Sometimes we forget

Sometimes we get so caught up we forget the whole point...a garden is a celebration of the wonders and complexity of nature. After the effort of planting a garden, weeding and watering, etc., we sometimes forget to take the next step and simply enjoy our gardens and landscapes. Whether we have done the work ourselves, or hired professionals to do the work, it seems our lives get so complicated that the joy of sitting and breathing in the garden is often too far down our “to-do” list.

I have an opportunity to teach art and other subjects to college students and adults in the community, and one of my assignments frequently is to have the students go outside, stand for 10 minutes and observe. No talking. No cell phones (sometimes the toughest part for the college students). The only activities allowed are breathing, looking, seeing, observing. Back inside the classroom, they’ll either sketch or paint their observations or write an essay on them.

Although for the first three or four minutes the effort seems almost Herculean—they can’t believe how long 10 minutes lasts if they are simply standing there observing!—at the end of the assignment, the universal reaction is how refreshing and relaxing it is. Students tell me that is gives them a new tool for dealing with stress and anxiousness. They learn that it’s a free, can-do-anytime-anywhere process for reconnecting or getting grounded again with the beauty around us.

So, my gentle suggestion to each of us is to grab a little window of time and enjoy our garden spaces. After all, that’s what all our spring hustle and bustle in the garden has been about.

--Jane

Dead Nettle? Sneezeweed? And you paid good money for these?

… some of the funny names for some beautiful plants.

Working at a nursery and garden center, I have the opportunity to learn about some beautiful plants with elegant or stately names. A lovely flowering annual named angelonia is as delicate and lovely as you would expect. Even fragrant herbs such as Rosemary have a welcoming name.

But, I get a kick out of the plants with hideous, ugly or silly names.

Dead Nettle?

I giggle at a name like “dead nettle.” This is a perfectly beautiful perennial for shady areas; a fine plant with a terrible name. (Apparently the “dead” implies it does not sting. as does its cousin the “stinging nettle.” That hostile plant, if you even brush against it, imparts a sharp stinging sensation that persists in seemingly thousands of prickly points on your flesh.) The stinging nettle is considered a weed; not so with the cousin, the plain and lovely “dead nettle.”

Mother-in-law's Tongue?

Another funny name is mother-in-law’s tongue Sansevieria trifasciata. This is a common houseplant, and was apparently giving this nickname because its’ leaves are sharp with sometimes very sharp edges. As a fairly new mother-in-law myself… I won’t make any other comments in addition to: a rather wicked moniker for a popular, practical, utilitarian houseplant.

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

And, my favorite funny name and one of my favorite plants, is “Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.” This is the common name for: Corylus avellana 'Contorta.' This deciduous shrub is a mass of curly, twisted, contorted branches. It is so coiled, it can tie its branches into knots. Branches can look like ringlets and Slinkies. It has distinctive foliage and looks wonderful in the landscape in the spring, summer and fall, but is quite spectacular in the winter, when one can truly appreciate its “madness!” Apparently some people use the wild branches for a startlingly distinctive tall spire in an ikebana arrangement. Harry Lauder apparently used one of the mature branches for a walking stick! Whether you prune the branches for use in arrangements, or simply delight in their gnarled, twisted expressions, it is a wonderful addition to a Central Illinois garden. It’s my favorite—with a very funny name.

Harry Lauder was born in Scotland and The Special Collections of the Library at the University of Glasgow has a page dedicated to Sir Harry Lauder.

The following is my list of perfectly fine plants with some funny names:

Baby’s Breath – Gypsophilia
Bachelor Button - Centaurea
Balloon Flower – Platycodon
Bat Face Cuphoria
Beardstongue - Penstemon
Bear’s Britches - Acanthius
Blanket flower – Gaillardia
Bugbane – Cimifuga
Dead Nettle - Lamium
Devils Beggarticks
False Dragonhead – Physostegia
Foamflower – Tiarella
Hairy Beggarticks (bidens pilosa)
Harry Lauder Walking Stick
Hens and Chickens - Sempervivum
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Jacob’s Ladder – Polemonium
Joe Pye Weed - Eupatorium
Lamb’s Ear – Stachys
Lung Wort - Pulmonaria
Mother-in-law’s Tongue
Naked Lady (licoris)
Painted Daisy – Tanacetum
Pigsqueak – Bergenia
Pin Cushion Flower – Scabiosa
Red Hot Poker - Kniphofia
Sea Holly – Eryngium
Sneezeweed - Helenium
Spiderwort – Tradescantia
Thrift - Armeria
Tick Seed – Coreopis
Toad Lily – Tricyrtis
Turtlehead - Chelone
Wine Cups - Callirhoe

 

Simple Stress Relievers

Ugh! That about summarizes this economy. What’s a person to do? Relieve stress by connecting to flowers and plants--the original “green” things! Here are some simple tips:

Buy some herbs

Even a couple of small pots can brighten your day. Rub your fingers through them anytime for a “pick me up.” Suggestions: basil, rosemary, any mint, thyme. Or your favorite. Use in cooking too!

