A Garden Journal Diary of Ilona's Garden

The Big Chill: It was a Late Spring

2013-05-16T14:58:00.001-04:00

Wall flowers from flower mix planted last year

As I write this I still have heat on, a fire in the woodstove, although we are promised a summer-like, near-eighty degree temperature today. I covered my basil and the container plantings the last couple days against the frost warnings. Even for Ohio, this fluctuation in temperature is a little untoward.

I went to a plant sale last weekend that turned out to be quite disappointing for me. I overpaid for two weak, tiny pepper plants and didn't get any of the heritage/heirloom tomatoes I was hoping for; however, my husband and I went ahead and visited the Whetstone Park of Roses to see what was happening there.

Not many of the roses were blooming. Of the old roses, only an early yellow rose had its blooms strewn across its branches like a strand of yellow cream pearls. But the stroll through the garden was informative and lovely in other ways.

Informative Truths

Gardens change. That seems to be the one truth about them over all the world, the one unchanging thing about a garden is that it will change. It is probably true about every other thing on earth, too, but it is most noticeable in gardens and in children, come to think of it. We see our mortality in them. But not just that, or it would be depressing instead of invigorating.

We are infused with hope and optimism when seeing children change and grow, as well as discover the bright and sunny side of life if we poke through a garden, even one grown seedy and weedy with neglect. In the Park of Roses, the garden is kept up and the changes are geared towards the public, improved for weddings and concerts, reworked and weeded for the many visitors that promenade through its walks.

This Season

In the Whetstone garden, a tree I remembered from the time I was a child, and later when my children explored its branches with curiosity, was cut to the ground. It was a very large contorted filbert sort of tree, not the size of the Harry Lauder hazels in my own garden. I now wish I had taken a photograph of that tree on one of my many visits to the park.

Some sad assortment of new things were planted around its memorial ground level trunk. I don't know the story on its demise. Perhaps caused by a variation of some of the same terrible trunk damage I saw on a very mature copper beech tree elsewhere in the Rose Garden. Still standing, but the tree's days are marked in its large branch splitting off and unsupported, and the bark damage around the base.

I don't blame the caretakers of the park, because all too often blind vandals desecrate trees and other things which they neither understand nor value. Or it could be rampant deer, or rabbits who took a winter meal under cover of snow. Or just the vagaries of nature. As observed... gardens change.

The Weather

Weeping Crabapple

I have been mildly irritated by how the weather has followed such uncharted ups and downs, but if a more reasoned state of mind is allowed its say, the crabapple tree bloom was spectacular. There were spring pictures of great beauty. The spring was different, but it wasn't marred, just late and a bit strange.

It had its share of beauty, so far. I am not complaining.

Impressions

The scent of apple blossom, Carlesii viburnum, wallflowers, and L. fragrantissima converged into a delightful breeze-blown and spirit lifting invitation to truly breathe. I took great, gulping, greedy breathes and stayed out in the yard just to let the experience of the mixing perfumery of God fill my soul. I love times like that. I didn't work on the weeds, I didn't grab a camera, I took no thought of the computer or blogging. I just lived it, and wrote it in my mind's notebook.

It makes me feel free to let go the need to document, or improve, or somehow prove I lived that moment. Though here I am, telling it to you. And I do have some pictures of the days around that time, so the balance of freedom lets something be created, something be left to share and to revisit when the ephemeral feelings fade and seem less real when more of life crowds in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit Ilona's Garden Journal on facebook: Click here
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Do You Grow Herbs? 10 Reasons To Love Them

2013-04-14T11:27:00.000-04:00

My Lavender Walk

There are so many ways to enjoy herb plants, that they are not for herb gardens only.

I do I enjoy thee? Oh, Herb, Let me count the ways!

In companion plantings, herbs often repel harmful organisms through their volatile oils.
Delicious when culinary herb choices are grown in the garden.
Herbs make delightful bouquets, either alone or mixed into your favorite flowers. Tussie Mussie, anyone?
They are usually easy to grow.
Their soft coloring, whether in foliage or flower, make garden color harmony.
Herbs smell heavenly.
You can make crafts out of them.
You can grow them on your windowsill.
Herbs may improve your health.
People have grown herbs for ages. They are historically important plants.

What are some ways to grow herbs in the garden?

Of course, the garden dedicated to them, the herb garden, sometimes laid out in rows, or in a Colonial manner of blocks -either in raised bed or simply planted along a path or fence. Since some of them run at the root, people do like to keep them contained, either in the raised bed or container pots. The only one that gives everyone a bit of trouble with running through the garden is the Mints, but who doesn't love a spot of mint tea? And added to meats or chopped into salads, mint makes everything so refreshing.

As part of a kitchen garden, herbs are traditional companions to tomatoes, whether you want parsley or basil, and that is the natural place for your kitchen herbs. I have dill that comes up every year in my vegetable garden. I just pull it up where it isn't wanted; not deeply rooted and easy to remove, the seedling s are also distinctive and easy to weed out.

Tucked into nooks and crannies inside a Cottage garden is the perfect way to include them in a garden "plan" for a very sweet smelling and lovely medley of plantings. Thyme running along cracks in the pathway, a purple blooming stand of sage as a full stop, there are so many beautiful ways to incorporate herbs in such a place.

If you want lots of herbs for crafts they are easily grown out in rows in a cutting garden. I loved marjoram wreaths for my kitchen. Try making potpourris and include Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua), which can also be used for informal wreaths or a wreath base for other flowers.

Are you tempted to find a place for an herb or two ( or more!)in your life? It is one romance to share with friends and one that might grow into a life-long relationship. Herbs are like that- a perennial favorite to enjoy in many ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Do You Think Of Your Garden Journal As A Tool?

