tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-243543932012-02-16T03:08:47.434-06:00Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.comBlogger2471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-56231328167215448262011-09-26T17:11:00.000-05:002011-09-26T17:11:19.823-05:00

I have been writing my garden blog since 2006 -- one year after which we bought a snow-covered house that erupted in a sea of green in the spring time. I thought a garden blog would be a fantastic way to chronicle my gardening adventures and learn about my "new" pastime. It bloomed for the first time in 5 years It has definitely been both and I've enjoyed writing this blog and reading about

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-11555441764133946422011-08-24T11:23:00.000-05:002011-08-24T11:23:49.905-05:00

On the garden walk in June, one of the homes was a thoroughly-modern steel number on over an acre of land. Keeping true to the style of the house, as well as to the expanse of land surrounding the house which is on a hill in a heavily wooded area of town, the style was both modern and natural and I never felt the two clashed. It was fun looking at this garden now that I've been gardening for a

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-817689007955351852011-08-20T12:53:00.000-05:002011-08-20T12:53:00.749-05:00

In June, my mom and I went on a garden walk in the town next door. The 4 garden we saw were so varied from the minimalist zen garden to the "gardener's garden" to the "hosta lover" to the "everything and anything" garden. The minimalist garden had a lovely low bowl of succulents on their outdoor table. I loved the idea of not having to water anything, so I made up my own pot of succulants.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-87736391651105983472011-08-17T11:30:00.000-05:002011-08-17T11:49:10.123-05:00

I had this dream a few years ago that my grandfather came over to my house and pruned and chopped down all my plants and shrubs. Now why would I have a dream like that? It's because my grandpa is from the era of meatball shrubs, topiary trees, and Popsicle plants. Everytime he comes over he complains that my yard is overgrown and everything needs to be sheared. I cringe inside, I'm really one of

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-91168953614170990002011-08-16T13:07:00.001-05:002011-08-17T11:28:01.951-05:00

One of our goals this year was to build a small vegetable garden, just a 4x4 raised bed near the house and water source.  Previously I had my vegetables -- mainly tomatoes and peppers -- in large pots on the patio and they did really well but I wanted to expand and experiment with a raised bed. Squash Blossom Runaway squash  So this year I planted 4 pepper plants in a large pot -- the

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-79234982457999999912011-06-28T12:32:00.000-05:002011-06-28T12:32:08.149-05:00

After posting last about being stressed out in my garden, we decided to take some action. We hired our babysitter one Saturday for 4 hours and started cleaning up ... weeding, mulching, edging ... we were amazed at how much we got done (it helps when your babysitter is on the clock). We took down the dead serviceberry (another 2011 casualty); and I re-did the walkway with a fabric barrier for

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-84357861757694051962011-06-06T15:34:00.000-05:002011-06-06T15:34:50.421-05:00

Please tell me that it's normal to be over-whelmed by the garden when you have a baby.  These last 5 years, I've been used to going out to tend to the garden whenever I want, especially after work when I could shed the work finery, get into my grubby clothes, and head outside shovel in hand. Not anymore. That being said, I am totally stressed out by my yard. The weeds have taken over, ground

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-63759087343628335622011-05-18T16:04:00.001-05:002011-05-18T16:05:52.261-05:00

 It is with sad sorrow that I dedicate this post to all those plants I have loved and who, for some reason -- wind, rain, freeze, squirrel, rabbit, or neglect on my part -- have not come back this spring, but have gone to a better place (although I can hardly believe that, what's better than my yard?). In any case, these are my dearly departed plants for 2011. 2 golden heucheras from this

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-52504185218658451122011-05-15T10:36:00.000-05:002011-05-16T10:15:57.094-05:00

Happy Bloom Day! Visit May Dreams Garden for more Blooms This month I'm posting 2 blooms that are brand new to my garden and of which I am very excited to have. I found this white bleeding heart at the big box store last year (June?) where it stood all alone among your typical big box store plants. With the arrival of the baby, I was in love with everything white and fresh and new so I

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-38144614522439655392011-05-12T10:21:00.000-05:002011-05-13T15:30:55.012-05:00

... is when the crab apple tree & Korean Spice Viburnums are both in bloom creating a white, pink, fragrant archway out my front door. Click on photo to enlarge I probably post this photo every year, but that's because every year I am amazed by it's beauty. The first year we lived in this house and springtime came, I walked out the front door and halted in my tracks, hand to heart;  I had

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-26852587437213819142011-04-15T02:29:00.002-05:002011-04-15T02:29:00.846-05:00

Please be sure to visit May Dreams Garden for more! I took off last summer, understandably, from posting this every month, but I am happy to be back! Blooming in Zone 5/Chicago suburbs... I circled the small patch of daffodils in case you missed them. Just my small patch of daffodils and scilla are up. I had 3 groupings (planted by previous owner), but now only 2 are blooming. Time to dig

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-7514958115445147062011-04-10T10:11:00.000-05:002011-04-10T10:11:00.864-05:00

Now that we have the baby, I need to have more clear cut goals to accomplish in the garden. I think this will make for an easier, focused, garden season while also enjoying the baby. So here are my goals for 2011: 1. Build vegetable garden (Backyard) The actual building part belongs to my husband, who has promised to build me a 3x5 raised garden bed in our sunniest plot of land.  This will

