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| Sunflowers at Biltmore |
Saturday, 25 July 2015
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Morning glory magic
The telephone pole out front has enjoyed our morning glory plantings for a number of years. 
Yes, they're weedy. Yes, they require thinning. Yes, we have to pull them down before they reach the transformer.But they're wonderful, regardless. This year, there's a mixture of blue-purple and maroon-pink flowers. Lovely.
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
An exuburant front vegetable garden
The filet pole beans are coming in now, as are the climbing squash (winter squash varieties).
And, I've been harvesting tomatoes and early peppers for weeks now. There are paste tomatoes, slicing tomatoes and cherry tomatoes -- hard to beat that, along with the ancho and romano peppers.
It's remarkable how healthy everything is looking -- no bean beetles (knock on wood), no powdery mildew on the squash leaves, no squash bugs or squash vine borers
And, I've been harvesting tomatoes and early peppers for weeks now. There are paste tomatoes, slicing tomatoes and cherry tomatoes -- hard to beat that, along with the ancho and romano peppers.
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| front raised beds |
Friday, 17 July 2015
Natural neighborhoods: re-knitting the fabric of life
What's interesting me now, especially, as I've transitioned to volunteer outreach, is how those of us who are keen and passionate about gardening for nature (especially with native plants in mind) can help reach more folks.
And even more importantly, how do we create neighborhoods that help sustain life, both ours and the birds, bees, toads, butterflies, squirrels, insects, etc. that support the ecological underpinnings of life on our planet.
I've seen lots of people gravitate to wildlife-friendly gardening from more "traditional" gardening practices (and from plants that don't work for a living in our environment to ones that do), as they realize that they don't have the biological diversity of birds, insects, and other wildlife in sterile, ornamental landscapes filled with lawns, specimen trees and ornamental shrubs. But there's a lot to do in our urban and suburban landscapes...
How do we encourage more folks to become part of the process of re-knitting our urban and suburban landscapes with strong threads of native plants, pollinator and wildlife-friendly corridors made up of our personal home gardens? How do we encourage similar plantings in public and commercial landscapes?
I'm not really sure.
I've been involved with teaching about these things for my entire career, and I'm still not always sure about what works the best, aside from inspiring through story and example, encouragement, and sharing ideas and suggestions.
My basic level ideas simply start by encouraging folks to grow things, preferably native or edible, and learn more about them.
And even more importantly, how do we create neighborhoods that help sustain life, both ours and the birds, bees, toads, butterflies, squirrels, insects, etc. that support the ecological underpinnings of life on our planet.
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| a pollinator-friendly pocket meadow |
How do we encourage more folks to become part of the process of re-knitting our urban and suburban landscapes with strong threads of native plants, pollinator and wildlife-friendly corridors made up of our personal home gardens? How do we encourage similar plantings in public and commercial landscapes?
I'm not really sure.
I've been involved with teaching about these things for my entire career, and I'm still not always sure about what works the best, aside from inspiring through story and example, encouragement, and sharing ideas and suggestions.
My basic level ideas simply start by encouraging folks to grow things, preferably native or edible, and learn more about them.
Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, gardening with natives, landscaping with native plants, native plant nurseries, native plants, natural gardening
Landscaping with Native Plants
It's been a lovely couple of days at the Landscaping with Native Plants Conference in Cullowhee, NC. Now in its 32nd year, the conference brings together native plant enthusiasts of all sorts, from horticulturists to academics, homeowners to designers, wonderful native plant vendors, and everyone in between.
I've been coming sporadically since the mid 80's, but have been here the last three years, as I've had more time in the summer (and my gardening companion has, too). And we've both been involved with programs, as well.
It's a great conference, and it's been wonderful to see how it's still flourishing, continuing to bring in new people interested in native plants in all of their guises (field trips to wonderful natural areas nearby is a core part of the Cullowhee experience).
I've been coming sporadically since the mid 80's, but have been here the last three years, as I've had more time in the summer (and my gardening companion has, too). And we've both been involved with programs, as well.
It's a great conference, and it's been wonderful to see how it's still flourishing, continuing to bring in new people interested in native plants in all of their guises (field trips to wonderful natural areas nearby is a core part of the Cullowhee experience).
Monday, 13 July 2015
Asclepia incarnata, Asclepias syriaca, common milkweed, gardening for pollinators, milkweed, natural gardening, swamp milkweed
A milkweed on the greenway
This one is along the Weaver Boulevard greenway in Asheville -- quite lovely.
I admired the common milkweed at Beaver Lake again this morning -- covered in honey bees, flower flies, and skippers.
Sunday, 12 July 2015
gardening for pollinators, million pollinator garden challenge, natural gardening, pollinator friendly gardens, pollinator-friendly plants
Planting pollinator gardens
There's an excellent new initiative, from a consortium of groups, from non-profits to garden groups, in association with the recent federal initiative around promoting pollinator plantings.
It's called the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.
It's a good thing.
I "registered" my small landscape yesterday, which includes a pocket meadow and an informal perennial bed full of natives below the house (not to mention all of the native plants planted elsewhere).
It doesn't take much to transform a "traditional" perennial bed into a pollinator-friendly one. But I'm feeling that we definitely need to encourage folks to do that, as well as transform lawns into life-supporting plantings.
I'm getting weary of seeing nothing but plants that just sit there, and don't "work for a living" in residential and commercial landscapes.
It's called the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.
It's a good thing.
I "registered" my small landscape yesterday, which includes a pocket meadow and an informal perennial bed full of natives below the house (not to mention all of the native plants planted elsewhere).
It doesn't take much to transform a "traditional" perennial bed into a pollinator-friendly one. But I'm feeling that we definitely need to encourage folks to do that, as well as transform lawns into life-supporting plantings.
I'm getting weary of seeing nothing but plants that just sit there, and don't "work for a living" in residential and commercial landscapes.