2013-04-10T11:48:00.003-04:00

Source: heartofwisdom.com via Robin on Pinterest

If someone mentions the basic garden tools that every gardener should have, they tell you about hoes, trowels, shovels, and weeding tools, but how many list a garden journal? It is relegated to garden paraphernalia; peripherals for most gardeners, an after-thought jotted on forgotten notebooks.

That is how I thought of a garden journal for years. That is, until my ironclad memory for trivia and detail began to fail me. Names of favorite bulbs I'd planted or even where I planted them, a particular cultivar of perennial that I was sure I would remember, all became harder to bring to the surface of consciousness. I'm sure those names and places where I had planted them were stuck in there somewhere, but it was an increasingly challenging to capture those faded names that just seemed on the tip of my tongue only yesterday. The reality was that no one can invariably recall every garden plant name and detail. Not without special supernatural gifts, anyway.

Then I cam across the idea of creating a garden journal that records landscaping details that stays attached to the house. Something that can be passed on to the next owner should the house and garden get sold. That is a valuable resource to attach to a house... if not in money, in time and maintenance currency.

So I wrote a page on that, and since this is the time to rev up the gardening engines (yes, my husband recently got the tiller and mowers in seasonal working order) I thought about this much ignored garden tool.

I have a few resources that will make it easier to track you info and create your hardcopy version of a garden journal for record keeping of all the important stuff you think you will remember, but should stop fooling yourself about.

Ilona's Garden Journal has these posts:

Three Pages With Resource Materials

Those pages were all written by me, and I hope you find them helpful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Spring Flip Flops

2013-04-09T14:54:00.000-04:00

I'm not talking about the shoes, but about the weather and also my ability to get things done. I have been writing, and one of the things I wrote was a Squidoo lens on Making Fairy Houses. And ever since I keep thinking about putting together at least one, and possibly more Fairy Houses, which inpired me to do some collecting while out on a much needed walk in the park.

If you live in Ohio you know that it has been a cool spring, but on my walk and today it has been actually hot. Hot as in near 70 degrees when I was at the park, and today.... when I should be outside, but have a million computer tasks and indoor cleanup to do... it is nearing 80 degrees. Now, that is hot in anyone's book. Although "some like it hot", hehe.

Anyway, I had to rest after walking an hour up an down small hills ( I've been a virtual slug all winter... and not up to par), and I sat under a Hickory tree. That meant I could collect some empty Hickory nut hulls; one with moss on it. That kind of thing delights people who do arts and crafts, and is perfect for a potential fairy house thinga-ma-gig.

We tilled up the vegetable patch partially until the tiller went kaput. My son actually said he was interested in helping me plant, so I am excited about the prospect of that! Maybe one of my children will catch the garden passion, yet. Even if it is the last one... you know what they say about last but not least!

Well I have strewn this post with enough cliches to load a larder this time around. No- I have no idea what sort of metaphor I'm after... but I have been busy with all sorts of gardening and non-gardening tasks. That is the way of spring, isn't it? We seem in a waiting pattern all through the late winter and everyone complains about how they wish it were spring, and then it bursts in upon us. Chores and plans to implement all those dreamt about activities sprout everywhere.

The daffodils and the scillas are blooming everywhere here. The hot weather and high winds will make short work of them if we don't have some cooling precipitation soon.

Here is me hoping for rain!

Well, because I am off to other things, no pictures or photos right at the moment. You know that is not my strong suit, but I will try to get something up soon so as not to wait as long as I usually do before posting another communication with the few of you still reading my blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Great Garden Blog Reading

2013-03-15T11:22:00.000-04:00

Photo credit: SarahBelham from morguefile.com

Here are some great garden blogs and websites for you to visit and enjoy. Some you may know already, and some may be new to you.

A Sense of Place
Green Forks
Balcony Gardener
The Sage Butterfly
Eli's Place
Grow It Eat It Blog

Do you like cottage gardens? I love them, and Pam's English Cottage Garden located in the Poconos is just the blog that will delight us with her animals, and cottage flowers.

A side note: So many garden blogs are begun in earnest and then left. It is like a metaphor of many a garden plot. Not everyone is suited for the intense commitment of an occupation or obsession. for many the act of writing, or gardening for that matter, is more of a hobby and a brief pastime. There is nothing wrong with that... but what I find is that there are many who show such promise and talent that I wish they had the time and desire to pursue it further.

Everyone needs a break... but if you take one, consider picking up the trowel, or pen and camera occasionally just to keep your hand in it. The world is much richer for that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Winter Gets Weaker

2013-03-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

Winter can't possibly hang on, it knows that... and each passing week it gets weaker ( teeny tiny pun there). Yet, until sometime in May we can get frosts. Recently we got walloped with a snowstorm here in Ohio and some of it is still on the ground today. I have taken lots of photos of winter in the past, but it was fun to tromp around the yard yesterday morning and I took some more snowy photos. This time, using a few different perspectives, just for fun.

I had ordered some Mignonette seeds after reading where to buy them- Select Seeds. I received them last week and it was nice that they were sent so promptly. Even nicer that I received a bonus pack of four o'clocks. Now I am officially excited about spring, and no amount of sudden snowstorms can dampen that for me.

I guess that is something that gardening has given me. A sense of the timeliness of seasons, so that I no longer want to rush the season.

I remember long ago when I had my first child, a little girl. I often "rushed the season" with her. When will she roll over? When will she teethe? When will she walk? When will she talk? I had no sense of the way the moments of now go by so quickly, then.

Now is so soon over that we must not waste it in rushing towards the future. This has nothing to do with not planning or looking forward to things, but in enjoying the "what is" of life. I am enjoying the March month of my garden, and it contains the railings of winter as it exits my part of the earth. I am used to it and understand it now. I know spring is coming, and I know I will see loads of blooms in my garden, for I have stocked it with a plethora of spring blooming plants. It will come in its own time.

