tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53744434626664642362024-03-05T00:09:11.463-08:00Gardening in the Real WorldMarlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-16850534790372770052014-01-19T09:22:00.001-08:002014-01-19T09:27:09.130-08:00Endurance Event<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Winter started early this year, and it has been relentless. By this point, I usually can count on both hands the number of times that I've had challenging drives to work. In contrast, this year I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've had an easy commute since December 1st. </span></div><div><br></div><div>What's been remarkable is not so much the quantity of snow, but how much it has blown around, causing drifting problems on the roads two or three days after it has fallen. This is a reflection of how cold it's been when the snow fell, resulting in dry snow that doesn't stay out.</div><div><br></div><div>The good news is that the snow should be doing a nice job of insulating the garden beds, so the plants should come through the winter with little damage. At least that's what we are telling ourselves now!</div><div><br></div><div>In the meantime, my gardening thoughts are focused indoors. The white amaryllis has begun to bloom.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lq7JyHOodV0KPPtlIrat4zwADMcUDzvrBFBJjPXrinsqnzgpJN_AK1Q_tCaoATdt6b2TrpRz45OuQFG6YXNtve58XwqkgVkzlnBTMPAiGC9C0gctxypmp1O1WPQJ3tG93BsMLANA6gA/s640/blogger-image-1974745759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lq7JyHOodV0KPPtlIrat4zwADMcUDzvrBFBJjPXrinsqnzgpJN_AK1Q_tCaoATdt6b2TrpRz45OuQFG6YXNtve58XwqkgVkzlnBTMPAiGC9C0gctxypmp1O1WPQJ3tG93BsMLANA6gA/s640/blogger-image-1974745759.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Another indoor gardening project is my sprouter. I just got this sprouter from Gardens Alive, and the current crops are a lentil mix and arugula. The lentils were very easy to work with; the teeny arugula seeds are a different story. The final verdict will be based on the taste. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR2cKu_6mbcVmTSdZENw3H7MnwYgYyhVIyeh2CEzIOCaAPRetplx-rPvRHRcXjVMKHPafeOwK4ia8tA08cdjEdzItdnFnkhK_s2YKgcK311BE7bETtoZq_hpz_JoDVCn2bY6-d3xZ3Fw/s640/blogger-image--2094948217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR2cKu_6mbcVmTSdZENw3H7MnwYgYyhVIyeh2CEzIOCaAPRetplx-rPvRHRcXjVMKHPafeOwK4ia8tA08cdjEdzItdnFnkhK_s2YKgcK311BE7bETtoZq_hpz_JoDVCn2bY6-d3xZ3Fw/s640/blogger-image--2094948217.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>And later today I will pull out the seed catalogs and start planning the veggie garden for this spring. Sooner or later, this winter will come to an end!</div>Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-14959634342667582202014-01-15T18:44:00.001-08:002014-01-15T18:44:36.243-08:00Something New is UnfoldingThe buds on the amaryllis bulb are slowly unfolding, and so is a new beginning for this blog. Like a seed buried in the ground, this blog has laid dormant for too long. I'm going to add some water and light and bring it back to life. <div><br></div><div>I took the first amaryllis photo with my iPad. It may be the first and last photo that I take with the iPad, but I thought that I would try this first post just using the Blogger app on the iPad. I love my iPad but I'm not a fan of it for photography. It's just to awkward to use to get a great photo. Next time I will try to bring in an iPhone photo or perhaps one from my new camera. </div><div><br></div><div>I am a fan of Amaryllis. I ended up with two bulbs this year. This one was an impulse purchase from Countryside, the night of their wine tasting event. A week after I planted it, we received one as a parting gift at a friend's 90th birthday party. That bulb is moving a bit slower, which means I should have blooms for the rest of this long winter. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIpL_cMGoLmOknhbIpgQnEaxLHYP429n82bFmme-aO7LYjKYVte5jITPyatZmbg-E9S0Wvx9RQGDPLQn3phYDJH73op_785S_t7YgmmSMbs3jfMz4LS9UyNE3WOO-4OL2TIrBmza5n8g/s640/blogger-image--1544922419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIpL_cMGoLmOknhbIpgQnEaxLHYP429n82bFmme-aO7LYjKYVte5jITPyatZmbg-E9S0Wvx9RQGDPLQn3phYDJH73op_785S_t7YgmmSMbs3jfMz4LS9UyNE3WOO-4OL2TIrBmza5n8g/s640/blogger-image--1544922419.