Plants on the Loose

 

Okay, this is a case of do as I say, not as I do. There is a reason those seed packets tell you to space your plants apart at a particular distance. Just because they don't seem to take up much room in May doesn't mean your garden will look the same way in July.

 

My problem is I look through the seed catalogs during the winter and I want one of everything. I may not buy one of everything, but I make a pretty good effort at this. Unfortunately I live in the city on a small city plot and there isn't room for one of everything. But I start seeds from all the varieties I have and then make every effort to find room for them. This is not a good idea as zucchini tends to hide anyways, and if it hides too long, well, it might just grow to be bigger than you.

One way to grow more in a smaller space is to grow vertically. I grow my cucumbers on a trellis so there is room for more and also to keep the fruit off the ground. It works pretty well, but of course the zucchini which is planted in the same bed likes to mingle with the cucumbers.

 

Oh well, it's a jungle out there and I guess I am the queen. But queen of my garden jungle is the only kind of queen I want to be as it means I will be eating good once the fruit of the vine comes along.

Coreopsis : Plant Profile

A few years ago I started some Coreopsis by seed. Coreopsis is a perennial that loves the sun. I started a few plants and now I have plenty more. It is long blooming, providing continual flowers since the first yellow blossoms of June. 

And best of all, this variety called Sunburst is drought and heat tolerant. I have lost several plants this summer due to the drought and 100 degree temperatures, but not this coreopsis which just kept going, seemingly unaffected by the miserable weather. Coreopsis is definitely a keeper, and since I started it from some free seed, it's pretty darn cheap as well. The bargain hunter in me just loves this plant.

Here Come the Veggies. You be the Judge.

This past week I spent a few days in Hillsdale County, Michigan where my mother grew up. I was checking into some family history and met up with a third cousin, once removed. She had plenty of photos of the Riley family to share with me.

Mary is the daughter of a farmer, the granddaughter of a farmer and wife of a farmer. Her farmers have all passed on, but she is still going strong. We managed to talk about soy beans, plants drying up due to the heat and no rain and of course the harvest.

Today I managed to pick some peas past their prime, kohlrabi, broccoli, cucumbers and zucchini. Time to make some more humus so I have something to dip the kohlrabi in. And perhaps a broccoli rice casserole.

Or perhaps not. I sure don't want to turn on the oven today. Yes it is supposed to get into the 90s and although we did actually get a tiny amount of rain last night the garden is still dry.

Dry, but still producing, and that is what it is all about.

Gardener on the Roof

Last week I had the good fortune to meet some old friends for dinner at the Traffic Jam, one of my favorite restaurants in Detroit. This restaurant has been around since 1965 and includes a microbrewery, bakery, dairy and their own rooftop garden. The menu advertises ingredients grown on the roof, and if you ask them,they will lead you up a rather old staircase to the roof where you can see what they have growing up there.

 

Corn, tomatoes, peppers and herbs are all started in the recently built greenhouse that is also on the roof. And anything not growing up there, but still used in the restaurant is probably grown in the community garden that is visible from the roof down the street from the restaurant.

 

The dairy produces cheeses from local milk. And there is something on the menu for everyone, whether you prefer something vegetarian or a burger, you will go away satisfied. So the next time you are in Detroit and it is too hot to sit outside listening to a concert (what we originally planned to do), go out to dinner and put the Traffic Jam on your list of restaurants to visit.

Double Duty

If I can use something over again in my garden, I do. This saves me a bit of money and makes me think that I am smart (ha ha). After doing some bathroom remodeling I put the old mirror into the garden so the birds could enjoy looking at themselves.

Old cottage cheese containers have a hole cut out in the bottom and get used as collars to protect my pepper plants from cutworms.

And even the alliums get extra life after the flowers are spent. I take a can of spray paint and have instant garden adornment. This is a cheap way to keep your garden interesting, and as I am always looking for ways to be frugal, a can of spray paint fits the bill.

Monet's Gardens at Giverny

Several years ago (when I was somewhat young) I had the opportunity to visit Monet's Gardens at Giverny with my mother. For an avid gardener this was a trip of a lifetime and as we were there in May an iris lover's delight. The irises were in full bloom and couldn't have been lovelier.

I took many photographs while we were there, none of them digital nor did they do justice to what the garden feels like when you are standing in the middle of it. Only Monet could do it justice in my opinion, but here are a few of the photos I took.

The place to go for Monet of course is the d'Orsay Museum assuming you can make a trip to France. There are several museums a bit closer to home that have some of his work though if France is a bit too far. Every time I have been in Washington DC I have made a point to visit the National Gallery just to see the impressionists.

Best of all though is to go to France and visit both the museum and the garden. That is what my mother and I did.

I returned home with every intention of trying to recreate what I saw with the irises.Needless to say, I failed. Last year I dug up the purple irises and planted some yellow irises instead in hopes of defeating the iris borer that has been plaguing me for years. The yellow irises I have seem to be more resistant to the borer so I think I may be on to something, even if it doesn't recreate what I saw at Giverny.

Giverny is divided into two parts, a flower garden called Clos Normand in front of the house and a Japanese inspired water garden. These two parts of Monet's garden contrast and complement one another, sort of like my mother and me. My mother takes her time at things and does them right. Me, well I am always anxious to get stuff done.

We do get along and had a wonderful time on this trip. And I currently always keep myrtle in my garden as it is my mother's favorite plant. Mom's memory is not what it used to be so it is nice to reminisce about this happy time I had with her. I didn't have a bucket list back in 1998 when we made this trip, but I am pretty sure I can still add this garden to it. If you ever get the chance, I suggest you add it to yours.

Move it or Lose it

When I visit my parents one of my goals is to get them walking so they exercise their muscles. If we don't use the muscles in our body they tend to get weaker, making it harder to do the things we need to do in this life.

The move it or lose it axiom also stands true for the plants in my garden. I planted this tiny campanula in a spot that was plenty big enough for it -- between the lamium and the lady's mantle. Well, most gardeners might tell you that probably wasn't the best spot for it as the lamium spread out from the south and the lady's mantle spread out from the north and I was constantly cutting both plants back to give my poor little campanula room to breath. This year I decided enough was enough. so I dug up the campanula and placed it in a spot all it's own between these two columnar apple trees I have. What a pleasant surprise! It is blooming and doing just fine in its new home.

The lamium and lady's mantle now get to duke it out with each other. And the campanula is still living because I decided to move it rather than lose it. Definitely a win for me!