Less than a week since Part 1, and there’s so much beginning to bloom that I don’t know if it will all fit in today. I was walking through the garden yesterday and a few were popping out, but a day later, WOW! I’ve been closely monitoring Redbuds (left) for the past several weeks, and…
My absolutely (almost) deer resistant garden
I love having wildlife in my garden. No lions or tigers, and no bears that I’ve seen, but just about everything else has visited or has a home there. But deer are beginning to annoy me, and my anti-gun wife is ready to open fire. It’s early April and deer have worn paths through the grass…
April’s not fooling around
April doesn’t fool around when it comes to flowers. Everything seems to be in bloom! Though the weather outside has been frightful for much of March, a bit of warmth turns the season delightful. Early in the month Redbuds remain in bud, likely to be a week or more behind schedule. But the Callery pears…
Don’t water your plants!
Over and over I read garden writers and landscape trade magazines that say native plants require less water because they are adapted to local conditions. What a bunch of hooey! Not to argue against native plants, but a native that is suited to wet areas will not survive in dry areas, nor dry in wet. Natives that prefer sun won’t thrive in…
Bursting into bloom – March 29
Temperatures have remained chilly through last week, but a few more daffodils are opening and the magnolias have given up waiting for warm days and decided to bloom regardless. On average Redbuds should begin to flower this week, but I doubt that will happen for another week (the picture below shows the swollen redbud flower…
Garden pics – March 21
Blooming plants are a bit late this season, though they are not bound by time schedules as most of us. Many early bloomers will range a couple weeks earlier or later through the years, and the cool, cloudy weather has pushed them later this year. If it warms up over the next week we’ll see some the…
Walk through the Landscape nursery
There is much more to the landscape business than the design and installation process. The exciting part is planting and building the patios, decks, and gazebos. The background work is not nearly so interesting, but necessary to get the work done. I wouldn’t dare bore anyone with a look over my shoulder on an average day in the…
When good plants turn bad
Yikes! There are thugs out there. Plants that want to rob you of your garden. This is not a debate about using native plants rather than foreign invaders. There are many fine native plants, but there are so many wonderful non-natives that it would be shameful to exclude them. I’ll try just about anything that…
Garden ponds in early Spring
There’s so much to do, and so little time. The easy part is planting and building, though not so easy at the time. Inspiration is likely the culprit, for motivation is easier in the doing than in maintaining. Now is the time to pick up and clean up, and I fear every year that I’ve…
Screening plants
Today I’m taking off my gardening gloves, and putting on my Meadows Farms landscapers’ hat. None of the photos below are from my garden, but from displays in our nursery and from clients’ landscapes. No doubt screening is a priority for most homeowners in developing their landscapes. Whether the goal is to give a backyard garden…
My favorite plants
These are some of my favorites in the garden, both trees, shrubs, perennials, and tropicals. ‘Ivory Silk’ tree lilac is a delightful tree with long lasting fragrant blooms and a full rounded leaf canopy. It grows a bit too large for small gardens. In contrast to other lilacs it seems quite happy to grow as a…
Japanese Iris
Back by popular demand today, more pictures less chatter. All the iris in these photos are Japanese iris, Iris ensata. All are growing in shallow water in the ponds in my garden, although they will grow nicely in the ground also. Japanese iris are said to be somewhat difficult to grow, but in my ponds…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 