I also know that with spring comes a horde of tasks, which I can still, in March, look at from a distance. I can sit with my computer and my coffee without any of the feeling that the day is too short, and the list too long for all that I need to do. And I like that.

Just as I will like the heady plunge of spring into the growing season that holds the fruition of my plans, which are only seeds of promise right now.

To each season its beauty and blessing.

I hope you are enjoying yours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

What's So Great About Annuals?

2013-02-26T12:16:00.003-05:00

Grow some calendulas

My first gardens were all about two things: vegetables and annuals. For one thing, I rented, and as a renter a person is not very motivated to sink time, money, and effort into planting perennials and shrubs.

So probably the first thing I did when I rented a house was to plant bulbs. Not annuals in the strict sense, but carefree color when I most needed it. Tulips and crocus bulbs were the main choices, and then every spring I would get some flower seeds and plant the bulb areas with brightly flowering annuals. Zinnias, candytuft, alyssum, marigolds - even cosmos. It was sort of a wildflower look- wild, anyway!

Then I would carve out a veggie patch and put in tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and whatever else I felt would be yummy; parsley was favored for under the tomatoes.

The year I tried Salpiglossis. So lovely

Then I moved into my own first home.... and I discovered perennials. Perennials were my long love affair with plants and gardening, but I never forgot annuals. I only put them back in the scullery, so to speak, as perennials grew and multiplied (with a little help from their friend, me!).

Through the years certain annuals remained, doggedly perhaps, sprouting up in the sometimes disturbed earth of certain parts of my borders. The Nigella, Love-In-A-Mist, hordes of Shirley poppies filled June, the specie form of Calendulas, long reverted to their old origins, but no less cheerful and sweet for all that.

Certain annuals have loved it here- I have dill weed in bunches every year. It is a good thing, because I have nowhere near the garden opportunity that I did years ago: grandchildren must be visited, vacations to make up for years of not having any, the necessity of portioning out more of my energy to just keep up this place and try to declutter (my main goal for this time of my life!).

It will soon be time to plant morning glories

But I find I am also returning to my first love for annuals. Why would I do that?

Annuals are easy
They provide long lasting color and a source of cut flowers
Annuals are worry free, not having near the problems with diseases, etc.
They fill in spots where things look bare, and do it quickly
I can seed or plant pots of nursery grown seedlings
Many are fragrant
They can be old fashioned favorites or new to me and exciting to try out- without too much expense
They fill the containers that I now use for most of my summer long color. So what if the border got weedy, or certain perennials died out in a drought or whatever? I have my pots of bright and cheery annuals to keep me happy until I can remedy those problems

Past Container Pottings

So, you see? In my older years I am reverting to things I once found joy in, and annual flowers are a part of that rediscovery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

10 Cool Season Annual Flowers To Plant

2013-02-18T12:49:00.000-05:00

Shirley poppies and Bachelor Buttons

Not every garden writer alerts you to the fact that annuals can have seasons that are shorter than other choices. For places like Ohio which have hot summers, there are common annuals that only do well when our weather is cooler, such as in early summer. Those flowers sort of burn out in our hot summer temperatures of midseason, in July and August.

Does this mean we shouldn't plant them? Not at all. I love the cool season annuals because of their beauty, but also because they pop up early. Such plants can be ideal in a child's garden, where quick results are wanted. To fill in where perennials are slow to cover space might be another good use for them.

Here is the list of ten cool season annuals to try in your garden this year:

Candytuft, Iberis umbellata, quick and easy- but oh so pretty. Large flat shaped seeds burst into purple, mauve, pink, and white Candytuft blossoms.
Shirley poppies, Papaver rhoeas, are delicate, full blown poppies and come in a rainbow of colors. They sway in the breezes and will make your garden veritably shine with a mass of blooms.
Love In A Mist, Nigella damascena, creates the sky blue gardeners love when they are selected for that color, such as in the 'Miss Jekyll Blue' variety.
Sweet Peas, Lathyrus odoratus, are fragrant and come in not just a candy store display of colors, but special bloom forms, too. The old fashioned selections are the most fragrant, and try to plant the seeds around St. Patrick's Day.
Pot marigolds, Calendula officinalis, are not just gorgeous in spring, but one of the last to be still standing and blooming in the fall. They can put chrysanthemums to shame in both color and long-lasting bloom. You can eat them if you wish, too.
Toadflax, Linaria marrocana, is one of my favorite little flowers and great for a Fairy Garden. They come in both mixed colors and selected varieties. Like small versions of snapdragons.
Nemesia, is a small scale flowering annual that comes in all sorts of colors and looks pretty with linaria and is one of my favorites for a container planting. Like many of the cool season plants it needs to be kept moist.
Chinese Forget-Me-Nots, Cynoglossum amabile, are easy to grow and bring cheerful forget-me-not type flowers and that sought after blue into the garden. It was very persistent for me for years, coming back reliably from seed. Also called "Hound's tongue".
Annual Baby's Breath, Gypsophilia elegans, will give the pure white, delicate flowers that grace a cut flower arrangements and lace the borders with pretty sprays of baby's breath flowers. They are much shorter than the perennial plants of that name. 'Covent Garden' is the variety I always planted.
Satin Flower, Godetia, doesn't seem to be very well known nowadays. Its showy pink flowers deserve to be more widely known. Just barely cover the seeds that are directly sown into the garden. Another good cut flower choice.

I just wrote a new plant profile page on Calendulas

The main drawback for those of us who garden in the continental Midwestern states is that fact that these lovely blooms "burnout", and do not thrive in our hot summers. But if a garden is located in the South, the cool season annuals can be great choices for sowing in November for early blooms the following year.

Wherever you garden, consider direct sowing some of these lovelies in your garden.

