THE DIRT

This is Salley's specialty - and a place for us to keep you informed on what's happening at Willowglen.

04.16.2011
  Surprise!! One inch of snow fell this morning, though it's melting fast. So, besides dampening our gardening spirits it is dampening our soil. Which is good. So far this week, Lee and I have raked off most of the gardens and have a few rows of early vegetables planted. Potatoes, peas, spinach, that sort of thing. (Things we'll eat when they are ready - no processing vegetables yet.) That's why I'm so happy about the moisture. The snow certainly does remind us that it really is just mid-April.
  When it comes to flowers, this has been a glorious week. We have had an absolute explosion of shoots and flowers. Once the beds were raked off and the sun allowed into the soil, it seemed that everything was just waiting for that little bit of additional warmth. It's good to look out there again and see the gardens green.
  One of our first flowers out are the hellebores. I have to admit that for years I spoke less than enthusiastically about these plants know as the 'Lenten Rose'. Now I'm convinced that the original ones we planted here at Willowglen were either the wrong species for us or in the wrong location, or both. For the past few years, Lee has been planting some of the new cultivars and I must say that I am a total convert. One in particular blooms as soon as the snow melts! It has large white flowers with real staying power - it's been in bloom now for several weeks. We've got a few other varieties that bloom in shades of maroon to mauve. These would look quite stunning erupting from a mass of Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem). The contrast between fine and bold would be exceptional.
  By far the most color today is from the Narcissi (Daffodils). Over the years we have planted a great variety of these perfectly deer-proof plants. In the early days of Willowglen I was totally in love with the big 'King Alfred's. They are so big and bright and were just what this big garden space needed. In subsequent years Lee and I have both migrated to preferring the smaller, more delicate varieties, some that bloom later. But around the early blooming types I like to plant a sprinkling of other bulbs like squill and Anemone blanda. The later daffodils & narcissus look well in company with our native Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells). I can't wait.
  Stay tuned in the weeks to come for more updates from the gardens at Willowglen.
  Yours as ever,
  Lindsay

02.17.2011
  Forcing shrub stems seems to be and ongoing experiment. The forsythia bloomed quickly, about one week, whereas the larch has taken about two weeks and the willows and cherry are still coming. I have been careful to change the water every few days or it will get skanky. I have also made new cuts on the stems once a week or so. Meanwhile the forsythia has been gorgeous! They go a long way toward lifting the winter blues.
  Another real spirit lifter is the arrival of seed orders in the mail. I tend to look them over when they come in and eventually will organize them according to their sowing date. It won't be long now!
  There are currently sixteen cardinals at the feeder. They love that sunflower seed. Whatever you do, enjoy these late weeks of winter. The gardening season is not so far off. Until then I am going out to plow the drive.By for now.
  Yours as ever,
  Lindsay

01.28.2011

It's time to garden. Yep. It's January and last evening I started filling out a few order forms from seed catalogs. That 'verifys' the verb (to garden) and even though I haven't yet gotten any dirt under my finger nails, I did indeed feel the excitement and the joy I feel when I'm out there actually growing plants. Now that the days are getting longer I can feel it coming. Those first green shoots aren't too far off. They will be here before we know it.

That said, there is still 30" of snow over my gardens and as much as I love winter, the only thing green above the snow has been browsed by the deer. So I stopped when I was in town and bought some cut flowers. Nothing fancy, some mums and liatris but hey, its color and there was some greenery with them and boy do they look good in front of the window with the snowscape as a backdrop.

There are other things we can do too. Forcing cut branches to flower is easy and always gives my late winter spirits a lift. Forsythia works well, also pussy willows, larch branches (don't make flowers, just leaves). I believe cherry branches will also work. Simply cut some branches that are covered with those fat flower buds. Then crush the cut end of the stem (this lets more water in to the stem) and place them in a vase. It takes a week or two but gradually those flower and leaf buds open and you'll have an armload of flowers and greenery out of your own garden in the middle of February, no less. I have a few forsythia going right now. But I'll tell you what I'll do. Tomorrow I'll collect a variety of stems and when they open I'll post a picture of them here. OK? Until then, I'm going out for a ski.

Yours as ever,

Lindy