ahh, November

04 Friday Nov 2016

Posted by home, garden, life in Albemarle county, environment, farmer's market, garden, garden projects, growing your own food, home, home garden, home improvment, Lifestyle, privacy fence, renewal, season, shop local, sustainable lifestyle, Virginia

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environment, fall garden, garden, garden chores, home, November, Virginia

My central Virginia gardens endured one of the hottest, driest summers in recent history. P1050040

Since most of the fifteen-year-old landscape is well established, only the few new installations required weekly monitoring. The basement dehumidifier supplied a consistent 2-gallon supply of free water daily, greatly reducing the labor intensive task of hose dragging.

Let me introduce you to Black Diamond crape myrtle, added to my front garden this summer. Notice the wonderful deep leaf hue and pleasant color of the flowers…this plant blooms multiple times per year and reaches 12′ high. I look forward to many years with this new variety…

I gave up raising home vegetables in 2014. Too many persistent insects prayed on tender leaves, leaving undesirable remnants. I fully support organic growing methods, yet for the effort involved, I would rather spend my time tending the heirloom daffodils, peonies, and lilies that reside here. These spring beauties bring endless joy to me and my market customers come April/May, and by the time June heat and humidity build, I am spending only minimal time outdoors.

abundant peony harvest 2015

Early spring brings abundance

dazzling organic peppers grown by young farmers. There is no need for me to fight veggie insects in my gardens…when I can support local efforts.

Gardening during cool temps from November-March soothes my soul. The tempo is slow. The air is crisp and clean. I add to my perennial collections, as fall is planting season. And above all, the dastardly biting insects are absent and I once again enjoy the outdoors.

terrace wall refurbished with Muhly grass showing off on the other side…September is mighty showy here.

This month the arborist arrives with his bucket truck and helper. He annually sheers the 135 Leyland Cypress that border my property. This year I am tasking him with drastically reducing the elevation of the rows…tough love. Over the years, they slowly crept up to twenty feet, a height I no longer desire. Soon entire row at the back will be totally eliminated by the power company, as maintaining it is now unsustainable and my splendid privacy fence doing a fine job.

photo of stained privacy fence. After a contractor’s estimate of 12 hours and $400 labor, I knew it was up to me to complete this job. Six hours over two days delivered one handsome fence to Swallowtail Cottage.

I am in love with this chipper…perfect for the job at hand…

As of today the house and shed are washed/painted/caulked where needed. The roof chimney and vents are caulked and painted. The patio furniture has a fresh coat of paint (yes that DTM paint project two years ago was a miserable failure.) The windows are washed inside and out. 23′ of deer fencing is installed in the lower corner of the garden to close a gap. Three arborvitae and a Kousa dogwood will replace an ancient dogwood (Cornus florida) and an unimpressive japanese maple. Eventually this new installation will screen the deer wire.

THEN, on the fifteenth of November, I shall have knee surgery…just a repair for a torn meniscus.

Baby 5 was my perfect companion during this gravel project. She held steadfast, despite my concerns that I would break her.

Yes, gardening does take a toll. Perhaps last November’s foundation planting did in my knee. That two tons of river rock did not seem that difficult, yet perhaps it was the eleven hours it took to prep/plant the seventeen shrubs. Ahh, November.

A time to complete chores, reflect, relax, and bask in the glow of a dreamy winter ahead.

this is the view from my back door, over the herb garden during winter 2015

P1050781 P1010836

August begins a time of edits

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by home, garden, life in August, Back Yard Birds, blessings, Bluebirds, P Allen Smith Garden Home, sustainable lifestyle

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Albemarle County, August garden, Central Virginia, change of seasons, Charlottesville, Charlottesville City Market, feeding wild birds, garden, garden chores, home, life, P Allen Smith

The month of August is bittersweet.

This year summer evolves especially fast. Spring was long and cool, delaying daffodil bloom long enough to sell cut stems at the April farmers market.

these beauties knock me out every April. I have a habit of rescuing or inheriting daffodils from abandoned properties or those departed, so I never know the names of each flower, yet every spring, I look forward to their many faces and scents, as my collection now numbers over 2,500.

