Pauline's Fashionable Garden Travels

Fall colors at the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, Houston

2012-01-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

Visiting a botanical garden off-season provides the opportunity to see beauty in transition between seasons, and facets of a garden that remain in the background during the showier parts of the year. So it was on our recent visit to Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens in Houston. Here, purple and magenta leaves lay on the footpath across a bridge near the White Garden.

The formal and informal gardens are part of the former home of Houstonian Ima Hogg. Visitors cross a footbridge over Bayou Bend to enter the homestead, and can easily spend an hour or more meandering through formal parterres, woody trails, and open lawns with water features and statutes.

One of the most stunning items in the landscape is an American Sycamore that predates the house and has survived Hurricane Carla (1961), Hurricane Alicia (1983), and Hurricane Ike (2008). It stands in the Euterpe Garden. At this time of year, its white trunk and reddish leaves and berries are so pretty in the sunlight. In the photo above, I am standing at the base, to provide scale. American Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis L.) grow to 170 feet tall and have a white bark that is exposed when the reddish brown bark falls off.

The richest leaf color appeared in the form of the Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii).

Throughout the woody areas of the gardens, we saw touches of Fall colors in yellows and oranges.

On a Saucer Magnolia (Liriodendron tulipifera), we think, were some pretty light green fuzzy buds, just becoming visible against the landscape, if you looked for them.

The final photo is of some beautiful orange and red leaves, against Duke's navy blue shirt.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Resolving to be picky

2011-12-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

During the early years of our Colorado garden, I planned purchases around the planting season. I bought clothes only during February/March and October/November, so that we had extra money to spend on plants, mulch, trees, landscaping materials, etc. during the warmer months. Due to timing, I happily paid full price for the Spring clothes when they first arrived on the shelves. And, I found some lovely pieces that are still in my wardrobe rotation. But I could take advantage of the Thanksgiving sales also.

It's taking a little time for Duke and I to get used to our new southeastern climate. Planting seasons are different, for instance. At Christmastime, I have been investing in potted pansies to hang around our patio, and tropical plants for indoors, which spend a little time outside each day. It helps that we are taking on an existing garden (10-years-old to be exact). By contrast, we started our Colorado one from scratch.

We have a better handle on dressing for the temperature, now that we have suffered through some humid cool spells. A few new pieces here and there have helped us adapt our Colorado wardrobes to meet the demands of southeastern Texas.

I'm as excited as anyone about the new plants that will arrive soon in the nurseries. I have a patch of boggy yard in need of a makeover, and I'm filled with ideas. The web sites and fashion magazines are profiling new Spring and resort collections. They give me inspiration to create looks from my own wardrobe. We live near the beach, after all. But this coming year, I'm resolving to be picky. There is nothing like a big relocation to remind you that we have a lifetime to fill our homes with things. I have a closet full of clothes, a house full of nicnacs, and a garden full of plants. There are things to be bought. I'm on the lookout for new irises and orange sandals. I'll still comb through my favorite web sites to see if there is something I can't live without. But I'm resolving to take my time, and enjoy the search as much as the purchase.

Fall/Winter gardening notes

2011-12-30T07:16:00.001-07:00

The late Fall/early Winter garden in our new southeastern home seems a world away from the one we left in Colorado. The banana tree in the background, though nipped by an evening of temperatures just below freezing, still stands regal-like at the corner.

The lemon tree, on the other hand, weathered some cold nights just fine. The lemons have been ripe for the picking. Duke likes slicing them and floating the fruit in a pitcher of water. I plan to modify a shortbread cookie recipe I enjoy, to see if a dash of lemon creates something interesting. This water pitcher from Red Lodge, Montana, with paintings of a fir tree and bear, adds a touch of cool-weather decor to our new Winter fruits.

The red roses on the side of the house continue to bloom, though the red ones in the picture above have been resting for the past month. The pink roses only recently stopped blooming.

In the front of the yard, under a pine tree and a magnolia, I have added white pansies interspersed with the yellow mums... my version of snow down here.

And ornamental purple cabbage and kale now dot our landscape amongst the hedge-like shrubs. I added some alyssum ("Clear Crystal White") in front of them, because the purple (when standing alone) tends to "disappear" into the pine needles and mulch.

We continue to learn about pond management, thanks to staff at a local pond and fountain company and friends. There is much to understand about seasonal aeration. Our aerating pump is tied to the waterfall. We are learning how to manage an appropriate amount of green slime algae. Fish tend to be picked off by birds in this area, so we can't count on their help. A water lily survives, and I've sunk my Louisiana Irises and Rain Lilies into the pond, but just barely. I look forward to the February planting season that will bring oxygenating grasses and more water lilies. As always, I will test the ability of this watery "garden bed" to stand more plants than is advised.

I've purchased a pair of pink wellies, for my garden gets soggy after a nice rainstorm. Flip flops, when not using heavy tools, also suit me just fine. My Redwing Victoria Oxfords and hiking boots, which I relied on in the cold Colorado High Plains climate, are good for cold-weather gardening if the clay soil is not soggy.

Almost-Winter in Puerto Rico

2011-12-18T18:40:00.024-07:00

I've lost track of the Winter Solstice, because my wool coats have been relegated to the back of the coat closet. And I've hardly had to worry about freezing in the garden. My friend Abby and I normally quietly count down to the Solstice because it signals the beginning of longer days (every so slightly). However, the absence of cold and snow in my new southeastern home has caused me to lose track of time, in some respects. It doesn't detract from the holidays, just the fact that they fall during Winter (in this hemisphere).

A friend sent me some photos taken from the southern side of the island of Puerto Rico, during this week before Christmas. It's even warmer there, though the friend reports the mood is just as festive as at home. The setting is a small fishing village. Mangroves cover the shoreline in this photo, where swimmers can snorkel and bathe. Of course humans stay on the outskirts of the grove, because the tangled roots are so thick that only birds, fishes, crustaceans, shellfish and other animals find the environment hospitable (Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection).

Bougainvillea is blooming everywhere. The bright pink is in keeping with the plethora of vibrant colors people use to paint their homes and buildings, as in other island communities I've visited. Bougainvillea, a favorite of tropical gardeners, grows well in pots, hanging baskets, or as vines in the ground. Apparently resistant to almost all insects, they also come in a variety of colors -- golden yellow, shades of pink, reds and crimsons, oranges, and white (Aggie Horticulture).

No doubt this flower is easily identified by some, but I'm perplexed as to its name. It reminds me of a thistle. I love the beautiful purple lines contrasting with the white petals.

An abundance of lemons

2011-12-18T18:13:00.016-07:00

A lemon tree in our new backyard is quite full of lemons. It's time to harvest them. They've survived two very light freezes, and I'm tempted to leave them on the branches until I need one. But local friends tell me that they will get black spots if left on the tree for too long. And I don't want them to go past-peak.

I've written elsewhere on the blog that one question gardeners face is what to do with a lot of fruit or vegetable all at once. This has to do with processing -- freezing or canning -- or giving away extra to friends. A second question regards deciding what to cook or prepare.

I spent some time looking through my various cookbooks for lemon recipes. Unless lemon is used as a flavoring, the recipes fall into the bread and dessert categories. And this poses a dilemma. In my former life sans lemon tree, I never bought lemons to make dessert. Don't misunderstand. If a friend makes lemon bars, I don't hesitate to partake. But rather than make my own, I look forward to those events when I know that a particular friend, who is very skilled at making lemony desserts, will bring some.

Some garden club friends recently gave me some good advice. Lemons can be frozen whole or cut in halves. Some grate the zest first and put it into small baggies or containers; others juice the lemons and freeze that. The benefit... the lemon juice and zest can be used for lemonade or added to recipes anytime. And the gardener need not feel obligated to bake things not normally consumed. Of course, if you are a lemon bar addict and have a lemon tree, then this is the time of year to get cooking!

Planting Winter vegetables and herbs: the first garden bed overhaul

2011-12-09T07:46:00.028-07:00

More than 10 years ago on the Front Range of Colorado, Duke and I started a garden from scratch, on a 1/4 acre patch of land, packed down by machinery used to create our neighborhood. It was hard work to create that beautiful yard. I remember when I saw the first birds, earthworms, snakes, and squirrels.

This Fall we have renewed our hobby with an existing garden, about the same age as the one we left in Colorado. All of the plants we grew on our apartment patio this Summer have survived the move. And I am happy to find ways to make this new space work for us.

So off I went to the garden center in search of some shrubs, little plants with white blooms (to remind us of snow), and some herbs and cool weather vegetables. I have begun to plant this medley in front of the detached garage, which has some plants I don't know the names of, and a Crape Myrtle. I opted to avoid planting herbs and veggies under the Crape Myrtle, but have placed some Alyssum around it to create some groundcover. It's also about time, I think, to add a layer of soil around the trunk, maybe during the early part of next year along with some fertilizer (TAMU).

Advice on when to plant cool weather plants suggests putting in transplants during October. I hope I'm not too late. On the advice of the garden center staff, I tried to mound these plants a little, to help water drain away from them during heavy rains. This area of the yard will get mid-day and afternoon sun.

I opted to leave the Chives and Arugula in the pots I grew them in this Summer. I planted Swiss Chard, Collards, Parsley, Sage, Dill, Spinach, Rosemary and Kale. I dotted the bed with Clear Crystal White Alyssum, a nice companion plant. It doesn't get too big (10" x 14" maximum). I might have to adjust for the plant growth over time. It is supposed to attract butterflies and bees. It's hardy to 32°F.

Situated in the middle of some Alyssum is our dog's memorial stone. The white Alyssum contrasts nicely with the rich red stalks of the Swiss Chard. This kitchen bed is easily monitored from the kitchen, and I'll enjoy watching the progress of the plants during this upcoming mild-to-us Winter season.

Gardener Gift Guide

2011-11-23T03:32:00.005-07:00

A range of gifts at various prices:

Journals for making garden notes: I've been keeping a garden journal in one form or another for more than a decade. They help me to accurately judge differences from one season to the next over the life-time of my hobby. Sometimes I don't remember the name of a plant I'm growing and need to review my journal for its name. I tend to prefer journals with blank pages. However, friends have given me "pre-formatted" garden journals, with pages for plant lists, graphs for diagramming a flower bed, and tips for seasonal gardening. These work just fine also.

A small file box made of cardboard (like this one) or plastic enables me to save my favorite articles from magazines. Gardening, like other hobbies, lends itself to collecting paper. I also use file boxes to stow brochures, receipts, flower catalogs and my diaries. Some types of file boxes would make perfect seed storage containers. Buy plastic files if you think your gardener-friend likes to store everything in the shed.

Additionally, I use a Barbour Leather Trim Tartan Organizer to keep a few notes, flyers, and other items that I want quick access to. I found mine at a duty free airport shop in England. This particular one has a sleeve for inserting standard-size small writing pads.

Old-style flower vases: At a garden club meeting last week, someone brought in a very wild-looking bunch of mums with smaller blooms than I had seen before. Matched perfectly with this arrangement was a cloudy-looking old-fashioned flower vase. The combination was beautiful, harkening memories of old but cared for houses and pretty colors of bottled glass. For the gardener who grows cut flowers, a vase makes the perfect gift.

Perfect-fit tee's from JCrew (styles here): Because designers have been making the rise on pants and jeans lower and lower, it's a challenge to find t-shirts that are long enough or can be tucked in. At fitted tee (with or without a camisole underneath) is such a flattering fit. I prefer this style to more boxy or "relaxed" fits. JCrew notes at its website that this Fall's styles of perfect-fit tees are a little heavier than the ones before. Even better!

A homemade gift of spiced pecans: I have an older recipe from the Food Network for Spiced Pecans. And you can find lots of variations of this recipe on the Internet. This mix of sweet and savory spices creates a lovely flavorful treat. I recommend that you have a helper. You'll be cooking nuts in the oven in a syrupy mixture. You must work quickly when you take them out, to cool them without bonding them together.

Frozen pesto: One Christmas, my friend Abbie gave us a gift bag filled with a box of pasta and a frozen plastic container of homemade pesto. She had made the pesto 5-6 months earlier from the Basil growing in her Summer garden. Pesto is quite easy to make and freezes well, provided that you use the right container. I tried freezing pesto in ice cube trays. What a disaster trying to get the cubes out. Abbie's idea was better. She froze pesto in larger containers (about 1 cup) and gave away the entire container. When her friends were ready to use the pesto, they simply thawed the entire contents. And I can attest that the flavors were superb despite being frozen. When making pesto for my own use, I also like to use a smaller 1/2 cup container.

Seed containers: For gardeners who save seed, suitable containers are a helpful gift. A few years ago, a friend gave me a set of small seed containers (one is shown here). Eight of them are positioned in a larger metal box. The individual containers can be marked with a wax pencil. The metal box is large enough to house paper notes about each seed as well. Little metal tins are an alternative. A hobby supply store likely carries lots of storage containers for little beads and other items that would work just fine for seeds.

Hand lotion: Because gardeners spend so much time in the sun, a gift for the hands always makes sense. When I lived in the dry climate of Colorado, one of my favorite creams was an olive oil hand lotion from L'Or Vert (Oliviers). I still use it in southern Texas when the weather turns cold. I also love Soft Hands Kind Heart hand cream from The Body Shop. Whatever you choose, hand lotion is a lovely stocking stuffer idea.

The Gardener's Library: Italian Villas and Their Gardens: This 1904 travel book by Edith Wharton was republished a few years ago. I heard about it in Vogue and immediately borrowed a copy from my local library. I later purchased a copy for several reasons. It's a beautiful book with a tapestry-like cover. The pictures by Maxfield Parrish are so interesting. But most of all, I value the mood that this book puts me in. One cannot dwell too much on the pressing issues of the day. If you need a book to take you away from the world's problems, then I think you'll enjoy this. And because it's not a fictional work, you needn't worry about finishing it in a week or a month. Take it on the plane and read a few pages to relax, or start a chapter before bedtime.

Nail care: Gardeners spend a lot of time in the dirt, and it's easy to forget to take care of the hands and feet. If you have spent an afternoon weeding or planting without gloves, you've most likely noticed the drying effect it can have on your fingers. No amount of moisturizer can quickly undo that, but an hour or more with a nail technician, at a relaxing day spa, can. And if you think that you have to live with bad nails and skin because of your hobby, you don't.

Another option, put together a gift bag of hand and feet products. The perfect fingernail polish for the gardener is a shade of light pink. Apply just one coat for a sheer look. Then apply a top coat of light pink with very subtle glitter; it hides any inconsistencies in application.

The Fashionista's Library: I Love Your Style: How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style by Amanda Brooks, 2009 (It Books, Harper Collins). I enjoy reading books about fashion history, particularly if they remind me of things I remember wearing as a child or recall seeing my mother and grandmother don. Brooks offers her opinions on style types, from those she finds easy to define to those that have fluid boundaries. While she has an eye for high quality items, she admits there are some things she cannot afford. I appreciate that, because most of us have limited clothing budgets. The book contains a lovely pictorial history of 20th century fashion.

Cashmere: A cashmere sweater is a must-have for any person's wardrobe, but here is why it's particularly helpful to gardeners and travelers. These sweaters are portable because they're lightweight, but they keep you warm and can be layered under tighter-fitting coats and jackets. In Colorado, I wore cashmere sweaters almost year-round, except during the height of Summer when even the nights were warm. The only problem I've found it that a higher price doesn't guarantee a better quality sweater. Several of my sweaters, all around the same price point (low to mid $100s) have worn differently. Some have pilled faster or gotten holes in them earlier. The best cashmere sweater I ever bought was a Preston and York one from Dillards. Sadly, I don't think they're sold anymore.

If you need help finding a good cashmere sweater, use the cashmere buying guides in the following sources:

In Style: Style 101: What Every Stylish Woman Should Know (book).

Marie Claire's 7 Secrets of Cashmere.

Wine bags: When presenting friends with a bottle of wine, using a wine gift bag makes the gesture even nicer. These days, you can find wine bags easily. They're commonly sold at local vineyards, and you can sometimes find nice ones at large liquor stores. This example was purchased at the Fox Run Vineyard Garlic Festival, in Penn Yan, NY. The label is "Beyond Green Bags."

Recipes: If you have a favorite cookbook, purchase it for a friend. They make lovely presents, especially when paired with a helpful kitchen tool, like a soup spoon. For people you do not exchange gifts with but send cards to, enclose your favorite recipe for them to try. One year I enclosed a recipe for Fall Brodo with acorn squash, Swiss chard, and bacon, a delicious meal from the cookbook Sunday Soup.

Food: For the vast majority of my gardener friends, cooking goes hand-in-hand with gardening. Do you live in an area that ships citrus at Christmastime (like Texas)? Maybe you reside in the tupelo honey-rich area of the Florida panhandle. Do you have a local baker or sweet-maker who creates delicious sugary concoctions? Wherever your home, there is likely a local treat that will make your far-away friends smile.

The Fall garden and finding a gardening community

2011-11-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

I can tell that I'm going to be a big fan of Rainlilies (family: Amaryllidaceae), a popular bulb perennial of the Texas Gulf Coast. I purchased four about a month ago and sunk them into a pot. The leaf of one immediately withered. But now all four are standing erect in the pot, and one is blooming.

At the end of October, we harvested one of our Hamlin oranges, still light green but not bad tasting. I'm watching the rest of the oranges change color and hope that they will be ready in a month's time, if not sooner.

Last week I learned that a tree I thought was flowering is actually displaying colorful seed pods. The Golden Rain Tree produces yellow flowers in the Summer, but for the past several weeks, Duke and I have been noticing the pink seed pods from a distance. We mistook them for flowers. They are described by various authorities as s rusty brown, pink or red color. Some people liken the sight of them to a Fall change of color of the southeastern variety.

I finally learned the name of this tree at a large garden club meeting last week. It's the type of event where gardeners mingle, attend programs, and share cuttings from their yards. At this time of year, people showed fruit, peppers, roses, and various perennials and annuals that are blooming through our mild Fall. I have been making notes each time I attend, in order to understand what plants bloom when. The meeting is a perfect opportunity to make new friends and get some free gardening advice. People in this hobby are always happy to answer questions.

Our speaker, Dr. William Welch of Texas A&M University, mentioned author and gardener Elizabeth Lawrence of North Carolina during his talk. I first discovered Elizabeth Lawrence a number of years ago, when her biography was published: No One Gardens Alone: A Life of Elizabeth Lawrence. Throughout her life, she cultivated a community of friends, based on letter writing and travel, and on the popular practice of sharing cuttings and seeds, often through the mail.

Our world may be a lot different from that of Ms. Lawrence, but gardening with friends is still a joyful and educational exercise. In my next garden, I'll be planting a cutting from a friend's Confederate Rose. I'm currently rooting a cutting of Hamelia (Hummingbird Bush), given to me by a gardener from the piney woods about an hour to the north. Like our former Colorado garden, we'll be able to point to some plants and remember from whose stock they came. And hopefully, we'll find some unusual ones along the way.

Community gardens and allotments

2011-11-05T14:01:00.005-06:00

A few weeks ago at the Garden Club of Houston's Bulb and Plant Mart, I noted some gardening classes offered by Urban Harvest, a Houston non-profit that, among other things, supports the practice of community gardens. (I plan to use their web site often to learn about gardening on the Gulf Coast.) Community gardens can refer to two ideas -- (1) that a garden is tended by volunteers of a food bank or other non-profit organization to feed people in need, or (2) that a gardening space is provided for members of the public who lack a suitable area to garden privately at home. My garden club in Colorado planted a community garden for a food bank each Spring, which saved the charity lots of money as it prepared daily meals for the people it served. Several times, in my travel or research, I've come across the community garden concept for those who need to rent some gardening space.

In the book Gardens in Time is a photographic essay about family gardens in Bagnolet, France. The authors explain that the idea dates back to 1894 and a movement for jardins ouvriers (workers' gardens) meant to prevent idleness and provide food security. The authors also report that after becoming less popular for a time, the gardens are gaining in popularity, with more than 200,000 jardins familiaux in the country. Allotments are assigned to people who use them mostly for vegetable production but also for flowers (pgs. 250-251).

The Oxford Companion to the Garden, edited by Patrick Taylor, explains the various names for community gardens -- like kleingärten in Austria, Switzerland and Germany; allotment gardens in England; and community gardens in the United States and Canada, also called "victory gardens." Some can be traced back to wartime food security issues. In all cases, the garden is a separate institution from the home garden. It is not attached to a person's domicile, but is situated somewhere in the town or city for communal use. Gardeners may have contracts for an assigned plot and likely pay rent (pg. 266). The garden above is an allotment garden in Birmingham, England that I drove past during the Summer of 2010.

A few years ago while visiting the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens in Wyoming, my friend Emily and I stopped to talk to some gardeners taking care of their plots in the North Community Garden. We discussed gardening challenges and successes, and the crops that people were growing. I learned a method for limiting hail damage. (Although Cheyenne gardeners had a shorter growing season than I experienced in my former Colorado home, hail was something we had in common.) The rectangles of wire in the photo above are meant to provide a protective ceiling for plants. One gardener we spoke with lived in a condo or apartment, but that didn't prevent her from growing her own food, thanks to the concept of being able to rent some gardening space.

