.February 5, 2009-Some of our 15" of snow has melted, but there are still piles and drifts. The only bare spots are where all the snow blew away on gusty days and nights last week. Today it was 3 degrees at 7 a.m., but at least the sun is shining, so I am grateful. The seedlings don't mind the cold, as they are tucked into the warm greenhouse. However, a few days ago, it wasn't so warm, as a large section of the greenhouse roof came loose and was flapping in the wind! So, in 8 degree blustery weather, I was on a ladder for hours, replacing poly lock strips, and trying to repair a tear. Needless to say, tape doesn't stick well in those temperatures. Fortunately, on Super Bowl Sunday, the temperature skyrocketed to forty-two degrees, so I climbed up the ladder and retaped it. So far, so good. The new website is nearly complete, and we are looking at making it "live" around Feb. 17th I hope you will check it out and be pleased at all the new opportunities, articles, and information. The February E-newsletter will go out just before then, probably around Feb. 12. The boxes are arriving at the Barn with all the new spring inventory, but it has been too cold to spend much time unpacking. It will feel like Christmas when we do.
January 1, 2009! It just seems impossible that another year is beginning already! Where did November and December go? At least 2009 is off to a beautiful start. Thanks to a heads-up from my friend, Bob, we saw the gorgeous new moon and two planets last evening and it was definitely worth braving the cold. Now today, we have a beautiful, sunny , albeit chilly (actually downright COLD, 28 degrees, but a STIFF wind) day. I'd like to stay inside and hibernate, but the wind has blown some screens off the gazebo. If we don't replace them, we soon have birds sheltering in there, and while I have sympathy for their desire to find a haven out of the wind, I have a stronger desire to not have to scrub bird do-do off the floor and furniture! I'll also venture over to the greenhouse, and maybe even plop in a few seeds since it is sunny. I also want to turn a couple more pots of amaryllis up and give them a drink. They've been resting for over six weeks in a dry, dark place. As soon as they show a bit of growth, I'll bring them into the house and put them on a sunny window. I'll also bring a styrofoam cooler (to protect them on their short journey) of any plants that look especially nice to cheer up the house since the Christmas decorations will be coming down this week. There are several pretty primroses, a gorgeous rosemary, and a pineapple sage in bloom. The foliage of the Rex begonias always look nice, and I'll bring a pot of parsley and chives in for the kitchen windowsill. Since I have room on the propagating mat right now, I may go ahead and start a few more begonias. They are so easy to do from leaf cuttings, especially with bottom heat. Once I start seeding in earnest again, the mats will be too full of seeds that require that heat, so I should do it now.
I've been enjoying browsing through the stack of seed catalogs that always arrive this time of year. It always makes me want to till a huge space for a massive vegetable garden like I had when the kids were all home, and we were doing farmers' markets. There are so many new, and re-introduced heirloom varieties that tempt me. But, until I can find some additional employees that are willing to weed, and actually know what to weed out, I already have plenty of gardens to care for, without adding more!
One of my New Year's Resolutions is to be a better communicator for you, to be more timely with the garden journal, and to try to answer more of your questions, to provide more really useful information. If you see me lagging, zap an e-mail reminder, and I will be thankful! Hugs to you all, Blessings as we begin another year together, and may the winter be short, wherever you are! Carolee
October 8, 2008-Finally, some rain, although not nearly enough. The leaves are changing and dropping, the plants are madly forming seeds. We had just a touch of frost already, so I've harvested the basil, peppers, and tomatoes. We do have a lovely crop of turnips and late beans coming on, and a small bed of lettuce that I hope has time to mature before really cold weather. It is time already to take the shade cloths off the sales area and store it away. I've been spending lots of time taking cuttings and moving plants into larger pots for the winter. It just doesn't seem possible that the growing season outdoors is over. The pineapple sage is just beginning to be covered with its bright red nectar-filled flowers, but the hummingbirds have already left. I've been moving perennials around, filling in with mums, and generally puttering. I love the lazy pace of autumn, as opposed to the frantic speed of spring chores. There's nothing better than sitting in the lavender field taking cuttings, listening to football games, sipping apple-cinnamon tea, watching the leaves turn color and the clouds amble across the sky. May you find peace and satisfaction in your gardens, too!
August 1, 2008! It is hard to believe the summer has gone so quickly! The gardens got off to such a great start with lovely weather. Now, we really, really need rain to keep the beautiful phlox, daylilies, liatris, coneflowers, and all the other perennials and annuals happy. The gardens are filled with butterflies, and we are getting the lavender field sheared. We'll need some rain to get new growth to propagate though. We've had several great groups come to visit, and enjoyed each one. Our trip to Italy was magical, and the HSA conference in Boston was terrific, too. I'll be traveling quite a bit in the coming weeks to do book signings.
May 7, 2008; I have so negligent in writing in this journal, and I apologize to readers. Spring has finally arrived, and with it, the work load that is overwhelming. We are cleaning gardens, deadheading bulbs, planting as we can between the storms, and re-filling the plant sales benches as quickly as we can each week. When it rains, we're working in the greenhouse, transplanting plants from seed flats and plug flats into their own little pots, printing labels, and making plant signs which keep disappearing with every storm. Somewhere in Ohio or Pennsylvania, there are dozens and dozens of "Carolee's Herb Farm" plant signs!
Overall, it has been a beautiful spring. Right now, the redbuds, fruit trees and tulips are gorgeous. The lungworts, hellebores, variegated Solomon's Seal and Golden bleeding heart in the Enchanted Forest are lovely. The Cottage Garden is tidy and growing well. The Butterfly & Hummingbird garden is about half-planted, and we've begun planting in the Cook's Garden. The Sun-loving perennials, Sunrise, and Children's gardens have been tidied. So, we're making progress. It's just much slower than I'd like.
March 23, 2008; Hurrah! We saw two robins and the first yellow crocuses opened in the past two days! Of course, we also had snow yesterday and heavy frost this morning, but there's sunshine, so we're happy. The plants are, too. Every day of sunshine allows us to actually watch the plants grow! It is really amazing. We're hoping to be able to move plants this week, once we've studied the forecast. The Big Barn Gift shop is all ready for customers when we open April 1. In the meantime, we're transplanting, transplanting, transplanting! Happy Easter to one and all!
March 6, 2008; Snow-covered ground, and more predicted. There have been so few sunny days, that we are caught up in the greenhouse until the seedlings grow a bit more. It's too cold to work in the unheated coldframe, and the plants aren't awake yet anyway. So, we are working on the barn displays. The boxes are arriving by the truckload. I'm having a difficult time....I want to keep everything for myself rather than put a price tag on it and risk someone buying it!!! Can't believe we open in only 24 days! My daughter and her family are arriving from Germany on Saturday, so work will come to a halt while I play and bake cookies with the grandbabies. Wicca can't wait for them to arrive...she's been missing all of you!
February 19, 2008: A beautiful snowfall covers every branch, twig and wire creating a fairytale landscape today. The greenhouse is almost all caught up while we wait for enough sunny days to make the next round of seedlings grow big enough to transplant. The next batch of cuttings are on the heat mats, and all the pots are filled, just waiting on things to grow. Meanwhile, I am spending lots of time writing and office work, knowing that there won't be time for any of it soon.
