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Useful Gifts for the Gardener

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Useful gifts for the gardener come in many forms. The Cobrahead tool is just one of the many useful tools for gardeners of any level.

It is that time of the year where anyone can be overwhelmed with what to give as a gift. This year many people are on a budget. More than ever before, the act of gifting is taken seriously. I want to share a few options, as well as ideas of useful gifts for the gardener.

USEFUL STOCKING STUFFFERS

Stockings can hold a myriad of small gifts that any gardener might find useful. One of my favorite tools is the Cobrahead tool. It is small, cute for gardening in tight spaces, and guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of any gardener. It comes in multiple sizes and I am certain that once you share one as a gift…YOU will need one as well.

What real gardener does not want a GOOD Corona tool?? Having a Corona in your stocking is truly a gift of love. One of my favorite Corona tools would be the snips…or the ComfortGELpruners or… I simply cannot decide!! One thing for sure, each of these (and more) will fit into a stocking.

USEFUL CURATED GIFTS

Espoma anything says that you care.

It’s important to know what you are using to grow good plants. Espoma has been around since 1929. That is quite a track record. I personally know that Espoma was and continues to be a household name. I cannot remember a season when I didn’t see a bag of Hollytone amidst my Dad’s garden supplies. Here is a great idea. Choose your best cutting or two. Add a bag of the appropriate Espoma product, a cute container, and a personal note of encouragement.

No cutting? Purchase a small houseplant from your favorite garden center. Provide all the necessary tools from soil to food from the trusted line of Espoma products. Tried, tested and true, Espoma is the most trusted name in organic gardening products. This will be the gift that will provide confidence in growing for any gardener.

Another useful gift…SEEDS! Seeds are a hot commodity right now. There are so many people beginning to garden, seeds are HOT! A gift certificate to almost any seed resource is not just useful, but it will show that you are in the know. Consider a gift card to a local garden center as they will offer seeds, starter mix, and more.

USEFUL KNOWLEDGE

Gardening isn’t going anywhere. Having the knowledge to know how to garden in any space you have is powerful. Kim Roman is offering a Square Foot Gardening Class Bundle. This bundle of classes offers a wealth of knowledge. Kim Roman is our local expert on Squarefoot Gardening. An excellent teacher, as well as a practitioner of Squarefoot gardening, Kim is offering an online course that is a terrific deal!

The regular price is $65, but you’ll get them ALL for just $50! Let Kim show you how to “Confidently Grow Your Own Food!” The Garden Class Bundle includes – Small Veggie Gardening (SVG) + Microgreens, Square Foot Gardening (SFG) 101 – The Basics, SVG/SFG 201 – Beyond the Basics, Grow Up! Vertical Gardening, and Fall and Winter Gardening Without a Greenhouse. There are also two FREE courses !! For more information, contact Kim at SFGKimRoman@yahoo.com.

You can’t have veggies without pollinator-attracting plants! Heather Andrews is offering an online course called “5 Weeks to a Fabulous Fall Pollinator Garden”. For only $49 you’ll receive a week-by-week video guide and a bonus guide to the best vendors & products! This is perfect for the gardener that recognizes the importance of having a garden that welcomes pollinators. You can find out more by clicking here.

Useful gifts are always appreciated. When a gardener receives a useful gift, it is an invitation to get outside to garden.

I wonder what will be in my stocking and under my tree this year…a book, a pair of gloves, seeds, or a useful item I am longing for.

Dreaming of a useful garden item…

Teri, Cottage In The Court

***Remember, know your zone and ask questions.

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Camellias – Blooming Rosettes In Autumn

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Camellias blooming in autumn are the rosettes of fall. They are quite the distraction in the garden at this time of the year.

Camellias in autumn remind me of rosettes. These bodacious blooms draw me outside, sometimes, before I have my coffee. Simply stated, I love them. I can’t get enough of them. Most likely, l have too many for some people. Good thing they don’t live here! There are Spring and Fall blooming Camellias. Luckily I have both.