Getting started... finding gardening advice

2011-10-31T14:47:00.031-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Garden Club of Houston's Bulb and Plant Mart, an annual event scheduled this year for the middle of October. Maybe you can imagine how strange and enjoyable it was to be buying plants and amidst excitement around a new gardening season... in October. Had we still lived in Colorado, my going-to-sleep garden would be under a foot of snow at the moment.

Being at the bulb mart reminded me of a trip years ago to Palm Springs, California during the end of February/ beginning of March. A wet Winter caused the wildflowers to bloom a little early, and we were treated to a perfectly timed array of colors. I boarded the plane to Palm Springs in a Winter coat. Duke and I went to a farmers market in town where we shopped at nighttime for fresh produce (sans coats).

I'm still surprised to find myself in another gardening climate where my friends and community begin the gardening season in the Fall. In fact, the cookbook (in the photo above) produced by the Garden Club is arranged by season and begins with recipes for Fall events. Seasonal Favorites is full of recipes I intend to try, especially a particular sugar cookie.

I was thrilled to find iris gardeners at the bulb mart and bought several varieties of Louisiana Irises, which I'm keeping in pots for the time being. Next I bought some Rain Lilies in yellow and white. In the herb area, I found Arugula and Rosemary (which grows like a perennial here and into a fairly large-sized plant). But there was so much more to buy... bulbs for Spring, trees, roses, perennials, shrubs for butterflies, for instance. I was in Heaven.

The flower and bulb event also provided the opportunity to talk with other gardeners, seek some advice, and discuss favorite plants. Joining a local gardening club provides more frequent opportunities for help and an opportunity to make lifelong friends.

I'm really pleased with another recent purchase, Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac, published by Texas A&M. Organized by month, it provides stand-alone essays on various gardening topics and calendars of information, like the average date of Winter frosts and when Texas-grown vegetables are in season.

Plants and animals at the butterfly conservatory, Houston Museum of Nature and Science

2011-10-31T05:24:00.000-06:00

If you were standing under a giant Calathea during a rain shower, you might consider its natural umbrella-like quality. Many of the plants in conservatories like this one are fun to look at from the ground up (taken at the Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology (Houston Museum of Nature and Science).

The rain forest-like conservatory, which houses hundreds of beautiful butterflies, also hosts tropical lush plants, like the ferns above.

The 3-story structure culminates with a 50-foot waterfall that can be viewed from all three levels. At the bottom, you can stand under the showering water in a cave and look up into the light.

A very large Iguana lives there, but we especially enjoyed seeing the occasional bird, like this one, possibly a Cerulean Warbler, a songbird.

One of the Chrysalis Corners.

Other photos are at a former blog post: Butterflies in the Rain Forest Conservatory, Houston

A Summer potted patio garden in Texas: lessons learned

2011-10-25T02:02:00.011-06:00

I never thought I'd put on a jacket again after moving to southeastern Texas, but low and behold, it cooled down enough last week to don my LL Bean flannel-lined Adirondack Barn Coat in Bottle Blue. I have wanted one for a long time and found mine on sale at an LL Bean store this Summer.

I'm watching my little patio garden change ever so slightly with the onset of Autumn. It's time for a recap of how I learned to garden on a small scale this Summer.

Planting for privacy:

Our patio garden is a small upstairs outdoor room and, for now, offers the only opportunity for gardening. It couldn't be more different from our spacious Colorado yard. For many gardeners, working with a little space is the norm.

Having privacy is a top priority for me, so I looked for plants that would grow tall, wide or both. Duke and I bought a Hibiscus, which we re-potted into a large container. As long as it receives lots of water, it provides beautiful blooms. It also creates a wide, and somewhat tall, "wall" of green and yellow. Notice how small the Hibiscus was when we first bought it (see the photo above). Now the branches and flowers are taller than the rail and still growing (even taller than in the photo below).

We also chose a citrus tree, a Hamlin. In this case, we left the tree in its original pot, and elevated it by putting it into a larger pot with some packed dirt inside. We're not sure that the oranges are going to mature. They do seem to be growing, like the tree itself, and the fruit isn't supposed to mature until October. In any case, it has done its duty by providing some privacy. Mature fruit will be a plus.

The Hamlin Orange Tree.

Color:

The aforementioned Hibiscus adds a pop of color to the patio. So does Torenia, a plant I've never worked with until this Summer. I discovered it during a visit to the garden center during August. Our Tomatoes had begun suffering from insect issues and were not bearing fruit due to the heat. I removed both plants and bought some Torenia. The pink version seems to stand tall on its own. The blue version seems to flop over and need some support. Torenia fournieri, also called Wishbone Flower and likened to a snapdragon, is a long-bloomer -- Spring to Fall or April to October. Next year I will look for it in other colors: yellow, white and purple.

The first plant I chose for our patio garden was "Cooler Peppermint" Vinca, Catharanthus roseus. I am in love with it. Next year, I shall fill lots of pots with this flower, no matter the size of the garden. Also called Madagascar Periwinkle, it is a pretty white flower with a pink dot in the center. It fills the pot, creates a lovely splash of white and provides cut flowers for little vases. It is still blooming, and unlike some of the plants on the patio, doesn't seem to show any signs of waning in the Fall.

Plant pots:

Last Fall in Colorado, I bought several sizes of plastic pots. I planned to use them this Summer for Chili Peppers and Tomatoes. They proved useful for the patio garden.

I bought three sizes:
11.5 inch (diameter) x 9 inch (height);
13.9 inch x 10.75 inch; and
16.7 inch by 12.5 inch.

I used the two largest for Tomatoes, Hibiscus, Peppers, and Torenia.

For vegetables, it's really best to use the biggest pot possible. Your plants won't dry out, and they'll have more room to grow. Make sure that your pots have a drainage "bowl" near the bottom of the plant. If it's full of water, you probably don't have to add any.

Doves:

Elsewhere on the blog, I have written about wildlife in our garden. I didn't mention the baby Doves we had through the end of Spring into early Summer. It was fun to watch them grow and fledge. But the family created a lot of bird droppings on the patio. Some of our neighbors place items on the ledges to keep the Doves from returning. A sticky repellent can be applied that keeps the Doves from building nests in the first place.

Managing space:

When your main gardening challenge is space, creating levels provides additional options -- either for more plants or for better access to sunlight. Recently I bought two inexpensive plastic tables to elevate two Torenia pots. The tops of the plants now reach the top of the patio rail. A plant stand with its own legs (that doesn't have to be stuck into the soil) is even better. Or, as in the photo above, you can put a little pot on top of the soil in a big pot. The little polka dot pot holds Chives and sits in the larger pot with our yellow Hibiscus.

Scent:

The Basil has recently started to look weathered. But it actually thrived during this very hot Summer. The patio conditions really agreed with it. We bought the plants when they were fairly tall. They have grown a little and provided privacy as a result. Besides the Chives, this was the only other herb we grew this Summer. Also in the photo are two camping chairs. The patio provided enough room for pots and two chairs, which we decorated with pillows. The Basil released a fragrance when we brushed our arms against them, when sitting down.

Here is the young vegetable garden of Tomatoes and Chili Peppers as Spring faded into Summer (which basically felt the same).

Above, a close up of Torenia "Clown Blue."

For more information:

Flowering Annuals: Characteristics and Culture, David Trinklein, Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension

Torenia, Gardening in a Minute, University of Florida

Torenia fournieri, Edward F. Gilman, Teresa Howe, Fact Sheet FPS-584, October, 1999, University of Florida, IFAS

Rootstock and Scion Varieties, Julian W. Sauls, Professor & Extension Horticulturist Texas AgriLife Extension, January, 2008. Texas Citrus and Subtropical Fruits.

Summer soups and soupy meals

2011-10-11T06:07:00.002-06:00

I love to cook, especially with ingredients from my garden. But the 2011 oppressive Summer, in our new southeastern Texas home, stifled any desire to dabble in the culinary arts. I tried out only recipes that were quick to make and avoided the oven altogether.

Because we have access to fresh shrimp nowadays, I longed to try some seafood soups, especially as the days became noticeably longer in late August. I've also been missing my favorite Thai food restaurant in Boulder, Colorado (Know Thai). I successfully swapped the tofu for shrimp in a Thai soup recipe from Real Simple (April 2010): Thai Curry Vegetable and Tofu Soup. I forgot to add the lime juice and added a big dollop of rice.

For comparison, I made an equally good recipe from my favorite soup cookbook: Sunday Soup by Betty Rosbottom. This recipe is called Thai-Style Lemongrass Soup with Shrimp. This recipe doesn't require buying any special sauces or pastes. But you do need the lemongrass.

Unlike some soups that get better with age (over a day or two) or can be frozen, I preferred to eat these dishes on the day they were made or no more than one day later.

The Summer was not without other discoveries. The MOD Coffeehouse in Galveston makes a wonderful gazpacho. Previously I have not been a fan of cold soups. And down the street, Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar serves up a meal that satisfies even on a warm day. But I think I'll leave these recipes to the experts.

Tracking moisture in the garden

2011-10-11T05:30:00.003-06:00

Two days ago, a low pressure system arrived from the north and mixed with moisture moving up from the Gulf of Mexico. The result... more than three inches of rain that fell steadily from morning till night, in our area of southeastern Texas. I've missed thunderstorms and pouring rain since I left the southeast many years ago. But since moving back this Spring, we have been teased with infrequent and inadequate storms. Having lived through droughts in Colorado, however, I've been certain that the weather will improve.

I began keeping a precipitation diary for my Colorado garden when the forecast for moisture was bleak. Colorado is a semi-arid state and at times, during 2000-2003, we had so little rain and snow that I wondered why anyone chose to live there. Month after month, we experienced cloudless days and increasingly dusty roads. But according to the Colorado Division of Emergency Management, things had been improving (drought-wise) since 1981.

In 2003, I began to make an earnest recording of moisture on our property. Duke and I bought an inexpensive rain gauge that resembles the one at the CoCoRaHS web site (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network). We fastened it to our deck, away from nearby trees. Each time it rained or snowed, I measured the moisture and recorded the number in my garden diary. With this data, I could compare the seasons from one year to the next. I could determine if the majority of moisture fell in one storm or several. Or, for instance, if the major Spring storm occurred in late March, causing the rest of Spring to feel dry. It's good to keep notes. I thought that the 2009 Spring was particularly wet. When I reviewed my diary, I realized that the '09 Spring yielded no more overall moisture than previous Springs. However, we experienced more frequent, smaller moisture "events."

Throughout the Spring-Fall of each year, I tested the moisture in my garden beds using a soil moisture meter made by Spectrum Technologies. I simply inserted the meter into the ground, and looked at the instant reading based on a scale of 0-10. Zero signaled very dry conditions and 10 signaled very saturated soil. Also, I could tell how compacted the soil was (or whether it was frozen) based on how far I could stick the meter into the ground. Generally, I only recorded the low-end readings in my garden diary, and a description of how much water I had to apply to various garden beds.

Time will tell how much I'll record moisture in my Texas garden diaries. It is supposed to rain enough that watering isn't generally a concern here. But I have a lot to learn. One thing is for sure... I enjoy being "rained in" just as much as I enjoyed being "snowed in." Which is to say, I enjoy it a lot.

Butterflies in the Rain Forest Conservatory, Houston

2011-09-20T04:45:00.004-06:00

Inside the Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology (Houston Museum of Nature and Science) is the Rain Forest Conservatory. The three-story glass enclosure houses hundreds of butterflies, an iguana, birds, trees, plants and a 50-foot waterfall. You can walk through at your own pace and sit for a while on one of the benches. New butterflies are introduced at least monthly to replenish the stock, which generally live 2-4 weeks. A laminated guide is available for each guest to help with identification.

Photographing butterflies takes persistence and patience. I failed to take a photo of the beautiful Blue Morphos, so lively and bright in color. But I did succeed in finding a still Blue Wave, Myscelia cyaniris, with a pretty iridescent blue color. Its underside is gray and brown.

Because this butterfly center is multi-level, a butterfly can be photographed from more than one vantage point, provided it stays still. This Emerald Swallowtail was difficult to photograph from the top story looking down, but on the middle level I could take the photo more easily by pointing the camera up.

Some butterflies afforded the opportunity to understand their anatomy, in this case the proboscis, or tongue is visible. It's like a straw, a tube used for "drinking" nectar.

The Rice Paper Butterfly looked striking against all backgrounds, including some broad green leaves. According to the museum, its slow nature of flying makes it easy to observe. The name Idea leuconoe reflects its translucent wings; it's also called a Tree Nymph.

We found a deceased butterfly among some plants, and a docent pointed out butterfly eggs, which were deposited in pairs on broad leaves.

If you visit a butterfly center, look for instances in which the butterflies contrast sharply with the flowers or plants, like the one above (black/white on tiny pink flower). And look for instances in which they blend with the background, like the trunk of a tree.

For more information:

Rain Forest Conservatory, Houston Museum of Nature and Science.

Beautiful Painted Ladies by Kathleen Pearce, Illinois Institute of Technology.

All About Butterflies, University of Kentucky.

Also on the blog, plants at animals at the conservatory.

A style adjustment: surviving the never-ending southeastern Texas Summer

2011-09-14T02:51:00.002-06:00

For many of us, how we choose to dress or decorate our homes has a lot to do with the landscapes we live in, past and present.

Sometimes we pay tribute to a new area we move into. For instance, in my southeastern childhood home, my parents turned a screened-in porch into a "Florida Room" with pastel rattan furniture and French doors, bringing the beach a little bit closer. Later on, they brought that furniture to the northeast and created a light and airy room in a region where snowy lawns contrast with brightly colored houses during Winter.

Decor in my new Texas home celebrates the beach I visited as a child -- paintings from local artists and shells collected over my lifetime. Elsewhere, paintings and photographs celebrate the mountains I lived near as an adult. Two lamps carved from wood found in the Big Horn Mountains (Wyoming) are other precious accents.

How we decorate ourselves also can be a reaction to our local landscape and culture. When I moved to the Rocky Mountain / High Plains region, I adopted the casual style of dress that suits a dusty, colder climate and a culture that celebrates the outdoors and the mountains. Coloradoans, myself included, care a lot about their fleeces and all-purpose jackets. And you are unlikely to see people dressing in white pants or bright colors like lime green (unless it's the new color of fleece or waterproof outerwear).

As my wardrobe deviated too far from my roots, however, I began rebuilding my clothing supply, drawing upon memories of preppy and more formal styles. Since I never liked the androgynous style of clothing so popular among fashion designers and outdoorsy women alike, I searched with difficulty for brands sold in my area that reflected my personal style, as well as my age and need to be warm from Fall to Spring. I looked for romantic, flowing cuts of fabric; silk, cotton and wool cardigans; and floral patterns for dresses and tops.

Now I find that my sweaters, even lightweight ones, are necessary only during the brief Winter of our new southeastern home, and perhaps during a few cool evenings in Fall and Spring. Lightweight and light-colored tops are the norm here. We haven't seen the night-time temperature drop below the mid to upper 70s most nights. Moreover, the style of dress in our area of Texas isn't punctuated by cowboy boots and flashy belt buckles, though I'm sure there is a time and place for those. Rather, people dress to combat heat and humidity. Cotton khakis and maxi dresses are common. People wear dark colors sparingly. Women celebrate color in ways I haven't seen since leaving the southeast -- bright shades of pinks, reds, light greens with matching accessories.

I've taken to embracing button down blouses, which I rarely wore in Colorado. They felt bulky under thin or thick sweaters that I wore often (I never adjusted to the cold). My favorite finds have been cotton blouses by Antonio Melani (very suitable for work) and a Chelsea and Violet button-down silk blouse from Dillards (a little more romantic-feeling). I found a long-sleeved "star" henley cotton voile blouse (See by Chloe on sale at Nordstrom). I wear this often to the beach but take care to wash it immediately. Sunscreen can stain white. Duke has found Magellan Sportswear vented fisherman shirts at Sports Academy, a favorite store down here.

For the most part, I've kept my Coach handbags packed up, because leather seems too thick in this hot and humid climate. So a basic tote with long handles from LL Bean has been accompanying me everywhere, as has my woven grass structured bag (see a photograph elsewhere on the blog). Fabric and straw bags make an appearance in the stores and magazines every Summer, but I wonder if I'll feel like carrying these year-round. If I edited a fashion magazine for this region, I would deem the LL Bean tote the "it bag" of every season. It's perfectly practical, never goes out of style, and is very reasonably priced, even if you decide to order a custom edition.

The lizard is back: wildlife in the Summer potted patio garden (Texas)

2011-09-05T06:37:00.002-06:00

Our little patio garden that is full of potted plants -- as well as the community green space and pond down below -- is full of wildlife. But it's a different kind from our high plains garden in Colorado.

As I write this, I am reminded of the Blue Jays in Colorado that created such a beautiful contrast to the pink flowering Crabapple tree. A squirrel took up residence in our garden this Summer. It was the second one we had seen in 10 years. This squirrel was the first one that seemed to stick around. Little garden snakes, bees, doves, robins, and neighborhood cats visited from time to time or lived in the back yard.

The most prominent animal in our little landscape is the same color as our plants and hard to see. Our new patio garden near the upper Texas coast has attracted a little green lizard that likes to sit on the broad leaves of our yellow Hibiscus. We first observed him taking a nap during the evening. At first we thought he might be dying. Recently, we noticed him looking for insects during the morning on the same Hibiscus plant. He is likely a Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), a common green garden lizard observed in the area.

We hear Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) near the pond and see red wasps / paper wasps around our plants, though they don't bother us. We observe herons and hear gulls flying past (possibly Laughing Gulls, though it is hard to identify them in such a brief encounter). Sometimes we sometimes are plagued with ants, though, thankfully, not Fire Ants. We battled ants in Colorado also.

The lizard has been the best surprise.

For more information:

Beneficials in the Garden: Green Anole, prepared by Linda Brown, Class of 2004, Galveston County Master Gardeners, Extension Horticulture at Texas A&M University.

Laughing Gull Cornell's All About Birds.

Starting a new garden: southeastern coastal Texas

2011-08-30T06:10:00.002-06:00

One of the things I love about living in a country the size of the United States is the variety of landscapes. Also, relocating for work or a new lifestyle is relatively easy and affords a whole new point of view, literally. The same can be said of travel. Recently, Duke and I began the process of moving from our high plains home on the north Front Range of Colorado to the southeastern portion of Texas near the coast, virtually at sea level. We have changed many things about our lives as gardeners. These days, I am often reminded of one of my favorite garden writers, the late Elizabeth Lawrence of North Carolina, who once wrote about having to move from one town to another and leave her beloved garden behind. Humans and our pets can become quite attached to a space.

We will not plant hedges of Lilacs here and look for the blossoms that signal the coming of Spring. I fear my days of growing bearded Irises are over, at least while we reside here. Although I am searching for information about growing Siberian and Louisiana Irises, which I've seen in more humid climates during my travels. We will not have to say "goodbye" to Roses, though we will likely encounter pests and diseases that rarely plague gardeners in Colorado. Down here, people enjoy growing Daylilies, Hibiscus and groves of Crapemyrtle trees (aka Crape Myrtle or Crepe Myrtle). I love them all. The trees have been blooming constantly since the Spring. I like their compact size, a feature I appreciated about the Crabapple trees we grew in Colorado.

For now, we have traded a garden on a quarter of an acre for a tiny upstairs patio the size of a large utility room. Our former garden contained "rooms" and numerous beds for planting annuals, perennials, vegetables, flowers for cutting, and berries. Because of its size and the moderate Colorado climate throughout most of the year, we lived in that garden, enjoying the space as much as possible, as did our pets. But as I write this during the early morning, I sit on an upstairs patio filled with colorful potted plants of various sizes. A hummingbird has just come to visit, the first I've seen up close in a long time. A little pond with a fountain sits below me. I enjoy listening to the sound of water. Some branches on a shrub spin wildly, because the fan of the nearby air conditioner is already working. The birds down here make different sounds. In an hour from now, my patio will be too sunny to enjoy, but by lunchtime, despite the hot weather, it will remain comfortable and in the shade for the rest of the day. I thought I would prefer a downstairs patio in our temporary residence, but the upstairs version is quite private and secluded, just like our Colorado garden.

So for the moment, we are learning about another aspect of our hobby -- how to care for potted plants in order to decorate a very small space in a landscape new to us. And eventually, we will begin anew in another garden, ripe for imprinting our style. We read as much as possible and talk with local gardeners about what to grow in this immensely different climate. And I look forward to sharing all of this with you in the coming months. No doubt, I shall have some new places to talk about from our travels. It's like walking through a garden gate into a new world.

