Just When I Thought I Wanted to Live in the City....

I spent time in my garden.

Last night I attended a meeting about the fate of a historic building, in which my business is located. All of the insanity aside, the plans were quite beautiful. I envisioned selling my house and moving into the waterfront condos. With basically no need for a car, I would be living in my green heaven.

I should also mention I am at a point in my life where I want to do what makes me happy in the moment. Nothing else matters than this moment. So with that attitude I awoke today wanting to be outside and outside I went. I started with some simple weeding, followed by planting some plants that were given to me months ago by friends. I then got out the mower and mowed the front lawn. During the mowing process, I believe the humming put me into a trance. In that trance, I realized, I'm happiest in my garden. Even when it is back breaking and exhausting, my yard brings me such joy that losing it all together would be awful.

I am not going to worry about the future, but one thing I know...... I always need a garden.

The Long, Hot Summer

After the cold, snowy winter, I promised never to complain about the heat. So I'm not gonna. But what I will say is that I haven't been in the garden much. Between my business, my kids and my house wife duties I've slacked off big time. Since slacking off, I have noticed a change in my personal being and it hasn't been for the better. Gardening grounds me. I feel at one with mother earth when I'm digging. Overall, I just feel calmer when I'm in the garden.

A few days ago, I was out with my mom. She mentioned that on her scooter ride around the neighborhood she found a house with unusual plants. So we took a drive by to see them. They were not only unusual, but honestly I had never seen them before. So I took some pictures and then swung into the driveway to ask what they were. The gentleman was so sweet. He came out and cut me off seeds for both of the plants we liked. He said he had been gardening for over 20 years at his home. He said he would come home from work and go straight to the garden. He said he wouldn't come in until dark every night.

In that simple conversation, I realized how much I missed my garden. So starting this week, i am getting back into the game! Pictures and stories to follow!

The Evil Minty Plan

I have an evil plan.  And that is to take over my yard with mint starting with my path.  I planted a few small sprigs that I dug out of pots that they were in last year and planted them along my herb patch.

I also planted a few different mints in the side of my yard.  They were mostly transplants from last year's stash including White Peppermint, Black Peppermint, Chocolate Mint, Peppermint, and a few others.  I thought I had them all when I stumbled upon a website that had at least 10 varieties that I don't have and in most cases didn't know about.  

My neighbor is astonished by my mint plants.  I told her about the website in which I found more.  I thought she was going to fall over.  It seems my evil minty plan is underway.... bwahahahahahahaha!

Sylvania Natives

My gram passed away a few weeks ago.  She was one of the people in my life who made me love plants and their medicinal properties.  In fact she sent me a list of herbs in which one should grow in their garden for almost all ailments.  I came across the list recently and in the wake of her death I thought I should honor her in the best way possible..... through a medicinal garden.

The only sign denoting the existence of this gem.

I had started looking on line for places that offer unique herbs such as Arnica, Boneset, Black Cohosh, etc.  I found one place that I plan on using, however, a friend suggested I try Sylvania Natives.  Ironically, one of the ladies who works there, Jessica, happened to be at my work over the weekend.  We chatted like old friends and she told me she'd be working Monday.  I called up my mom and away we went to find this gem in the city.

Wild Strawberries 

Upon driving down Ira Way, we almost passed it up as it literally looks like someone's yard.  I quickly pulled in proud of the fact that I actually found it!  When I opened up my door, there were wild strawberries growing right outside of my door.  I wanted to pick some and eat them, but I resisted!

Tupelo Tree

We then entered in past the enchanting wooden etched sign into a raised bed garden haven.  I was especially taken by the first sign I read, which said "Tupelo" which also happens to be the name of my business.

View of the Gardens

I ended up with several native plants with the want to find room for more.  In the end, I didn't find many of the herbs I was looking to add to my medicinal garden.  Cathy, the owner, said she only grows what is literally local plants... meaning if it isn't found in Pittsburgh, she doesn't carry it. She said some of the "native" plants could have been local to a broader region than what she carries.  I was intrigued, though by all of the edible plants as she has a variety of bushes and trees that fruit.

