The Garden Buzz

The "Golden Hour" at P. Allen Smith's 2013 Garden2Blog

Beer bottles clink and laughter rises under the monumental oak that stands sentinel before the Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm. Garden bloggers chatter and whoop, someone picks up a chicken and poses for a picture. A gathering of musicians strum and bow at the periphery. It is a testament to P. Allen's easy-going attitude to entertaining, a well-orchestrated but effortless hospitality I wish I could pull off in just a small way someday.

I've wandered away from the party, camera in hand to go back down the garden path to capture the evening light as it washes over the pavilions that punctuate the flower borders, espaliers and edibles. The gardens are empty, the vistas are clear of visitors and sound is muffled below the terraces. It is a time I've come to treasure in my second time at Garden2Blog. It's the "Golden Hour".

The golden hour comes twice a day for photographers, right after sunrise and just before sunset. It is that fleeting moment when light is soft and diffused; shadows are longer and colors are warmer. Ordinary scenes are transformed, extraordinary ones transcended. 

I run into Allen coming out of the house and I confess I'm sneaking back for a few photos. I don't add that, "I need a little break". You see, I'm an introvert. Actually I'm an adapted introvert. I'm better at speaking to a group of 200 than three people at a cocktail party. Sometimes I'm just plain awkward. After two days of enjoyable but intense socializing, I'm looking for the exit so to speak. 

But don't get me wrong. I am so grateful for these times at Garden2Blog. Once you see the scope of Allen's work, the breadth of his knowledge and the attention to detail, it's not hard to think you're witness to a modern-day Thomas Jefferson. Beyond that it's a priceless chance to meet all your blogging peers and peeps, exchange ideas and see what's up in the gardening community. 

This year we talked about how the way in which gardening knowledge is shared has changed or been lacking in recent years, how the inter-generational chain of information has missing links. I'll be adding my thoughts in the next post. 

For now join me on this stroll through the gardens while I re-charge. I'll head back to the party in a while, ready to eat dinner and tap my feet to the band. 

An allee of irises, shades of Monet's Givenchy?

The circular lilypond is a favorite of mine

Evergreens at attention

 

Pavilion interior

Wisteria blooms on the posts of Allen's painting studio

Grasses glow along this border

 A path beckons beyond the "rose bowl", a rounded area filled with fragrance

 

 

 

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Snow Long, I'm Leaving...for Garden2Blog13 at P.Allen Smith's Place

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: May 15, 2012

Those of you used to my lush gardens and luscious photos may be disappointed this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

It's been a week since we moved into our temporary abode. Back at our old house (and gardens) I bet there are blooms in abundance; purple lollipops of alliums, bright shades of Mandarin Lights azaleas and fragrant rugosa roses to name a few. But that's in the past. I am officially in limbo, a horticultural lull I'm still getting used to.

As is the case with rental houses, there are few flowers, a couple of May Night salvias are struggling to bloom in the shady front yard. Two troughs of pansies leftover from the "house staging" are all that's going on this GBBD.

Pansies on the front porch                               The Garden Buzz

Did I bring some plants with me besides the pansies?

Well that's a sore subject. Sometime this week I'll be doing a blog post on "How Not to Transplant Tree Peonies". Otherwise I dug up a few small shrubs, roses and hydrangeas with permission from the new owners.  (I hope to place them in the new gardens once our house is built.) Two clumps of the irreplaceable mystery alliums followed me here. And last but not least a half dozen alpine strawberry plants are now edging what I'm calling the "Make-Do Kitchen Garden". More on that soon as well.

The good news is that my new neighborhood is chock full of gardeners. And if I ever finish unpacking boxes I'll be once again "borrowing" blooms for GBBD. In fact there might be a late installment of bloom day since a short walk down the street today revealed some irresistible irises.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: April 15

                                                                                The Garden Buzz

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May according to Shakespeare, but it's still April. Other years I might be trudging through snow, but the crazy early spring of 2012 has me on my hands and knees trying to steady the camera while a stiff breeze stirs the buds on the branches, the tiny blossoms above the leaves.

In keeping with the diminutive theme I brought out the macro lens looking for the softness of petals, a ruffle, a starburst, the structure behind the bloom.

