Paeonia Yellow Crown et al.

A statement like, I cultivate gorgeous peonies, sounds borishly over confident and yet I can say it because it's just what I do. You can too. Why? Because the peony is a survivor. Having said that, I must make issue with the fact that it doesn't appreciate being disturbed. Move one plant half a dozen times and maybe the peony isn't cut out for you. However, if you are decisive and know just where you want to locate your peonies, you're all set. Two factors really ensure the peony's survival, 1) try to locate a plant with a bit of protection from the wind and 2) don't locate it in a heavily shaded spot. Now, I've seen big, beautiful blossoms from peonies planted in fields where they were buffeted constantly from Midwest winds and others who thrive even though they must stick their stems out to catch a few rays. I have peonies scattered throughout my garden beds, some thriving in not so ideal locations. Other than the obvious, that's the beauty of the peony.

I'm going to leave the expert advice on proper cultivation to the experts and just talk about the fun stuff like, how I unexpectedly acquired three Yellow Crown peonies this weekend. If you aren't already aware of it, now's a great time to rummage around in your local nurseries for end-of-the-season bargains. Most nurseries want to reduce the amount of nursery stock they have to take inside for the winter. It's a plus-+ for filling out bare spots in garden beds. The Yellow Crown peony, pictured above, is actually a tree peony. A tree peony is a shrubby, deciduous plant which develops woody stems, growing between three and six feet tall. A herbaceous peony, pictured below, is a hardy perennial, growing between 18 and 36 inches tall with foliage that dies back each winter. Cost is a huge factor between the two types. A healthy young tree peony can easily range between $30-$100 whereas a common herbaceous peony will cost between $10-$30. Today, I paid $10 each for the Yellow Crowns I brought home. Yipeee! Of course the tree varieties were few but right now, the herbaceous varieties are still many. The Bowl of Beauty (above) can be found for around $8. A super variety, mine flower profusely each spring.

Here's a tip if you've never grown peonies before: Mix a bit of compost and a pinch of bonemeal into the hole when planting. Also, it's hard to tell in late summer if the plant has flowered, a good indication it will again flower in the coming spring. So, choose a nice large specimen. I've bought scrappy little plants in the past thinking they'll catch up. Wrong. Scrappy little peonies rarely produce. If the specimen you are looking at, yes, even on the bargain table, isn't robust and healthy, pass it up. Guaranteed, you'll find nice sized plants at a reputable nursery.

If your local nurseries don't discount plants, maybe you should be asking: why not? Luckily, I have many nurseries to choose from in my area. Most move stock by discounting but one in particular rarely ever discounts anything, heaven forbid has a (cringe) clearance table. I asked why not and was told very matter-of-factly that their grower fully refunded any damaged, dead, or even simply unsaleable plants. Really? Isn't that why big box stores get a bad rap from gardeners? Because they can throw in the dumpster for 100% reimbursement what the small moms & pops cannot? I don't boycott the big box stores either, unless they are dressed up as something they are not. Enough said.

Now is the time to plant for a showy next spring. In our area, there's plenty of time to get new perennials rooted in before the first frost. And, in a couple more weeks, the new fall bulbs will be out. I checked with my favorite nursery and the tulip, daffodil, and hyacinth bulbs will be on sale the last weekend of August. Good times.

Speaking of bulbs, rhizomes, and roots, I've started bare root peonies in my gardens. If planting bare root, look for a root with three to five well developed eyes, which are little red bud formations. Make sure that the eyes are planted no more than two inches below the soil line. Planting any deeper is an exercise in futility as the peony won't bloom. That's why I really like to plant potted peonies. Don't bury the crown of the plant and the guess work is all done.

Hey, I love to hear about your garden finds. Email me. And oh yeah, Tuesday Morning has a popular ergonomic line of gardening tools for 50% off retail while supplies last. You're welcome!

Gardening as a Way of Life

We, Dave and I, have a very misunderstood lifestyle. We're . . . gardeners. ( Oooh, hush!)


Granted, I'm the one who has the greenest thumb. I can take petunias from nice to how'd-you-do-that in 0 to 60 days. And, we've been bringing in around 100 tomatoes a week for about a month now which is not bad from our back yard garden. But grooming an astonishing look in flowers or coaxing a gargantuan amount of produce in vegetables is only half of what makes Blessing Hill so fabulous. That half is just the fun stuff which is my job. The other half of the magic is hard work. In the above picture are three elements of hardscape: the arbor, the fence, and the gazebo. And, I'll guarantee you they wouldn't be there---in the picture or on our property---if it weren't for Dave. He's the muscle, the installer, the carpenter, that keeps our place looking its best.

The person who built our house also built our back deck. Much like his mind, the deck was a small, closed box. I hated it. There was just enough room for a couple chairs and one flower pot, if both chairs and the pot didn't mind sitting upon each other. So, Dave redesigned the deck, not from any purchased plan but from an original idea. He took vacation to have time to bring the new deck to frutation. I had the pleasure of tearing apart the old deck and helping put together the new one. However, I'm lousy with a tape measure. I'm close but Dave's exact. In 100 degree sweltering heat, we built our deck together. There's always a new project. Each winter I set about making plans. Plans for flower combinations in hanging baskets, containers, and even beds. Plans for new beds or for enlarging an existing bed. Plans for hardscape or for dealing with problems in hardscape. It's a continual process.

Most people don't understand how much work it takes. Wouldn't Dave rather be out on the golf course??? I can't speak for him, but he doesn't own a bag full of clubs, he owns a barn full of tools. (Personally, it's just my opinion but unless you are Tiger Woods, the only reason to spend an entire day of one's weekend at the course is to have an excuse to get away from the wife and kids.) This gardening season I wasn't able to do the things I normally do. Dave picked up the slack. But when I'm in fine fiddle, we can work outside the entire weekend and not accomplish everything that needs to be done. Like this past weekend, we didn't get our grass mown. Imagine.