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLyM8aSrNpeY7o4Pa8JIYhOT7IjyHxsfZ2EdRG9L5txogBvgDcBLrK82aeseRj14V1Chr2rXD2hz5NKc22KD7GKt0DccXg6ZtZ0zZ-tUR065anP3YTM1dT15vcPAnyA3zhOv1sEkkZ7w/s640/blogger-image--1385116329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLyM8aSrNpeY7o4Pa8JIYhOT7IjyHxsfZ2EdRG9L5txogBvgDcBLrK82aeseRj14V1Chr2rXD2hz5NKc22KD7GKt0DccXg6ZtZ0zZ-tUR065anP3YTM1dT15vcPAnyA3zhOv1sEkkZ7w/s640/blogger-image--1385116329.jpg"></a>And look at this, I can import photos from the iPhone! Here's the bud about a week ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-4377215383206057582011-01-16T17:01:00.000-08:002011-01-16T18:59:43.645-08:00Winter in the WoodsWe took a walk in the woods yesterday to flag more buckthorn and honeysuckle to be cleared. It only takes a few minutes in the woods and I can start spotting the invasive brush in amongst the dogwoods and hazelnuts. The wildflowers in this area have responded well to the brush clearing that we've done previously so it's rewarding to spend some time up here. The next great sign of recovery will be to see the oaks starting to regenerate. We're getting some seedling oaks just outside the established woods, but so far none inside. We need some young'uns to start growing so there are replacements on hand for the older trees such as this one.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5357860127/" title="Winter Woods by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5248/5357860127_fc5e88ed28.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Winter Woods" /></a><br /><br />I love the resilience of the oaks. Several of the oaks up here have multiple trunks, indicating that they may have been cut down at some point and then resprouted. The tree in the next photo has three trunks. And if you look closely, you'll see a little orange fleck near the base of the tree. Another buckthorn slated for removal!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5357861961/" title="Winter Woods by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5357861961_c35be152c3.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Winter Woods" /></a> <br /><br />So I'll keep on flagging the invasives and keep checking the forest floor for more encouraging news in spring.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-38646920371779511772011-01-14T17:00:00.000-08:002011-01-14T17:14:01.529-08:00Winter & LightI've always enjoyed living with four distinct seasons, even though I do a fair amount of grousing about the cold and snow in the wintertime. (Of course, I never complain about the heat and humidity in the summer...) I like to think that I have a good appreciation of the winter landscape. The last several days, though, have been very cloudy. We've had some fresh snowfall; very minor accumulations but enough to keep everything looking clean. But I'm realizing that without the sun, the winter beauty does not pop.<br /><br />I grabbed a quick photo this afternoon when I got home from work. It may not be the most beautiful photo of winter, but I think this one nails today on the head. I feel like this is what it looked like all day today - rather dull and monochromatic.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5355334031/" title="Winter Milkweed by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5355334031_a987bf5f39.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Winter Milkweed" /></a><br /><br />This is common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. Even though most consider it to be a weed, I have to admit that I'm fascinated by the seed pods of this plant. I also think the flowers are rather nice as well. Now, if it just wasn't so darn hot when those flowers bloom!Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-62136576874548088402011-01-11T18:35:00.000-08:002011-01-11T18:49:03.399-08:00Abundance in JanuaryYes, it's January, and true gardeners are blessed by a special abundance this month - Seed Catalogs!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5345080120/" title="January Harvest - Seed Catalogs by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5201/5345080120_0ac0ba7151.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="January Harvest - Seed Catalogs" /></a><br /><br />I think you can tell from the photo which catalog is my favorite. Seed Savers Exchange each year has a cover that's worthy of framing. The rest of the catalog is pretty darned good, too. I've been known to call it "veggie porn." (Hope that doesn't get my blog blacklisted.)<br /><br />The hard part is deciding what to order. As in, I know I don't have the time to plant everything that I'd like to order from their catalog. I need to dedicate some serious time to planning this January.<br /><br />And then stick to the plan when I go to the Farmer's Market in May and start to chat with the plant vendors.