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-29984414052076328722011-04-07T10:21:00.000-05:002011-04-07T10:21:58.787-05:00

The Crate & Barrel best buys catalog came the other day, and as I leafed through the typical glasswares and bakers, this one item jumped out at me. A wheelie bucket! I know a wheelbarrel can do the same thing, but sometimes you have to let practicality go and have a little fun. You can wheel this guy around 1-handed behind you. And it can fit through my tiny gate into the backyard. And it's

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-28586933338952591272011-04-01T16:13:00.000-05:002011-04-01T16:13:06.276-05:00

Along our fence, our neighbor's Anabelle Hydrangeas have moved into our yard. We're not complaining at all because we love them, but it's killed most of the grass beneath leaving it the perfect breeding ground for shady weeds.  So I decided last year to build a garden bed beneath.  Now all I have to do is decide what size the bed shall be and carve it out ... Wait! What is this? Someone already

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-3879417904152765222011-03-11T16:39:00.000-06:002011-03-11T16:39:00.123-06:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }  I've been gardening since 2005 and this is my first trip to the Garden Show ... I guess I decided to wait until I had a baby to go. Maybe I thought it would be more

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-33966874942662878362011-03-09T10:00:00.000-06:002011-03-09T10:00:20.470-06:00

I found this photo somewhere (Organic Gardening maybe?) and I loved it -- A garden along a fence in the shade (I have the same thing!). Inspiration My fence garden (in need of some height) What I loved most were the crepe myrtels adding height and interest and repetition to this garden;  but we can't grow them here in Chicago / Zone 5. QUESTION: Is there another tree/shrub that has this

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-88416760395876508692011-02-25T12:45:00.002-06:002011-04-15T14:14:03.311-05:00

Thank you for all your well-wishes! It's been a whirlwind 7 months (Yes, Babius Freemanii is now 7 months old today!); I can't even remember my former life (or former self -- the one that showered daily!). Here are some photos: 1 month 4 months 6-1/2 months I just got reminded that I garden when I received my Arboretum Members Plant Sale Catalog in the mail. What? I can stop and

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-18881966274677231742010-08-05T07:46:00.003-05:002010-08-05T07:52:18.080-05:00

Our dear son (a surprise!) was born on July 25th!He was 8lbs 9oz, 21" long -- a big baby for being born 1 week early!Not getting any sleep has never been better...For all the information and my birth story ( 18+ hours and I decided against an epidural wanting as non-medicated childbirth as possible), please visit my main blog.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-25904834240593803132010-07-19T10:52:00.000-05:002010-07-19T16:42:10.701-05:00

Since I haven't been doing much in my yard this summer, I wanted to share someone else's garden with you all.------------------------Last September, my husband and I (along with his parents) visited Charleston and the home of my mother-in-law's cousin. He's one of the fortunate few to have one of the stately, 100+ year old homes in the historic downtown. I was in love with the architecture and

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-45875053029412812582010-07-14T11:55:00.007-05:002010-07-14T13:36:25.548-05:00

I've been a bit absent in the Garden Blogging world, as well as in my own garden. I'm due in 2-1/2 weeks. Although that hasn't stopped me from pulling a noxious weed taking advantage of my extra 35 lbs, my normal garden routine has flown out the window as I prepare for our littlest one's arrival.At the same time, I started thinking about what I want from the garden in relationship to the new

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-90740938357650635542010-06-02T10:46:00.000-05:002010-06-02T15:11:26.660-05:00

Besides the Spicebushes and Alumroot I mentioned in my previous post, here are some other new plants in my garden for 2010.White Bleeding HeartSalvia 'East Friesland'Variegated Jacob's Ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'Bellflower (I think)This isn't new, but it's the first year the rabbits haven't eaten it so it's new to me.Dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea (by the rock) &Cimicifuga 'Chocoholic' to the left of

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-8494672129453118522010-06-01T22:32:00.004-05:002010-06-01T22:42:37.567-05:00

Making Pots20 minute garden bed clean-up(remove horrible ground cover, thin out plants, transplant hostas)Plant 3 new spicebushes (Lindera benzoin)Remove diseased boxwood. Replace with Alumroot.Prune down massive Korean Spice Viburnums (and they still look huge)

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-24430680070115389292010-05-22T17:23:00.007-05:002010-05-22T17:29:13.099-05:00

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-38670429908130164862010-05-15T11:16:00.002-05:002010-05-15T11:16:00.465-05:00

I started gardening when I bought our house in 2005 – that translates into 5 growing seasons. In knowledgeable years, however, it might as well have been 1905 since I hardly recognize some of the garden beds or the clueless person who bought it all.My first summer in the house, I took about 20 photos of the yard. In 2008, I took over 300. But nothing seems more valuable than those photos from

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-86815748373790507822010-05-14T15:36:00.000-05:002010-05-14T15:36:00.364-05:00

With the belly growing day by day (I'm now 28 weeks along), gardening has taken a back seat.I thought I could just let my husband do the work while I pointed to things, but no. I like to get my hands dirty; I like to prune, pull, and propagate. I like to stand back and watch the fruits of my labor grow into bigger and better things (I am still talking about plants here). But I can't do too much,

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-3790907820166366632010-05-13T15:28:00.001-05:002010-05-13T15:28:59.411-05:00

So you can find the plant the rabbits have chomped down.Yes, this is Hydrangea quercefolia 'Little Honey' which I bought and planted last year. It grew to a nice height and then... it disappeared under the snow only to re-emerge as... a stump. If I didn't have the name-tag still attached (silly me) I wouldn't have realized what had happened.I am officially a rabbit hater.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-32969976772485333882010-04-03T14:47:00.004-05:002010-04-03T14:50:39.948-05:00

A new type of plant? Not really.The tiny foot of Babius Freemanii '21weeks'Buds on trees aren't the only things blossoming and growing this spring!