We've heard that we don't have a social network since we spend our time at Blessing Hill all alone. We should join a group, a Bible study for instance, or take up a hobby like riding motorcycles with other cyclists. We wouldn't be so isolated that way. Don't cry for us, Argentina! We'll be just fine. We probably have a larger social network and come in contact with more people than any other average couple. Consider this: gardening isn't just about sticking a flower in a pot. Have I said that before?

Well for those who don't live and breathe gardening, here's the scoop. In order to do the things we love to do, we have to rely on others to ensure that we maintain our lifestyle. Like, consider this: We wouldn't have a new potting shed if it weren't for

Sutherlands
Lowe's
Home Depot
Habitat for Humanity
Davis Paint

all of which are places where we've made friends. And of course there's

Nick's Green Leaf Gardens
Johnson Farms
Farrand Farms
Colonial Nursery
Family Tree Nursery

where we've made friends not only with the people who own and/or work there but with people who shop there as well. Then there's the not so familiar contact of strangers. I would consider it an unsuccessful outing if not one spontaneous conversation happened over a table laden with garden herbs or begonias. And then there's Dave hobby of constant bargaining. It's good times when an item he wants gets discounted just for his asking. Or, he finds an estate sale where I can't leave without at least one thing for the garden.

Does Dave look put upon to carry those tomaotes in the above picture or does he look proud of his harvest? You tell me, that tub holds 80 large tomatoes. Did I mention that we love to eat? It doesn't matter either whether its in or out, at home or at restaurant. But what does matter is the food. At home, we eat straight from our vegetable garden. Pure delight. Forget potato chips when the zucchini is in season and fried to perfection. Not to mention cake and bread and . . . how about those tomatoes turned into sauce for eggplant parmasean side dressed with cucumbers and onions turned in vinaigrette, and sweet potato pie to finish.

Oh yeah, baby, it's a good life.

What Does Summer Look Like?

Around here? Vegetables baby, vegetables! This time of year the tomato plants are big, bushy, and thick with ripening fruit. The wisteria is in constant need of taming. And, my flip flops keep constant company with a pot of caladiums at the back door. On a good day it all runs me ragged. Having had more off days than not this gardening season, it's been daunting---the weeding, the feeding, but luckily not as much watering. We've had it good with the weather. Cool temps. Lot's of rain. Just yesterday another inch and a quarter. I woke up to the sounds of thunder and rain beating against our bedroom window. Sweet.

As we were out and about last weekend, Dave and I stopped at a convenience store for drinks. I stayed in the car with Lu while Dave ran in. Behind the store is a large green space that isn't mowed on a regular basis. With all the rain we've had, this green space was host to a sea of Queen Anne's lace. Sometimes I see things in a different way than most but it seemed to me that those lacey, white doilies were twirling to the beat of Shake, Shake, Shake by KC and the Sunshine Band playing on the radio. Delightful. With the invention of cellular phones that fit in one's ear, no one questions my sanity anymore when I'm by myself and I laugh out loud at the humor in nature.

Speaking of which, I was out in the vegetable garden yesterday and happened upon one of nature's perplexities. Is that even a word? I love the dictionary definition: The quality of being intricate or complicated; entanglement. If you're looking at the third picture of this posting, enough said. Maybe its the quality of being intricate and complicated at the same time that causes the entaglement. It sure was in this case as a deviation in a blossom produced a conjoined squash. Exceptional. I can hardly wait to show it off to all my gardening buddies. And to think a yellow squash could be such a hot topic. I'm sure it will spark many over-the-fence conversations.

Anomalies seem to be in the air right now. I was visiting with a friend who raises bird dogs. No, not canines with wings, but English setters or pointers or whatever they are called, and one of the females in the kennel has the cutest litter of puppies. Most look like their father, white body, black head, but only one takes after the mother, white body, beige head. We considered purchasing one but Lu is half hunter---German shorthair. Dogs that were bred for hunting can be very focused and often Lu gets so focused he only hears the beat of his own drum. We have issues. I decided another hunting dog in the house is not our best choice. However, Lu needs a companion. I'm too old to play a good game of run and chase and I'll guarantee you when the car leaves on the weekend, no matter how hot it is outside, I'm in it. On the other hand, Lu isn't and I'm sure when he's left home by himself, he's very lonely.

So back to the anomaly . . . same neighbor tells me that his son's dog just had puppies and they are looking for good homes for them. It seems that their English bulldog (female) and their Great Pyrenees (male) are now parents. We should bring Lu's new sister home around the end of September. Exciting. Can't wait to see what a full grown Bullnees will look like . . .

On another note, summer looks like good food spread out on a picnic table. Here's a cake to put the icing on the last course of an outdoor feast:

Cocoa-Molasses Zucchini Cake

2 cups shredded zucchini
1 1/2 teas lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1 teas vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground cloves
1/4 teas freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350

In a small cup, combine milk and lemon juice. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes or until the milks sours and thickens slightly. In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to incorporate and then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, canola oil, sugar and molasses until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla. Now gradually alternate the dry ingredients and the sour milk into the butter mixture. Fold in shredded zucchini.

Pour into a greased, floured pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and frost with your favorite chocolate icing recipe.

There's Always a Blessing in a Dilemma

I was folding laundry this morning and I came across my favorite gray t-shirt with Mickey Mouse stamped on the front. It was a great t-shirt, v-neck and just at waist length, made out of extremely light, soft material. I spent many hours in the garden wearing it after it was deemed slightly used and relinquished to garden attire. I have been extremely unwilling to banish it to the dust rag bin, its collar so frayed the banding has separated from the material and the material is hanging in holey tatters. Having said that, this morning I finally gave in and made my peace with the Mickey t-shirt so that it could go on and fulfill its next purpose. But, instead of throwing it in the bin, I laid it on top of my desk in my office . . . next to the new laptop computer my husband, David, was adamant that we purchase.