January 10, 2008: Well, in typical Indiana fashion, our frigid weather and snow was replaced by rain, then temperatures in the sixties! I'd say this was unusual, but a check of my journals for the past six years indicates that these wildly swinging weather styles are typical for central Indiana. If nothing else, it keeps us on our toes. We are grateful for any day with sunshine, which keeps the greenhouse furnaces from devouring gallons of fuel. Besides, the plants are so much happier on sunny days, and so am I! I'll be heading out to Atlanta for all the gift marts tomorrow. Their pansies will be in bloom, and it will feel like Spring! I'm sure I'll find treasures for the Barn, and spend more than I should. Look for a report here when I return.
January 3, 2008; Hope all of you had wonderful holidays filled with love. Once again, I sit and marvel that another year has flown by, with so many goals left unfinished. Today, it is 5 degrees, and snow is falling. Tomorrow, I travel to the Midwest Horticultural Conference. Hope to see lots of new and interesting plants, supplies, and goodies of all kinds. Since the farm closed for the winter, I have been busy on a writing project, which is nearing completion. I've also started on the Spring Newsletter, but it is slow going, since all the schedule has to be finalized, the seeds ordered so we'll know what we are going to feature, and travel plans made. It is always a big chore, and I have had trouble staying with it, since we've been traveling so much. The Barn is total chaos. We packed up everything that has to be moved to new display areas for next year, and completed lots of painting projects. We did lots of flea marketing and estate sales to purchase unusual containers, and right now, they are piled everywhere. I really need to make a timeline to ensure we get everything done.
October 3, 2007;The season has ended at the farm! It just flew by this year. We have begun putting things away, and moving plants closer to the greenhouses so it will be easier to move things inside when frost threatens. I've been spending lots of time propagating plants by cuttings and collecting seeds. The weather has been lovely, although still very dry. The days are getting shorter and the color tones are changing. The hummingbirds have left, so without their antics and customers' visits, it is very quiet and restful at the farm. We had a brief shower on Wednesday morning, so I worked on seed orders. It is hard to believe that I will be seeding pansies and violas next month! The garden cycle continues year round for me--thank goodness!
July 12, 2007; I can't believe it has been a month since I wrote in this journal! Just don't know where the days go! We have done a bit of traveling since I wrote last. David and I escaped for a weekend to "do" the Brown County (IN) Garden and Artist's Studio tour. It was great fun driving my little car in the beautiful hills of southern Indiana. We saw some great art, some not so great gardens, but we appreciated the effort and the weather was gorgeous. Had a wonderful meal at the famous Story Inn, and just enjoyed some time together. Then it was busy, busy, busy prepping for Lavender Daze at the farm. The lavenders came into bloom so early this year, that I was nervous that we would have the darkest lavenders still in bloom....they were, but barely. Since that weekend, the girls have been harvesting as fast as they can to cut while the plants are still at their prime. With the heat, and no rain, they change in just a few days.
David and I went to the International Barbershop Competition in Denver last week. We left two days early, so we could spend some time at Rocky Mountain National Park. What a beautiful place! We walked around Bear Lake, and enjoyed all the wildflowers that were just popping up. It is a short growing season in Denver, but the gardens at the Botanical Gardens were just amazing. I'm trying to work out if we can do a bus trip there in the future.
Since then, I've been watering (still no significant rain) and weeding, collecting seeds, taking cuttings, and enjoying the barn full of hanging lavender. The flowers are just gorgeous right not....lots and lots of things in bloom. What a great time of year...now if it would just RAIN!
June 13, 2007; Still no rain, so we are spending all our time dragging hoses, trying to keep what we have planted alive. Some days, when the drying wind/breeze is blowing, we are having to water the flats three times! The greenhouse was 126 degrees today, so keeping the plants that are still in there happy is not an easy chore. I'd love to get them all moved out, but we're too busy dragging hoses!
The extreme heat and drought has brought the lavender into bloom early. We began picking today. I hate to see the purple rows disappear already, but they are (like all the flowers this year)budding one day, blooming the next, and drying up the third! It is sad to see things changing so quickly that we barely have time to enjoy them.
In any spare moments from watering, usually between 6 and 9:30 p.m. I am trying to get mulch on the gardens. They are actually looking pretty good as long as they are watered, but miss their every third day routine, and everybody wilts (some to the crispy, never to return point!) I'm ready to go to Ireland, where everything is green!
Packed into the watering, are all the preparations for Lavender Daze, plus trying to find time to spend with my daughter's family as they prepare to move to Germany for four years. We kept their yellow lab for a year and a half while they were in England, but somehow we aren't getting to keep the 3year old Thomas the Train lover Evan, and fairy-child Eleanor, who just had her first birthday while they go to Germany......something just doesn't seem right here! Time to water...that's it for today.
May 27, 2007; I should be at the farm planting. After the nice (but too brief) shower we had on Friday, the ground is finally softened a bit for digging, and the overcast skies and forecast for rain is perfect planting weather. I'll go over in just a bit. The gardens are really coming along, especially the Cottage, Purple, Shade and Enchanted Forest. They are filled with colorful perennials. Now, if I can just get the annuals added, then mulched, we'll be set for the summer! The Cook's Garden is already providing dozens of tasty salads. I've been mixing beautiful lettuces, chickory, sorrel and chives with various herbs and edible flowers, then dressed with a light balsamic/basil viniagrette. Yum! The peas, beans, and salsify are up, but no sign of the beets:( I've just begun planting in the Moonlight Garden. Should have gotten the sweet alyssum in sooner, but it was just so hot and dry that I decided to wait. Of course, the Fairy Garden has been charming and pretty since April 1, and it is still looking great. The miniature coral bells, Pixie Dianthus and sweet woodruff have added their color to the primroses, violas and other tiny plants that have been blooming since early Spring. The Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden is already doing its job--providing lots of nectar for its flying visitors. The Dames Rocket has been blooming for weeks, and is now being joined by lots of other perennials, and a few annuals that I put in a week ago. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the gardens at the moment. I just haven't had time to work in them, because I've spent most hours of the day dragging hoses trying to keep the plants watered! The sales areas are just bursting with plants, and the greenhouses are STILL full, so it's a major time-grabber. Better get planting!
April 29, 2007; Spring is back! It doesn't seem possible that all of the early bloomers are already gone. We had such a very brief time to enjoy them! Now the fruit trees are blooming, and the last of the narcissus, and of course zillions of dandelions. I can't believe that it is almost the first of May, and I only have 2 gardens tidied! We have not even been able to mow the entire farm yet, just spots here and there between rains. We did manage to get the Cottage opened for sales this week since we couldn't work in the gardens. We store all the picnic tables, benches, and fairy garden decor in there over the winter. After we moved all that out, we were able to sweep and unpack boxes. It still need a bit of "decorating", but it will do for now. I hope I can do lots in the gardens this week, but we have standing water everywhere and the ground is soggy, soggy, dripping wet.
April 22, 2007; What a beautiful day this was! I spent most of it playing in the fairy garden. What fun! First I removed the covering of leaves and twigs that had blown in to see what perennials were there. The pink sweet woodruff has really spread, from a tiny start given to be by a friend two years ago. The primroses look lovely. The miniature chives, "Pixie" Dianthus, miniature coral bells, miniature hostas, miniature betony, etc. all look great. I added a new "Pygmy" Penstemon and a "Gold Elf" Spirea, lots of violas, sweet alyssum and a new twig fence (since I had to pick up all those twigs, might as well put them to use!) Then I added 3 fairy houses from the new collection I ordered from an artist in Canada. Put in some stone paths, fairy furniture, fairies, our painted slates, and MAGIC!