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-21244509326822882722010-03-29T18:01:00.005-05:002010-04-03T14:51:56.009-05:00

I've never bought seeds to plant -- 5 years in the garden and I've never sown my own seeds. Unless you count the freebie packets I get that I dump aimlessly in my garden?But these weren't freebies, I actually went out and bought 2 packets of seeds. Go me!Lupine-I liked the spiky aspect and that these were recommended as a good replacement for purple loosestrife. I plant on planting them in my

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-887092024911245222010-03-27T13:04:00.003-05:002010-03-27T13:10:00.953-05:00

I needed some soil and I was too lazy to go to the store and buy a bag. So we checked the compost -- it was frozen. Where to turn to next? Our huge pots where I plant my tomatoes. Success!

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-78428503060957960182010-03-09T14:57:00.003-06:002010-03-09T15:39:16.545-06:00

Arboretum Plant Sale ... la la la... plants plants plants ... la la la...Sounds like I sung this tune before?The colorful fold-out brochure arrives just in time, as the snow melts to reveal brown leaves and dying grass. How can a girl resist buying some plants as a much needed pick-me-up?Wish List this year:Pee Wee Oak Leaved Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee') -- I am in love with

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-20556983771529246722010-03-06T11:02:00.002-06:002010-03-06T11:04:07.335-06:00

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-14129824708064491412010-02-28T10:37:00.000-06:002010-03-06T10:41:17.569-06:00

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-5345137501552495892010-01-25T10:20:00.003-06:002010-01-25T16:38:16.329-06:00

It's hard to get motivated when snow blankets the yard, the temps dip below freezing, and you tell yourself, "It's only January." But it's never a bad time to continue my garden classes at the Arboretum. I took a break from classes last summer, but now I feel ready and energized to finish my "home gardening" certificate.February classes: Design Characteristics of Plants (and I'm waitlisted for

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-16505820427132024842009-11-22T10:07:00.003-06:002009-11-22T10:14:13.522-06:00

I've been looking through Tracy DiSabato-Aust's (what a cool name) new book and now have a whole new list of plants for the garden! Most of these don't look like the kind I can get at the average garden center so I might have to do some investigatory work. Good thing it's November!Dwarf Rocky Mountain Fir -- if I can find the right spotPaperbark Maple -- as a possible replacement for diseased

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-65402199834163479902009-11-10T11:41:00.000-06:002009-11-10T11:42:35.770-06:00

Fall clean up is done. We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather this weekend (usually we get our first snow), so we took advantage to finish up all the leaf raking, mulching, and composting.I’ve definitely been absent this season, both in the garden and on my blog. It was a difficult one for my husband and I. We suffered two miscarriages (June & October) and that has really put a damper on

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-47883558430733698272009-10-31T14:12:00.000-05:002009-10-31T15:08:11.984-05:00

I don't know what happened, I normally don't take a 2-month break! I'll be honest, I haven't been in the yard much the last month and a half. It's been COLD, rainy, motivation is next to nil, and I'm tired. Not tired of the garden! Just tired and my philosophy is ... it can wait for now!I did take some photos of the creatures in my tiny backyard (the place to be apparently.)This huge spider

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-44841327920378866692009-10-30T11:00:00.000-05:002009-10-30T16:48:21.992-05:00

We put up our 2nd rain barrel!Does everything grow in my yard? I found this petunia growing between the stones in my back patio. Petunias re-seeding in Chicago? Say what?Really, does everything grow in my yard? My mom got me a seed packet from the garden show. I threw them in my yard. She threw them in hers. I got plants. She got nothing. It's gotta be the dirt. Really it's not me. (The seeds

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-65838168627257450322009-08-19T14:49:00.001-05:002009-08-19T14:49:24.665-05:00

Has anyone had any experience with water pumps for rain barrels?We are now a 2-rain barrel household, having just installed the 2nd rain barrel on the other side of the garage.  Now the entire roof of the garage goes into a rain barrel (we have 3 separate roofs on our house).This rain barrel was free; we found it behind my dad's shed, a place where things go to die. Where he got if from is

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-22790095805666202322009-08-11T11:40:00.004-05:002009-08-11T11:45:05.696-05:00

... in 2006 we were celebrating our 2nd year in the garden by adding these 4 hostas from Home Depot at the base of the Blue Spruce, in the front yard by the street.This is what they look like now.The poor chartreuse one is being squeezed out! Not to mention that the rest of the yard has exploded too. It's a serious jungle.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-31951745233963576872009-08-11T11:28:00.004-05:002009-08-11T11:35:43.036-05:00