My computer, the one I've been using to write these posts, is ancient. I don't even like it much. It's slow and its cantankerous. I often think about picking it up and throwing it at the wall. However, it's familiar. We came to an impass years ago---we both have quirks and we've learned to live with them. This new piece of technology sitting atop my desk is loathsome. Every time I clicked on something, ten damn boxes opened up, all of which had text and questions I neither had time to read or answer. I couldn't find my documents. I had no idea where anything was. After thirty minutes of complete frustration, I pulled the phone cord and fired up my old boat anchor. At least it works, albeit slow, and I know where to find everything. David, darling, you can have the new one.

I'm not at all opposed to new things. I love the new leather office chair I purchased. And, maybe one day I'll admit I was wrong and actually find a purpose for the new laptop. Thinking along those lines, I'll have to admit that as a Midwesterner, I can be stubborn. Like, I refused to plant sunflowers in my garden because I thought they were cliche. Who doesn't think of the central Midwest when they see a sunflower? Boring. Anyway, upon researching ways to spurn more produce with companion planting, I read that sunflowers and cucumbers have a symbiotic relationship. Planting these two together causes the cucumber to produce heavily. I was up for trying it. The research is in and its favorable. I do think the cucumber produces more when planted next to the sunflower. The sunflower provides shade and it provides the cucumber something to grab onto once it's grown out of its trellis or cage. I'm now drying the sunflower heads so that I'll have seed to plant like this again next year. And, I have to admit, I think their bright, sunny faces are beautiful.

In a previous post, I really blasted those food pantries whose volunteers were taking the best food for themselves instead of using it as it was intended for the needy. As a gardener, I was despondent about it. I have a calling and a talent. God gave me a green thumb for a reason. I was certain beyond a doubt that He wanted me to supply my local food pantries with my garden produce. And, I did. Four area pantries received the best produce I was capable of growing. But growing and donating wasn't the only task God asked of me. I truly believed He wanted me to get that produce into the hands of those most needy and when I watched volunteers skim right off the top, somehow I felt I'd failed God because I hadn't fulfilled His directive. I stopped searching for a food pantry where I could take my vegetables and herbs. However, I didn't stop praying about my dilemma. I'd planted my garden three times more than Dave and I could ever eat. As it began to come to fruitation, I agonized over what I would do with it all.

The squash were particularly heavy and when I brought them in in bushels, I got angry and set about freezing them. I processed enough squash to easily takes us through winter. I watched my freezer fill with yellow crook neck, Italian, and Black Beauty zucchini. I settled them on top of the bags of processed cabbage I put up before them. As I worked, I noticed that my anger was subsiding. I started thinking about all those awesome soups and casseroles David and I were going to enjoy this winter. And interesting enough, once I'd processed all the food we could possibly use, I quit worrying about what we'd do with the excess.

Not long afterwards, people in need began coming my way. A struggling young couple with two small children. Both a relative and a friend, who'd lost jobs. I have an old orange wash tub--- there's a picture of it in my last posting---that I take to the garden when I'm harvesting. It has helped me haul in some heavy loads over the years. This gardening season, whenever someone in need is sent my way, the old tub easily becomes filled to the brim. And, there's enough to share with others not because they are needy but because there's a blessing in every dilemma.

So You Don't Like Squash: A No Fail Recipe for Even the Pickiest of Eaters

If you can deter the squash bugs long enough for the plants to bloom and set, the bounty of squash is usually overwhelming. In my garden, I have black beauty zucchini, Italian zucchini, yellow crook neck, and yellow zucchini. We are swimming in squash. I don't mind. It's cakes and casseroles and all kind of yummy treats. What I can't use right away is processed and frozen for winter cooking. David and I are vegetable lovers. We eat out of the garden all summer long. This picture tells of the bounty we harvested just last night. A good portion will go to our local domestic abuse center.


I've tried lots of different recipes over the years to make squash palatable to everyone sitting down to the table. Here's the one recipe that even my son, who dislikes most vegetables, will eat:
Yellow Summer Squash Casserole


1 large or two small yellow squash, seeded and chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 stick of butter (oh no! oh yes!)
1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing, your favorite flavor
salt & pepper to taste
water

In large skillet, melt butter and saute squash, garlic, green pepper and onion until onion is opaque and squash is tender. Stir in the Stove Top Stuffing. If some of the bread crumbs remain dry, sprinkle with enough water to make mixture moist. Remove from heat. Now add the cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Stir to thoroughly incorporate all ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour into greased casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until center is set.
I am so going to stuff our Thanksgiving turkey with this very recipe. I can't imagine just how good that kind of stuffing will taste! Fabulous. Now, if that wasn't tantalizing enough, feast your eyes on this collection of homegrown tomatoes. Zowie!!! They are plump. They are juicy. They are happening. I have every intention of cutting into the Black Krim for dinner tonight. I'll let you know.

And just as an after thought, I found a brand new recipe for Chocolate zucchini cake. As soon as I've tried it, I'll let you in on that as well.

Happy eating!

In Love with the Perfect Tomato: A Summer Treasure Grown on the Vine

When I'm talking to other gardeners about vegetables, I rarely hear much excitement in their voices over the subject of cucumbers or zucchini or green beans but all that changes when the conversation turns to tomatoes! I'll admit, I've carried out long passionate diatribes about the subject myself. Those of us who toil in a vegetable patch know there's no event more important than the first ripening of the season. I can't think of any other vegetable that elicits such ectasy, such unbridled sensual joy as biting into a ripe, juicy tomato. If you think I'm a bit wacky, you just run on down to your local supermarket and see if I'm not telling the truth. Rush right over to the tomato display, pick up a beautiful specimen and take a large bite of its pithy, tasteless flesh. Commercially grown tomatoes are for throwing, silly rabbit!

