Things to Love Right Now: This Week's Links

This week's web travels really have got me thinking about all of the projects I want to attempt and accomplish this Spring and Summer. With so many resources, online and off, and finding new ones every day, there are really no limitations. Here are some of my fave finds from this week.

My newest blog addiction is Dearest Nature, a stunning lifestyle blog inspired by, well, anything and everything in nature. Dearest Nature is also getting readers involved with Spring Pickin's, a blog and photo project to document anything that nature puts in your path. (This should be a must for me this season!)

Repurposing old and found objects like furniture, antiques and pretty much anything you can find, is all the rage these days. This succulent garden via old dresser before-and-after featured on Curbly, a DIY blog, is something to be admired. What can't you make a garden out of? (The full how-to is on Grizzly Bear Modern.)

Lastly, just for funsies, Urban Gardens, a blog dedicated to city and small-space dwellers, featured this darling pewter sugar and creamer set, complete with miniature shovel for a serving spoon. Adorable yes, but also a pretty penny, at Branca.

Apartment Therapy also launched a new Outdoor section of their website, for your perusal.
And, don't forget about the Spring 2012 issue of Leaf Magazine, a treasure trove of ideas for the gardening and outdoor living enthusiast.

Crushing on Leaf Magazine

This Spring, you have every reason to be inspired, especially with the good looks and charming personality of Leaf Magazine by your side. This relatively new online publication officially launched last fall by co-founders and garden design "senseis," Rochelle Greayer and Susan Cohan. The Spring 2012 issue was just released earlier this week. It's 142 pages of beautifully and thoughtfully designed outdoor living and gardening infatuation. Oh, and by the way, it's FREE. Skip on over to LeafMag to subscribe.  

Want more? Check out Leaflets, the LeafMag blog, for daily bite-sized outdoor-inspired design.

The More You Know

We're off and running in a new season where I'm fully prepared to give you my unsolicited advice, starting with a brief list of DOs and DON'Ts.

Weeds: Know Your Enemy
Don't let weeds overpower your gardens. Do find a way to manage them regularly, such as pulling out after a fresh rain or on a seriously humid day. Do know your enemy. The antagonistic relationship between you and your weeds will always exist, but not every weed is bad. Check out Good Weed, Bad Weed for a quick reference of what's growing, what to yank and what to spare.

Flowers: Know Thyself
Don't, I repeat, don't use fake flowers under any circumstances. I like to be low maintenance too, but if you use fakes, you're only fooling yourself. Do use real flowers that are relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain. Don't choose anything overly fussy and demanding of your time if that's not your thing. Do read your labels and become familiar with your zone so you know what you're getting into.

Shrubs: Know Your Boundaries
Don't let your shrubs exceed the size of your house. Surely, there must be some 80/20 rule about shrub-to-house ratios and proportionate size to equal maximum curb appeal. Do invest in some good shears and research best times to prune. Don't ever trim, shape and/or dress your shrubs to look like humans, dolls, animals, or decorate with hula hoops, bows, signage or advertising. It's really humiliating for the shrub. (The only exception is tasteful holiday lights, when the season is appropriate, of course.)


Do have fun. Gardening and landscaping is hard work, but if you're not enjoying the process, you might want to find another hobby or enlist in a professional!

Good Weed, Bad Weed cover image used from this book review at Horticulture Magazine.

Hi, I'm a Mess

Here's where I start putting myself out there. I'm not a garden master mind. I wish I was.
I have "that spot" in my yard. The one area that is constantly out of control. The one area I swear every year I'm going to tame like the wild beast it is.

It's my front yard. Not the front of my house, rather the very edge of the yard that slopes into the road. My neighbors across the street have to stare at this mess every day, and sometimes I think they shame me when I walk out to get the mail. Lucky for me, I don't have to look at it, but I know it's there.

It didn't used to be this bad. In fact, at one point, we planted masses of perennials thinking that they would just fill in and take over. If you look closely you might be able to see one, yes one, black-eye Susan that remains. We were so naive.

This is a project that I just can't handle on my own. It might be time to admit defeat and call in professional help. But, first I'd like to you know what you think. What would you do if this was your mess? Share your thoughts. The person with the best idea gets to come over and help me!

