Myrtle

Vinca minor, commonly called Myrtle is my mother's favorite plant. This common ground cover does well for me whether it is in sun or shade. It is a tough, low growing plant which blooms in the spring and is quite reliable without being invasive.

My mother first saw this plant many years ago at a friend's cottage on Torch Lake in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. She fell in love with the vast sea of this purplish blue color and has grown myrtle herself ever since.




So, in honor of Mother's Day, here are some pictures of my mother's favorite plant. I will always have a spot in my own garden for this lovely ground cover so I can think of my mother when I am out in the garden. Happy Mother's Day mom!

10,000 Steps a Day

The great thing about gardening is the good exercise you get, and you may not even know you are getting it. I wear a pedometer to track how many steps I take in a day and after spending time in the garden yesterday I came away with 7,000 steps without even knowing it! I try to walk 10,000 every day so it was nice to get these steps in so easily.



It took forever this year for the asparagus to come up, but finally I was able to have some for supper today. About time!

The daffodils are still going strong, a little later than usual.

Of course the grape hyacinths have decided to join the land of spring, and the early tulips came out a couple of days ago. I decided to plant onions today so I guess I can say spring really has arrived in mid Michigan. I was wondering if I was going to have to wait until 2012 to see it.

Spring Continues

I spent a lovely weekend with friends in Berlin, Ohio, the heart of Amish country recently. We were just enough south from where I live to enjoy some tulips, grape hyacinths and redbuds which were in bloom.

Still, spring has reached Saginaw, Michigan and we are in the midst of daffodil and hyacinth season. I do wish it were just a bit warmer. I certainly don't sweat when I am out working in the garden these days.

Let's hope the snow is finished for the season and that onions and potatoes will get planted someday soon.

Bluebells and Other Spring Flowers

When I looked outside this morning, I might have thought spring hadn't come. There was frost and ice on the deck and it crunched beneath my feet when I braved the cold and dared to go outside. Of course the Pulmonaria told me otherwise. Yes, it may not feel like it, but according to my garden, spring really is here.

What I like about bluebells is, well, the fact that they are blue. True blue flowers are a bit rare in the garden so it is nice to have this color in April since it is my favorite color. Not maize and blue, just blue. I like green too of course, I have to as I am a gardener. But blue, well that's the color for me. And I have a lot of it right now. Of course I am calling on Mother Nature for a bit of warmth too!

Crocuses in Bloom

I am a sucker for crocuses since they are what bloom first in my sunny Saginaw, Michigan garden. And it is always nice when the snow goes away and I can actually see them.

This has been a year for snow in Saginaw though I don't complain since I like to ski. But after a world weary winter I am ready for life of the garden variety. Let's me know that I too am kicking!

Need to know how to plant crocuses? Search for them at the Ohio State University PlantFacts Database a great resource for avid gardeners.

The hyacinths are poking through as are the alliums. Want color? Plant bulbs. Want to eat? Plant bulbs. Onions that is. Bulbs are an all purpose sort of plant, to eat or not to eat, well that is up to you. Just make sure they are safe from the squirrels who like to dig them up.

Snow in April

I know I live in Michigan and I can expect spring to lag behind the rest of the nation, but old man winter has had enough fun this year. Yes we got more snow yesterday. On top of what we already had. I am so ready for spring.

So I guess that is what ornamental grasses are good for. Winter interest since winter doesn't seem to want to end this year. One has to have something to look at when yet more snow falls. My crocuses were in bloom but I suspect they are weather beaten now.

That doesn't mean I am not an optimist. I have started tomato and pepper seeds, many heirloom varieties and the kohlrabi has peeked through along with the leeks. Soon, I keep telling myself, soon.

Get the Kids Involved!

As a child, one of my favorite activities was going to grandma and grandpa's farm in Allen, Michigan. Allen was a small town (population 500) back then, and even smaller today (population less than 300). But it was the "at" place for the Donnelly grandchildren. And because of that experience, this is one child who grew up eating and liking vegetables. I am convinced there are two reasons for this.

First, I did it myself. I podded the peas, I shucked the corn. And I LIKED doing it! Go figure. But I think doing it myself connected me to those veggies and I was far more likely to taste them than if I had never done anything.

Second, and most important of all, homegrown veggies taste better. I think we all want children to eat their fruits and vegetables. But do we ever wonder why they don't eat them? Well, I have eaten one too many mealy tomato so I know why they don't eat them. They don't taste good when the most important thing about them is how long can we make them last. Homegrown veggies don't need to last as long as the ones from California and Mexico. And that's why they taste better. If they taste good, children are going to eat them.

Anyways, that is the gist of the vegetable gardening presentation I did for the Child Care Providers workshop conducted by the Public Libraries of Saginaw. This was a new venture for me, but I am hoping I convinced a few people that if they didn't have a vegetable garden it was about time they put one in!