Wreath Workshop Day 1, 2010

What a sight!
Nine of us in the shed with a church like quietness that made me wonder how serious these girls were!

They loosened up and we all had a marvelous time. Each wreath unique and beautiful, there will be no other like your hand made wreath...

Pictures say it all.
Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Pumpkin Notes...

Whether you have a MLCHgarden grown pumpkin or a "store bought" one, just a couple of tips:

• Bring your pumpkin inside if temps go near freezing. Frozen pumps turn to mush!


• Save your pumps through Thanksgiving. Decorations keep the holidays festive.


• Rub a bit of olive oil on your pumps to keep them fresh looking.


• Use your pump as a container for flowers or greens for TDay!


• Save your seeds for baking/eating or for planting next year.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Press On: Potting for Patrick

This Friday, a half dozen or so of my tennis buddies will gather in The Shed to pot up Amaryllis bulbs for the Press On Fund to Cure Childhood Cancer. My friend Kris has received over 1000 orders for the aromatic paper whites and the colossal amaryllis which we pot and wrap in a festive Christmas cloak.

There are several "potting party hostesses" who invite "Press ON angels" to come pot for this movement. We've surpassed the order goal of 1000, so now it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

More on Friday.Blessings from the Garden.
ML

What's going on...

I am dependent on lists. If I ran out of index cards, I'd be in deep!

Here is a list of what's going on with MLCHgarden for the upcoming holidays...

• All pumps at my house are now $4. Getting ready for Christmas, so come on!

• "Stuffed Pumpkins" for $35, delivered on Tuesday before Thanksgiving for a beautiful arrangement on your sideboard or dinner table for Tday...filled with fall flowers, berries and very fresh greenery.

• Orders are underway for Custom Christmas Wreaths. These are full, fluffy 36" diameter wreaths delivered to local clients. This is a magnificent gift for anyone, too! Bows available on request. Wreaths are $65 & packed with beautiful fresh mixed greens.

• WOW! MLCHgarden WreathWorkshops are filling. Email registration is required. $45. mlchgarden@comcast.net



• MLCHgarden Tools Newsletter has been a great way to keep us all straight on what to do each month in the garden. Subscibe on http://www.mlchgarden.com/ at right sidebar.

My little garden business is growing, and I love it. Working on a "Augusta Gardens!" guide for "transplants and natives'". There are many people who move here from out of town because of work, so I think a "how to "guide is in order.

Details on most of the above at website...

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Porches on Parade

Well, here's one porch entry from Ginger in Columbia County...WOW!

Looks like a Better Homes & Gardens set up, huh?!

Ginger likes growing topiaries near the front door step year round for color. Here she has showcased the colorful mums tucked in with real and faux pumpkins. Her sweet hubby has had to scoop pump remains off the porch too many times, thus the faux pumpkins! Being an artist and a southern girl, Ginger painted her monogram on the creamy faux pump complementing the moss covered "B" on the front door. Fall is Ginger's favorite time of the year, no doubt!

I'll be showcasing more "Porches on Parade" in the next two weeks. Remember, there is a MLCHgarden custom fluffy Christmas Wreath at stake here. Delivered. So get busy, send me a pic. I need some spooky stuff, too!

Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Under Pressure

I work best under pressure...feeling a twinge of pressure from my growing list for September. My index card "lists" have become a source of entertainment for my children.

Here is today's Garden Index card:

• FlowerCamp-order aprons, need good clippers, confirm menu w/caterer


• Finish entering email addresses (ugh) for monthly newsletter (Constant Contact) to start in September


• Book flight to Dallas for September 10-14 before the prices get too highDONE!


• Share September To Do's on newsletter and walk the talk


• Figure out how to make this year's pumpkins a learning experience for children


• Write a week's worth of blog posts so when I am doing all of the above, I won't worry!

I'll stop here before I get too overwhelmed. Add that to the day to day list...Pressure!

Blessings from the Garden

ML

Sunday Farm Update on Monday!

Saturday night found us celebrating a friend's 50th at Doe Doe's which is located in the middle

of nowhere. We were a bit goofy after waiting an eternity for our food...

Woke up early enough on Sunday to weed, harvest and water. HOT!





There are pumpkins all over the field! Flower Campers will have first pick of this year's"Orange Bulldog" pumps! The zinnias, sunflowers, celosia and broom corn are crazy right now...Perfect timing for FlowerCamp!


Here are more pics for today's report.








If you are interested in receiving "MLCHgarden Tools", my monthly e-newsletter, make sure I have your email address! First issue this week!
mlchgarden@comcast.net.



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Blessings from the Garden.


ML

Tour Update

(Weigela, variegated)
Sacred Heart Garden Festival 2010

April 23-25..

Private Garden Tours

Fri & Sat 11-5

Sun 12-5

Having my garden on tour is kind of like

having company or getting ready for Master's

rental! I decided to go ahead & have our Supper

Club over next weekend...what the heck! The yard

will be perfect and the party will be outside...

The tour next week is sure to be fun especially

for the explosion of new gardeners. You can

buy tickets at the private gardens or at Sacred

Heart Cultural Center.

Details at

www.sacredheartgardenfestival.com

I am posting a few pictures of some of my favorites

right now as they might not be in full show

for the tour...

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

ps. hope to see you next week!

Cross Vine

Spanish Bluebells

Pink Charm daffodils

Chinese Snowball

Home Garden Update

Home Garden Explosion 2010

Came home to another explosion in the Garden. Even after "coming in" to tend the garden earlier in the week during Master's vacation, there are so many new colors and sizes!

Above picture shows English Peas taking off onto twine trellis,

Jericho lettuce, 2 types of Radish, Arugula, and 9 Brandywine tomatoes

just beginning to soak up the warm temps...

Top pic shows a flat leaf Viburnum, below is a small

ornamental peach just beginning to produce fruit!

"Pink Charm" daffodils from Easy to

Grow Bulbs planted late and blooming nicely.

April's to Do's

Get Busy This Month!
April To Do's...

The month of April is about to get away
with me. We are escaping
the Master's Golf Tournament for the week. ...

This is a whirlwind time for planting/gardening,
so check posts daily!

Here's what we need to be doing...

#1. Buy Sam Swedish Chocolates (Put on Bed)
sorry my son is accustomed to fancier
hotels...

#2 Veggies...take a peek at this list
decide what you like to eat and get busy!
refer to UGA planting calendar
okra
southern peas(blackeye, pinkeye, cream, crowder, zipper)
bell peppers
hot peppers/hot sweet peppers
sweet potatoes (mid month)
all tomatoes
watermelon
pole, bush and lima beans
butterpeas
canteloupe
corn
cucumber
eggplant
basil, rosemary, parsley, chives, mint
any herbs you use for cooking..

#3. PLANT!

* keep tall and vertical growing
plants toward back of garden spot

* buy some zinnia seeds and plant.

* 2-3 weeks after planting corn and beans,
plant more, keep planting every few weeks
til may.

* BE CREATIVE! My corn will go in front yard
this year!

Fill me in on what you are up to, send pics too!
Blessings from the Garden.
ML

Yellow...

Subconsciously, yellow must be my favorite color

even though I wear mostly pink. My garden is bursting

with yellow right now.

Today I designed arrangements for an engagement party

and yellow was the color. It's such a happy color, warm

and friendly like the sun.

Here are some pics.... my 14 yo creative

Marianna took some of them...

Lots in bloom right now to use in arrangements. (nice chafer...)

Love the new(old) urn except it weighs about 50lbs.

with no flowers!

Blessings from the Garden...

ML