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Earth Day – Invest in the Future
Earth Day 2023 encourages us to Invest in Our Earth. If you have a pot, a plot or want to do something for the greater good in your community, investing in our earth is important. The investment of time by each of us can make a difference for the future. If you visit the official earthday website , it is filled with information on activities, programs and campaigns anyone can partake of.
Information on practical ways to reduce, recycle, and reuse our household waste is readily available. There are practices in place to reduce what is actually disposed of in our landfills. It is one of the easiest ways we can curb seeing the plastic bags along our highways, waterways, and more.
Increasing tree plantings within our communities will lower energy costs, provide shade, and decrease heat build-up. Planting native trees and plants can help us reduce excessive watering in our landscapes. Consider this – if we reduced the turf in our open spaces, it would reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides in our waterways. There is an advantage in reducing these two actions as we try to save our earth. Many municipalities are adopting this and other practices to save our earth. These are just a few easy actions to consider and are easy to implement.
REUSE, RECYCLE, REDUCE – SAY NO TO PLASTIC
Many gardeners are starting seedlings this year. Consider alternatives to using plastic pots for transplanting seedlings. Retrain your mind to consider reusing those yogurt, cottage cheese, or other small containers to size up the “pots” for transplanting. This is a great way to extend the usefulness of these containers. If properly cleaned and stored, they will provide a few years of use. If you are an avid gardener, try to refrain from using peat pots. Peat bogs are under environmental stress. This natural resource has become threatened and is considered endangered. Land development, climatic changes, and horticultural use are rapidly diminishing peat bogs globally. There are many alternatives for temporary pots including newspaper.
I recently found a biodegradable woven fiber pot which makes me feel better about not using plastic. These are a great alternative to using plastic pots.
These pots allow the air to flow through and deter sensitive plant roots from becoming tangled. These biodegradable pots allow water and air to flow through easily. This will result in healthier roots. The pot sleeve will break down as the plant grows in a pot or in the ground. I love being mindful in my actions as an earth-friendly resident on our earth. These biodegradable paper pots are easy to use for seed starting. If you are concerned about planting in your soil, or damaging your favorite pot, these pots are great for inserting into an existing pot without disturbing the roots.
Planting peanuts or potatoes and need something a little larger? Consider reusing a woven fiber grocery bag. Check your pantry for some that have seen better days. Use these for planting this season and discard after harvesting.
Outdoor temperatures hint that it is warm enough for planting. Try not to be in a rush to plant. Reputable garden centers often will advise consumers to wait until Mid-May before planting tender crops such as Basil. Planting in pots is fine, just watch for nighttime temperatures. A few years ago, we did have a hard frost in late May. That year, gardeners who planted early did not expect the extreme temperatures. Mid- to late May is the best time to consider planting summer annuals in the ground. For optimal results, nighttime temperatures should be consistently 50 degrees. Pay attention to nighttime temperatures. If you are planting in a raised bed or pot, you can plant now. Always keep an eye on the night time temperatures to avoid disappointment.
HERBS ARE EASY
Almost everyone uses herbs. One of the easiest things to grow and use are herbs. Many beginning or a seasoned gardeners find something special about gathering fresh herbs from a pot or plot in the garden. Basil is one of those easy to grow herbs. Use this herb in salads and even in drinks. Try making a pitcher of iced tea or even lemonade with a few basil leaves thrown in. Pinch them from the plant, tear, bruise, or muddle them to release more of the flavor. Try Basil leaves for hot tea in the winter time with a few mint leaves. Try a tall a glass of iced cucumber water with fresh basil leaves on a hot day. It is quite refreshing anytime!
Here are a few that I recommend – Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil, Spicy Globe Basil, or Sweet Basil to name a few. Adding diced basil leaves to a pasta salad or consider using large leaf basil as an alternative to bread for sandwich wraps. Use your imagination and if all else fails, try basil in a Bloody Mary, a cocktail or mocktail.
POLLINATOR PLANTS ARE A PLUS
As a gardener, I believe in the teachings of Dr. Doug Tallamy. We ARE Natures Best Hope. Dr. Tallamy encourages each of us to start where we can to create conservation corridors, pollinator pathways, as a way of creating wildlife habitats. His book is a must read if we are to ensure a healthy environment now and in the future.
If we create safe havens for our pollinators they will appreciate it. You do not need a lot of space. Create a native area in your pot or plot. Create groups of native plant material with similar growing conditions to bring nature in. At the end of the growing season consider this – LET IT BE! Planting for our pollinators has benefits beyond the bloom. Leaving finished blooms, disease free branches and even a bit of bare or un-mulched ground is a good thing. Each of these practices provides over wintering pollinators a safe haven.
Consider alternatives to pesticide use. Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Your local Extension Office or clicking here, are great resources for information on pesticide use and abuse.