Lots of native plants for sale!

I came home and immediately planted my findings.  Including two different kinds of local bergamot, a wild ginger, boneset (one of the items she did have that I wanted), black cohosh (which I also wanted), local columbines (one of my favorites) and several other plants.  I'll photograph and put them in another blog post.  I am still looking to do my medicinal herb garden but I'll have to save that for another time.

Cathartic Gardening

This morning I woke up with my new goal at hand.  Each morning I wake up between 6 and 6:30 and head right out to the garden to weed.  I figure even a few minutes pulling weeds will make my garden prettier and will keep me on track.  Plus, with that as the goal, getting out of bed will hopefully be easier.

So I went out and started pulling some weeds in the front yard.  A few minutes in I realized I needed to weed another portion of the yard.  So I moved there.  Pretty soon my Adult ADD set in and I couldn't stop moving from space to space pulling all the weeds.  In front of the house, on the side, behind...... OH MY!  I also got other tasks done:

I finally got the Lily of the Valley planted from my grams funeral.

I dug up some Lillies to give to a friend who gave me some Allium.

Then I delivered the plants and went onto the nursery.  There I bought a butterfly bush and a beautiful daisy along with some more hot peppers and annuals for my planters.

I planted my boots and my three tiered planters plus a watering can and bucket that I never got around to planting last year.

I staked my tomatoes for the first time EVER this early in the season.

I almost completely weeded my garden bed.

I planted EVERYTHING I bought.

I raked up the weeds and tidied up the garden area.

I planted potatoes for the first time.

I dug up and turned over one garden bed area where the ivy keeps coming back.... pulling out all of the roots.

Somewhere in the midst of all this work, I sat and cried.  I cried and cried and cried.  I have some reasons and I also have some nonsense reasons for crying, but it felt good.  Six and a half hours later, my yard looks better and my heart is a little less heavy.  How is that for cathartic gardening?

Herbs and Ferns and Plants

Yesterday I cleaned out my herb garden.  It is right in front of my house and was such an eyesore from the plants wintering.  I may have made a few mistakes as I turned over the dirt and found the plant markers from last year.  I had purchased all perennial herbs but hadn't realized this as I over turned the dirt.  I salvaged several of the plants and I'm hoping some of the smaller portions I found with roots will grow.  I need to go back to the garden center for more plants... DH is going to LOVE that!

Two years ago and then last year I bought ferns to place into the woodland gardens.  I successfully killed at least two of the 5, however, today from the window in the basement, I saw the one on the right.  How excited was I that they were coming back.  

 Lastly, this plant is killing me.  I bought it last year and I swear it had a name like Uncle Joes, or something of that sort.  It is a Pennsylvania Woodland Plant, or so I think.  It now has cute little white berries or maybe they are white flowers.  In any case, I planted it late in the summer and am DYING to know what it is.  I guess I should have taken pictures and posted them on this blog.  Noted for future reference.

The Grass is Definitely...... Purple and Yellow

I was driving home today and as I turned onto my street, I noticed my neighbor's lawn wasn't just green but also purple and yellow.  I had seen the little purple flowers in my yard, but never really stepped back to see it from a far.  It looked beautiful.  Where is the yellow from?  Dandelions of course.

When I first started this blog, I was looking for ways to get rid of dandelions.  That was before I friended bee keepers.  It seems dandelions as well as other early blooming flowers help the bees feed after a long winter.  And here we were trying to get rid of them.  At least the hub was and is always trying to get rid of them.  The dandelions greens are good for you and good for helping with digestion.  The root is a good liver detoxifier and tastes best when they are roasted first.  I don't know what all the fuss is about.  Sure hub wants a lush green lawn, but it's prettier with a little purple and yellow thrown in.

Spring Show

I hadn't noticed until someone mentioned we have had a VERY wet spring here in Pittsburgh.  Now it is all I think about as I prepare my day.  Today started out wet but warm.  It is slowly getting cold again and the wind is whipping so hard against my windows that at times I'm afraid they are going to break.