April 4, 2007; Winter has returned, with a covering of snow on my gazebo, and shivering plants and bulbs everywhere! A huge section of the Enchanted Forest garden slid into the creek. The path is gone, as well as dozens of shade-loveing plants. I hope to rescue many others that are one the brink this week! What a sad mess....We are continuing to transplant seedlings, but we're running out of room for them, since we had to move the pansies, primroses and other early annuals back into the coldframe and barn for warmth. Sure hope the weather settles soon! THanks to all of you who came to our Afternoon Open House. We had a great time, and it was so good to see all of you again. Wicca is especially happy to have customers back, to give her all the attention she missed over the winter. I'll need to spend an afternoon picking up branches so we can mow the lawns as soon as the weather settles. At least we are having some sunshine, which keeps the plants in the greenhouses happy.
March 24, 2007; Our first daffodil opened today! It's a misty, moisty morning, and cloudy is the weather! But, my heart is filled with thankfulness for the beautiful blooms of my crocus, dwarf iris, snowdrops, winter aconites, and now, a daffodil! Spring is surely here! The grass is really beginning to green-up, especially where all the rainwater has been running across the lawn. Soon it will be time to begin mowing. We've been so busy transplanting in the greenhouse, and moving plants into the coldframe that I've hardly had time to think. The Barn displays are really beginning to take shape, and I must say, I am really happy with the treasures I've added to the inventory. Plus, this week, my new herbal T-shirts were printed. It was such fun, developing the artwork, then taking it to the printer and watching the inks being mixed. Then I watched the silk-screening process, and within minutes, I was holding my very first T-shirt! I can't wait for you to see them! Sizes M-2X, soft pink, green, blue, lavender, yellow, and sand printed with 8 herbs. We're also working on a new plant sign system. We're not re-doing all our signs, but the new plants and any missing signs will be printed on the computer with color pictures. I just can't believe that I only have one more week to get ready to open!
March 20, 2007; Beautiful sunshine, and the plants are loving it! We'll spend today in the greenhouse, transplanting hundreds of seedlings into their own individual pots. I also hope to start working in the coldframe, getting it ready for Opening Day. Although many of the plants there have not broken dormancy, a few are beginning to show bits of green sprouts, so it is encouraging. We should have a great selection of beauties for April 1st. Thanks to help from friends, we were able to repair the burst hydrant, so we have water again! HURRAH! It's amazing how we take little things for granted, but dragging those hoses from the pumphouse and back every day helped tone-up those winter-softened muscles in a hurry!
The bright yellow crocuses and flocks of robins have brought great pleasure. We'll need to spend an afternoon picking up fallen branches and moving some stone into areas that got deluged by rain, but we'll be ready for visitors soon. We've been doing some painting and improving, moving things around outdoors. You'll notice some changes (I hope!)
March 9, 2007; Sunny and crisp this morning! I look forward to another day in the greenhouse, where the sunshine warms the space to a delightful 95 degrees! The seedlings and plants are loving every hour of sunlight, and growing visibly each day. We're wearing our cutoffs and pretending to be in some tropical paradise! Just need some colorful drink with a little umbrella! We've seeded over 200 varieties, and potted lots more as plugs and cuttings that I've taken since last summer. The space is getting crowded already, and we look forward to good weather, when we can move some of the perennials over to the coldframe to begin hardening off. I've been busy designing new displays and categories for the plant sales area, and we're making some new signs as well. No work in the gardens yet, but I could spend an afternoon picking up fallen branches. We did trim the plants in the front barn beds, and have been walking by the areas where the first crocuses should appear. Although we always have something blooming in the greenhouse, our eyes are hungry for those first outdoor blooms. That will mean that Spring is truly near!
October 8, 2006%nbsp;A lovely autumn, and the harvest season is underway. Fields are being sheared of their crops, and the landscape changes every day as I look out the window. Although the farm is closed for the season, I continue to work every day, mostly propagating plants, but also saving seeds and eliminating weeds. I'm still enchanted by the intense colors of the dahlias, the abundant verbena, colorful asters, and heaps of boltonia and Joicus daisies. At this time of year, our eyes drift upwards from the gardens to note the brilliant colors of the trees. We are tidying up the gardens, getting ready to mulch them for the winter rest they deserve. I'm also pouring over catalogs and making lists of items to order for the Barn Shop for next spring. It's still a busy, busy season, but at least I have a bit more time for reading and computer work! I can't believe the season has already ended. Each year seems to pass more quickly!
September 22, 2006 The gardens are changing...the annuals' colors are becoming more intense, as they attempt to attract every last insect to do a bit of pollination before frost. Many plants are producing seeds, and some are dropping their leaves. Of course, some are just coming into their glory, like the variegated Joe Pye "Joicus", which is covered in white daisies. I'd sure like to get more planting done, but I have so many conferences and meetings this month that I doubt I'll get much done at the farm! I have been taking lots of lavender cuttings, and we will begin on the thymes soon. I can't believe the farm will be closing in just a matter of days. While the weather continues to be so nice, it doesn't seem right that our season is over!
August 24, 2006 IRELAND! What a wonderful country! David and I just returned from the preview trip of the gardens of Ireland. It was one of the best trips we've ever had, and both of us are eager to return to this scenic country. The coastal villages are lovely, the mountains are powerful, the food was delicious, and the gardens were inspiring. The history that permeates this island is remarkable. We visited cathedrals, castles and pubs! Oh, the music and the laughter, and the stories they tell! I can't recreate the magic here--you'll just have to see it for yourself when we go in August of next year. Check out the article in our website for more information.
June 24, 2006%nbsp;What a glorious day! Hundreds of people joined us for Lavender Daze, under gorgeous blue skies. The fragrance of lavender filled the air, as people picked lavender bunches or created lavender wands. The bees buzzed as they busily collected nectar and pollen. The people buzzed as they compared notes, and grabbed treasures from the plant benches. It was a fun day for all. When it ended, our staff collapsed on chairs in the classroom, and finished off the Lavender Fudge!
The gardens are doing well, and change every day. Different daylilies are beginning to open, and it is always exciting to see them for the first time to see if they actually look like the picture! Some of the dahlias are opening, and the old-faithful perennials, like gaillardia, phlox, coreopsis, monarda, and yarrow never fail to please. I think my "favorite" plant at the moment is the gorgeous pink bellflower by the Cottage door--it is one of the Bellringers, and it certainly is! I'll take a photo today, and try to get it on the website soon, so you can see it. It is nearly 3'tall, with hundreds of 1 1/2" pink bells. These are fat, drooping bells that nearly cover the stems. It is amazing!
