Favorite Flowers

One of my favorite flowering trees is the Cornus kousa or Dogwood.  They are in full bloom here in Maine right now and they are spectacular!  This morning I was doing a little pruning on one at a client's house in Portland to separate it out from a Hydrangea tree it was starting to overtake.  I snagged a few branches before off-loading my truck at the dump and created a nice vase for my kitchen table.

Flowering Dogwoods do well in full sun, but I think they look best when used in partially shady areas.  Many nurseries around here will not guarantee them as certain varieties are not generally hardy here in Maine (especially inland areas).  Closer to the coast however you'll find some really nice specimens that do very well when planted in protected locations.

Plants in Pots

These window boxes of pansies that I planted back in May for a client in Cape Elizabeth have filled in nicely and add a bright spot to an otherwise shady backyard.

Whether it is a pot full of herbs right next to a kitchen window or a hanging basket of flowers on a porch, I love using plants in pots.   For me they are great because I have limited outdoor space at my apartment in Portland so I like to have a few pots filled with herbs, one for tomatoes, and another for annual flowers.

A few other benefits of plants in pots….

-Pots can be moved as needed.  To coincide with the trees filling out or the angle of the sun, you control how much sunlight and water your plants receive.

-You control the soil that goes in so if you are eating from your pots (herbs or veggies) you know it is safe and that Fido hasn’t relieved himself in it!

-When the temperatures drop you can moves your plants indoors to protect from frosts.  Some herbs do well all winter long (like rosemary) on a sunny window sill.

Have fun and experiment!  Containers, potting soil, and plants from your local nursery, farm stand, or farmers market are fairly inexpensive and can really add a lot to your outdoor space.

Wildflowers

This past weekend I met some friends in western Massachusetts to attend the Brimfield Antique Show, http://www.brimfieldshow.com/.  We walked around for about 7 hours and still didn’t see everything, it was huge!  My limited purchases included a hanging plant holder and a galvanized watering can, the latter of which I had been looking for, for a while.

We camped out about 15 miles away at Wells State Park in Sturbridge.  It was a nice lake front campground with plenty of privacy and plenty of mosquitoes!  There were also quite a few different kinds of wildflowers right at our camp site.  Spring wildflowers are always so nice to see, especially after the rough winter we had.  Here are some pictures…

The first was a Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), in the buttercup family.

Another was Jack-in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) also called Indian Turnip as the corms (fleshy taproots) were gathered and eaten by natives.  I had never seen so many in one place.

Another site I had never seen before was a Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) growing right next to a False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina racemosa).  The foliage is almost identical but the flowers are quite different.  The real Solomon’s Seal, in the foreground, has bell-like flowers hanging from the leaf axils, while the False Solomon’s Seal has a cluster of small white flowers at the tip of the stem (in the back)

Sprouts!

Last week while working in Cape Elizabeth I finally saw some real growth on the sweet pea plants that I started from seed.  They are almost 3 inches high now and should be climbing the fence in no time.  Here is a picture of the new sprouts:

The tulips are really starting to open up and show some great colors out there too (The Lobster Shack at the end of Two Lights Road).  The previous gardener here had a real love for bulbs (especially tulips) and planted an enormous amount.  It is really a stunning site and the crashing waves in the background aren’t so bad either. 

Starting Seeds

It is that time of year!  With many of the bulbs starting to bloom around here it is time to start thinking about planting some seeds.  A few days ago I planted some sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) seeds out at a coastal property in Cape Elizabeth I maintain.  These seeds have a tough coat and benefit from soaking overnight before planting as well as nicking the outside to hasten germination.  Few seeds can handle our chilly nighttime temperatures, but sweet peas thrive in cool weather and can handle light frosts.

If you are interested in starting your own seeds or just learning more about it I have a great book to recommend, The New Seed-Starters Handbook by Nancy Bubel.  Originally published in 1988, this gardening classic covers everything from starting seeds of all kinds to transplanting and saving seeds.

Happy planting!

Happy Spring!

Welcome to my new website, thanks for checking it out!

I created this site to share photos, projects, and gardening tips throughout the season.  Please feel free to leave a comment, suggestion, or question anytime.

My anticipation for spring and warmer weather are increasing daily, especially after yesterday’s April Fool’s Day snowstorm (although I am excited it gives me the opportunity to break out those snowshoes a couple more times).  Over the next few weeks my projects include several days of pruning, planting some seeds, and starting spring clean-ups.  With temperatures predicted to rise near normal later this week, I think we are well on our way towards seeing more beautiful spring colors.