June/July/August - Countryside Garden Club

Countryside Thymes
Summer 2014
“Thirty-five Years of Flowers,
Friends and Fun”
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Place: Olive Garden
7501 Broken Branch Lane, Manassas VA
703-693-3635 (off Sudley Road near
Lowe’s).
Newsletter Editor: Bev Femino,
bafemino@comcast.net 703-966-3260
Thank you to summer newsletter contributor:
Judy. The September newsletter deadline for
Time: 6:30 PM
submissions is August 25, 2014.
Hospitality: 2013-14 board members:
Arlene, Cynthia, Judy, Kathy, Ardella,
Karen, Stephania.
On our web site you will find: current & past
newsletters, current roster, photos, recipes, garden
craft instructions and lots more!
www.countrysidegardenclub.com
Program: Installation & Rededication
Kathy McGlinn, Webmaster
Newly elected board members will be installed by
Arlene; returning board members will rededicate
themselves to serving our fun & fabulous club!
Members will rededicate themselves to supporting
our board and our club!
Looking Ahead to September:
Thursday, September 25, 2014 Time: 6:30 PM
Place: TBD
Program: Welcome Back!
Hostesses: Board members
Plant Sale Report, from Judy Sutton, Plant Sale
co- chairperson; May 17, 2014: “The attendees of
Gardening Fun & Friendship
Friday night drop off and set up were Arlene, Joanne,
Karen, Pat, Stephania & Robert, Noreen & Jim, Bev, and
Judy & Dick. Gillian furnished us with tables. Ardella
sent her plants with Arlene and past president, Jackie,
also provided plants for the sale. Robert erected the
risers and Dick & Jim set up the tent & tables. Thank
you guys!
The Slopers’ Stitch House provided us with a
beautiful banner for our sale. So with our new aprons
and banner we were quite fashionable.
Thanks to everyone for all of your help, we made
about $216.00. Arlene, Ardella, Pat, Noreen, and
Stephania, I thank you for your work on Saturday at the
sale, it would not have been possible without you guys.”
Thanks to all, Judy
Countryside Garden Club Activity Schedule
Summer 2014
Excursions – invite your club buddies to join you on
your summer garden excursions!
July - date TBD – Program Planning committee.
August - date TBD – Program Planning committee.
September 25- Welcome Back- guests welcome!
For more information on activity schedule please refer
to yearbook, future newsletters and emails.
Quote: “A perfect summer day is when the sun is
shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing,
and the lawn mower is broken.” ~James Dent, sports &
fiction writer.
1
The Summer Garden
Indoor Gardening
What to do in the Summer Garden, from Bev:
“Deadhead perennials; sip tea (with mint from the
garden) under a tree; weed; water plants; add a water
feature; feed the birds; pick summer veggies; clean the
bird baths & feeders weekly; weed some more; have a
picnic – be sure to invite your garden club friends;
relocate bird bath to shadier spot; water hanging baskets
& container gardens daily; add drought tolerant
perennials to the garden; water everything; feed the
butterflies/birds with cut fruit; weed some more; start or
complete your fairy garden; make a patriotic container
garden with red, white and blue flowers; cut back or
remove annuals; replace sugar water in hummingbird
feeders and clean on regular basis; replace annuals as
they fade; move containers around – changing locations
to take advantage of shade/sun or just for a ‘change in
scenery’; water everything some more; pinch herbs to
keep them growing and bushy; replace mulch around
newly planted or tender plants; start a lasagna garden to
plant next spring; visit a local garden produce stand.”
Dried Hydrangeas, great in flower designs:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/provenwinner/pro
venbeauty_fall2013/#/14
Summer Flower Arranging, from Bev:
“General suggestions: Remove leaves that might be
under water in your container. Gather the chosen flowers
& greens into your hand and loosely tie with elastic band
or string OR individual flowers can be inserted into
soaked floral foam. Hold your bouquet up to the
container to see how it will look. Change the water daily.
Some flower stems will benefit from re-cutting every
day. Use flower food from the florist, if desired.
