What’s Happening In the Garden- May 1

Happy May Day!

I hope that you had as nice a day where you are as we did in Salem. It was gorgeous out there!

I had to spend some time poking around outside and checking things out. Here’s what I saw in between dropping off and picking up children…

Lady’s mantle and siberian iris, with the bleeding heart in the background.

I pruned the beejeebes out of this poor butterfly bush the other day. I’m planning to move it way over to the left in the next few days. I ran out of time and steam when I started this project so I have to get back to it (or get Michael to help me, soon)…
The sweet peas are all in a row, ready for their climb up the fence and trellis…
Asparagus is peeking through! And we have this beautiful pile of red twigged dogwood branches. I have to decide what to do with them. I think that they would make a great little fence!The rhubarb is ready. I wish I liked rhubarb more. My mother-in-law makes the best rhubarb custard pie in the world! I should work at that.
The flowering pear tree that we planted last spring is turning out to be beautiful! The soloman’s seal is poking through. I need to clean up and get rid of the dead stuff around it, however that requires me to steel up my courage because it’s snake country over here, not across the yard, just over on this side ;)! There’s a pot of potatoes underway. This year I’m planning to add a little bit of soil at a time, as the plants grow. The radishes pushed through. Radishes are great to grow with kids because they germinate in 4-6 days and you can be harvesting them in just a few weeks. Here’s the view looking down through the dogwood tree. Dogwoods take several years to flower after transplanting. I think this is going to be the breakthrough year for this tree. I have a feeling that it will have been worth the wait. And finally, looking out at the juneberry tree. This is another example of patience paying off. I was very tempted to cut it down a year or two ago because it just looked so sad and sickly. We treated it with Treetone organic fertilizer last spring and fall and the comeback is dramatic. It looks quite healthy and happy this year!

Try to hang in there with your plants and trees. If your having difficulty with something in your yard go ahead and google for a solution, or ask me to help you find one.

My husband will tell you that I live for this stuff 🙂

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Containers With Pizazz ! Not Your Ordinary Container!

I’m heading out to the garden to enjoy this absolutely beautiful day, but before I go I want to share this great post written by Claire Jones at “The Garden Diaries” about using containers. It has lots of ideas for your containers, with tips on how to choose and arrange plants that will really pop. I’m going to plant some canna tubers below the pansies on my front porch in preparation for summer. I’m sure that you’ll be inspired too! Enjoy! Love, Michele

The Garden Diaries

Finesse With Containers

Anyone with a flower pot can put together a container in an afternoon with a trip to the local big box store or nursery. But here are a few pointers which help with the final result that will turn your finshed product from the pedestrian geranium with vinca vine to a showplace masterpiece with Wow factor.

Artful Containers

The best piece of advice that I picked up over the years was the secret to coordinating your colors in a container. Choose a piece of fabric or piece of art that you really like and take it with you when you plant shop. Of course, you can’t take a painting with you so grab refrigerator magnets with famous paintings on them from museums, or cut out paintings from magazines. My most successful container was inspired from a Van Gogh magnet obtained from my many museum visits. Van Gogh’s iris painting has that intense…

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Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day- April 2013

And now for something new and different–I thought that I’d participate in “Garden Bloggers Bloom Day” this month. This is a group of garden bloggers from all over the world who share a post about what’s blooming in their gardens on the fifteenth of the month. You can see all of the participants and link to their blogs here at maydreamgardens.com. It’s really fun to check out all of the beautiful gardens and see the huge variation by climate!

My one reservation about doing this is that it’s still early here in Salem, Massachusetts. I didn’t plant daffodils last year and everything is a few weeks behind due to the cold weather we’ve had. In spite of that I’ll show you quite a bit of green, and a little color. Don’t worry, in May and June we’ll be overflowing with blooms!

Since it hasn’t snowed or sleeted for the past three days the primrose popped out!This morning there was dew on the lady’s mantle. And I had my first glimpse of the bride and groom plant that my mother gave me years ago.The chives are ready to enjoy.
And the tomato cages are waiting. Our neighbors gave us the lupine plants last year. I’m hoping that these will be blooming as beautifully as theirs do soon. This is largely a children’s chicken garden, as evidenced by the “sculpture” that Michael brought home recently and the three gnomes waiting for their summer assignment out in the garden.The chickens may not be blooming but they add lots of color and personality.

Lamb’s ear is poking out… Siberian iris And finally a little bit of bloom from the scillaand from the pansies that I planted a few days ago.

Happy Spring from the Salem Garden! Thanks for visiting!