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-64623251969282200202011-01-08T18:42:00.000-08:002011-01-08T18:51:51.332-08:00A Scene in the Winter GardenThe tomato plant that grew on the obelisk is long since gone, first taken out by frost and then removed by me. The leaves are gone on the Arrowwood Viburnum. But the sky was a brilliant blue this morning, and the blue obelisk reached for its blue counterpart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WVu7AybuhRnLMlV2vucWzmsUChjTntN5ipD90WCzBiqjEpB4p4PtCz7LO0aUvKei5K-IUUqpf5v703-wERkKa7X40K2VObeTv_HEbuRjWYJdETvHtxTIhyphenhyphen4gKcKWTKkcAyXHv0SxeBc/s1600/Blue+Obelisk+Blue+Sky.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WVu7AybuhRnLMlV2vucWzmsUChjTntN5ipD90WCzBiqjEpB4p4PtCz7LO0aUvKei5K-IUUqpf5v703-wERkKa7X40K2VObeTv_HEbuRjWYJdETvHtxTIhyphenhyphen4gKcKWTKkcAyXHv0SxeBc/s320/Blue+Obelisk+Blue+Sky.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560012749978141490" /></a><br /><br />I tried several times during the summer months to get a good photo of this obelisk, but the color always came out on the green side. Funny that on a bitter cold but sunny winter day, I got the shot that I wanted.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-30197397054395379542011-01-06T18:20:00.000-08:002011-01-06T18:27:24.403-08:00Photo of the Day - January 6, 2011Last spring we ordered 25 day old chicks from Farm & Fleet. Within a month, we had 9 more "refugee" birds join our flock. The birds grew and grew, and three of those refugees grew into roosters. In November, two of the birds disappeared, the victim of an unknown predator. In mid December, the three roosters and seven hens were taken to the processor. So 22 hens remain and they are busy laying eggs. Today's photo shows the 16 eggs that were in the nest boxes today. And yes, they taste wonderful!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5331416479/" title="Today's Eggs by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5331416479_dea943e544.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Today's Eggs " /></a><br /><br />(and yes, that's why Storey's Guide to Chickens is one of the books in yesterday's post.)Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-66031938695421210832011-01-05T18:35:00.000-08:002011-01-05T18:39:55.218-08:00Photo of the Day - January 5, 2011I'm going to try and do a photo per day this year. Yes, I'm starting 5 days late. A Facebook discussion on book sorting motivated me to document this stack of books currently sitting on the coffee table. The stack was photographed as is. Yes, we are a little obsessed with food at the moment.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5328482649/" title="Book Stack by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5041/5328482649_7e2a632079.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Book Stack" /></a>Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-85392471618624553502011-01-04T18:40:00.000-08:002011-01-04T18:56:39.677-08:00A New Year, A New MathWe have made a joint resolution for 2011 that we will buy no new "stuff" this year, and we have included plants in our definition of stuff. So this year's garden math will be focused on subtraction instead of addition, division instead of multiplication. <br /><br />The front beds really will benefit from being thinned, and I think that if I am forced to work with what I have, I will be more judicious in my plantings. I must confess that sometimes I've taken somewhat of a "Throw it all in and see what sticks" approach. A little planning certainly is not a bad thing.<br /><br />I'll close with one of the last sunrises of 2010.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5304995628/" title="Sunrise 12-29-10 by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5304995628_508252b786.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Sunrise 12-29-10" /></a><br /><br />It was a keeper!Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-33500439143160479862010-12-09T10:26:00.000-08:002010-12-09T10:29:14.488-08:00Time to ReturnIt's been too long. You start to procrastinate, and then the whole process feeds upon itself and you don't know where to begin again. So I shall just begin. This post is nothing more than a re-start. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlenefrisbie/5069565797/" title="The moon of 10-10-10 by Veronicastrum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5069565797_508e41371a.