Baby bleeding hearts                                                        The Garden Buzz

 Redbud buds                                                              The Garden Buzz

 Daffodil 'February Gold'                                                  The Garden Buzz

 

 Tulip bud above stripy purple foliage                          The Garden Buzz

Blueberry blossoms                 The Garden Buzz

Does anyone know this fruit blossom?

 

The ground-hugging bloom of wild ginger 

 Red currant blossoms                                               The Garden Buzz

 Sweet smelling pachysandra flowers

And can anyone guess this harbinger of spring?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: February 15

Once again while I'm down south for winter, I am "borrowing" blooms for GBBD. Hope you don't mind. 

One of my favorite past times is poking around old cemeteries. It's more about history and heart than the macabre. My daughter found this secluded cemetery when we made a quick return trip to Charleston for some J. Crew and another round of shrimp and grits at the Hominy Grill.

Down a shady, narrow path, tucked among the shops on King Street, you enter a cemetery much different than many in the low country. Often the graveyards here are a contrast of bare dirt and billowing azaleas; draped in gray Spanish moss with hot pink flowers popping against aging stone.

The Unitarian Cemetery at Archdale Street is lush with flowers and vegetation, the greenery knitted together almost as if to hold the leaning stones and crumbling tombs together against the slow passage of time. What a hidden gem.

Cemeteries are known to be the repository not only of souls but that of tough and sometimes long-forgotten plants. I would love nothing more than to spend a year researching all the species thriving in this intimate space. With only a few hours, I settled for a stroll among the late-winter and early-spring flowers.

Spring snowflakes, (Leucojum vernum) , the "poor cousin" to Snowdrops (Galanthus)

As I find so many southern plants I can't grow up north, I made a mental note to plant some of these delightful little bulbs next fall. Hardy to Zone 3! The little white petals on these bell-shaped blooms are tipped with a spot of green, resembling little fairy hats.

These old-timey narcissus literally glow in the soft golden light of late afternoon.

I did do a little research later, coming to the conclusion this variety of daffodil is a southern heirloom called Grand Primo, harking from the 1800's.

 

 A soft pink, single-flowered camellia by this inviting bench

A recently planted, young Edgeworthia chrysantha, commonly known as paper bush, this may be the cultivar called 'Snow Cream'.

The unique blooms are cherished for their lovely fragrance.

Azaleas are just beginning to bloom

Not flowers, but still noteworthy, ferns of all sorts.

Toppled stems blanket these graves

The church and cemetery have survived a fire, an earthquake and hurricanes. The damage is still seen here and there. Large trees fell on many of the graves crushing stone and ironwork.

Even with all of that turbulent history, it seems a peaceful resting place. The kind of place where a gardener might want to turn in her trowel.

Inspiration for Spring 2012: My Latest Window Box Photos from Charleston!

Who doesn't love a window box? Considering the popularity of last year's post on Charleston window boxes, not many. Charleston is an easy 2-hour trip from Savannah, a hop, skip and a jump to a whole 'nother horticultural paradise. You might remember my first visit there last year and the garden tour photo fiasco.

After that I decided all the window boxes on the street were fair game, and occasionally I poked my camera through the conveniently-spaced bars of a wrought iron gate. This year I followed a similar plan and saved myself those $45 tickets! Sorry Charlie, I mean Charleston, no photography, no tour.

Charleston is known as the Holy City due to the large number churches, and seeing all the majestic spires rising above the historic district, I can see why. But I think it should just be known as the Pretty City. Even the people are pretty. So many of the women walking on King Street have that pulled-together look of Parisian ladies. And the men, well, nobody rocks a bow tie like Charleston men.

Anyway, here it is February and Charleston's spring window boxes are already in fine form.

It may be too early for many of you to start planting window boxes, but it's not to soon to be inspired by these beautiful plantings.

Enjoy....

Love this fresh green/white combination, notice the sedums.          The Garden Buzz

 

Cyclamen, torenia, kale and alyssum; the yellow bloom on the kale sets off the gold lettering so beautifully 

 Ivy, lobelia, violas and some spiky thing in cheerful orange and blue shades

A storefront box with foxtail fern, dragon-wing begonia, is it an animal theme? 

The street was perfumed with this alyssum arrangement, I suspect it's the prolific, new 'Snow Princess' from Proven Winners. 