State flowers and trees

2011-08-15T13:21:00.023-06:00

In my childhood homes, we rarely found fresh cut flowers. Silk floral arrangements were preferred but were not the only nature-like decoration. The walls were hung with a plethora of grand hand-sewn works of art showing colorful dense plant displays and vases, done by my Mother. These were the types of sewing projects that she took months to complete and entrusted to skilled professionals for careful framing afterwards.

My favorite work of art was a smaller simpler map of the states showing their respective state flowers. I often noted the names as I passed it in the hallway or later in adulthood, during visits, as I reflected on a trip around the country. Aside from encyclopedias, this was my primary reference tool for information about what people around the country valued about their natural surroundings.

Of course today is another time, and we have the Internet. So for those of you without Moms who sew maps of state flowers, you need only go to the web site of the National Arboretum and look at their list.

The mulch pile: dealing with garden waste

2011-08-15T06:54:00.004-06:00

When I was very young, I used to follow my Dad to the back of the corner of the garden where he piled grass clippings onto a "mulch pile." The area must have had trees or tall shrubs nearby, because I remember it was shaded, dark, and a little mysterious. Later, at another childhood home, I think the grass clippings were piled up in the pine woods forest that bordered our back yard.

The term "mulch pile" is not used as much today. Often it refers to an unhealthy build-up of mulch around a new tree for weed control. Nowadays, people tend to use the phrase "compost piles." And this type of pile, if my gardening friends are any indication, is a little more technologically advanced. Gardeners can build all sorts of mulch bins or structures and divide up their yard waste in order to create perfect rot conditions, according to plant matter.

My much pile, nevertheless, has remained a rather untidy looking area for garden waste. Over the years, Duke and I have used the same area of the garden for discarding plant trimmings, vegetable garden waste, cut flower stems, and grass from de-thatching. (During the Summer, we mulch the grass clippings onto the lawn instead of catching them in a bag.) Our mulch pile is bordered on three sides by the fence and Chinese Elm hedges. The fourth side is partially bordered by an arbor with climbing Roses and vines that have established themselves nearby. The area receives sunshine all year around.

Like the mulch pile of my childhood garden, this one takes care of itself. The clippings gradually sink downward, indicating that rotting is occurring. Every so often, we clean out the woody branches that refuse to break down, and take them to the town plant materials "dump" where they are disposed of. Sometimes, if the weather has been particularly hot and dry, Duke takes a hose and wets down the pile to keep the area moist for decay. Also, I'm certain that our garden snakes hang around the pile at times.

This Spring, we decided to clear out the non-rotting debris, and remove the good mulch underneath for use in the garden area. Normally I use the mulch pile only for breaking down material, not for creating mulch to spread elsewhere. I wonder if the mulch pile might foster an environment for fungus, bacteria, weeds, or insects that I wouldn't want to introduce into other garden areas. But this year, we planned to give the garden area a break from production, due to the possibility of having a common soil fungus that is best handled through plant rotation or fallowing. As we began turning over the mulch pile, it was wonderful to see what we had created over a number of years. Our mulch was a rich brown color, light in density, and spread well across the garden.

At the end of the morning, we spread back out the twigs that hadn't broken down. We marveled at the fact that we hadn't encountered any snakes. And we wet the area back down to help the rotting process begin again.

Some web sites:

Mulching for a Healthy Landscape, 426-724, Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture, Virginia Tech.

Keeping Summer Beautiful Leaves, Glorious Leaves, Oct. 19, 2010, Amanda McNulty, County Extension Agent, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service.

Making Compost from Yard Waste, 426-703, Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture, Virginia Tech.

Lilac "looks": common Lilacs and the Japanese Lilac Tree

2011-08-05T09:00:00.004-06:00

One of the plants I have loved most as a Colorado gardener is the Lilac. I grow a hedge of Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) on the side of my house, and in the back I grow two Japanese Lilac Trees (Syringa amurensis japonica).

I have learned a few things about Lilacs. I no longer worry about removing the excess dead leaves and garden debris that collects under the hedge. Some of my garden snakes like to live under there. One slithered through my ungloved hands once, while I was cleaning up! Also, root sprouts will find a way to get around the weed barrier, sometimes going to great lengths (literally) to find an opening amongst the fabric sheets. Lilacs also need a lot of space, and I think they need some sort of natural or man-made boundary. My hedge has a split rail fence on one side and the pathway and house on the other side. The Lilacs have plenty of space to grow, but they also have a visual boundary or "home," so to speak. This helps Duke and I to keep them tidy and prune them accordingly. Amongst the Lilacs is a single Mock Orange shrub. I think it benefits from its Lilac neighbors. The Mock Orange needs something to cage it in a bit, to keep it from flopping over. I do have to prune it from time to time.

The Japanese Lilacs in my garden are another matter. This is a type of Lilac that can be grown as a shrub, a tall one at that. Or it can be trained into a tree, as the ones are at Denver Botanic Gardens. I don't remember if the Lilacs we bought from the nursery were single-trunked or multi-stemmed. But it never occurred to me, despite the name, to train my specimens into trees. They grow as tall as a small tree if left alone. The scent is pleasant, though different from the Common Lilacs in my hedge. It's nice to have both types in the garden, because Japanese Lilacs bloom after the Common Lilacs are done, during the early Summer in Colorado. The Japanese Lilacs do not tend to spread out very much; they remain compact. Like the Lilacs in my hedge, they don't require a lot of water. However, these specimens receive regular water because many other plants grow around them: Irises, Spirea, various perennials and bulbs, Peonies, Raspberries (which have tunneled under the garden path), and Lilies, to name a few. We almost lost the Japanese Lilacs one year to an insect.

At the Denver Botanic Gardens, which I visited in June, are various Japanese Lilac Trees. I remember taking a walk there several years ago during the early Summer, and wondering where the strong scent was coming from. I was standing near the Japanese Garden and looked up to see enormous Japanese Lilac Trees. This photograph was taken recently near the perennial beds walkway, where Lilac Trees also grow. Japanese Lilacs are stunning vertical additions to any perennial bed, especially when flowering. They also provide shade, and from my experience, don't seem to mind having other plants for neighbors.

You will find Lilacs in most parts of the country, except the South where tho Winters are too mild to allow Lilacs a "seasonal rest period" (Cornell Cooperative Extension).

For more information:

Growing Lilacs by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County.

Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk': 'Ivory Silk' Japanese Tree Lilac, Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson. Publication #ENH-769. University of Florida IFAS Extension.

Touring backyard gardens along the Erie Canal

2011-07-27T14:24:00.031-06:00

If you have spent any time in the suburbs and communities around Rochester, New York, you've likely marveled at the beauty of the Finger Lakes or the amount of times you can cross the Erie Canal while out for the day. I've always explored the canal on foot. But recently I took the opportunity to tour it by boat aboard the Colonial Belle. I booked a two-hour lunch tour that traveled from Fairport to Pittsford and back. The outing began in the downtown area of Fairport. Here you can enjoy ice-cream at Lickety Splits, have a meal at a restaurant along the canal and shop at the consignment shop Your Best Friend's Closet. I found a beautiful hardly-used Talbots blouse for $4.99.

I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and lunch aboard the boat. In addition to learning about the history of the canal, I took some time to look at the gardens of people with property along this waterway. Much of the canal is lined on one side with walking paths through wooded areas and neighborhoods. Town parks intersect the paths at various spots. And some views from the boat provide an opportunity to see how people landscape their space while taking into consideration the view they so luckily have.

I brought along a new day bag that has recently replaced a beloved worn-out bucket bag from Liz Claiborne, which lasted me almost 20 years. But this one is also meaningful. It's a tatami style handbag, handmade of woven grass in Cambodia. I found it at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida last year. The taupe/black combination, sturdy structure and materials, and complete-coverage top zipper make this an ideal day bag. Look for it under the apparel / accessories area; it still retails for around $42.00 for non-members. Botanical garden stores often yield perfect finds like this one.

The accompanying Vera Bradley cosmetic bag carried my sunscreen, which I highly recommend carrying along. On a boat tour such as this, you'll want to stay on the top deck as long as possible. In the bright sun, it's also far better to dress for the weather with long sleeves and pants and a hat.

Across from the boat landing was a home with shrubby roses growing along the public sidewalk that it's yard bordered. They offered the ideal combination of privacy for the homeowner and something pretty for walkers to admire.

This hedge, tucked under the trees, surrounds a garden gate, offering privacy to the homeowner and access to the public walkway.

The dock was decorated with flowers, including these in a whiskey barrel.

Several people living along the canal had made little gardens on their boat docks, with potted flowers surrounding seating areas.

Boxed flowers decorated this area of the Colonial Belle boat dock.

Hanging flowers added vertical decoration on the walkway in Pittsford at Schoen Place.

Public rose gardens

2011-07-15T17:48:00.005-06:00

During the late Summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to visit the Julia Davis Rose Garden in Boise, Idaho. I combined the visit with a tour of the Idaho State Historical Museum across the parking lot.

Municipal rose gardens, like the one in Boise, offer a free botanical garden experience. If you visit one, take a moment to read the literature and signs. You'll likely discover that, in some cases, a local garden club toiled and fundraised to bring the rose garden into fruition. You might learn for the first time about the AARS process (All-America Rose Selections©). Or perhaps you find out that the rose garden's history is intertwined with something from our nation's history, like the Great Depression.

I have been wondering about the location of other municipal rose gardens around the country and have compiled a list. It is likely missing some gardens. So feel welcome to send me a note about including others.

California:

The San José Municipal Rose Garden dates back to 1927 and came about through the efforts of the Santa Clara County Rose Society. It encompasses 5.5 acres and claims 3,500 plantings and 189 varieties. Apparently something is blooming just about every day of the year. It's a test site for the All-America Rose Selection (AARS). San José Municipal Rose Garden. See also Friends of the San Jose Rose Garden.

A. C. Postel Rose Garden at Mission Historical Park, in Santa Barbara: The Santa Barbara Rose Society reports that the site has remains of the "mission's old water works, tannery vats, lawn areas and the A. C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden." Initially, in the mid 1950s, the site included 500 donated "choice" roses. As it grew, it later included All-America Rose Selections. It is staffed with a part-time gardener. Santa Barbara Rose Society.

A little over 7 acres, the Morcom Municipal Rose Garden, Oakland, claims a "30’s era" design with "winding paths, graceful stairways, dramatic water features" (Friends of the Morcom Rose Garden).

Berkeley Rose Garden: The garden was built in the 1930s as a Civil Works Progress Project, designed to boost employment during the Depression. The main garden, shaped in the form of a terraced amphitheater, looks out onto the San Francisco Bay, and includes a 220-foot-long redwood pergola. Peak bloom time appears to be mid-May. The garden is a little more than 3.5 acres. Berkeley Landmarks and the City of Berkeley.

Colorado:

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Public Rose Garden is the only one taken care of by inmates; see the Denver Rose Society. Rose garden.

Connecticut:

The Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens, Hartford, claims to be the "oldest municipally operated rose garden" in the United States. On 2.5 acres are 800 varieties for a total of 15,000 plants. The peak bloom time is early to mid June. This garden features arched walkways with roses rambling over the framework (see photo online). Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens.

Idaho:

Municipal Rose Garden in Boise: The Julia Davis Rose Garden is part of a large public park area (almost 90 acres) called the Julia Davis Park, and is nearby several museums in the downtown area.

Indiana:

E.G. Hill Memorial Rose Garden, Richmond: This garden is named for the "Dean of American Rose Growers" and is situated near Glen Miller Park. A memorial fountain accompanies the 350 rose bushes representing 17 varieties. E.G. Hill Memorial Rose Garden, Richmond, Indiana.

The city is self-defined as a "Rose City" in recognition of the Hills Rose Growers -- E.G. Hill Company, Joseph H. Hill Company, and the Hill Floral Products Company -- important rose growers and manufacturers to their region and customers nationwide and around the world. A project to create the public rose garden began in the 1980s. At this website, you can also find a link to a 1oth anniversary publication called "History of Richmond's All-America Rose Garden." Richmond Rose Garden, Richmond.

Minnesota:

Virginia Clemens Rose Garden, St. Cloud: Named for the garden's benefactors, William and Virginia Clemens, there are more than 1,100 roses representing more than 70 varieties, that bloom from June to September. A fountain adorns the area, as well as a soft white rose called the "Virginia Clemens Rose." Also notable is the garden design in geometric quadrants (see the University of Minnesota for a more detailed description and photos). See also the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society. Virginia Clemens Rose Garden, St. Cloud.

Veterans Memorial Rose Garden, St. Cloud: Located on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds, this garden is devoted to the memory of Minnesota veterans. The garden was built during the 1950s. Veterans Garden.

Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis: Display time is mid-June through early-October in this garden that includes 3,000 plants in 100 different varieties. It is the second oldest public rose garden in the United States, according to its web site. On 1.5 acres, it is located near the northeast corner of Lake Harriet. It's also an All America Rose Selections (AARS) test rose garden and includes a fountain. Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis.

Mississippi:

Veterans Memorial Rose Garden at Mississippi State University, Starkville: A fairly new garden that was designed and built during 2006-2007 and contains 30 cultivars. Planters included members of the Oktibbeha County Rose Society. Website.

Missouri:

Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in Jacob L. Loose Memorial Park, Kansas City, Missouri has about 4,000 roses of almost 150 varieties on 1.5 acres. It's based on a circular plan and features a Rose Day and event after Labor Day by the Kansas City Ballet. Kansas City Rose Society. Rose garden.

New Mexico:

Albuquerque Rose Garden: With a fairly new renovation completed in 1995, the garden includes climbers, raised planters, shady areas, courtyards, winding paths, perennials, and places to sit. But the original garden dates back to the 1950s and was built by the Albuquerque Rose Society, which continues to maintain the garden. Albuquerque Rose Garden.

New York:

E.M. Mills Rose Garden and Thornden Park, Syracuse: Another rose garden named for E.M. Mills. The Syracuse Rose Society provides an in-depth history of this garden and explains that it has All-American Rose Selections (AARS) display gardens and spans a couple of acres. Thornden Park website. The National ARS Miniature Rose Show and Convention was held in Syracuse last month. Garden photographs from the Syracuse Rose Society.

The Western New York Rose Society provides a web page of rose gardens, within the state and elsewhere. The listing includes municipal rose gardens (free admission) and rose gardens at private sites that would require an admission fee. Web page.

Nebraska:

Hamann Rose Garden, Lincoln: The city's first rose garden was established during the 1940s and named after Fred Goebel who designed the city's Sunken Gardens. Later names, including Municipal Rose Garden, and several redesigns followed. The park features floribundas, grandifloras, hybrid tea roses, climbing roses, and All-America Rose Selection (AARS) award-winning roses, amidst boxwood, flowers and evergreens. Tours are available.

Nevada:

The City of Reno Rose Garden at Idlewild has a seasonal rose garden that peaks twice: late June/early July and late August. If you visit you will be treated to 200 varieties of roses and more than 1,750 total roses on one acre. Created in 1958, visitors will also see a "Rose Waterfall" mosaic of a dozen floating pink roses. Website.

Oklahoma:

Part of the Will Rogers Gardens, this half acre Charles E. Sparks Rose Garden in Oklahoma City has 85 varieties of 3,000 rose bushes, and was begun by the Oklahoma Rose Society in 1938. The garden blooms during May and October. Charles E. Sparks Rose Garden in Oklahoma City.

Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden / Woodward Park and Municipal Rose Garden: This rose garden was also constructed during the Depression as a W.P.A. (Work Projects Administration) project, like the Californian one above. Early on, its gardeners won an award from Better Homes and Garden Magazine. Five terraces are home to about 250 varieties, displayed among 5,000 plants. Roses can bloom until November if frost hasn't occurred by then. Tulsa Rose Garden.

Ohio:

Park of Roses (Whetstone), also called the Columbus Park of Roses, has 13 acres with more than 11,000 rose bushes including miniature roses. There is the most beautiful photograph of sunlight streaming onto the rose bushes. Columbus, Ohio.

Oregon:

International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, Portland: According to the City, "Portland has long had a love affair with roses." In 1905, it had "200 miles of rose-bordered streets." The International Rose Test Garden dates back to the early 1920s. The site includes a Royal Rosarian Garden, Shakespeare Garden, and Miniature Rose Garden. There are 6,800 rose bushes of 557 varieties.

South Carolina:

The Edisto Memorial Rose Garden is situated on a Civil War battleground near Orangeburg. Fifty beds of roses, containing 4,000 plants, cover the park's area of 150 acres. The South Carolina Festival of Roses takes place there during April. The park is also a testing site for AARS. While visiting the gardens, you can take a stroll along the 2,600 foot boardwalk into the Tupelo/Cypress wetland that connects the rose garden with the Edisto River. Edisto Memorial Rose Garden. Website.

Texas:

Tyler Municipal Rose Garden: Created in 1952, the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden boasts one of the All-America Rose Selection (AARS) trial gardens. It is 14 acres, includes redwood trees, and has a Rose Show in October. It has more than 35,000 bushes representing about 500 varieties of roses (Texas Rose Festival). The city web site advises that roses are pruned in September to encourage new blooms for the festival. Located on site is the Heritage Rose and Sensory Garden, full of antique rose varieties as old as 1867. You can also visit a demonstration garden called the IDEA Garden. Other unique features according to Festival web site: "Go from antebellum roses to computer roses within minutes at the Rose Museum. With a touch of a button, rose enthusiasts can go high tech with the Museum's computerized catalog of 250 rose varieties" Tyler Rose Museum / "Rose Capital of the Nation."

See also: Designated Historic Landmarks in Tyler and "Texas Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta Presents the Gardens of Texas."

Rose Garden in Houston: Located in Hermann Park, along with other features like a Japanese Garden. The Rose Garden is a feature of the "Garden Center," where local garden clubs meet, including the Houston Rose Society, which was instrumental in creating the Houston Municipal Rose Garden (see the Society's history). There are 2,500 rose bushes and an international sculpture garden (park web site).

El Paso Municipal Rose Garden: Recently renovated and at more than 4 acres, this garden includes a waterfall, Koi fish, and walking paths. Partners include the Rose Garden Society and the Texas A&M Extension Service. Apparently the multiple levels within the garden, formed by rocks, are quite something to see ("Texas Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta Presents the Gardens of Texas").

West Virginia:

Ritter Park Rose Garden, Huntington: Associated with the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District, the collection was begun in 1934 and includes more than 2,000 plants and is "noted for its All-American Rose Selections." The Caretaker, Truman Watts, reportedly likes "mushroom compost soil," for water efficiency. Ritter Park Rose Garden.

For more information:

"The Rise of the American Municipal Rose Garden, 1927-1937," by Phoebe Cutler in Studies in the history of gardens & designed landscapes, v. 25. n. 3. (July-Sept. 2005): 202-216.

Gardens Across America, Volume II: West of the Mississippi: The American Horticultural Society's Guide to American Public Gardens and Arboreta by John J. Russell
(Apr 25, 2006).

Gardens Across America, Volume I: East of the Mississippi: The American Horticultural Society's Guide to American Public Gardens and Arboreta, by John Russell (Aug 25, 2005).

New miniature train video: Epcot

2011-07-04T04:52:00.002-06:00

Last year I snapped these photos during the annual flower show at Epcot in Florida. Now, thanks to the theme park's web site, you can pretend you are riding on one of the passenger G-scale trains while watching a video shot by Disney Parks Broadcast Production.

The video shows the miniature train set in the German garden, decorated for this year's International Flower and Garden Festival.

The next festival is scheduled for March 7 to May 20, 2012.

If you attend, maybe you'll see some wildlife amidst the set, as we did with this duck.

Swath of color: flowers

2011-06-26T09:02:00.000-06:00

A large patch of uniform color creates a striking scene in the garden. Recently I took a walk past a front yard bordered completely with the same color of pink Roses. It's hard to describe the beauty in this garden... the uniform blooms on a somewhat wild-looking Rose and the sheer volume of petals outlining the sidewalk and pathway to the owner's front door.

In my Colorado garden this month is the largest clump of Easter Lilies I have ever seen, in a beautiful shade of red. And my blooming Spirea covers another large area with dainty lavender petals.

Gardens can create vertical color scenes as well, as has been done at the Denver Botanic Gardens with a healthy climbing white Rose, contrasted with yellow Columbine growing in front of it.

Or a mixture of perennials can be planted amidst each other that showcase closely related shades (Denver Botanic Gardens).

If you have the space to create a true carpet, consider growing something like this lavender one from Kew Gardens in London or the tapestry of color created at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.

Swath of color: the Smokebush or Smoketree

2011-06-26T08:08:00.000-06:00

A couple of years ago, Duke and I spotted this tree with its funny wispy filaments in a nearby neighborhood. We never met the owner and couldn't identify the tree. But recently, I came across a specimen at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Cotinus coggygria is called Smokebush or Smoketree, because it can be trained into either a tree or a shrub. Imagine it grown into a hedge. The deciduous broadleaf plant has a variety of cultivars including this one called "Grace." It's a member of Anacardiaceae (the Sumac family).