Independence Day Bouquet, Red, White & Blue:
“While summer flowers in white and red are abundant,
truly blue flowers are difficult to find, try the ones
listed here:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3033/
Select an array of different forms, textures and sizes to
add interest to your bouquet. Supplement your garden
flowers with those from the florist or grocery store and
add some greenery from the garden or florist..The
container can be natural (like a basket); OR painted solid
red, white or blue; (or any two colors or all 3 colors). If
using a clear container, you may choose to add marbles
or other vase filler in red, white and/or blue.
Container Patriotic Mix for July, from Southern
Living Garden Guide, May 2014: red zinnias, Shasta
daisy, ‘Techno blue’ lobelia, ‘Watermelon’ sun coleus,
‘New Wonder’ fanflower, ‘Supercascade White’ petunia.
Clematis Pruning, condensed from Garden Gate,
February 2013, article by Jim Childs AND Garden Gate
online. See photo page for 3 cultivars listed: “Most
clematis fall into one of 3 pruning groups each of which
requires a different pruning technique. If you make a
mistake and cut incorrectly for your clematis, chances
are that it will survive. You might miss a year of flowers
or it might bloom later than usual. Old overgrown
specimens may benefit from cutting to the ground.
Group A: … evergreen; found mostly in zones 6 to 9;
rarely die back; first to bloom in spring. Remove any
dead stems & winter dieback. Blooms on old wood so
only prune to thin out thick areas or remove wayward
stems just after flowering. Prune too early, you’ll be
cutting off flower buds.
‘Lemon Bells’ Clematis chiisanensis
Lightly trim this spring-blooming clematis after it
finishes flowering to encourage new growth and a
possible rebloom or just sit back and enjoy the
seedheads. Since ‘Lemon Bells’ is in pruning group A,
or 1, remove any damaged stems in early spring and then
wait to trim and tidy plants until after flowering finishes.
Type Vine; Blooms Yellow 2-in. pendulous flowers
with red base from late spring to early summer; Light
Full sun to part shade; Soil Well-drained; Size 6½ to 10
ft. tall; Cold-hardy USDA zones 5 to 9; Heat-tolerant
AHS zones 9 to 1. [continued next page].
Picnic Theme Bouquet: start with summer annuals &
perennials in many colors or choose a color scheme. Add
seasonal small whole (cut fruit will draw insects to your
bouquet) fruit and/or veggies, wired and tucked into
your bouquet. Try choosing fruit in colors to match or
complement the flower colors. Display your bouquet in a
natural or summer - color picnic basket OR spray paint
the basket to match one of the flower colors in your
bouquet.
Summer Sunflower Bouquet: select as many different
sunflower cultivars/species that you can find in the
garden, along roadsides or at the florist. Try to find a
few different size blooms and shades of color. Your
container might be a basket or tall vase (depending on
the size of the flowers) - what ever works with the
flowers you’ve collected.
Happy Flower Arranging from Bev”
Quote: “June is so prodigal, so extravagant of all
that makes the world beautiful, so kind to
gardeners.” Louise Beebe Wilder;
1878- 1938; author of 10 gardening books including
“Color in My Garden” and “The Fragrant Path”.
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plants that require partial shade will do well under this
scenario.
Dense shade: true shade-loving plants require dense
shade, which occurs in a north-facing aspect, under
evergreen trees, or in areas heavily shaded by adjacent
structures.”
Group B: …flowers mid-spring on last year’s stems;
may have new stems & blooms later in season; flowers
evenly scattered up and down stem; most double blooms
fall into this category. Evaluate in late winter/early
spring, remove dead leaves and dead branches with no
new buds swelling; remove unruly or too long stems; retie to trellis. Train new growth onto trellis. This group
includes ‘Nellie Moser’.
Josephine (‘Evijohill’) Clematis x durandii
This midseason clematis will dress up your summer
perennial border, as flowers keep coming for several
weeks. Josephine is in pruning group B, or 2, so remove
damaged stems and thin out any congested areas in early
spring. Type Vine; Blooms Double 6- to 7-in. pink and
white flowers from early summer to fall, reblooming;
Light Full sun to part shade; Soil Well-drained; Size 6 to
8 ft. tall; Cold-hardy USDA zones 5 to 8; Heattolerant AHS zones 8 to 1.
