Whole Life Gardening

Report From PIA – March 11

Last Sunday I spoke about perennial bed maintenance at the Chicago Flower Show, and tomorrow I’ll give the same talk to the Cape Cod Master Gardener’s Backyard Horticultural class. Needless to say, this has me thinking about maintaining perennial gardens and how this relates to other things we want to grow.

I call my talk: Perennial Maintenance: The Need To Do, The Nice To Do and The Nuts To Do. Basically, weeding, editing and annual soil amendment with compost are needed, mulching, deadheading, fertilizing and dividing if needed are nice to do, and depending on what you plant, disease control and staking are nuts to do.

What we have to do in a perennial garden greatly depends on which perennials we plant. Those that spread or die quickly are more work, and the species that stay fairly contained, are sturdy enough not to need staking, and are disease resistant are low-maintenance.

If we use the right plant in the right place, it will grow well and demand less from the gardener. Even when we put each perennial in the proper location, however, we need to constantly tend to the garden.

This blog would be more popular if I talked about how easy gardening was, or claimed to give the “secrets” of low-maintenance landscaping. The problem is, there are no secrets, and gardens take work. Ditto life.

Still, if we think of our lives in the same way as perennial bed maintenance, if we classify everything as a Need To Do, Nice To Do or Nuts To Do, everything is a bit more manageable.

Some cut down perennials as soon as the frost hits them, while others leave the plants in the garden all winter. There is no one right way... everyone should decide on the maintenance method that works best for him/her.

March 11th, 2010 | Tags: perennial maintenance, perennials | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA, my gardens | Leave a comment

Report From PIA – March 10

It was the third day above fifty degrees in this area, and it’s amazing to see how the plants are responding. As I walked around Poison Ivy Acres with The Dog I saw emerging tips of daylily foliage, blooming crocus and many weeds. The chickweed and assorted grasses are green and growing, despite nighttime temperatures that dip into the twenties.

I also spent some time in the car today, driving to the garden center, the bank and the post office. During these errands I found myself frowning at a woman who pretty much ignored a stop sign when I had the right of way, grumbling at a member of The Slow Drivers Society, and cursing at the guy in a pickup truck who was riding my bumper. I realized that I am, without a doubt, a cranky, judgmental driver.

All of my frowns, grumbles and curses do nothing to improve others’ driving habits, nor do they do anything to enhance my day. What would happen if I treated such less-than-perfect drivers as if I knew and loved them? I wouldn’t be grumbling and swearing if I knew that one of my sons was behind the wheel of that other car.

I’ve resolved to try to smile and wave with recognition when I come across such drivers in the future. Why? Because it will enrich my experience, and I’m sure that like a pebble tossed in the pond, this will spread like ripples in the water. If everything is connected to everything else, it’s far better not to put more crankiness into the world.

The weeds and crocus in my garden find a way to grow and flower given the smallest encouragement of three sunny days, and despite below freezing nights.  Why couldn’t I do the same? I just have to find a way to put those crocus into my car as a reminder…

I should print this photo and hang it in my car...

March 10th, 2010 | Tags: crocus, growth, spring | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA, my gardens | Comments (1)

Report From PIA – March 9

I was parked next to the Osterville Library today as a landscape crew was doing their spring cleanup. When I pulled into the space the noise from the leaf blowers was so loud I was afraid for my hearing should I step out of the car. The man who was swinging the blower back and forth was wearing ear protection, but, silly me, I didn’t happen to have any in the car.

Within two minutes my car was filled with petrochemical fumes, and I didn’t know which would be worse: opening the door and making a dash for the post office while holding my breath, or staying in the car and waiting for the crew to finish and leave. I hate leaf blowers.

We all have days when we feel powerless or a bit overwhelmed. Tasks pile up and become much more complicated than we’ve envisioned, and it seems that a simple quest for assistance is met with faulty voice-recognition software or an unending menu of “If you want x then press one! If you want y, press two! If you want…”

Can you tell that this is the type of day I’ve had? I dearly wanted to be out in the sunshine cutting down grasses and rounding up leaves with an actual, quiet, hand-powered rake, but it was not to be.

So how does my dislike of leaf blowers mesh with a trying-to-take-care-of-business-but-getting-pretty-frustrated-at-every-turn-day? Here’s what I think: leaf blowers offer people the illusion that things can be easy and without cost. It is a fantasy to think that using a tool that’s noisy and burns gasoline (non-renewable, toxic fumes) is without a price.

