! A frightful experience! Luckily I was able to shut it off with only a minor injury on my shoulder.
Tomorrow I'll work on the compost bins. Need to enlarge them with new fencing and stabilize the supports.

Scattering Snow

This morning I have thus put 42 wheelbarrows full of snow around the hydrangeas and viburnums planted Fall 2008. This will give them the moisture they so need to start the Spring season. Still more snow to scatter. The compost & snow will provide a good organic bed for future understory perennials.