Viola, rosemary, holly fern and snapdragons along Church Street 

Begonia and ivy just taking off in this box attached to magnificent mansion 

Edible landscape: Window box filled with herbs in another storefront planting      

 These red shutters and scrolled ironwork set off this new planting

 And these green shutters complement the white petunias and and orange violas

 Simple pansies look like little smiling faces.

If you can't get enough of Charleston window boxes, I suggest Southern Living garden writer, Steve Bender's (AKA The Grumpy Gardener) blog post showing more window boxes at their summer peak. I especially like his window box "recipe"..

Join Me on an Early Morning Walk?

Don't worry I'm not walking for any kind of cause. You can join me without forking over a donation. I was just out wandering around, like I do, seeing what I could see. I'm used to heading out each morning to see what's going on in my garden. Here I can partake of the greater communal garden that is Savannah. 

I go on and on about the hidden gardens of Savannah I long to see, but in spite of my constant complaining, there's plenty of gardening right on the street to enjoy. 

Of course, if you want straightforward, pretty pictures of Savannah scenes, I'd suggest you buy one of the hundreds of books for sale about this city. When I go walking I'm on the lookout for a unique perspective and sometimes a one of kind moment.

I never know what I'll find. And if I don't find it that time, I keep a mental note of how the light might work better at another time of day, whether a bloom or shadow might be more fully developed the next time, you know.

And then there are the moral dilemmas...there's a fading bouquet of magenta roses on a table, in a mansion, that keeps their drapes open, showing off their gorgeous white upholstered furniture right at eye level. And this bouquet from through the wavy glass, well it's weighing on me as potential photos I covet sometimes do. I could go back tomorrow when the light is the same but then all the churchgoers across the street will see me. Hmm. The next day the roses might be gone.

Of course, with the iPhone, photos like these are easy and discreet. Here's a little glimpse of what I encountered this morning:

I hadn't seen this vining curtain-like window box before.

Love how these ferns just spring out the brickwork.

An odd assortment of things outside an antique store with an aloe bloom bonus.

I always think this courtyard looks forlorn and in need of some love, I used the "antique" filter to emphasize this. Wish I could tend it for them.

Always amazed at the different ways this creeping fig is used, love the garland effect.

Ok, one pretty garden picture. This is a favorite of mine, in May this fence is festooned with yellow Lady Banks roses. Dreamy.

The camellias have a few weeks of blooming left. I've got just a few weeks left down here too. If I were the kind to use sad-face icons, I would insert one here.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: October 15, 2011

This Bloom Day caught me by surprise! It's a chilly, breezy autumn day in Minnesota, feeling normal after a year of unseasonal, atypical (but, hey, what's typical anymore?) weather.

A quick and cold tour of the garden finds dribs and drabs of color and hangers-on sputtering out a final attempt at carrying on the species. 

Time to put our kayaks away. Long shadows and golden light.      The Garden Buzz

Pee Gee Hydrangeas take on that antique shade of rose               The Garden Buzz

Shasta Daisy "Becky" flutters in the breeze

The rugosas have recuperated from Japanese Beetle damage

A lone delphinium defies the windy weather                   The Garden Buzz

Last of the dahlias                        The Garden Buzz

Hydrangea "Incrediball" aging into vintage green

This snapdragon looks unfazed by anything

Backlit seedheads of Joe-Pye Weed shining bright

A sleepy bee clings to the last of the zinnias                               The Garden Buzz

Winterberry "Red Sprite" hints of holiday things to come               The Garden Buzz

Always a melancholy mood in the garden this time of year. 

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for the one and only original Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Bob Saget? No, Bog Sage, Really.

Still wit gathering, but you can get a bit of the 'Buzz' over at Herb Companion magazine. I've just added this beautiful herb with the unfortunate name to my herbal wish list. Click and read all about it.

Coffee No, Cappuccino Yes, Rudbeckia That Is

I'm not at all about coffee, no matter how macchiato, but I'm all over this new perennial, Rudbeckia "Cappuccino". 

Rudbeckia "Cappuccino"                                                  The Garden Buzz

Every year Renee's Seeds offers a selection of free seeds to garden writers, it's a generous gesture with no strings attached. They do hope if we find something that wows us, we will write about it. Well here goes...

I planned to get back into seed starting in a big way this year. Going back to my roots you might say. As life has gotten busier and more complicated, I've turned to nursery-grown plants more and more. Yet I missed the thrill of coaxing tiny seeds into beautiful flowers and vegetables.