Six Plants to Brighten Shade, from Garden Gate,
Feb 2013: See photo page for pictures.
“Astilbe ‘Deutschland’ – perennial, white plumes late
spring; part to full shade; 18 to 24 tall & wide; cold
zones 3-9; heat tolerant zones 9-1.
Brunnera macropylla ‘Jack Frost’ – perennial; small
blue flowers in early spring; silver-white lace overlay on
green leaves; part to full shade; 12 – 18 “ tall; 18-24 “
wide; cold hardy zones 3-7; heat tolerant zones 7 -1.
Goat’s Beard Aruncus dioicus – perennial; fluffy white
plumes early summer; part to full shade; 3-6 ‘ tall; 2-4’
wide; cold hardy zones 4-9; heat tolerant zones 9-1.
Group C: …flowers on new growth; so rarely first to
bloom; blooms late spring/early summer. If you don’t
cut old stems back the first year the new foliage &
flowers will be at the top, lower branches will be sparse.
(Good if you want it to cover the top of a pergola.)
Easiest to prune – as soon as you see new sprouts
starting to swell (about same time as tulips bloom) cut
all stems down to about one foot of ground. Cutting it
back each spring will give more flowers lower on stems.
New stems will quickly grow from the base to produce
summer flowers.
‘Walenburg’ Clematis viticella
This late bloomer ends the season in a splash of color,
with its clusters of smaller blooms. Flowering on new
wood, ‘Walenburg’ is in pruning group C, or 3, which
means you can cut it to within 12 in. of the ground in
early spring. Type Vine; Blooms Purple-red 2- to 2.75in. flowers from late summer to fall; Light Full sun to
part shade; Soil Well-drained; Size 8 to 10 ft. tall; Coldhardy USDA zones 4 to 9; Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9
to 1.” [Ed. NOTE: ‘Autumn Clematis’ falls into this group.].
Hellebore Hellabourus niger ‘HGC Jacob’ - perennial
2-3’ large upward facing pure white blooms late fall to
midwinter; part to full shade; 9-12’ tall; 10-15” wide;
cold hardy zones 5-9; heat tolerant zones 9-1.
Spotted deadnettle Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’ –
perennial; clusters white blooms mid spring; part to full
shade; 4-8” tall, spreading; cold hardy zones 3-9; heat
tolerant zones 9-1.
Silver lace vine Fallopia baldschuanica – vine; fragrant
clusters tiny white flowers; aggressive spreader needs
pruning; full sun to part shade; 15 – 25’ tall and wide;
cold hardy zones 4-7; heat tolerant zones 7-1.”
Confused by Plant Tags with ‘part this’ or ‘full
that’? excerpted from Horticulture e-news on line:
“Both ‘part sun’ and ‘part shade’ refer to a plant that
prefers four to six hours of direct sun each day (best if it
comes in the first half of the day)… When you see “part
sun” used, the grower is stressing that the plant requires
at least four hours of sun and will likely do better with
closer to six hours. When you see ‘part shade’ used, the
grower is stressing that the plant should not receive more
than six hours of sun and will likely do better with less.
That’s why often you’ll see a plant indicated for ‘part
shade to shade’ or ‘full to partial sun.”
How Much Shade is ‘Shade’? From Fine
Gardening, December 2008 article by Karen Chapman:
“Because not all shade is the same, you need to know the
different types in order to determine what plants will
thrive in your specific conditions. Here are three
common conditions you may have.
Bright Shade: an east – facing location that receives
between four and six hours of unobstructed morning sun
would fit this classification. Reflected light from nearby
walls may also contribute to the light intensity. Some
sun-loving and most partial-shade plants will thrive in
this situation.
Dappled shade: this term refers to the filtered light that
passes through the canopy of deciduous trees or is found
under a structure such as an arbor or pergola. Many
Quote: “By August, a flower garden… can be at its
best—and at its worst. Most of one’s successes are
apparent, and all of one’s failures.”
Katherine S. White was a writer and fiction editor with
the New Yorker magazine 1925 to 1960 and the author
of “Onward and Upward in the Garden”.