Anyway, I picked my first ripe tomato this season on the 4th of July. Happy! Not long after I pick the first, the rest tend to follow. In the above picture is an example of my favored child, Pink Girl. I picked it Saturday. Now I don't know about you, but when your tomato fills your hand, what larger joy can top that? In fact, there are others still on the vine bigger. Of course I'm bragging! After the serious conversations about growing tomatoes comes the garden rites of picking and then bragging about size. Okay, so I'm a woman and maybe my hands are small. Picture the same tomato, let's say, next to a pop can . . .

Alright, I'm done talking trash. Let's talk about varieties. In the picture are four different types I pulled out of the garden this weekend. Of course you can all spot the pink girl, at the 9 o'clock position. At the 12 position is jubilee. It is much like the pink girl in size and shape but has medium yellow flesh and has a more acidic taste. It's about the best yellow tomato I've grown. So far the plants are doing well and are setting nicely. In the 3 o'clock position are two pink oxheart. Don't waste your time. This plant is a 50/50 shot. What do I mean by that? Well, the plants are either very sturdy or very spindly. The tomatoes that set are both very sizeable or very scrawny. What I'm trying to say is it's not a variety where you can count on consistency. The flavor is, uh, okay. Moving on to the 6 o'clock position is amana orange. Both pink oxheart and amana orange are heirlooms and both won't be grown in my garden next year. The amana orange performs about the same as pink oxheart. The only difference between the two is taste. I liked the flavor of amana orange.

I'll be comparing some more later as I have other varieties ripen. This has been an experimental year for me. One that looks promising is Black Krim. I am on pins and needles for this one to ripen. The tomato is large. I would estimate it to be twice the size of the pink girl when it's ready. This is also an heirloom of the German varieity, I believe. Unlike the pink oxheart and amana orange, this is a consistent variety. It's plants are strong and set well.

Let's move on to some gardening advice. If you haven't already, it's time to help your tomato plants perform in the heat of summer. Last week I carefully loosened the dirt at the base of the feeder roots so that the tomato plants could easily drink more water. If that soil becomes compacted, either hand watering or rain will hit and run off. You want that moisture to penetrate all around the plant. I also worked a pelletized fertilizer into the soil. When the temperatures soar into the triple digits, its hard for any plant to set. Yes, they love warm weather but they'll expend their energy trying to stay alive and not set when it's an oven outside. So, make sure they can drink and feed heartily during extreme heat.

Now for a tip that's invaluable: My grandmother grew the most aromatic, succulent tomatoes in the whole world. I strive every year to emulate her gardening abilities. One thing that she stood firmly on was the use of bloom set. Why? Well, she gardened on a farm in south east Kansas where the rain fall is less plentiful than it is right here in the KC area. They relied on well water for their own needs so water was precious and not wasted. By using bloom set, Grandmother was helping her plants to grow and prosper. Bloom set can help a struggling tomato plant set more tomatoes. What I find is that bloom set also helps flush out a plants foliage. There's a visible difference in plants when bloom set is applied to the yellow blossoms. It encourages healthy growth in both plant and fruit. I pulled over 1800 tomatoes out of my garden last year. I think my grandmother had it going on! Lucky for me, with the advice of sage gardeners, my tomatoes do too!

Double Flora Pleno Tiger Lily

Once again, sorry for the delay in blog postings. I've been fighting an uphill battle with my health for the past eight months, the last three the most arduous simply because I could not find good medical help. Finally, I've found a combination of doctors which I believe have my best interest in mind instead of an interest only in the amount of money to be made. Now, having shared that much---possibly TMI---I'm on new meds, I'm already feeling better, so let's hope I can better divide my time between gardening and writing about gardening!

As most of you know, I love all things garden and the more whimsical the better. So at the end of last summer, when I was perusing garden catalogs and came upon the double flora pleno tiger lily, I knew it was a must have for Blessing Hill's gardens. Right away, I filled out an online order and could barely wait to receive email confirmation that my order had been received. Keep in mind, when ordering some bulbs, the time of year depends on the time of shipping. Usually, lilies ship in the fall so they can be planted and overwinter. Needless to say, I waited all winter to see these awesome creatures. It was worth the wait! I had no idea how prolific the blooms would be and no idea the lasting power they would have. They have been spectacular.

Each flower has 24-36 petals that unfurl to reveal that gorgeous orange color and all those fiesty black freckles. What was really surprising to me was each three foot stem produced a half a dozen blooms per.

I found these bulbs at Van Bourgondien's. I'd like to share my experience with you. I placed a fairly sizeable order and everything but the tiger lilies arrived first and in great condition. When the tiger lilies arrived, I was terribly disappointed. The bulbs were soft and mushy. I found it odd that all the other bulbs were fine albeit the tiger lilies. I did some investigating. I could not fault Van Bourgondien's. The first shipment was sent directly from their business through regular mail and arrived just fine. However, when the tiger lilies were shipped, they went through a delivery service that dropped off at the post office and then routed them out. When I talked to customer service, I pointed out the difference. Not only did Van Bourgondien's ship me all new bulbs, they shipped regular mail, and didn't ask me to return the damaged bulbs. When the second set of tiger lily bulbs arrived, they were fresh and went directly into the ground. To let you know the quality of their bulbs, I planted the damaged tiger lilies, not expecting good results. Every last one came up and bloomed just as beautifully as the second set.

Surviving the Scorching Heat in Style

It's been a blistering few days here at Blessing Hill as we've tried to survive not only the heat but the humidity as well. Luckily for us (me, the flowers, the dog) God sent some rain to intervene. We've had rain both Tuesday and Wednesday nights after some really unbearable temperatures. I'm talking daytime heat indexes of 110. It's a real testament to what holds up well in the garden. Of course there's always the tropical plants like elephant ears which thrive on this weather. My dwarf uprights have filled this swan planter with an abundance of foliage. Nice. But there are plants, perennial workhorses, who keep the garden fresh and beautiful no matter the degree of the inclemency. Here are some of my favorites:

Echinacea or Coneflower

A native of central and eastern North America, this hardy perennial survives diverse weather conditions from dry prairies to open woodland. It's being bred so that almost any color is available. My favorite varieties are white swan pictured, pink double delight, and coconut lime. However, I have several of the simply normal purple sprinkled through my gardens. They perform. When other flowers are wilting under the glare of an obtrusive sun, coneflowers are in their glory. Because coneflower is such an old garden standby, it can be dismissed for being too common. But, when the heat is scorching every parcel, you'll be glad you planted them. Zones 3-9, from Michigan to Louisiana.