Social Media Butterfly

You probably need another social media site to join like a hole in the head.
But, how can you resist gardening-specific social networking? Check out these sites I originally started following on Twitter:

Dig the Dirt

Your Garden Show

Both are free and are a great way to catalog ideas, share your gardens, access tools/resources and peruse how-to's. Most of all, sites like these use the experiences of others to illustrate the importance of gardening, sustainable practices and the impact of building communities on and offline.

I encourage you to be social and start building your gardening community. Then, you can share it on Facebook, tweet it on Twitter, +1 on Google+, pin it on Pinterest...
(Wait, I thought we were supposed to be spending more time outside?)
I don't quite understand it all either, but I'm learning!

P.S. Leaf Magazine, a new digital magazine focused on outdoor design, launches this fall. Click to get a free subscription!

The August To-Do List

It's almost mid-August. Your gardens are tired of working for you all summer. You're probably tired, too. You can feel the season slowly changing ... The air smells a little different ... The days are oh-so-gradually getting shorter again ... Did you just see a leaf fall on the ground?

Hey!
Snap out of it!

Don't be fooled by back-to-school ridiculousness and promises of a new fall wardrobe. (As enticing as those new suede boots might be, they'll still be there in October, I promise.)

Summer is still here, and my calendar says it will stay here until September 23.
If you think your work is done, you're sorely mistaken.
So, grab your shovel and your bypass pruners because your to-do list just got a little longer.

From mulching to compost, bulbs to saving seeds, deadheading to weeding, there's still plenty to do this year and in preparation for next spring. There's even time to plant a late harvest garden. Take it from the experts, About.com and Better Homes and Gardens have compiled some great August tips to keep your garden going through September and beyond.

I think I'm even crazy enough to try a fall container garden this year...yeah, even after I got on my soapbox about containers.

Daytripper: Time Well Spent in Douglas/Saugatuck

Those of us who are lucky enough to live in West Michigan are able to take day trips to neighboring Lakeshore communities like South Haven, Holland, Grand Haven and Ludington. On Saturday, my husband and I took a day trip to Douglas and Saugatuck, two little sister cities nestled on Lake Michigan, just about 15 minutes south of Holland. These remarkable little communities are known for their arts, culture, and treasure trove of unique shops and galleries. Saugatuck even has its own film festival.

We had been to Saugatuck before, but this time we incorporated some different experiences. Our day started in Douglas with Running Rivers, who offer kayak trips of varying lengths through the forests and wetlands along the Kalamazoo River. They also offer the now-trendy stand up paddle boards. We went for an hour-long kayak, which ended up at Wades Bayou, and spotted a few blue heron along the way.

Douglas and Saugatuck also have quite the garden club, supporting the communities through  beautification projects and other efforts. Both cities have the most beautiful homes and manicured outdoor spaces, and makes me wish I could join their club!

Both downtowns feature very quaint little shops, especially for home and garden (check out my scores below!) and a variety of restaurants for every taste. We had lunch at Coral Gables, watching the boats come and go in the bay, followed by the BEST (and most expensive) MILKSHAKE EVER at Kilwins.

The last stop for the day was Saugatuck Dunes State Park. To get to the beach, you have to walk about .6 miles through the woods along sandy trails. The beach is worth the hike and the hike is pretty great itself. (And, it was the perfect opportunity to start burning off the shake!) After a late afternoon of frisbee in the water and naps on the shore, it was time to make the trek back. We couldn't have asked for a better day.

Do you have a Michigan State Park Recreation Passport?


The gardens were just gorgeous. I wish I would have been able to take more pics of the homes and gardens. They were just magazine worthy!

Best name for a children's store EVER. (It's from Alice In Wonderland, in case you don't get the reference.)

Secluded, tree-lined beach. You really couldn't ask for a better backdrop. I've been a lot of places and West Michigan truly has some great beaches.

Just looking up!

The oak-lined trail to and fro. I would love to go back and just hike the trails.

Good finds: Iron key from Urban Cottage in Saugatuck, black wood apple and pear (just had to have them!) from Circa in Douglas, and wine rack from Wine Sellers of Saugatuck. I do need to make another trip SOON to visit Amsterdam, a real eclectic mix of antiques, vintage finds, garden treasures, you name it!

Jack of All Trades, Master of... Something...To Be Determined...

I'm behind, like WAY behind. In case you didn't know, MBA school, gardening and blogging don't mix. The good news is (other than Mother Nature being behind as well--my coneflower still hasn't bloomed), there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as I'll officially be done with grad school in December. The even better news is, I've taken the summer off to devote to my gardens AND my blog. And the EVEN WAY better news is, I hope to start the MSU Master Gardening Program in January. The application is in, I'm just waiting for my acceptance.