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A Gardener’s Glossary, from
ROSES: Earth - Kind® Rose, from:
https://ask.extension.org/questions/142181
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindroses/about/
“The term succulent is used to describe plants having
some parts (leaves, roots, or stems) that are more than
normally thickened and fleshy, usually to retain water in
arid climates or soil conditions. But plants are not either
succulent or non-succulent. Within the same genus and
family there might be plants with thick leaves and
normal stems as well as plants with very thickened and
fleshy leaves or stems. So deciding what is a succulent is
often arbitrary. “Succulent” is a term of description, not
a category in formal plant classification.
See photos here: http://abc13.com/archive/9426009/
“Earth-Kind is a special designation given to select
rose cultivars by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service
through the Earth-Kind landscaping program. It is based
on the results of extensive research and field trials and is
awarded only to those roses demonstrating superior pest
tolerance, combined with outstanding landscape
performance. Earth-Kind roses do well in a variety of
soil types, ranging from well-drained acid sands to
poorly aerated, highly alkaline clays. Once established,
these select cultivars also have excellent heat and
drought tolerance.
The use of Earth-Kind roses provides the opportunity
to enjoy these wonderful flowering plants while limiting
the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water. These
sustainable practices are excellent examples of how
Earth-Kind landscaping is working to preserve and
protect our natural resources and the environment.”
NOTE: Earth-Kind® roses are available from The
Antique Rose Emporium www.WeAreRoses.com .
Cactus - Botanically, all cacti are succulents, but not all
succulents are cacti. (In other words, all cacti have the
characteristic of retaining water in thickened and fleshy
parts of their structure, but not all plants with succulent
characteristics are classified as cacti.) A cactus is a
member of the plant family Cactaceae, within the order
Caryophyllales. Cactus is native to the Americas,
ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western
Canada in the north. There are also cacti that grow in
Africa and Sri Lanka.
ROSES: Knock Out® Rose, from P. Allen Smith:
Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family
Crassulacae, members of which are commonly known as
stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing
up to 600 species of leaf that are found throughout the
Northern Hemisphere varying from annual and creeping
herbs to shrubs. The plants have water-storing leaves
(there’s that succulent characteristic!). The flowers
usually have five petals, seldom four or six. There are
typically twice as many stamens as petals.
http://www.pallensmith.com/articles/growing-knockout-roses
“The original Knock Out® Rose was introduced in
2000 by The Conard-Pyle Co./Star® Roses. Created by
Wisconsin rose breeder, William Radler, to reduce the
rose gardener's to do list with a plant that was cold
hardy, disease resistant and incredibly floriferous. Knock
Out® is cold tolerant to zone 5, heat tolerant throughout
the U.S., reliably resistant to disease and produces a
bevy of blooms every 5 to 6 weeks from spring until the
first hard frost. I'd call that success! No wonder it won
the AARS Award that year.
There are seven beautiful members of The Knock
Out® Family of Roses in a wide range of colors from
cherry red to creamy yellow: Knock Out, Double Knock
Out (both red); Pink & Double Pink; Blushing (light
pink); Sunny (yellow/cream); and Rainbow (pink w/
yellow ).
The natural inclination of The Knock Out® Family of
Roses is to grow to about 3' wide x 4' tall, but they are
easily maintained at a smaller size through pruning.
They are ideal for growing in mixed borders, in
containers or as a hedge.
Just like other roses, The Knock Out® Family of
Roses performs best when planted in full sun. The soil
should be well drained and fertile. Plant the roses 4 feet
apart to allow for room to grow and good air
circulation.
[continued on next page]
So, as you can see, cactus and sedum are each in a
different genus of plants coming from two different
families within the plant hierarchy, yet both can be
described as ‘succulent’ .”
Sedums in the Garden:
http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/sedum-and-othersucculents/index.html
from Bev: “I have recently become aware of the virtues
of sedums and other succulents, adding them to
containers and in the garden especially on the South side
of the house. I keep adding to my ‘collection’ and find
there is an interesting variety of colors, sizes, leaf shapes
and blooms. Most do well in the cold as well as the heat;
they may sometimes look a little rough by end of winter
but then perk up in spring. I’ve not needed to deadhead,
prune or fertilize and they propagate easily.”