For more information: Smokebush, Smoketree, 2901-1068, Alex X. Niemiera, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Blueberries -- minimal prep, maximum taste

2011-06-19T08:23:00.002-06:00

During the Summer, I avoid turning on my oven. This keeps the house cool, but as a result, I don't do much baking. Nor do I cook casseroles. And both types of cooking provide some enjoyable ways to eat vegetables and fruit.

Recently I found Florida blueberries on sale at my supermarket. I brought home a 32 ounce container (that's a lot). But these berries were much bigger than the blueberries in a smaller container from another producer. Then came the dilemma. Aside from freezing, how does a family of two consume that many blueberries before they go bad? I have two suggestions.

Cook them into pancakes and freeze the leftovers (New England Griddle Cakes (Women's Day): Year's ago, I copied a recipe from a Women's Day magazine for pancakes. They turned out a little thicker than the usual variety, but I love the original recipe and the various modifications I've tried over the years. Recently, I made a batch with some leftover sausage mixed in, a type we bought from the store and didn't enjoy as much as other brands. And this weekend, I added blueberries.

My modification uses 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of flour; 3-4 tsp baking powder; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tsp salt; 1 1/4 cup milk (skim or 2% is fine); 1/4 cup melted butter; and 2 eggs. I mix the eggs and milk together in an electric mixer. I soften the butter at the same time. Then I add all the dry ingredients except the flour to the egg/milk mixture. Next I add the softened or melted butter, and finally the flour. This results in thinner pancakes -- by adding a little more milk and a little less flour than the original recipe called for. This time around, I folded in about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of blueberries. I didn't measure carefully. Then I cooked on a griddle.

Salad - something sweet, something green, something nutty: Over the years I've enjoyed making salads that incorporate a nut (like pecan or walnut), a fruit (like oranges, grapefruit or apple), and mixed greens. I took the opportunity to make a spinach salad that incorporated finely chopped walnuts, blueberries, shredded parmesan cheese, croutons and balsamic vinegar. Delicious!

Summer layering

2011-06-19T08:20:00.000-06:00

My wardrobe contains several beautiful but problematic dresses. Some have spaghetti straps, making it difficult to pair with the right bra -- I avoid strapless bras and visible bra straps. Some dresses show a little too much show décolletage and definitely need another layer for work settings. Other dresses are unlined, and for one reason or another, a slip doesn't help. Some were bought specifically to wear with a cardigan or sleeveless sweater that I no longer own. But I love these dresses and have opted to keep them in hopes of finding the perfect layer to go over them. And that depends on the season, Summer being the most problematic.

Even if you think a style isn't for you, it's worth trying it on. I found this out recently when I tried on a drawstring blouse from Banana Republic (show above). Normally I avoid tunics and anything with a drawstring at the waist, but I loved this pattern. The blouse is sheer and comes in petite sizes. I opted for a blouse one size lower than I normally wear in petite. The result was a perfectly tailored look. Worn with shorts or pants, it requires a tank top or camisole underneath. But it also looks amazing with an orange silk racerback dress that I own.

For the heat of the Summer, blouses really make the best layering pieces over certain dresses. Shown here is cream Bebe blouse with a lace pattern that always invites compliments from my female friends. Because it has such a nice pattern and is fitted under the bust, it doesn't add bulk when added to a dress.

Shown with this blouse is a crocheted Talbots sweater that I found in Albuquerque many years ago. For a Summer's night or a cooler Summer day, this sweater provides the right upper layer that is tied with an attached ribbon around the upper waist.

For the children at the Albuquerque Botanical Garden

2011-06-12T14:07:00.004-06:00

My Winter visit last March to the Albuquerque Biopark was a little too early for blooming outdoor flowers. But as the temperature was still mild, it was pleasant to tour the aquarium and outdoor botanical garden. For a child, a visit during Winter offers plenty to do.

And perhaps an early morning visit would still be nice during the Summer. If you dislike the heat, however, check out the park's Night Walks under moonlight where people can observe nocturnal animals, night blooming plants and night pollinators. The first is scheduled for the end of June.

Here are a few photographs from my Winter tour:

Watching the ducks on the little lake in the middle of the park can be mesmerizing.

The Railroad Garden is on a shaded pathway between the entrance and the Butterfly Pavilion. Miniature plants have been situated throughout this special garden. They give a sense of scale to the small scale model. Pygmy bamboo, carpet mat plants, miniature sedums, tiny bulbs and aquatic plants capture the eye at various times. Kids can ride a train around the park as well.

A bridge on the miniature railroad.

The Giant Pumpkin deserves special mention. It stands two stories high and is 42 feet across. As you walk through the structure, you can look above and see pumpkin guts (the thready seedy part). This is found in the Fantasy Garden.

The entrance to this children's garden resembles a castle. It's a lovely example of a gateway to a secret play space or hideaway.

A 14-foot tall dragon guards the entrance of the Fantasy Garden. Once inside, visitors are treated to giant rakes, hoes and watering cans, all built to scale for huge potatoes, onions and carrots. Large bees and enormous flowers are featured, as are earthworms, also built to scale.

The giant carrots.

Chives and Spring/Summer pasta salads

2011-06-05T06:11:00.003-06:00

My friend Abby recently introduced me to Cooks Illustrated, which she values for its insight into the chemistry and art of making recipes into more gratifying culinary experiences. I agree.

The Spring Vegetable Pasta recipe in the May/June 2011 issue improves upon a pasta primavera recipe and includes chives. Each Spring, before I know it, chives have reappeared and transformed into big clumps around my garden. One spot they reappear in is the former kitchen bed near the deck, now used for roses. And perhaps I shouldn't say "reappear," because they can be found in the dead of Winter, as long as they are not under cover of snow. They're downtrodden at that time, of course.

Chives, Allium schoenoprasum, are from the onion family (Alliaceae). This family also includes onions, leeks and garlic. Front Range Colorado gardeners can count on chives coming back year after year, without having to replant. If mulched, chives can withstand temperatures to -20° Fahrenheit (Blue, NC State University). I've never mulched my plants. I simply leave the Fall plant debris in the garden beds, which provides adequate mulch for the Winter. By mid May, the chives are producing their purple and pink flower heads.

The Spring Vegetable Pasta in Cooks Illustrated appealed to me for several reasons. It avoids the need for cream and includes chives. The recipe was easy to make and tasted wonderful. I served it at a dinner party for eight. Recently I modified the recipe due to time and ingredient constraints. I used fresh green beans, for instance.

Spring pasta salad recipes can be served warm or cold, are relatively inexpensive to make, provide leftovers, and feed a lot of people at once. Also, it's fun to experiment with a recipe once you've tried it. I've also enjoyed making the Penne Pasta Salad With Grilled Fennel, Roasted Eggplant, Black Olives, and Fresh Dill from Once Upon a Tart ... Soups, Salads, Muffins, and More by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau (Knopf, 2003, ISBN: 0-375-41316-2). I skipped the eggplant and doubled the olives and garlic. Elsewhere on the blog, I've also written about Rachel Ray's Lemon and Herb Pasta Salad.

If you garden on a patio, consider growing chives in pots. If you use chives often, it makes sense to grow a bunch rather than buy them from the supermarket. Also, chives, when flowering, make a nice addition to a vase of flowers, though use them sparingly so that you don't overwhelm your home with an onion odor.

Want to learn more about growing Chives?

Growing Chives. M1220, 2007. University of Minnesota Extension, edited by Jill MacKenzie, Former Extension Specialist, Horticulture, University of Minnesota Extension, 6/07. Reviewed by Shirley Mah Kooyman, Adult Education Manager Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and University of Minnesota Extension, 10/07.

Growing Herbs in the Garden, adapted from Pub. NE 208 published by the Cooperative Extension Services of the Northeast States, West Virginia University Extension Service.

Edible Flowers, 1/99 HIL-8513, Cyndi Lauderdale, Extension Agent, Wilson County Center, Erv Evans, Extension Associate, Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, North Carolina State University.

Growing Guide: Chives, Cornell University.

Chives, revised 5/97 -- author reviewed 5/97 HIL-124, Jeanine M. Davis, Extension Horticultural Specialist, Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University.

Winterizing the Herb Garden, 1/99 HIL-8112, Linda Blue, Extension Agent, Buncombe County Center, Erv Evans, Extension Horticultural Associate, Jeanine Davis, Extension Horticultural Specialist, Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Chives in the Garden, Dan Drost, Vegetable Specialist, Reviewed June 2010, Utah State University Cooperative Extension.

Upper Mountain Gardens at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail

2011-05-29T04:22:00.000-06:00

The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado has posted their 2011 Calendar of Events & Programs, which features guided tours, art and photography classes, cooking demonstrations and more. And last week the Gardens held its Butterfly Launch festival. This time last year, some friends and I were planning our own visit to the botanical garden, with an overnight stay in Vail Village.

Elsewhere on the blog I've talked about various features of the Gardens from last Summer's visit -- the Garden Gate and Mountain Perennial Garden. But I had yet to share with you photos of the Alpine Rock Garden and upper walking areas. This is a particularly nice feature of the Vail Gardens --lovely walking paths that take you higher up for beautiful views of the mountainside and park below, not to mention the plants. But while walking through the Mediation Garden and sub-alpine and alpine areas, I took note of the structures -- a log cabin, stone patios, beautiful bridges, knotty wood, and boulders and waterfalls.

There is much to learn about the plants also -- wetlands and bogs; small perennials with little leaves or plants with waxy leaves for protection in dry, windswept mountain climates; Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum); Penstemons; Saxifrage and other flowers that like to live in rocky areas of waterfalls; alpine flowers; Yellow Flowering Currant (Ribes aureum); and mountain trees like Ponderosa Pine. You can read about these plants in detail at the Gardens website -- see the links below.

The photo above shows the Log Cabin, situated near the north entrance, but if you start at the Garden Gate below and work your way up, it's the last place you come to on your tour. The cabin was constructed to resemble a historic mountain cabin but is used as a tool shed and workshop. Planted nearby are Thimbleberry and Red-Berried Elder. As you walk toward the cabin, you pass alpine pools, commonly seen by hikers in the Rocky Mountains. The alpine pools flow downhill to create a 40-ft. waterfall. (See also Alpine Rock Garden, #4).

While walking up the pathways and staircases, turn around and take in the view of the mountain.

This photo is a typical view of the walkways with wide rock staircases and waterfalls and trees.

Another vista from up on the stairways.

A pool in the middle of the woods.

The waterfall flows under three log bridges.

Look at the beautiful architecture of this bridge -- the bent wooden slats.

A field of small boulders.

The Gardens have many seating areas, including this bench. So if you are in a party of people at various ages, you can stop for a rest anytime you like and meet up with your group as they descend the stairways.

For more information:

Mountain Meditation Garden

Alpine Rock Garden, part 1 -- part 2 -- part 3 -- part 4 -- part 5

Garden maintenance: bench repair

2011-05-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

Several years ago, Duke and I bought a couple of park-style benches for the garden -- the type you can find at your local hardware or "big box" store made of wood slats and cast iron, some assembly required. They usually cost under $100, are widely available at this time of year, and are an adorable addition to the garden decor.

After enduring a few Colorado Summers and Winters, the benches needed some repair. The frames became unstable, because the slats had pulled away from the iron frame. The wood was "weathered" and threatened to snag clothing. The overall look diminished. We opted to repair them rather than buy new ones.

First, Duke disassembled the benches and sanded each piece of wood. He used a palm sander with 150 grit sandpaper, finishing with 200 grit. Next he applied Linseed Oil to each piece and let dry.

That solved the aesthetic issue. Next he tackled the problem of structural integrity. Each wooden slat had an inset in the wood. The screws that attached the wood to the iron fit into these insets. The insets had become loose, causing the assembled bench to wobble.

Duke tried to glue the insets back in, but to no avail. So he created a system with a tension device to pull the frame tight on the wooden slats, once the screws were put back in place.

He measured the bench and bought several feet of 1/4 inch braided steel cable. This is lightweight cable -- easy to work with and perfect for this small job. Then he bought a turnbuckle eye/eye. Turnbuckles are used to adjust the length and tension between cables.

In the photo above, he used two turnbuckles to secure the back of the bench. Below, for the base, he modified his design and only used one turnbuckle -- more efficient and cheaper by design.

The cost of materials to repair each bench was minimal -- under $30. Although the tension system is barely noticeable when looking at the bench, a couple of garden cushions would hide the steel cable.

The Epcot Greenhouse Tour

2011-05-03T16:43:00.010-06:00

If you visit Disney's Epcot this year, take a boat tour through The Land Pavilion and then the special one-hour walking tour of the same area called "Behind the Seeds." There is a fee to attend the latter, but you will be rewarded with an up-close look at hydroponics gardening, beneficial insects and aquaculture. (Living with the Land attraction). Some displays might cause you to rethink your own gardens. You might be inspired to try growing vegetables on a trellis or grow some different herbs. Other feats, made possible by a state-of-the-art greenhouse and staff, will simply amaze you.

My husband, Duke, and I enjoyed a full afternoon of tours in this area of Epcot last year. We saw some amazing vegetable specimens, such as the giant tomato "tree" above. Can you imagine cultivating such a massive tomato plant, let alone shaping it into the shape of a tree?

A view from the boat shows Kale in the foreground and Pumpkin and Zucca melon (light green) in the background.

According to Purdue University, Zucca is one of the "Old World" Cucurbits of economic importance, called Lagenaria siceraria. These Bottle Gourds from Africa have been documented growing in Peru, Thailand and Zambia. The hard skin protects the plant and its seeds from water, including saltwater. And the plant, in its young stage, is a versatile vegetable for cooking (Purdue and the American Gourd Society). People have also used it to make containers, utensils, instruments for music and fishing tools (Ng, T.J. 1993. New opportunities in the Cucurbitaceae. p. 538-546. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York; see also information at the University of Florida: Gourd, Cucuzzi — Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl., James M. Stephens, HS603, University of Florida IFAS Extension).

From the boat, a view of Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus. Of the family Moraceae (Mulberry family), this Asian fruit -- more specifically it's from India -- comes from a 30-70 ft. tall tree (Purdue). Its family includes fig trees and the Rubber Tree (University of Florida IFAS Extension). Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group states that this tree produces the largest tree-borne fruit in the world.

From the walking tour, Cotton up close.

From the walking tour, Bananas.

From the walking tour, the Tea Garden that featured Tamarind, Jasmine, Lavender, and Angelica, among other plants.

If you want to grow herbs for tea this Summer and have no experience with these plants, see Homegrown Herbal Teas by Liz Bartlett, Frederick County Master Gardener, Special to News Post, Maryland Cooperative Extension, University of Maryland and Frederick County Master Gardeners. See also Herbs for Idaho Gardens by the University of Idaho Extension, or Google a guide associated with your growing conditions and state.

More often than not, kitchen gardens tend to include an herb area rather than a spice area. The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service explains the difference: spices are produced using "flowers, fruit, seeds, roots or bark," while we normally think of herbs as coming from "fresh or dried leaves."

I looked upon Epcot's Spice Garden with interest, but I have no desire to try planting one. This one featured Paprika, Black Pepper, and Lemon Grass, among other spice plants.

See: Spices and Herbs for the Home Garden, Guide H-221, revised by George W. Dickerson, Extension Horticulture Specialist, Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, New Mexico State University.

A vegetable being trained to look like Mickey Mouse, earning its ears.

Another Cucurbit (family Cucurbitaceae) is the rapid growing Winter Melon, which is rarely grown outside of Asia. It's a helpful ingredient for soup stock (Purdue). Ng, T.J. 1993. New opportunities in the Cucurbitaceae. p. 538-546. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York.

Like other plants in the greenhouse, a sign for this plant marks the variety, scientific name, and the date seeded. Here, Benincasa hispida, the "green variety," is marked as being seeded on 5/11/09.

When you take the walking tour, you can examine further the basket-net design used to support these Pumpkins.

This packet demonstrates the use of a beneficial insect being disseminated in a Strawberry patch, as seem from the walking tour.

At the start of the tour, we learned about the Leafminer Fly. Liriomyza sativae is a pest that affects food crops and ornamental plants. The sign explains that each adult female can lay about 200 eggs that hatch in 3 days. The larvae, which are hatched inside the leaf, will tunnel through the leaves for about 4 days and then exit and move into soil, where they eventually hatch into adult flies. Entomologists with the University of Florida report that the families of Cucurbitaceae, Leguminosae, and Solanaceae are most susceptible (Featured Creatures: vegetable leafminer, John L. Capinera, University of Florida).

The Parasitoid Wasp, Opius dissitus, is the biological control of choice for the Leafminer Fly at Epcot. The Wasp lays one egg inside each Leafminer she finds, which hatches when the fly is in the puparium stage (while in the soil). The Wasp eats the Leafminer at this stage and then becomes an adult two weeks later (signage). (See also: Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard), Ronald F.L. Mau, Extension Entomologist, Jayma L. Martin Kessing, Educational Specialist, Department of Entomology, Honolulu, Hawaii).

Brussels sprouts as seen from the boat tour. Rhubarb to the left.

Disney's aquaculture system contains 20,000 gallons of circulating freshwater, home to "hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, tilapia, sturgeon, American alligator, freshwater prawn and American eel" (Disney).

Cotton as seen from the boat tour. The shades of white, pinks and reds remind me of Cherry Blossoms and my Sand Cherry, currently blooming.

One more view from the boat tour of hanging Pumpkins, Sunflowers and Melons.

From the walking tour, Lettuce growing in spiral-like structures. Below: Cucumbers growing on a trellis.

A staircase in the Giant Bamboo at Kew

2011-04-21T15:28:00.000-06:00

Sometimes the photograph you plan to take is different from the picture you discover afterwards. Take for instance this image of a spiral staircase. Did I notice how beautifully the Giant Bamboo framed the structure? Did I see the ruler beside it? When I took this photo last Summer in the Palm House of Kew Gardens (London), I intended merely to capture a memory of the staircase leading to the bird's eye view of this indoor garden.

Giant Bamboo (Gigantochloa verticillata), pictured here, is the largest of bamboos, growing up to 82 feet, as tall as an average tree. It hails from the family Poaceae, the grass family. It's known as a "friend of the people" in China and "wood of the poor" in India, due to its versatility. The plant is useful for building materials, paper, utensils, tools, musical instruments, and food (Kew Gardens signage). And here, it adds an interesting element to the architecture of a conservatory.

A Wisteria hut or enclosure at Kew

2011-04-16T15:34:00.002-06:00

At Kew Gardens in London is a fascinating sanctuary formed by a twining, twisting Wisteria sinensis (China). This ancient vine originally covered the eastern end of the great stove glasshouse (or hot house) built in 1761 for the Princess Augusta. The building was demolished in 1861, but the Wisteria remains (signage and Kew's first botanic garden). It is trained into a cone-like shape with a tall ceiling and an entrance large enough for an adult to walk through. Inside this enclosure you can find some shade and serenity, and sit amongst the green foliage on a curved bench.

Chinese Wisteria is part of the family Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae), the Pea Family. It's a woody climbing vine with twining stems that are light green to light brown. And it produces flowers that are blue to purple to lavender to white (Wisteria OSU).

I find trees and tree-like structures interesting when the bark seems unique. I also enjoy looking up at the understory and taking photographs of light streaming through the branches. Often we look at a tree, or tree-like plant, face-on, or from a distance looking out and up. But a vine trained in this manner, or a tree, offers a different perspective when you can stand or sit inside of it, as a child would on a warm Summer's day. To this end, I give you a photograph of this enclosure from the inside looking up.

Map of Kew

Climbing -- treehouses and tree walks

2011-04-03T06:41:00.002-06:00

This past weekend, the Huntsville Botanical Garden was scheduled to open four new treehouses, including the Gnome Dome and the Bird's Eye View on stilts. When I was little, my brother and I had our own treehouse. It was constructed from a kit by my Dad and his colleagues. A ladder led up to the little room with a pitched roof, one window and a door. The house sat on stilts, under which was a sandbox. We would escape from the rain there and examine bugs, which were plentiful. It stood on the edge of the woods and blended into the landscape. It was painted dark brown. Being able to enjoy nature and examine it from a higher vantage point provides an experience that children and adults alike can enjoy.

Botanical gardens, like Huntsville often offer multi-level features to give visitors another view. Uphill walkways and two-story conservatories come to mind as do treetop walks and treehouses. This past Summer I saw a treetop walkway in England at Kew Gardens, and I began wondering what else was available. The photos throughout this blog post are of the treetop walk at Kew and the stairs in the Palm House. Below are links to other gardens that offer bird's eye views.

Treehouses: If you live in the Richmond, Virginia area, perhaps you've visited the Children's Garden at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. This garden includes a water play area, working "farm," shady seating areas and a treehouse, which provides a bird's eye view of the lake, Conservatory, Rose Belvedere and entire Children's Garden.

The treehouses at the Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania were originally intended to be a temporary exhibit. But almost three years later, and indefinitely into the future, the Natures Castles remain. They include the shady Adirondack-style structure called the Lookout Loft; the Norwegian church-inspired Canopy Cathedral; and the woodland Birdhouse.

