Troll stairway. ....at least in my mind

There is a tree outside of my cul de sac.  I watched the most amazing thing appear over the past two months.  It looks like a troll or perhaps some garden fairies have begun their climb to the  top of the tree.  My imagination runs wild every morning as I wait to capture a quick glimpse of a  mystical creature.

Nature is awesome.......

PAUL......all is now right with the world...

After a whirlwind weekend picking Kale, raspberries and grapes....and enjoying nature, I was happily surprised to find that Paul opened today. 

What is Paul?  It was my favorite establishment  for a quick bite while visiting Paris.  Not a day went by that I did not enjoy watching the inner workings of the kitchen with rows and rows of delectable french pastries tempting my palette.   I would sit outside and patiently wait for my quiche and salad.  Sometimes I would stand and eagerly consider what I would carry out to enjoy at the Tuilleries to snack on as I people watched.

Well, I am home and PAUL is right across the street from my office.  As I sit here and enjoy a quiet personal grand opening....I am so glad PAUL is close by.

A quiet and colorful early autumn......

Speechless about how nature quietly makes you take notice.....of the beauty that surrounds you....

Dahlia's Darling........YOU CAN GROW THAT!

One of the gifts in the garden at this time of the year are the many different faces of the Dahlia.  From the pompom, spiky cactus like, single faced, double to triple layered face, dwarf to dinner plate - the choices are endless, as it is all a matter of taste and where you want that pop of color in the high heat of the July/August garden.  

Hardy in zones 8/9 to 11, the Dahlia can be easily used as a focal point in the garden.  One of the best features of this garden beauty - besides the size and brilliant colors - is the fact that the Dahlia has the longest blooming flowers in cultivation today.  The American Dahlia Society is quite proud of this fact.  Usually purchased as tubers in bags of sawdust or wood shavings in the Spring, these tubers can be planted indoors in pots, until the ground warms up in the Spring.  Given the proper drainage in full to partial sun, this bodacious plant brings a lot of added value to the garden.  Remember what the height is of the dahlia tuber purchased, as some - like the dinner plate dahlia- will need a sturdy staking and room to grow.  I have found that if you pinch back the stem at the node/joint this will encourage full, lush lower growth and abundant bloom.  

One other great thing about Dahlias - they do not need a lot of water.  If planted in organically rich soil, the need for additional fertilizer will be minimal.  I use a drop or two of fish emulsion once a month just for healthier plants, but there have been some years where I have used none and the bloom's have not been affected at all.   If you have a particular Dahlia that you want to grace your garden next year, dig and store them during the winter months and re-pot and replant the next season.

NICE BUDS 

I love Dahlias Darling and most importantly - YOU CAN GROW THAT!

BRIGHT FARMS CROWD FUNDING UPDATE

I consider myself an up front kind of person, a woman on a mission of finding all things beautiful and promoting eco- friendly/sustainable living.  I am excited about the possibilities of Ward 8 getting something positive in it's midst.  Especially something that speaks to the healthy eating and wellness of this under served community.  I am so excited that when I got news of a change in the crowd funding of the Bright Farms/Ward 8/Giant food Greenhouse project, I was completely taken aback.

According to the email I received, the crowdfunding effort has been discontinued.  Any and all monies received will be returned.  The good thing is that the project will still move forward and the funding is in place.

I guess I will not get my supporter kit :( and the party might not happen....................BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY......

THE BRIGHT FARMS GREENHOUSE PROJECT IN WARD 8 IS STILL HAPPENING!!!

Bright Farms,

The residents of Ward 8 are excited about this and look forward to the opportunities that will prove to be fruitful from this venture.  I am looking forward to this innovative idea that will provide resources right here in the Nation's Capital to a community that needs this uplifting project.  We will be keeping our fingers crossed as we watch this project unfold!!

Keeping thoughts of Green and Growing Things...........and of course all things beautiful.  Which Bright Farms...............THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL THING!!!

Sunday Smile....

Hydrangeas Queen of the Summer Garden - You Can Grow That!

Hydrangeas are one of the delights of the summer garden.  I like to think of them as the Queen of the garden because they seem to reign over other summer shrubs with their blooms.  With an array of bloom types, heights and colors, from the traditional Mophead, Lacecaps, Oakleaf to the Ever blooming series, you an count on an outstanding statement for mid to late summer splash of color.

Most hydrangeas tolerate medium/bright shade and some cultivars can withstand full sun.  Therefore it is important to know what cultivar you purchase, what zone you are in and what your growing conditions are.  Averaging in height from 2/3 feet to 6/10 feet, knowing what type you need for that special spot is very important.

