As the garden season picks up you may notice fruit and vegetable stands opening. I grow as much of my own produce in the warmer months as possible but it’s impossible to grow it all, so fruit and vegetable stands become one of my favorite stops in the summer.

In my Warren County area there are two local garden markets, numerous small roadside markets and often times neighbors will just set out their extra produce for sale or for free.

On top of fresh garden produce you often have more organically grown produce. I always ask to see if they use many chemicals in the gardens and yards. I personally do not use any chemicals in my yard or on my garden produce.

(more…)

The plants grow along the ground, forming a mat that can keep weeds from making headway. Some people even use is as more of a grass in hard to maintain areas as it will choke out all weeds. They have a rounded leaf and bloom in May and June with irregular flowers in spiked clusters.

They grow in ordinary, well-drained garden soil, with full sun or partial shade. They are considered easy to take care of. In areas with mild winters or under a good snow cover, they are evergreen.

Bugleweed is excellent as ground cover and make a stunning edging at the front of a border as they emphasis the other flowers colors. They are perfect for tumbling over rock edges and if you add another ground cover with color this makes a great statement. If you use these as a ground covers place the plants 10 inches apart. They will quickly fill an area.

(more…)

Here are a few tips for helping with this problem.

Corrections you can do now (more…)

The Yucca plant has a wild and exotic look; it is part of the lily family although by looking at it you would not guess this. There are over 40 plant varieties that grow in the United States and are considered more of a wild plant. However, homeowners have adopted them as a landscape addition. In my zone 5 the yucca known as “Adams Needle” is the variety that will grow in this climate.

The plant has a desert like look with sharp spiny leaves.  It is told that many years ago Yuccas were once planted outside a window to discourage any “peeping Toms.” I am not sure if this is true but it makes a nice story.

(more…)

I am hoping for the bushel gourds to grow large enough for gourd end tables and for the canteen and dipper gourds to work for gourd instruments. That is what attracts me to growing gourds; you just never know what will happen and how the gourds will dry.

Below is a gourd video with some wonderful ideas and designs. I Woodburn paint or dye my gourds and add gourd pieces wood or other found objects to gourds, so this video gives me some wonderful ideas.

(more…)

Here are a few suggestions to make lighting the yard successful, fun and easy.

(more…)

The answer is realt very simple. There is a beauty that appears with each sunrise and sunset. Even in the rain, which we have had too much of lately, there is a peace and the promise of drier weather and hope for better days. The simple work of digging in the soil and watching a new plant grow reminds me that there is more to life than schedules and a fast paced life.

This video reminds me of the morings in my back yard as the fog lifts off the creek and the sun promises us a new day. We find comfort in the things in our lives that are consistant but find joy in change. And the scenery around us is varied and beautiful throughout the year.

(more…)

No matter what type of garden you have garden art add cheer, color, whimsy or personality to the yard. It may even add time saving features with a little flair.

When you add garden art you first need to think about the space you have. Is your garden wide open and spacious and need some warming up or is it tree lined and crowded?

You also need to take into consideration the existing structures. Do you have garden fences that could hold some adornments or trees that could be adorned?

(more…)

Chautauqua Institution is a unique place and very difficult to describe. About the closest I could ever come to giving it a brief description is to cal it “Shangri La” The institution is a cultural and learning center that sit on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in NW New York State. What add to its charm are the quaint Victorian houses, abundant gardens and the beautiful lake views.

(more…)

Today I was on two dirt roads. One road connects Russell and Warren Pa. The wildlife and wild shrubs and flower stun me every time I walk this road. Bamboo gives the roadside a wild look. Blackberries and raspberries line the road and will feed the wildlife in a month or two. There are many elderberry bushes, which are becoming rare in many areas with all the development of country land. There are also large moss covered rocks and ferns growing along many of the ravines where small streams flow. Add to this the color from the wild flowers and this road is breath taking each time you travel it.

There are many endangered plant varieties on this road. I often carry a Roger Troy Peterson plant guide to help me identify the plants I don’t know. To top the scenic view off the Conewango creek borders this road and the view and sound of running water form this historic creek completes the journey. Today I watched as four canoes docked on one of the islands to fish.

One this road I always see deer, turkey and pheasant. Last week I saw the smallest fawn. It’s like being out in the woods far way from the world.

(more…)