Achillea or Yarrow

With around 85 species of this versatile perennial, I have to wonder why we don't see more variety in our nurseries. I would love to see a nursery carry a. clypeolata or a. ptarmica. Maybe I've just missed them when shopping. Anyway, I have several varieties in my own garden from pink grapefruit to moonshine, pictured is apricot. This season I've planted paprika and King Edward, red and light yellow respectively. There's a size, color, and light requirement for every need. The King Edward is a tiny yarrow, growing no more than six inches tall and spreading no more than nine inches in diameter whereas Moonshine can get up to three feet tall and two feet wide. Most flower all season with regular deadheading. Wonderful.

Hemerocallis or Daylily
This perennial can boast that it has over 50,000 named cultivars. If a person cannot find a size, color, and light requirement to fit the bill then maybe that person should just not grow daylily. These garden warriors can survive zones 3-10, preferring full sun but tolerating some shade. I have Stella de Oro planted in beds that receive full sun from dawn to dusk and in beds that appreciate the sun just till noon. In both places, they preform beautifully. Daylilies make exceptionally good border plants. When in bloom, there's not much showier. Just look at this gorgeous Barbara Mitchell I picked up at the end of the season clearance at a local nursery. What a gem. I have around 10 different daylilies in my garden beds and each year they just get better.

Some other heat tolerant favorites are rudbeckia, tall phlox, sedum, tanacetum vulgare, scabiosa, and oenothera.

Tomato Talk:

In a previous posting, I discussed Spectracide Immunox 3-in-1 Insect & Disease Control Plus Fertilizer. I'm happy to report that after spraying my plants, no further foliage damage was incurred. I pulled back the mulching material to increase air circulation, applied a balanced water soluble food, and watered vigorously. The plants look marvelous and are they ever setting tomatoes! Tomatoes love heat but not humidity because without proper air circulation, humidity breeds fungus. The straw I initially placed around my tomatoes to keep them moist in order for them to establish later becomes a problem if the air can't penetrate during humid conditions. So, problem solved.

Pictured are my Amana Orange tomatoes, a new variety I'm trying this year. Other new varieties to my garden include Cherokee Purple, Granny Smith, Black Krim, Pink Oxheart, and Orange Oxheart. I'm really experimenting this year. Usually, I'm a stolid Pink Girl grower. And yes, there are plenty of Pink Girls thriving. It's a race between one Pink Girl plant and a Black Krim plant to see who will have the first ripe tomato. I'll let you know if I would recommend any of the new varieties for next year's garden.

And, ooohh . . . EYES OPEN FOR THE GREEN HORNWORM! Yesterday, I was trimming my boxwoods and out on the ground fell two big, fat hornworms. Double Yuck!

Gardening for Donation: What's the Point?

(Before I begin this posting, I'd like to let our neighbors to the north of us, in Norborne, MO, know that our heart-felt prayers are with you for a speedy recovery after the storm damage you incurred this week. God bless you!)




I assume that if you read this blog you must, at the very least, be the tiniest bit interested in the subject of gardening. Whether you are a novice or an expert gardener, whether you grow enough food to keep your family fed for the winter or whether you garden no more than sticking a geranium in a flower pot, you still know the effort it takes to make things grow. Now, whether you've been forced to skip a meal due to various forms of fasting or whether you've been down on your luck and couldn't afford a meal, you know hunger. Could someone please tell me how the hell to get the garden produce into the hands of the people who truly need and deserve it???

After that outburst, I owe you an explanation. Last year, I was talking to a friend of mine who raises organic produce for a living. We talked about the excess and I told her how I was donating mine to food pantries. At first I was appalled when she told me that she'd given up on food pantries. Her chief complaint was she didn't think her beautiful produce was ending up in the hands of the people to whom she was donating it. New to food pantry donating, I found it hard to understand when she said it gave her more joy to watch all the excess of her hard work being eaten by the chickens she raises on her farm. Well, I've climbed up on that cynical wagon with her this afternoon.

I don't know about you but I take my gardening very seriously. In the early spring when the first seedlings are going into the garden, I fret and worry endlessly with the wax and wane of frost warnings. Once I can get the garden past being frozen, there's a whole new gamut of things to stew about. Insects. Fungus. Weather. It's what we do as gardeners. The other thing we do is take pride in how well it all turns out. This I know for sure: my cabbages are more tightly layered, my tomatoes are redder and juicier, my green beans are more tender than any mass produced crap picked green and chemically altered to ripen from a corporate farm. Corporate farm, what an oxymoron!

Here's another oxymoron, volunteer pay. I looked up the word volunteer in the dictionary just to verify that it still means: one who enters into any service without the expectation of monetary consideration. So imagine my dismay, as I watched the volunteers rifle through and bag up, for themselves, the food I'd just donated for the needy. When I voiced my displeasure, I was told
there wasn't enough of my good produce to go around so it was best if the volunteers took it and besides, it's the only pay they got for all their hard work. Really?

Furthermore, I discovered that this food pantry had no income requirement for recipients to meet. I could back my Cadillac DeVille Concourse right up to the door, get out in my designer clothes, and fill my trunk with food meant for the needy---no questions asked! Of course I couldn't expect to get any currently donated fresh produce, but, what the heck.

I'm sure you're thinking that's just one food pantry out of hundreds. I'm batting five for five. If you ask me, that's a lousy average.