Hydrangea's are best planted in early summer or fall.  If you are not sure of the bloom color/size/plant habit, plant it where pruning will not be a necessity.  If you are transplanting an existing hydrangea, this should be done when it is dormant.  Watering deeply rather than often, usually ensures that the roots are getting the moisture that they need.  Also, well draining soil is a necessity to ensure the health and well being of your hydrangea. If you notice that the leaves wilt mid day and/or get brown along the edges, this usually means that it is getting too much sun.

Soil neutrality or acidity can affect the color of your hydrangea.  Turning a pink hydrangea to a shade of blue can be done by adding aluminum to the soil.  In order to change a blue hydrangea to pink you would do the reverse and subtract the aluminum from the soil.  Sometimes this is harder than one would think and some hydrangeas will not change color no matter what you do. Purchasing hydrangeas in bloom definitely allows you to know what color and size your typical bloom will be.

Sometimes the large leaf hydrangea is susceptible to powdery mildew.  As with most plants, this happens when there is high humidity and improper growing conditions (like too much shade).  If grown in too damp conditions, fungal spots might prove to be a problem on the leaves and will eventually cause certain death tot he plant, unless it is relocated.  Oakleaf hydrangeas are very sensitive to soil conditions that are too damp and will surely die if not moved to soil that drains better.  Mites can also become an issue if hydrangeas are not adequately watered  during the dry times of the summer months.  As with most plants, paying attention to small issues and addressing them quickly, will result in a happy shrub and a happy hydrangea owner.  Hydrangea................You Can Grow That!

Mr. Pearl's Wisdom....From The Bottom Up

I love being able to make my dreams a reality.  One of the drams I had was to just touch the hands of Mr. Pearl Fryar...so I made it happen.   Who is Mr. Pearl Fryar and why would this be so important to me?  Allow me to share.

While visiting my daughter in New York, she spoke of my love of gardening to an artist friend of hers.  I was asked if I had seen the video about Mr. Pearl Fryar and his topiary garden.  This caught my attention and I wrote it down to make certain that I followed up on this Mr. Fryar and his garden.  I bought the video and my Dad and I watched it together.  I was amazed, enchanted and knew at that point I was going to have to meet this Mr. Pearl Fryar.

I had the opportunity to go down to Bishopville, South Carolina and seize a few moments with this man whose hand I felt I had to touch.  The hands of a creative gardener, like myself, who had mastered the art of topiary, like Mr. Harvey Ladew - only in my lifetime - with no prior experience.  Mr. Fryar was an educated man, but a simple gardener who won Yard of the Month by the local garden club in 1985.  Who knew that it would urge him on to create the masterpieces that are in his yard today.  In 2006 the video "A Man Called Pearl" was produced and from there friends (organized forming Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, Inc.), interested people and even the Garden Conservancy are pitching in and helping keep Mr. Fryar's vision alive.  As his schedule allows, Mr. Fryar greets visitors from all around this country and even some from around the world.  Imagine all from a Garden of The Month Awardee!!!

I had to ask Mr. Fryar if he had words to share with me.  He shared that at one time he was punished because he wanted to do interesting things with plants as a child.  It was as if he was denied the opportunity to tap into his inner creative self. Fast forward to when he was in his forties....he built his house, planted shrubs and trees of all kinds and treated them in a way that even today perplexes horticulturalists.  Mr.Fryar believes that if we teach kids from the bottom up, they will release a lot of creativity that is missed as we continue to teach from the top down.  Training to learn from a book, we are then book taught with no real experience...just following the leader, so to speak.  From the bottom up, we learn as a seed learns from a mere seed in the ground to a seedling to a plant.  This message makes simple sense to me.

Here are some examples of Mr. Fryar's hands on work....

One of Mr. Pearl Fryar's proudest accomplishment's is how he could create a topiary from a Live Oak.  As he says, this has stymied the experts.  He just might share how this can be done as he writes his book.  I personally cannot wait to read it.  Even after meeting and touching this true man of the earth, I am even more so amazed and impressed by his talent.

At this time, Mr. Pearl Fryar has a part time helper who he is training in the art of Topiary, five days a week, a few hours a day.  While this is appreciated help, it will take a team of creative artisans to maintain the work that one man started over forty years ago.  Age and time has a way of stealing some of the greatest talent and lesser known secrets on this earth.  It would be a shame to not go see this Artisan, Gardener and Knowledgeable Man of the Earth...to touch his hand, hear words of his wisdom and allow the sense of peace to touch your heart and soul.

