tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29427329186087383912024-03-13T00:40:55.733-04:00Rusty SpadeDiverse Voices Sharing Their Gardening Experience, Insight, and Exuberance.kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-75738961403694103902008-04-06T16:30:00.010-04:002008-04-06T18:19:59.890-04:00A Lawn Without GrassI doubt if there is any one interested in the landscape who hasn’t considered removing their lawn to put an end to the time consuming tasks of mowing, watering, weeding, and feeding. Coupled with the effects of lawn maintenance frequently being raised in discussions regarding climatic change and the landscape, I can’t help but believe there must be better regional choices than planting grass kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-59829729782846792622008-02-21T19:36:00.001-05:002008-02-21T19:36:44.846-05:00HydrangeasA few Hydrangea Blossoms From My Garden 2007 kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-82321973228908380172008-02-21T10:03:00.003-05:002008-02-21T10:11:56.265-05:00Snow EnvyLiving on an island off the coast of New England that is wrapped in the warm blanket of the Atlantic Gulf Stream insures that I am one of a very few New Englanders that doesn’t own a snow shovel. Yes I realize those of you reading this in snow belt territory are assuming I am bragging but stop for a moment to consider what life might be like without that clean white pallet that much like a grass kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-34524835747496803812008-02-11T08:54:00.000-05:002008-02-11T09:03:23.052-05:00A Gardeners Patriotic DutyHow did we evolve into a country where patriotic duty has become synonymous with shopping? In recent years during times of crisis rather than being encouraged to volunteer, donate, or sacrifice, we Americans are asked to pull out our credit cards and head off to the mall. Our current president told the nation right after 911 that every citizen could contribute to the common good by purchasing kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-84194132978563998752008-02-07T18:04:00.000-05:002008-02-08T08:05:11.639-05:00The Gardeners Six Word MemoirWith the six word memoir craze found all over the blogoshpere I must admit I have been caught up in the challenge, the best of which can be found at "The Brent Park Project". Today I was presented with a few mind numbing minutes when I was void of conversation, books, and technology and created a six word gardening memoir…be warned not a simple task. I share mine with you with the hope you will kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-3486151657298829352008-01-31T13:56:00.000-05:002008-01-31T14:22:42.649-05:00Really Bugging Me Photo Curtesy of UMass ExtensionRecently I have come to realize that my biggest problems are generally self created by ignoring the warning signs when they were small problems. My Pieris japonica var. yakushimanum ‘Prelude’ has been hit hard by the Andromeda Lace Bug Stephanitis takeyai for two years in a row, my treatment plan has been limited to spraying horticultural oil just prior to June kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-74409676410870842102008-01-30T17:56:00.000-05:002008-01-30T18:11:35.155-05:00Save A Tree And A Trip To The Recycling CenterOn a morning talk show I watched a piece about a group of fourth graders taught by Ted Wells from the Park School in Brookline, Mass who had cancelled 4175 unwanted catalogs in one month. They were able to contact and cancel such a large number of catalogs with help of a great non profit Catalog Choice Lets face it most of us have limited time to devote to non-urgent chores but this was kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-7964726025450152172008-01-24T19:32:00.000-05:002008-01-24T19:56:07.544-05:00City MouseHello to you all. I am new to this blog and to all of you. I live in a first-ring suburb of Pittsburgh called Mt. Lebanon in a little townhouse with enough dirt to keep me busy with flowers and herbs each year.Lately, though, I've been gravitating more and more towards the "growing" movement of urban agriculture. I will be growing at least some of my own food this season at a community plot near joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01627041103727826736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-27696118354727122942008-01-23T18:37:00.000-05:002008-01-23T19:04:22.797-05:00Garden Photos of Lodges, Inns, and B&B'sI am what is best described as a novice gardener because of this I appreciate visiting gardens that I can easily adapt some elements of the design to my own smaller non formal suburban landscape. My eye just isn’t schooled enough to bring home insights from large European Castles and translate what I have seen into something appropriate on my little patch of earth. For this reason I have on kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-30176501053003072812008-01-23T16:15:00.000-05:002008-01-23T21:40:54.918-05:00Plant Wish List For 2008CapeCodGardener suggested we all share our plant wish lists for 2008 here on this post with our names on them and ask for comments. I will go first…I must warn you my list is long and constantly changing, as CCG has already commented on my list I will share her comments with you as well. If you need any tech advise on how to add your list to this post I would be happy to help just email me.Wish kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-73341959872985897382008-01-20T11:38:00.000-05:002008-01-20T11:43:17.504-05:00Winter WeedingJanuary gardening chores in my Massachusetts garden have always been limited to reading gardening books and catalogs in front of the fireplace. This year however the invasion of Cardamine hirsute commonly known as hairy bittercress has forced me out of my cozy chair and believe it or not into my garden. Cardamine hirsuta is a winter annual that is native to Europe and Asia, but has also found itskthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-52581199162395420362008-01-15T10:07:00.001-05:002008-01-15T10:07:54.619-05:00Helleboreskthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-51627768453454219442008-01-14T09:58:00.000-05:002008-01-14T10:10:56.299-05:00Monthly Live Book DiscussionsI thought we might try via cbox (instant messenger) live gardening book discussions once a month. For those of you interested you would need to sign up with them by clicking on cbox at the bottom of the messenger. It is free and as simple as giving them your email and screen name, if you have any difficulties with this please let me know and I will help.I would be happy to have the book selectionkthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-56266155261773772252008-01-14T09:09:00.000-05:002008-01-14T09:18:18.152-05:00Tis The SeasonWith the catalog season now in full swing most gardeners rely on their fine tuned shopping skills to attain that ever so sought after plant. Frankly gardeners shopping for plant material are in my opinion a far more dedicated bunch than the typical mall maven. I myself begin the shopping season by doing a variety of searches (American Nurseryman) for new plant introductions, I then spend a great kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-62997523430184586282008-01-12T13:58:00.000-05:002008-01-13T15:11:23.165-05:00Entry GardensLikely when early man visited a neighboring cave for the first time he would have instinctually stood outside this cave quickly processing the surrounding landscape for clues telling him how safe it would be to enter. I wonder what early man would think about front entry gardens in the North American suburban landscape. Have we done a good job designing entry gardens that tell visitors something kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-7210258400503114312008-01-08T19:41:00.000-05:002008-01-11T08:46:51.605-05:00Magnificent MossIn April of 2007 when I planted a moss garden I was so pleased with myself, unlike any garden I have ever installed the moss rewarded me instantly. I will even go as far as to say that I was pleasantly shocked by this elegant garden, somehow the vision in my minds eye didn’t match the end result. Now this imbalance between vision and end result is an often occurrence but more commonly it is a kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942732918608738391.post-24668068532983331772008-01-01T16:24:00.000-05:002008-01-08T14:57:23.498-05:00What Are Your Ten Commandments In The Garden?There are times you can tell how you are going to feel about a book half way through the introduction. This happened to me today when I picked up a Christmas gift “The Authentic Garden Five Principles For Cultivating A Sense Of Place” written by Claire E. Sawyers. Instantly I new this design book for all North American gardeners is likely to become a dog eared reference. By page seventeen I had kthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17957731542563470917noreply@blogger.com0