Little Gardeners

 

I spent many hours helping my parents in our garden when I was younger, not always because I wanted to either. And my weekends weren’t always free from weeding and trimming; those are the times we went to help my grandparents with their garden work. All-in-all, they were happy memories, and they taught me a lot of good lessons about responsibility and how nature grows.

The other day I walked into a garden center and I saw displays of gardening tools for children. Oh, how this makes my heart happy. It’s becoming a lost tradition with kids. A tradition as old as time.  Gardening is another form of art, one we want to nurture and develop with our children, just like music and painting. The only difference is you’re creating with a living, breathing plant to making a picture. Whether it be with symmetrical rows of vegetables or a hodgepodge of wildflowers, you’re creating an image when you create a garden.
I believe when a child has the chance to play in the dirt, they’re happy. And nothing grabs the child’s imagination like planting seedlings, knowing it will row into a full size plant. Your child may even think he is planting the next giant beanstalk. The younger the child the more imagination you use in your gardening chores. Tell them the story as you plant, making it fun and interesting. For older children this is a perfect time to teach responsibilities and basic botany.
But I think the most important thing about gardening with your children is the time you spend  with them. Nothing binds people together more than getting dirty and sweaty working on a project. And let face it, in the summer heat you will get dirty and sweaty in the garden. You can moan and groan about it, or you can enjoy having your child work alongside of you. So what if he pulls up a posy instead of a weed? He’s trying, and that’s what counts. You can always teach them the right way, you can show him what are weeds and what are flowers.

Take a walk through the garden center and pick up a small watering bucket, hoe, rake or shovel that were made for the hands of a child.  Get them involved in the planning of the garden and in the work. Let your children take part in selecting the plants or small statuary you might put in the garden. Let them have part of the fun. It might surprise you the artistic abilities children really have.
Our local botanical garden is putting in a child’s garden this year. If you’re not able to garden at your home, check into the local venues and see what they offer. Your local garden center selling those small gardening tools, may also offer classes or workshops for the kids. 
So, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends; take the time and pass down the love and joy of gardening to the next generation.

www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

Let the garden be your medicine

Healing powers of your garden.

I know we’ve all heard working in the garden is therapeutic. And I’m sure there are tons of facts which can show this, proving it to everyone of you. But I’m going to talk about something much more personal, something I’ve seen for myself.
My mother recently had a serious operation and developed complications which left her in the hospital for quite a long time. As a result, she was getting despondent and seem to be a shadow of herself.
Now, let me tell you a few things about my mother. She’s a strong, determined woman who loves to work in the garden. Or just relax outside and read her books. For her to be in a hospital room for any length of time? Well, it just isn’t like her.
After a couple weeks I was up visiting her and it was a beautiful day. She looked so lost sitting in a chair and I made a few inquiries about getting her out of the room for a bit. We made her comfortable in her wheelchair and I took her outside. We didn’t go too far the first day, just down the sidewalk to look at the pond. But she got out of the room into the fresh air. The change in her was so visible and I wondered why we hadn’t thought of this sooner. The next time she went out for a longer time and sat in the garden watching the antics of a feisty squirrel.

9367719 – gray squirrel attempts to steal seeds from a bird feeder

I think this was the turning point for my mother’s recovery. Everything she did from that point on in her recovery was with the goal to get home and out in her garden. It worked, too— she has gotten stronger and is getting around on her own now. I attribute a lot of this, but not all, to being able to be outside enjoying nature.
Her doctors and therapists all had a huge hand in her recovery as well as her own desires. But I believe by being outside and having the determination of being able to work towards achieving her goals to be in her garden has helped her.