JAPONICA JAMMING

In mid-winter, Camellia Japonica starts jamming in the garden. The buds swell all season, scattered along the length of the branches. As Spring bulbs break the surface of the soil, Camellias signal an awakening. Blooms like the skirts of a Flamenco dancer stand out in an otherwise dormant landscape.

Camellia japonica “Fimbriata” is an elegant white bloom that pops on the shiny evergreen leaves.

Camellia japonicas have blooms in many different shades. When inviting a Camellia into the garden, certain conditions must be considered. Hardy in zones 6 – 9 this plant must be grown in moist, well-draining soil. Part sun is what she prefers, This will keep the blooms from dissolving as the dew dances on the petals.

A bit of protection from the strong winds of winter will ensure multiple buds and blooms. This easy-care shrub requires minimal pruning. A snip here or there for shaping is all that is required. Did you know Camellias are a water-wise shrub? Watering during extremely dry spells will keep this shrub healthy. It does not require excessive watering.

A smattering of mulch to break down and feed the soil is beneficial to the Camellia. Two common diseases that can destroy this bodacious beauty is petal blight or root rot fungus. Maintenance is simple, clean up any petals that are discolored and fall to the ground. Well-draining soil is a must to avoid root rot. One tip, plant a bit high and not level to the ground – this helps with drainage. The joy of adding a Camellia to the garden is truly endless. Jamming to jazz in my Spring garden always involves Camellia Japonica.

SASSY SASANQUA

This sassy little number is like a soft pink negligee on satin sheets of green leaves.

Camellia Sasanqua blooms are truly the rosettes of fall. Imagine a hint of pink from an inside window. It beckons you to come outside. Once outside, the sassy blooms open wide, revealing the gold underskirt within. Sasanquas taunt this gardener to put down the rake and simply enjoy.

This beauty blooms in late October and lasts for quite some time. I have cut bouquets for Christmas in warmer winters. Almost everything in my garden has an underplanting of sorts. My classic combination for the Camellias at the Cottage involves perennials. There is nothing like a Camellia with an underskirt of Hellebore, crocus, or Galanthus. I even have a few Muscari that have crashed the party, adding an unexpected spot of color. There is something about Hellebore buds rising as the Camellia finishes her show in mid to late winter.

Camellia cultivar? Who knows…however I can look outside my bedroom window and smile at this beauty as I rise.

I cherish my Camellias. The first time I knew it was going to be a love affair forever was in a Fredericksburg garden. “April Tryst” was the name and it was simply amazing. That name has stuck in my mind for the past 20 years. When I purchased my house, I knew that Camellias would dot the landscape as often as possible, along with peonies.

April Tryst Camellia, my first love.

There are cold hardy Camellias and with the proper conditions, you can grow them as well. A true morning delight is a simple cutting in a vase, bloom half open with a perfect cup of coffee.

Enjoying these blooms in a simple vase with my coffee causes me to smile.

Do you grow Camellias? Do they taunt and tease you to simply enjoy their presence in the landscape? Would you take a snip to bring the beauty inside? Invite this seductress into your garden and embrace the bloom. It changes the perception of the autumnal landscape with just the right pop of color.

I wonder which Camellia to plant next? There has to be a spot…

Teri, Cottage In The Court

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Missing Cornbread’s Beautiful Bouquet’s

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Missing Cornbread and his beautiful bouquets has been a reality check in my uncomplicated world.

Missing the once vibrant feel of downtown DC was quite noticeable last week. If silence could be visually loud it would have hurt my ears. It definitely shook my soul. There were very few people on the street, less coming from the subway underground and the sounds of a bustling City were missing.

I am very much aware that we are in the midst of a pandemic. Some people were respectfully obeying the Mayor’s orders to wear a mask at all times. Others dismissed this, much to my chagrin. Missing were the smiles I was accustomed to seeing as I walked along the once busy streets of Washington, DC.

As a gardener, one key thing was profoundly noticeable when departing my office building recently. For as long as I have worked downtown there was a spot by the Metro Center subway that was guaranteed to make me smile. A man named Cornbread sold beautiful bouquets. Nope, they were not professionally created. That did not bother me at all. When I was in the midst of creating a bouquet for the office and noticed something was missing, Cornbread’s bouquets were there.

