Newsletter - September 2009

Hi,

We're in the home stretch for summer, but we still have about six weeks of beautiful weather left. I plan to enjoy them in the garden.

Right now is the time to plant winter vegetables and annual flowers. Plus, spring-flowering bulbs are coming into nurseries and garden centers. Go soon for the best selections. I always need more daffodils and anemones, but this year, I want to plant lots of Dutch Iris - they're my daughter-in-law's favorite flower. You should also find good varieties of hyacinths, tulips, narcissus (Paper Whites are always nice to force for the holidays), crocus, German Iris, ranunculas, sparaxis, and freesias.

In the vegetable garden, I'm planting seeds of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leeks, lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, radishes and more beets. If I had the room, I'd plant artichokes, chard and more onions. Maybe you can plant them instead. My potato plants are in bloom and I continue to harvest zucchini, tomatoes and basil. The scarlet runner beans have been blooming for two weeks, but no fruit yet, though the snow peas produce daily. I guess I'll have to remove the pumpkin vines to make room for the winter crop. They do take up space, and I think the fruit will continue to ripen on its own. They are already orange. The sunflower fruits are drying to seed and I look forward to setting the heads out for the birds and squirrels this winter.

Speaking of squirrels, my husband brought home a "rescue" baby squirrel on Friday. He saved her from a hungry crow. The Wild Life Center refused her and suggested he return her to her nest, but this was located somewhere high in an 80' eucalyptus tree. He got all the care instructions on-line and has been feeding a combination of goat and cows milk to her every four hours from a very small bottle. She's between seven and eight weeks old and is also eating seeds, and loves fruit. In about another four weeks, she should be old enough to return to her native Benicia to live with the other members of her breed.

I was on a consultation for a front garden today and I thought I'd pass along a few tips for planning this space. First, keep in mind that this area is a visitor's first impression of your house. Even the smallest cottage should have an entry walk that is inviting and safe. The front walk should be at least four feet wide and of an even surface. This way two people are able to walk side by side to the entrance and a woman wearing heels, or someone carrying packages, needn't worry about tripping. Stepping stones set in ground cover or wood planks aren't recommended.

Second, if you plan on having lawn, be certain that the lawn area is sunny for most of the day. If you have shade, plant something else. If you frame the lawn with a mow- strip and sidewalk, it will always look neat after mowing and the sidewalk will give you mower access. Nothing is worse than lifting the mower over shrubs, or groundcover. If you currently don't have access, consider removing a plant and giving yourself a three foot wide mower path. Any hard surface from packed dirt to decomposed granite to concrete will work.

The third consideration for the front is to choose plants that stay neat and clean through the year. I love roses, but I'm not convinced the front garden is the best place for them. They're bare all winter, need lots of maintenance, and will bite visitors if not properly distanced from walks. I actually have a few roses, but I live in a Victorian and they go with that era. If your house was built anytime after 1935, you are not locked into owning these shrubs. I prefer to choose clean and neat-looking background shrubs, and then add color to the forefront. If possible, the color should be produced by perennials with different bloom times throughout the year. This isn't possible if your planting bed is only two feet deep, so be generous and give it at least five foot depth.

Last, if you love to use annuals for seasonal color changes, make a space close to the front walk and close to the front door. Annual color is a wonderful way to greet guests with a garden bouquet and if placed where it will be seen daily, it gets tended. Right now add dianthus, stock, snapdragons and violas to sunny spots and look for cyclamen and primroses for the shade. These plant selections may be repeated in containers on the porch to give another personality element by the entrance.

I hope these tips help and I hope you have the time, space and interest in growing a winter garden.