Spectracide Immunox 3-in-1: Combating Diseases that Arise from Elevated Temps Heating Moisture Soaked Ground

Here in the heart of the country, we've been having some pretty significant storms. (Those of you in Drexel, MO, our prayers are with you for a quick recovery.) The rain fall totals, at least in the KC area, are above normal according to our weather forecasters. At Blessing Hill our grounds are ponded in places. The flower and vegetable beds are soaked. The tractor wheels churn water when I'm hauling around the trailer. But, it's not all bad. This has been great for the perennials, shrubs, and trees we've planted this season. At last count, I believe we were up to 16 new trees alone. I'm grateful not to be dragging the water hose or paying rural #6 those increased water rates.

And luckily for us, up until now, the temperatures have stayed an unbelievable 70's for the most part. These first 15 days of June were unlike any I've ever seen---chilly mornings for sleeveless shirts. Well, today that's coming to an end. We are going straight from comfortable to downright miserable with above normal temps and sweltering humidity. What might be great weather for my tropical weather loving friend the pink tiger lily pictured above, isn't such great weather for plants prone to fungus like Oenothera speciosa Siskiyou, Mexican Evening Primose, featured in the second picture. It prefers to be on the dry side. When its roots stand in moist, warm soil, a powdery film develops on its leaves. This is also said for most types of tall phlox. It's not detrimental to the plant's well being but it looks bad and the leaves don't fill out.

I'm an advocate for limited use of chemicals in the garden. But let's face it, sometimes it's necessary. Before applying a chemical fungicide, you could try spraying plants with a mixture of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil, and one quart of water to control powdery mildew. Unfortunately, that didn't work on my Siskiyou. However, what seems to have good results is a product from Spectracide called Immunox 3-in-1 Insect & Disease Control Plus Fertilizer. This product is a combination of insecticide, fungicide, and fertilizer. I sprayed my Siskiyou with Immunox and the problem subsided for about four weeks which is pretty typical with this type of all-in-one fungicide. With the powdery mildew gone, the leaves were able to become lush, supporting new growth.

Yesterday, I noticed that nasty leaf blight beginning to develop on my tomatoes. Once that gets started it's a nightmare to combat. The first thing to do is pull back any mulching material and allow the sun to begin drying the soil around the plant. This also improves air circulation which is crucial in healthy development. Pick up any plant debris and dispose of immediately. Remember, don't compost any part of a tomato plant to prevent future contamination. Water early in the day to allow foliage to dry before evening. Since just a few of my plants are infected, I decided to take preventative measures. I don't want the fungus to spread to my other tomato plants. I got out the Immunox and read the label from beginning to end but there was no mention of use on tomatoes. Every chemical manufacturer lists contact information included in the labeling. I called the toll free number and spoke to a product specialist who assured me that Immunox was safe to use on the tomatoes. I'll let you know how it did in a future posting.

Immunox is also designed to work well on roses prone to black spot. I plant mainly shrub roses for their ability to withstand disease. Imagine my dismay with my David Austin's Mary Rose shrub rose when it developed black spot. It was my understanding that the Mary Rose was the most consistent and tidy performer of all English roses. Well, it might be elsewhere but not in my garden. (Still by and far my favorite is Lady Elsie May who I think outshines all other shrub roses.) Mary Rose sprung to life this spring with a robust vigor and bloomed profusely before shedding all her leaves to black spot. I've sprayed her with Immunox and I'll also let you know how that fairs in a future posting.

Here's a list of diseases Spectracide Immunox 3-in-1 cant prevent and/or treat:

Black Spot

Brown Patch

Dollar Spot

Powdery Mildew

Rust

Blight

Leaf Spot



Insects it kills:

Aphids

Spider mites

Leafhoppers

Bagworms

Cicadas

Cankerworms

Webworms

Inchworms

Leafminers

Mealybugs

Thrips

Whiteflies

And, when applying Immunox, the plant receives a dose of fertilizer albeit a minor amount. I would suggest continuing with whatever fertilizer program you use.

For the Love of German Bearded Iris

Sunshine & Snow I can't imagine a cottage garden---or any other garden for that matter---without the presence of German bearded iris. I remember when I first fell in love with these rhizomatous perennials. A few blocks from my childhood home lived a woman who tended an extremely large iris kingdom. I don't think she had need of a lawn mower because the iris had taken over every patch of ground but what the house sat upon. In May, her yard was a riotous canvas of brilliant color. Now, all these years later, I can't imagine just how many different varieties her garden had held. That was in the '70's

Clarence Magical Encounter

Turn the dial forward a few decades to 2001. The first house David and I bought after moving to the Kansas City area was one which had been owned previously by a gardener. Our first spring came with lots of surprises as we watched perennials emerge in all the different beds around the house, but the most spectacular were the iris. The second spring, I noticed they didn't flower nearly as profusely. The clumps of foliage were jam packed together in spots and bare in others among the bed. I decided it was time for reorder and after all the blooms were gone, I sat about digging up all those rhizomes. Mind you, the beds were 4' wide by close to 25' long, on two sides of the house, the west and the east. It was going to take some back breaking work to get it all back to right.


Harvest of Memories
Ecstatic Echo


Nevertheless, I began digging. I had rhizomes all over the yard by the time I was done and the flower bed looked like it had been pelted with mini bombs, large craters where iris once resided now hollow and empty. But, not for long. I grabbed a sharp knife and began the arduous task of dividing. I cut those gnarled, overgrown rhizomes into many manageable pieces. By the end of the day, all were back in the soil, ready to take root. I have to say, that next spring was one technicolor flower show! Many new hues emerged that had not bloomed previously due to overcrowding.