She still has a way to go, and still cannot work in the garden. But she can sit out in her lawn chair and enjoy her flowers with a cat on her lap and a book in her hands.
I have high hopes by the end of the summer she will be once again be planting her garden and planning the next area she wants to redesign.

http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

 

A Plant’s Purpose

Plants do more than just look pretty. They serve a purpose.
The primary purpose of plant life is to clean the air, taking carbon dioxide and other gases and in and, through photosynthesis, releasing oxygen. Without the plants, our earth would most certainly perish.Not only do they provide the air we breathe but also our food. Either as a direct food source ( remember-eat your fruit and veggies!) or through the meat we eat. They can provide food and habitat for many animals, including endangered animals.

But there’s other ways that plants help us.

If you live along the shore, you know how sandy it is and how easily the dunes can wash away during storms and high surf. The sea-grass and beach daisy planted on top of the dunes will help hold that sand in place, keeping it from eroding. As do the mangroves holding the riverbanks along the river. Plants will also filter and clean that same river water.
Plants can also protect property by being a wind block. When they’re properly pruned, they stand up to some tough winds. Trees provide shade and cooling for us. Some plants are deliberately planted by farmers to attract the insects to the weaker, less expensive plants. This is done so their primary crop can grow without being attacked by the insects. These host plants serve an unusual purpose of being planted deliberately to be infested.
We decide on the types of plants and placement when we plan our landscapes. Do you plant to provide screening or privacy? Or maybe to cut down the noise pollution? Or maybe you plan to create the calmness of a serenity garden.

Our municipalities realize the value of plants and how important of a role they play in our life. County ordinance will demand that certain plant species and a  certain number of plants are planted. This is usually based on the space you are building. In our area there’s a big push for native plants to be use, cutting down on the need for specialized care that more tropical plants demand.
Even in the water plants serve a purpose to provide oxygen for the marine life and coral. Without these filtering plants, fish will die and the coral will fade and die. Pollution will take over, and our waters will be unsafe for drinking and recreation.

So, I guess what I need to say is this; before you cut down that tree or remove that hedge think about the purpose of the plant. If the plants are being removed because of age or decline, can you replace it with something else? (An interesting fact; most Christmas tree farms will plant a new tree for every one cut down. It’s smart planning for the future, insuring future crops of trees and income.)

Can you plant something that will benefit not only yourself, but our precious planet?

http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

Flower Care in the Hot, Hot Summer

Down here in the South we have two summer seasons; hot and hotter.

Once May slips through we’re into summer. And there won’t be much of a break from the heat until October/November. As the summer months crawl along, the heat builds up, day after day. Sometimes we get an afternoon rain to give us relief, but the humidity just builds until there’s a good old-fashioned thunderstorm. Or even worse, a hurricane!

It goes without saying the plants we planted for color and beauty during the winter months will not survive in this hot heat. Even in the shade, the sturdiest of plants will suffer.
That’s why it is important to pick summer annuals to replace your winter annuals. You can still achieve a beautiful garden by using the right plants.

Listed below are summer annuals I like to use.
Caladiums, Cassandra, Periwinkle, Purslane, Sedum, Pentas, Portulaca, Lantana, Bush Daisy, Blue Daze, Angelina, Coleus, Phlox, Dipladenia, Scaevola, Gomphrena, Zinnia, Sunpatiens, Mexican Heather, Gaura, Society Garlic, and some varieties of Begonias.

Along with selecting the right plants, proper care is essential. You need to make sure that the plants are watered consistently and thoroughly, fertilized when needed and check for insects weekly. This also means removing debris from around the base of the plant, looking at the underside of the leaves for the critters and snapping off any problem areas. Because the plants grow so fast during the summer months, the insects thinks it’s a feeding frenzy for them. A healthy plant will tolerate an insect infestation much better than a week plant, and that’s why it’s important to make sure they’re watered and fertilized properly.
With all this heat and humidity it is also important to keep an eye out for disease, mold and fungus problems.

This is also when most landscapers do their hard cut-backs on the landscape plants. Often this looks severe, but the plants will flush back out over the summer months to their full lush beauty. In the meantime, the area where you had your winter annuals may now be exposed to the full brunt of the summer sun, with no shade from the surrounding shrubbery. You need to be aware of these changes when you decide what plants to plant.