The revamped Dye Garden is thriving, and even the cotton is starting to grow, now that the weather is warmer, although cool nights are slowing it down. That garden looks better than I thought it would, and the scent of the blooming elders is fabulous. The Sunrise Garden is truly glorious right now, and has really filled in nicely. The petunias in the Cottage Garden echo the bright magenta pink of the rose campion and wine cups, and I really like the new trellis there. The dwarf wood betony in the Fairy Garden has amazingly large blooms of magenta pink, that are really showy. I didn't expect them to be nearly as large as they are, so that was a nice surprise. I've picked a few blueberries from the Cook's Garden, but still haven't planted the blackberries! Now I'll be so busy picking lavender, I won't have time to weed--Oh, darn! :)
May 17, 2006 After being spoiled with a week of beautiful weather in late April and early May, we've been poured on for 7 days in a row. Finally, yesterday, we bagan planting in the gardens, putting lots of color in the Butterfly Garden, and a few things into the Moonlight Garden. During the rainy days, we've been diggin and dividing perennials, so you'll find lots of new things in the sales areas. I've also been taking lots of cuttings, since the stems are filled with moisture, and I finally had some room on the greenhouse! Of course, six days of overcast, fully moisturized air is causing some mold problems, too. Just one challenge after another. But, the columbines are gorgeous, the Dames Rocket is fragrant,and many other perennials are lovely, so I can't complain. However, my new honeybees are feeling housebound with rain so often, and buzzing about all the pollen being washed away uncollected. It's nice to know I have company in my grumbling about the weather!
May 7, 2006 Several beautiful days in a row have really brought changes to the gardens. The trees seemed to leaf out fully overnight! Suddenly the shade gardens are actually shaded again. The early bulbs are gone, and the last of the tulips are brilliant. I love my orange lily tulips. They look great with the deep purple dwarf irises, the American columbine, and the early gold irises that are just beginning. Although I am behind on deadheading the hundreds of daffodils, my deck garden still looks pretty darn good!
In the Enchanted Forest, native plants are growing so quickly that if I don't get out there and remove the fairy day decorations soon, I won't be able to find them! The lungworts, hellebores, primulas, and bleeding hearts look beautiful. Only one little forget me not made it through the winter, but I'm not surprised since I got them in so late. This little gal will self-seed though, and next year, I should have plenty of cheery blue blooms. I love them, because they replace the needed blue once the scilla, then the grape hyacinths are gone.
The exotic tree peonies east side of the Cottage are beginning to bloom, with their giant flowers. I should have put a support around them, as the blooms are so heavy. The deep purple alliums in the Purple Garden are beginning to open, and add a magical effect there.
It amazes me how good some of the gardens can look, when I haven't planted a single thing yet this year! Hopefully, we can begin putting in the annuals and news plants this coming week. I can't wait for the college kids to get back to take over the watering, so I can get things done on my job list!
April 26, 2006 A couple of night of frost remind us that it is still early in the season for planting anything except the hardiest of perennials, pansies, fragrant stocks, and primulas. I am behind in planting the Cook's Garden--should have the potatoes and peas in--maybe after Fairy Days this weekend. I'm still playing catch-up from events this late winter. We've been transplanting up a storm, and getting gardens tidied. David has been busy mowing anytime the ground is dry enough, but there's still plenty to do yet. I need to get field/garden plants dug and divided quickly--they are growing so fast! My lilacs just began blooming, and the early daffodils are gone. I'm hoping the late ones will still be here for Fairy Days. The Enchanted Forest has lots of bloom already, and I'm hoping they will still be in flower for the weekend. I must get a load of mulch on the path today or tomorrow! The job list just grows and grows! Get out and listen to the birds singing--it is quite a concert!
April 16, 2006 Happy Easter! I hope the Easter bunny brought you many good things. Our bunny did not have any trouble at all in hiding eggs throughout the lawn! With all the rain we've been having, the grass is tall enough to hide the bunny, let alone eggs! I've been cleaning gardens at the farm. It is always a great feeling to get them tidied and ready to plant the annuals that will go into the ground in mid-May. Right now, the daffodils are carrying the show, along with the new growth of perennials. I especially enjoy the golden bleeding heart, in the Woodland Garden, and all the hellebores that are in bloom there. Each plant has such interesting flowers, and each is slight different from its neighbor. I love the hellebores, the Lenten Rose, as they bloom for 10-12 weeks, rivalling the primulas for endurance.
The Fairy Garden is quite cheery, with all the bulbs and primroses joining the wood poppies in bloom. Here and there are shy little fairies, some napping and some just enjoying the lovely spring weather.
The Cottage Garden just got a going over yesterday, but there is promise of lots more flowers to come, when the daffodils, guinea flowers, and primroses fade. I love the guinea flowers, as they remind me of the noisy guineas I had at the old farm. They would skulk around the yard and gardens, eating bugs. If a vehicle started up the driveway, the guineas would sqwauk and scold long before I could see it, their speckled feathers fluffed in annoyance as they rushed for cover.
I recently read a book given to me by a loyal customer, which I have enjoyed immensely. It is called The Invisible Garden by Dorothy Sucher. The "Invisible Garden" is the combination of all ones memories and experiences that one sees and feels when looking at the plants in the garden. That's why not everyone "sees" the same garden, even when standing at the same place. A flower or scent may bring back memories of grandparents, a special day, an exotic vacation, a romantic moment when we saw the same flower. Certain plants may provide comfort, others remind us of failure, funerals, or some other sad or unpleasant time. So, everyone "sees" a slightly different garden. This also explains why we are often dissatisfied with our own gardens, as we tend to recall each plant when we saw it as perfect, and in a real garden, it is difficult to have every single plant perfect at the same time.
I hope your garden is bringing you the joy and pleasure that mine is giving me at this Easter season. I don't think I can remember having a prettier one! Hugs, Carolee
April 5, 2006 The daffodils are beginning to bloom, but the crocuses still look spectacular. In the Woodland Garden, scilla, primulas, hellebores, lungworts, and miniature daffodils are decorating the scene. I walk there every day, and just marvel at God's handiwork in creating the diversity of flowers and plants for us to enjoy. Add to that the singing of the birds and warm sunshine--what could be better? Of course, the warm sunshine has been a little on the shy side, but that makes us enjoy it even more when it does occur.
We've begun moving selected tough perennials outdoors, mainly just to make room for all the hundreds of plants that are crowding the greenhouse, and need to go next door to the coldframe.
Workshops have begun, and we've had a great group of folks attending. Last week's soap workshop was especially fun, and we made a great batch of rose geranium soap. I picked rose geranium, since scented geraniums are the Herb of the Year. Now I'll have beautiful scented soap to show you what you can do with the essential oil from these wonderful plants. Next weekend is herbal teas, one of my favorites, since it was plants for teas that really got me hooked on growing herbs!
The shop is still filling with boxes arriving almost daily. I'm very pleased with the displays we have, although some of them are already looking empty! Guess you like what we offer!
As I look out my office window, the grass is really getting green, and beginning to grow in clumps. We'll need to mow before long, but first we need to pick up sticks from the many storms that have roared through. No damage so far, but I cross my fingers each time the thunder rolls.
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March 11, 2006 Finally, the first crocuses of the season. My deck garden is filled with dozens and dozens of bright yellow snow crocus. Lots of other bulbs have inches of foliage showing, so it won't be long until the crocuses are joined by other spring beauties. There are lots of reports of robins in the area, although I have not seen any myself yet.
