Mother's Day 2010

This year our focus was the front yard of Mom's yard for her Mother's Day Gift. We purchased a white flowering crab apple tree. Garry made some frames out of some landscaping timbers to match the flowerbed located in front of the house. We decided to center the two boxes which meant we had to re-locate one that had been used for a birdbath. With both boxes in...we planted one with the tree...and the other with her hanging bird feeders. I planted some black-eyed Susan's below them.We will add mulch at a later date.

Edgewood Hostas 2010

Edgewood Hostas
W2784 County Road JJ Kaukauna, WI

Still my favorite little home based greenhouse. I would love to do this full time and quit my job....but what would I do in the winter? I need to move to a fair weather climate year round and open "Ann's Garden Path" for real.  

She even supplied me some badly needed pots for my plant sale. Thanks again, Patty. Paula and I enjoy our visit with you every year.

First trip this season to Honeymoon Acres

Still my favorite greenhouse (Honeymoon Acres) to get my coleus that I use in most of my planters. My plant of choice because very little care is needed to get impressive results. I really like this pictues, the hanging baskets reminded me of the sky covering the plants below.

This colorful guy tried to grab my camera...I think he was camera shy, or maybe he didn't think he could compete with the blooms. 

 I love all the colors....combos..and scents....eye candy for the soul!

Bird Juice!!

I decided along with the hummingbirds, I am also going to try to entice orioles to my yard. I placed it in the front yard so I can keep an eye on it from the living room.

A Sweet Magnolia Surprise!

OMG....I am so excited...I walked into the back yard today.....to check on things that need to be divided and I found a pleasant surprise,....My Magnolia tree is BLOOMING. I have had this tree over 5 years. I have had to move it twice and the rabbits make a feast of it each year. I had almost given up on it ever blooming.  But like any gardener, if its not dead, there is always hope. That hope was rewarded this year.

Handy Hint for Dividing Plants

I have learned a lesson not to let your Iris plants go undivided to long. I had three clumps that had to be moved because I had planted them in the corner of the patio, big mistake. They were starting to get very crowded. I dug up all three clumps and proceeded to try to split them. After trying many different methods..I finally found one that worked. I will be using this method again..for those hard to divide plants. I used a axe and hammer to slip them into smaller clumps and then used my hands to divide the bulbs. I will be re-planting these beauties into a area of  my garden where they will have plenty of room for them to grow.

Spring 2010 Migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

I am going to try to entice some flying beauties to my garden this year. I have had a few over the years venture into my garden without trying. I hope with a little effort I will be rewarded with the flying gems feasting on the feeders that will be filled with the sweet nectar they crave.

Hummingbird Map

Spring Clean Up

Mike cleaned out the pond today...ick...it smelled so bad...you never get used to that smell. I cleaned up the water lilies and placed some fresh gravel on the top. The girls stopped over today..and they had to feed the fish that are downstairs, just waiting to get back to the great outdoor. Also pictured is a firepit I got at Goodwill, for only $34.99. can't wait to fire this baby up..

A pool is the eye of the garden in whose candid depths is mirrored its advancing grace.
- Lousie Bebe Wilder

Pathway--Start and End

Mike added to our concrete pathway. He uses a form to create it. He extended it to the pergola and joined the two flowerbeds together. I hope he will add a little more next year to meet up to the area by the backdoor patio. I think it will look finished because it will have a start and an end. "A garden is never so good as it will be next year."-- Thomas Cooper

One Idea Becomes Another!

What started as an idea to use Lorie’s old gazebo frame as a structure to support some triumph vines, took on a life of its. After putting it together we soon found out it would not be strong enough. I asked Mike to add some wood beams to the corners. That led to a top, a shelf and lattice to the back for some privacy to our little garden get-away. We now have a VERY NICE pergola. Didn’t Mike do an awesome job? Then I said we didn’t need the gazebo frame anymore. We will paint it all white next year giving the green treated wood time to dry. I did find another use for Lorie’s old gazebo frame. I took it apart and attached them to the fence and will plant some more triumph vine to give the fence some vertical interest.

All good work is done the way ants do things: Little by little. Lafcadio Hearn

Mom Enjoys her Garden

Her birthday gift just keeps giving and giving.