I planted the Pagoda Dogwood in my backyard last May. It was the first tree I ever planted. My how they grow up so fast.August 2008August 2009Despite being chomped on by a tall bunny in the springtime ... and then being chomped on by bugs in June (bollweevils is what they look like to me), it's managed to remain alive and develop the horizontal shaping that these are known for.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-86367885944672581852009-08-06T10:54:00.003-05:002009-08-06T11:06:00.312-05:00

I have harvested my first heirloom tomato -- one extremely large Great White tomato.The word harvested sounds funny when you have 2 large pots on the patio.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-58682350936706463942009-07-17T11:12:00.007-05:002009-07-17T11:34:36.354-05:00

A Study in Contrasts put up some photos of foliage and plant combinations where foliage really stands out.I'm glad she did this, because as I grow as a gardener, one of the things I've been working on this summer is developing interesting combination. And with perennials, I find it great to move things around to see what works with what.Here are my contributions to Foliage FridaysThis is in my

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-74252213191496390762009-07-16T17:53:00.001-05:002009-07-16T17:57:57.188-05:00

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day July has arrived!I have a lot more daylillies than I thought, also blooming are -- yarrow (white and pink), oakleaf hydrangea, comeflowers (regular and double stuff (as shown in photo), astilbes, and annabelle hydrangea.Happy July!

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-30950304216782332642009-07-10T16:14:00.005-05:002009-07-10T16:28:33.204-05:00

A few weekends ago, my husband's body was invaded by a 48-hour foreign-like substance (extraterrestrial, perhaps) that feeds on labor activity - specifically of the outdoor kind. How else could I explain the fact that he spent the whole weekend in the yard, setting up the new water fountain, and cleaning out the garage? I think that foreign creature is all charged up now, I was sad to see him

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-69842158820075458032009-07-06T16:18:00.007-05:002009-07-10T16:08:44.443-05:00

I haven't yet posted on what I have planted in my vegetable garden ... the vegetable garden being the 2 enormous pots that sit on my small utility patio in the only full 6+ hours of sun I get.Last year I upgraded to 6 pots (2 very large, deep ones and 4 smaller ones) but I found it harder to get air circulating. And even though I got peppers in those smaller pots, I think they would have done

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-22261341341826213582009-06-20T15:25:00.008-05:002009-07-02T22:24:28.048-05:00

Two weekends ago, I went on my first garden walk.My mom and aunt, veteran "walkers" of all sorts -- garden walks, house walks, kitchen walks - came with me for my inaugural jaunt. They were impressed with my focus. My aunt said to me, "I thought you'd want to spend an hour in each garden, but you're quick."My answer to that was, "If the owner was there to show me his/her plants and wanted to talk

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-18915867191177748892009-06-20T15:14:00.001-05:002009-06-20T15:25:42.346-05:00

I was a little late this month ... well, a little more than little. :-)Clockwise from top left: Native geranium, Snow of summer (??), tall purple bearded iris, white peony, cranesbill geranium, masterwort, gerber yellow, gerber pink. Center: Daisy.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-59155633725243290612009-06-19T19:42:00.000-05:002009-06-20T15:22:11.245-05:00

I have not been doing much "gardening" this past month, and I had a personal set-back recently which makes me yearn to be in my garden all the more.So imagine my joy when I saw three plants, that I planted last year, have bloomed for the 1st time. Just in time for a much needed pick-me-up.Jack-in-the-PulpitI have never seen this plant before, but bought one at my native plant sale 2008 because

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-7717110412014117292009-05-26T14:53:00.000-05:002009-05-26T14:53:01.136-05:00

I just learned that a dwarf Korean lilac is also known as a Meyer's Lilac. That's a lot easier to type, and I still think dwarf is very misleading.Anyway, they are in bloom and they are gorgeous. of course, the one I didn't prune is more gorgeous but the other one still has blooms. It just needs another year or two.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-10458303595492280712009-05-25T14:45:00.003-05:002009-05-25T14:52:29.260-05:00

Okay, I'm loving this collage feature- can you tell?I know that Columbines are short-lived perennials that re-seed. That said, I've only planted one columbine in my yard and that is the photo on the top right -- Aquilegia canadensis, native colmbine. I planted this in 2006 (I'm not even sure if this is the original plant or a seedling?). But all the other ... they've just reseeded in my yard

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-1702270147863159112009-05-15T17:26:00.006-05:002009-05-15T17:54:46.869-05:00

Who doesn't love May!? It's when the magic starts to happen. Thanks to Carol @ May Dreams Gardens, as always, for Blooms Day.Some of these photos were taken before 5/15, but they bloomed between 4/15 & 5/15 so they deserve a tip of the hat.Clockwise from top left:Celandine Poppy (or wood poppy -- 4th year and re-seeding all over my native garden and beyond)Virgina Bluebells -- in front yard

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-57328917946751333222009-05-11T13:09:00.000-05:002009-05-11T13:09:00.512-05:00

I've still been taking photos and I think this will really help as the season moves on, and to plan for next year. I can already see beds where spring interest is lacking.Porch Garden:-- Sedum, pulmonaria (both darker and lighter foliage). A fern and hosta. The impatiens I planted here last year were nice filler as the grass grew bigger (the main focal point).Fence Garden:-- Slow to emerge ...