My days are filled to overflowing with seeding, transplanting, and opening boxes in the shop. We need more sunny days to make the seedlings grow more quickly, and I have lots of outdoor work to do, too. This is just a busy, busy time of year. It will soon be St. Patrick's day, and time to plant peas and potatoes! I've already started a few salad crops indoors, and hope to set up a coldframe, and seed more in there over the weekend. I need more hands!
Feb. 18, 2006 Snow flurries and a frigid 10 degrees this morning. Fortunately, it is cozy in the greenhouses, where I am frantically trying to catch up with the seeding, and hoping for lots of sunshine, so they will germinate quickly. The cuttings and plants we have already transplanted are coming along nicely, so we should have a great selection of plants when the farm opens on April 1.
Outside, I have a huge truckload of gravel to move into the new shadehouse floor to level it out. Then we can move the benches back in, and prepare for the upcoming season. The crocuses, tulips, and daffodil foliage is beginning to peak thru the mulch, and I am anticipating the first bloom of the new year. Last year's first crocus came on Feb. 20th. We'll see how that compares to our first bloom for 2006.
I've been doing lots of speaking, traveling, and reading, so the winter has just flown by. Now I need to concentrate on the farm schedule, and getting all the plant signs made. We're looking forward to a busy, busy Spring!
Dec. 18, 2005 Snowing again today, adding another layer to the white landscape. I just came in from filling the bird feeders--a daily job now that the weather is so cold, and the land is snow-covered and icy. I really enjoy watching the many feathered friends who come to visit. Especially, I like to see first-time visitors, as the number increases daily.
The greenhouses are a lovely place to spend these cold days, especially when the sun is shining. I've seeded all the pansies and violas, as well as some species primulas, that I'm going to experiment with in the new shade garden. This is in an area that has not really been planted before. We cut a path thru the woods, along the creek, when we first opened, and I stuck a few shade-lovers here and there along the path, but never really worked with it, or planned it. Unfortunately, it showed! So, last fall, I actually cleared the entire center area, created paths, cleared out more "trash" trees and actually planted it entirely. If it does well, eventually, I'll clear the outer areas and plant those as well, but somehow, right now, I like the "natural" look on the outer perimeter, which contains lots of natives like hepatica, solomon's seal, bloodroot, and WEEDS. I may just remove the weeds, and let the other things naturalize. I planted lots of spring bulbs, so I am eager to see how it looks. With all the lungworts, primulas, and other spring bloomers, it should be really nice. I'll photograph it, and put some photos here on the website.
I've been spending lots of time reading, and trying to get inspired to write articles for the newsletter (which has to go to the printer next month!!!) and the website. We hope to update the website in February, with lots of new spring-related articles. I'm also working on lists of inventory to find at the gift shows next month, so the shop can be full of wonderful products. The weeks have flown by, and I didn't even get the benching moved back into the new shade area before bad weather hit, so we'll have to do that next spring, too. It will be a hectic spring, that I'd rather not think about right now!
I repotted and watered a few amaryllis bulbs last week, so they will bloom later on, when all the Christmas decorations have been put away, and the house seems so empty. Nearly all the seed orders have arrived, and I have them filed by planting times. That's it for now. Happy Holidays, and safe traveling!
Oct. 16, 2005 The leaves are turning, the walnuts are falling, the fields are being harvested. Autumn has definitely arrived. The weather has been terrific, although we could use a little rain for the perennials. I've been propagating like crazy, keeping the mats filled to overflowing. We've also packed up the barn, since we have now closed for the season, and hung the "Closed till Spring" sign out by the road. It is lovely to have the farm quietly to myself these fall days. The dahlias have waited until now to really strut their stuff--I've never seen such gorgeous colors, and am torn between leaving them in the garden to enjoy, or bringing them indoors in vases. Next year, I'll plant more, so I can do both! I've harvested the basils, and packed pesto away in the freezer. All the tender plants have been moved indoors, and we're just waiting for a good frost that will make the perennials in pots go dormant, then we'll trim those and move them into the coldframe. Meanwhile, the gardens are getting a good weeding, and I am collecting seeds as I go. Hope you are enjoying this lovely autumn weather as much as I am! Carolee
Aug. 31, 2005 As I look out the office window, the lawn is covered with a layer of golden leaves. I can't help but be thankful that it is only leaves, and not debris. The photos of all the hurricane damage in the South lay heavily in my mind. I wonder if there is anything left of the beautiful gardens at Bellingrath. I think of the hard-working gardeners at the New Orleans Botanical, who were just finishing the planting of a gorgeous new area when I last visited. I worry about all the fish and sea life that were in the devastated aquarium--such a lovely building, now crushed.
Autumn is coming to central Indiana, and we should be counting our blessings, and enjoying all that we have. The crew finished the new shadehouse and recovered the greenhouses, so that big job is done. I'm replanting a redesigned area in the woods, and taking cuttings as fast as I can of anything that is ready to propagate. Of course, we're still deadheading, collecting seeds, and weeding, too. It is a joy to be able to work in the gardens in such beautiful weather. The butterflies are tanking up on nectar, getting ready to start their migrations. I'm finding it hard to believe that the season is nearly over!
Aug 18, 2005 The days are flying by, and the Irish greens of spring and early summer are yellowing to the army green of late summer and early fall. The leaves on my walnut trees are already beginning to yellow and drift from the limbs, although I think that is more from the dry, dry summer we've had, than from the calendar. I'm spending most of my days weeding and planting, as I still feel that August is the best time to plant perennials if you can't do it in Spring. The plants have time to anchor in, before the freezing and thawing of central Midwest winters begin tugging on their roots. I'm also doing a lot of deadheading, and seed collecting. It is still a busy time of year in the gardens. We are beginning construction of the new shadehouse, and recovering the greenhouse and coldframe next week, so that is exciting.
July 27, 2005 RAIN! Finally! I'm thrilled to report that we finally had a good, long rain last night, and it is still drizzling today. Hurrah--that means I have 5 extra hours to do something else besides drag hoses today! And, the plants and gardens look so much happier already. I spent much of the past two days working in my gardens at home--like the shoemaker's children, they often are the last to get any attention. I've also been planting lots of treasures in the Moonlight Garden, trying to make it look fuller and more lush. I love this time of year, as I finally have time to do some things to improve the farm. This past week, we moved all the plants from the perennial sales area into temporary rows on pallets, and tore down the entire shade structure! The space looks immense now, with a new layer of fresh, clean crushed stone. I actually moved the old shade houses from my old farm, and put them up "temporarily" until I decided for sure where I wanted them, and what style. Thirteen years later, the "temporary" structures were crumbling, and threatening to fall down upon our heads in the next gust of wind, so down they came. New structures go up in August!