A well known plant used in pollinator gardens is Asclepias. The cultivars syriaca or tuberosa are beneficial to the Monarch butterfly. The common name for this plant is Butterfly weed. Keep in mind that this plant, like many natives, are perennial and increase in size yearly. The Pollinator Partnership website offers planting plans which are easy to use. Sharing excess plants with your neighbors is the easiest way to create a pollinator pathway in your community. Here are a few resources to find out more:
http://www.bringbackthepollinators.org/
POLLINATOR-GARDEN-TOOLKIT-2020.pdf (earthday.org)
Investing in our earth is something each of us can do. As we celebrate Earth Day 2023, consider utilizing sustainable practices in your yard or community. Investing now is a best practice for the future of this earth.
Celebrating the earth each and every day!
Teri, Cottage in the Court
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Love and Loss in the Garden
Just like life, at some point we suffer from the loss of something we love. In the garden, we learn this from the unexpected loss of a plant, shrub, or even a cherished tree. As the garden evolves, there are some things which we must accept and release.
The cottage came with a majestic red oak tree. It was a presence that anchored the front yard, provided nutrients for wildlife and offered a buffer from the sun for my partial shade garden. My dear friend has been removed. You have no idea of how hard it is to write that sentence. The tree gave me a sense of security and semi-privacy. It brought me joy, as I collected the leaves each fall to decorate my table. Love meant caring for the tree. I called in arborists to look at the branches, the roots and more. Maintaining the health of my dear friend was important.
The leaves hung on into January each year. This provided a blanket for the plants and beneficial insects in my garden. The joy I found as I gently moved leaves away from the crown of plants, only to see a bug or a worm hurrying to go deeper to escape the chill of winter. Just to be sure, I would find myself adding a few more leaves, just to be sure these overwintering guests were safe and sound.
Keeping the Peace
Everyone does not appreciate leaves or large aging tree. Some view leaves as a nuisance or more more thing to do in the fall. If a twig fell, some neighbors would suggest I cut my tree down. Yet every spring it would flush out in leaf. The canopy offered a bit of shade in the heat of the day. My red oak knew my garden needed refuge from the strong sun. Mother nature is a good mother. Mother nature has a way of taking care of her trees. She teaches them to self-clean…and they obey.
To keep the peace, I had branches trimmed that overhung my property line. This disfigured the tree. Many tree care professionals advised against this. In my efforts to be a good neighbor, the tree began to show signs of distress. One day, my beautiful friend had enough. Upon returning home, a large chunk was on my walkway. The time had come – unexpectedly for me to say good-bye. Making the call to find someone who could take care of the process was not easy. Today I look at the five foot, eight inch stump. Working around it is not a possibility. This breaks my heart.
My Dad would say, “Teres, joy comes in the morning.” I was not home on purpose to see the removal of my friend. I did not want to face this loss in person, waiting for the morning was going to be difficult. As Dad promised, I took a good look one day at the crack of dawn to accept the reality of my new full sun garden.
Adapting to Change
Change is inevitable in life, just as in the garden. The hydrangeas, rescued from my parents garden will require a new home. The perennials, Phlox sublata, Epimedium, Hellebore, native ferns, and Astible will require a sheltered area. Reimagining the space will evolve over time and in tune with the seasons. The calming effect each plant had in this space as it led to the side shade garden is no more.
Love and loss in the garden is inevitable. Reimagining the possibilities of a full sun border has slowly dried my tears. A row of narrow evergreen shrubbery will serve as a buffer. It will add privacy and a living hug for the plants included in the transformation. Integrating native plants with the perennials in a full sun setting, is something t consider. A pollinator garden that will feed any of nature’s willing workers from birds, to bees, and moths. Dreaming of including a cut flower garden with dahlia’s, sunflowers and cosmos is beginning to make me smile.
The Lesson
Life teaches us that things change. It does not matter if we want them to or not. It is time for me to release my friend, make the call for the stump and move on. I want to save the remains from the stump and incorporate them in my garden . Along the pathways, in my hügelkultur space, anywhere I can. It is my way of keeping my friend around a little longer and returning her to the earth, my way.
Sitting here looking at my garden in a new light.
Teri, Cottage in the Court
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Flower Petals – Cards of Positivity and Perspective
Flower petals have been popping out in my world all year. Taking the time to enjoy them has been quite the task. I had to intentionally practice self-care at each and every opportunity.
I sought books to read for inner peace, curtailed my social media, and simply rested. Recovery after two years of unintentional pausing, writing books, and working fulltime was not an easy task. Realizing I needed to update The Cottage also became a reality. Working remotely allowed me to see every crack and wrinkle in my home. Upgrades were scheduled which would not allow me to embrace my back yard gardens. I had every intention of creating a micro-cut flower farm. Instead, the contractors waned me to remove plantings along the foundation. The thought of change in my garden was unsettling. In some ways more than the period of unintentional pausing. The search for inner peace as I accepted change was challenging.
As I looked out my window daily, mourning my garden was simply heartbreaking. Flower petals from the Camellias lay like confetti as the winter of 2022 ended. I eagerly awaited the Hellebore flowers on the side of my house. I knew I would have to move them for fear they would be in the way. The Hellebores are remnants of my father’s garden.