In Lansing, Michigan State University provides a 4-H Children's Garden complete with a treehouse made of white cedar trees from northern Michigan. The structure surrounds a cross section of a giant tree. You can look at the dates on the stump and see the annular rings. The treehouse is shady and looks down on the Children's Gardens.

A treehouse is also featured in the Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Treetop walkways: At the 92-acre Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, is the Tree Adventure. This 450-foot long walkway is 50 feet above the ground and includes a suspension bridge and giant bird's nest.

This past Summer, I flew to England and went directly to Kew Gardens after leaving the airport. Later that afternoon, I had walked up and down several flights of a spiral staircase in the Palm House, in order to see the Marine Display in the basement and the plants from up above. My Dad and I departed the Palm House to make our way to the Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway. Quickly I realized that my legs were tired. Hours of plane travel and too many stairs had exhausted them. The walkway is 60 feet high and 656 feet long, and the floor is see-through. From on top, which you can only reach by climbing 118 stairs (the elevator has never worked well), you can see the crowns of lime, sweet chestnut and oak trees. Visitors can also get closer to birds, insects, lichen fungi, seed pods and blossoms. As I was incapacitated, only my Dad made the trek up the stairs.

Not traveling to England anytime soon? Perhaps you'll find a reason to go to Vancouver where you can enjoy the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, which is open year-round. It's provided by the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. The system is 1,010 feet amongst west coast forest canopy. It takes 45 minutes to complete the walk, which is fully-guided according to the web site.

In 2012, Texans and others can look forward to the completion of the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum. One feature includes a Texas Skywalk.

A Cypress tree in London

2011-03-27T15:36:00.004-06:00

Towards the end of my visit to Kew Gardens last Summer -- after passing the afternoon fending off jet lag and having tea with my Dad -- I spotted a tree that looked very familiar. It was Taxodium distichum, the Bald Cypress. It was the "knees" that caught my eye. I had taken several boat trips in Florida the previous Spring and had become reacquainted with this unusual tree. The knees are often called pneumatophores -- "breathing roots" or "aerial roots." It's been explained to me that the knees allow the tree's roots to breathe.

This aeration theory is quite popular, but as Christopher H. Briand of Harvard University explains, scientists are not completely sure of the knees' role. Other theories include the idea that the tree expresses methane gas or "swamp gas" through the knees. Perhaps these funny looking structures provide nutrient support or root support. Or, maybe the original reason for the knees no longer exists. He likens them to the appearance of termite mounds. Apparently they are mostly solid, except if rotted, and vary in size. Briand also notes that the tallest recorded cypress knee was 14 feet high. For a very interesting photograph of some denuded roots of a Bald Cypress (the roots and knees are exposed), see "Cypress Knees: An Enduring Enigma," by Christopher H. Briand (pg. 2).

Cypress occur naturally along the Gulf Coast; north from Florida up the Atlantic Ocean; and in parts of the Mississippi River Valley. Often you will see Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) growing on these trees (University of Florida).The specimen at Kew Gardens in London lives by the lake across from the Palm House.

I stood under the massive tree -- Cypress can grow to 150 feet -- and took a picture from the inside looking up. The tree is deciduous and has feather-like leaves. And here is something else to think about: under this tree... in a botanical garden in the middle of London... you can enjoy its shade for hours and never worry about an alligator sneaking up on you.

For more information:

Florida Forest Trees, Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum var. distichum), School of Forest Resources & Conservation, University of Florida

PLANTS Profile: Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. Bald Cypress,USDA

Taxodium distichum, Common Baldcypress, Taxodiaceae, University of Connecticut

Swamp cypress, Taxodium distichum, Kew Gardens.

Planting Cypress, by Susan W. Vince and Mary L. Duryea, University of Florida IFAS Extension.

Also on the blog: Kew Gardens, London: Glass Palaces, Water Gardens and Giant Waterlilies

Spring fashions 2011: favorites

2011-03-27T12:36:00.002-06:00

Spring/Summer clothes shopping is best done as early as possible. I've learned not to wait for things to go on sale, as they're often unavailable in popular sizes. And by the time May has arrived (and the corresponding water bills), I've little time or inclination to go shopping. There is too much fun to be had in the garden. This Spring I have chosen several practical pieces and a few whimsical ones to share with you.

Talbots has been featuring full a-line skirts and dresses, a welcome change from the pencil skirts that have been dominating the stores lately. I find a-line styles most flattering and was happy to buy the Garden Print Full Skirt. I tried on six different sizes, however, before settling on a petite version (due to fit and length). It looks lovely with a simple cotton button-down blouse (in white or cream). I rely on the Antonio Melani brand at Dillards for this style. But I've also paired this skirt with a new Sleeveless Drape Top in Eclipse (a deep dark gray blue) from Ann Taylor.

To keep my flats fresh, I've been trying out rayon/bamboo shoe liners from Charter Club, available at Macys. Lauren by Ralph Lauren provides some nice liners as well. Both versions are thicker than panty hose footies. Remarkably, however, they don't peak out of my shoes. I think I've found the perfect shoe liner to make flats and loafers (for sans sock wear) last longer and stay fresher.

The Feather Bow Dot Derby Hat from Brooks Brothers would be a splurge, but it's so adorable. Made in Italy of straw and red feathers, it's certainly the perfect Summer accessory, especially for the Fourth of July.

Finally, if you like to carry floral print handbags, you'll find fabric styles by Tyler Rodan at Macys. Dooney and Burke is offering wallets, wristlets and bags in a Petunia design, in yellow, blue, and pinks and reds. And, if you have a Coach outlet nearby, look for the Madison floral collection. Photographed above is the large wristlet -- perfect for the girl who has too many bags, but big enough to carry money, your phone, credit cards, and lip gloss.

Happy Shopping!

A mountain perennial garden in Vail: the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

2011-03-24T04:01:00.003-06:00

A walk through the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in mid Summer is a delight for the flower photographer. On the day of my visit, my group spent quite a bit of time examining plants in the Mountain Perennial Garden, which houses more than 1,000 varieties of flowers, shrubs and trees. A plant that immediately caught my eye is called Eryngium, "Sapphire Blue," Eryngo. It's a member of the family Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) the Carrot family. Note the contrast of the bumble bee's yellow/black markings against the blue tones of the flower. Eryngium is sometimes called "Sea Holly" or "Miss Wilmott's Ghost." Eryngo refers to the wild form (CSU Extension).

The Mountain Perennial Garden includes raised or mounded "island beds," surrounded by stone paths and border beds. So you can enjoy individual flowers or the entire composition from various vantage points.

As you wander, you'll meet up with architectural features like this little bridge and waterfall by the Himalayan Garden, which includes plants such as the Trailing Bellflower and Giant Himalayan Cowslip.

When I noticed this daisy-like flower with purple foliage, I couldn't decide if the purple-against-green was the most striking color combo, or the yellow-against purple. Trying to identify the unlabeled plant proved difficult. I believe it is "Dahlia Mystic Illusion." A similar variety is "Dahlia Clarion." Regardless, it's one of the Dahlia varieties with purple or black foliage.

Helpful resources:

Garden Flowers, Linnaeaus Arboretum, Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.)

Mystic Allusion, Dahlia (Proven Winners)

Favorite Single Plants, Dahlia Single Party, Agrilife Extension, Texas A&M)

Despite the size of my garden, I've never incorporated mounded beds with plants staggered by height. Some people plan a bed with plants that will grow into the space and achieve different heights, with the highest in the middle, and the shortest at the edges. Advanced planning in this regard has never been my forte.

When I photograph plants in botanical gardens, I always look for the signage and take a photo of that also. It's easy to make a mistake and misidentify an unfamiliar specimen, especially if signs are posted between adjacent plants. I'm fairly certain that this plant is Veronica pectinata, "Woolly Veronica," from the family Scrophulariaceae. Veronicas are also called Speedwells. Scrophulariaceae is the family of Figworts, Snapdragons, and Foxgloves.

Judging from my photographs, I was more interested in looking at the bees.

Of course, no mountain or Colorado plains landscape would be complete without Columbine. The pale pink / pale yellow combination was my favorite on this tour.

For more information:

Betty Ford Alpine Center, Mountain Perennial Garden

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) - The Carrot Family, Lewis and Clark

Sea Holly: Eryngium by Terry Deem-Reilly, Colorado Master GardenerSM, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver

Also about the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens on this blog: The garden gate and the upper mountain rock gardens.

Winter activities wrap-up: floral design and garden shows

2011-03-16T14:24:00.002-06:00

Gardeners who live in cooler climates, like Colorado, often spend the Winter looking for activities that keep them in touch with their craft. One member of my garden club has converted his basement into a greenhouse of sorts. He provides me and others with indoor vegetables for the Winter and starts for the Spring. Some gardeners catch up on reading or travel or wait for the seed catalogues to arrive. It can be a long wait between the holidays and the onset of warmer weather.

One activity I recently participated in was corsage-making at a local horticultural center. The Center for Career Development of the St. Vrain Valley School District gave a class to my garden club, toured us through the greenhouses, and explained their annual plant sale. And I made a beautiful corsage from scratch (except for the bow). It wasn't very difficult, and it gave me and my friends the opportunity to work with flowers.

Some friends of mine in Rochester, N.Y. discovered that their local nursery gives floral design classes during the Winter months. In one class they made a bulb garden. In another class they made terrariums. A terrarium is a glass container of plants that is often closed off, but it can refer to an open design (as pictured above). An open garden requires more water but might be less susceptible to disease because the humidity is lower.

Apparently the use dates back to at least 2,500 years ago in Greece. In our country, it may have been popular at first with New England housewives who grew squawberry (partridge berry) plants. For more stories about the history of this planting method, and tips, see Terrariums, reviewed by David H. Trinkle, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri Extension. Today people often decorate their terrariums with additional materials, like little bunnies and twigs. There are lots of possibilities.

During the late Fall, I was given a Red Robin Tomato plant in a small plastic container from a garden club member. By late January it had lots of blooms and I had repotted it. By late February, it had lots of tiny tomatoes. Since the weather got warmer in March, it has been providing us with mature tomatoes. They're not the tastiest, but I like the smell of the plant when I accidentally brush it against my arm in the kitchen. This variety is a dwarf/container tomato. It's a determinate variety and produces fruit with a mild taste. This variety is also suited to hanging baskets. For a primer on tomato plants and the differences between varieties, see Tomato from "Watch Your Garden Grow" by the University of Illinois Extension.

A home and garden show during the colder months is sure to cure the Winter blues for a little while. My husband, Duke, and I took in the Colorado Home and Garden Show in Denver during a nice week (weather-wise) in February. The scent of the numerous bulbs and flowering trees that had been brought in for the event was very perceptible. Walking through the landscapes created the allusion that Spring had arrived.

We went specifically to see the 14 themed gardens, and they were incredible. They touched on the themes of sea creatures and oceans; water features like waterfalls, water sculpture, and ponds; hardscapes such as decks, patios, pergolas, and camp-fire areas; international styles; plants for design and wildflowers; urban gardens; growing for sound; creating food; and designing for privacy.

This Japanese pergola was an example of international style that combined water and a hideaway feature or room.

In two instances Duke and I learned about some new plants. I wish I could remember the name of this one. Many of the exhibitors included it in their displays. And one told us what we were looking at. The bold blue of this daisy-like flower is absolutely striking.

I thought this flower, Ranunculus asiaticus, was spectacular. It's common name is Persian Buttercup. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, Kemper Center for Home Gardening, it's a bulb or a tuberous rooted plant and from the family Ranunculaceae. It blooms in red, pink, purple, yellow or white. This plant was signed at the garden show, and it was described as "a herbaceous perennial with divided leaves arranged as its base." It might also be referred to as Ranunculus. Some well-known members of the same family include: Anemone, Clematis, Delphinium, and Helleborus. At first glance you might think the Persian Buttercup resembles a rose. It turns out that members of the Rosaceae family do resemble members of the Ranunculaceae family (Ranunculaceae from Utah State University Intermountain Herbarium).

At the very end of February, our Crocus began peaking through the soil in the warmest parts of our garden. We are now beginning to see the purple blooms. It's time to welcome Spring!

Plant and non-plant "architecture" at the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens

2011-03-13T01:43:00.000-07:00

Visiting a botanical garden during Winter forces you to take notice of architecture -- interesting benches, perhaps artwork displayed in the garden, decorative pots, and arbors and "rooms." The botanical garden in Albuquerque provides a look at quintessential New Mexican styles as well.

For instance, nowhere in my recent travels have I seen beautiful mosaic tile benches. This one, situated by the Rosalie Doolittle Fountain, incorporates a red/blue pattern on the seat, with a mountain scene behind. Elsewhere in town, I noticed the use of bright turquoise or muted oranges and pinks, which remind me of sunlight cast on soil, mountains and the sky.

One of the old walled gardens is a retreat of Spanish-Moorish design. It features trees, a fountain and lots of tile. This smaller bench is surrounded by taller shrubs. The intricacy of the tile work makes it beautiful to look at on a dull Winter's day.

Nearby is the Ceremonial Garden. On a smaller scale this area could be re-envisioned as a little vine covered hut for a backyard garden. According to the Garden's web site, the frame is covered with Clematis, Purple Wisteria and Rambler Roses.

In the Mediterranean Conservatory, my friend and I noticed a unique way of displaying flowers. The succulents that seem to be planted vertically are actually still potted in a flat and propped up against the taller plant above.

The potted plants were being shown as part of the "Winter Fire Colors Flower Show featuring Cyclamens and Balls of Sedums Hanging."

The Mediterranean Conservatory, where these indoor photos were taken, featured a Citrus aurantium "Chinotto" tree. According to the University of California Riverside, this is a Pursha lime x Chinotto sour orange hybrid. It was blooming during my visit last week and surely contributed to the beautiful strong scents of the Conservatory that day. One could picture decorating an outside deck or indoor Florida room with an arrangement of potted dwarf trees and flowers, such as this display.

The Mediterranean Conservatory is decorated all over the place with hanging balls of Sedum. This succulent represents 400 varied species (of herbs to shrubs) in the Crassulaceae family (Georgetown University Medical Center). I have little experience with this plant. But it obviously can be trained into a hanging basket, and it makes a good groundcover as well. More importantly, it showcases the use of hanging baskets against a vertical backdrop, in this case some boulders. But I could envision something similar against my backyard fence.

Sedums, by Sue Rideout, UC Master Gardener. Master Gardener Newspaper Articles, Volunteer Programs, Tulare / Kings Counties. July 21, 2005,

What I loved most about the Albuquerque Botanical Garden was that it is uniquely New Mexican. Nowhere else have I seen hanging strands of dried chili peppers, as shown here on the Saguaro Patio. The wood braided chairs perfectly complement the structure of the outdoor room. I wonder how I might incorporate the spirit of this design into my high plains Colorado garden.

Flowers and scenery along the railways of South Devon

2011-03-09T12:01:00.009-07:00

Last Summer I toured the Paignton - Buckfastleigh - Totnes - Dartmouth area with friends and family. We traveled by foot and took a "Round Robin" car/train/bus circular tour. The trip gave us the opportunity to observe the local scenery, people's private gardens, and flowers growing in towns of the South Devon area.

The day before our Round Robin, we drove down to Paignton's Goodrington Beach on a cool and rainy day in July. Here we walked to one of the railway viaducts that we would travel across the next day. The beach was deserted except for a few birds.

The viaduct above is one of two bridges that allows the South Devon Railway to continue along a straight line between hills near the sea. I think this one is named the Broadsands Viaduct; the other is called Hookhills Viaduct. Growing wild near this structure were massive purple Butterfly Bushes, much larger than the ones I see in Colorado.

On the opposite side of the viaduct, away from the beach, we walked into a neighborhood with private gardens full of Hydrangeas. I noticed blues and pinks planted side-by-side. The area was abundant with blooms. (See other photos at a former blog post of a Hydrangea Tour.)

We started our Round Robin tour at the Buckfastleigh Station, an idyllic spot amongst rolling hills on the South Devon Railway. Some of my photos (like this one) remind me of a model train set. A friendly conductor described our train as the "blood and custard one" (not pictured here).

The South Devon Railway encompasses seven miles of the former Great Western Railway branch line. It was built in 1872 and runs along the beautiful River Dart valley, from Buckfastleigh to Totnes. It was a quiet non-profitable line used by locals for the movement of goods like coal, wool, cider and other agricultural items. Later on when the introduction of the automobile and changes to the country's railway system threatened to cause it to fade out of existence, local dedicated steam train enthusiasts transformed the line's mission into promoting local tourism. Today, people enjoy taking a leisurely ride on one of the historic steam trains. You can use the line to access the Round Robin Dartmouth Railway options or just ride back and forth on the South Devon Railway line, taking in sites and things to do along the way.

The station has a little railway museum, and the passenger platform is decorated with stacks of historical suitcases. Beautiful colorful baskets hang from overhead.

We boarded an old-fashioned steam train at Buckfastleigh and chose a railroad car that had an aisle with windows on one side and group compartments with windows on the other side. Most of the time, we stood in the aisle with the windows open, admiring the scenery. The train took us through rolling hills with views of farmland, a few stations, and little enclaves of woods.

At one point the train stopped for a few minutes, which allowed me to take some photos of flowers growing along the track.

We disembarked at Totnes Littlehempston and walked very briskly about 500 yards to the Totnes town center, where we boarded a harbour cruise to Dartmouth on the River Dart.

We floated along the river for an hour and a half, passing by towns and villages, and looking for Herons, Egrets and other birds.

Tucked away in the woods along the River Dart was Greenway House, the home of the late Dame Agatha Christie.

In Dartmouth, we found a quintessential pub called the Seven Stars, which is the town's oldest pub. It likely dates back to the 1300s. It was originally built as an inn for the stone masons who were working on Saint Saviors Church. The proprietors had decorated the outside with pretty hanging baskets. We rested a bit before finishing the final leg of our journey and enjoyed turkey stuffing sandwiches and local hard cider.

Our next train left from a station on the other side of the River Dart in Kingswear. So we boarded a ferry for the quick passage. Our final leg, aboard a second steam train, took us back to Paignton. We passed through the Greenway Tunnel, which made the train very steamy by the time we emerged. Some passengers had neglected to close their windows. We also crossed the viaduct we had walked under the day before.

In Paignton, we boarded the wrong bus and walked a mile or so back to our destination. In one neighborhood, I stopped to take photos of more Hydrangeas and Butterfly Bushes. It was a pleasant day to be temporarily lost. We knew a cup of tea would be waiting for us at our destination.

When we returned from our trip, I noticed that my orange canvas Fossil messenger bag was breaking down. It served me well that day, holding my camera and some provisions. It made me feel like a traveler, far away from my suitcase, even farther from my home. But I had everything I needed for a day trip and an unplanned hike. Like most material things in life, it had worn down and is now relegated to my memory.

I delighted in taking this photo of a Palm Tree. It reminds me that while searching for new and foreign things and places, you're likely to run into some familiar sites along the way.

Resources:

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway (Wikipedia)

South Devon Railway Association, Stock List

South Devon Railway

Illustrated map of the area from the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company

Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company

The Desert Conservatory, Albuquerque Botanic Gardens

2011-03-07T10:51:00.063-07:00

As Winter winds down in the Southwest, a few Crocus have begun to bloom (in white, yellow and purple) at the Albuquerque Botanic Gardens. And on a warm day in this area of New Mexico, the site offers pleasant walks and the promise of Spring. Of course the most colorful displays of flowers are still relegated to the Conservatories at this time of year. The tall triangular shaped buildings seem to lean against each other when viewed from the lake. Here, I discovered several "new-to-me" plants in the 10,000 square foot area, which features desert plants from the Southwest in one half and Mediterranean zone plants in the other.

Unfortunately, only some plants were marked. I would have loved to have known the names. For instance, above is a bicolor succulent I have yet to identify. My friend and I were especially interested in the tangerine / lavender combination on this succulent. I believe it's from the genus Echeveria, in Crassulaceae (the Crassula family), because of its rosettes and bell-shaped flowers. This is a highly varied group of plants.

Succulent of the Month: Cabbages, Porcelain and Hens and Chickens, by Fred Dortort, University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

How pretty this would be in the home, as long as the pets could be kept away. I've never seen a plant like this before. I would describe it as a pile of cotton balls or fluffy white golf balls. It might be of the genus Epithelantha. But despite searching on the Internet and finding similarly described cacti, I've yet to identify this one.

Succulent of the Month: Tiny Little Barrels, by Fred Dortort, University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

The Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys), however, was labeled. The flowers it produces are yellow. According to Clemson Cooperative Extension, this cactus is part of the Prickly Pear Cacti (Opuntia) group. They are easy to grow but prickly and have difficult-to-see bristles. "Large, flat, oval pads and showy flowers" are common to this group.