The gardens looks surprisingly good, with lots of flowers blooming. The last of the daylilies are gorgeous. I always hate to see them end, as they provide such masses of color. The Joe Pye and Ironweed are coming on in the Butterfly garden, as well as the staple for August, the tall garden phlox. Mine look especially good this year. The asters are growing like crazy, so they should look great in a few weeks. I've been harvesting lots of herbs, so the barn is filled with bunches hanging everywhere. I want to make lots of teas, sleep pillows, bath mixtures, and sachets this fall. I still can't believe the season is already winding down. Hope you are getting some rain, if you need it. I'll be planting lavenders today! Hurrah, what a job I have. Happy Gardening, Carolee
July 18, 2005 We're hoping the rain that is in the forecast finally reaches us. It is dry, dry, dry! All around us it has poured, but we've just received a light mist now and then. The gardens are holding up pretty well, but we're dragging hoses. I've been really busy since I last wrote here. We began picking lavender in earnest right after Lavender Daze, sometimes 12-14 hrs. a day! But, it is the best work ever, and I don't complain. Nothing is better than working in a field of blooming lavender! Then I traveled to Salt Lake City for a conference, and saw some great gardens. When we got back, Hurricane Dennis was supposed to bring us lots of rain, so I picked lavender every waking hour (and sometimes in my sleep!) so it wouldn't get ruined by days of rain. However, the rains never came. We've tried to do some weeding, but the ground is so hard, it is slow. We'll hopefully catch up soon. In the meantime, we are planning to move all our perennials out of the current sales area, in anticipation of new shade houses being built, weeding gardens, and dead-heading flowers. I also want to get more lavenders planted. Hope your garden is thriving, wherever you are. Hugs, Carolee
June 27,2005 It's HOT! We just finished our Lavender Daze festival, so now we can concentrate on harvesting the lavender, up-potting plants, and clearing out the greenhouses. We got a tiny sprinkle of rain, but not enough yet so that we aren't spending most of our time dragging hoses. When it is this hot (mid-90's and 90% humidity) the flowers come and go so quickly that it is impossible to keep up with the deadheading, but we'll try. The gardens look surprisingly good, considering the heat and lack of rain. The daylilies are coming on quickly, and I'm beginning to worry that they'll all be gone before Daylily & Dinosaur Days. Of course, I always have something to worry about! There's still lots of lavender in the field, and the lavandins are just beginning, so come visit!
June 5, 2005 Whew! What a busy, busy time! Just finished the Garden Fair in Muncie this weekend, and now must get lots done before I leave for the Herb Society of America's conference in Atlanta! We've been planting and weeding a lot, but there's always more to do. A brief shower this evening washed off the dust from all the area farmers, so the gardens look fresh and crisp again. No big storms, so that was good. The gardens are really changing fast now that we are getting warmer weather. I need to get more mulch as soon as I get back.
Today, in the lavender field, I can see the first "purple haze" beginning on the row of Betty's Blue. We'll soon be picking fragrant bunches. The cherries are beginning to turn, and the strawberries will need picking before I leave. As I said, busy, busy!
May 29, 2005 A beautiful, sunny day. Had my morning tea on the deck, where I could admire the gorgeous columbines (yellow and red) the irises (yellow, bronze, gold) centurea "Gold Boullion", the burgundy foliage of the Velvet Night coral bells, the golden apricot foliage of "Amber Waves", the gold leaves of phlox "Becky Towe" and airy white tellima. I love the golden and burgundy foliage repeated throughout the garden, as it gives lots of visual interest even if nothing is in bloom. I finally got all the bulbs deadheaded, so it looks much better, but still haven't had time to get annuals planted. I'd better--garden club meets here next month!
At the farm, the gardens are getting planted and tidied. Still have to label the Moonlight garden, but all the signs needed repainting, so that slowed the process. However, the Shasta daisies are putting on quite a show, helped by the snow-in-summer, white cosmos, nicotiana, and all the silvery lambs ears. We planted cheerful, dwarf Fantasy petunias in the Children's Garden this week, and that really brightened the area. Also did more planting in the Cook's garden, and I'm adding a new bed for tea plants there, along with a section of fencing that has teapots and teacups on it.
The Purple Garden is lovely right now, with its purple alliums, various purple irises, pansies, Jacob's Ladder, etc. The Shade Garden is pretty, with the white viburnum blooms echoed in the sweet woodruff below. The Cottage Garden is filled with magenta winecups and hardy geraniums, purple and pink irises. I need to get the burgundy-foliaged dahlias planted there today.
Yesterday was Butterfly Day at the farm, and we had a great turnout! The Sweet Williams were all in full bloom, perfuming the air, and several butterflies made an appearance right on cue. We gave away lots of butterfly fans, and butterfly bubbles for the kids. Well, it's time to water, so I'd better get busy. Till next time, Happy Gardening!
May 14, 2005 HAIL, HAIL! Four times in two days. We now have holy--hmmm, guess that should be holey basil, because the plants that were outdoors now have marble sized holes in the leaves! Well, at least we didn't have to water much this week, since it rained every other day. But, things are really growing. The irises are coming into bloom. The clump in the Sunrise Garden looks especially pretty right now, and others will be joining soon. We are gradually getting the gardens tidied, labeled and planted, but it has been slowed by the weather, and the fact that I had off-farm speaking commitments that absorbed preparation and travel time. We also had two groups for evening workshops last week. Busy, busy, busy.
May 4, 2005 Heavy Frost again this morning. I just hope today isn't as windy as yesterday, so that I can comfortably work in the gardens. I did get some perennials divided and potted, and made up lots of colorful baskets for Mothers'Day. Found a few mushrooms, but didn't really have time to look except in the Shade Garden as I was working. My deck garden at home is fabulous. Now the mid-size irises are coming into bloom, adding dark purple and apricot tones to the orange lily tulips, golden foliaged perennials, white narcissus, yellow species tulips and grape hyacinths. The yellow columbines add height. I need to deadhead the finished daffodils and mark some clumps for dividing once the foliage has ripened. Today I hope to take cuttings of all the tall phlox, shear the mums, and divide more daylilies. They are getting tall, but I just didn't have time to do it earlier. Fortunately, daylilies are tough! Always lots to do!
May 1, 2005! Frost this morning, but I am happy that April is over and we are now in the merry month of May! There are brand new ribbons on the May Pole to celebrate the coming of Spring (at least we hope that is the case!) The Cook's Garden has been planted with parsley, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, violas, onions, snow peas, chard, lettuces and other cold-tolerant crops. It looks so neat and tidy now, and soon the chives will be blooming. The strawberry plants are full of bloom, but we have not had weather for the bees to be out pollinating, so I don't know how good the crop will be. The cherry trees have been blooming, too, but again, I doubt the bees have been able to accomplish much, as they only work when the temp is above 60 and it is not raining. Very few hours have fit that criteria while the blooms have been open.
The lavender field is looking good. Looks like nearly every plant made it through the winter, although a few may have lost some material on their west sides, where the winter wind beats on them for months. All in all, I'm pleased, but fighting the dandelions, who want to take over the field!
My deck garden still looks fantastic. The late lilly tulips are lovely, bright orange. Lots of fragrant "Geranium" narcissus and dwarf irises are blooming, and the columbines are beginning to open. The golden foliage of some of the perennials (Centurea "Gold Boullion", Coreopsis "Tequila Sunrise", Phlox "Becky Towe", Heuchera "Amber Wabes") are adding a lot of interest, too. I need to add one of the Golden Bleeding Hearts from the sales area. I just noticed how lovely they are yesterday, and thought "One of you needs to go home with me!" Oh, the joys of owning my own plant store!