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="The moon of 10-10-10" /></a>Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-2795060487366116862010-03-21T11:23:00.000-07:002010-03-21T11:35:20.266-07:00AwakeningI've decided that the best way to shake the winter doldrums is to fly to the other side of the world and immerse yourself in the end of summer. Practical? No, but it was extremely enjoyable to visit New Zealand earlier this month.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4450771021_c74b9fff29.jpg><br /><br />On one of our hikes, I came across this tree fern frond that was ready to unfurl. I love how you can see the leaflets curled up within the curl of the stem. One of the symbols in Maori art is a curl within a curl, and I think it must have been inspired by these tree ferns.<br /><br />Now I'm back to the proper season, although Mother Nature is having the last laugh as always. I arrived home to find all the snow had melted and mild temperatures had arrived, but yesterday the cold and snow returned for one last blast. At least today's sunshine and wind are doing a good job of melting the snow again!<br /><br />I'm ready for spring to really begin!Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-13368793964676759672010-02-20T15:55:00.000-08:002010-02-20T16:50:49.107-08:00Winter LightI've been somewhat frustrated trying to take photos this winter, as it seems the sun and I are at odds. The sun usually decides to make its glorious appearance only when I'm dashing out the door to go to work and have no time to stop and shoot a photo or two. When the weekend rolls around, the sun packs up and goes elsewhere.<br /><br />But finally all the pieces came together. Fresh snowfall, deep blue skies, abundant sunshine and time in the schedule to capture it all. I headed out with the dog and the camera and found that Hydrangea 'Limelight' has held up rather well this winter.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4349422897_4fa91cda5b.jpg><br /><br />I do enjoy the beauty of the sun on the snow, but I'm at that point where I'd rather see the sun on some spring blooms!Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-18324801799993940352010-02-13T17:35:00.000-08:002010-02-13T18:17:16.219-08:00The Beekeeping Adventure Begins!Last summer I went on a small farms tour in our county and was totally captivated by a wonderfully detailed demonstration of beekeeping. I had never seen working hives up close and personal, and I found the bees to be absolutely amazing. When the beekeeper mentioned that beekeeping is a good hobby for busy people because the bees only need attention every few weeks, I was sold.<br /><br />In December I went to a beginning beekeeping class and earlier this month I ordered my equipment. I ordered the hive bodies and supers unassembled because I thought it would be fun to have some "hands-on" work before the bees arrived. I have a strange idea of fun!<br /><br />Here you can see two of the hive bodies and one of the supers already assembled, and the last super still in four pieces. <br /><br /><img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4354356193_e8f9a3a280.jpg><br /><br />The hardest part of the job was getting the dovetails to fit together snugly. The fit is quite tight, so it took a little bit of muscle to get them to the right spot. I call my muscle "Hugh". He quite graciously gave me a hand when needed.<br /><br />A closer look at a finished hive body:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4355102980_823b189f35.jpg><br /><br />I hung one of the hive frames in here just to give the idea. When the hive is all assembled, there will be eight of the frames inside.<br /><br />Next week's job will be to paint them. I haven't decided if I want to do the traditional white or if I will be more artistic.<br /><br />Decisions, decisions!<br /><br />But the adventure has begun.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-85291578631404319002010-01-24T12:37:00.000-08:002010-01-24T12:55:04.161-08:00Trends from the Mid Am ShowI spent two days last week attending the Mid Am Horticultural Trade Show at McCormick Place in Chicago. The show was much smaller than in prior years, and it was obvious that most vendors who focus on the garden center trade had left the show in favor of the Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show. So in terms of seeing hot new trends for the home gardener, there was not much new. But I did spend some time scrutinizing the offerings of the various plant vendors that were in attendance.<br /><br />Heucheras (yes, I'm a sucker for Heucheras!) still are arriving in new colors. It makes me feel like a fashion writer to say this, but the trend for 2010 in Heucheras is pastel colors. Peach, pale strawberry and soft gold are the colors that were on display.