I asked my husband to construct a simpler version of my old seed starting set-up. He put together an inexpensive metal shelf with flourescent lights and voila, I was back in business.

Of course, I tried to restrain myself but as always my eyes were bigger than the time and space I had in the garden. This is nothing new to gardeners growing from seed. Furthermore I had to leave town several times and ask my son to water the seedlings. Although he watched over them faithfully some suffered from overcrowding, but this Rudbeckia was unfazed. 

In the meantime, the place I had planned to plant "Cappuccino", a new berm, wasn't finished yet, so as they grew bigger, stockier and full of buds, I put them in temporary holding pots that received sporadic care while other life-y things happened. 

With more traveling to do, I decided not to do any fall containers. But a trip to the nursery for shrubs found me wandering into the discounted tropical plant area, you know, those 75% off, sad-plant, orphanage-like, no man's land populated with crispy bougainvilleas and yellowing ficus trees (I bought one and now it's thriving).

Looking perfectly healthy and happy, some Heavenly Bamboo with alternately blue-gree and apricot foliage beckoned to me, and I could swear I heard them saying, wouldn't we look great with those rudbeckias and that millet you bought too many of too?

Cappuccino with friends                    The Garden Buzz

I had never bonded with my large summer entry containers, so I was easily swayed. Keeping the helichrysum and huecheras, then adding the bamboo, millet and rudbeckias, gave me a late summer to autumn transition that makes me smile each time I pull in the driveway now. And eventually they will get planted in the new berm.

The point of all this:

Rudbeckia "Cappuccino" is a gorgeous large-flowered rudebckia that comes in a mix of lovely russet, gold and mahogany with a chocolate brown center. The compact plants are dominated by the prolific blooms. It is drought tolerant, and in my yard, even neglect-tolerant, holding up to wind and less than regular watering. Butterflies love it. Best of all, they are in the easy category for seed starting, and that isn't always the case with perennials.

A much better value than Starbucks and calorie-free to boot.

Pleasant Surprises and News of the Strawberry Fields Project

Pulling into the driveway on Saturday I expected to find my garden all turned to black mush after the predicted freeze. Instead I found the garden much like I left it, only a little more mellow from autumn's first chilly weather. And other pleasant surprises...

The rampant Virgin's Bower had draped the William Baffin roses and Tollymore spruces with thousands of white star-shaped blooms. That wine-red dahlia finally flowered.The PeeGee Hydrangea panicles had taken on more of that soft shade of vintage rose. The zinnias were still blooming and taller than ever, and without any deadheading, lots of those spent flowers with that yellow corona to lend interest. Best of all, Monarch butterflies fluttering all around them.

With frantic cross country instructions for my husband to pick all the tomatoes left, I had a counter full of Costoluto Genovese, Cherokee Purple and Clear Pink heirlooms. 

Down in that low spot where the Heritage raspberries thrive on benign neglect I spied ripe berries, enough to fill a good-sized bowl. 

If you've been following the great strawberry growing challenge of the summer, you know no one can pick a strawberry without keeping count. Even though the contest ended, my husband reported 30 more smaller berries from the three, now tattered and exhausted  Stark Tribute plants. Enough little gems to combine with the raspberries for a rustic berry tart.

And...speaking of the Corona Tools Strawberry Fields Project, the most pleasant-est surprise was the small white box waiting for me. YES! I won the iPad. I found out at the GWA conference but was afraid to say anything until I saw it. I can't wait to get it "initialized" and start exploring all of its iPadian wonders.

I thought for sure my formidable competition, fellow garden blogger, Shawna Coronado would be the winner. With her winning smile, abundant energy and huge following, she is a force to be reckoned with. The Corona Tools people tallied all the criteria and found us in a dead heat. They flipped a coin and I got lucky. So here's a tip of my gardening hat to Shawna.

Thanks so much to the good folks at Corona Tools. What a fun challenge, I learned a lot myself while teaching others to grow food in the smallest of spaces.

Thanks to Stark Bros for donating the Tribute strawberry plants as well. For many years I drove past Stark Bros in Louisiana, MO on my way to visit family. On the hill is a white barn with a painted black bear, proclaiming Stark Trees Bear. That's so true.

And damn, if those strawberry plants don't have a dozen more larger berries (and many babies) ripening as I write!