More about gardening with annuals Ilona's Garden Annuals Page | California Annuals list

photo credits: poppy and bachelor buttons, calendulas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Am I In The Wrong Place?

2013-02-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

Southern Ohio Hocking Hills, Autumn

My husband and I are talking about the future. We are at the age where we must think about the priorities of the end chapters of our life together... where to live, how to preserve our health, what sort of plan to do what is important to us.

And then, as I was looking at gardens that people make in all sorts of place -in mountain sides, in woods, in prairies, by oceans, in cities- all the many places, I started to think about my own preferences and experiences.

The story of my life seems to be summed up in the uncomfortable idea that I do not fit. And I have tried all sorts of ways to deal with that, and adjust to it. Almost all, except to move into something different.

My garden is quite an example of that. It is a prairie garden, sort of plunked onto a windswept plain. It is not the sort of garden I would have chosen if wishful thinking had been in charge, to tell the unvarnished truth.

I would have chosen woodland, with nooks and crannies, all the delicate little wildflowers, and stone walls and pathways.

But one thing I would have missed, had I not gardened here in the flat open spaces, would have been the feeling that broad vistas can give you In freedom and elbow room, the daily serving of sunsets and sunrises with almost unbroken horizons, and the long view of approaching weather systems. The unbroken beauty of blue skies with a myriad form of clouds, or the sight of rain falling at a far distant location. These are not things that woodlands or city venues can offer.

Did I belong here, or did I belong in that grottoed woodland that I am so drawn to in pictures?

Do we have a sense of place, or are we capable of finding a fit anywhere we please? Is this a general human or individual trait, this "fitting in", and what hinders it?

I don't know any of the answers, not even after all this time of living -now at the 60 year mark, and of gardening in one place for more than twenty years. Enough time to see the garden go through its inception and beginnings to its zenith of glory and now to its decline and maturation, needing to find its new form and purpose.

Should I move on to a new place, or should I see my old place with new eyes? I cannot decide. Perhaps because the clarity of the question is not yet formed in my mind. It has that vague and uneasy feeling about whether one is in the right place or not, whether one fits, and whether there is a place to "fit" at all.

My place in summer

No matter what the choice, as in all choices there is something to give up and something to gain. I think in someways it is all just a matter of relinquishing yet more of my ideas of how much control one has in life, without becoming too fatalistic about it.

In the meantime there is merit in the idea which stood me good stead in the past:

Bloom where you are planted

And the newer idea that is finding root in me at this stage of my life:

Enjoy the moment

I believe that clarity will come as I pursue those two leading thoughts. And now I have a new garden season to busy myself with, and the old garden is going to be coming alive with new shoots and tasks soon. What insights will it hold, what challenges will it give me, and how will I answer? A secret garden to explore.

This place blanketed in winter snow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Post Script

2013-02-17T10:06:00.003-05:00

Photo credit: earl53 from morguefile.com

If you read a post here and especially like it or benefit from it, please leave a comment letting me know that you would like more of that type of topic.

For instance, tell me if the list of good garden websites is something you would like to see regularly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

15 Lesser Known, But No Less Great Garden Websites

2013-02-16T11:21:00.002-05:00

In the explosion of garden websites and blogs, it seems we usually visit and talk about the same old usual suspects. Some of which I don't find all that great, for my purposes, anyway; but lately as I have been writing and looking for more information I have found some garden information gems.

It inspired me to go on a discovery quest, and the following sites are what I've come up with. Of course, I'd love it if you added my site, Ilona's Garden, but that is not included in my list.

I thought I would share these lesser known garden websites with you, and make something of a list of fifteen favorite finds.

Lost Gardens of Heligan A British site, while the site itself is fascinating and holds hidden treasure such as bird info and inspiring pictures of the gardens (lots of them), it is the blog that interests me as a gardener. Located right here on Blogspot.
Studio G is fairly popular, so maybe you already know it. New to me, it is full of style and with plenty of variety. Written by the co-founder of Leaf Magazine.
In The Garden And More is by Catherine Dougherty who I've followed for quite awhile. Her site is chock full of her love of animals and wonder of nature as well as her beautiful garden.
Jekka's Herb Farm is for an herb enthusiast. Every herbal garden lover is going to appreciate the "Herboretum".
Clematis On The Web is extensive information on my favorite flowering vine, the Clematis.
Chickens In The Road... Again, it is popular and you probably already know it, but it didn't come up on my radar before, and I want you to enjoy it. Mostly it is an all-round farm website, along the lines of Pioneer Woman, but a little less slick and a little more down home.
Backyard Farming is part farm, part garden blog. It is a well illustrated and cleanly laid out site that gives you nice tips and good photos to view.
Ink and Penstemon is a tumblr blog and full of interesting tidbits, posts, and inspirations.
Kitchen Gardener is a website that I like because it is all about Kitchen Gardens, which interest me to no end. A bit slick, but still, a useful site to have on your list.
Opposite side of the spectrum from the last site listed is the Miserable Gardener which has great posts despite the title implying a disclaimer. You have to like short, weird little videos.
Growing With Plants is part blog, part garden site, part design site. All of which make it right up my alley.
Prairie Break is a blogspot blog with plenty of interest, especially with the many photos and good planting ideas for those who struggle with dry conditions.
Little Green Fingers is really a good blog to find if you are gardening with children, or planning to in the near future. Enjoyable.
Toronto Gardens is a blog by the Battersby sisters. It is full of pictures and a fun tour through lots of garden topics. I enjoy them on twitter, too.
Eat, Drink, Garden with Valerie Rice may not be an actual garden website, so perhaps it doesn't belong on the list, but the promised year long inclusion of a Calender that lists "What To Pick Now" seems like something of great interest to gardeners. Plus, the style news and original watercolors are fabulous.