When a co-worker wanted to impress a date with a floral statement, I knew what to say. “Go down to see Cornbread at the corner. Pick up two mixed florals and add a bunch of the roses”, I would advise. “If that is not full enough add another bunch of the mixed flowers for a full floral statement. I am sure she will be impressed”. As I walked by his spot last week, missing Cornbread was at the forefront of my mind.

Missing his voice as he greeted me “Hello Dah-ling” as I would begin inspecting each floral bunch, picking the best of his beautiful bouquets. If I was not rushed, I would ask him to pick out his best bouquet. Standing patiently as he eyed each and every bunch, it was one of my favorite ways to pause on an otherwise hectic day. Selecting random bunches and gingerly wrapping each one in sheets of newspaper, he would begin to share. This was my way of spending time and pausing to show I cared. Cornbread would share his point of view about God, politics, and the garage dispute. His truck had just a little too much smoke coming from his tailpipe. I could always tell when he entered or recently left the garage. Missing the voice of an Elder known as Cornbread truly creates a void in my world.

As a native Washingtonian, the City that I once knew has become an unfamiliar place. I hope that one day, Cornbread will return to his spot above Metro Center selling hats, umbrellas, sometimes t-shirts, and his beautiful bouquets.

Do you miss moments that are familiar to your day as we continue to survive during this period of unintentional pausing?

While I know he may never see this, Iam truy missing Cornbread and his beautiful bouquets.

Teri, Cottage In The Court

I also wrote about my hometown pandemic observations here

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Kaleidoscopes of Color in Autumn

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Kaleidoscopes of color are found almost anywhere at this time of the year.

As I embrace the beginning of a new season, the colors I observe are amazing. Reminding me of looking into a seasonal kaleidoscope that amazes and makes me pause. I bend to retrieve any leaf that makes the words “oh my…that is beautiful”, fall from my lips. Gently tucking them into my pocket, it is a way of capturing the moment. You see, tomorrow, the leaf color will change. The seasonal kaleidoscopes are all around us if we just open our eyes along the way.

The first kaleidoscope of colors that I tucked into my sweatshirt pocket. We always remember our firsts, right?

One early morning, as I visited Montpelier just after daybreak, the colors just popped. In amazement, certain trees stood out to fluff their leaves as if to say “notice me…make this part of your memory”.

Montpelier’s trees decided they were going to show off first thing in the morning.

The wine-colored leaves were lifted into their glory by the patient trees in the background. Whether too early to begin a colorful show or an evergreen, each tree will have their turn on nature’s stage.

The trees at Montpelier were in different stages of fall displays of seasonal bliss.

No matter where I am, the kaleidoscope of fall is never too far behind. As I look outside my dining room window, the colors of the redbud are golden trinkets, falling to enrich the soil below.

Golden leaves of the Cercus Canadensis gently release to add nutrients to the ground below.

A Yoshino Cherry tree gives me a reason to smile. It shines with golden leaves that drip, one by one, into the garden. Imagine a necklace has broken and each bauble dropping in slow motion. What a beautiful addition to my compost these leaves will become.

Kaleidoscopes can change with the twist of the wrist. I can look at this Yoshino in the morning and by evening, it has a totally different hue.

As I stroll in my garden, the Hydrangea quercifolia stops me in my tracks. The kaleidoscope on this shrub changes each day that adds excitement with each glance. Is it the wine in the leaves? Could it be the amber as it evolves like a flame throughout the shrub? I cannot answer honestly these questions. With each leaf I see, my mind changes moment by moment.

Hydrangea quercifolia can make me pause in amazement with it’s colorful display.

As I continue to collect moments to include in my kaleidoscopes of color, imagining how many combinations to include, simply bring me joy.

Do the kaleidoscopes of color found along the way add to your autumn experiences in nature? Do you collect leaves to capture the unique memories of autumnal bliss?

This week’s colorful capture from walks embracing nature.