Enjoy houseplants

Select a blooming plant or a houseplant for your desk or an area where you spend a lot of time. Even before its warm enough to plant outside, there are indoor plants to be found. Or create a terrarium.

Get some seeds

…and grow a couple pots of anything. Honestly, just watching a green sprout of anything poking its head out of the soil is fun. Don’t overdo it. Even a small little plastic microwave meal tray can hold a few seeds. Get one pack of seeds and a small bag of soil. (Use fresh soil; save the rest of the bag for your spring containers.) Follow the instructions on the seed pack. The main ideas are: plenty of light and moderation in watering.

Dry some flowers

Check out details on line, but basically put them between layers of paper towels and leave between the pages in a weighted down phone book for three days, or dry them in your microwave. (Basically between paper towels weighted down with a casserole dish.) Check every 30-seconds. May take 3 minutes or so. Error on under-drying. Dried flowers can be saved in a favorite book or affixed to a window, or glued to a blank card for a special note for a friend.

Edible flowers

Grow or buy some edible flowers (nasturtiums, pansies, or rose petals) and toss them on a salad. Or use for garnish for a dessert. You can make candied petals too. Use clean petals and simple syrup.

Take a class

Take a drawing or painting class from a friend, community college or community art center. Even if you “can’t draw a straight line,” a good teacher will open your eyes to really seeing the complexity and awesome beauty of the trees and plants in nature.

Take photos

Take photos of the your garden spaces and your trees. With the leaves and petals on -- or without them -- you get a new idea of the spaces you are working with. Bring your photos to Hoerr Nursery and the Garden Experts can help you plan out how to have a beautiful garden!

Visit Hoerr Nursery!

Stroll around Hoerr Nursery and enjoy all the beautiful plants. (New spring “cold tolerant” plants arriving mid-March; warm weather plants will follow.) The GardenHouse will have many fountains and a constantly arriving inventory of plants. Last likely freeze date in Central Illinois is around Mother’s day – so we are a long time off, but come in wander and absorb the beauty and find something Spring-ish for inside your home!
 

Seven Tips to Jumpstart Your Lawn for 2010

October is here and it is not too late to work on your lawn! Fall is an excellent time to renovate the lawn and get a jump-start on a beautiful spring yard.

1. Aeration is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. Aerating in the fall will loosen soil, aid in root development, and control thatch. If you’re interested in aeration, contact the Lawn Maintenance unit at Hoerr Nursery (309) 691-4561.

2. Plant new seed to introduce a better quality grass to your lawn. Fall is a great time to lay down new seed, but be sure you get it planted by October 15th!

3. To start the new grass off right, apply a starter fertilizer like Fertilome's New Lawn Starter. To ensure establishment, you must make sure the seed comes in contact with the soil. Apply “topdressing” (a thin layer of soil) over your new seed to make sure it gets the necessary contact. Great quality grass seed for shady or sunny areas can be found at Hoerr Nursery.

4. Bring a soil sample into Hoerr Nursery for a pH test. If the test indicates a need for lime or sulfur to change the soil's pH, fall is a great time to apply. It will be worked into the soil by rain and the freezing and thawing of winter.

5. Get a jump on weed control by applying a liquid spray like Weed Be Gone or a "weed and feed" granular fertilizer like Fertilome's Weed Out.

6. You can continue mowing your lawn until the grass stops growing. Whenever your daily average minimum temperature (normal low) drops below the freezing point, the grass won't be growing appreciably and you can go ahead and do the final mow. You definitely want to get it done before the winter snows start falling!

7. Apply a Winterizing fertilizer to the yard any time between Halloween and Thanksgiving. It will provide a greener, thicker lawn in fall, quicker green up next spring, and increased root development to handle winter stress.

Love your lawn this fall and it will love you back in 2010!

Ella

Introducing - Sara's Garden!

I am embarking on an edible journey. All winter long, I have had thoughts of starting my own vegetable garden. Even though it’s only March and everything still seems wintery, there is plenty I can do to start planning my patch. Over the next couple months I’ll fill you in on the progress of my garden.

Why start my own garden? Well, I talk to a LOT of gardeners that have fond memories of their parents’ or grandparents’ vegetable gardens: of Grandpa scattering lettuce seeds on the last fallen snow, of shelling peas in the afternoon shade. Memories of picking fresh tomatoes and zucchini right off the vine, or making pies, jams, soups and salsas from their fresh picked harvest. Gardening is good for the soul, AND good for the earth.

Not long ago, most families grew vegetable gardens to create nutritious and healthy meals. Now we buy most of our produce from the supermarket. I was shocked to find out that store-bought fruits and veggies may have traveled thousands of miles from farm to plate, even if they were grown locally! By growing my own food I can save money, have fresher, more flavorful foods and be a little kinder to the environment.

So join me as I start my garden! My March “to-do” list includes: selecting seeds, preparing garden beds, and starting a garden journal. What would you like to hear about first? Leave a comment on this post and let me know!