<br /><br />The other trend that really is picking up steam is succulents. Just about every plant vendor had some sort of succulent display. Here's my favorite:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2788/4301635608_4ac9dd2e0a.jpg><br /><br />This is a slightly grainy cell phone photo, but you get the idea: mini succulents arranged in a real bird's nest. Lots of people took photos of this one!<br /><br />The mood among vendors and attendees was more positive than it had been last year. While no one was turning handsprings in the aisles, most people that I spoke with were cautiously optimistic.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-79935567734952893362010-01-18T10:04:00.000-08:002010-01-18T12:08:40.190-08:00A January ThawWe're experiencing a bit of a January thaw, but it's a very slow process. We were promised temperatures above freezing over the weekend, but we never quite got there. It did get warm enough that the snow began to sublimate, slowly disappearing into the fog.<br /><br />Sunday morning, we awoke to one of the most extensive hoar frosts that I've seen in a long time. It would have been wonderful if we had some sunshine along with the spectacular frost, but of course that would have hastened the demise of the frost. I did manage to capture some of the beauty even with the low light.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4285207750_99cc1bd300.jpg><br /><br />This is the skeletal panicle of Panicum 'Northwind'. Despite an ice storm and heavy snows, this grass is still upright and here it is etched in frost.<br /><br />I also liked the look of my witch hazel. The long needles of frost on the bare branches echo the shapes of the long-gone flowers.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4281555971_a5be14d83b.jpg><br /><br />I trudged through the snow to the white garden in hopes that the hydrangeas looked awesome, but in fact they were somewhat messy and uninspiring. But then I looked up, and saw the ghost shapes on the ridge, silhouetted against a glowering sky.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4281546285_07fcc00803.jpg><br /><br />Perhaps it was because of the lack of sun, but the frost lasted most of the day. This morning we had a bit more, but it was not as lovely as yesterday's. I'm just a little sad that the weather report keeps referring to the phenomenon as "freezing fog"; I have to say I love the old-fashioned term of hoar frost.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-70638265616715212602010-01-06T19:24:00.000-08:002010-01-06T19:32:27.651-08:00The End of a TreeThe river birch came to us as a five foot tall bare root tree. Our new house was under construction, and when the tree arrived there still was a lot of serious grading work being done, and other heavy equipment was moving around what was to be our yard. Of course, when we ordered the tree late in the previous year, the plan was that this heavy work was to be done by then, but you know how construction goes.<br /><br />So I proposed that we “heel in” the tree for a few weeks until the site seemed safer. We dug a shallow trench well away from the action, laid the tree somewhat on its side and covered the roots loosely with dirt. I’ll admit that I was surprised later to find out that the tree survived this experience just fine.<br /><br />As the years went by, the tree grew taller and more attractive. There was only one fly in the ointment. Along the way, it developed a large side branch that was growing almost like a second trunk. Hugh kept arguing that this branch needed to be removed, and I kept insisting that the surgery would be too radical and that the tree would be just fine. Words that would come back to haunt me.<br /><br />December 23rd was a snowy day here that only proceeded to get worse as the day warmed up. The snow turned to sleet off and on, with a little hail thrown in for grins. That night it progressed into light rain, quite an unpleasant combination.<br /><br />We woke up on Christmas Eve to find everything coated in ice.<br /><br />And the river birch was split in two.<br /><br />It looked as if some giant had come by and hewn the tree in half with an enormous ax. <br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/4213832792_3d30aa4135.jpg><br /><br />There is a sad grace to the broken tree. Even today, almost two weeks later and with the ice long gone, the two halves still almost touch the ground. <br /><br />And I have admitted that I was wrong to not let the tree be pruned.