Cherub's Smile
Rave On


Last fall, I went on an iris buying frenzy. I had only three varieties at this property up to that point. As soon as the nurseries brought out their fall bulbs, I was there to nab one of every color. Twenty-nine new varieties went into Blessing Hill's gardens. I share some loveliness and grace with you . . .
Rare Treat

Here's what you need to know if you are interested in growing iris:

Red Hawk


Dusky Challenger


Iris lacks the gene for red pigmentation---Red Hawk getting as close to a red hue as possible. However, iris comes in a huge variety of shades from the palest white to the blackest of midnight blue. They require full sun in well drained soil but believe me, I have iris that do well in the most clay-filled areas of my gardens. Given a light fertilzer in early spring and again in late summer, is really all the maintenance needed. They are extremely drought tolerant. Often, iris can be found growing in ditches on county roads, requiring nothing from no one. I plant my iris between June and September. Iris should be divided about every three to four years to prevent overcrowding.

Rhizome division is essential to flowering. Once iris become crowded, dig carefully around the entire plant and lift from the ground. Brush away excess dirt and examine the rhizome. The rhizomes should be solid and firm. Rot is foul smelling and mushy. If any part of the rhizome displays rot, cut away and discard. (Dip knife into alcohol after cutting away rot so that it is not passed on to other rhizomes.)I like to divide a large, healthy rhizome into three or four parts. Once division is done, allow rhizomes to dry for a few hours in direct sun light. Replant in soil ammended with coarse sand for ideal growing conditions.

The Midwestern June Garden

How interesting has the weather been in your corner of the world? In my corner, it's been drenched, bordering on drowning. Luckily for me, I grow my vegetable garden in raised beds. Not to say they aren't soaked, they are. They just aren't floating. The upside to all this rain is beautiful lush foliage, a large flush of tomatoes setting on the vines, and my water bill about half the cost it would usually be this time of year. The down side? Yes, even in raised beds there is a downside. Kohlrabi, just on the verge of harvesting, are splitting open. The black Spanish radishes, a newbee in the garden this year, are tough. My cabbages are so full of water they are cracking. Oh yeah, and of course, the weeds are flourishing.

For those who've endured at least one hail storm, my heart goes out to you. Hail, as horrible as it can be, is equally damaging coupled with 60 mph winds. Lots of areas around us have experienced just that. Don't dispair. If we can get out from under this weather without further hail storms, some of the plants in your garden can be saved. (I'm jinxing myself here but, we've yet to have significant hail here. I keep praying when the sky starts spitting ice pellets and God's been kind to protect the garden from much damage. We've had pea sized hail briefly and lightly.) What to do now when plants look like they've been through the shredder?

Immediately prune the plants of any damage. A plant will expend a large amount of energy trying to repair its damaged foliage. Remove shredded leaves and broken stems from the plant so it can work on creating new, healthy foliage instead. Don't let plants stand in water. So far, in my raised beds, they've managed to keep draining. But, in those flat, on top of the ground beds, trench the soil to drain water away from plants. Push back mulching materials such as straw, grass clippings, etc., so that the soil can get the sun. And lastly, now is a good time to work in a pelletized fertilizer. Sprinkle it around the drip edge of the plant. The moisture from the soil will slowly released good nutrients to the plant, helping in regeneration.

The picture at the top is of my watermelon radishes. I think the excess water has caused the coloring to be washed. The center should be a full circle of purplish-red, not just a spot. Oh well, David says they are just as tasty. I have to say they've held up the best of the three varieties I planted. I score them as:

watermelon radish A-

white globe radish B-

black Spanish radish D+

As in the second picture, I'd say the purple kohlrabi have faired better then the early white Vienna as far as splitting out goes. This plump purple fellow is a lovely specimen. And the masculine arm holding it for the camera (no that isn't my arm!) isn't bad either!!! Thanks Dave.

Another big problem in the June garden is pests. The red spider mites have made a showing on the tomatoes. Left unchecked, they will destroy the blooms which, of course, results in a lack of tomatoes. The yellow lady bug-looking beatles are after the green beans, the rabbits are fixated on my green peppers, and the white moths are circling the cabbages. What's new, right?

A nice surprise was the volunteer New Zealand Spinach that we ate last night. This is a hardy spinach, loves warm weather, and continues to produce even after several cuttings. If you haven't tried this variety, give it a shot. Once your radishes have played out, replant that row with this variety. Get a jump start on germination by soaking the seeds in water for a few hours before planting. Within a month, a stand of spinach will be ready for picking.

For What Didn't Bloom This Spring: Phosphate = Flowers

I planted my first wisteria the spring of 2005 and the second wisteria the fall of 2006. Imagine my distress when one spring after another came and went without either vine producing one skimpy bloom. Now, compound that disappointment with a Robinson crabapple and four white dogwood trees that also refused to bloom. The common denominator in this varied problem is cold, wet soil. Phosphorus becomes less available to plants, shrubs, and trees when the soil is clay and the temperatures at bloom time are cold.

The soil on our property is beyond poor. I can dig down two inches and come up with a spade full of orange yuck. When we plant anything, we dig the hole twice as big as need be and back fill it with compost. This gives new roots a chance to get going before they contend with the crud. Unfortunately, new roots have to get there eventually and when they meet the clay, the absorption of crucial minerals diminishes.

Fern Leaf Yarrow: aka Achillea x Moonshine

Yesterday I took a phone call from a good friend of mine I'd not heard from in awhile. He wanted to chat about my favorite subject: gardening. He paid me a terrific compliment by saying all the garden variety vegetables that I'd endorsed were performing marvelously in his own garden. I was thrilled to hear so. When I recommend a certain variety of perennial or vegetable, or even garden tool for that matter, I do so because I want others to experience the joy of something that works, something that flourishes. That's why I just have to recommend Fern Leaf Yarrow, Achillea x "Moonshine".

When I revamped my entryway flowerbed this past fall, I added five Fern Leaf Yarrow into the design. I loved the intricate, dusty green foliage that does closely resemble fern leaves and bought the plants without having seen them bloom. They were some of the first perennials out of the ground this spring and by mid May, they were blooming. I have not been disappointed. The flowers were not only voluminous but also brilliant in color. In fact, they are so bright, I've been having trouble catching their detail with my new camera. They want to blur because they are so vivid yellow. And staying power---those first blooms two weeks ago look as good as the new blooms that have opened in the past couple days. I kept expecting the long stalks to wither, the blooms to dry up. Not a chance.They've even endured thrashing winds and still look fantastic.