Gorgeous watercolors shared by Jesse C. Chapman on Flickr. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

The Garden Year Perspective

2013-02-13T22:07:00.002-05:00

The whole point of making plans is to gain perspective, isn't it? To figure out what we are going to do, in what order we will do it, and what we hope to accomplish with all that effort.

Garden planning is no different.

Since I've gotten older and many of my priorities have shifted, the way I plant my garden has also changed. I used to carefully plot out the garden pictures in borders and order my plants and seeds in January, then start seeds in late February, and begin a mad gluttony of planting, plant buying, and long workdays in spring. The gardens would be beautiful. Now, I have many trips outside the state to visit family, and to take the vacations that make up for the complete lack during my childraising years. Those were lean years, and a direct cause of why I spent so much time in the garden: gardening was inexpensive (I slow gardened and divided and seeded my way to gaining garden plants), home-centered, relatively permanent accomplishment (compared to the time my floors remained clean). I had strength and energy resources that I do not have now.

Now I have restrained my borders to much smaller spaces around the house and use containers for desired color.

I am not starting seeds this year, once again.

I refuse to feel guilty about letting my local businesses let their greenhouses do the work.

I also tend to stick to the plan that I cannot buy more plants until I have completely planted those I purchased. It restricts my gardening, but then it reduces my guilt over wastefulness.

I have decided that I'm going to give the vegetable garden a go again, with improvements. This year I think I will lime the beds. I don't usually, but I think it will improve the veggies.

I also want to cover crop some parts with nemotode repelling marigolds. It will be pretty and might make the ground good for brassicas again.

After traveling so much last year, the plan is to be home more this year, which will be good for my garden. A garden needs tending, consistently and diligently. But such chores offer an opportunity to think, to find the restorative comforts of natures, and to get in touch with the soil, plants, and listen to bird song. I find that this is more of what I want in my life this year.

My plans have become more vague and less of something that you put to paper. They are made of dreams and of past memories that urge me to participate in the garden work not so much for the outcome, but more for the moment.

And that is my plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Reconnecting With The Earth

2013-02-11T15:38:00.000-05:00

Farmer's Strong Hands Ed Clark

Reconnecting with the earth is something a gardener does every year. There is a necessary time of dormancy in wintertime which is exacerbated for Northern gardeners like myself.

That time of absence from the work of the garden, even from the presence of nature itself is something of a disconnection with time and season. As if I am suspended in the world of my own making, with artificial light and heat, and so covered with layers of clothing that I am even somewhat disconnected with my own body. Making my plans, centering on my own goals.

Somehow apart.

Some years I create connections in some of the ways we who garden try to circumvent winter: caring for houseplants, forcing bulbs, starting our seedlings; but never making that true, deep reconnection. Not until we thrust our hands into the mellowed soil of our gardens do we seem to make the link between ourselves and the earth once again. Rich earth warmed in springtime sunshine, readied by our own labors for a new growing season. It is then that we have made the transferal from one season to another.

It reminds me of other reconnections, those of our important relationships, in which we make contact in the march of time. For all our reconstructions of meeting with electronic means, nothing is as good a ground as personal rendezvous, whether a simple date for coffee or a planned reunion to strengthen family ties. Sometimes we need to touch.

Spring opens the ground for us to participate once again in the partnership of regrowth. We accept the invitation to lend our hands to nature and imprint our own love of her on mellow earth. We look for future reward of harvest, or visions of beauty, but it is the reconnection that begins to nourish our souls in ways that nothing else seems to be able.

Our strained concepts of art and music cannot even compete with the power of the natural world to speak to us, absorb our sorrows, or magnify our joys. Maybe because the reconnection with the soil is simpler, more primal, and more easily understood. I wonder if our ideas of music and art have not been diminished by the alienation of our society from the rudimentary labors of such things as growing a tomato or a flower.

I would submit the idea that reconnecting with the earth gives our minds and senses a sharpened ability to appreciate other more abstract things.

Perhaps that is reaching too far, embellishing what itself is a satisfying meal for the soul. It is February, as we still have weeks of winter yet to pass, but there is something of spring in the air, and I am anticipating the day when the warmth of the sun soaks into my garden. The fragrance of an awakening season will invite me to sink my hands into the dirt, turning up its contents in readiness for the seeds I will expectantly pat into its furrows.

And I will again reconnect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Is Your Garden Blog Worthy?

2013-01-24T00:07:00.000-05:00

I bet it is! Even in the middle of winter, in the deep freeze of January, there are interesting things that keep a gardener busy.

Of course for someone like me who just pretty much wants to hibernate, there is always something like Zazzle to keep you occupied.

I made this design with just words. I think I should buy one for spring, what do you think?

Blog My Garden T-shirt by ilonagarden
Make your t shirt custom from zazzle.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Making Your First Garden Plan

2013-01-23T09:49:00.001-05:00

I've been holed up at home because I don't like to go out in the cold when I don't have to, and I made my first infographic. One of the benefits of spending a little time on Twitter was the link to this site where I could try out a program that promises a good looking infographic even for beginners.

It was a lot of fun to do, and maybe someone will be inspired to try making their garden plan for 2013.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

When Thoughts Turn To...Plants

2013-01-17T11:39:00.001-05:00

It is January, and in Ohio we experienced our usual January thaw... so everything is quite soggy at this point. Most of the gardeners here realize that we have several more months until we can garden and at least one more month to expect winter weather, but right now our thoughts turn to plants -the way a young man's thoughts in spring turn to love. Oh, right, maybe that is all the time.

Lots of people are buying their seeds now. I'm an old gardener and I have to think about it more before I start buying seed packets off the racks or ordering a slew from the catalogs. My life continues to change, and my gardening is part of that change.

To start seeds or not to start seeds? That is the question for me.

