Spring Blizzards and Gardening On The Prairie

Seems like we always get this beautiful spring weather in March and you're just sure that winter is over and gardening time is just around the corner and then, bam!, you get hit with a spring blizzard! I'm at least thankful that my daffodils and other early spring flowers were had not actually bloomed yet. I think the buds will survive and I'll still enjoy those pretty flowers. It's the plants that I had bought and not planted (thankfully) yet that will be a pain to keep healthy. I had succombed to the temptation and bought some brocolli plants and early flowers and then hadn't had time to plant them yet. That's good, but now they will have to be watered daily and tended to until it finally thaws and then dries out enough that I can plant them.
I'm really not complaining as the moisture was needed and as I look at the green shoots poking out of the blanket of snow over my perennial gardens, I know that they will benefit from the melting snow and most of them will survive just fine. After all, I plant a lot of native prairie plants and they are tough and suited to this climate!
Maybe this spring snow isn't so bad after all. I think if I could garden all year long, I would miss out on the miracle of seeing the brown and dead landscape suddenly come alive with green shoots poppping up and flowers starting to bloom and brighten my days.

Getting Ready For Spring - Birdhouses

I'm really getting spring fever. Hubby and I went shopping today and started stocking up on garden seeds. Since it's below freezing and we got a little snow today, they'll have to stay on the shelf for a little while longer! One thing I can start doing is getting my birdhouses ready. There are some species (like bluebirds) that are actually starting to check out nesting sites.
I enjoy growing birdhouse gourds and turning them into unique birdhouses. I sell some and hang some around my gardens. Since I like color, they always add a bright spot and hopefully make a nice home for the wrens, bluebirds or other prairie birds. You can find some of my birdhouses listed in my Ebay store or my Etsy store.

Christmas Wonderland In Your Garden

We're about to have our first freeze tonight, but my flowers and garden are pretty well done. We always pick all the tomatoes right before the last freeze and put them down in the basement to finish ripening. We've actually had them last until Christmas several years.
Now it's time to turn my attention to decorating my yard and garden for the holidays. Outdoor Christmas decorations come in about every style you can imagine. I especially like the big Christmas Inflatables, but there are lots of lighted decorations, nativities and even solar lights to decorate your yard. Another great way to make your gardens look dressed up for the holidays is by using great holiday garden decor. Now is the time to start shopping and planning your holiday garden display.

Time to Dress Your Garden For Fall

We had some extremely hot days ending July and starting August. Flowers are starting to fade and the mums are getting ready to bloom. It's time to add some new elements to your garden to dress it up for fall. Dress Your Garden For Fall has some great tips for adding unique texture and color to your garden to keep it looking great right into winter.

I'm starting to think about planting some bulbs for those beautiful early spring flowers. There are some really gorgeous new tulips varieties and other bulbs that I think I need to get started shopping for. Next spring I'll really be glad I got that done!

Hot Summer Days

As July draws to a close, things are really getting hot here in the middle of the country. Some of my flowers are giving up on blooming (and the grasshoppers are getting fat on the rest). My beautiful pink primroses are basically stalks standing bare. I'm busy deadheading and pruning back some of the spring plants, but the purple cone flowers and black eyed susans are flourishing in the heat. The daylilies add bright spots of orange and the old fashioned tiger lilies add a big burst of orange with black spots. I love the way the garden transitions from one view to another as the season progresses. If I keep the faded flowers deadheaded - which I have to admit, I get rather lazy about - then there is a continual show of colors right into fall.
Besides the mums and ornamental grasses which will soon be ready for their show, I'm thinking of other ways to dress of my garden for fall. I think some colorful plants in containers with dried wheat or sorghum heads or even some interesting branches might make some great ways to dress up things when the summer flowers are finished. I'll add some pics when I get them together.

Welcome Guests With Flowers in Recycled Pots

I'm an incurable collector of junk pile finds and I love to find ways to incorporate them into my garden. The top arrangement is made up of an old rusty rake that I found and hung a welcome sign on the tines. I found the old rusty galvanized bucket in a ravine in the neighbors pasture and carried it home to use as a planter. I set it on the step going up to the front door.





This planter is by the back door. Don't know what the rusty old pot was used for - I found it several years ago. It doesn't have a bottom, but I just dug it down into the earth a little and I usually plant moss rose in it every year. I found the old hoe tool with a short handle here on the farm, and it was a simple matter to paint "Welcome" on it and stick it down into the planter. The rusty hen doorstop was a gift from a friend and adds a little charm to the arrangement.


Of course, these rustic arrangements fit right in with a 140 year old farmhouse, but they would look good in just about any garden. It's fun to come up with some pretty ways to show off your flowers in "recycled" containers.

My Mulberry Tree

I have a big, old mulberry tree in my yard. Not only does this tree make a great place for a shade garden, but with a bench addition, it's a great place to enjoy all the birds that nest in this tree. Among my favorites are the Western Kingbirds, a Mockingbird, and Orioles. Of course, the usual sparrows and blackbirds love the tree too. I also spot a lot of Bluebirds perched on the branches looking for insects.

The only bad thing about this tree is all the mulberries dropping all over the place right now! They are yummy and the birds love them, but there's more than enough for all as evidenced by the mess all over the ground. Don't dare sit on the bench without brushing them off of it!

Since the ground under this tree tends to be dry, I have to find shade plants that tolerate the dry conditions. I started some creeping myrtle a few years ago and it is filling in nicely. A couple of Coral Bells look really great this year and I plant some annuals in pots for added color. The annuals seem to do better in pots where I can keep them watered more regularly and the tree can't steal the moisture!

To read more about my mulberry tree check out my Squidoo Lens called Under The Mulberry Tree . There's more facts about the birds and a great Cherry/Mulberry Crisp Recipe.