Bunny Ears are also called Nopal Cegador, Opuntia microdasys. This member of Cactaceae is from the South Chihuahuan Desert, according to the sign.

Other resources:

Summer’s last stand; A tour of the Albuquerque Biopark, by Nathan Russell, Staff Reporter, CNM Chronicle.

Cactus, prepared by Karen Russ, HGIC Horticulture Specialist, and Al Pertuit, Extension Floriculture Specialist, Clemson University. (New 04/99). HGIC 1502.

Albuquerque BioPark, Botanic Gardens: The Botanical Gardens in Albuquerque are part of the Albuquerque BioPark and next to the Aquarium.

The garden gate at Vail: Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

2011-03-03T03:57:00.005-07:00

In a few months time, Winter will release its hold on the mountains of Colorado, and flowers will begin to bloom at the highest botanical garden in the United States, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail. This site is a short drive from the Denver area (about 2 hours or so) and a must-see for residents of the Front Range. I also recommend that tourists driving across our state on I-70 take a break and enjoy a visit to the site.

The gardens sit at 8,250 feet. A pathway leads the visitor up a gentle incline through delightful displays of mountain perennial plants and high alpine gardens, past waterfalls and across bridges. Those from lower elevations should take it easy but not be deterred. Simply plan ahead and bring a hat, sunscreen, and some water. There are benches to rest on. You'll love the view!

The gardens feature a unique doorway. When closed, it depicts the native Juniper "snags" in the Gardens. Vail artist Sydney Summers created the gate, which was funded by a grant from The Vail Valley Foundation. The entry is unlike any I've seen at other formal gardens. The caretakers decorate the entry with beautiful potted plants in vibrant colors (below).

During our walk, our guide made sure to point out the inspiration for the gateway, an old Juniper "snag" so-called because the tree is either dying or officially dead. Its trunk and branches apparently are resistant to rot and decay, and it stands despite wind and weather extremes. Numerous web sites explain that snags are important for wildlife shelter, nesting, denning, roosting, and foraging.

Junipers are found in Piñon-Juniper woodlands, also called "P-J" woodlands, and represent about 21% of our state's forests. They are found at 4,900 - 8,000 ft. in western Colorado and to a lesser extent in the south-central part of the state and eastern plains (Piñon-Juniper Woodlands, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado State University).

We have a range of trees in Colorado that thrive in certain elevations. On the plains of eastern Colorado and its grasslands (3,500 - 5,500 ft.) are Cottonwoods. They are found along streams and, if not removed promptly from backyards, will grow like weeds. Russian Olives, a noxious weed, also abound and make us sneeze. In the foothills (5,500 - 8,000 ft.), you find Gambel Oak and Mountain-Mahogany, Piñon-Juniper woodlands and Sagebrush.

Higher up at 8,000 - 9,500 ft., Ponderosa Pine, Douglas-Fir, Lodgepole Pine, and Aspen woodlands thrive. In the Subalpine zone (9,500 -11,500 ft.) are Subalpine Fir and Engelmann Spruce (densely populated). Once you reach 11,500 ft., you encounter Alpine territory. This is referred to as the tundra or "above treeline," where only grasslands survive (Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes, CSU Extension).

Situated next to the garden gate is a Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens), our state tree. Our tour guide examined the variable color of the leaves. The early afternoon sun highlighted the range of colors from green to blue to silver.

If you are staying downtown or parked in the main visitor's parking garage, you can reach the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens by strolling along the trail by Gore Creek. It's a short 20 minute walk, as I recall. Or you can park above the Gardens and Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Ford Park and walk down a little hill.

In future blog posts, I'll describe the various sections of the botanical garden.

Resources:

Shrubland Habitat Group - Juniper Woodland (Bureau of Land Management).

Snag Bibliography - Corvallis Forestry Research Community, Oregon State University. In "Habitat Use by Snag-Associated Species: a Bibliography for Species Occurring in Oregon and Washington," by Jennifer M. Weikel and John P. Hayes

Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes, by J. Klett, B. Fahey and R. Cox, (7/08), no. 7.421, Colorado State University Extension.

Russian-Olive - Scientific name: Elaeagnus angustifolia, Colorado Dept. of Agriculture.

Piñon-Juniper Woodlands, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado State University.

Also about the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens on this blog: The mountain perennial garden and the upper mountain rock gardens.

The Gardener's Library: Gardens in Time

2011-02-20T07:58:00.003-07:00

On my bookshelf:

After visiting the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (England) last Summer, I started researching the architectural styles of Roman and medieval gardens. To that end, I found Gardens in Time, by author Jacques Bosser and photographer Alain Le Toquin, at my library. This is a heavy coffee-table book, weighing six pounds, and full of beautiful photographs of gardens I'll likely never see except in these pages. The compilers treat the reader to a historical education of gardens, moving from east to west and finishing with contemporary examples. You can read about an oasis in the desert, see examples of wild gardens and manicured ones, and learn about the reasons people have gardened for centuries. The book includes a lot of grand landscapes, but small private gardens are featured also.

In this book, I recognized a rock garden I had seen at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens (Florida) last year. During the middle of my walk, I had come across the Flat Garden (Hira Niwa), notable for its perfectly raked gravel area. The pattern was circular. According to Le Toquin and Bosser, Japanese gardens adhere to the principle of complementary attributes -- male and female, active and passive, tall and short. "Kare sansui" means "dry garden." A layer of quartz sand might be raked in a way that creates hills in the middle, as in the Ryoanji garden (pgs. 48-51). Or, as in the photograph above, a tall tree and a dense stone object are used for a focal contrast.

Describing the various dry gardens at the Morikami, the organization explains that certain features, like large rocks, are meant to symbolize waterfalls. These abstract gardens rarely feature plants and are not meant to be walked into, but should be viewed from different vantage points around the border. Ornamental items, such as pagodas, shrubs, and flowers might be featured in the background, depending on the era.

A gardener seeking to create this type of manicured landscape could learn a lot from botanical gardens and books like Gardens in Time. In fact, if you desire to change your landscape and begin to build a new fantasy in your backyard, I recommend looking at coffee-table garden books as well as traditional landscaping "how-to's." Many of us create a landscape for more than the purpose of filling a bare lot with plants. Your garden can be your own little world in a suburban jungle, an enclave for respite, an outdoor room for entertaining, or a fantastical landscape reminiscent of adventures from childhood or a favorite book. After reading Gardens in Time, you'll realize how common this is.

A note... Botanical gardens like the Morikami often put on landscape or plant classes, especially welcome during the Winter. On April 9th at the Morikami is the Japanese Garden Design 101 Workshop.

The Gardener's Library: The Gardener's Atlas

2011-02-15T09:08:00.002-07:00

On my bookshelf:

While searching for photographs and illustrations of Roman and medieval gardens, I found The Gardener's Atlas: The Origins, Discovery and Cultivation of the World's Most Popular Garden Plants (Firefly Books, Canada, 2002). John Grimshaw and consultant Bobby Ward provide an in-depth history of the exploration and dissemination of plants around the world. The book is a treat to read, no matter your level of plant knowledge or gardening experience. And, if you have moved around a lot or spent some time traveling, you might come across a plant you've forgotten about or a place you have visited, as I did while reading this book.

For example, there is a beautiful photo of the Palm House from Kew Gardens (England) and the tall spiral staircases that take you high above the trees for a bird's eye view. I don't vividly remember every visit I've paid to the Palm House. But I do recall straining my muscles walking up and down these staircases last Summer. I had just gotten off a transatlantic flight hours before. The authors also mention Pampas Grass, Cortaderia selloana, which I remember (not fondly) from my childhood. This scratchy plant can disrupt an afternoon of playtime in the garden. Its soft-sounding name recalls the grassy plains of South America, called Pampas (pgs. 201-202). But its leaves cut like razors if brushed up against.

While at Kew last Summer, I took a photo of a Monkey Puzzle Tree, Araucaria araucana. This is briefly mentioned in the book. According to Kew, the Monkey Puzzle Tree is also called the Chile Pine. It's an evergreen conifer native to Argentina and Chile. Archibald Menzies discovered it around 1780 and brought five trees back to England in 1795. One of these lived at Kew until 1892. Menzies was a Spanish plant collector and naval surgeon, traveling around the world with Captain George Vancouver on the Discovery. And during that trip, he had dinner with the Governor of Chile, where he was served the conifer seeds for dessert. Arauco is the Chilean province where the tree was first found. The common name has to do with the odd shape of the sharp branches and spiny leaves -- even a monkey would find it a puzzle to climb.

The authors include lots of stories of plant hunting, intrigue, danger and theft. You can read about famous collectors, plant breeders, and not-so-famous people who happened across a plant on a voyage and brought it back home. The authors include photographs and descriptions of garden types around the globe, like the African garden. Maps illustrate the dissemination of plants. Naming issues and controversies are mentioned, as are plant diseases that led to desired coloring, like striped tulips (pg. 109). You'll also learn about how colors were cultivated in certain plants, like roses. The relative age of plants is discussed. Waterlilies and magnolias, for instance, are among the oldest plants. Waterlilies may have been around 100 million years ago during the Dinosaur age (pg. 167). In addition to beautiful photographs, the authors include illustrations of flowers. What I most appreciated was that each chapter was organized by plant family. This allows the reader to learn about the general similarities among flowers and leaves, and which plants are most closely related to one another. (See the list below.)

An atlas like this might introduce you to a garden you've not heard of. I'm looking forward to planning a visit to Middleton Place Garden in South Carolina, the authors' example of a southern plantation garden located about a 1/2 hour outside of Charleston. It dates back to 1741, was built with slave labor, and was influenced by the French style for symmetrical grand gardenscapes (pgs. 190-191). Today the site includes an inn, gardens, stables, restaurant, and more. There are plenty of events scheduled for Winter through Spring, including the Camellia Walks, February 8th - March 31st.

Additional sources:

Bobby J. Ward's web site

Amazon used book options

"Monkey Puzzle Tree," Dr. T. Ombrello - UCC Biology Department

The authors' breakdown of plants:

The Narcissus Family (Amaryllidaceae)
Begonias, Busy Lizzies, and other bedding plants (Begoniaceae, Balsaminaceae, Gesneriaceae, Solanaceae)
Gentians and Bellflowers (Gentianaceae, Campanulaceae)
Pinks and Wallflowers (Caryophyllaceae, Cruciferae)
The Daisy Family (Compositae, Asteraceae)
The Heather Family (Ericaceae)
Geraniums and Mallows (Geraniaceae, Malvaceae)
The Iris Family (Iridaceae)
The Pea Family (Leguminosae)
The Lily Family (Liliaceae)
Olives, Plumbagos and Convolvulus (Oleaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Convolvulaceae)
Fuchsias and Oleanders (Onagraceae, Apocynaceae)
The Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)
Poppies and Peonies (Papaveraceae, Paeoniaceae)
The Primrose Family (Primulaceae)
Buttercups and Waterlilies (Ranunculaceae, Nymphaeaceae)
The Rose Family (Rosaceae)
Camellias and Magnolias (Theaceae, Magnoliaceae)
Pansies and Forget-Me-Nots (Violaceae, Boraginaceae)
Foliage Plants

Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses in England -- a few more things

2011-02-03T07:29:00.024-07:00

This photo of the main lawn at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses (England), reflects the description of this site in The Oxford Companion to the Garden. (Given this book's hefty size and price, you might opt to check it out from your library as needed.) Citing Melanie Louise Simo's Loudon and the Landscape (1988), the book explains that the Birmingham Gardens resembles a public park (pg. 47). And you would get that impression after leaving the entrance and glasshouses, and stepping out onto the Loudon Terrace.

Elsewhere on the blog, I've described the parts of this Garden that appealed to me most. It would be neglectful, however, not to mention a few other parts. I love to get lost in the woods and found the Woodland Walk, Rhododendron Walk, and Bamboo Maze delightful. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens does a lovely job of making multi-level pathways surrounded so thickly with vegetation that you can't always see around the next bend. The Bamboo Maze -- made of Golden Grove Bamboo, Phyllostachys aureosulcata "Aureocaulis spectabilis" -- was much smaller and less dense, but I could appreciate it nonetheless. And the Rock Garden and Pool had interesting pathways and little bridges to navigate.

The Rose Garden, on the day of my visit, held a special surprise. A beautiful peacock strutted around the beds of English Roses and the Lawn Aviary. We took lots of photos but kept our distance.

What else can a traveler appreciate about this Garden? The Pavilion Tea Room, off the main lawn, has a lovely array of refreshments. That includes what I think the British do best -- sandwiches in just the right size with an interesting array of ingredients.

Notes: The bamboo in this story might also be referred to as Yellow Stem Bamboo or Golden Bamboo or Yellow Grove Bamboo. These are running forms of bamboo, as opposed to clumping. See
"Bamboos for Southwest and Northern Idaho" Bob Chehey from the University of Idaho Extension. Also: numerous links and photos elsewhere on this blog: Sound in the garden... Bamboo in Florida.

Historic Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, England

The old Cadbury Shelter in the Cottage Garden, Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses

Curing the Winter blues & waiting for Spring

2011-01-27T04:59:00.008-07:00

A few weeks ago around New Years, Winter weather arrived. We had experienced mild temperatures for the Fall and Christmas season. But then it turned very cold. I contemplated buying plane tickets to Miami. I would bring work with me to the beach. But foul weather can ruin a January trip, and as a former southerner, I can't abide cooler ocean temperatures, even as far south as Miami. I don't enjoy swimming in water that is colder than the high 70s. In the end, I decided to stay put and keep busy. I planned events with friends and reviewed my list of things to do. Soon the sun came out more, the days became noticeably longer, the temperature warmed a little, and I thought about the bitter cold less frequently.

I expect that January can be hard on gardeners even in the southern states or milder climates. I recently heard two former Californians talk fondly about their extended gardening season. It didn't seem to include January, though. At the beginning of each year, I take solace in the facts that Spring fashions will soon arrive in the stores and Spring bulbs are making plans to poke through the soil. January is the perfect month to clean out clutter, assess wardrobe needs, make gardening plans, and consider travel for the next 12 months. If you prefer to stay indoors when it's cold, a home organization project can be very fulfilling. Your list of things to do in January might be a little different from mine. Nevertheless, the point is to get rid of those Winter blues.

Visiting a botanical garden during Winter: A friend and I planned a morning at the Denver Botanic Gardens. She is a fan of the famous 20th century British sculptor, Henry Moore (1898-1986), and the exhibit of his work, spread throughout the site, is leaving at the end of the month. We picked a fine day to stroll through the Gardens. It was cool yet sunny. Also, Denver Botanic recently finished a renovation of its former orchid house, attached to the Conservatory. We visited the new orchid area, which has waterfalls, a brook and two levels to view the plants from. Attached is the new Orangery that includes more orchids, little citrus trees, and windows for viewing the production greenhouses. Some months ago, the Gardens also renovated its restaurant, which has delicious food and ample seating in a pleasant setting.

One of our discoveries was this groundcover plant, which a volunteer told us is called "Wandering Jew." Its other name is Wandering Traveler (Zebrina pendula). It's found in different areas of the tropical displays of the Gardens, growing in walls or rock features or into a brook. Gardeners can grow it in a pot as well. It will cascade over the edge of its surroundings. I thought the variegated purple and green leaves were quite striking.

Trying out new food: an introduction to Bagna Cauda: Comfort food during the Winter can make a cold day tolerable. If you are feeling blue, the best medicine is a warm batch of cookies. So is a dinner party with a hearty menu and good friends. Recently, a friend of mine held a gathering to introduce her guests to a family recipe for "Bagna Cauda," which means hot bath. Her recipe, like others, calls for a blend of olive oil, butter, anchovies, and garlic cloves. She also adds wine. That evening, she simmered the mixture in an electric skillet on a table. Guests took their seats once the oil was ready and were then instructed to spear raw vegetables and cook them in the hot oil to their liking. We experimented with zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, bok choy, canned red beets and blanched Brussels sprouts. Once we removed our vegetables from the oil, we let them sit on top of some rustic bread. Some guests ate the vegetables and bread together; others ate the oil-soaked bread first and then their veggies. We also snacked on salami and cheese. We talked and laughed while cooking our dinner and felt very full afterwards. I can't wait to host a party and try this out on another group of friends. But I need an electric skillet first. Our hostess used a rectangular shaped one.

Decorating the home with color after the Christmas tree is gone: From my dining room, I have a beautiful view -- white snow, patches of greenish grass or perennials, dried up crabapples, and red twig dogwood. I also like to display fresh flowers inside of my home, and during the Winter, I buy them from the supermarket. My local place has been selling tulips in various colors and purple irises of the non-bearded variety. Recently I also purchased two miniature roses -- one orange, the other pink. I'll be able to plant them in the Spring. I have friends who prefer to display beautiful silk flower arrangements in their homes. I've tried this in the past, but I eventually get tired of fighting the dust that accumulates, so I opt for fresh flowers. Sometimes I buy a batch that lasts for weeks. With other purchases, I'm not so lucky.

Growing in my kitchen window is a Red Robin dwarf tomato plant, given to me by a member of my garden club. It's a determinate variety that makes little tomatoes. It lives in a pot by our sunniest window during Winter. I've been taking care of it since the middle of November, and at the moment, there are several tiny tomatoes and lots of yellow blooms.

Spring fashion finds: Another friend and I recently met for a shopping excursion in Denver. I love the colors being shown for Spring. Our Michael Kors store, for instance, is filled with bright colored handbags in rich oranges, blues and greens. I'm excited about some of the new colors and styles offered by Talbots. Their "Spring Look Book" shows beautiful full-skirted frocks and skirts in muted colors, paired with bright pumps in shades of teal, green, and pink. It reminds me a little of color combinations from the 80s, and our Burdines store that caused quite a stir when it was first added to our local mall -- its features (inside and out) were done in bright turquoises and pinks. Also shown by Talbots, this season, is a front-flap clutch in baked coral. And currently for sale is a Bow and Ruched Leather Flat in Tourmaline Blue. Taupe and neutral-colored shoes might be in for the Spring, but I'm dreaming of vibrant colors that remind me of warm weather.

For more bright colors, look at the Murfee scarves at Lilly Pulitzer. How they make me think of the beach. If your wardrobe is a little plain -- and there is nothing wrong with that -- a fun way to experiment with color is to add a vibrant scarf. My favorites are the "Pirates Bootyniere" and "Sea Me." Or check out the Saint James® Adam scarf for a little nautical style at JCrew.

Decoration is the spice of life and an expression of what makes us happy. We may differ in where we look for it -- art, music, food, apparel, gardens. But thank goodness we have so much to choose from.

Links:

Talbots (mouse over Apparel for the Spring Look Book)

Tomato from Watch Your Garden Grow, University of Illinois Extension

National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) Coastal Water Temperature Guide (CWTG)

"Wandering Traveler, Wandering Jew" at Interiorscape Plants Picture Pages from AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A&M System.

"Zebrina pendula Wandering Jew," Edward F. Gilman, University of Florida IFAS Extension This document is FPS-620, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October, 1999. Reviewed May, 2007. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/.

Recipes for Bagna Cauda: from Epicurious, The Food Network, and the New York Times ("Bagna Cauda," 1960, by Amanda Heser, Nov. 5, 2009.

The old Cadbury Shelter in the Cottage Garden, Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses

2011-01-11T08:43:00.002-07:00

This photo was taken from underneath a garden shelter that dates back to the Cadbury Factory and the end of the 19th century. John Cadbury and his sons George and Richard -- all Quakers -- created their empire in Bournville, an area outside the city of Birmingham, with utopian values in mind. They envisioned their employees living a more tranquil, less urban lifestyle, complete with cottage gardens for each household. At that time, this shelter was positioned in a walled garden nursery in the village and used by George Cadbury during lunch. In the nursery, gardeners grew flowers and plants for the Cadbury factory and grounds. During 1985, when the company no longer wished to keep the nursery, the shelter was moved to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens with the blessing of the Bournville Village Trust. The following picture shows the shelter in its present home. The third photo shows a pathway leading down to the shelter at the bottom of the lush Cottage Garden, at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

The Cottage Garden is designed with plants that bloom from Spring through Fall, including ornamental ones like Columbine, Hellebore, Lily of the Valley, Crown Imperials, Peonies, Hollyhocks, Sweet William, and Roses. The focal point among the flowers is the Teulon Cottage, an old lodge house from the Calthorpe Estate. We didn't explore this interesting little home, but it makes up part of the Green Man fantasy for children visiting the park.

When I visited this Cottage Garden last July, its floral features and herb garden reminded me of what I strive for in my own space -- an admittedly difficult task in the arid climate of Colorado. With its winding pathways, multi-level plantings, useful gardening areas, and shady spots, this area of the Gardens provides seclusion and a sense of peace. I think a lot of gardeners seek to carve out such a spot on their own little area of this planet.