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Things That Work For Me-The Flylady

I haven’t done a “Things That Work For Me” Post in a while, but I woke up (at 4am, but that’s another post) thinking about the Flylady and my need to start following her again. Have you heard of her? The “Flylady” at Flylady.net is a woman named Marla Cilley and she’s quite amazing. She and her website have helped me through many a rough day, week, month and year. Basically if your subscribe to her free service she sends you e-mails, lots of e-mails. As you read them and follow the plan that she’s laid out, your home and your personal life will get into order a little bit at a time. It starts with the most simple basics like shining your sink and putting on your shoes. As you adapt the routine that she gives you to your needs and lifestyle you’ll find that your space will slowly start to become de-cluttered and cleaner. Then you’ll be able to find things when you need them, and before you know it your laundry will be caught up and your family will be eating healthy, nutritious food. You might even end up following a calendar. The very end result is that you’ll have much more time to do the things you love (like get out to the garden!) and you and the people who live with you will be transformed into healthier and happier creatures. Fly stands for “finally loving yourself.” You may think that you love yourself but how you take care of yourself and your environment says a lot about where you truly are. Truth be told I’ve been kind of “off the wagon” lately. The challenge of working, raising a large family and being involved in the community activities that I enjoy has taken a toll on me. The good thing is, the Flylady is always there. I can start reading the e-mails, feeling the love and encouragement and getting back on track whenever I’m ready. She is really the secret to our success as a family. Starting today I’m going back to reading and implementing the basics so that we can all breathe a little bit easier. If you feel the need to get organized, live in a happy, clean home and love yourself and your space, go check out the website, then let me know how it goes. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, next to the Flylady herself!

Project 365: August 5 2007 - tangible FLYLady — Project 365: August 5 2007 – tangible FLYLady (Photo credit: Quack the Wooley Duck)

Happy Easter! It’s Time To Plant The Pansies

Usually I’ve planted some pansies by Easter, but this year between the late snows and our crazy schedule I almost didn’t make it.

This morning I managed to pick them up at the garden center, just in time.

Be not afraid!

Their very hardy and they’ll be just fine!

Every March when I put them out people roll their eyes and tell me that they won’t make it, but they do…

Give this pot a week or two and it will fill in with a mass of happy little pansy faces.

You can even eat the flowers if you’d like to!

Have I mentioned that spring is here?

Happy Easter!

Love,

Michele

Pansy (iwritetolive99.wordpress.com)
6 Edible Flower Recipe Ideas (theflyingfugu.com)

A Spring Morning In The Derby Garden

I had a chance to pop into the Derby garden this morning. This garden is really precious to me. Michael and I helped with it’s installation about 23 years ago. At that time I had an appreciation for gardens but no experience or knowledge. This is where gardening really started for me. The young couple who created it worked very hard to design it to represent a garden typical of this setting and the early 1700s time period. I should back up a bit and explain that it sits behind the home of the first American millionaire, Elias Haskett Derby, hence it’s name the Derby Garden.

At first glance over the fence it may look a bit barren and gray, but if you slow down and look closely you’ll see that the beds are about to spring to life.

I believe that these are the first few leaves of hollyhock.There are plenty of snowdrops.They really are one of the first signs of spring. These will be there for a few more days before it’s time to say goodbye till next year.I’m pretty sure that these are small daffodils. I’ll have to try to check back in a few days to confirm.Something from the allium family? Time will tell us exactly what.CrocusA beautiful carpet of green, maybe grape hyacinths?

This apple tree bears small, tough fruit but I’ve made a pie or two from here.

Here’s the view looking out toward the water. We lived in the blue building to the left when we were first married. It was a perfect honeymoon loft for us. We have lots of good memories from our days on Derby Street.

I loved thinking about how we were looking at the same view that the Derbys did when they lived there.

It has changed a bit but their spirit is here. I can feel it. Especially when I spend time in the garden and imagine what they might have grown and raised in the yard.

Enjoy Everything today!

Michele

Gardens to visit #001 (wearecultivate.wordpress.com)
The First Day of Spring and our Trip to the Spring Flower Show at Phipps! (pittsburghmommyblog.com)

Potting Bench Heaven

Do you have a potting bench or potting area? For many years I made due with whatever space I had. I remember keeping all of my potting equipment on the bulkhead steps of our old house and working on the sidewalk. Before that we lived above the West India Goods Store on Derby Street and my potting bench was a bucket with a few tools in it. In this house I have a designated area. Unfortunately the winter has been rough and it now looks like this:

Poor thing, I think it’s time to clear away the wood and sleds.