Gathering moments along the way…

Teri, Cottage In The Court

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Joy Found In The Garden

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Joy found in the garden has so many forms. Even if they are simply the flowers found along the creek that runs through my community.

JOY IN THE MORNING

Daily Joy is what I would call my morning walk. Most days, I have the opportunity to walk at daybreak to greet the day. Observing what new gift nature has placed along my path. I cannot properly describe how much I anticipate the daily gifts which are revealed as the day begins to unfold.

Gathering some of the gifts along the way, allow me to create a memory of the morning stroll. These random blooms, buds, and leaves capture the days moments that bring me joy. I gather just enough to create a small bouquet. Sometimes, I just admire these gifts from afar, hoping that they will greet me the next day.

Planned autumn joy in the form of Tartarian Aster. I never noticed the blooms until this year.

My garden also brings me daily joy. I planted this Tartarian Aster in a 4-inch pot a few years ago. I would always notice the foliage increasing in girth, but never noticed the blooms. As we endure this moment of unintentional pausing, I noticed more than just the blooms. Monarchs and other pollinators pause and create quite a noticeable stir. I sit back and watch in amazement.

A white eggplant peeks through the foliage, letting me know that the season is not quite over.

I noticed an eggplant, tucked in a pot, and left to grow with total abandon. No fertilizer, no supplemental watering, and yet, the tenth eggplant of the season was growing quite well. I remembered the string bean experiment. Two five-gallon buckets with soil and planted with seeds of string beans were overflowing with foliage. I checked daily for a pod or two and then simply left them alone.

Planted in late August, I did not expect to harvest any beans, however it was worth a try.

Much to my surprise, I harvested seven from one bucket and five from the other. Talk about unexpected daily joy! I am not ready for my summer fun to end, so I will leave the beans alone, check them at least once a week until frost.

One thing I have realized as I gardened this summer and as I visited gardens that have been understaffed as well. Sometimes, we just need to leave the garden alone. The unkempt garden whether on purpose or by accident can bring unexpected joy. Allowing the garden to just be, also gives us the opportunity to revel in the naturalness of the garden. I am not suggesting that anyone give in to the weeds. However, letting go of perfection in the garden just might be the ‘thing’ to bring you joy. A weed is merely a plant out of place. Are you taking the time to pause and allow the garden to bring you joy or are you on eternal weed patrol?

While finding a place to sit in my garden, I peered into the canopy of the trees and noticed the purple berries of the Callicarpa. The joy that filled my heart upon seeing this unexpected gift was amazing.

I love hearing about the joy that the garden shares. The sound of joy in my sister’s voice, as she shares the excitement of seeing a butterfly. The abundance of life embracing her from her garden is such a gift. The butterflies presented quite the show as she ate her lunch outside.

My sister is a new Gardener. The garden has helped heal her sorrow after being the primary caretaker for my parents. I look at it as a gift from my parents, knowing she would need something to occupy her mind. After the loss of her husband this past Spring, she became quiet and I worried. I advised her to go into the garden…no one sees your tears there. She did. The daisies were 5 feet tall – seriously taller than her – the mums bloomed early (that was Dad…lol) and she TRULY doesn’t need another Hydrangea…for REAL! The joy of hearing about her garden experiences and how she is “finished”, not ordering any more plants, make me laugh. She has said she was finished for the past three years. Most seasoned gardeners know…the garden is never finished.

WHAT THE GARDEN SHARES

The garden keeps all of our secrets, it is the best confidant ever. Sit in the garden from time ..pause and observe the life found in the garden daily, if you can.

The garden is powerful. It can distract us with surprises from the tiniest bloom, a colorful bug, to finding an empty space that needs a plant.

The garden is a healer in so many ways. However, if you don’t visit the garden to enjoy it, you will never realize it’s power.

There is so much that we can learn from the garden. Are YOU open to learning the benefits of the garden? Have you realized the joy found in the garden?

Even with the sedum showing signs of nibbling, the Tartarian Aster rises above it.

Wandering aimlessly, looking for more gifts that bring me joy in the garden!

Teri – Cottage In The Court

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