Similarly, it’s delusional to think that every day should be completely productive, let alone easy. We are not powerless, but sometimes the power we have is to put our expectations of ease aside and deal the best we can with robot-operators or other minor annoyances.

I am still, however, interested in banning leaf blowers.

Looking at this photo of a garden at Parc de Bercy in Paris reminds me that if we're planting on less-than-hospitable land, there are ways to make it plantable. Breaking up a steep slope into smaller steps can help.

March 9th, 2010 | Tags: connections, flexibility, planting for the future | Category: Life's Gardens, Pet Peeves, Report From PIA, products I hate | Comments (3)

Report From PIA – March 8

I arrived home from the Midwest late this afternoon, and as always, felt grateful to be back at Poison Ivy Acres. It was above fifty degrees, so it felt as if spring is near. Notice I said near not here…I may be glad to be home, but I’m not delusional.

Since all but the most shaded traces of snow have melted, I’m able to see the winter-worn landscape in full. Broken grasses, aster stems and the grayish remains of various perennial foliage are everywhere. The gardens need some serious cleanup work before the new growth appears.

Do we need to always remove the old before something fresh can grow? I am, of course, talking metaphorically here…I’m wondering if old habits need to be fully broken and banished in order to begin new behaviors. Or, like the spring growth in untended woodlands and fields, can new behaviors and practices arise out of routines and lifestyles that no longer serve us?

Perhaps the renewal we seek in our lives is like what we see in our gardens and wild areas: sometimes the old has to be removed in order to fully appreciate the revitalization, and other times the new life force covers and is fed by that which is no longer living.

This is just a very small sample of the old grasses and perennials that fill the beds at Poison Ivy Acres right now. Spring cleaning is very much needed...

March 8th, 2010 | Tags: clean up, growth, out with the old, spring | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA, my gardens | Leave a comment

Report From PIA – March 7 – On Assignment In Chicago

Most people who came of age in the late 60’s and early 70’s are familiar with the phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally.” There is great wisdom in this slogan. As individuals we may not have the power to make sweeping improvements around the world, but we do have the ability to create profound improvements in our immediate regions.

As gardeners this saying has meaning on several levels. I spoke to Chicago area gardeners about perennial bed maintenance today, and was thinking about the many ways tending perennial gardens is the same no matter where we live. All gardeners have to pay attention to weeds, for example. There are some plants that I who live on Cape Cod can grow that Midwest gardeners cannot, but over all, our experiences are the same.

“Think Globally, Act Locally” also speaks to what we do in our gardens. This thinking affirms that the products and practices we choose for our properties have ramifications beyond our own backyards. We are aware that the plants we put in our yards can effect ecosystems positively or negatively, and it’s our responsibility to select wisely.

Traveling to different areas of the country, and speaking with gardeners in other regions, reminds me that we are all deeply connected, and that these associations can add up to something great.

March 7th, 2010 | Tags: act locally, connectedness, connections, think globally | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA | Leave a comment

Report From PIA – March 6 – On Assignment in Chicago

I walked though the Chicago Flower and Garden Show today, enjoying the many exhibits and, of course, all the colorful flowers. It wasn’t the gardens that wowed me today, however, but the table arrangements.

Although the theme is a table setting, these compositions aren’t your average china and silver settings with a centerpiece. No…they’re an imaginative riot of flowers, plant material and color. All of these over the top, creative works of art made me smile with delight.

These arrangements clearly conveyed the pleasure that those who made them felt in their creation. Those who designed and built these displays clearly had fun. Don’t we all do better work when we are enjoying our efforts?

This reminds of the Guy Clark song that goes,

You got to sing like you don’t need the money,

Love like you’ll never get hurt.

You got to dance like nobody’s watchin’,

It’s gotta come from the heart if you want it to work.

Whether we’re planting gardens, writing blogs, or creating a display for a flower show, when it comes from the heart and we’re enjoying what we do, that spirit and pleasure comes through. So our challenge is to think about how to bring more fun and heart into everything we do.

Hairspray was the theme of this table, and it was a romp through the world of hair. Curlers, wigs, and hairy floral creations, along with humorous place cards, made this entry laugh-out-loud enjoyable.

