dreaming of the newest spring perennials
The closest thing I have to color in my garden right now is Nandina berries, but that hasn’t stopped me from dreaming of spring plantings. After a quick search online, I found plenty to get excited about. Four new Coreopsis varieties, which require less water than a lot of perennials; a chartreuse-leaved Bleeding Heart; almost a dozen new Helleborus (Lenten Rose), which although slow to get going, are a great solution for shade beds; and eight new Heuchera (Coral Bells), another old-fashioned shade plant. You can find photos and info on the varietals I mentioned on Perennial Resource, as well as the rest of their new for 2011 list. — Sarah L.
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gift guides 2010: the gardener
Gardeners can be a picky bunch (I know — I fancy myself one). You run the risk of buying a tool they already have or a plant that’s difficult to grow. Maybe these ideas will help — I wouldn’t mind getting a few myself. — Mary T.
Vintage flower pot — Pick a cheerful pot like this Etsy find and you’ll give the gardener a pretty inspiration that makes her think of spring. The best part is, you might score a couple on a trip to the local Goodwill or Salvation Army.
The Weekend Garden Guide — This is the book that got me into gardening, a chunky paperback with beautiful photos for inspiration paired with a no-nonsense approach to gardening for people who have things like jobs and lives. It’s out of print, but you can find many copies at Alibris for just 99 cents!
Rosemary tree – I picked up one of these at Whole Foods last week for under ten dollars, and I’ve seen them at a few other supermarkets as well. Not only are these extremely cute on the table or countertop, the recipient can pop them in the ground and use the fragrant herbs year-round.
Classic Pruner – Did I say we can be picky about tools? You really can’t go wrong with a pruner like the Felco #8. It’s the kind of tool you need for everything, so an extra comes in handy. And the festive red color is a happy bonus.
Raised bed kit — A complete raised bed kit with fancy composite wood can be pricey. How about some joists that will run you about $30 and a few small cuts of lumber? You can sweeten the gift by offering to help assemble it come spring.
Rosemary tree photo via The Kitchn.
a hummzinger of a feeder
I’ve tried a lot of hummingbird feeders over the years. Mostly, they just seemed to attract ants and wasps. So when the Hummzinger was recommended as easy to clean and great at keeping pests away, I was dubious, however, after a full season of use, no ants, no wasps and no complaints. Although it’s a little late to be putting a new feeder out — the last of the hummingbirds will depart the Midwest and East Coast by mid October — if you’re quick you can send them on their way an extra burst of energy. It’s better for the birds if you make your own solution with no added dye or honey. Just dissolve one part sugar to four parts water (a quarter cup of sugar to one cup water leaves just a little left over) on the stove. There’s no need to bring it to a boil or use distilled water. Just stir until you can no longer see sugar, then let cool and fill. — Sarah L.
neat trick: iowa watering hole
If you’re planting shrubs or trees this fall, there’s no need to invest in soaker hoses to get the plants established before winter. Simply drill a hole in the bottom of a bucket. My Dad learned this trick from his Mom’s side of the family — resourceful people who traveled from the East Coast to Iowa by wagon — and although I would guess that they used wood or metal buckets, the overall effect is the same. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about the kinks, split seams or mulch coverage issues that soaker hoses present.
What you’ll need:
Drill with ¼†bit
One 5-gallon plastic bucket
Second bucket (if you want to work on your upper body!)
Hose
What to do:
Drill a hole on the bottom of the bucket, one or two inches in from the edge. Place the bucket as close to the trunk of the shrub as you can, without harming the plant. Make sure the hole is close to the trunk, then fill with water. You can either drag the hose over to your drip bucket or fill a second bucket and pour into the first. Then simply sit back and enjoy the simplicity of this DIY watering system! — Sarah L.
want it now: gardenwatch cam
Yes, it is ridiculously unnecessary and, yes, it is expensive ($140) but Think Geek’s Gardenwatch Cam is a cool present for the green-thumb-who-has-everything in your life. The all-weather camera snaps time lapse photos of your garden as it grows so you’ll have a gorgeous record of your blooming flower beds. When the growing season is over, the camera can also be used to film all those freak blizzards, as seen in their website’s demo video, so you’ll have a record of your backyard as the snow piles up as well. — Katie D.