Take a moment to visit Mr. Pearl Fryar, watch the video or contribute:
www.pearlfryar.com
www.gardenconservancy.org
info@pearlfryar.com

Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden
PO Box 1111
Bishopville, SC  29010

Trust me, you will be glad you did.....I am!!

Freedom Weekend of sorts......

 

 

My nephew, James graduated on May 18th from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York a few weekends ago - with honors.  My brother's only son has accomplished a task that has made all of us very proud of him.  He is now free, in a way, to chart his own course to success.  He will continue on to Wake forest where he will work on his Masters, another rite of passage towards freedom.  Each of Jame's family members - from his parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins - played a part in the cultivation of this young man.  Even his crazy aunt  (Me) with the funny "dress" high top tennis shoes.  I tried to plant the seed of individuality and just being himself.  After all, no one likes an impostor or the person who just goes along to get along.  Strong leaders are true to themselves.......

 

Which leads me to the second part of my Freedom Weekend.  I could not go to Upstate new York without attempting to make an effort to pay homage to a Shero of mine. As a little girl, I have always admired and respected strong women.  Women who rocked the boat ...but did not fall off.  Women who felt confidant in their freedom of choice always seemed to get my attention.  One of these women was short in stature, strong willed in spirit, defiant by nature and was true to herself in every way imaginable.  She settled for little that was not right, spoke of freedom and then just made it happen - boldly and confidently.  This woman was called the Moses of her people.  Her original name was Araminta Ross, but I know, admire and love her as Harriet Tubman. 

 

Fort Hill Cemetary Entrance

Schematic noting who is buried there and where

I knew that her burial took place at the Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, New York.  She is buried in a place where many other people of note are buried as well.  How could I be so close and not pay homage to this wonderful, powerful and fearless woman.  I had to stop and ask a couple of neighborhhood people who were standing outside,  if I was at the right entrance to the Cemetery where Ms. Harriet Tubman-Davis slept.  They directed me to go in and bear to my left towards the West Lawn C and go down the curve and she was resting under a big tree.  My nerves were right under my skin, or so it felt as I cautiously ventured into the Fort Hill Cemetery and my eyes welled up with tears.  There were many large trees and I asked my grandsons and my godson to assist me in this search.

 

It was music to my ears when my eldest grandson, Tyree, clearly and calmly stated "Grandma - it is right here Harriet Tubman - Davis".  With caution I proceeded to the marker that  sat between two small boxwoods and at the base of a wonderful huge evergreen.....it was here that I wept.... I  had found my Shero. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Mrs. Harriet Tubman-Davis resting with memento's of previous visitors before me.  I brought nothing to share with her except my words of promise.  A commitment of sorts to continue my quest of freedom to share my love of gardening, educate others about the freedom of expression that gardening allows and to make every attempt to share my horticultural skills with others who are interested in gardening, by giving back to my community.  After all, she gave of herself to her people with total abandon..

 

Cultivating another persons gardening skills, can help with beautification efforts within the community or their own dwelling, can lead to potential employment opportunities and enhance a personal appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us daily.  After all, as a people, this is what we know. 

 

I sincerely appreciate Mrs. Tubman and everything that she accomplished in her lifetime. Talk about a woman on a mission........she knew she could be free, so she just kept walking.  Her only plan was to convince others that she could find freedom by following the North Star, size up the people she met along the way and be successful in her efforts  Simply by allowing the stars be her guide. Sort of like gardening, sometimes there is no plan only inspiration.  You find a plot, a plant and then you have the freedom to build and create an abundance of beauty that will surround you.............Freedom to wear my beaded dress tennis shoes whenever and wherever I want....what a mindset and what a weekend!!!

 

Have you found your freedom???

 

 

Thankful for Thursday.......

As a gardener, I always get a tad antsy for the weekend.  It is my time to thoroughly immerse myself into my world of horticultural fantasies of non stop gardening.  When I get to The Cottage - depending on the day, the time, the temps - I realize how thankful I am for my garden.  I am gifted daily with something that went unnoticed that morning...sometimes that week.  Today on this thankful Thursday,  I share what gifts my garden left for me.  I am thankful everyday, but today I am thankful for  this Thursday.......enjoy!