Knowing the brevity of Spring, everyday I checked for signs of flowers in my garden. From the early blooming crocus, phlox, to the daffodils, I patiently waited for the sequence of early Spring joy. Each flower petal meant more to me this year than ever before.
As many gardeners know, renovating the garden when you least expect it is a daunting task. The realization that change was destined to take place was difficult. Adulting is hard in many ways. Procrastinating made it difficult to endure, so I began to dig. I potted up all that I could as the flowers from the azaleas littered the ground to remind me that Spring was coming to an end.
Flower petals scattered from the Oso Easy roses allowed me to smile through my tears. Mourning change at The Cottage, the new windows did allow me to see the garden a tad clearer. Next up – the siding.
Older Cottage life is interesting. The Cottage is as seasoned as I am. Sometimes the floors creak, other times another sign of settling appears, yet life goes on. The siding was definitely showing it’s age. It became evident a simple paint job wasn’t going to cut it. I would have preferred to buy more flowers and plants – that was not in the cards for 2022.
To soothe my angst, I found Flower Petals: Blossoming guidance from the garden by Cheralyn Darcey on Etsy. These cards are the perfect small gift . The flower petals of thought are important even today. This period of unintentional change continues as the year draws to a close. The first card I flipped over was a picture of Violet sororia. The words were exactly what I needed to read:
The answers and truths are always within.
I chose to embrace these words and let my disappointment and angst go. Releasing is real and many times we can miss the gift, by holding onto what we cannot change. Since receiving these cards, I make time to pull a new one from the deck, just to keep me in a positive frame of mind.
Today’s card is a Tulip. The words read…
You are worth what it is you desire.
The box suggests using multiple cards sometimes or using them while enjoying aromatherapy. They are great for enhancing positive thoughts, which leads to a sense of well being.
It is October and the renovation is still in full swing. The garden is in a state of unintentional pausing. It is nesting season – yet again. I have this quiet time to look within and define exactly how I want my garden. I can prepare the soil with earthly goodness from local compost. Exploring what is new in the plant world and taking note of what might be Cottage worthy will make me smile. Watching the birds from my new office window, draped with a blanket over my feet, and Precious by my side is worth looking forward to.
As the world continues to move too fast, my daily practice will be simple. I will flip a card from Flower Petals: Blossoming guidance from the garden, as an act of self-care.
Does your garden provide optimism in less than perfect moments? What tools have you discovered during this period of uncertainty, that help re-center your spirit? Change – even when difficult – can be a good thing . It all depends on your perspective.
Sitting with Precious and watching the mailbox for catalogs. I wonder what tomorrow’s card will be.
Teri, Cottage in the Court
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Grateful for the Garden
Being grateful is an emotion that is often overlooked. As gardeners, we are elated when that particular bud opens into bloom. Satisfaction is found when we eat that first homegrown tomato from the garden. The sweet heat from a Shishito pepper surprises our tastebuds and reminds us that the next one could be hotter or not. No matter the circumstance, being grateful should be a part of our daily existence.
I recently read a book, Harper Counts Her Blessings. This book made me reflect on how we can move throughout our day without reflecting on exactly what we are thankful for. This is a great book for parents and grandparents to have on hand when offering up a simple lesson about being grateful.
Jenny Rose Carey is a fellow garden writer. I was introduced to her first book, Glorious Shade, at a Garden Writers event a few years ago. We share a love of a few things like the color pink, as well as shade gardens. After reading this book, I knew a visit was imminent. We discussed a visit and then the period of unexpected pausing hit. When GardenComm International‘s Region 2 announced an in-person meeting, Northview was a featured garden, I knew this garden was calling me.
THANKFUL FOR THE HISTORY
For the past 25 years, Jenny and Gus have reimagined Northview into not just their home, but a popular place for garden aficionados around the world to visit. Thanks to Wilmer Atkinson for keeping such good records to document the journey of Northview. Mr. Atkinson was the founder and editor of the Farm Journal. When he acquired the land, it was just over 150 acres. There are trees on the property that provide glorious shade and date back to the days when Mr. Atkinson planted and beautified the grounds.
As with many perennials, over time the land Mr. Atkinson called home was parceled off and sold. Today, Northview is just under five acres and includes a divinely beautiful carriage house. As I sat in the carriage house, I imagined how thankful Jenny Rose Carey must be. The carriage house is well-lit, surrounded by walls of great garden books, a fireplace, and a kitchenette…all in the midst of the garden. I am grateful to have enjoyed a few moments in the room where Jenny writes.
A GRATEFUL GATHERING
Northview is not just another beautiful garden. It is a working garden, a teaching garden, as well a the perfect environment for experimentation. Using minimal watering techniques, and using the right plant in the right places, Jenny has curated whimsical places throughout the garden to pause.
Pausing to see what plants Jenny has included embracing the local wildlife and seasonal plantings which fall victim to the same wildlife as they need nutrition. These living examples are all a part of the lesson plan found at Northview. Armed with a delightful Head Gardener, Hanna von Schlegell, and Joe Giampa, a local artist and carpenter, Jenny has all the help
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