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-86086793150011389662009-05-08T13:49:00.000-05:002009-05-08T13:50:07.508-05:00

 

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-73461196367491487072009-05-08T11:53:00.006-05:002009-05-08T12:12:15.545-05:00

I had like 4 posts written and nothing got posted. Oh well. Life continues.Last weekend, we took advantage of beautiful 60 degree spring days -- the kind where you can be outside all day long and not feel tired or hot or anything -- to move some shrubs around Or as I like to call it: The Shrub Shuffle.1) We removed the viburnum from the West Side Garden. That took Matt over 3 hours (good thing

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-55384158363548626462009-05-01T10:38:00.000-05:002009-05-01T10:38:00.897-05:00

Sung to the melody of Matchmaker Matchmaker - made famous by Fiddler on the Roof.Plant Sale, Plant Sale,Find me a Tree,Make it the bestHeight 'bout Twenty,Plant Sale, Plant Sale,Find me a Tree,And Make it a Spring Bloomer.Plant Sale, Plant Sale,No dropping seeds,Nothing too short,Very sturdy.Plant sale, Plant Sale,If you succeed,I'll pay up to thirty bucks.For me .... Make it lovely to look at,

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-83787192117499063482009-04-22T11:29:00.001-05:002009-04-22T11:29:01.082-05:00

I wait for this all year … the chance to get up early and wait in line freezing my patooties off, only to get trampled on once the doors open as if we were teenagers getting the Jonas Brothers autographs; this is what I can only imagine an anarchistic society must be like, as people lose all ability to look where they’re going, grab plants as if it was a looted store, and run their American

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-18305778861673747232009-04-18T16:09:00.000-05:002009-04-18T16:09:01.313-05:00

Last fall, I took a maintenance class from the Arboretum and one of principles we learned was pruning. So I promptly went home and pruned one of my "dwarf" Korean Lilacs - and I use that term loosely.The behemoths had gotten so large (and this was 2 years ago) that it had prompted my former neighbor (and former gardening mentor) to look at me seriously and say, "Those have to get cut back."

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-40754331816245681942009-04-17T11:04:00.007-05:002009-04-17T16:04:55.771-05:00

Ed update:The flower opened later in the day and Mr McGregor's Daughter was absolutely right, it's Hepatica... and I think it's more Round-Lobed (Hepatica nobilis obtusa or Hepatica americana) rather than the Sharp-Lobed. That one's also more native to our area. I don't know if it will ever get any bigger than this, it's going on 4 years now.Aster!? Yeesh - that's the 2nd thing that was

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-62256131953546250312009-04-15T10:22:00.001-05:002009-04-17T12:01:12.613-05:00

For more Garden Blooms, visit Carol @ May Dreams Gardens.For the first time in a very, very long time, we had a beautiful Easter Sunday. I only remember once when my mom the Easter Bunny hid our eggs outside, so we made sure to do this with my nephew. I think hope that the snow is behind us. If Bloom Day was the first weekend of April, this would have been my photo … are you all jealous yet?But

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-91208918664334472062009-04-06T13:27:00.000-05:002009-04-06T13:27:00.854-05:00

After much himming and hawwing, I've decided to transform part of my backyard into a vegetable garden.As if I don't say this enough, my backyard is tiny - 50' x 20' - and only a small portion of it gets 6+ hours of sunlight even when all the old trees fill in overhead. That's where I currently have a small perennial garden bed, and where the previous owners put in small patio that houses the

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-31378722854793363372009-04-05T13:33:00.000-05:002009-04-05T13:33:01.147-05:00

I've been faithfully taking photos each week of my backyard gardens, I even updated my "My Gardens" links off to the side for Fence, Porch, & Triangle Gardens.The only 2 gardens with a lot of "movement" these last two weeks are these two:Kitchen Window Garden:The snowbells have finished their bloom, and so in their place are a lot of tulip, iris, and daylilly leaves. A eunoymous shrub I planted

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-141800235266223872009-04-04T13:11:00.006-05:002009-04-04T13:54:05.290-05:00

Debbie had asked me how my seedlings were doing - ones I started sowing last month, approximately 3 weeks ago.Well, I guess I did something wrong because out of all the seeds I planted -- and I mean there were a lot, all gathered from my sister-in-laws garden -- only 2 little seedlings have emerged from the soil so far.Click on photo to see tiny seedlingsBoth of the tiny seedlings come from

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-32873603258422947202009-04-01T11:00:00.000-05:002009-04-01T11:00:13.470-05:00

I haven't written a muse in LONG TIME. But Sunday's snow prompted it and I hope to write more (I love poetry!)Ode to a Snowy March Daythere is no way,is there,that snow might not fall,fall on my daffodilsjust rising upthrough mottled leavesand wind blown twigs.there is no way,is there,that March could beout like a lamb,sun beams kissing the groundbreathing life where onceit was brown.So why does

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-71328043284421157292009-03-27T11:40:00.003-05:002009-03-29T20:01:57.950-05:00