<br /><br />Good bye, friend.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-5147633993304706492009-12-23T07:29:00.000-08:002009-12-23T07:39:22.266-08:00My Zazzle Calendar<a href="http://rlv.zcache.com/a_prairie_year_calendar-p15824840638159769681eu_325.jpg">You can view my calendar, "A Prairie Year", right here.</a><br /><br />You can even order your own copy. :)Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-1058094952491585462009-11-22T13:14:00.000-08:002009-11-22T13:59:10.656-08:00The End of the Line(insert best Rod Serling voice here)<br /><br />Submitted for your consideration: the lowly common milkweed.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4066600800_bd9bccb60a.jpg><br /><br />Nestled inside their pod, the invaders line up, ready to launch their assault on unsuspecting gardens and fields. . .<br /><br />Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, commonly is thought to be a weed. Here in the Midwest it's most often found along roadsides or in those infamous "disturbed places" mentioned in wildflower guides. It's a fairly safe assumption that most people look down upon milkweed as an undesirable plant.<br /><br />So I was surprised several years ago when I was giving two German horticulture students a tour of the greenhouse where I worked. The first thing the women asked about was the milkweed plants growing near the road. They told me that the plant had been featured on the front cover of a seed catalog in Germany, and that it was considered a rare and unusual garden plant there. They were surprised to see milkweed growing in undervalued places here in the U.S.<br /><br />Their excitement over the plant made me look at it with a new appreciation. Have you ever really looked at a milkweed flower? They can be quite stunning! Have I thought to take a nice photo of one? Um, no. Note for 2010!<br /><br />But I find myself even more fascinated by the seed pods. Inside the pods, the seeds line up with military precision. Take a closer look:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4126124326_9c71d23e84.jpg><br /><br />When the pod is ripe it cracks open, and one by one the seeds peel out and launch their parachutes of fluff. That's the reason why milkweed is considered to be a common pest - just the slightest breeze will carry the fluff with its attached seed into your garden, your lawn or your farm field.<br /><br />Since I have the "luxury" of being surrounded by restored wetlands and recreated prairies, I'm rather free to admire the milkweeds and the geometric preciseness of their seed pods. <br /><br />But yes, when the end of the line for those seeds turns out to be in my garden beds, I do yank them out.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-48666626395526619032009-10-15T07:58:00.000-07:002009-10-15T08:32:50.900-07:00Inspiration, Part 2Sometimes ideas arrive half-baked. The question then is if that idea will ever mature into a full-fledged great idea, or will it always remain half-baked? And more importantly, will you have the patience to let the idea ripen, or will you discard it too soon?<br /><br />A couple of years ago, I had the idea to plant about one hundred drumstick Allium in a bed on the east side of my driveway. I loved the way that these burgundy red heads floated above other plants in early summer, adding little exclamation points to the garden. The problem was the "other plants" in that vision. The planting that first inspired me had used near-white daylilies under the alliums. But that always struck me like a one-hit wonder. "Give me a ticket for an allium. . ." It would look great for a short period of time, then all those daylilies would start to look a little ratty.<br /><br />So my alliums floated away above the mulch. I added some liatris, which only added more vertical interest to a very vertical vision. What to do?<br /><br />Thanks to Fran Sorin's <a href="http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=7815">excellent interview with Piet Oudolf on Gardening Gone wild</a>, I began to explore <a href="http://www.oudolf.com/piet-oudolf">Piet's great website</a>. And there I found directions on how to finish baking my idea. <br /><br />Piet is a huge proponent of ornamental grasses and uses them in his designs with breathtaking effect. One of his gardens has paired my infamous drumstick alliums with a low-growing, clumping ornamental grass. That's when the light bulb went off over my head, and I muttered, "Sporobolus!"<br /><br />Next week I shall plant about a dozen Sporobolus heterolepis, or Prairie Dropseed, in that bed. Stay tuned for photos next summer of my alliums floating above a bed of grass!