I spent some time in potting bench heaven (also known as Pinterest and Houzze) to help inspire me to freshen it up.

You all know how much I love Houzze.

Check these out:

What a great sink and pretty shade of blue…

Between Naps on the Porch traditional-landscape

Photo by Between Naps on the Porch. See more traditional landscape designs

These watering cans look familiar and using the plate racks to store the saucers is really creative. The baskets and stool are functional and beautiful.

Gardens and Terrace shabby-chic-style-deck

Photo by Amy Jesaitis. See more shabby-chic style deck designs

Pinterest has some great ideas as well:

Here’s a very cute and functional use of a garden gate

Source: countryhome.com via Michele on Pinterest

This one reminds me a little bit of my bench. I like the pegboard and the green stain on the doors. I think a little green stain would really dress mine up.

Source: thehandmadehome.net via Michele on Pinterest

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The chalkboards are an excellent idea! I’m a list person, so having a list of the day’s or week’s tasks and events would be wonderful.

I think the white wicker shelf might have been a headboard. Awesome!

Source: hometalk.com via Michele on Pinterest

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Great use of a hoosier cabinet! I have one of these tucked away in our basement. We use it for seasonal storage, winter hats and stuff, then summer toys when it’s warmer. It’s almost time to change it over.

Source: bhg.com via Michele on Pinterest

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And finally, carved from stone? Wow…

Source: littleemmaenglishhome.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

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Check out my pinterest garden ideas board for a few more great benches. I’m sure that I’ll continue to add there!

My work is never done 😉

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Here Comes the Garden Plan!

One of my very favorite things about winter is thinking about the garden plan. Yesterday I spent some time poking around the internet looking at planning websites and found this great service at Motherearthnews.com. For a thirty day free trial ($25/year after the thirty days), you can design your space using lots of cool features. The site uploads a plant list for your climate, then you can determine your square footage and add all of the beds, structures and plants that you’d like. Whenever your ready you can share it, publish it, view it on your phone and/or print it. The tutorials that are available helped me to get started and before I knew it I had created this complete map of my kitchen garden.

Here is the link to the vegetable garden planner which I happened upon by simply googling “garden plan.” Somehow it’s a little tricky to get there from the main Mother Earth News website. Just a side note about the Mother Earth News web site; that’s a wonderful resource too! There’s lots of great information about gardening, sustainable living and health. I could spend days just reading and gathering ideas there. Here’s the link to the plan above that Mother Earth News publishes on-line. You’ll see the plant list that comes with it just below the plan. I believe that Mother Earth even sends you e-mails telling when to plant things.

As I finish typing I can hear the ducks down in the pond for the first time this year. Spring really is right around the corner!

If you create a garden plan, let me know, and I’ll share here on The Salem Garden!

Enjoy everything!

Michele

***Just so you know, this is not a paid endorsement, I have no connection to Mother Earth News, I just liked it 😉 ***

Dreaming of Gardening… (bugsandstuff.wordpress.com)
The Garden. (fromacountrycottage.wordpress.com)

Who’d Have Thought I’d Become An Adaptive Gardening Specialist?

I’m sorry that I’ve been absent from The Salem Garden all week. Sometimes life gets in the way and I have to step back and take care of things. We are in a pretty big adjustment period here because last week I began a part-time paid position as an adaptive gardening specialist! Yes, I can now combine my passion for gardening and my love of and past experience in working with adults with developmental disabilities. The agency that I work for provides opportunities for the men and women whom we serve to work and to broaden their life experience in a huge variety of ways. We have an amazing garden on the rooftop of our building (hmm, did I talk about rooftop gardens recently? 😉 ) and we will have lots of things growing at ground level for those who can’t get up to the roof. I believe that gardening is therapeutic and educational on every level. I’m looking forward to using that approach to help others develop an appreciation for nature and their food supply, along with self-esteem, patience, hope, the list goes on and on. Needless to say I’m really excited to be there! I have so much to learn and I hope to share a few parts of my journey here. A special note from a blogger’s perspective is that my blog served as a sort of resume for my new employer. Reading it gave my supervisor a way to look at my work and see how I might fit in to the program. When I started The Salem Garden last May I never dreamed that it would help me in this way. You never know where your blog may lead you. Keep blogging! Good things will happen!

With lots of love from very snowy Salem,

Michele

Up On The Rooftop

I spent some time on Houzz this morning poking around and looking at beautiful rooftop gardens. The caption for each is right under the photo. There just might be a rooftop garden (or two) in my immediate future~ Enjoy!