Spring is here! And with it comes a whole new slew of gardening classes at the Arboretum. Unfortunately so many I wanted to take are during the day during the week (doesn’t anyone work?!), but I managed to find 2 classes to take.Late Spring Plants – one of the required classes for the Home Gardening certificateThe Art of Espalier – I saw a tree growing in my favorite Arb's reading garden in

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-70242248334111177952009-03-20T10:46:00.004-05:002009-03-20T11:03:46.085-05:00

I had read that a good way to monitor your gardens was to take the same picture every week/month. My backyard gardens are small and easy to take this way. I thought this might be a nice way to track my backyard for this season.Keep in mind that my backyard is about 50' x 20'.Fence Garden:euonymousboxwoodPorch Garden:NothingKitchen Garden:2 patches of snowbellssedums starting to eruptiris

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-77264725048947469812009-03-18T15:49:00.007-05:002009-03-18T18:03:59.270-05:00

Do you know in the comic strips when someone is about to throw up, their face turns all sickly yellow green? Well, one of my boxwoods has that same lovely hue. It must not be feeling too well?The odd thing is that it's only on one side?This shrub is at least 5 years old (as long as we’ve had the house) and has never had any problems. My first instinct was that it was caused by the weather (maybe

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-63135000121872862872009-03-16T14:27:00.005-05:002009-03-17T19:54:03.763-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted on Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (or posted or read Garden blogs for that matter -- it appears that I am like a plant, I lay dormant over the winter).Today and tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's -- a miracle in the making -- so I hobbled (I jammed/broke my toe) out to clean out some of the plants and stumbled (literally) onto some blooms.I have 2 patches of

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-91504558385380695192009-03-15T19:06:00.005-05:002009-03-15T19:30:12.354-05:00

For Christmas, I received a whole bunch of seeds from my sis-in-law that she amassed from her own personal garden. I was so excited because I didn't have any of these kinds of plants, but I've never grown anything from seed either. I don't count my cosmos seeds as actual growing (I just threw them into the dirt last April and they grew to 7' tall -- it had nothing to do with my avocado green

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-41523532282651821412009-03-11T10:52:00.003-05:002009-03-11T10:57:24.259-05:00

This was a large unruly bush when we moved in. I hacked it down and kept it from growing until last summer when I gave up.But I have no idea what it is? Does anyone know? (click on photos to make them larger)

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-47742954324921277512009-02-13T15:29:00.006-06:002009-03-29T20:11:03.081-05:00

La la la … [me singing to myself]… Arboretum plant sale … la la la…Yes, that’s me singing to myself as I dance through the colorful photos of spectacular looking plants photo’d in their prime. Nothing brightens a gloomy February morning like a walk into a colorful plant sale brochure…la la la….So what have I sunk my meat hooks into this year? (Or as Matt would say, “Go beserk over.”) Little

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-77125530276315586462009-02-01T14:01:00.003-06:002009-02-01T14:12:47.695-06:00

I am so antsy to get back to gardening.It's been 3 months (since November), so I suppose 3 months is my limit of non-gardening time before I start to itch and fidget and wiggle ... I'm like a kindergartner.6 more weeks and daffodils will be emerging ... just hold on.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-27516441300660924592009-01-11T14:56:00.006-06:002009-01-11T15:54:54.096-06:00

Have you seen/heard of this Electronic composter?Now I haven't used it, so I'm just judging it on being a successful outdoor composter for the last three years. In my honest opinion, here are the issues I see:1. $400 -- It's 12" x 20" x 20" high and costs $400. My outdoor composter (which stands at least 4' tall) was $35. 2. The claim: "produce organic compost – indoors and in weeks, not the

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-86450524706050393472008-12-24T08:42:00.003-06:002008-12-24T08:51:10.121-06:00

We just got back from our early Christmas in Nashville with my husband's family, and my sister in-law gave me the best present a gardener could hope for ... seeds!Not just any seeds, but ones from the plants in her garden. I am so excited, but nervous because I normally don't grow from seed and I don't want to ruin any of them. I did read that they should be stored in paper envelopes, so I will

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-6875395349206371932008-11-26T12:50:00.001-06:002008-11-26T12:52:26.072-06:00

I need another blog like I need a hole in the head, I know. But I just got an itch and I like to scratch so there it is.Cheap RosieHow are you saving money these days? Has the economic crisis hit you yet? Even if it hasn't, do you just like to save money and look for ways how to do it?Well, I do. I always have and my husband has never shied away from calling me cheap. So there it is, Cheap Rosie

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-30881190391324413142008-11-14T13:13:00.005-06:002008-11-14T13:45:23.360-06:00

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-63038744403384959542008-10-27T16:10:00.005-05:002008-10-27T16:28:20.428-05:00

Last year, we discovered that our tree out in the front had black knot -- post here -- and we did what we could by cutting out the infected branches. But the tree is well over 25' tall and so we couldn't get some of the branches high up. I didn't call anyone in, and I suppose I am at fault but we let it go to see what would happen.Well, this season it was the worst I had ever seen. Every young

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-42321203426825792482008-10-26T13:08:00.005-05:002009-03-27T14:50:48.509-05:00

We just got back from a 4-day trip to Door County in Wisconsin. I've written more about the trip here on my personal blog, Crazy Rosie Ramblings.The Inn we stayed at -- the Blacksmith Inn -- is such a lovely, quint place in Bailey's Harbor and right on Lake Michigan (i.e. the quiet side of the peninsula). They also had an abundant of plants growing and in bloom that I was shocked -- shocked