Should I Start Seeds?

The answer to that is beyond whether I want to... starting your own plants from seed is fun, and can be economical money-wise. The question arises when I think in terms of time and attention, both while growing them, but more importantly when planting time comes.
Some of the points in my thinking process:

Might I be willing to prepare the ground and do the work of planting lots of little plants?
Or will I want larger sized plants ready to pop into the soil?
Am I planning to go out of town during growing or planting time?
How physically capable am I of preparing the garden (the digging, the hoeing, the raking,...etc) for baby plants?
Do I want more perennials, or do I want annuals? Do I want vegetables or shrubs or roses?

If, as in former years, many of my answers indicate that I have less time and energy for the kind of plants I would start from seeds, then I will choose to wait and buy my plants from the nursery.

My Trends

In past years I have relied on making containers filled with plants for my garden color.

The garden has increasingly turned into a more natural, less maintenance intensive, space.

As the garden matures, it has needed more pruning and less planting. Dividing and culling has been more important then making new beds.

The thing that bucks the trend for me is my vegetable gardening. I have a space to clear and till, the need for more seeds, and the desire for more of my own produce each year.

I join many others in that last trend. Everyone benefits from growing a few of their own foodstuffs even if it is just some herbs on the windowsill. One necessity in my diet that the grocery stores just cant get right (even Whole Foods Market!) is a homegrown tomato. That is always on my list of plants to grow every season.

Decisions, Decisions

I haven't made my mind up about whether to start my own seeds, but there is still time. It is actually better to wait for a month for most plants, so that the seedlings aren't too spindly at the planting time for Ohio, which is early May.

However it is time to watch videos and read up on gardening. One good thing about Ohio January weather is the occupation of being an armchair gardener.

I liked this video filled with garden/plant facts and ideas. It is smooth and more than a little commercial, but maybe because it is well done -enjoy it :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Some Lessons Are Sad Ones

2012-12-23T10:27:00.001-05:00

It is the zenith of Christmas season, and at times I feel like I have been see-sawing an emotional pendulum of sadness and joy. Christmas is a time I most try to keep an equilibrium, because I want for my family to experience good feelings and memories from this time. I also think there is more than a little of the childhood "Better be good, Better not cry, I'm tellin' you why, 'Santa Claus is coming to town'"

Yes, there is probably a lot of that old habitual thinking. Which isn't a bad thing, really. We ought to try to think of other's happiness far more than we do, and we always ought to at least try to behave well most of the time.

Yet, that will not stop the disappointments and tragedies from happening, and we must deal with that at some point, in some way.

I think that the reason I seesaw back to joy, in spite of losses or genuine sorrows, is the difference I have come to understand about joy and merriment. If I dig deeply into the place where joy is found, the possibility of being merry in the moment is possible. Manufactured merriment, which is sort of a mad giddiness, is not something desirable. And it is that which grates so horribly at Christmas season. That false face of material gluttony plus self-willed entitlement that is promoted as the joy of Christmas; when really nothing could be further from the quiet joy that comes from peace with God, oneself, and one's fellow man.

Joy can bring merriment, but rarely do efforts at merriment make a dent in true sorrow.

For a very long time I made a line between Thanksgiving and Christmas, as though they were two very different holidays, but the older I grow the more I see that thankfulness of spirit prepares the heart for joy. It certainly paves the way for peace.

As a person who gardens throughout my year, I do believe that many of the best lessons on life, loss, joy, cycles, overcoming, and many others are gained in the garden. Nature is a constant source of allegory. It speaks to me when my ears are stopped to every other voice, it seems.

Its beauty can provide joy, when all else seems to have crushed my soul.

Truly, God walks in my garden, and He finds ways to impart messages that build me with His wisdom, that reassure me that there is beauty from ashes.

So, yes, some lessons are very sad, they weigh me down with their harsh realities. But if I allow it, there are places where I find that those same lessons hold promise, goodness, hope. I find mercies, joy, and sometimes even a merry heart.

Enjoy the good things of this Christmas season, share it with those you love, look forward to a spring of a new year, allow winter its time and place, but don't forget to light your candles. I guess that is my Christmas advice and observation.

Today I have a Christmas perspective: God's love shines into our darkness. It is often unexpected in its power to light up what we believed had gone dark forever. Yet, we keep expecting ... somehow. I am thankful for the lessons, the light, the strength that it gives me. I am thankful that there are people to love, opportunities to work and serve, and chances, new chances, for life to survive and thrive.

I hope everyone has as merry a Christmas as I do expect to experience. Christmas in the soul.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And yes, my Christmas roses bloomed beautifully again this year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Christmas Seems Far Away

2012-12-06T21:17:00.001-05:00

It has been a very mild December, so I have been working outside a bit. Catching up on those things that I put off during October. I was ready to take my knocks, and resign myself to whatever the winter would bring, but thankfully this window of nice temperatures and decent gardening weather has given me a chance to do some yard cleanup, clean the back porch, put up some Christmas lights (a humble display for sure, but festive) and clear away some garden debris.

I also did some organizing of my tools area.

I feel like buying some extra Christmas yard decorations, now. I think I will look for those lighted trees that go on the porch or something. This will be completely out of character for me, as I usually wait until after Christmas to buy any decorations or holiday supplies.

During Thanksgiving we went with the grandchildren to the Columbus Zoo "Wildlights". It was very crowded. I think it is wiser to go a little before dark, see the zoo, and then leave a short time after the lights come on....just as the crowds are getting there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Dog Troubles

2012-11-13T13:32:00.000-05:00

Everyone who doesn't blog for awhile has apologies and excuses. I did really intend to post more, and get some of those photos of America from our trip into a blogpost or two, but life keeps intervening. Or something like that.

Anyway, the "Dog Troubles" story is too long for Facebook status so I decided to write a post here.