By mid-May temperatures were in the 90’s, heavy rains fell, then the high humidity set in. Despite this challenging conditions, the peony harvest was especially abundant in May; over 600 stems were sold at market, necessitating the purchase of an additional refrigerator for the basement.

I did enjoy four days of respite at P Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm outside Little Rock, Arkansas. During the growing season, I tiptoe out of my gardens to catch a flight to this gardener’s dream land as a guest, only to return a few days later to a needy garden…”weed me, harvest me, plant me, mow me, feed me, dig me…”

Allen and I in the one-are garden; a special friend in a special place (pallensmith.com)

Allen and I in his one-acre veggie garden at Moss Mountain Farm in May; a special friend in a special place (pallensmith.com)

these Iris graced my gardens this year. Another rescued beauty who now enjoyes life here

back in Virginia, these Iris graced my gardens during May of this year. Another rescued beauty who now enjoys life here

and this rescued Iris blooms right along side. Both flowers have a heavenly scent

and this rescued Iris blooms right along side the deep purple variety. Both flowers have a heavenly scent and bloomed continuously for three weeks during May!

one proud stand of glory

this is an old heirloom, scentless variety of tiger lily (tigrinum), native to China but long ago naturalized in America…these originals came from my mother’s gardens. Bulbs may be cooked and eaten, tasting something like an artichoke, although I have never found the need to imbibe. Prolific black bulbils produced in the axils of the leaves may be shared with friends, though they take years to mature. Blooms appear in July, are 3′-5′ tall and rarely need staking. Butterflies adore the flowers during a rainy month.

prolific Oakleaf hydrangea (paniculata) thrives here at Swallowtail Cottage, and produces abundant offspring from seed, which now fill an entire lower shrub border. There are approximately forty-five species and varieties grown in America.

And now it is August. Both heirloom tiger lilies and Davidii phlox bloom cycles are finished and spent stems are removed. The lush Oakleaf hydrangea bloom is merely a memory. Why? It seems, we gardeners wait with such anticipation for bloom time, only to have it pass seemingly overnight…every season.

Another native of South Africa, Lycoris squamigera or Naked Ladies suddenly appear in my August garden and seduce the eye with every gaze…they make a pretty cut flower, with elegant long stems and a pleasant scent…

Another late summer bloomer is the Formosa Lily (formosanum). White, funnel-shaped and fragrant with 1-10 flowers produced per stalk that grows to 6′. Easily self sows here in zone 6. Native to Formosa. My first seed pod came from Tufton, a former property of Thomas Jefferson.

Generous rains produced stunning, abundant blooms this season on the spiraea, hellebore, and Lemon lilies.

Lemon lilies in the lower garden

Delayed are the two main 2015 outdoor projects: the oil stain project of the new 90′ privacy fence (both sides) and the necessary reconditioning of the terrace masonry wall.

looming, yet very necessary, the 90′ long privacy fence needs a coat of oil based natural stain (both sides) in order to preserve the blond appearance. Frequent rain and high dew points continue to prevent moi from swinging the brush…

block wall on terrace demands attention this year. Dry Lock Extreme and new coat of paint will restore...I'm hoping...

the 30′ block/parged terrace wall demands attention this year. Dry Lok Extreme and new coats of paint will restore…I’m hoping…

Are any of you considering home ownership? This post will be a reality check for you. Since buying this place back in 2001, the projects both large and small, inside and out, are endless. Some days/years I think I am making progress, others, I think I am in a rapid backslide…

Wild birds bring much relief and beauty on a daily basis to my gardens. This year I am hosting hummingbirds, and they come in droves for their plain sugar-water fix and enjoy sips from the Crocosmia.

hummer enjoys a sip from the crocosmia in the kitchen herb garden

hummer enjoys a sip from the Crocosmia from the kitchen herb garden in 2014. Did you know that Crocosmia is an herb from South Africa belonging to the Iris family? I rescued these corms and enjoy seeing them thrive.

in 2014 the hummers enjoyed sips from the pineapple sage...

in 2013 the hummers enjoyed sips from the pineapple sage…

Hummers enjoy the convenience of a perch design on this sugar syrup feeder in 2015

hummingbirds enjoy the convenience of a perch on this sugar syrup feeder in 2015. Photo was taken through solar film and glass, so a wee bit soft…

I feed numerous other wild birds here at Swallowtail Cottage, yet the Bluebirds chose not to nest here again this year. They come in to feed, and I hear their song whilst gardening, yet only a pair of black cap chickadees occupied the BB boxes this season while either a titmouse or carolina wren raised young in the wren box.

nestling bluebirds day nine ~ Swallowtail Cottage. Would you feed them GMO food?

nestling bluebirds day nine ~ Swallowtail Cottage 2013. Would you feed them GMO food?