4
To keep the flowers coming, feed your roses with a
fertilizer blended especially for roses. This should be
done after each bloom cycle. There is no need to
remove faded flowers because these roses are self
cleaning – another task you can remove from your to do
list! Prune in late winter or early spring, while the
plant is still dormant. Remove any dead or damaged
wood, do a little shaping, if necessary, and take out some
of the interior stems to improve air circulation. Every 2
or 3 years remove about one third of the old branches to
stimulate new, fresh growth. If you are trying to keep
the roses at a certain height, you can cut them back hard
with hedge shears. No need to worry about usual rose
pruning rule of cutting back to an outward facing leaf
bud – just lop them down to the desired size. I've even
seen Knock Out® Roses spring back beautifully after
being cut down to 6-inches.”
RRD-Further reading:
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/450/450-620/450-620_pdf.pdf
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext
_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-OR-W-16.pdf
http://www.rosegeek.com/index.htm
This Summer, Plant Peach Color Peonies!
From http://www.monrovia.com/plantcatalog/collections/itoh-peonies-plant-collection/
“Tired of pink when it comes to your peonies? The
orange buds of Misaka intersectional peony (Paeonia x
‘Smith Opus 1’) open to the peachy yellow, with a
splash of deep pink. Misaka’s flowers have a light
fragrance and can be up to 8 inches across in full bloom.
Also called “Itohs,” easy-care intersectionals are a cross
between herbaceous and tree peonies. The resulting
hybrids have great traits from both plants: fragrance, a
wide range of flower colors, strong stems, coldhardiness and good pest/disease resistance. These
peonies don’t develop a woody stem but die to the
ground where winters get cold. For the most blooms,
give Misaka plenty of sun. Another nice feature of this
peony is its strong stems - staking isn’t usually needed.
After flowers have finished, cut stems back to the first
set of leaves to tidy up the plant and prevent it from
forming seeds, which helps save energy.
Rose Rosette Disease (RRD): from
http://www.finegardening.com/rose-rosette-diseasewhat-it-and-what-can-you-do-about-it
“…It is a disease that is carried by a very specific spider
mite, 'Phyllocoptes fructiphilus'. An infected mite drifts
on the wind, comes into your garden, lands on your roses
and then injects the disease into the rose when it starts to
feed. Or a non-infected mite can land on a rose that
already has it, pick up and then when the wind blows it
to another rose it infects that one.
You know you’ve got it when your roses start to
throw off strange growth that is purplish in color and
most noticeably has “foliage” in the shape of what is
called “witches broom”… It actually looks a lot like
roundup damage.
It is particularly lethal to the species rose R.
multiflora and in fact has been mentioned as a potential
biological control method for it. R. multiflora spreads
like crazy and in much of the eastern United States it’s
classified as a noxious weed. Some government
officials in their attempt to control it actually facilitated
the spread of RRD by purposely infecting stands of
multiflora. They claim there was no scientific proof
RRD infected ornamental roses – the kind you and I
grow in our garden… They were flat out wrong! It does
affect ornamental roses. Some more than others. …”
From Bev: I had infected multiflora (wild) roses on the farm
Type Perennial; Blooms Peachy yellow with deep
pink center splash in spring; Light Full sun to part
shade; Soil Moist, well-drained; Size 20 to 30 in.
tall and wide ; Cold-hardy USDA zones 4 to 8;
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 8 to 1; Source Local
garden centers or visit www.monrovia.com to find
which garden centers carry Monrovia plants.”
Have you tried? From Bev: “I just started growing
perennial Egyptian walking onions "Allium proliferum".
The stalks grow in a twisted form and fall over setting
the seed. They readily self sow but are not invasive. The
entire plant is edible and tastes like an onion but with
more ‘pizzazz’. See this web site for photos, growing
and buying information”.
http://www.egyptianwalkingonion.com/
Book of the Month: “When the Good Cook
Gardens” written/published by Ortho Books; 1974; 97
and on some of the modern roses in my garden. I destroyed
those infected with RRD. So far, RRD has not infected my
Rugosa or Knock Out® roses.
