Savoring a Garden in Spring

Early Spring is a wonderful time to savor a garden....

Just as a wine connoisseur relishes that first sip on his tongue, so can we revel in a flower, a scent or even a Spring breeze. 

Gardening and wine are similar - although not essential to life, they enrich the experience and contribute to an overall sense of well being.

Garden lovers know what I am talking about - that exquisite moment of 'stop time' when the wafting fragrance of a single rose-pink blossom captures your attention and lifts you away.

Or when, basking in the warm morning sun, the birdsong is louder than the chatter in your head.

Or that first deep breath you take when stepping outside into the budding green realm where Flora reigns.

 In short, gardens allow you to delight in the little things of life, to savor the essence of the our natural world... to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Other activities can transport us away from the daily hubbub - yoga, reading, running - but only gardens can be shared

. And gardeners are only too happy to share their 'dreamtime' with others. Its a gift to be able to say, "Come to my garden and be transported with me."

(Johnsen Landscapes & Pools)

How can an outdoor setting affect us so markedly? The realm of nature is not simply a nice view or a pleasant sound - it is the energetic presence that enlivens us.

Garden lovers know this - the trilling of songbirds really does lift our spirits. The quality of
sunlight does affect our outlook. And red really does stimulate!

(Planter - Jan Johnsen)

So go out there and immerse yourself with nature right outside your door - plant that pot of flowers....spread those nasturtium seeds...prune that smokebush....

and when you do, savor the air around you - it is humming with those subtle flavors of oak, maple and a slight hint of crabapple.

Pink Muhly Grass- Frothy, Pink and Deer Resistant

Pink Muhly Grass - Spring Hill Nursery 

Pink Muhly Grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris, is a native 'fave rave' of mine.

You might say it is a 'fave rave nave'.

It is a show stopping plant in the fall with its giant puffs of cotton-candy-pink plumes.

Whether in a hedge, border or patio container, this ornamental grass offers unbelievably profuse, feathery blooms amid 4 foot stems and a cascading habit. Give it plenty of sunshine and good soil drainage, and it will do the rest, beautifully withstanding heat, humidity, drought, and poor soil!

Pink Muhly Grass, is an extraordinary ornamental grass plant for many reasons: 

from Monrovia

• Its flower heads appear in the fall as a frothy haze of deep pink.
• It is low maintenance and virtually pest free.
• It is deer resistant.
• Its deep roots makes it a tough, drought tolerant plant suitable for erosion control on slopes and useful in xeriscapes (Although regular irrigation and fertilization will encourage the best bloom).
• It grows quickly with narrow glossy green leaf blades.

from Wayside Gardens

It is not hardy in my area as its native range extends from the south Atlantic Coast down into Texas and Mexico (zones 7 -10). Some people in zone 6 can grow it but it is iffy, depending on the microclimate. I will grow it as an annual.

photo from Baltimore Sun

 'Regal Mist' is a spectacular variety with a  haze of dusky pink when it blooms. It  looks amazing when placed against a dark backdrop of evergreen shrubs or a wall. 

Plant it in a group to create a magnificent sweep on a hillside and enjoy the full effect of this grass swaying in the autumn wind.

Or plant it by a pond, pool or other body of water.

Or plant it en masse in a sunny border with Knock Out Roses and geranium 'Rozanne'. wow!

You can also cut the flowers, dry them and enjoy them all winter indoors.

Pink Muhly Grass is a thoroughly enticing, tough and beautiful native plant. Plant some for a grand show in autumn.

 This is from Touch o Green Landscapes 

Daniel Burnham honors Frederick Law Olmsted

On March 25, 1893, a gala dinner was held in honor of Daniel Burnham in Chicago.

But when Burnham took the stage, he chose to honor someone else instead: 

“Each of you knows the name and genius of him who stands first in the heart and confidence of American artists, the creator of your own parks and many other city parks... —Frederick Law Olmsted.”

Then he added:

 “An artist, he paints with lakes and wooded slopes; with lawns and banks and forest-covered hills; with mountain sides and ocean views. 

He should stand where I do tonight, not for the deeds of later years alone, but for what his brain has wrought and his pen has taught for half a century.” 

A collective roar went up among those assembled.

paraphrased from:  “Genius of Place: The Life Of Frederick Law Olmsted” by Justin Martin

Hand Weeding - by Christopher Lloyd

"Many gardeners will agree that hand-weeding is not the terrible drudgery that it is often made out to be.

Some people find in it a kind of soothing monotony. 

It leaves their minds free to develop the plot for their next novel or to perfect the brilliant repartee with which they should have encountered a relative's latest example of unreasonableness.” 

― Christopher Lloyd, The Well-Tempered Garden

Garden Design Tips You can Use

http://www.gardendesign.com/landscape-design/tips.html