It does have a little to do with gardening, since we put up a long stretch of fencing to try to corral our dog and now are thinking about stringing electric fence too- although I didn't like the idea of that.
updated to add details: what collars? He slips regular collars that seem tight enough, the harness collar lay empty; the kennel enclosure of the largest size and covered with tarp is climbed out of; garage windows bent outwards; outbuilding wooden doors chewed to bits.
Here is my story... of my dog and why I don't seem to be writing anything except the most impersonal of posts elsewhere. I am kind of upset.

Some of you know about my Christmas dog- the stray Great Pyrenees that showed up around this time last year. Here is the picture and post. He settled down some, although he escapes every known collar and enclosure known to man. He had taken to mostly sitting on the porch and in the front yard... which was perfectly acceptable, though he did like to take off at times during the day. This breed is notorious for being stubborn and loving to roam a radius of one to two miles according to general info. Anyway, our adopted dog seemed much happier, and would come to us, although not on command, and all seemed well. I grew very attached to him, because this is the type of dog I like, very calm and dignified, normally. Except during thunderstorms.

Well, some of the trouble started not long after we returned from vacation, although he was fine with my daughter caring for him every day during that time. He seemed to get sick, so we took him to the Vet and nothing seemed wrong except his weight was down. He won't eat when anything bothers him... So we spent extra attention on him, fed him his favorite food, and he seemed to perk up and get back to normal after about a week and a half.

Then the strange stuff happened.

As some might know, (if you are reading my facebook status) our dog went missing. I had just about given up after both my husband and I had looked and made inquiries. Then we got a call from the humane society. They had him, and gave him shots (although he just had them the week before disappearing, though they didn't know that), and told us the story that some white van had shoved him out in an area in the next county.

That was strange, but we were glad to get our dog back, Now he was in the same state as when we first found him: scared, cowed, depressed. We took him for a walk, cajoled him into eating, closed him up for the night. He escaped through the garage window after trashing the garage. I don't know how.

We went to the same place (another farmplace with a Great Pyrenees) and picked him up from them. Same story: white van had dropped him off in the area, which is a good ten miles from us. Now doesn't that seem strange? Yeah.

He goes missing a third time. This time we know where to look and sure enough, with the same white van story.

Who is this mysterious white van? Why would they do this? Throw a dog out in the next county?! The dog is scared out of his wits, chews or digs his way out of every possible enclosure, and we haven't had time to get electric fence. My husband has now blown his gaskets and I can't reasonably say let's give the dog another chance, although he has been happy on our front porch for the past day (I give him his doggie treats, there). By rights, it isn't even the dog's fault if someone is hauling him off and dumping him.

Anyway,I feel a bit wrung out and sad. Running all over the county, My husband talking talking with the nice, dog-loving sheriff, talking with the lady whose house seems to be the magnet for this dog, and not having a CLUE why someone would be doing this.

What would you do? The dog needed special care to calm down and it took months, now it seems we are back to square one and the focus of someone's idea of a cruel joke or their solution to something I don't even have any idea about.

My life is becoming some weird soap drama, and that is just with the dog.... we aren't even going to mention people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

The Holidays Are Coming

2012-11-12T17:00:00.001-05:00

Before long, Thanksgiving, and too soon after that- Christmas! I've been looking for celebration ideas lately and came across the cutest Christmas tree idea just right for gardening enthusiasts, so I pinned it to my Pinterest board. Martha Stewart is offering Seed Packet ornaments to print out! All you need is paper and a printer, use a paper punch and stain ribbon to string them up.

Source: marthastewart.com via Ilona on Pinterest

I'm going to be back and post more of my photos, but I hope you don't mind that I've been busy with all sorts of unusual happenings, some happy, some sad; I just couldn't wait to share this lovely decorating idea with you in the meantime. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Life Interferes With Gardening

2012-10-15T12:38:00.001-04:00

Foggy Autumn Morning In The Country Stretched Canvas Print by ilonagarden

A Small Contemplation

Life interferes with not just the gardening, but blogging, and hobbies and whole lots of other things .

Even though those things are part of life.

So, what is really meant when stating that these things interfere with life? Life is a very complex thing... it has its basic existence requirements: we have to eat, sleep, and other things that wax and wane during the course of our days, but more to the point - what we called "Life" becomes an accumulation of our decisions.

We choose and are in the process of choosing what is important and mix that with what is necessary, we add layers of our ideas of duty and obligation, then weave in our desires and pleasures.

Pretty soon we have a very substantial and tangible thing we call "Life".

Inside this matter of the mix being reality for all of us are the different sorts of people who live their lives along with us, and we all know that some are much more selfish or selfless than others.

Those who delay or displace their own dreams, through choice or training in selflessness, sometimes find their time and energies simply eaten up by the more selfish beings. We see this all the time in human practice and history and often in nature.

We are told how ephemeral life is: "our lives are but a vapor, as the grass of the field". Fast fading, soon withered in the vast expanse of time and season. "The grass withers and the flower fades".

Perhaps the onset of age makes the sharpness of the need for choice, and protection of the priorities one has, to be more obvious. My garden thrived when it was the one endeavor that my pre-eminent choices of homeschooling and being a SAHM coexisted harmoniously together with its needs in my life. Now, my life choices take me far from my garden, or compete with time in it. Now, life interferes with gardening because I choose to spend time with children and grandchildren during important garden seasons. My energies are spent inside the house more than outside of it.

Seasons teach us the importance of priorities, of given tasks appropriate for the change of the season and its own characteristics.

At each juncture of life we find a different set of things we must curtail and say "no" to, things to which we must answer "I can't", as well as new things to which we answer "I will".

Time shuffles us, it may change our dreams, it certainly requires our attention.