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-2482998286230425772008-10-12T15:11:00.003-05:002008-10-12T15:24:34.037-05:00

I just composted the last of the vegetables today - the peppers. I had a good run this summer, harvesting a lot of vegetables in 6 pots on the patio.Tomatoes:Sweet 100 cherry tomatoesEarly GirlsYellow pearPeppers:Golden Summer Sweet PepperChocolate Beauty Sweet PepperEverybearing Strawberry Fragaria 'Tristar'Tomatoes: Last year the Fantastics did better than this year's Early Girls for large

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-28672567745726212652008-10-11T14:55:00.000-05:002008-10-12T15:03:41.148-05:00

One of the native plants I picked up at this year's Native Plant Sale (in April) has finally bloomed.It's the Blue-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago caesia):I think this one might be a rabbit favorite because it's still really small and according to illinoiswildflowers, it should be 1-1/2-3' tall blooming late summer/early fall. One thing I did notice was that the ants like the flowers - on the flowers

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-15836788796086933692008-10-06T16:50:00.006-05:002009-03-27T14:51:08.838-05:00

On Saturday, Matt and I went on a tour of homes in the west suburbs that are using solar energy to heat and electrify their homes. I wrote about solar energy and the homes we visited on my main blog.But one of the homes not only used solar energy, but was the home of a conservationist who's house was surrounded by a natural illinois prairie, was situated for ideal passive solar design, and had a

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-83099524202166600562008-10-03T15:52:00.011-05:002009-03-27T14:53:51.034-05:00

I tested renewal pruning for the first time on one of the Dwarf (ha!) Korean Lilacs in my front yard's Center Garden.These lilacs have gotten very large over the 3 years I've been at this house, and the most I have done with them is give them a good shearing after they bloom.As you can see from the pictures, 2006 it was sporting a flat top and was very meatball shaped (must have had the grandpa

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-15835869725822355002008-09-29T20:45:00.004-05:002008-09-29T21:15:26.925-05:00

Let me repeat, I will not go to the Arboretum again unless accompanied by very smart garden bloggers.Barbara of Mr. McGregor's Daughter got the Chicagland gardeners together at the Arboretum to get the dates down for the 2009 Spring Fling (May 29-31, 2009), but once that was settled then there was much walking and talking about plants -- which is why I said I can't go back to the Arboretum unless

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-14104870203490116652008-09-20T00:42:00.008-05:002009-03-29T20:12:08.665-05:00

PHOTOS POSTED!For my maintenance class, we are supposed to keep a garden journal. Since I have this blog, I thought I'd incorporate my garden "journal" into here every Friday. I guess I "journal" but not like in a true gardening sense. I'm also blessed with a most uncanny memory that I pretty much know everything I planted and when I planted it... it's kind of scary.So here's my first "Journal"

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-81433620044097021122008-09-12T12:03:00.008-05:002008-09-12T13:13:09.684-05:00

I've just started my new class at the Arboretum called Maintenance. It's part of the required Garden Basics courses I have to take for the Gardening Certificate.So far the class has paid for itself because I learned 2 important things:1) When you renewal prune it doesn't mean-- as I foolishly thought before -- taking it "down" by 1/3, but to prune out 1/3 of the canes from the bottom. Yes, I

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-86056809271649682322008-09-04T15:28:00.001-05:002008-09-04T15:31:07.210-05:00

We were walking through an Art Fair one weekend and we came upon a man who collects metal scrap and turns them into garden art. So automatically Matt and I fell in love with everything.He made dogs, cats, even a caterpillar, flowers, and a huge motorcycle. But what Matt and I wanted was something that would stand out in our pint sized backyard filled with patches of purple phlox and annabelle

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-53270273109395252572008-07-25T08:40:00.004-05:002008-07-25T09:02:07.060-05:00

This is my second year of vegetable gardening. Last year I planted 2 large pots and filled them with 2 types of tomatoes (Roma & Fantastic), some green onion, and small leaf basil (mostly all courteous of my grandpa who taught me how to veggie garden). For me, it was a huge accomplishment to tend my own vegetables, to walk out of my kitchen and pick a tomato off the vine for a dinner salad, or

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-48363564209993679342008-07-18T15:26:00.009-05:002008-07-18T15:55:01.048-05:00

My six week Intro to Landscape Design class at the Arboretum has finally ended. For the class, we were supposed to choose an area or project we wanted to design in our own yard and for the last class show what we've done using the design principles we're learned.It was an Intro class, and one that's mandatory for the Arboretum's Home Gardening certificate, so we covered a lot of ground. I really

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-88846061843501171852008-07-14T21:07:00.008-05:002008-07-14T21:57:31.181-05:00

This is a record! I am actually posting GBBD one day in advance, as opposed to one week after.This summer, I have not been posting as much, but I've also not been out in the yard as much as I want to be. I talked to my neighbor and we agreed that the mosquitos are horrible this year and unless you want to be caked in Eau d'OFF on a daily basis or be eaten alive by potential West Nile critters,

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-63836591235162960602008-06-20T08:08:00.004-05:002008-06-21T16:06:09.960-05:00