But don’t be afraid to continue to garden in the summer months. Switch out those old tired annuals and put in fresh flowers that will last the summer.

Then hop in the pool and enjoy your garden.
Go ahead, you earned it!

 

If you enjoyed this blog, please click the follow button for more gardening tips. Have a question or a suggestion for a blog post? Let me know, if I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it for you.

http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams

A Garden’s Charm

Fountains In The Garden 

Close your eyes as you walk through a garden.  Every little sound you hear seems more pronounced.  Now imagine the sound of water.  Is it the gentle trickle from a small ornate fountain tucked in a corner, or the splashing of a waterfall that is the focal point of the garden?
Water has been one of the major elements of the garden since the beginning of gardens. I would bet that the Garden of Eden had water features in it: streams, falls, pools. I’m sure Adam and Eve enjoyed these eliminates as much as we do today.

But today our gardens are usually small compact areas. Here, we strive to create an oasis to enjoy and relax in.  As a result, the water features we use have had to become smaller.  Thankfully, there is a wide variety of fountains in sizes and styles that will meet almost every need.  Great works of art have inspired makers of fountains into combining statues with water.  Beautiful containers have become fountains with a simple addition of a bubbler added to it after the drainage hole is plugged.

Nature provides great inspiration for the style of a fountain.  It is not uncommon to see a fountain with birds, forest animals or fish as the main focal point. Fountains can also create a meditative area, the style of the fountain reflecting a simplistic viewpoint.
Yes, I think I can speak for most of us; we enjoy the addition of water to our gardens.  But for every pro there can be a con, and this is no exception.  Smaller fountains tend to have a water evaporation problem and if the water gets too low, then the pump can burn itself out.  Even larger fountains and waterfalls can have problems; too shady of an area and you can find your water feature is more of a spot for algae to grow and leaves to collect in.

But do not give up on your fountain, they are worth the effort you put into them.  And if you find they are just too much work–well they make terrific planters too!

 

This blog is a response from a one word challenge I sent out to my readers.  Send me one word and see if I can create a gardening blog from it.  This Blog’s word was Fountain, from Marie.  Thanks Marie!  Join in the fun and send me your word, too.

 

www.VictoriaLKWilliams

 

 

A Healing Garden

Having a garden full of herbs gives you more than just a pleasant taste to your food. Some herbs can add health benefits too. From curing headaches to relieving indigestion, they can come in handy in our daily life. Any kitchen garden worth its salt will include healing herbs along with your favorite cooking herbs.
Our forefathers knew this and often used herbs before they could get medical treatment. Their wisdom and experience guided a healer’s hands to find and cultivate the right plants to ease and comfort the ills a family member might feel. Herbs are even found in the pages of the Bible: Proverbs list Cinnamon as a stimulant, used to increase the appetite from someone suffering from the flu. Matthew speaks of Mint being used for headaches and fevers. Esther talks of Myrrh used for skin wounds and boils.

I think it’s fascinating how plants help us. It seems a shame we’ve gotten so far removed from using natural remedies and growing our own natural remedies. It’s seems so much easier to open a bottle of vitamins or pain reliever which you purchased over-the-counter than it is to put the effort into growing a few medicinal herbs.

Why not plant a few? You don’t have to have an entire herb garden; you can plant a few in with your flowered pots, line your vegetable garden, or even just put a few on your windowsill in decorative clay pots.
Listed below you’ll find just a few herbs and what they were commonly used for as a healing plant. It is essential to know how and how much of each herb to take. There are many trained professionals in this field of medicinal herbs that should be consulted before you try to use these plants on your own.

ALWAYS consult your doctor before trying to use herbs as a healing method.