The rose industry has
furthered some research in this area since the Old Rose
Garden in Manassas VA was first infected. Many of those
roses were removed and destroyed as not much was known
about RRD at that time.
When I see an infected branch, I
remove just that branch (at ground level) and destroy it. See
photo page for example of infected branch (called a ‘witches
broom’). Check out these other web sites for additional
information.”
pages. From Bev: “I used this book when I was a
beginning veggie gardener in the 70’s. It contains list of
vegetables from Artichokes to Turnips: growing,
harvesting, preserving & buying. It includes recipes,
herbs, and several useful charts. I found it still available
on Amazon from $1.84 (used).”
5
Now, toads are … everywhere; in every state in the
union, often reaching deep into the heart of cities,
especially cities with well-established park systems. To
get these cute little amphibians to control your pest
problems, let nearby areas go wild with plants that throw
a heavy shade. Or build little toad sanctuaries by placing
some bricks on the ground to support boards and then
covering the boards with plant pots or soil, creating a
cool, damp, dark little cave-like structure they can hide
in during the day. If you choose to use those cute little
terra-cotta ‘toad abodes’, be sure to keep them in damp,
shaded areas; they become toad microwaves out in the
sun!
You’ll also want to place water sources at ground
level near plants having pest problems; birdbath saucers
sunk flush to the earth work great for this. The toads will
naturally migrate to the moisture when they come out at
night and then eat the closest bugs. Rinse the saucers out
once or twice a week to keep the water fresh and foil
mosquito breeding.
There’s no need to relocate toads from a nearby park
unless your garden is a backyard in the middle of a
concrete cavern of a big city; and even then, they’re
probably still around. Whatever you do, don’t release
mail order, pet store or otherwise imported toads or
frogs; such non-native species quickly become their own
pest problem.
Tips on Vegetable Gardening When There is a
Drought, from Renees Garden online:
http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/drought.pdf
Plan Your Fall Vegetable Crop/Plant in
Summer, fromVirginia Cooperative Extension:
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-334/426-334.html
From P.Allen Smith, for a list of 10 to plant:
http://www.pallensmith.com/articles/what-to-plantin-your-fall-vegetable-garden
“… Ideally gardeners should start preparing for fall right
around the summer solstice, if not before ... In most
areas planting should take place from July through
August to allow for plenty of time for seeds and plants to
grow and mature before the first autumn freeze.
… To determine when to start planting, find out the
number of days to maturity for the vegetable. Next,
count back the number of days from the first average
frost date. Some people add a week or so to allow
…extra days to harvest the produce once it’s mature.
You will find maturity information on seed packets and
some plant labels.
Most everything you plant in spring you can grow in
your fall garden, too. These are cool season plants,
meaning they will tolerate a light frost, thrive in short
daylight hours and perform best with mild temperatures.
Some vegetables even taste better when nipped by a
light frost.”
FROGS require a fairly large, year-round water source
in which to breed. And they prefer to be alone in that
water in the Spring, when their eggs and tadpoles are
helpless against hungry fish. But such a pond or water
feature is well worth the effort, as it will also greatly
increase your toad population and attract hordes of
desirable birds, butterflies, dragonflies and beneficial
insects. And it’s easy to prevent mosquitoes breeding in
that water with a monthly application of BTI. A
completely non-toxic natural organism isolated from
soils, BTI prevents mosquito (and black fly) larvae from
developing without harming fish, birds, or anything
Garden Visitors, the Birds, the Bees, &
Other Garden Critters: from
http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=863
“…at ORGANIC GARDENING magazine, our
researchers discovered that a single TOAD will eat tens
of thousands of pests in a single season, typically
consuming two to three times it’s weight in many
creatures including flies, earwigs, grasshoppers, pill
bugs and cutworms—every day. (Actually every
evening, as that’s when toads are out hunting.) And toads
and frogs are virtually the only beneficial creatures that
eat cucumber beetles, a garden pest that makes itself
taste bitter when it feeds on your cuke vines!