Mom's Birthday Gift

My brothers and I decided to add a pond to our Mothers backyard and improve on the flowerbed we did last year for her. Mike and I had to purchase a new cattle troft (that is where we winter over our pond fish in the basement) because it had a small leak in it. So we decided we would use that for the base of the pond and just add a pond liner to it. We also decided to take out the edging we did last year and replace it with stone. It is mush easier to cut the grass around the flowerbeds. After seeing the chocolate colored mulch I prefer in my garden my Mom decided she wanted that also, which made me very happy…. I hate that red stuff and the cocoa shells. It was a bitch getting rid of all the other stuff, but well with it when you see the results. The sound of water in a garden is a must. Mom always says she doesn’t want anything for her birthday…but who can’t use a pond and flowerbeds. It didn’t cost much money, just a lot of sweat and love. It’s a good home for all my divided perennials.

We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without
hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers.
- Seneca

The Big Tomato Experiment.

The Big Tomato Experiment.

I decided I was going to try something new with my tomatoe's this year. I am in the process of re-doing and adding a food-garden which will not be ready for use till late in the season. So I decided to grow some tomatoes in pots. I also know I have enough to water already, so I am going to water my tomato plants using a wicking method. I sure hope this works. I have enough 5 gallon pails left over from the studio remodel we did upstairs. This will be a good use for them all.

Items I used to make the planters:
5 Gallon pail with lid
A pot that fits nicely on top of the pail lid
100% cotton rope
Nuts and bolts
Drill
Scissors
Drill Bits
Wire Fencing

1. The first thing I did was attach the lid of the pail to the bottom of the pot. Drill two holes and secure with bolts and nuts.

2. Drill six holes around the lid/pot spaced evenly. I also drilled a hole on the side of pail towards the top that I will use to fill the pail with water as needed.

3. Cut three lengths of rope to thread into the holes so the ends are inside the pot, and to leave enough to hang inside of the pail.

4. Make a wire frame to fit inside of the pot.

Fill pail with water and make sure you get the rope wet that is inside the pot also. This is to make the wicking action start easier.

Place the wire frame inside the pot and hang the rope over the frame as far up the inside of the pot without pulling the length out of the bottom of pail.
I filled the pots with a potting mixture of compost, perlite and peat moss.Planted the tomato plants and gave them a light watering. The test begins

Memorial Day, is a day of remembrance.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. So between all your barbeque's and lemonades take a minute and remember why have this 3 day week-end.
This is my niece's little girl Hailey and her dog, Harley . They came over to buy my two old desk I know longer need now that my studio is all done. She is a great little helper.

Men love their country, not because it is great, but because it is their own. ~Seneca

Crap Apple Blooms and Trumpet Vine Rooting!

The trumpet vines that were a gift from another gardener (I call her the "naughty Ann", guess I will have to re-think that) is rooting nicely and showing signs of green growth. I am going to add this to my newly acquired gazebo. A wind storm tore the material cover off my sisters gazebo. She is going to buy a new one. I told her I would take the old one off her hands. I plan to place it were the swimming pool used to be. I am hoping the vines will take over the metal frame and make a good spot to place a hammock.
Our Crab Apple is blooming. I only wish these blossoms would last longer. It's so pretty. I cut some and added them to my vase that was filled with some fresh cut lilacs. My studio smells so good and Tater (our cat) can't get to them, see he is not allowed upstairs. I will be able to enjoy fresh cut flowers indoors once again.

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. ~Ruth Ann Schabacker

Early trip to the dump and day of clean up.

We went to the dump yesterday and seen they were grinding a fresh batch of compost, we had to go back today to fill up the trailer. For the price it can't be beat. It's FREE! It is the secret to my gardens success!

It was really nice today. I dug all the plants that I had saved in pots, out of their winter resting place today. Now Mike can give the flower bed another treatment of killer. There is still some of that ground cover coming up.

I placed all the plants on the patio, till i can get them planted again. I didn't lose to many. I started to give some away to new homes. Less I have to keep watered.

I weeded one flower bed today. It is already for some new mulch, but I want to wait till the neighbors maple tree drops it's awful seeds. I hate those trees...they are so messy and makes a gardener work twice as hard, trying to get them out of the flower beds before they start to grow a little forest.
This is my new wagon....I can leave it out and if it gets wet it will not rust like my old little red wagon did. I can hose this one off and let it air dry.

Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. ~Lou Erickson