The season has shifted and I can no longer make excuses, but look at how I choose to live life as an accumulation of what is most important.

I will always love my garden, and I no longer mourn the passing of what it once was. It once was more glorious to others eyes, and I am thinking that now its glories must entail what it may give in glorious moments simply to my own eye.

My Autumn's, Late Autumn's, Garden.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal by Ilona E. An excellent blog.

Sentiments of the Season, October

2012-10-10T13:25:00.001-04:00

I don't know if I end up thinking how gorgeous the days are more in spring, summer or autumn, but I know I've been thinking this thought a lot during the past few weeks of this autumn. I happened upon an older post about the Kigo of Japanese Haiku which celebrated late summer and started to think about what the emblems of autumn might be as I enjoy the look, smell and feel of these October days.

The Apple

Admittedly our modern life interferes with the clarity of a seasons character. I think of the apple for our Midwestern fall instead of the Japanese fruits of persimmon or kumquats. In Japanese Kigo both apples and pears are featured, and so it would be in thoughts of our autumns. I think I have waxed exuberant over the apple at times in this blog, an apple in season is full of juice and is a thing of joy in the many dishes that feature it. It probably is influential that I have a self seeded apple tree with Macintosh type apples outside my kitchen window- thanks to the old compost pile that was once situated there.

Autumn grass/ Flowers of grass

Those are certainly part of Autumn's voice. Grasses which grow tall along the verge of fields or in unmown roadside ditches wave gracefully with their late summer bleached flower heads and blades. They become wispy and faded to a uniform pale tan and their outlines stand out against harvested fields. They certainly are emblems of my autumns.

Acorns

Red Oaks have some color

Oak foliage may not color well, but they are indelibly associated with fall through their nuts, the acorns. And I can't help but jump in thought to the diligent squirrels who busy themselves gathering up all the acorns they can and provide us with new plantings when they forgot one or two of their stashes! I think those squirrels are so cute until I remember how they consume all my crocus and most of my tulips...then they take on a sinister character in my mind, but still, they are part and parcel of a picture of our autumns.

Mushrooms

This is taken from the list of Japanese Kiyose for autumn. It is ours, as well since lately I've seen lots of mushrooms sprout after a very dry summer. Not as many here in my yard as those in newly constructed road boulevard dividers- where there must have been lots of compost material added.

The colors of mushrooms certainly are in harmony with the field colors of October. We don't find the shades of neutral grays and beige until November; October is a pretty colorful month.

Collage of scenes from autumn walks in the woods-click to view

Fringe Tree

My Sweet Cherry Tree

Maples

Speaking of how colorful it is in October, I think of Maple trees, whether the lemony yellow of the silver maple, the flaming crimsons and orange of the Sugar Maple, or the almost translucent vermillion of the Japanese maples or the Red maples. Maples reign during our autumns, even in less colorful years ravaged by droughts and other climate calamities.

These are some of the most obvious motifs of fall, but I almost forgot the most ubiquitous of all: bright orange pumpkins! And all their competing relatives of gourds, and squashes, along with the variant colors of white or pink pumpkins. And Indian corn! There is an American icon for you, if you live in this part of the States, anyway.

In times past the shocks of corn in the fields, a sight only seen in Amish country now, lent an air of harvest thankfulness to the season. I don't know if most younger kids even know what a corn shock is.... !

What else makes me reminisce of fall?

And maybe the moon is most tied to our autumns in a way it isn't in any other season. I'm not sure why, but the Harvest Moon is depicted in almost every Halloween picture and given first place in thoughts of fall (next to foliage and pumpkin crops, of course).

Those are likely the central symbols around which I'd create an autumn vignette.

Here are more of my seasonal pictures of past autumns:

Leadwort

Pyracantha

Christmas fern

Underestimated Flowering Shrubs

2012-10-02T08:47:00.003-04:00

Witch Hazel ushers in Spring

On the whole, deciduous, flowering shrubs get short shrift in modern gardens. We know about lilacs and weigelas, perhaps, but are often discouraged from planting them given "lack of seasonal interest" as the rationalization for such advice. It is true that some of them shine only when in bloom.

Bridal spirea

Flowering shrubs take a large space, and maybe that requires more planning and a good preparation for their planting, but the intermediary position of shrubbery gives a solid visual step between lawn and perennials and trees. There are some flowering shrubs that have memorable and evocative scents, the characteristic, I'm sure, that led to past generations loyal love for them.

Think about placing a couple well chosen shrubs in your own yard this fall, since fall time is perfect for planting and the first couple weeks of October are ideal for it.

List of Flowering Shrubs

A short list of flowering shrubs:

Past posts about shrubs:

Beauty Berry
Lilacs
Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
Lonicera Fragrantissima, Winter Honeysuckle
New Shrubs From Old
Read Joanne's post, Privet, winter Honeysuckle, and Winter Hazel


Doublefile viburnum

Shrub rose

Photo Shoot Em Up

2012-09-28T18:57:00.001-04:00

Bridge over Denver Botanic stream

Utah Sky


Japanese Pond


Arbor

Pond Plants

Did I mention photography?

2012-09-25T11:58:00.001-04:00

Source: floragrubb.com via Donna on Pinterest

Yes, several times, because photography is a huge part of garden blogging. Early on in the blog I tried to write posts without photos, since I am no great shakes at photos, but had complaints from readers and didn't grow readership very well for lagging in the use of pictures. I should have known, since I largely buy garden books that have gorgeous pictures, though not always.

Anyway, in my usual meandering way to approach a subject that is to say this:

I wish I had written my little Squidoo vignette on Saxon Holt,Garden Photographer Extraordinaire before I traveled out West and proceeded to take lots of photos. I found even the little bits of his advice on taking photographs invaluable and it is changing the way I use my camera.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 written for Ilona's Garden Journal. An excellent blog.