Mosses, pebbles, and flowers, flowers, flowers were combined in this enchanting table display.

Broadway shows was the overall theme of this year's Chicago flower show, and Little Shop of Horrors was celebrated on this table arrangement. All of us who have occasionally felt that our plants are a little too demanding can relate.

March 6th, 2010 | Tags: enjoyment, fun, heart | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA | Comments (1)

Report From PIA – March 5

It was sunny in central Wisconsin today, but I understand that it was snowing at Poison Ivy Acres. Throughout the country, be the skies clear or cloudy, we are all itching for spring. Yes, we want to go out without coats, see bulbs in bloom and prepare for summer gardens. But I think that underneath all of this is a longing for renewal.

I don’t know about you, but I want rejuvenation in many areas of my life. I desire revitalization in my writing, speaking, and marriage. I want to be spiritually restored.

It is truly possible, I believe, to use the energy of the spring season, that force of rebirth, in these and all other aspects of our lives. The first time I was made aware of this was in the 1980’s, when we lived in New York’s Hudson Valley. Early one morning I went out on my deck and stood gazing at the woodland to the side of our property. All of the wild shrubs and trees had the faintest blush of new, green growth.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of energy running through me. It was as if I’d gulped down a dozen cups of coffee. I gripped the rail that ran around the deck, and looked at the plants, somehow knowing that they were sending this force my way. I knew that we might not feel the same physical liveliness every spring, but we can tap into the powers that are inherent in each season.

We’re not just pleased about the approach of spring because we can plant, wear fewer clothes, and see flowers. We anxiously await this season because if we pay attention, we can absorb and use this powerful energy of renewal.

No, this is not how it looks in Wisconsin or at Poison Ivy Acres. This is what we long for. Epimedium and daffodils...oh, yes.

March 5th, 2010 | Tags: energy, longing, renewal, spring | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA, growing the spirit | Comments (3)

Report From PIA – March 4

One of my favorite tender container plants is Euphorbia ‘Sticks of Fire’. I’ve had it in a pot for about six years, putting it out in the summertime and inside for the winter. As I drive around my hometown today, and read emails about last night’s blog, I thought of this plant.

When I first put this plant in a pot it was small but quite interesting. I had no idea that it would grow to be a sculptural, colorful plant that was even more fascinating. Similarly, when I was young, growing up in this Midwestern town I’m now visiting, I had no idea of the many places life would take me. I couldn’t possibly imagine the interesting people I would meet, or how some of my paths would curve back to connect with those I knew as a teenager and college student.

I know that many of you feel the same. We walk down our garden paths without knowing the rewards or difficulties that the course of life will lead us to. But if our eyes are open, we see an adventure filled with tremendous growth, connections and beauty.

Here, in the orange pot, is the second year Sticks of Fire Euphorbia. A nice container plant to place among others.

Now in a blue pot, this Euphorbia is three feet tall and wide. It is more a specimen plant than one of a group at this point, and I'm delighted with how it has developed and grown.

March 4th, 2010 | Tags: gratitude, growth, paths, planting for the future | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA, my gardens, plants I love | Leave a comment

Report From PIA – March 3

There are as many ways to design a garden as there are species of plants, and every gardener has his or her own personal style. From formal, symmetrical layouts with crisp brick paths to mingling grasses and flowers in almost-wild meadows, we each have our preferences and desires.

I love to see or walk though many types of gardens, and absolutely believe that there isn’t one right way. Yet I personally respond positively to gardens that have a mix of recycled stone, brick or concrete to offset the plants. There is something about the combination of static and growing, hard and soft, new and old, and less than perfect that pleases me.

Perhaps this is on my mind because I’m visiting the area where I spent a good portion of my youth, but where I haven’t lived for over forty years. Whenever I return I see what has changed and that which remains the same. Today I had the opportunity to spend some time with someone I went to school with, and talk about the directions our lives have taken us.

For many of us, life is a great deal like that hodgepodge stonework that I so appreciate. We take the jumble of our experiences and put them together in what order we can, working with what’s fixed and developing, combining the fresh and the almost forgotten. We recycle, cultivate, and create our individual paths and gardens.

This one from Molly Ward Gardens on Bainbridge Island, WA.

March 3rd, 2010 | Tags: connections, creativity, garden design, recycled stone | Category: Life's Gardens, Report From PIA | Comments (2)