Garden Consult

Garden Consult

Garden for Grandkids

I visited another "ML" out in Appling, Ga in March. Acres of beauty surrounded

her timeless home. We walked to the back yard and I was dazzled by her organized

garden space. Ten almost empty plots begging for zinnias, cosmos, celosia, sunflowers
and herbs!

10 tidy beds waiting

Here are my recommendations to ML for her "Grand Garden"...

Those beds in the back are a dream! I would use that as a teaching area for your Grandkids! You can go all out by putting dwarf English Boxwoods at corners of each bed for a more formal look or just plant what you like!

ü  My head was filled with Zinnias, both tall "cut & come again" varieties and the Profusion series which are very low maintenance but will give you color...they come in orange, white and a pink.

ü  Sunflowers...several varieties

ü  Celosia

ü  Cosmos

ü  Echinacea..or Coneflower which has many colors and sizes other than tall purple!

ü  Bronze okra, some corn, bush beans...all easy from seed.

ü  Lambs ear is another herb to consider particularly with children since they are so soft and fuzzy.

ü  Maybe even some tall tuteurs as below for growing vines...

garden tutuer

Blessings
ML

Supper Club Update

This is an idea from P. Allen Smith. 

Love it!

I probably don't have this many daffodils,

 but thinking about a combination of flowers for 

Supper Club

Remember though, if you are cutting your daffodils to bring inside,

 they produce a nasty sap that will kill other cut flowers.

 Best to let daffodils stand alone.

Blessings from the Garden. 

ML

ML's Top 10 Seeds: Part One, Flowers.

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated with growing anything from seed. 

The excitement of gently placing a seed in the newly worked earth, and the anticipation

of germination renews my enthusiasm for the upcoming harvest. This eagerness for life is what drives this experienced gardener and newbies to the "fields". 

Try some of these easy to grow seeds this spring. Remember, Augusta has a last frost range between March 15 & April 15, so be prepared to cover those seedlings if you plant early!

1.   Zinnias- try a new variety, perhaps "romantic" colors this year!

2.   Nasturtiums- a long time favorite of Robert's grandmother, Ma Maw...soak these seeds in warm water for a few hours before planting to speed germination. 

3. Rose Campion (left)

Long time gardener, Joe Agostas, 

shared a film canister(if you remember 

what that is!) filled with seeds. I sprinkled them around the garden, and poof! a spectacular show of this fuschia perenial.

If you know someone with this plant who can share, get some.

4.  Sunflowers

      If you have children or grandchildren, the sunflower is a must. Lots of memories      generated with this happy annual! There are so many varieties, here are just a few of my favorites: 

                   **  Teddy Bear--great for a container

                   ** Moulin Rouge--reminds me of burgundy wine!

                   ** Tithonia--actually a Mexican Sunflower, but so easy! 

                   ** Mammoth-perfect for kids, grow some beans on this one.

5.  Celosia

     

Sounds odd, but this knotty, brain like variety is

oh, so  popular in bridal bouquets. 

There are "flame" varieties, too, which are

just as beautiful but not as unique. 

Please share this post with your Facebook friends...

there's a button below!

Part II...later. 

Blessings from the Garden. 

ML

In my Dreams...

Went to bed last night with a Johnny's Select Seed Catalog and a box of Post It page savers...
Organizing my thoughts on this year's Hagler Farms flower crop.


Now is the time to dream about your spring garden. The cold weather brings us inside to look at catalogs and Internet sites.

Wanted to share a few of my favorite sites both for buying and dreaming! Enjoy.
www.johnnyseeds.com


Harvard Study


Floret


Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds




What is your favorite seed/flower source?

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Flower Harvest

Labor day weekend is always full of fun, friendship and flowers!I brought 4 buckets of flowers and broom corn home yesterday, then

prepared them for use at a local event this week. Thought I would share part of the

process of harvesting, conditioning, and storing freshly cut flowers.

It's best to harvest early in the morning or late in the afternoon out of the

mid-day sun and when stems have good water supply. I couldn't believe the water that came out of this broom corn(below).

Making the longest cut possible will give you opportunity to cut length as you need to while

arranging. Plunge stems immediately into cool water, then move to shady area or indoors...

Once I arrive home with my buckets of flowers, I cut stem ends again, then immerse

in fresh cool water and flower conditioner. Lots of recipes for flower conditioner, but I use a pre-made powder.

I store the flowers in the shade or in the shed where it's pretty cool inside. The broom corn here will be the "skeleton" for a fall arrangement this Thursday--Historic Augusta Wine & Antiques.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

The Bees are Buzzin'!

hello all!

prepared the fields for pumpkins, and weeded the flower field this weekend in at Hagler Farm, Burke Co.!

took a couple of shots of the honey bees that Dr. Tracy Middlebrooks set up for us last year. he added another level last week to their "highrise"! it looks like we are set for some honey and great pumpkin pollination!

Robert plowed the pumpkin field and the remainder of the flower/experimental field for the last time. They are both ready for planting. Pumpkin seeds will go in this week! Have a very small patch of flowers coming up. Waiting for a sizeable package from Johnny's Select Seed to arrive today...
Flower/experimental field (left)
patch of bright green to right of field is my small bed of flowers and weeds!

Pumpkin Patch (right)