Oregano: smooth’s the stomach muscles
Mint: can ease hiccups
Ginger: anti-nausea remedy
Garlic: a natural antiseptic
Cloves: an anti-microbial
Sage: antiseptic and antibiotic
Thyme: relaxes respiratory muscles
Basil: relives gas and upset stomach
Black Pepper: to relieve indigestion
Cinnamon: helps lower blood pressure
Rosemary, Sage and Oregano: lowers fevers

  www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

www.BotanicalConceptsofVeroBeach.com

A Good Day in the Garden

Any days a good day… 
                                         If you can get into the garden.

And every day is a different day in your garden.

Sights, sounds, smells; they change by the day, by the hour, and by the minute. If you’re in your garden enjoying your time there, you’ll soon notice this. Some changes will be subtle, and some will be in-your-face. But you need to be aware of your garden’s activity to enjoy it. 

I have a bird feeder in my garden (actually I have three) and I get a wide range of birds visiting. The same birds seem to visit, over and over, I could almost name them and tell you what time of day they will show up, demanding a meal. I have a couple rabbits who scurry in and out from the bushes when they think no one will notice them. And the squirrels rule the whole domain. Occasionally I have a falcon who appears, looking for meal, but he doesn’t stay long. Once he leaves, everybody else comes back out to play. The egrets come to visit; flocks of white, unusual looking birds with their long legs and equally long beaks, looking for bugs and worms.  A pair of Sand-hill Cranes may wander into the neighborhood. They meander in and out amongst the backyards, breaking the peace with their loud cry. Sometimes we’re even lucky enough to see the furry little chicks that come along with them.

It seems like each animal has its own cycle to be in my garden, and they almost become complacent about sharing your garden. The last couple days I’ve been very surprised to look out my window and see a pair of ducks. I know there’s no water around my house, so I don’t know where they came from. They arrive every day right around three p.m., stay for bit, and then they go on their merry way. 
There’s also cycle butterflies and  colorful moths that come to the garden. Being lucky to live in South Florida, I get to see  the migration when the monarchs come in.
When the date palms produce seedpods, they become a hub of activity. The bumble bees arrive in swarms. Not only can you see them, but you can clearly hear the bees buzzing around the pods as they open, trying to get as much nectar as possible from the flowers before they turn into seeds.
If I happen to be in my garden when there’s a storm approaching you can even smell the rain coming. And on those many summer days when the heat and humidity are overwhelming, the heat will hold the smells from the gardenia, jasmine and honeysuckle, practically overwhelming you with their scents.

Personally, I enjoy the approach of the storm clouds. They bring out different colors you might not notice in the full sun. The sky turns different shades as the clouds approach; the wind picks up and you can smell everything from dust to flowers.
So rain or shine, sunrise or dusk, I find it’s great to spend time in the garden. 

   www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

www.botanicalconceptsofverobeach.com

A New Look

 

Hi Gardeners!

I decided a new look was needed for this blog-the old was pretty boring! Let me know what you think.

If you ever have any questions or a topic you’d like to see write about here, just let me know.

Until then, TGIF–enjoy your weekend!

 

   http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

A Northern Spring VS A Southern Spring

A Northern Spring VS A Southern Spring
I was listening to the news last night, and I realized that spring in the south differs greatly from the spring in the north. Up north early spring can be anything from flooding in early and late snowfalls, with crocuses peaking through. When I lived in upstate New York, spring was always my favorite season. Spring seemed to start with the celebration of Easter, the daffodils blooming and hyacinths scenting the air. New life is everywhere, from the robins in their nest, to the bunnies coming out of their lairs.

 

But, last night on the news I heard signs of spring in a different manner, the signs of spring in the Deep South. The first thing we had heard was at the riptides were bad because of the changing directions of the winds changing from winter to spring. This might be bad for the swimmers, but the surfers sure love it.