<br /><br />And my next post will be on my favorite topic of patience.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-64758344705407845722009-10-11T18:37:00.000-07:002009-10-11T18:41:45.860-07:00I'm lichen this!When I was taking the sunset photos on Friday evening, I noticed that the lichen growing on the trunk of the ginkgo tree looked intriguing.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/3996897478_d999114454.jpg><br /><br />Today, I was very glad that I had taken the photo then. After two frosts, snow flurries and a hard freeze, the ginkgo leaves today looked rather sad and the lichen was not as colorful as it had been Friday night. <br /><br />Hard to believe that we've had our first "official" snowfall on October 10th! A cold fall on the heels of a cold summer does not leave me thinking warm thoughts about winter.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-29013631593100985582009-10-09T17:25:00.001-07:002009-10-09T17:40:28.608-07:00Friday evening sunsetToday was a cold and rainy Fall day that felt more like early November than October. I put my jacket on at 6:30 in the morning to head to work and at 6:30 pm I still had not taken it off; I couldn't seem to shake the cold and damp. <br /><br />I was wasting time on the computer when I looked outside and realized that the setting sun had dropped below the layer of clouds. I grabbed the camera and headed outside to capture the amazing light. Here's a good photo of the sun highlighting the little bluestem and Indian grass:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3458/3996891256_f9fd981b6e.jpg><br /><br />In this view, the sun is just catching the Red Wing Viburnum. This bed is on the east front corner of the house.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3996893656_426cd3a682.jpg><br /><br />Here's the west front corner of the house. I wish I could photoshop out the antenna on top of the house, but I sure do appreciate the internet speed it provides.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2540/3996134421_5a5cbbea7d.jpg><br /><br />I was thinking the other day that I don't have a lot of fall color, but looking around tonight I think that perhaps I was too hasty in my judgment.<br /><br />Finally, a view of the western sky with the clearing clouds.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3427/3996138337_046a1efbb7.jpg><br /><br />Those clearing skies contribute to the likelihood of a frost tonight. I think I'm ready to say farewell to the annuals.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-39939552254095976872009-10-08T08:17:00.000-07:002009-10-08T08:43:09.496-07:00Some Fall ColorI took a quick walk around the garden yesterday afternoon to capture some of the fall highlights. We tend not to have a "blaze of glory" in the autumn; instead we find gleaming jewels here and there in the landscape.<br /><br />About four years ago I was intrigued by a little viburnum in a quart pot at Vareigated Foliage Nursery in Connecticut. I brought it home in my suitcase, only to find out later that it's a Chicagoland Grows introduction. The Viburnum is V. trilobum Redwing, and it is supposed to be a true V. trilobum, which is the native American Cranberry bush. The spring foliage emerges with a red blush on the leaves, and in fall it really glows.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/3992810114_98535c0ce8.jpg><br /><br />If you're not familiar with Chicagoland Grows, this is a plant introduction program that is a partnership among the Chicago Botanic Gardens, The Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois. The goal of the program is to introduce plants that are well-adapted to Midwest growing conditions. More information on the program and the plants can be found at www.chicagolandgrows.org. (Sorry, but Blogger is not letting me make that a clickable link right now.) Disclosure: I am on the board of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois.<br /><br />I also love the foliage of the Oakleaf Hydrangea. My plant didn't bloom this year due to a late cold snap, but it grew quite well and is starting to get some nice fall color.<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2610/3992052173_e34e7aae5c.jpg><br /><br />Enjoy the fall!Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-24918995578440014212009-10-05T17:27:00.000-07:002009-10-05T18:13:37.440-07:00My Abundant Harvest<img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/3982190616_bba50d8ea6.jpg><br /><br /><b> Silphium integrifolium - Rosinweed</b><br /><br />When I first saw that the theme for the Picture This Photo Contest on Gardening Gone Wild was <i>Abundant Harvest</i> I was disappointed. Our unusual summer weather has left us with a harvest that is far from stellar and a vegetable garden that has not one speck of beauty left in it. Tomato vines grew too slow, then too fast and then gave it up to fungus in our cool wet, September. Green peppers just didn't grow. Ever. I have a pepper plant that was transplanted into the garden in early June that is the exact same size today as it was back in June. <br /><br />But then I realized that the harvest I most appreciate is the harvest of prairie seeds that we gather every fall. As we work to restore native prairie plants on our land, our annual fall task is to collect as many seeds as possible from the various natives. After the seeds are cleaned, we combine them for different planting conditions and spread the seed in other areas - hopefully, just before a December snowfall.<br /><br />This rosinweed really caught my eye yesterday. The seed heads aren't quite ready for harvest, but I'll be keeping a close eye on this one over the next week or two.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-70520381968546662832009-10-04T15:41:00.000-07:002009-10-04T16:14:42.830-07:00Harvest time!No, I'm not bringing in the corn or beans. I'm harvesting seed from the native plants in the garden areas around the house. Later this fall, we'll spread this seed in areas where we're re-establishing native plants.<br /><br />Today's harvest included thimbleweed, cup plant, nodding onion, Culver's root, liatris, baptisia and lead plant. Here's a photo from July 1st of the lead plant in full bloom:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVtCnWcaJyNJN0lz9pBNGhHZeUP9-rlPGV7ppOHjhlYIfOGrKpR9p1jaKRnQSOZEb-FCozLuZsMwSNvdYWuOBhgIfAgbgcKFHv6YPS2irA8vfmEytcwhyphenhyphenunBJYePO_KDokeCG1Bv0y6c/s1600-h/DSC_0017.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVtCnWcaJyNJN0lz9pBNGhHZeUP9-rlPGV7ppOHjhlYIfOGrKpR9p1jaKRnQSOZEb-FCozLuZsMwSNvdYWuOBhgIfAgbgcKFHv6YPS2irA8vfmEytcwhyphenhyphenunBJYePO_KDokeCG1Bv0y6c/s320/DSC_0017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388885101442130850" /></a><br /><br />I've read in a few places that lead plant can be hard to start from seed, but several years ago we spread seed in the prairie area on the west side of our property and now we have lots of lead plant coming up over there. I'll sow some of this year's seed in areas that are a little drier and more gravelly. <br /><br />I'll continue to work on collecting seed over the next several weeds. Assuming that the goldfinches don't attack me first, since they were not happy that I took the liatris seed that they've been feasting on.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5374443462666464236.post-58273193043441823972009-09-29T10:07:00.000-07:002009-09-29T10:35:01.704-07:00Prairie Grasses in the FallFall is my favorite season of the year, and not just because of the leaf displays. The prairie grasses hit their peak and begin to dominate the landscape. It seems wrong to wax poetic about the color brown, but these grasses truly bring out the beauty of the many shades of brown. Little bluestem turns a rusty brown, then covers itself in little bits of white fluff that glow in the evening sun. Big bluestem goes for a purplish brown while Indian grass takes on golden brown hues. Switch grass stays green a little longer, but eventually turns the palest tan.<br /><br />The last several days have been cloudy and damp, so there are no good photos of the grasses glowing in the sun. But the raindrops add their own special touch. Here's a stand of switch grass (Panicum virgatum) covered with drops of water from the previous night's rain:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3956929418_9b4dd0e6b3.jpg><br /><br />The switch grass is the frothy-looking stuff in the photo; the occasional darker seed heads are Indian grass.<br /><br />Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) has its own way of displaying the rain:<br /><br /><img src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/3956936358_c9f2e26309.jpg><br /><br />These grasses all were grown from seed sowed directly into an old field. The seed was sown approximately 17 years ago, so these grasses are well established. They tend to situate themselves in the conditions in which they are happiest, so the Indian grass stays on the higher ground, avoiding the moist areas.Marlene Frisbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18236671759111636032noreply@blogger.com2