April 27, 2005. April, the cruelest month! Days of lovely weather lull us into a false sense of Spring, the BAM! Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum and sends two days of snow, blustery winds, and cold, cold, cold. The barn became another plant house, as we moved hundreds of flats indoors for the cold weekend, then back out again. Hopefully, we won't have to do that again, but our frost-free date is not until May 10th, so we have to wait and see. Meanwhile, we are potting plants like crazy, adding dozens of new varieties to the sales area every day. I spend some time every day trying to get the dandelions out of the lavender field, since it is the only garden we can work in with all the rain we've been having. I love dandelions in salads, and wilted with bacon, onion, and diced potatoes, but I can't eat the hundreds that are popping up. If I had time, I'd pick blooms to make dandelion wine. I will make a batch of dandelion fritters tonight. Since I don't have time to go mushroom hunting, they're the next best thing!
My deck garden continues to be my joy and respite during this hectic season. The early daffodils and crocuses have been replaced by the late tulips and hyacinths, so the garden is still scrumptious! The hellebores are lovely--I need more of those here. And, the columbines are nearly ready to open, so when the tulips are gone, they will replace them in the composition. I wish I had all the farm gardens done as well as this garden. Maybe someday!
April 16, 2005. What a beautiful day! We've been blessed with several sunny, warm days in a row, and the plants really appreciate it, as do we! I can just see the growth difference from watering in the morning, and then looking at the same plants in the evening. Sometimes there's more than 3 new leaves in one day! Things are popping into bloom, so there'e lots of color on the sales benches now. The daffodils are at their peak in the gardens. I'm hoping they last till Susan Albert's visit next Tuesday evening, but I have my doubts, especially if it stays warm and no rain. My deck garden has hellebores, frittilarias, tulips, hyacinths, primroses, dwarf irises joining the dozen varieties of daffodils, so it is quite a lovely sight. Too bad I don't have more time to enjoy it, but these days I live at the farm!
We've started working in the gardens a bit, and hope to do some planting this coming week. The chickweed is blooming, as well as the henbit, and if one doesn't remove them before they seed, a garden is blessed with tens of thousands more during the summer! They are rampant seeders! We also had our first mowing of the lawns, and it is amazing how a good mowing sets the gardens off visually. We still have 2 areas to clean up ice storms branches!
April 2, 2005. We're OPEN! Although the weather has been less than ideal, the farm has been welcoming lots of visitors, eager for the first plants of spring. Our first daffodils opened yesterday, which was a treat. After the radio show this morning, I hurried back to the farm to prepare for the afternoon's workshop, "Planting a Spring Basket". What a treat to combine cheery pansies, jewel-toned primroses, fragrant stock and alyssum, and happy violas into "movable gardens"! After everyone left, and the farm was closed for the day, I made a few more just for the fun of it! The birds and frogs were singing, I sipped a glass of wine as I worked, and had a great opera CD on to keep me company. Does life get any better?
March 20, 2005. SPRING arrived officially at 7:34 a.m. today. It's an overcast day, but the birds are singing, and several more crocus have opened. The early yellow snow crocus (yes, they are STILL blooming beautifully!) have been joined now by purple, white, and striped giant crocuses, so we have more color! Lots of daffodils are up now, and many are beginning to show buds, so they will be opening soon with cheery golden brilliance. As I look out the office window, I see hundreds of branches still lying on the ground, waiting for an energetic person to come move them from the lawn and gardens. One of these days....Right now, we are too busy in the greenhouses to worry about branches. Can't believe Opening Day (April 1st) is only a few days away, and there is still so much to do! The first of our hellebores in pots are beginning to bloom, as well as some of the miniature coral bells. The pansies are growing nicely, and should be blooming by the time we open. I'm still seeding lots of annuals, and we are transplanting and potting at record pace. I LOVE this time of year!
We sent out the March e-newsletter this week, made new displays in the barn, took two loads of cardboard to recycling, and began putting signs and labels in the plants in the coldframe. We transplanted over 2700 plants in one day, so that was well over our 1,000 a day goal, and helped make up for the day I took off to go to the Michigan Herb Conference. We're actually about on schedule!
Feb. 20, 2005. our FIRST CROCUS of 2005 opened today--in fact, several patches of bright yellow snow crocuses are decorating my deck garden. They are 3 weeks earlier than last year, so maybe that is a good sign! Seeded statice today, and several more seed orders arrived. We are still having below normal temperatures though. The Spring newsletter has gone off to the mailer, so it should be arriving in your mailboxes around March 1. Now I'm working on the Feb. E-newsletter, which should go out in a day or two.
Feb. 9, 2005. Well, the groundhog saw his shadow, and we have 6 more weeks of winter. Today we are having a very pretty snowfall. All the trees are frosted nicely, and Currier & Ives couldn't make it more beautiful. I hope all of you survived the ice storm of last month. We were without power for nearly 6 days. Fortunately, we have a generator for the greenhouses, so all was well there. David's boy scout training came in handy for cooking all our meals on the grill, although he found that doing toast took some perfecting. We played lots of rummy by candlelight, and listened to our battery-operated radio. I spent time in the greenhouse, where it was warm, and I had my electric teapot over there as well.
Things are progressing nicely. I just sent the Spring newsletter off to the printer, the greenhouse is filling with plants, and the first of the new product for the Big Barn Gift Shop is beginning to arrive. I found lots of "good stuff" at the shows in January. Also spoke at the Illinois Specialty Growers conference, so it was a very busy month. As soon as I get some new articles written, and locate some pictures we will be updating the website with the 2005 schedule, etc.
My crocuses are up nearly 3", so I think the next warm spell will bring them into bloom. We have lots of clean up to do from the branches that fell during the ice storm. In the meantime, I am enjoying the primroses that are beginning to come into bloom in the greenhouse. I plan to bring some over to put in a basket on the coffeetable. They flourish in low-light situations, and bloom for a long period. We should have lots of colors when we open April 1st. Can't believe it is only 7 weeks away! I'd better get busy!
Jan. 4, 2005. Another year! The New Year seems to come more quickly! I feel as if we just closed the farm, and already we are knee-deep in planning for spring! The pansies and violas have been seeded and are doing nicely. I've continued to take cuttings, keeping the propagating mats filled constantly, so the greenhouse is filling already with new plants. Today as I worked, the pretty blooms on the flowering maples kept catching my eye. The circles of red or pink, and a few orange, fill the branches, putting on quite a show! The rosemary bushes are already starting to bloom as well, and the flowers turn the branches into blue arms reaching for the gray sky. We havn't had much sun lately, but at least all this rain wasn't snow, so there are no complaints here! Well, I need to take the Christmas tree down, and pack all the decorations away again. Always a depressing day, so I guess I'll have to bake something to lift my spirits! Hope you had a Happy New Year, and that 2005 is filled with herbal blessings for you and yours! Carolee
Dec. 7, 2004.%nbsp;We finally have all the perennial plants trimmed and moved into the coldframe for the winter, the gardens cleaned, and all garden decor such as benches, slates, statuary, etc. moved into storage. Whew! The odd thing is that is seems like we just took them out of storage! This past growing season went so fast. I still feel like it should be mid-August! We've packed up the barn for the winter, so my next task is organizing and checking all the tender plants we moved into the greenhouse. Right now, the greenhouse is so crowded, there is no room for seeding! I'll take cuttings from some of the larger plants, then trim them back so they aren't such space hogs. Right now, the propagation mats are filled with lavender cuttings, but as soon as they are rooted, I'll refill the mat with flats seeded with pansies and violas. Yes, I'm running late this year, but hopefully we'll have enough sunny days this winter that they will catch up and still be in bloom for our opening next April 1.