Sources used:

From the BBC: Cadbury: The legacy in Birmingham and Cadbury: The factory in the garden

Souvenir book and plaques in the garden citing Birmingham Information Sheets No. 18 and No. 66.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses

Previous post about the Historic Gardens at the BBG&G

A few more things about the BBG&G

Historic Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, England

2011-01-02T10:20:00.059-07:00

Since I first began visiting gardens while on a business trip or a vacation, I've noticed that my favorite spaces are ones that provide something unique or specific to the locale. A butterfly garden is interesting, but any botanical garden can create one. A butterfly garden in Pennsylvania doesn't look much different from one in Colorado. Neither does a hothouse with tropical or subtropical plants, whether it's in England or in New York. This observation isn't meant to diminish their value or the work of the gardeners. Public gardens, whatever they feature, are no doubt valuable to locals, just like the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory at Denver Botanic Gardens is special to me. But when I'm visiting a new area, I want to make a memory of the local gardens that is unique. That's why I think often of the National Trillium Collection at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in northern Alabama, which I saw being taken care of by members of a local trillium society and is situated amidst a shaded wildflower nature trail. Now that's impressive and unique to the region and something I've not seen elsewhere.

So when I paid my admission and started my tour of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, I found myself in yet another tropical and subtropical structure and wondered what I would find unique about this place. I noted the Koi Carp in a tropical pool, Cycads, Prickly Pear, Palms, Ferns and Figs, all of which I've seen at other botanical gardens. I appreciated the education about plants that are globally important to many cultures -- coffee, sugar cane, cotton, etc. But I found myself wanting to escape the glass houses as quickly as possible. Once I got outside, however, I found some unique features that will take up several posts on this blog.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens has a very interesting spot called "The Historic Gardens." Here you can learn about gardens of various ages or find some inspiration for changes you might be considering in your own space. A plaque explains that "The Ancient Egyptians were the first people to make gardens with flowers, trees, regular beds and pools... The Romans and the Normans came to our shores bringing with them plants from their own homeland. Similarly British people left this country to fight wars or to explore, and on these journeys, new plants were discovered and brought back home." The plaque further explains that this history explains how such a tiny island with "one of the smallest natural floras of Europe" came to have so many beautiful gardens.

The first garden in this set is the Roman Garden (pictured above and below). Here the garden is treated as an extension of the home, to be used for tranquil walks on stone paths and for dining. High walls are decorated and painted. Statutes pay homage to gods. Topiaries add further visual decoration, and gardeners would have included plants for their fragrance and medicinal and culinary properties. One sign noted that the Garden included Apothecary's Rose, Rose gallica, called "Everlasting Love." It's the only red rose native to Europe and is one of the oldest cultivated varieties. It relieves hangovers, provides decoration, and the Romans used it for cooking as well. The dried petals smell lovely in potpourri, thus the name signals a valuable use long after the flower is beyond peak bloom.

The Medieval Garden (pictured below) was the playground of the wealthy -- merchants and landowners. Seclusion and privacy were valued. So were flowers, herbs and fruit. Plants reflected items introduced by the Normans, Crusaders, and monks from Europe. Plants from the East and Asia Minor were used. A typical garden would have places to sit, fragrant climbers for privacy, and interesting water features. This garden, of the three, looked like it needed some attention. Perhaps the lack of rain during the Summer of 2010, before our visit in mid July, had contributed to its state.

In the Tudor Garden (photos below), my Dad and I took lots of photos. The knot design on which it is based can be quite inspiring. It could be recreated on a small or large level in a garden in the U.S. Knot gardens can be intricate, though the one seen here uses just "three strands using different types of box hedging." According to the Garden's souvenir guide, "The Tudor Knot Garden is an emblem of power and wealth reflecting the increasing prosperity of the Elizabethan Golden Age" (pg. 33).

In this Knot Garden, the spaces between the little hedge plants are filled in with gravel, but in the Tudor era, they would have been filled in with herbs and flowers. Due to exploration, lots of plants were arriving in Britain during this time. In this garden area are Jasmines, Acanthus, Marjoram, Orange Blossom, Catmint, Medlars and Quince. (Medlars, which I had never heard of, are a type of fruit tree grown in Europe that produce "acid apple-shaped fruits." The tree can be "grafted or budded on pear, quince or hawthorn stock." Source: The Garden Encyclopedia: A Complete, Practical and Convenient Guide to Every Detail of Gardening, edited by E.L.D. Seymour, publisher: WM. H. Wise & Co., 1936, p. 786). The Tudors also put bricks in their gardens, seen in the photo above in the walkway.

If you are interested in learning more about historical gardening, there seems to be no shortage of encyclopedias and books on the subject. The Garden Museum in London, England (formerly the Museum of Garden History), seems to have published several books on the subject, though they might not be widely available from libraries in the United States. I've ordered several books from my local library, and in the future, I'll tell you which ones are the most informative.

Next post on the BBG&G: Old Cadbury shelter in the Cottage Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses

A few more things about the BBG&G

Winter watering

2010-12-31T08:47:00.017-07:00

Happy New Year's Eve!

Until yesterday, we had been having a dry Winter. We cannot count on having snow on the ground all season, and fluctuating temperatures during the Fall and Winter can cause sunny, dry days. Lovely for us, but potentially damaging to lawns, trees, and plants.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas, we watered many of our shrubs and trees. We had several days with bright sun and temperatures around 45-55° Fahrenheit, perfect conditions for Winter watering. We used our Garden Soil Moisture Meter to determine the level of soil moisture. The meter shows a reading based on 0-10, with 0 signaling very dry conditions and 10 signaling very saturated soil. Despite the lack of snow and rain during the past six weeks, many plants were doing just fine with a reading of normal to slightly dry. However, some of our fir trees that receive full sun during the Winter were very dry. We turned on the hose and let water dribble slowly around the trunks. Our Chinese Elm hedge was also parched.

The rule of thumb in our area is that supplemental water should be given once a month if nature doesn't do the job herself. With a 10-year-old lawn, however, we rarely worry about Winter watering, unless it's an extremely hot and dry Winter. Newer lawns, though, require extra attention.

Your local extension agent most likely provides tips for your area. Here are some Colorado guidelines: Fall and Winter Watering by J.E. Klett and C. Wilson1 (7/08), no. 7.211, Colorado State University Extension.

Self-seeding herbs: Dill

2010-12-22T08:49:00.001-07:00

In my garden are a few herbs that have self-seeded. I planted them several years ago, and each Spring, they pop up between the raspberry canes or appear tucked away under a rose bush. In the vegetable garden, they grow amongst the corn rows or to the side of the okra or tomatoes. But I don't mind.

One such herb is Dill, Anethum graveolens. Admittedly, I tend to let this herb do what it likes and don't follow the usual gardening tips. But I do appreciate having it around for cooking and for use in flower vases once it has flowered. To assure a fresh supply of Dill throughout the planting season, you should sow seed often and prune the plants to make bushy stands. If you do this, you'll be rewarded with plenty for Summertime meals, pickling and freezing. Also, you'll attract a lot of beneficial insects to the garden, like Parsley Worms (see elsewhere on the blog for a photo of this larva of swallowtail butterflies). Even if you forget you have Dill in the yard and just let it go, you'll still end up with a decent supply of this herb.

Photographed above is Lemon-and-Herb Pasta Salad, a dish from Rachel Ray. This recipe makes six servings, and I think it's best served fresh. So I recommend reducing the measurements if you only want enough for one or two meals for two. If you are having a party, I highly recommend this dish. It's very easy to make, uses a half cup of fresh chopped dill, and tastes light and fresh but is filling.

Pictured here is a Cheddar-Parmesan-Scone With Fresh Dill. The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks: Once Upon a Tart ... Soups, Salads, Muffins, and More by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau, Knopf, 2003 , ISBN: 0-375-41316-2. The recipe uses some cayenne pepper for a surprising and tasty flavor. There are numerous variations on the web, like Barefoot Contessa Cheddar Dill Scones - Ina Garten or Cheddar Dill Biscuits at Epicurious.

For a great all-purpose gardening guide for planting, caring for and using Dill, see “Dill in the Garden,” by Adam Oakley and Dan Drost in Horticulture. Horticulture/Garden/2009-03pr, March 2009, Utah State University Cooperative Extension.

New use for Christmas lights

2010-12-18T20:43:00.021-07:00

Today I was speaking with a friend who used to garden in New Mexico. She and her neighbors owned pear trees, peach trees, and apple trees. She explained that when a frost warning was issued in the Spring, her neighbors would wrap holiday lights around their fruit trees to protect the new blooms. They counted on the heat from the little (but numerous) bulbs providing enough protection to get the trees through the night and early morning. According to New Mexico State University, it's quite common to have a late frost in many regions of the state, and this especially affects early-flowering trees. (We can relate on the Front Range of Colorado.) Techniques to prevent frost damage include using heaters or other type of heat source, trying to delay bloom using overhead sprinklers to cool the tree down, or using ice encasement. If water is sprayed onto the tree to create an ice encasement, the ice actually acts as an insulator, preventing the tree from experiencing temperatures cooler than 32 ° Fahrenheit. As with other methods like smudge pots, this technique doesn't work if the temperature dips down too far.

I think that given the labor and water involved in these techniques, trying twinkly lights is worth a shot. And several forums and a web site show that other gardeners are using this method (see for instance the Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, California). So if you have a set of lights you aren't fond of anymore, maybe they should go to the garden shed for use in the Spring.

For information about growing fruit trees in New Mexico:

Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard: Varieties and Management. Cooperative Extension Service, Circular 523. College of Agriculture and Home Economics, New Mexico State University.

Fruit Species and Varieties for Home Orchards. Guide H-310. By Esteban Herrera, Extension Horticulturist. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, New Mexico State University.

The Fashionista's Library: Preppy fashion, vintage fashion, shopping

2010-12-18T16:16:00.003-07:00

On my bookshelf:

I'm amazed when I hear that a mother has passed down clothing -- 20, 30, 40 years old -- to her daughter. I have so few pieces in my wardrobe that date back even to the early 90s. Things just don't last long -- sweaters stretch out, pants become worn. Clothing doesn't seem to be built to last. How I wish my Mom had saved her Mary Quant-style dresses from the 60s and alligator purse.

What I have benefited from is hand-me-down jewelry like my Grandmother's charm bracelet. It has a charm from a club she belonged to, the school she taught at, and one with my name on it. I was her first granddaughter. I love wearing it, and I'll never add to it. Something else that has lasted is a beautiful jade necklace from a family friend who was from India. I recently restrung the stones and beads when the twine wore out. It will last long enough that I can pass it down when I'm an old woman, hopefully to a young woman who will understand its value.

I recently read three books that focus in part or entirely on the value of getting the most out of clothing or jewelry, and how nice it is to find or be given vintage pieces and family heirlooms. In fact, these books made me dig out my older pieces and appreciate them again.

Alligators, Old Mink and New Money: One Woman's Adventures in Vintage Clothing: When I visit a new place, I often consider how to improve the return trip. For instance, on my next trip to South Florida, I will make sure to take the historical tour of Palm Beach and focus on the town's shops that I don't have easy access to, like Il Sandolo and The Church Mouse Resale Shop. I thought about The Church Mouse when I read Alligators, Old Mink and New Money: One Woman's Adventures in Vintage Clothing by Alison Houtte and Melissa Houtte. Alison Houtte is a former model and owner of the Brooklyn-based Hooti Couture vintage boutique. In her book, she shares how she founded a clothing/accessories store, and how she buys, chooses and prices vintage clothing. This is such a fun book to read. (William Morrow. 2005, ISBN: 13:9780060786670).

Preppy clothing books: If you grew up loving The Limited when Outback Red and Forenza reigned, thought we would wear high-waisted pants forever, and knew the movie Pretty in Pink by heart, then I think you'll find lots to enjoy about the updated version of The Official Preppy Handbook called True Prep. It's written by Lisa Birnbach with Chip Kidd, and was published this year by Alfed Knopf. You don't have to have a diploma from a fancy prep school or be fully engulfed in this lifestyle to enjoy or relate to this book. It's refreshing to read that small clothing logos are still appreciated, thrifty shopping is a virtue, and riding coach is considered normal. If you can't live without penny loafers, you'll find two pages devoted to styles at various price levels (pg. 110-111). And you might learn about a brand you haven't heard of, like Tucker Blair that sells pretty needle-stitched belts. In fact, this Fall's fashion magazines have been singing the praises of designers bringing back more wearable clothing -- like longer skirts and items that you would consider wearing to work in a conservative setting. The preppy lifestyle is very much about practicality and well-made clothes. If you pick up the former title, The Official Preppy Handbook, you'll be reminded that acronyms for chatting existed before cell phone texting. And you'll learn fun tidbits about things like Irish fisherman sweaters, whose patterns in the olden days used to be unique to regions or individual families (pg. 136-137).

True Prep by Lisa Birnbach with Chip Kidd. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010. ISBN: 9780307593986

The Official Preppy Handbook edited by Lisa Birnbach. New York: Workman Publishing, 1980. ISBN: 0894801406 (pbk).

An Autumn Collage

2010-12-09T11:59:00.002-07:00

Readers,

It's almost Winter, so I wanted to show a few more photos from this Fall season before it slips away.

Elderberry bush along a drive to the Snake River and Hell's Canyon in eastern Oregon / western Idaho. When we took this photo, we were in some foothills on a quiet country road, driving alongside a creek in western Idaho. Elderberries were growing in quite a few places along the side of the road. I believe this is Blue Elderberry, Sambucus caerulea.

See: "Blue Elderberry: Sambucus nigra L. ssp. caerulea (Raf.) R. Bolli," contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center & the Biota of North America Program.
"Blue Elderberry, Sambucus caerulea," data compiled by Thane Hill, June 2nd, 2005, from the University of Washington.
"Invasive Plants of Eastern Oregon and Alternative Natives and Ornamentals," August 2010, from Oregon State University Extension Service.
"[List of Shrubs: Idaho]" from the Digital Atlas of Idaho, Idaho Museum of Natural History.

Flowerbed in the Fall, Rochester, New York area. New irises were added during late Summer 2009. They have survived the transplant and will likely produce flowers in 2011.

Snow on the mountains around Estes Park, Colorado. I used to drive toward a similar-looking mountain on a job commute. The clouds from the snowstorms looked like someone had pulled a cotton ball over a sharp point.

A male Elk bugling during the "rut" or mating season. (See Rocky Mountain National Park for information about viewing Elk there during the Fall.) We were able to park quite close to a herd and watch the animals pass in front of our truck. Watching the rut is a favorite Fall pastime in our area of Colorado, and the park rangers do a wonderful job of helping people to observe the elk safely and without interference to the animals. How to describe the sound... well, if you've never heard it in person, listen to the video at Kids Farm.

Our perfect pear from an outstanding pear crop. Unfortunately I wasn't successful at finding storage options. We gave many away and ate all we could.

A Swallowtail larva on a parsley plant in the garden. This parsley plant was covered in larvae of all sizes. The same plant survived numerous frosts before looking wilted and lighter colored. See: Black Swallowtail at AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A&M System.

Unknown spider making its home in our compost pile. It tended to keep its legs together, so that from a distance, it appeared to only have four legs. It is probably a Black and Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia) -- a common black and yellow garden spider that holds its legs together in pairs. See also: Galveston County Master Gardeners: "Beneficials in the Garden: Black-and-Yellow Argiope Spider," prepared by Candice Hawkinson, class of 2006.

Purple onion seedlings that we planted close together instead of farther apart. They produced something like the size of spring onions or scallions. Easy to add to stews and soups.

Juniper berries in the backyard, in a row of shrubs that produce color in the Fall and Winter. The row includes Yellow Twig Dogwood and Red Twig Dogwood. See also: Fall: Color in the Garden on this blog.

Boise Municipal Rose Garden, Part 2

2010-11-28T10:38:00.005-07:00

My trip to the Municipal Rose Garden in Boise, Idaho last Summer yielded so many nice photographs that I had to share more with you. With no admission fee, shady spaces to sit, and quick access to downtown and the museums, it's a perfect stop for the tourist.

The roses in these photographs tended to have a simple label with just their name. In general, they were not labeled as All-America Rose Selections. I could not find an introduction date for them. Consequently, I presume they are roses from older crosses.

This pretty, crimped soft yellow/white rose is the Hybrid Tea, "Elina." It is one of the parents of Whisper, another Hybrid Tea rose, which is white and hails from Ireland. NC State University explains that it blooms quite well through Summer and is resistant to disease. Since it's a Hybrid Tea, each stem has just one rose.

I took several photos of "Fair Bianca," but this is my favorite. Isn't the contrast of red buds and white flower stunning? Fair Bianca seems to be classified as an English Rose. (See the Tulsa Rose Society or the Fort Worth Rose Society for instance.) According to the University of Illinois, the term "English Roses" is associated with the breeder David Austin. The term signals a rose with an "old rose style and scent" but with the ability to rebloom. This might put them more at risk for disease and harm from Winter temperatures. (See also the NC State University fact sheet.)

The simplicity of this pink rose created such a pretty photograph. "First Kiss" is a Floribunda, though the NC State University fact sheet classes it as a Hybrid Tea.

I'm lured to flowers that remind me of the sun or are any shade of orange. "Living Easy," another Floribunda, is an apricot-orange rose with 28 petals and a fruity fragrance. (NC State University.) I like the slightly jagged or pointed tips and the contrast of light to dark on the flower.

The Grandiflora "Cherry Parfait" is described in part 1 of the photographic tour. It caught my eye in two areas of the Rose Garden. And this photograph shows how flowers can take on such distinct appearances depending on the viewpoint of the photographer and the stance of the bloom.

The yellow center immediately catches my eye when I look at the bushy Floribunda "Cinco de Mayo." But I also enjoy the ruffled nature of the bloom. It's not as full and thick as Fair Bianca. It's still dense, but more simple. The All-America Rose Selections calls the blooms "spiraled and doubled." AARS describes the color as "smoked lavender and rusty red-orange." It's easy to care for and disease resistant. One of its parents is Julia Child (pictured in Part 1). (Cinco de Mayo.)

For Further reading:

Roses, by M.L. Witt, S. Bale, J.W. Buxton, J.R. Hartman, M.F. Potter. Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture. ID-118.

Floribundas…The Rose Class of Choice for Curb Appeal, By Shiann Piekarski -- linked at the Central Florida Rose Society web site.

Region's Choice, All-America Rose Selections

Boise Municipal Rose Garden, Part 1 -- where you can also find links to definitions of types of roses.

Boise Municipal Rose Garden, Part 1

2010-11-20T10:14:00.094-07:00

For a late Summer trip to Boise, Idaho, I planned a visit to the Rose Garden at Julia Davis Park. The Park encompasses about 89 acres of recreational space near downtown and is conveniently located by several museums, including the Idaho State Historical Society Museum. A person could enjoy a lovely day downtown by visiting one of the museums, walking around the rose garden, and exploring city shops.

According to the welcome sign, the Municipal Rose Garden was established in the 1930s. There are more than 200 rose bushes situated in a lawn with brick and grassy pathways. Hedges and iron fences outline the perimeter, and there are plenty of places to sit, including some shady gazebos. Waterfalls provide an additional treat for the senses. On the weekday afternoon of my visit, I noticed a few people who seemed quite content being quiet and thoughtful in such a pretty locale.

If you like to travel, especially in the off-season, you have to make the most of a day of tourism no matter the weather. On past trips to rose gardens, I've encountered gorgeous weather but under a scorching sun, and that makes photography difficult. On this particular day, I was able to take much better photos of roses. The only difficulty was managing a slight breeze. This photo, one of my first of the afternoon, is one of my favorites. It's of a rose that was not labeled, though most in the garden were named.

I love a beautiful white rose such as this Floribunda rose called "Moondance." According to the University of Illinois, Floribundas are the result of crossing a Polyantha and a Hybrid Tea. This makes a compact, hardy rose for a variety of uses -- hedges, borders, potted plantings, etc. They were introduced to the public in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. Also, Floribundas tend to have smaller blooms than hybrid teas (Colorado State University Extension). All-America Rose Selections explains further that the Floribundas are showy and bushy with clusters of multiple blossoms rather than a single bloom on a stem like the Hybrid Tea.

I was able to find a description from All-America Rose Selections® (AARS) for many of the roses I took photos of. The AARS describes Moondance as an upright rose that is "ethereal" with a "creamy white" flower and dark green glossy leaves. Apparently it has a spicy fragrance. I confess that I often neglect to smell roses when I'm touring a rose garden, so taken I am with the visual beauty. Rose gardeners, take note that this rose does not succumb to "black spot, mildew and rust." (Moondance.)

I loved the beautiful orange of the Grandiflora rose called "Strike It Rich." The University of Illinois explains that the name Grandiflora is more recent than Floribunda. Grandiflora was coined in 1954 and came about from a cross between a Hybrid Tea and a Floribunda. Like the Floribunda, it is considered a Modern Rose. Grandiflora roses have tall stems and slightly larger flowers (usually doubles) than Floribundas. Grandifloras are not known for being fragrant. According to AARS, Grandifloras aren't quite as tall as Hybrid Teas, but they still grow to six feet tall, and they continuously bloom.