In the meantime, keep reading, I hope to post as much as possible. Also, look forward to some positive changes in terms of look, feel, content...maybe even a name change, who knows? (Got any ideas?)

Here are some highlights from the 2011 Master Gardener Tour (Wanna see last year's recap?). You can expect to see my house on the roster in a few years.

Enjoy!

Japanese lilac, I think!

Backyard envy...

Loved the ripples and ridges of this hosta.

I can't remember if these little twisted clematis balls are pre or post flowers, but interesting, eh?

Winding wisteria.

Last iris of the season?

Amazingly, perfectly manicured beds, although I wondered, why no mulch?

Interesting use of old/dead tree branch for a clematis to climb.

There's something very whimsical about poppies.

 Ginko!

Potting shed (and organization) envy...

Oranges! One of my master gardening classes will be about fruit trees.

Black petunias were uber trendy this year, love them paired with that coleus.

Also love the multi-hostas look, paired with astilbe. Sharp shady combo!

 Urban oasis...

I Love New York (Gardens)

I spent Memorial Day Weekend in the Big Apple, shopping on 5th Avenue (including more than one trip to Tiffany and Co.), a morning at the MoMA, visiting Ground Zero and walking through the great parks of Manhattan. Check out the garden highlights.

Alliums were in bloom everywhere. It was neat to catch them before they were completely open.

Not sure what this flower is, but can you see what's in the background?

There were some of the largest hostas I've ever seen. More shots from Battery Park.

What trip to NYC would be complete without a visit to Central Park, including Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields and the Bow Bridge.

Spring Around Town

Even though May is prime time for prepping and planting, be sure to break out of your backyard to take advantage of these classes and events that are right in ... your own backyard!

National Public Gardens Day, May 6
Tomorrow is National Public Gardens Day (and, it is actually every Friday before Mother's Day). Public gardens offer a variety of learning opportunities, including water conservation methods, landscape design, native plants, seasonal and geographic considerations, gardening techniques, and the collective knowledge of those who work and volunteer there. Maybe you're heard of a little place called Frederik Meijer Gardens?

Holland Tulip Time Festival, May 7-14
I'd be lying if I said I had an interest in Dutch heritage (Not that there's anything wrong with that!) But, I wouldn't mind seeing hundreds of thousands of tulips in bloom. If you are interested in all of the festivities, check out the Tulip Time website.

Local Gardening Classes
I'm a big fan of the the Romence Gardens Coaching Series. Every Saturday at 9:45 a.m., Romence offers a class taught by one of their "coaches"--either a seasoned employee or an outside expert. Subjects include lawn care, flowering shrubs, vegetables, composting, container gardening and hanging baskets. Check their website for upcoming classes. Saturday's class is all about caring for hanging baskets. Romence is also planning "R Big Day" on May 21, more details coming soon.

Opening Day

What? You didn’t think I was talking about baseball, did you? 

Ok, maybe a little about baseball because in Michigan, we determine spring’s arrival by the following factors: 

• Temps that finally peak above 40
• The release of Bell’s Oberon 
• When Tigers take the field at Comerica Park, marking another season of will they/won’t they baseball drama.

  
My opening day was Saturday. With latte in hand, I started off at Romence Gardens for a mid-morning class on how to grow a fabulous lawn (more on that and other Romence happenings later). Followed up by some consignment shopping and antiquing at my favorite local digs, which left me oh-so-inspired to take on the yard for the afternoon.

Extreme clean up was necessary because I neglected to do my fall prep last year. (I got married and went on a two-week Mediterranean honeymoon, followed by some excessive hours at work, which also explains my blogging hiatus.) My husband fought the good fight, by extracting some holly berry bushes that just weren’t cutting it. I give the previous owners of our house credit for putting in some landscaping, but their garden “design” left something, well everything, to be desired. I give myself credit for finally deciding to part ways with things that don’t work and allow me to have an almost-clean slate.

The latter hours of the afternoon were spent transplanting day lilies. If you remember, Don’t Ditch the Ditch Lily, my goal last fall was to move these to a hard-to-grow space in the backyard. The labor was intense. I feel like I spent hours at the gym yesterday doing nothing but squats and lunges. I know that if I keep up the good work all season long, the results will be amazing...for both my flowers AND my glutes.