There are so many projects that I want to do this winter--I have a big list, but here it is already mid-December and time is flying by. Soon it will be time to go to the gift shows to purchase inventory for the barn. All the seed orders have already arrived, and I need to spend an evening organizing the packets into the order for seeding, and grouping those that like heat/light/darkness, etc. I'm also trying to get some articles written for the website and the newsletter now, before things get so hectic in February.
I've trimmed some evergreens, and the red-stemmed dogwoods for decorating, but my holly bushes are so young, I don't think I'll do any cutting this year. I keep looking at the beds where I planted spring bulbs, hoping that the multitude of squirrels we have this year don't find them. Right now, as I look out the office window, I see a black squirrel, 6 fox squirrels, 4 gray squirrels, and 3 piney squirrels. I'm sure if I check out other windows the numbers would rise. That's it for today. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season.
Oct. 3, 2004.%nbsp;Frost! It's always a bittersweet time when the first frost arrives. Part of me is glad to see the huge workload ending, but a bigger part of me is unbelieving that the season can possibly be over already! I have been working very diligently to get all the cuttings of the tender material on the propagating line. We've moved all the tender plants that we intend to keep into the greenhouse, and given away lots that we did not have room for. The seeds for the 2005 season have already been ordered, and we are beginning to tidy up and store things away till next season. All the fairies from the Fairy Garden are safely tucked in the Cottage for the winter, and we've begun moving all our painted slates from the gardens inside as well. Seed-collecting has been going on for weeks. Now we'll give each garden a final weeding. I still can't believe it is October already!
Aug 24, 2004. I've spent most of the morning trying, unsuccessfully, to get the schedule for Garlic Day posted on this website. Computer work is SOOOO much harder than working at the farm! I get so frustrated, especially when I spend hours that could have been productive (weeding, taking cuttings) and in the end the time is gone, and the schedule is still not where it needs to be! Well, take my word for it, you won't want to miss Garlic Day--the cooking demos are so delicious. I've been spending most of my time weeding or taking cuttings, and fighting bugs. The weather has been perfect for all the insect critters, not too hot, enough moisture, etc. The tomato crop has been a bumper one, and I'm also drying parsley for the winter. There are always plenty of tasks to do, and the cool evenings have been a reminder that autumn is on the way. I've really been enjoying the beautiful evenings, luscious breezes, and hope you have too!
July 22, 2004. Finally, some rain, and everything looks so much happier. We had been dragging hoses to help out the gardens that were driest, but watering is never the same as a good, soaking rain. Now the weeds will pull easier, and I can begin propagating again. Lavender Daze is over, and we have the field nearly all picked. I still have to go back and shear some plants, and still have some new varieties to plant, but we are catching up. The barn certainly smells wonderful, and the rafters in the shop are filled. The daylilies are nearly gone now, and I always hate to see them go. They fill the garden with such big spots of color. Surprisingly, my Autumn Minarette are already in bloom. They are the last of my daylilies to bloom, and normally don't show color until late August. The garlic has been harvested, and is now curing. We'll be doing lots of taste-testing on Garlic Day next month. I'm looking forward to that. I've been working on some great recipes. Well, better get to work. At least we won't have to water today, so that gives me 5 extra hours to do something else! Hurrah!
July 7, 2004. Wow! Where is the summer going? Plants in the garden are coming into bloom two weeks earlier than usual, so it seems later than it actually is on the calendar. We have been picking, picking, picking lavender. I think that has to be the best job in the world. Talk about relaxing! It's so beautiful to sit amid the rows of purple, clipping floral stems, surrounded by perfume and the tranquil buzzing of the bees. Even they are busy, but content! We've hung our Japanese beetle traps, and they are filling quickly. I know I shouldn't be so gleeful about the demise of another creature, but I can't help smiling every time I see a beetle slide into the bag. We also finally planted some rows of cockscomb in some unused space last week. There's a couple of new varieties that I'm eager to evaluate.
That's it for this time. We're busily preparing for Lavender Daze at the farm on July 17 & 18. My employees have been taste-testing lavender recipes that I've been experimenting with, so we should have some good ones for you to try. Hope to see you at the farm soon.
June 10, 2004. Greetings from the garden! Things are finely coming into focus, and settling down enough that I can get into the gardens. The Sunrise, Cook's, Butterfly, and Cottage Gardens have been weeded, planted and mulched. The Folklore, Purple, Shade, Sage/Sunny, Moonlight, Cat, and Biblical have been weeded and mulched, with hopes of getting them planted next week, since it has now rained too much to allow planting this week. That still leaves the Children's Garden and the Lavender boxes behind the coldframe. Trimming the leaves of the irises took some time this week, but it is good for the plants, and does make the gardens look much tidier. Gives us a chance to check for the dreaded iris borer, and take action if needed. We still have some work to do in the rows of daylilies before they come into bloom--which at the rate things are going might be next week! The Lavender is really coming into bloom, and ribbons of purple flow through the field. We'll probably begin U-Pick next week. It is such a treat to walk through the plants, with the fragrance wafting up to meet your nose! I can't wait to start propagating some of the new varieties that came through the winter in great shape. The plants for Butterfly Day are finally organized, but I still need to run some labels. The garden itself is showing quit a bit of color, and being visited by lots of 'flying flowers". I need to remember to put some chicken wire around the Dutchman's Pipevine--before the bunnies find it. It seems to be one of their favorites, too. The May Queen Shasta Daisies have been gorgeous in the Moonlight garden for weeks now. I really hate to see them come to an end. The roses were especially pretty there, too. The nice thing is that something always comes into bloom to take the spotlight, one after the other. All in all, things are progressing well. This is the time of year when I know why I do what I do! Hope you feel the same!
May 30, 2004. Well, I'm not doing too well on my desire to journal at least once a week, am I? I would have bet money that it had not been so long since I had written! The days are just flying by. Basically, I'm working from 6 a.m. till at least 7:30 p.m., and I'm still not keeping pace! But, we've made great progress. Nearly all the new plant stands that we planned for this season are assembled and ready to fill with plants just as soon as we have time to move them from the greenhouse and coldframe.
Most of the gardens are ready for visitors, as the Sunrise, Butterfly, Cook's, Cottage, Purple, Folklore,Fairy, Moonlight, and Biblical Gardens have all been weeded and mulched. We still have the Childrens', Sage & Sun-Lovers, Shade, Crafters, and some odds and ends to do.
The Lavender field has also been weeded in the past week--just in time, as the Betty's Blue is beginning to show color, and the Folgate is in full bloom! It looks so very, very pretty. I need to add a bench nearby, so that I can sit with my cup of morning tea and admire it! Last Sunday & Monday, I planted over 500 new babies, mostly Hidcote Giant, Grosso, and Melissa varieties. The fragrance is already apparent on sunny days.
The Moonlight Garden was so pretty last evening, with all the old roses blooming, that I ran over at dusk to get the camera. I'll try to get the photos on the website tomorrow. It is lovely in daytime, and by moonlight. I need to look up when the next full moon will be. The May Queen daisies are fabulous right now, and the Miss Jekyll white nigella is very pretty, too. I need to add some white irises, I think.
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