Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Flowers on Valentine's Day

Since it's just around the corner, the cliche of red roses for Valentine's Day doesn't seem to be going anywhere. As a matter of fact, even though most women take it for granted, they'll also notice it if they don't receive them. Delivering roses at the workplace seems to be the most prevalent method, but more and more people are sending roses to the restaurant of the evening for a nice surprise there.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Cold Weather, Ice, and Plants

This year as many of us have had to deal with crop damage, plant and tree damage, mother nature reminds us of who is in charge. While unfortunate, it is quite amazing how 3/4 of an inch of ice accumulation on a tree or plant can injure it for the coming blooming and/or fruiting season. The branches and vines become brittle and do their best to hold to the trunk, but quite often a strong wind whips through that tears the branch down. Let us hope that we can learn from these calamities and continue to improve the processes with which we live alongside these living creatures.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Natural Deer Repellent

Your flowers and garden don't need an expensive spray, or toxic concoction. What they need is a guard dog, or at least some of the neighbors dog's droppings and/or shedding fur. Yep. That'll keep the deer away from your buds, fruit and other edibles. I've tried it multiple times and it works. The problem is that we are encroaching on what used to be the deer's land with our growth into the suburbs and rural areas. They think with all of our flowering plants and flowers, that we are putting food out for them, or that their natural environment is an easier place to live.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Flowers and Pinky

There has been some limited interest in my blog here, and I just wanted to post some more information here on this blog. I'm not a flower expert. I love flowers and plants. Flowers and plants are exponentially complex living things that provide us with medicine, beauty, knowledge, pleasure, sight, sound, taste and touch. It's that simple and that complex all at once. Yes, I know that Rosemary Prostratus is probably not for a pot or for verticle type growing. There are so many different types of lavender that I could spend a lifetime learning about them all, and I just may do that. The name of lavender comes from latin, "to clean" or "clean", or "wash". I also wish I had more time to just stop and smell the roses on a more regular basis. Are 80 cm roses better than 60 cm roses?

Friday, January 05, 2007

Planning for Spring Gardening

Without a greenhouse, I find that winter is high time for planning spring gardening. I'll be planting a new garden this spring and visions of perrenials dance in my head, from rosemary to thyme, and of course lavender. All of my research tells me that sowing seeds of lavender will most likely result in an ununiform look. Propagating from cuttings seems to be the best way, but I have a feeling my impatience will result in purchasing small pots. Propagating from cuttings would also mean I would have to wait until fall to place them in the ground. Speaking of the ground, I see Rosemary Prostratus and Thyme along walkways for ground cover, and if I'm lucky, I'll be able to plant some cuttings from a rosebush that has been in our family for at least 3 generations.