(Via Comments for Anne's Garden)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-11-05, 20:56:56

It is a little sad looking.
Around here papmas grass is considered an invasive species.
Happy GTS

(Via grow this)

Posted by admin to waterfall on 2007-11-05, 19:55:00

"In masks outrageous and austere
The years go by in single file;
But none has merited my fear,
And none has quite escaped my smile."
Elinor Wylie

When I was young, I moved fast. I had people to see, places to go. I had important stuff to do. Once I stopped going places, and seeing people, and doing important stuff, well, I didn’t just stop being important, I stopped being fast.

Once, my reactions were so quick they seemed like coincidences. What I lacked in grace I made up in speed. Now, I move with the great deliberation of the unbalanced, the elderly, or the very wise. I’m still ungraceful, and I’m not very wise, so you see my situation. My reactions today were in the kind of movie slow motion you see when bridges blow up and the action hero leaps from the runaway train as it tips into the ravine, with blazing guns in each hand (the hero, not the train) and lands on his feet, perfectly balanced on the precipice.

I cleaned the waterfall today, and in the process, I fell in. Nothing seriously wounded, not even pride. Just one of those falls, like a giant sequoia in a primordial forest, pulling surrounding trees down in its wake.

I was standing atop the big rock in the middle of the falls, tearing out green goddess lilies, toad lilies and some nasty grass-like mat that had virtually swallowed the big rock. I had abandoned my shoes, and the water was only mildly cool, and I was perfectly balanced, and I moved one foot, and I reached slowly out, and I grabbed the last clump of stems, and I knew in a blinding flash there would be no stopping me. I was going down.

I had time to consider several options, to discard each in turn, and to consider the best way to twist and lean so my butt hit the big rock instead of my hip. I made a lovely splash as I slid down the rock and landed in the muck and roots at the bottom. Not exactly perfectly balanced, but more or less upright. I did however, hold on to the damned clump of stems.

I raised my clenched and muddy fist full of gooey brown toad lily leaves, and raised my face to the sky, and I shouted defiantly, “As God is my witness, I’ll never go hungry again!”

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Gardening, msn finance, quote on 2007-11-05, 16:15:00

(Via EnjoyGardening)

Posted by admin to Jim Hole's Enjoy Gardening Videos on 2007-11-05, 14:19:59

Jim takes a quick look at these interesting (and expensive) ancient pines..Quicktime
WMV

(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)

Posted by admin to Gardening on 2007-11-05, 14:12:13

On the same day Graham Rice reveals the declining sales for most gardening magazines, Conde Nast announces that their glitzy House & Garden magazine will close. Is this just coincidence?

After loosing the mag's publisher, Joseph Lagani, to Glamour.com the group reconsidered their options and found the magazine unviable in the current market. The current market, according to Rice, is being swallowed up by "the plethora of TV programs, expanded gardening coverage in national newspapers and free online information and advice." (Yeah! Go Blogs....)

House & Garden will publish for the last time with their December issue. And, not only will the mag conclude but according to sources, their flagship website - http://www.HouseandGarden.com - will shut as well.

This is the bit I don't get. The site has a PR8 ranking yet it's getting far less traffic than the two biggies Gardenweb.com and DavesGarden.com.

In fact, compared to some of our more trafficked blogs, it's only just marginally better.

Whatever the case, it's a sad demise for a well-established gardening magazine. Anyone interested in buying a cheap PR8 domain?

(Via gardenauthor)

Posted by admin to 'Shademaster' Locust, honeylocust on 2007-11-05, 05:16:00

This is a fine example of the thornless 'Shademaster' Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis 'Shademaster') in fall color. Somewhat vase-shaped, with a pleasing rounded outline, this tree offers a light, filtered shade. The dark green compound leaflets turn golden each autumn and because of their small size (about 1/2" long), fall clean up is easy - the leaflets often "melt away" into the soil, before one has a chance to rake. 'Shademaster' is basically podless, further proof of its cleanliness and good manners.

Growing at the rate of approximately 1 1/2' per year, this tree is also valued for its fast growth. Trees mature at around 50-60' high by 30-40' wide, so they definitely need their space. As with any plant, especially large-scale trees and evergreens, you must take into account the mature sizes of proposed specimens. Overcrowding is a major factor in plant decline and outright failure.

When considering a new addition to your landscape, also research any known issues, such as insect, disease or environmental stresses. There are few plants without at least a couple of such problems and, unfortunately, the honeylocust is no exception. Do your research, before you invest. Often, the risk of encountering various known issues is worth it to the homeowner who is willing to take preventative measures and/or maintain a certain level of vigilance.

One of the best preventative steps you can take, is to plant only one honeylocust. On its own, without other nearby specimens (look around the neighborhood), it's quite likely that yours will remain a sturdy, healthy tree. 'Shademaster' is one of the strongest growing of the honeylocusts and can be just the right accent where filtered shade is the goal. I know... I had one for years and still miss it! Oh, and did I mention that they're spectacular in autumn?


©Deb Lambert 2007

Photos: ©2007 Corliss Bros. Garden Center