The AARS explains that Strike It Rich is reminiscent of a 1950 AARS winner called Sutter's Gold, but Strike It Rich has the modern advantages of better disease resistance and vigor. It has dark green leaves and "unusual deep red stems." It's also blessed with long-lasting flowers. There can be up to 30 petals on each flower. The color is described as "deep golden-yellow swirled with ruby red." (Strike It Rich.)

"Julia Child" is a rose I noticed earlier in the year at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It was difficult to take photos on that bright sunny day. So I was happy to have a second chance so quickly. Julia Child is a Floribunda and is described as an English-style rose having shiny green foliage, a "warm butter gold flower," and a licorice scent. I love the way the petals look in this photo, sort of crimped or gently creased. (Julia Child.)

I found two plantings of Cherry Parfait in different parts of the Boise Rose Garden. The striking combination of colors quickly attracted my eye. I love the name and think the bloom is an exact fit. This bicolor rose is a Grandiflora. Notice how pretty the red trim is against the dark leaves. According to AARS, this rose is suited to all climates, constantly blooms, and can be grown successfully in a container. (Cherry Parfait.)

Hot Cocoa has a more subdued flat color, and I was drawn to the combination of hue and name. It's a Floribunda, and the AARS explains how difficult it is to categorize the color. How about their description of a "very novel brownish-orange Floribunda washed with smoke on the top and a deep rusty orange on the underside." Is it “smoky chocolate orange?” Or “cinnamon brown?” Rusty colored, the AARS asks. It makes me think of a cherry chocolate truffle or Red Hots Candy or a spicy coffee drink. And if I try to think of a non-food color, I picture the Crabapples that are falling off my tree, making little plinking sounds on my deck. (Hot Cocoa.)

The last photo of this post is of the pretty Gemini, a Hybrid Tea. Several blooms were fully open, but I chose this photo of the tighter flowers. The Hybrid Tea is another Modern Rose. The University of Illinois explains that Hybrid Teas are characterized by long stems and come in all colors except blue and black. They are not as hardy in terms of Winter temperatures and diseases, and they lack scent. But I have neighbors who raise very nice Hybrid Teas, with careful nurturing. I also know people who enjoy Hybrid Teas enough to accept frequent replantings when plants die. The U of I also notes that with more than 6,000 varieties, you have lots of ability to select and experiment. The AARS says that Gemini is one of the better choices among Hybrid Teas for its vigor. The scent is likened to papaya. The "coral pink and white" blooms are prolific and described as "porcelain-like." I agree. (Gemini.)

For further reading:

Types of Roses, All-America Rose Selections

University of Illinois Extension: Our Rose Garden

Selecting and Planting Roses by A.W. Nelson and C.E. Swift, (5/06), no. 7.404, Colorado State University Extension.

Part 2 of my tour of the Boise Municipal Rose Garden

Kew Gardens, London -- Glass Palaces, Water Gardens and Giant Waterlilies

2010-11-09T06:55:00.072-07:00

Earlier this year, while planning a trip to England, my Dad suggested that we visit Kew Gardens. The appointed time was to be the morning we landed in London, because "no one will care if we fall asleep on a park bench." What a great idea it was. Most tourists arrive in England during the morning and have to kill time while exhausted until hotel check-in. The unlucky ones fly in at 7 or 8 am. The better time to arrive, though, is between 10 am and noon. We arrived by car at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew just after lunchtime, following a nice breakfast at the airport. (There is a tube stop nearby for those not renting a vehicle.) Feeling refreshed, we immediately signed up for an hour-long tour and made note of things we wanted to come back to before the gardens closed. Soon it was time for a snack, so we headed to the Orangery Restaurant for tea and sandwiches. A little weary from the jet lag, I appreciated the restaurants at Kew, variety of food offerings, and lots of places to sit (both inside and outside).

Kew Gardens is known for its "glass palaces" and claims to have the best collection of glass buildings in terms of elegance and historic value (Kew Souvenir Guide). The one that I most appreciated was the Waterlily House, built in 1852. This humid, hot glasshouse contains the amazing giant waterlily (Victoria cruziana) in an enclosed pond that measures 36 feet. Visitors can enjoy the waterlilies as they stroll around the walkway. The pond is on the inside of the walkway, and numerous plants grow against the glass wall on the other side. According to Kew, the original purpose for this enclosure was to house the giant Amazon waterlily (now called Victoria amazonica). But it didn't thrive. Both waterlilies are named for Queen Victoria.

The common name of the lilies in the photograph above is Santa Cruz water lily. It belongs to Nymphaeaceae, the Water Lily Family, and this floating plant looks like a giant platter. Its edges are only 6" tall, making it very shallow, but it spreads to 4 to 5.5'. That is to say, the leaf is almost 6 feet wide. The stem or rhizome remains under water, and the white flowers change color over time. (Sources: NC State University Cooperative Extension and Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.)

One more thing... this lily can support a small child. At the University of Southern California's Digital Library, you can view a photo of "A boy riding on a Victoria Cruziana water lily pad in the middle of the pond, Huntington Gardens, San Marino, ca.1920." Tropical gardeners, Wouldn't this be an interesting feature to add to your water garden?

Since we visited during the Summer, we were able to see some beautiful lily flowers. A single flower only lasts for 2 days (or 48 hours) and changes color. The newer flowers are white, but over their short lifetime, they turn to pink and purple. We enjoyed photographing them.

You don't have to travel to London to see these beautiful aquatic plants. Some botanical gardens that grow giant water lilies are:

Missouri Botanical Garden: peak bloom times are July and August for the tropical water lilies and Amazon water lily, and May to October for "hardy water lilies."

Victoria amazonica Pool at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, Florida.

Brazilian Garden at the Naples Botanical Garden, Florida.

McKee Botanical Garden, Vero Beach, Florida. During my Winter visit, the plant would have been out of season.

Aquatic Plants at the Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California.

Denver Botanic Gardens, Aquatic Collection, Colorado.

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, Gainesville, Florida -- This newsletter explains that out in the open, the "giant Victoria Water Platter" cannot survive north Florida winters and has to be grown from seed each year. The seed is difficult to germinate, and once germinated, the plant is popular food for herbivores. If is survives, the growing season is fraught with technical difficulties.

Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California.

And elsewhere: Amazon Waterlily Pavilion at Adelaide Botanic Garden, Australia.

For more information from Kew:

Waterlily House (Kew)

Giant waterlilies (Kew)

Also on the blog: A Cypress tree in London (Kew)

Harvest time continued... and preparing for the first frost

2010-11-02T12:42:00.003-06:00

Getting ready for the first frost is a little exciting. Usually the afternoon before, I rush around the garden trying to decide what to salvage or protect. If the first frost is during September, and it's been a relentless hot Summer... and I'm overwhelmed with produce... I am tempted to let everything die. I need a "season breather."

This Fall has been lovely and mild so far. It wasn't until last week that we had to concern ourselves with the first possibility of frost. The first night's temperature nipped the sensitive plants -- the okra, the basil. The second night of frost finished off everything else that was susceptible -- potted flowers especially. We registered 20° Fahrenheit the next morning.

This year as I toured the garden, I found a few raspberries tucked away in the brambles. The okra was still growing, but we left it. Since early to mid September, the edible part has been too thready and fibrous to eat, even when harvested quite young (and small). We found some neglected purple onions. However they were fine, and we have been adding them to stews. But the best surprise of this garden tour was a chili pepper plant with about 30 healthy peppers. It was the only plant out of six or seven that survived a vascular wilt disease and possibly insect problems. I'm already formulating a plan for preventing this next year. The peppers are still in the refrigerator awaiting processing.

In the rose garden, I cut several blooms (avoiding the ones with a little powdery mildew) for vases. My best purchase this year occurred when I found miniature roses in a variety of colors. They have more than paid for themselves by providing cuttings for vases during Spring, Summer and early Fall. Vases of flowers in the kitchen and bathrooms make these rooms feel fresh and clean. I expect the roses to over-winter and look forward to the first blooms of next year.

I also found some Snapdragons growing on the side of the shed, which I gathered up and brought inside. But after much deliberation, I only brought one flowering potted plant indoors, a succulent that had spent the late Spring and Summer outdoors recuperating. I left the other potted flowers outside. I didn't want to introduce powdery mildew and insects indoors. Those plants are no more.

Food:

Pears: We had a successful pear harvest and gave many pears away. I tried a poached pear recipe and a pear pudding recipe, but neither produced a dessert that I wanted to cook again. The first took too long and used a lot of orange juice. The second just didn't taste as good as a similar apple pudding. I did find that cooking diced pears in sugary water produced a nice warm dessert that could be reheated over the course of a week. The warm pieces of pear were good on pancakes or alone. Ice-cream lovers would enjoy putting this on their desserts.

Chilies: We recently discovered some frozen charred chili peppers in the very back of the freezer. The skins were still on them. This indicated to Duke and I that we had rediscovered a batch from our amateur days of smoking and charring peppers. They must have been two years old -- thank goodness for freezer bags. After the peppers had thawed, we sliced them and cooked them with diced pork and some chicken stock. Then, Duke puréed the broth to break down the skins. We've been enjoying pork green chili alone and on breakfast burritos (pictured here).

Tomatoes: To a bowl of chili or a burrito, we have added store-bought tomatoes. Our own succumbed to psylla and a vascular wilt disease this year. But next year I plan to have healthy tomatoes and freeze the extras. A friend in Wyoming recently mentioned that she freezes quartered tomatoes for Winter. They must be cooked for reuse. I had never thought to freeze tomatoes and am thankful for the advice. Freezing is my preferred storage method, and if the fruit or vegetable doesn't have to be blanched or pre-cooked, even better!

Peaches: Earlier in the Summer when I was blanching and freezing peaches, I used some of the peaches to make the "inside" of a peach pie. I added some cilantro to the warm mixture and froze it in a plastic container. I took it out the other day, thawed it and put in a pre-made pie shell. Then I made a crumb topping of butter, oatmeal, flour, cinnamon and sugar for the top. I baked at 350° until it looked done, not quite an hour. It was delicious.

I should mention that I generally cook using a recipe. And until I've mastered something, I'm not comfortable venturing too far into cooking without directions. So when I mention that we casually threw together a little chicken broth, some diced pork and a few peppers (for example) and made a fabulous green chili... that product hasn't arisen without a lot of practice in our kitchen. Over the years, I've found that experience in the kitchen, some preparation in the garden, and a modest investment of time will help you learn to process the fruits of your labor for multiple uses. Cook once/eat often is the way to make the most of your harvest. But it's a skill/practice that I didn't learn overnight. The rewards, however, are worth it.

For further reading:

Common Tomato Problems, By Judy Sedbrook, Colorado Master Gardener, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver County.

Bacterial Wilt of Cucurbits: Erwinia tracheiphila, The Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic at Cornell University.

Chile Pepper and the Threat of Wilt Diseases, © 2003 Plant Management Network. Soum Sanogo, New Mexico State University.

Growing and using chili/chile peppers -- from this blog.

Making the garden pay for itself: harvest time -- from this blog.

Backyard Orchard: Apples and Pears, by C.E. Swift, R. Hammon and H..J. Larsen (3/07), Colorado State University Extension.

[Chili Pepper FAQs] -- AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A&M System.

....................

Part 1 of making the harvest pay for itself

News and Notes, November 2, 2010

2010-11-02T08:39:00.001-06:00

November 2, 2010

Dear Readers,

I still have so much to share on the blog about gardens in England, Vail (Colorado) and Boise (Idaho). As my garden winds down (very quickly now), it's a great time of year to reflect on the lovely sites of this past Spring, Summer and early Fall.

Those of you in warmer climates... I'm envious that you're still enjoying warm weather, flowers, etc. Like many women, I'm happy to see the return of practical, elegant clothing, featured in this Fall's fashion magazines. My look is more dressy-casual these days, except when a meeting requires a sophisticated wool shift or a classic gray jersey A-line dress. And since I'm always cold, an elegant cashmere or cotton cardigan, in a soft color like lavender or light pink, always brightens my mood. I can also appreciate a well-made fisherman's sweater or a simple cable-knit pullover for more casual occasions.

And while writing a post on snuggly sweaters, I forgot to mention a great Fall find -- a cream long-sleeved sweater coat from Cabelas. A sweater coat is such a helpful travel piece due to its numerous uses -- as a coat, sweater, or robe (which is why I recommend long ones). As the temperature cools, no matter where you are, I hope you have something warm to cuddle up in this Fall and Winter. If not, then have fun shopping. Sweater coats, especially, come in a wide range of prices.

Blue Jay pecking at the fence

2010-10-30T18:15:00.019-06:00

Yesterday, my husband, Duke, and I thought we heard a knock at the neighbor's door. Our windows were open, and the sound was faint but audible. But upon further examination, we found three Blue Jays in our Crabapple trees. They have been frequenting the area and, until now, have been difficult to photograph. However, we were able to step onto our back deck and photograph this bird while it was preoccupied with pecking at the fence, which sounded like a knock at the door.

The Jays were obviously interested in the crabapples, but we're still perplexed as to the reason for this continued pecking. Blue Jays have strong bills that can be used to peck at or hammer at kernels, nuts, shells, etc. However, we couldn't see anything stuck in the fence that was attracting the bird. At least the behavior finally yielded some good photos of the Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata.

Finger Lakes Region, New York and Sonnenberg Gardens

2010-10-24T12:55:00.069-06:00

While writing this post, I'm eating peach pie made from this year's crop of Colorado peaches. But two weeks ago, I enjoyed a lovely Autumn grape pie in the Finger Lakes region of Western New York.

South of Lake Ontario, and near the city of Rochester, is a 9,000 square mile area of 11 lakes arranged side-by-side, which were carved out by glaciers. They're narrow like fingers, hence the name "Finger Lakes." They have appellations like Canandaigua, Cayuga, Keuka and Seneca. And the region is home to more than 100 wineries and grape farms. I sat next to a grape producer on a flight recently, and he explained how the steep slopes common to the region create ideal conditions for viticulture. According to Heron Hill Winery, the Finger Lakes Region produces more wine than any other wine-producing region of New York. The Finger Lakes microclimate helps water to drain and crops to be protected in the Winter. Although difficult to see in the photo above, steep hills rise above the lakes. Extreme cold does not settle on these slopes on which the grapes grow. Instead, the dense cool air settles onto the lakes, where it warms. Warm air rises and causes more cold air to retreat downward from the hills. But in the Spring, the cool lake water keeps the region cold until the chance of frost has subsided, after which the grapes begin to bud. Locals will tell you that the region produces excellent Rieslings. The area in on the same latitude as Germany, another Riesling producer.

A trip to the Finger Lakes in October will be a little cold and chilly, especially if it's raining. But the visitor will be treated to peak Fall colors and farm stalls full of fresh apples, grape pies, pumpkins and more. You can take your pick of vineyards to try. And stop at the local farm stalls for fresh veggies and fruit. It was at the farm stand with an enormous pumpkin (pictured above) that I decided to try a grape pie, though I wasn't sure I would like it. I seem to recall trying it years ago (I'm not sure where) and feeling like I had eaten cooked grape jelly in a pie shell. But if I was going to taste a good grape pie, surely this was the place. My friends and I bought a small one with a top crust. It was delicious. I was also able to purchase some varieties of apples that I had never heard of, such as the Macoun.

Up at the top of the region in Canandaigua, NY is Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park. Built in 1887, it includes a large "Queen Anne-style" mansion and formal gardens. Over the years I've visited the park during warmer months but also once at Christmas, when the Park opened for a beautiful walking tour decorated with lights. The total property offers 50 acres to walk around with nine different gardens, a 20-acre arboretum and several greenhouses. And you can buy local Finger Lakes wine at the gift shop on your way out. The day of my visit, the weather was a bit soggy. My friends and I walked briskly up the front lawn to the mansion, toured the old home, and then meandered through the Old Fashioned Garden, Italian Garden and Japanese Garden. Large Burning Bushes were beginning to turn red. Striking Fall colors adorned the Park, as in this orange border-plant bed (above) and magenta plant design (below).

Cited and for further reading:

Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance. About the Region

Heron Hill Winery: "Finger Lakes Region: the Wine Country of New York State

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection: "Culinary Tourism: Finger Lakin' Good"

Irene's Concord Grape Pie recipe from "The Queen of Grape Pies: Irene Bouchard launched Naples’ grape pie industry" in The Naples Record / The Honeoye Herald, Vol. 134, No. 27, Wed., Sept. 22, 2004, pgs. 50-51.

An Apple a Day... in Core Priority: Land Grant at College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University.

"They took my name but they didn't get my goat: Taylor Wine Company prevented Walter S. Taylor from using his name on his own wines. Says Walter" by Lucian Rhodes, Dec. 1, 1981. at Inc.

The World's Greatest Grape Pie, by Lynn Case Ekfelt, in Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore, Vol. 28, Fall-Winter 2002. About Naples' Grape Festival Weekend and includes Irene Bouchard's grape pie recipe.

Cozying up to Fall: fisherman's sweaters, knits, travel bags

2010-10-22T09:10:00.001-06:00

In my part of Colorado, the leaves have been changing for weeks, but since the temperature hasn't dipped below 32 ° Fahrenheit, I still have green basil in pots and live tomato and okra plants. I'm not yet in the mood to buy any pumpkins for display. Nor have I put out an Autumn wreath. My roses are still blooming. My windows are open all day long, and there is no need for the heater at night. I feel like we're caught in limbo between two seasons, but I don't mind it. Last week, however, I traveled to Rochester, NY where the leaves were just peaking and it was raining steadily. I was cold and in need of a warm sweater.

A few years ago, Cabelas carried merino wool sweaters from Carraig Donn (made in Ireland). I bought two cardigans in cream and in dark green. They're cozy and warm and have held up well through several washings. I think that the Irish Fisherman's Sweater on sale at Plow and Hearth this year is the same. And at least one style was available at Amazon.com when I checked recently.

Other knits I've noticed for this Fall season:

From Urban Outfitters: a cream acrylic/alpaca wool Fisherman Sweater from the French brand Le Mont St. Michel. How simple and pretty in "cable and popcorn stitching."
From Brooks Brothers: a camel-hair, hand-knit cable-knit Cape in blue-gray and other colors.

And for keeping your feet warm this Winter, I love the Tivoli boots from Sorel in the deep teal tartan pattern.

Earlier in the Fall I noticed two nice travel accessories in an airport. The first one makes me think of Fall hiking.

1. An older gentleman was carrying a well worn but stunning Businessman's Backpack from Orvis. I don't tend to buy backpacks but I could appreciate the craftsmanship and structure of this bag. It looked like an excellent choice for a carry-on, provided the owner didn't overpack it. If you like the "outsiders" or backpacking-look, then I suggest you check this out. It's made of Battenkill® water-resistant cotton canvas in dark green and has brass hardware.

2. Another traveler was using a Dooney and Burke cross-body wallet in signature fabric -- a subdued tan/dark red combination. The closest I've been able to find is a Dooney's Nylon Cross Body Pouchette and a Dooney's Leather Dillen Expandable Full Flap Cross-Body [wallet]. The Pouchette would probably be more practical if you want to have your passport, phone and wallet at your side. This is important when you are traveling by plane alone and need to leave your seat. I rely on my Baggallini "Teenee baggallini" for the same purpose.

An Autumn Dinner Party Menu

2010-10-10T17:15:00.013-06:00

Begin with a floral arrangement of miniature Roses. Mine are still blooming as we haven't had any frost yet. If they are droopy or heavy with moisture, add some sprigs of Rosemary from the garden to help give structure to the floral display.

Around the table, add pieces of fruit for decoration. Next to this vase is our most perfect pear. This weekend we harvested the rest of the Bartlett pears on our tree -- a total of 75.

Plan a hard cider tasting session. We picked varieties from Woodchuck Cider in Vermont and love the Fall Harvest Cider for its perfume of flavor.

Include a mixed green salad with a homemade light dressing. My friend Abby introduced us to a tomato vinaigrette dressing by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Eat with hunky bread.

Serve baked chicken thighs and onions from the garden.

Include a butternut squash and apple soup, garnished with bacon bits. My recipe comes from a book called Sunday Soup: A Year's Worth of Mouth-Watering, Easy-to-Make Recipes. Variations are available on the Internet, such as this one from Ina Garten. Essentially you make a vegetable soup that is heavy on the butternut squash and includes some tart apples (we had plenty from our tree), celery, carrot, onion or leeks, and lots of thyme. The base is chicken stock and butter. Some recipes use additional or other herbs, but I simply prefer heapfuls of dried thyme. My soup doesn't make use of a cider/cream topping. And I purée most of it with an immersion blender. This soup can be frozen and enjoyed later.

For dessert, pair a Port wine (we like Canyon Winds Cellars in Palisade, Colorado) with a pear caramel bread pudding and coffee. My recipe comes from a local Rochester, NY cookbook but is very similar to one from Taste of Home.