Lily of the Valley - You Can Grow That

Convallaria majalis, more commonly known as Lilly of the Valley, is one of those no fail, easy to grow perennials. Sold by the bag in the form of pips or in pots, this plant says sweet simplicity in its stature and scent.  Found in the northern hemisphere of this continent (zones 2 - 7) this British plan is normally about 6 - 8 inches all.  The roots form a fibrous mass of rhizomes that can, in the right setting, take over. Sun, sun/part shade to dappled shade, damp, rich, somewhat well draining soil, will quickly allow this plant to set up camp - even in less than perfect conditions. Imagine a hillside in fragrant bloom, under the dappled shade of mature trees...

Grown in a container by the door, Lilly of the Valley will provide a sweet fragrance that is easily carried by gentle breezes and are perfect cut flowers for bringing indoors or for sharing with a neighbor.  Late spring bell shaped, scalloped edge blooms have been found to be rabbit and deer resistant.  Sometimes these pants are prone to anthracnose, but if spotting occurs on the leave, cut them off immediately and discard (do not compost diseased foliage)Rosea is a blush pink blooming cultivar and a larger more stately cultivar is Fortinis Giant, growing 10 - 12 inches.

Old English folklore states that Saint Leonard battled a huge dragon and was sorely injured.  After slaying the dragon, everywhere Saint Leonard's blood fell, Lillie's of the Valley sprang from the soil.To this day, Saint Leonard's Forest in England is thickly carpeted with Lilly of the Valley.

Pot or Pip, white or pink, sort or tall... Lilly of the Valley.....You Can Grow That!

Silent Saturday....Oh how sweet it is....

Nature is a buzzin.....

I am in the middle of cleaning a client yard and something made me pause.  A bee was buzzing around hunting, searching for the right spot, the right moment to burrow into the ground.  What captured my attention was the speed of its wings.  The bees wings caused the soul and mulch remnants I was retrieving, to move in a circular fashion.  Amazing......... sometimes when in the garden, take a moment to pause and pay homage to nature and all things beautiful.....especially the bees......

Look closely and you can see this bee's success....

Seasonal Tease

I remember Saturday....in my t shirt, no jacket and admiring my backyard clean up....finally. 

Today, I begrudgingly pull out my faithful white WINTER jacket to see what's blooming outside.....well...I thought I would find more but other than my favorite daffodils, I found Pulmanaria and the last few blooms from my weeping cherry tree.  The red Camellias are hanging in as well.  I wish Spring would not be so shy and fight off this winter blast......

Memories of Spring.........

Well, winter has finally gone.  If you are like me, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever be able to start my Spring clean up before to got too hot.  If I would be able to enjoy watching my hostas rise above the soil like torpedo's or watch the peonies go from tiny red points at soil level to tall burnished red stems of potential fantabulous blooms.  I wondered if Winter would ever give us a break.  Well it finally happened and we have had some awesome weather the past few days.  I finally put the winter coat away and started moving things from indoors to the greenhouse, started getting my shipments from Bluestone Perennials, finally started back walking through my garden in the morning before work, to stay on top of issues that might arise and to just enjoy the beauty that surrounds me.  It is finally Spring at the Cottage In The Court.

I am slowing it down a little this year, so I can actually stop and smell the roses in my own back yard.  I am installing a pond to create an environment to pause and just breathe.  Not that I can't pause the way it it now, I just want that added feature to invoke another place to commune with nature in my own back yard.  I have been busy with off-site projects for the past few years and have missed my own garden and the joy that it brings, as well as the memories. One of the memories is what I call Lexi's Walk.

My niece, Lexi Speight lost her battle with a rare cancer at 8 years old.  The year Lexi left us, I bought some daffodils from the American Cancer Society. Daffodils were in a picture that Lexi and her sister Samantha had shared with me in the past.  I have always loved daffodils as they increase year after year...(like Love)...which makes me love them more and more.  I planted these three years ago in honor of Lexi and this year they are blooming like crazy.  It reminds me of the Love we have for Lexi and her spirit of happiness as her memory graces my garden and at this time every Spring.  I could not have thought of a better way to honor Lexi than with a walk of her own accented by a Yoshino Cherry, native Redbud and Red Camellia's..

I also noticed how the Camellia's were blooming in abundance this year.  Not as big as in years past..... however our drought last year could have had an impact on them.  I will feed them coffee grounds and irrigate them this year. Most importantly, they survived the vortex's of this past winter.....WHEW!!

Spring is in the air and in my garden with the perennial memories that I anticipate every year - the hellebore's, the epimedium, the muscari, the peonies, the Hakone grass (the wild onions...ugh) and the anticipation of what  summer will bring!!!

Enjoy Spring as it will merely be a memory sooner than we think!!!