Before we get dumped on again, I decided to run out and document my Spring Show.  After all this is my favorite growing season of the year.  Mostly because we've just come off of a cold, snowy winter and here Mother Nature is promising us that the weather is changing, even if it is really slow going.

These pictures are probably some of my worst pictures, but it's cold and the wind is the devil.  I hope to post more soon.

Sage is coming back!

All of my Daffodils are droopy.  I think it is due to the crazy weather we've been having.

I used SCRAM to keep the deer away from my Tulips. So far so good!

Hyacinth.

Lillies!

Not sure what this is, but it makes a semi circle of growth.

I must have planted this last year, but have no clue what it is.

I believe this is a Hosta. 

I think this is either a Black Eyed Susan or Echinacea.

Never planted these that I know of but they come up each year.

Aren't they pretty?

My transplanted Day Lillies from last year are coming up!

Even though the deer ate the buds, the blueberries are hanging on!

Blueberry #2

Forsythia tumbling into my yard from the neighbor's yard.  Isn't she GRAND?!?

Clay- Good for Sculpting. Bad for Plants.

Yesterday as I dug the two holes needed to plant my blueberry bushes I reconfirmed the knowledge that my ground is all clay.  I mean I knew this, but I've been concentrating on digging around in the beds in which have been maintained in the past.  This soil is light and perfect making it hard to imagine that a mere 6 inches below the surface everywhere else in my yard is thick with clay.  I literally could take the clay out of the ground here, mold it and fire it.  It is that thick.  My goal is to eventually turn all of this clay land into viable land to plant.  Until then, I see a lot of pottery in my future ;)

Blueberries

This entire blog is about me buying things and then promptly killing them.  It is amazing how bad I am at gardening, however, I feel like I am learning things.  When I'm 80 years old, I'll probably be the best gardener thanks to 50+ years of trial and error.

So this year, I promised myself and my husband I would not buy anything more.  I meant it.  But yesterday I took my mom to the nursery to get dirt for her square foot garden and to get starter pods for her seeds.  I thought I was safe because hell it is March in Pittsburgh.  Nursery centers have squat..... WRONG!  There were three pallets of blueberries.  I've been wanting blueberries.  So I caved and bought two plants.

This morning, before we get our rain and in the next few days snow, I finally got them planted in what I hope is the perfect spot.  It is hard to tell because our yard is so sunny in spring until all of the leaves grow back in.  For now, I think they are planted in full sun.

If You Aren't Square Foot Gardening, You Are CRAZY!

This time of year comes and I want to be out in the dirt as much as possible.  I want to dig and plant and dig some more.  However, with my recent change in work, I'm now working most weekends.  This is the time my husband and I used to set aside in spring to get the garden going. This morning, I woke up late and had a lazy Sunday off from work.  At about 1:30ish after fighting with the hub about a project, I went outside to clean the clover out of the garden from last year.

Last year, we built two square foot gardens the right way.  We put down cardboard and then topped it with soil and peat and vermiculite just the way it said in the square foot gardening book.  The year prior to last we kind of did the square foot thing, but in a more lackadaisical way.  We failed two years ago, miserably, however last year I think we would have done better had we known how to garden.  You see, no one tells you when to start picking.  So we spent the majority of our time thinking our items needed time to grow and by the time we were picking them, they had already gone to seed.  This year, we are wiser.

So today, hub says, "There's no way you are going to have time to plant today.  That garden bed needs so much work, you are going to be out there cleaning it out forever!"  He ate his words, for one hour later my garden was cleaned out and spring seeds were planted.  Honestly, this was the easiest space to weed and plant.  I don't know why more people aren't using this method!

Tomorrow, I plant some swiss chard and I begin to tend to my containers..... Let Garden Season START!

Spring AGAIN!

A few days ago we "sprung forward" giving us more time to spend in the daylight.  While my body is still adjusting to this time change, Mother Nature is sending up signs of love.... Starting with crocuses.  But I also have Daffodils and Tulips coming up.  In the back I see the signs of my Daylillies and I'm so excited!  I need to get my seeds going for the season as I'm behind.  But I can finally see the light at the end of this crappy winter!