Every season I take an inventory of the herb plants I want to try cultivating. This usually involves a walk around the garden to see which plants managed to overwintered well, and also an inventory of indoor refugees from last year that managed to survive the change of venue over the winter months.
Again and again, some herbs seem worth the effort that don't get nearly enough praise or press .
Monday, March 22, 2010
Porch Idea #4
Don't forget to add an old quilt or throw.
Perfect for those rainy days or chilly nights.
Signs of Spring
March came in like a lamb this year which isn't much of a surprise given what a mild winter we had. I don't doubt that we are still in for a few days of nasty weather but those are getting less likely with March more than half over. The first day of spring was on March 20th. We've been experiencing above average temperatures with nice blue skies. The sun has been out doing it's magic so there
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Beach House Renovation/Makeover Finale
Well I am back on in Davidson now and am extremely pleased with the way the kitchen turned out.
I will keep things short here and just show pictures. :)
Okay so this needs a little explanation. I ran out of glue literally with 2.25 boards left to put up. Well I got those boards cut and tested this morning and we needed to get going so knowing I had some additional projects in the future I didn’t want the tube of glue to dry between now and then so I didn’t glue them or paint them. You will notice I added a 45 degree miter on the end to match with the counter top.
Well the Grand total for this quick weekend makeover was a whopping $50 you heard that correctly. I used 25 boards at $1.32 a piece, two tubes of Liquid Nail, half a tube of caulk, paint and some plastic scrapers to smooth out the glue.
Have a Great Day!
My First Succulent Container Garden
Home alone—at least one container garden won't need watering and tending when I go away on vacation. Reading Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin inspired me to create my first project.
Not having prior experience beyond garden sedums, I decided to try a simple design and use an existing container.
For my project, I went to Big Bloomers Flower Farm in Sanford, North Carolina where I found a selection of succulents that are suitable for zone 7, with good drainage and full sun. I can overwinter the container on my front porch where the winter sun warms up the stone floor.
Using a terracotta container that stays on my outdoor teak dining table for three seasons, I chose a rustic color scheme. The sempervivum 'Red Rubin' and 'Icicle' echo the rust-burgundy colors of the weathering on the pot. The sempervivum, aka 'Hens and Chicks' are suitable for zones 3-9.
The emerald green agave bracteosa 'Calamar' works for zones 7-10 and is spineless and compact. Spineless meaning that you won't be injured by any sharp spiny agave points. It is underplanted with green sedum tetractinum that is hardy down to zone 5.
My original plan was to use the agave and sedum in a round, green-glazed pot so that the agave will have space to grow over the next year. It will mature at 2 feet—too large for the present home. However, since I underestimated the size of the terracotta container and didn't have enough sempervivum, the agave is temporarily in the same pot (for this story). Debra is careful to address fitting the size of the plants with the size of the pot.
I will do some rearranging of the plants after my next visit to the nursery so that the tabletop arrangement is all sempervivum—a design that I love in Debra's book. Sempervivum will multiply and the offspring can be separated from the mother plant.
Using Debra's very clear instructions for planting, I made a mix of potting soil and perlite from one of the "recipes" that she provided. After planting, there was soil and perlite on the plants, so I used a soft artist's brush to gently sweep away the debris. I carefully watered the soil.
According to Debra, the succulents should last about two weeks between waterings—enough time for me to slip away on vacation. I won't have to phone home to see if these plants are still alive!
Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks/copyrights/patents owned by those respective companies or persons.
Snow, Snow, Go Away!
Remember that childhood song you use to sing for the rain, "Rain, Rain, Go away, come again another day"? Well I'm sick and tired fo the snow, because it can literally make you sick and tired, or the entire family. Granted this time not everyone is sick but instead it made everything dangerous, cancelled plans, etc. Ugh! While it may be pretty, right now I'm not feeling the love for it.It began
A Few Container Gardening Tips
Quite often urban gardeners are forced to grow in containers due to lack of ground space. The ground space may simply be non-existent as in apartment buildings or unavailable to use as in row housing, rental houses and residential areas governed by Home Owners Associations (HOA). While each container is small in comparison to a raised bed or traditional row garden it is surprising how
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