Whole Life Gardening

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – May 1

It rained today and I rejoiced. An inch or water in the rain gauge! Thank you, thank you, thank you. It was my day off from work and I’m nevertheless celebrating that a constant rainfall delivered just over an inch of moisture to my gardens. It is spring, and the plants need this rain in order to grow. As I write this I look out over the trees, shrubs and perennials that grace my property and I can actually feel their gratitude join mine.

It’s also the first day of Gifts From The Garden Month. This is a month-of-May daily reminder of 31 ways we benefit from gardens and gardening. If you think it’s just about a pretty landscape, think again.

Today is May Day, a traditional time of celebration in many cultures. It’s a day to rejoice in the season of renewal. To my mind, the energy of rejuvenation extends from the garden into all aspects of our lives. For those living further south this occurs earlier in the calendar year, and for those further north, a bit later this month.

Rain and the season of regeneration are completely linked. We need several natural elements to come together in order for revitalization to occur. Sun, rain, and longer days combine to stimulate growth.

Some may complain when rain dampens their plans, literally and metaphorically. It’s important to remember that although it might occasionally be inconvenient, rainfall stimulates growth. Embracing this knowledge is a gift in itself.

Gifts From The Garden Month asks us to consider the myriad of ways we benefit from our surroundings, rain or shine.

Some of the cutting garden is waiting to be planted with annuals and zinnias...other perennials such as the peonies and tulips are heavy with water today. To me, they look wet and happy.

May 1st, 2012 | Tags: gardens, gifts from the garden, rainfall, spring | Category: Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Comments (1)

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 30

On Saturday I planted over 150 perennials. In the past two weeks I’ve gotten treasures from Digging Dog Nursery, Avant Gardens, Plant Delights Nursery, Skagit Gardens, Forest Farm, Bluestone Perennials and Munchkin Nursery delivered to my door…my cup runneth over. So Saturday was planting day, and with the help of my CobraHead Cultivator I got about half of the perennials in the ground.

I also did some writing and finished a few Photoshop pieces including the Deer post below. That graphic prompted one of my blog readers to notice that I’d done something similar on April 19^th, and he wondered if this was a new direction for Whole Life Gardening.

Not a new direction, I replied, but just another place to plant.

Life is like a garden: it’s never finished and always filled with opportunities for growth and change. Something new catches our eyes, or we notice a previously unseen space that could use a transformation, and we’re off and planting.

I believe that each and every individual has the ability to make positive contributions and such openings are constantly available to us. All we have to do is keep our eyes open and be available for the myriad of possibilities.

We can start each morning asking, “Where do I want to plant today?”

Each plant develops according to its nature, but no matter its size, form or speed, growth happens.

April 30th, 2012 | Category: As I See It, Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Leave a comment

April 28th, 2012 | Category: As I See It, Garden Reports and Rejoicing | Leave a comment

Garden Reports and Rejoicing - April 27

April 27th, 2012 | Tags: dandelions, flexibility | Category: flummoxed on friday, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Comments (4)

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 26

I worked out this morning in the best gym and spa in the Northeast. I lifted weights, got my heart rate up for extended periods, and did many squats over a three-hour period. Some of the time I was focused on my body, but there were periods of meditation and contemplation as well. This AM workout left me smiling all afternoon, even as my arms ached and felt fatigued. It’s true that physical exercise lifts your spirit while it works the body.

The time flew by because the air was fresh, I was visually entertained, and the relaxing music of bird songs played in the background.

Once I was done I headed toward the shower, pleased with my workout and what I’d accomplished in my surroundings. This morning’s gym was my garden, where I dug, weeded, planted and pruned.

No matter what’s happening in the economy, gardening is an investment that provides tremendous dividends. I spent three hours working in the landscape and came away with many of the benefits of a spa vacation.

Five years ago I planted Heuchera 'Pinot Gris' in three groups of three. This year I was left with three groups of two, so I dug up the middle pair and added them to the others so that I now have two groups of three. Part of this effort was digging weeds I encountered along the way, and editing out patches of Sedum alba.

Several plants came down from the test garden into the front garden, including Hypericum 'Olivia' and Achillea 'Pineapple Mango'. I planted them with handfuls of charcoal from the wood stove and alfalfa pellets.

April 26th, 2012 | Category: Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Leave a comment

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 25

It might seem like what is blooming in the garden in late-April is nothing compared with the summer to come. Those who love to cut flowers and bring them indoors might already be dreaming of zinnias and dahlias, and planning to plant a cutting garden. Fair enough, but cut flower lovers don’t have to wait.

I spent the day with florist Barbara Chinsky Cohen, working on a book proposal. We raided Poison Ivy Acres for things to cut and arrange, and came up with a wealth of material. Once you start looking, the spring landscape is filled with arrangement opportunities.

Isn’t this also true of life? Once you start looking, there’s treasure everywhere.

We staged materials on the kitchen table.

The bucket of Daphne 'Summer Ice", Korean Spice Viburnum and 'Otto Luyken' cherry laurel almost needed no arranging...but Barbara did improve on this storage bucket and made something WONDERFUL.

'Cameo' quince is a must-have for the spring landscape, and now I know it's a must-use for indoor arrangements.

April 25th, 2012 | Tags: cut flowers, cutting garden, spring | Category: Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Inspiration, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Leave a comment

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 24

Whenever I speak to a conference where there are feedback forms to be filled out, I usually ask to receive the results. Although most attendees tend to fill these reviews out in the most general terms, some get more specific, and this is useful information for the presenter.

Of course I have a tendency to ignore the 258 rave reviews and the 89 helpfully critical comments. No, I tend to remember the one person who said, “Meh.” Note to self: snap out of it.

My spring garden is exploding with life. Most of the plants are of my choosing, but some are self-seeded and others are weeds. Tonight I took my camera into the garden determined to focus on the setting sun and how it illuminated emerging perennials and bulbs. I reminded myself to feel the energy and put my attention on the miracle of renewal and accomplishment.

In life we’re always presented with opportunities to see the weeds, concentrate on the shadows, or to focus on whole with emphasis on the light. I want the latter.

There are weeds in this garden, not to mention a couple of plants that are less-than-triving. But where does the evening light fall? On the plants that warm my heart. No, we should not ignore life's weeds, for then they take over. There is a way, however, to illuminate the positive while making those improvements that are necessary.

April 24th, 2012 | Category: Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens, Perennial Maintenance | Comments (1)

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 22

Driving from the Cape to NYC yesterday was like traveling two to three weeks into the future in a four-hour drive. In southern Massachusetts the trees are just breaking dormancy, and the first-to-bloom shrubs are still vibrant. Yellow forsythias and purple PJM Rhododendrons draw the eye while the trees mostly contain just a light blush of foliage color.

Further south, the leaves were out on the trees, the now forsythia green not yellow, and the second round of spring flowers in bloom. I saw a huge lilac hedge filled with purple blossoms as we drove through Westchester.

A friend of mine walked the Appalachian trail from south to north, following spring in the opposite direction. No matter which way you experience this transformation, there is something pleasing about realizing that this unfolding is not just happening in our own gardens. The same progression is rolling from south to north, a dance of renewal that happens every spring.

It’s nice to be a part of something so large, dependable, and universally appreciated.

Not a great photo but given that it was taken out the car window at 55 mph, not so bad. And no, I wasn't driving while shooting this picture.

April 22nd, 2012 | Tags: cycles, spring | Category: Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Comments (3)

Garden Reports and Rejoicing – April 19

April 19th, 2012 | Tags: life, quotes, weeds | Category: As I See It, Garden Reports and Rejoicing, Life's Gardens, my gardens | Leave a comment