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?
Most everything here is viewed from a distance so I use the ‘squinty blob’ technique. I point my eyes toward a bed and squint, then try to imagine the general shape and foliage color and texture that will look good with what’s already there. The problem with that is I’m actually planting for the next owner unless I buy everything BIG.
Maybe I’m going at it backwards……
I do pay attention to shade and sun etc .
But my successes are hit or miss . I’d guess 70% success rate .
I like this time of year when I don’t feel pressure to work outside so I have time to plan the big things I need to do next year. It’s also good to note and reflect on what I accomplished this year, otherwise it’s hard to see progress.
Next year is going to be a big ‘surface’ year. I need to start putting aside $ for gravel and compost and figuring out how many cubic yards I will need of each. I am really, really bad at that. I mean REALLY.
Not bad at all here, just a few limbs down. The silver lining for me is that most of the remaining leaves were blown off the trees at once so a couple hours of blowing between showers and I should have them off the driveway and down in the ravine.
I hope your neighbors get their burnt roof tarped before your rain hits. I feel so bad for them - their holidays are not going to be very pleasant.
About sprinkler systems.
A neighbor did not turn off or adjust their sprinkler system at winter time.
They would go on at 4:00 a.m., overflow the walkway, and freeze into a section of ice, causing a slip and fall hazard on the walkway.
I want a salmon one too and have a place I will try one when I can find it. I've never put one outside.
So, I am supposed to bring what's left of my Christmas Cactus indoors?
Okay, I will.
There is a daylight lamp I can put next to it.
And maybe feed it.
Toss that worthless thing and start over. ; )
The leaves are almost done falling here so if we get a dry spell I’ll be able to reclaim my driveway. Oh wait, the big, bronzey oak out front holds most of its leaves all winter but at least when they do fall they don’t soak up water so they’re easy to blow.
Christmas (Thanksgiving?) cactus are both blooming; deep pink and white. I’d like a salmon one but this little house does not have room. It’s challenging, here, for houseplants and I miss my big, bright, sunny kitchen, but only in the winter.
Bay is a wonderful addition to stews and soups. No idea what it looks like in the natural.
I think you are wise to get a professional to ID your fungi. They can be deadly. I know puff balls are ok but I have never picked and eaten them.
Witches butter? Very colourful.
Just installed some grow bulbs to help the plants through the winter. The Christmas cactus is covered with buds. Hope the extra light doesn't disturb it. 4 of the catalpa seedings are still alive - the runt shrivelled up and died. They need more sun light than we usually get here. The other plants survived last winter but extra light won't hurt them.
I think the extra light is affecting me positively, but it will take more time to be sure. I feel "brighter" lol. 💡💡💡
I have never tried to eat sumac. I know there is a poison kind but this is not it, so I would be willing to try it. It smells wonderful when you crush the leaves. How do you prepare it? I also have some kind of Bay tree/shrub but I don’t know if it’s the culinary sort.
We have a big variety of fungi that give my DD, GD and I endless pleasure although we like our livers so choose not to eat any of them. Id like to get a professional in to identify them. There is only one fungi I’ve eaten from our woods and it’s called Witches…something. It’s small, bright orangey-yellow ruffles that don’t taste like much of anything but apparently they can be candied and used as a dessert garnish.
We had sumac where I grew up in Ontario. Such an interesting and colourful plant. Have you ever used it for cooking?
I know this is not about gardening but it’s about my Garden.
and
garden on
Bears! And wolves! I can’t imagine! I hope your critters like you better than mine like me! I do have a friendly chipmunk that scratches on the front door nearly every morning….most of the predators keep their distance.
Way - maybe your neighborhood ‘mayor’ would like to plant out your flower bed for you! I love blue oat grass planted in groups but like all the grasses, they reach their limit and you have to remove them. I have some clumps of the super chartreuse grass, can’t remember the name, and it doesn’t seem to die out in the middle. It’s very pretty against conifers.
Today I’m missing my old home - the mountains, the Milky Way, the basalt cliffs. It must be because it’s the beginning of the drippy grey season here. Today I need to spend some time appreciating my ferns and forest and the falling leaves.
Well I’ll see how it goes. The good thing is the beds are all reached by using only 50 feet at a time by design . And I have one placed on 3 sides of the house . I only have to drag around more if I want to water the lawn which I try to avoid . Even the large fountain grass bed that was 100 feet away rarely needed water . Although 100 feet isn’t allowing the sprinkler to really reaching the end of the property in the back , but I’m not adding another hose . Nope . 🙅♀️🙅♀️. It looks fine from our view on the deck from far away . That last 25-30 feet also slopes down alittle bit on one corner , we don’t really see it . But the nosey neighbor does in between his trees .😬😬
@CWillie,
Yeah I have them placed around the house too . I’m only really lugging a lot because the lawn was suffering from two bad summers , and I seeded to repair it .
The animals didn’t chew at the canvas ?
That fear was what prevented me from buying them. I regularly have deer, fox, etc . and the occasional bear ( they come off the mountain in drought sometimes ) to go to the creek near me . I’m near the edge of a suburb just before rural .