Food Justice, Passionate Thoughts on Edible Gardening or Awesome Moments with Michael Twitty.......

I had a terrific opportunity to share a morning with The Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers.  Michael Twitty, Afroculinaria and a local culinary historian spoke on Food Justice. I have to say that his young man is as awesome as they come n gardening circles....or at least that is my opinion.

I have admired Michael since I discovered www.Afroculinaria.com and appreciated his perspective on rediscovering and historically identifying the traditions of African American food.  This is the first website that is specifically geared towards the preservation of the history of African American food.   As I said  he is awesome.  Lately he has shared his talents on the PBS Series "Many Rivers to Cross" among other things. His latest project is called The Cooking Gene that follows his families roots from West and Central Africa through history.

While speaking with Michael prior to his presentation, I realized that we agree on many things about our heritage.  One of the main things that he is endorsing and one of the things that I ponder daily is how to reconnect young people with the earth.  Many African Americans have limited knowledge of the connectivity of how to grow food and what to grow, as it relates to our health and our finances.  There was a time when we had nothing to eat except for scraps.  We shared communally those scraps and created what is now in some areas "delicacies"....but at the time it was all we had to eat.  We bartered and took ownership of what were then tight knit communities.  Our communities and the land that was available was considered sacred space.  We have lost this thought process and it is so important that it be embraced once again.  Michael also believes that we should ask the question - who is controlling our food legacy within our communities???  Food can be a common denominator within our multicultural communities. Connecting with the Elders within our communities can provide narratives that we will miss as generations pass.

We need to find or create resources to acquire affordable land to grow and teach others how to grow and share.  One of the examples he shared was the wonderful work that is being done by Five Seeds Farm in Baltimore, Maryland.  I have not met Mr. Mitchell, however I have heard that he is a  man that I need to know. He started with a farm and brought the art of organic gardening/farming to the urban environs of Baltimore City where he now trains Baltimore City Youth to not only grow, but to market their food products and become better business owners.  Talk about recycling the knowledge gained to better a community...this gives me goose bumps!!! Communal gardening and sharing if knowledge......just like in the communities that our ancestors knew. Communities are built through food and we need to build better communities that rely on it's citizens to be strong and prosperous.

Michael Twitty, I applaud your efforts and I want to help in this effort of building better communities through food and cultural sharing.  Let's get this community building started..........

( photo on the run...I am sure we will have other opportunities for photo ops)

Lettuce begin the season

I had to use the lettuce as an icebreaker since gardening is a communal effort - even if it is a communal effort of one person but many plants.  Plants can bring communities together.  Whether it be communities of people, animals or plants, communal efforts work best.

I had this bright idea that things I did when my daughters were little could be reinvented and shared with my grandsons.  I strongly feel that children today miss out on a lot of things because of the lack of communal efforts.  I thought that if I grew lettuce and shared with the children in their classes to show them how to reuse, recycle and reduce waste  in the landfills and eat healthy at the same time, it would be a great thing.  Something different than the norm. I am sure that many of us remember the bean in the Dixie cup that we did not know what to do with after it sprouted.  With lettuce, it can be eaten as it is or dressing with a little dressing.  I started the seedling on the dining room table as the last snow storm of the season was brewing outside.

old holiday baskets that were too good to just throw away, I saved just for this purpose....

I also saved candy containers and salad bowls and even a plastic chicken container to repurpose as planters. I then saved  and collected toilet paper and paper towel rolls to use as individual pots for the children to take home.  These could be planted in the soil as the paper will disintegrate and go back to the earth....continuing the cycle.....

The assorted lettuce and Danvers half long carrots grew and grew and then became leggy due to inferior lighting conditions. I was not erecting grow lights an such in the dining room, but I was going to make this work.  I had a plan and I was not going to fail....after all this was for my grandsons!!!  So I pulled out my little stand alone pop up green house that I use to store tender annuals until the proper time for planting.  (Nothing worse than planting a spring garden earlier than the calendar states and then for a nice frost to come and wipe the slate clean.) I wanted to make sure that the plants had some sturdy growth and were simply beautiful......I put them in the greenhouse.  The end results...

I know .......they look so excited!!!  However this gift to my grandsons to celebrate earth day and to share with their classmates will at least for Earth Day, allow the children to reflect on reusing, recycling and reducing everyday items.  It will also make them rethink how they can garden no matter where they live - apartment or home, a container garden is what you make it!!!  Lettuce garden communally and share our ideas and thoughts to invoke better stewardship to our land.  How will you celebrate Earth Day in your neighborhood or at home??