It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
Gardener says, maybe today.
I purchased a hedge trimmer yesterday.
A few days ago there were two very long black rat snakes outside the front door and I announced I won't be going outside any longer when my husband refused to kill them 'because they eat rodents and aren't bothering anybody'.
But really, my garden is a pleasure to look at and my mum really enjoys watching the birds and butterflies.
Here's a link with a few photos of our garden, not sure if it's allowed. (please delete if it's against the rules)
https://www.instagram.com/gamkau/
Each year I've been at my house I've been expanding my gardens and decreasing my lawn. I'm currently creating an area where I'm going to group all my assorted pots together in a kind of container garden, I'd also like to expand my "woodland garden" along the back of my yard below my two walnut trees.
I have successfully grown delphiniums, peonies, lilies, columbines , jarrow, anemones, spring bulbs, artemisia, lilies of the valley, echinacea, violas, and hostas (but they don't like sun). Northern roses are great - think Morden varieties, Therese Bugnet or one of her sisters, the Canadian Explorer Series, for some. Another flowering shrub, potentilla, is very hardy as are spireas and lilacs. There are many others, Some people have succeeded well with clematis. I haven't except for a wild variety that is invasive.
Hope this helps. There are a few websites devoted to northern gardening that have with more suggestions,
I am suffering today for weeding/gardening,. My roses in front got a big hit this winter - lots of dead wood to remove. I worked for a while and it looks better but there still more to do. I can't find my secateurs and I need a pair of tough gauntlets to get further into the bushes. On the way. I pulled dandelions and nettles and got a few nettle stings, but it was fun! I prefer to garden without gloves when possible. The japanese anemones are flourishing. Love them.
One hardy rose in the back (Alexander Mackenzie) is a real mess and needs to be heavily pruned. I'll need protection for that one. The mock orange has as good a bit the dust so it is getting seriously pruned or coming out this year. The Wichita juniper that looked like it was on the way out for a few years is doing well.
The biggest news is that I spied a few buds on the vine so it is alive!!! Yay. This is really late for it to be coming back to life, but northern alberta is a harsh climate and the roots have probably been frozen until recently.
My hip and back hurt this morning - payment for unaccustomed bending and pulling, A pill and a hot bath should fix that! Nonetheless I feel good!!!!
Everyone heard of goat yoga?
My version, goathead yoga. Ground vine, just starting to flower, they are everywhere, on the ground for three hours stretching and reaching to pull the suckers out! Hopefully it will help to get rid of them. Still plenty yet to do.
Nothing like surprise gardening. I love baby quail and will upload a picture when they hatch, if possible. They are about the size of a quarter and quick.
Goatheads are a nightmare to get rid of, I have heard burning them when green works. We used ground sterilizer at out shop. It worked but should never be used except heavy industrial areas.
Once we had a killdeer nest in ours, mama had a fit playing broken wing whenever we came out... the babies were thimble sized puff balls with long stick legs. My dad used to watch for them when he worked the land and he would move the nest to a spot he's already cultivated, I kind of doubt the farmers in their great big climate controlled tractors are doing that anymore.
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/could-dirt-be-the-answer-to-treating-ptsd/73-e995a3ad-2aca-4a7f-9175-128db55ea361
they didn’t bloom last year - the Viking planted then ions ago along with her bareroot roses
Today we dug two rows of our red potatoes, still have 5 1/4 to go, but anyway. As we were digging them up, we came across this little nest right between two potato plants. The eggs were so little and white with black speckles. Not sure what kind of bird it may be. But we left it and left those plants so it would still feel secure.
We have odd shaped trees right now because of the doves that are nested. It is a blessing to watch the cycle of life for other creatures.
We have doves that builds a nest on our patio beam, they are getting ready to fledge their 2nd nest, probably 1 more before they are done. They have finally stopped swooping down on us when we go out our back door.
Thanks for sharing your nesting news, get a picture if possible.
More goat head yoga today. I am tuckered out. Might see if I can find someone to burn them.
Glad,
This website looks interesting on goatheads. It sounds very labor intensive.
I am not fluent in bird species so not sure what kind it is.