The next thing we found out about was the man-of-war are all on the beach. Their purple-blue but bodies can sting, and so do those long tendrils. With care, you can still enjoy a day at the beach, but plan on staying out of the ocean.
Next, we are reminded about that the sharks are migrating; this is definitely a spring time item. Huge shivers (groups) of them can be found offshore. All within swimming and snorkeling distance of the fun loving bathers enjoying a sunny day.

And finally, we heard news that with the weather warming up that the alligators are getting frisky. This means the alligators are getting warmed up, moving around and getting ready for meeting season. Kayaks and fisherman need to take care on our river-ways.

Yes, spring in the south sounds a bit more dangerous than spring in the North!
Daffodils and tulips up north verses sharks and alligators in the south.
I guess I’m a southern girl at heart. I’ll take my sharks, man-of-war and alligators over cold flooding waters and the possibility of a late snowfall.

But I will admit I miss the glorious color and scents of the spring.

http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

 

 

Know Your Space

“Space. The final frontier.”

Or is it?
Well, at least in the garden, space is the important frontier.
Space can be the final say regarding what you plant and how you plant. The smaller the garden, the more important the amount of space you have. And the more important it is to use it properly. One of the first steps in using space properly is to know how much space you there is to work with.

Nothing is harder to do than to figure your space without taking measurements-inevitably you’re wrong. When you take those measurements, it’s important to be as accurate as possible, because in a small space an inch can mean a lot. A foot can make a difference with what type of plants you plant, and a yard to make the difference in the type of material you use for hard-scaping.
When taking your measurements, it is imperative to find out where the building sits on the property. While it is important to measure the windows and doors, don’t forget to look for the other little things you might not consider. The downspouts, hose bib, gas meter, utility area; all of these must be considered in your drawing. If you don’t incorporate them in the drawing, you will be in for a big surprise when you go to plant a six-foot plant in front of a 3-foot window. It’s a little hard to explain to the customer why their view is blocked because you didn’t measure properly. I’ve learned through my own mistakes and experiences, that it never hurts to take an extra measurement or two,  Without fail, when you get back to the office and sit at the drawing table, there is a missing measurement somewhere. With other measurements, you can triangulate and coordinate where you will be planting and approximate that missing measurement.

But only knowing the measurements of the length and width of an area isn’t the only thing you need to consider. Look up over your head. Are there power lines in the way of where you will plant that oak tree? Is there an awning you need to consider, or are you going to be blocking sunlight for the new planting? These are other considerations you need to think about when you’re measuring your space. If you’re adding hard-scape to your landscape, you also need to consider the physical movements of both people and items such as wheelchairs, a golf cart, a stroller or a gardening cart. Take into consideration not only the straight path these items will take, but the curves and arches they need to take to turn safely without damaging your landscape or your property.
There are some great tools on the market for measuring other than the good old-fashioned measuring tape. There’s even a battery powered one that automatically retracts for you. Some are measuring tapes that can electronically figure out your space by doing the math for you. And there are even some new tapes that can visually measure and figure out your space without the use of a physical tape.

Need a simpler tool? Try the walking measuring stick. The handle is attached to a counter and wheel, and it calculates the feet as you walk. When you’re measuring long distances, there’s nothing better, because a measuring tape often will not go much farther than 100 feet. A walking measuring tape can be as sophisticated as you would like to spend the money on. They can figure out your square feet of the area. For a larger project. you might need to hire a surveyor and get the site plotted out in more detail.
Don’t forget those underground utility lines. Many municipalities provide services where they will come out and mark the utilities for you. A good rule of thumb, is to always mark before you dig-there’s nothing worse than sticking that shovel in the ground and cutting off somebody’s cable, telephone or worse yet, breaking a waterline.
So, remember to take all things into consideration when planning out your garden space. Get it right the first time and then you can enjoy the planting experience rather than being frustrated.

Once you’re all finished, grab that cold glass of iced tea and head out to the garden to sit and relax and enjoy that beautiful space you created.

Enjoy Time In The Garden!

http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com