Getting back to the subject of my entryway flowerbed, I have to impart a humorous anecdote. As I stated, I planted five but after they flowered, I realized I could really have used six to more nicely fill out that bed. So off to the nursery where I bought them, Dave and I went. I was browsing the aisles when Dave walked up to me holding a beautiful specimen. Always wary, I checked the tag and quickly informed him that he had the wrong variety. I needed Fern Leaf and he was holding Moonshine. Furthermore, I was certain the flower of Moonshine was not as brilliant as my precious Fern Leaf. This particular nursery only carried Moonshine and we were directed to check their sister store for Fern Leaf.

So off we went, arriving at the sister store only to find that Moonshine was the only yellow to prevail. I even asked one of the attendants who consulted with another attendant if the Fern Leaf and the Moonshine variety were one in the same. We decided they were probably not and since I wanted to include it in my entryway flower bed, it was best not to chance getting the color wrong. Instead, we all agreed I should wait until fall and divide one of my present Fern Leafs if I couldn't find that variety anywhere else.

When I sat down to write the previous posting, of which a photo of Fern Leaf yarrow is pictured, I had to laugh at my own silliness. First, for not having checked my faithful garden journal before heading out to the nursery and secondly, for not having trusted my husband's eye when he kept telling all of us that the Fern Leaf and the Moonshine looked exactly the same to him! There was my Monrovia tag for Fern Leaf Yarrow and when I opened it up to read the inside information, there were the words: Fern Leaf Yarrow, Achillea x "Moonshine". Here's something most husbands don't hear too often---Dave, you were right!



Here's some really great info on Achillea x Moonshine:

• It flowers almost the entire growing season


• Great for the back of the border because of its heigth, although I used mine at the front and let it drape down over my boxwoods


• Cold hardy to zone 3


• It can take the sunniest spot in your garden


• Extremely drought tolerant


• Superior for cutting and drying


• Divides easily


• Long lasting blooms


• A truly great perennial for beginners

After a Long Hiatus: What's Been Happening in the Gardens of Blessing Hill

I apologize for May's postings falling short. A lot happened in the two, almost three weeks, since I last posted. First and foremost, I killed my digital camera. It was and has been far more painful for me than for the camera, I assure you. I bought a new digital camera and I hate it. I hate everything about the Kodak MD1063. The one I killed was a Kodak MD853---beautiful pictures, compatible software, easy to use. The new MD1063 is a pain in every way. Less than stellar pictures, one problem after another with the software, blah, blah, blah. The above picture was taken with it. My old MD853 was only 8.2 megapixels and it captured far better detail than the MD1063 which is 10.3 mp. So much for newer technology. (Above picture: Lilium asiaticum Tiny Bee)

Maybe you're interested in how I killed the camera . . . oh well, even if you're not---I left it outside and it rained. Apparently circuit boards and water don't mix! I was taking pictures of my new potting shed as it was being raised, which brings me to the next reason I've been gone so long. Although I wasn't much help, I did try to assist David in the construction of my 12' X 14' potting shed. (I'll follow with another posting devoted solely to that issue when the potting shed is completed.) Our neighbor and his son-in-law helped David with the worst of it, two large windows and a set of French doors. I did some hammering here and there but David really was on his own with it. I'm still having health problems that kept me from participating as fully as I would have liked. Anyway, it wasn't all work and no play. David and I did hit some nurseries while he was on vacation, trips which resulted in the planting of 15 new trees! (pictured: Lonicera Gold Flame)

Of course, while building the potting shed, we had some of the hottest weather thus far this season. High humidity and unseasonable heat made for interesting building as well. But, that's nothing new for us. A few years ago, when we built our back deck, we did so in triple digit temps. Back to the heat---I was watering a patch of large, dense hosta on the north side of said deck when baby rabbits began popping out of the foliage like ping pong balls from a lottery machine. To say I was surprised is an understatement. Remember my good friend and garden buddy, Lu? Why any moma rabbit would think it was a good idea to birth her babies inside the very enclosure that keeps my 100 pound dog from freely running the neighborhood is anyone's guess. (pictured: Achilles x Moonshine)

This morning I woke up to a 57 degree chill. For all my there's-n0-such-thing-as-global-warming buddies, please tell me the last time you remember temps in the 50's in June. It also rained last night. I'm not complaining on the behalf of my flowers and veggies. My gracious its great not to be manning the water hose each and every day. It's made for beautiful lush foliage and amazing flowers thus far this season. However, the over abundance of moisture is not all grand. Many in our state have been flooded. Damage to property is widespread. Luckily for us, we live on high ground but the constance of moisture in the ground killed a five year old althea tree on the west side of our house. I'd planted two, one on either side of our back deck. It's mate is fairing better although it has many leafless branches. It made me sick to loose it but I consider myself lucky in that it's all I lost.

The cool temps have been great for transplanting. I relocated some Husker Red penstemon. They had grown into nothing short of bushes, three feet by three feet, and were blocking the view of my shrub roses in the courtyard. Moving perennials that large without




















separating can be risky but they are fairing well in their new home. The vegetable garden is growing leaps and bounds. Only the carrots and the peppers are complaining about the temps, especially the peppers. But, we are overflowing with radishes. My tomatoes are blooming and setting on. The cabbages are heading. Everywhere something is getting greener and bigger. It won't be long until its time to load boxes to go to the food pantry. Which reminds me, if you've got an abundance of veggies this season, don't forget those who have not.

On a parting note, in October, we'll have lived at this residence for five years. It seems like the time has flown by and yet I can mark the years in structures---the house, the rose arbor and fencing, the barn, the gazebo, and the potting shed. All this time, I've been trying to think of a suitable and yet seemingly natural name for this property. As you may have gleaned from the title of this posting, it's finally come to me:

Blessing Hill