Attracting frogs and toads won’t harm the local water
quality. In fact, access to clean water is one of their
biggest necessities. The other is protection from
pesticides. Because of their porous skin, frogs and toads
(and salamanders and other beneficial amphibians) are
helpless against toxic herbicides, insecticides and
fungicides. So resolve to shun those nerve toxins and
hormonal disruptors. (Note: Organic remedies like
beneficial nematodes, corn gluten meal and the iron
phosphate baits used to control slugs are perfectly safe
for use around amphibians.)
else.”
Quote: “As soon as spring is in the air, Mr.
Krippendorf and I begin an antiphonal chorus, like two
frogs in neighboring ponds: What have you in
bloom…” Elizabeth Lawrence, 1904 - 1985; garden
author, including “A Southern Garden” in 1942.
http://www.winghavengardens.com/ElizabethLawren
ce.asp
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Garden Crafts
Quote: “Each fairy breath of summer, as it blows with
loveliness, inspires the blushing rose.” ~Author
Unknown
Make a miniature fairy garden, from Bev: “How about
a table top size or even a flower pot sized miniature
garden? Miniature (or fairy) gardens can be small or
large, indoor or outdoor, elaborate or simple. Many
miniature gardens can be built in containers you already
have around! This might be a great project with your
children/grandchildren as garden helpers. See photo page
for examples of miniature gardens.
Check out this and other books on the subject:
“Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living
World” by Janit Calvo, photos by Kate Baldwin.
Also, check out these web sites for ideas:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/container/plansideas/mini-garden/
Here are some more ideas:
http://www.goodshomedesign.com/create-miniaturegarden/
Gardener’s Prayer
By Karel Caper (1890-1938)
O Lord, grant that in some way
it may rain every day.
Say from about midnight until three o’clock
in the morning.
But, You see, it must be gentle and warm
so that it can soak in;
Grant that at the same time it would not rain on
campion, alyssum, helianthus, lavender, and others
which
You in Your infinite wisdom know
are drought-loving plantsI will write their names on a bit of paper
if you likeAnd grant that the sun may shine
the whole day long.
But not everywhere (not, for instance, on the
gentian, plaintain lily, and rhododendron)
and not too much;
That there may be plenty of dew and little wind,
enough worms , no lice and snails, or mildew,
and that once a week thin liquid manure and guano
may fall from heaven.
Be sure to let Bev know when the fairies arrive at
your house to check out the garden you made for
them!”
“When the first baby laughed for the first time,
the laugh broke into a thousand pieces
and they all went skipping about,
and that was the beginning of fairies.”
Amen.
by Sir James M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Garden Blessings, Poems, Prose and Prayers celebrating
the love of gardening. Compiled by June Cotner; 2014.
How to Attract Fairies to Your Garden:
http://www.gardenfairy.com/fairygarden/attract.htm
7
‘Appearance of Rose Rosette Disease,
‘Witch’s Broom”
Photos from free internet sources.
Diseased rose branch tip.
Diseased rose branch.
Josephine (‘Evijohill’) Clematis x durandii
‘Lemon Bells’ Clematis chiisanensis
‘Walenburg’ Clematis viticella
Bev’s miniature garden with sedum & animal figures.
Photo by Bev.
Clematis photos from:
http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2014/06/03/grow-the-best-clematisever/?utm_source=GardenGateNotes&utm_medium=email&utm_ca
mpaign=8264
Six Plants to Brighten Shade,
Photos from free Internet sources.
Goat’s Beard, Aruncus dioicus
Astilbe, ‘deutchland’
Helebore, Helleborus niger, ‘Jacob’
Brunnera macropylla, ‘Jack Frost’
Spotted Deadnettle, Lamium maculatum ,‘White
Nancy’
Silver Lace Vine, Fallopia baldschuanica
Miniature Fairy Gardens -Examples
Photos from free internet sources.
In a wash tub...
In an old bureau drawer…
In a wide clay pot…
In a bird bath…
In a wheelbarrow…
Indoors in ‘teacup’ garden accent…
Nokesville Mini-Library Gardens – May 2014
All photos of front garden – closest to road.
‘Garden #1, A & B.’
Photos by Bev Femino.