So begins August here in central Virginia. I expect the arborist later this month for our annual chore of topping/shearing the Leyland cypress hedges; I will be glad to see the bagworms vanish into the chipper.

sheering tops of Leylands and icky pyracanta in foreground

annual shearing of tops and sides of Leyland cypress, as 135 surround my property’s perimeter

One glorious yellow swallowtail graces my garden and poses cooperatively on the verbena. These flutterbyes inspired the name of my property…Swallowtail Cottage. Still awaiting the Monarchs…

Queen Ann’s Lace, hyssop, cleome, hostas, and roses continue to color the landscape as summer winds down for another season. Butterflies nectar on the verbena and Joe Pye Weed. Fat cucumbers dangle from the arched cattle panels, while sweet basil, tomatoes, hot peppers, kale and herbs fill the raised beds. Soon I will harvest my first crop of Lilliput melons, as they meander across the lower butterfly garden. 2015 has been an abundant growing season. Full of edibles, friends, happy memories, and hard work.

end of summer bouquet

And soon, yes soon I will breathe a bit easier; I will sleep a wee bit longer as garden/market chores lighten. As biting insects depart, when there is a chill in the crisp air, I will once again enjoy my lower patio and reflect on another year as a homeowner/gardener.

Did you know that we will lose one hour of daylight in August? While I am still the busy bee today, the planet continues its orbit. Our gardens respond, and indeed so do we. Best now to consider the color of this year’s flannel sheets, while continuing to mow, weed those persistent invasives, and get a handle on those unfinished outdoor projects…

If you have a moment, would love to hear from you either by the click of the “like” button or speak in the comments section. Does my blog make a difference? Cheers!

doin’ what comes natur’lly ~ one woman’s relationship with her garden

24 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by home, garden, life in environment, garden, home ownership, landscape design, quick meals, renewal, stroll, Virginia

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garden, garden chores, garden paths, home, humor at home, landscape design, lifestyle, popovers, Virginia

Instincts are magical. Intuition is a driving force. Little voices that inspire can be subtle or hit us over the head.
I cherish the kitty head bump instincts and have finally learned to hire muscle when I need to address the larger-than-life projects. As Gershwin wrote, “you can’t get a man with a gun”, yet a few hundred dollars and a three hours of man power can create memorable landscape transformations.

plain Jane garden path entrance and dormant turf

The little voice hit me over the head last week when I strolled the winter garden and gazed down the front path—a path that has been in place since September 11th.
This voice whispered “too narrow” and I replied “OK” and proceeded to tack string outlining the sod to be removed.
Editing lawns is one of my favorite garden chores, as I loathe any tasks associated with it, especially when forced to mow during high humidity and triple digit temperatures. Virginia is not the place to have turf and I have given in to most any weed that thrives there.

other end of narrow path

pathetic attempt by moi to remove dastardly sod

hired muscles at work

wider path

finished path, hurray!

After my hired muscles finished this simple path, I lead them around to the side yard to install/reuse the hideous black plastic edging from the front project. This is my gazillionth attempt to conquer the slope dramatically eroded by recent heavy rains—

Ouch! following heavy rains

ongoing attempt to soothe Mother Nature

OMG!

rock is the solution

two small boxwood and blue princess moved

burning bush transplant nearly broke backs

Following the muscle departure, I raked, watered, and tidied the disturbed areas. Next week I must don my mulchqueen hat and tuck these shrubs in for the their next chapter.

As a reward, this morning I treated myself to a carb/maple syrup/buttery pop-over breakfast before I dressed for my morning stroll.