It's inevitable that I'm always late posting to GBBD, but this time I have a good excuse: I was in Florida!With regards to the garden, my only instruction to Matt was, "Please water the vegetables and the pots." Other than that, he was off-duty on the garden. And oh boy ... one week away and several rain showers a day means the garden (i.e. the weeds) will play.Check out the weeds between the

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-91372545957538257072008-06-06T10:43:00.004-05:002008-06-06T13:21:10.924-05:00

I've started a new class at the Arboretum which is an Intro to Landscape Design.I think I have no design sensibility. I think my strengths right now are tending to plants; I can take care of everything in my yard, I know what they like and don't like, I know where to plant things, and how to enhance soil, etc... but I don't know how to put it all together to make it look nice.I have a lot of beds

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-83820410772252365662008-06-06T10:37:00.005-05:002008-06-06T13:10:10.013-05:00

My oakleaf hydrangea in the front of the house has completely leafed out, although it doesn't appear to be as large as in years past. It's even already started forming flowers and it looks like it might be a good show this year.But I also noticed that the leaves on the underside are way more green than the leaves exposed -- which are more yellowish. I don't think I noticed this before... I

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-35367386561245919352008-06-06T10:30:00.004-05:002008-06-06T12:56:04.978-05:00

It's been a month since I planted my Pagoda Dogwood 'WStackman' (Cornus alternifolia ‘WStackman') -- which I recently read was a species discovered not too far away from me here -- and I wanted to post a progress report and show how nice it's been doing -- i.e. not dead.Miss P @ planting: 5/1/2008I also found one at the Morton Arboretum in the Fragrant Garden and it's so lovely, I jumped for joy

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-6091823176716412672008-05-30T18:00:00.000-05:002008-05-31T17:48:22.986-05:00

I once read that if you're a perfectionist, you shouldn't garden. If you're a control freak, you also shouldn't garden. Good thing I'm neither.And as I was walking around my yard, purveying my army of greenery, I was struck with just how true that is... a garden is really just a large petrie dish so be prepared for anything to happen.Here's what I found:2 identical plants, planted next to one

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-40967940237829465782008-05-30T17:35:00.000-05:002008-05-31T17:36:07.623-05:00

Okay -- I actually wrote this in May but then never had time to upload my photos. Not only that, but I took photos on May 12, and thn not another one until May 25. I'm flaking this year and it's not even June. I know I'm 15 days late, but I need this for my garden journal ..._____May is my most favorite month in the garden. It's not too hot, the plants still look good without me having to prune

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-18664843318363299072008-05-12T09:48:00.003-05:002008-05-12T09:52:14.885-05:00

My husband just completed his MBA and instead of participating in his ceremony on Saturday, he built me this wall.BeforeAfterWe haven't planted the plants yet, they are just hanging out. We actually want to add one more layer but we ran out of brick. The brick, we used because we found it all over our yard buried in various places. We had enough for this.

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-62991211069513884332008-05-09T12:56:00.004-05:002008-05-09T13:16:30.099-05:00

Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce!This morning I was taking some photos and then decided to go to Home Depot for more heucheras of cool color. While I didn't find anything particularly as cool as I did last yearI stumbled, literally, over 2 blue shrubs.... YES, blue shrubs otherwise known as dwarf globe blue spruces!I couldn't believe it; for some reason I thought that maybe this was something that only

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-73070006796293676262008-05-07T12:31:00.002-05:002008-05-09T12:57:07.456-05:00

Tuesday I drove in to work so I stopped at this garden center I hear is really nice. From the road it looks small, but the place is huge and they have this enormous selection, especially of shrubs and trees; which is something I am in market for right now.I tore out a couple of overgrown specimens the other year and while I don't miss "them", I miss something with year-long foliage. I'm realizing

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-61492353900556519932008-05-06T20:19:00.009-05:002009-03-27T15:01:14.994-05:00

To make up for such a crappy Saturday, I spent my entire Sunday in the yard from sun up to sun down. Here's what I accomplished! I planted all my native plants. I just couldn't wait anymore.I cleaned and edged the "center" gardenI planted the Calicarpa dichotoma there (correction: it's not a Calicarpa japonica)I moved about some of the echinecea and sedum, and my neighbor gave me a new perennial

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-21168199639299129062008-05-04T13:29:00.000-05:002008-05-04T19:39:19.348-05:00

Since last week's plant sales, it has been so cold I 've been forced to store my plants in the garage. I was worried that it would be too dark in there for them -- or that they might miss me -- so I went to check on them last night and the White Trillium has bloomed!Matt was so nice he told me, "You must be a Master gardener now, you can even get plants to bloom in a garage!"On another note, we

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24354393.post-40078280410213124482008-04-26T10:18:00.006-05:002008-04-26T11:21:48.033-05:00

We our celebrating Year 4 of the Native Plant sale in our town and for the 4th year we're still the ones without the American Flyer wagon to stockpile plants ... or kids.Years past:2007, 2006, 2005 (I wasn't blogging in 2005)But we did good this year, first off we arrived at 8:22 a.m. and managed to find a good parking spot. We only had to wait in the long line for about 5 minutes before they

Rosemariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286254322888159442noreply@blogger.com6