With a windchill factor of -9ºF today, spring feels light years away. But it's the perfect time to daydream about what perfect gardeners we'll be this year…
The Bulletin polled the Terrain team to see what they were excited and determined to do this year. A few of my favorites include:
- "My resolution is plant commitment. I'm head over heels when I make and bring a new terrarium or planted arrangement home. A few months down the line, though, we drift apart… I need to learn to appreciate the longevity of house plants and remember that their permanence and beauty can last more than a few months." I can definitely identify with that one!
- "This year, I'm creating a rooftop oasis with a container garden on top of my building... Another major goal is adding an accessible water source — last year I carried a bucket up three flights from my kitchen!" Making garden tasks more manageable is huge!
- "One of my favorite ways to relax is flower arranging, so my resolution is to plant a cutting garden. I prefer wild, natural arrangements, so that philosophy guides my gardening style." Flower arranging is a passion of mine, as well, and I would love to have some control over what flowers I have access to.
Margaret Roach of A Way To Garden also created a list of resolutions for 2013. Hers are rather advanced, but there are a few that even I can hope to achieve:
- "Grow more herbs — for visual and olfactory enjoyment, and of course to cook with. I already confessed I'd become herb-complacent; 2013 is the year to change all that, one aromatic beauty at a time." Fresh herbs are such an incredible luxury, and are on the top of my wishlist.
- "Add more vines, annual and perennial… I was reminded this year when growing things like cardinal climber, for instance, just how much this extra vertical layer does to add another season to the same garden space." I've had a few vine failures on my fire escape (morning glories, sweet peas, bougainvillea) but will never give up on the wild beauty of vines.
My other resolutions include being kinder to my beloved ferns by remembering that they get just as thirsty as I do, and finally getting that lemon tree . What about you?
(Image: The Bulletin at terrain)
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Last fall we hired an landscape architect to draw up plans for our back & side yards. This spring, I will be digging up & moving existing plants to their proper places & buying & planting some trees & plants from the plans. And I'll be building 3 veggie beds & planting for a bountiful growing season.
Realistically, I can't start digging & moving & planting until May. Dang these last frost dates!
Toying with the idea of converting the steep slope behind the garage into terraces for raspberries, strawberries and blueberries (for us and the birds!)... But it's kind of expensive and I'd require landscaper help, since I'm now not able to do that kind of heavy lifting/shoveling, etc. So not yet a resolution...
I have a love for succulents - I think they're underrated and unappreciated by a lot of people, but there is such a huge variety, and some look so exotic! Plus, if you do your research, there are plenty which are really very low-maintenance. I have a couple empty garden spaces in the backyard, generally narrow spaces up against the house, and I want to plant them with an interesting variety of succulents to brighten things up.
To start seeds indoors! Last year I decided to start a balcony garden way too late and had to buy all of the plants.
- Build a garden bed extension
- Pay attention to where I plant what plants
- Plant more salad and less things I know I won't eat but thought I wanted to try but never really needed
- Make some new vertical trellises for beans
- Definitely more herbs
And no matter how cute the birds that come to the bird feeders are, keep them and the feeders the hell out of my backyard. A season of growing sunflowers all for nothing.
my resolution is to keep a gardening journal. every spring I find myself wanting to know when things came up; when I planted things; when I pruned things and I regret not keeping a journal.
I wish my garden would go dormant for a few months -- I could use a break from the constant weeding and leaf raking! Note to everyone: do not plant liquidamber or magnolias if you are lazy, or if you ever intend to sell your house to someone else who might turn out to be lazy.
After yearsss of fighting a losing battle with nutgrass (which involved resorting to chemicals) I've resolved to transform my modestly large herb garden from the quaint, natural look that I love to a more formal aesthetic. NOT happy about it but I've exhausted all options except physical barriers for weed control. The only two negatives I can name since purchasing this property is the nutgrass & the spiderwort - which is lovely but invasive here. In the big scheme of things, not much to complain about I suppose. But a formal garden, while lovely to behold, just ain't me. Yeah, it's a *nice place to visit but I wouldn't wanna live there* kinda thing. *sigh*
Big plans are afoot for the garden this year and I've enlisted the help of a garden designer for some extra input but perhaps more importantly to make sure they get done. So here's my garden resolutions for 2013
I'm getting ready to work with a landscape designer to transfer my rotten front lawn to a no-mow grass-free area full of native plants - a mix of shrubs, small trees, and perennials that will be good for the local insects, butterflies, etc.
We are going to develop a plan to execute over several years to plant mainly edibles in the back yard.
Making a better effort to keep things watered! I'll be installing some sort of low tech irrigation in some of my edible beds to see how that goes.