P.S. How great would these look on my two front windows?
 

Garden, Gardener, Gardening

I like the word garden.

I don’t like the words “gardener” or “gardening,” as in “I’m a gardener” or “I like gardening.” It reminds of those Bree Van DeKamp, Connecticut housewife types that say they like gardening, but manage to keep their gloves pristine and fingernails in tact. They wear delicate straw hats, cutesy aprons and never seem to break a sweat. Their roses are remarkable. And, Japanese beetle, is never a word in their vocabulary.

Desperate housewife, I am not. Expert gardener, I am not, and every year, I dig back in anyway. And when I “garden,” I end up wearing dirt like it’s a second skin. I barely know how to take care of the roses I have. I still mourn the loss of perennials planted one season, never to return. I still haven’t determined if gardening is a hobby or a contact sport.

Yes, I like to garden. Love, actually. I never thought I would be the type to love gardening. It was never something I did growing up. Perhaps home ownership brought it out in me. Or, Martha Stewart. There’s just something about taking soil into your own hands (literally) to produce something of beauty. Something appreciated by friends and neighbors. I’m sure my neighbors would appreciate me a lot more if I could get certain areas of the yard under control, but I digress…

Spring is back and so am I. Making up my own rules, learning from my mistakes and creating my own expertise.

Master Gardener Tour Wrap Up

I'm a little behind, but didn't want to forget about my stint 2 Saturdays ago, touring the yards of Master Gardeners, thanks to the Michigan State University/Kent County Extension.

This year's tour featured about 7 different homes, mostly on the north side, near Rockford, Belmont and Cedar Springs--large homes with even larger yards, and an abundance of space to prep, grow and maintain. My two favorites both featured garden sheds and benches, providing perfect little places for potting, storage, organization and reprieve from the sun.

I find that the pictures I take each year, really don't do the gardens much justice. Some are so vast and filled to the brim with blooming perennials and annuals, it's definitely best to experience the juxtaposition of plants for yourself. I saw several brilliant combinations that I would have never thought to place together.

I'd like to say that I learned a lot, but the tour was really just about witnessing what others have built over 5, 10, 15+ years. If anything, it validated that garden maintenance is a constant job. If you want your gardens
to continue to look fresh, unspoiled and tidy, your work is never really done. This includes weeding, pest control and dividing perennials. It was also refreshing to know that even masters continue to face the same issues as us amateurs.

Need Garden Inspiration?

As an aspiring master gardener, I look forward to the Michigan State University/Kent County Extension Master Gardener Tour every summer.

If you are so inclined, join me Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27, as I tour and explore private gardens of certified master gardeners within Kent County. I've done this tour for about 3 or 4 years now, and it never disappoints. Beginners and well-versed gardeners will be inspired by the variety of garden designs including shade, full sun, containers, rose, perennials and the list goes on. Master gardener, as well as MSU extension staff are also on site at every tour stop to answer questions and provide advice.

Tickets are $10 and are available at any of the garden tour stops. Visit the Stuck on Gardening page for tour stops descriptions and maps, or call 616.336.3265 for more information.

Good for the Soul, Good for Your Neighbor

A few weeks ago, as I was diligently cleaning up an overgrown bed in my backyard, I spotted my neighbor, Betsy. I invited her and her lab, Moses, to come over and choose from my selection of evening primrose and black eyed Susan, as I was happy to dig up some and give the rest a little breathing room. For the next hour or so, Betsy and I happily exchanged tidbits about gardening, yard work, pets and other small talk. It was really great to share flowers and conversation.

That same night, I read an article in Real Simple magazine about a group of six friends who called themselves the Wonder Weeders. Every Friday, they would get together at each others homes and use their collective labor to garden as team, rotating houses each week. In short, the article discussed how the group got started--through a simple neighborly gesture--and how it grew into eight years of friendships, not only sharing gardening labor, but also personal triumphs, joys and set backs, and learning from each other as well as learning about themselves.

It was a really inspiring and emotional article (if I could find it online, I'd surely link to it), and it really got me thinking about how powerful gardening can be. It is no wonder why there is a such a strong movement with community gardens, corporate gardens and the like. It doesn't matter if the garden is flowers or vegetables, communities, neighbors and friends are getting together to reap the rewards and enjoy the outcomes, whatever they may be.