Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Poppies and Memorial Day

Although Flanders Field poppies (Papaver rhoeas) are brilliant red, the following sequence reminded me of that traditional, somber poem... especially as we approach another Memorial Day. Please join me, in taking a moment to reflect.....





In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


Photos: ©CBI 2008
For the story behind this poem, visit the Arlington National Cemetery website.
For an original Memorial Day poem on my "Waltzes with Words" blog, click on "Long, Orderly Rows"
©Deb Lambert 2008

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Mulch Mounds, Post-Mortums and a Soapbox

Topic: What follows, is a discussion of the all too common practice of an over-application of mulch, usually shredded bark, as well as faulty application techniques.

My Rant:
This is an unashamed, full-blown rant against an on-going horticultural problem. This is NOT meant to alienate or disenfranchise fellow home gardeners or true professional gardeners (for most of whom this is widely-known, repetitive information). In fact, it is my hope that new gardeners, mistakenly subscribing to this erroneous practice, will change their modus operandi.

After pulling out my virtual soapbox, for the past twenty years (with my radio & TV programs, a newspaper column, horticultural classes, lectures, etc. at my disposal, I have taken every opportunity to "spread the word" - as have so many others), I see little, if any, improvement. In fact, this year seems worse than usual... the mounds are higher and even more widespread... homes, malls, storefronts, professional buildings, parks and even some street plantings are proudly exhibiting these gravity-defying mulch mounds some, extending 1-2' high up the trunks of trees, both young and old. So, many city and town municipalities are joining in this practice, as well, often with devastating results to the plants they seek to showcase and protect.

Benefits of Mulch: Shredded bark, bark chips, finished compost, peat and buckwheat hulls are just some of the materials with which we mulch our landscape. We mimic nature and what happens naturally in field and forest, as an accumulation of dead plants and leaf litter covers the soil, retarding the growth of some undesirable plants, and breaks down to nourish established plants and conserve moisture. Our mulch of choice provides the same advantages, for our suburban landscapes. Our final decision is based as much on practicality (wind and topography are determining factors), as well as the aesthetics a well-chosen mulch brings to our finished landscape... color and texture are key, as we choose that last component, to showcase and highlight our cherished plant collection... providing a final unifying element to the finished landscape.

Generally Accepted Premise: When mulching flower beds, 1-2" of mulch is sufficient... for trees and shrubs, a 2-3" layer will suffice (certainly not more than 4"). From the tiniest annual to the mightiest oak, there is one common rule of thumb - you never, ever want the mulch to remain in contact with the crown, stems or trunk of any plant. There should remain an area, at the base of any mulched plant, absolutely mulch-free. In fact, the base of a tree trunk should be surrounded by a circle of 3-4" of bare soil, to avoid the possibility of contact.

All plants have surface roots, requiring oxygen. When you apply a deep, heavy, wet layer of mulch, you prevent this healthy exchange. Since the the surface roots are never allowed to dry slightly, and deeper roots are constantly wet, you are likely to encounter the ill effects of over-watering, especially in heavy or poorly-drained soils. This provides the ideal playground for such disease as Phytophthora, which is an opportunistic, root-rotting pathogen.

It is a well-known fact that tree trunks, once girdled completely, can no longer conduct moisture and nutrients upward or go through all their processes, including photosynthesis, so death ensues. Rodents and deer are often responsible for such damage and once girdled, a tree succumbs fairly quickly. Not so, with the dreaded mulch mound. This is an often long, drawn-out process, especially on older trees with a dense bark layer.

Who's responsible?: In a search to determine the genesis (or the one "genius" who started all this, so we can go to the source and stop the madness!) behind the mulch mound movement, I decided to start with something as basic as word definitions... to deconstruct the theory behind the practice. Now, this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but hits the mark, nonetheless.

From the online dictionary, definitions relevant to this particular discussion [bracketed sarcasms will lead you along through my own logic chain, as we investigate this ongoing tale of horticultural horror, perpetuated by certain "landscape professionals"] ...

mulch
noun
A material (such as decaying leaves, bark or compost) spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil ["around or over a plant" - is this where the logic train becomes derailed? Perhaps they read "over" literally!]
• an application of such material: regular mulches keep down annual weeds.
• a formless mass or pulp [what eventually happens to the the over-mulched victim] : a mulch of sodden brown stems.

verb
apply a mulch
•treat or cover with mulch [again, are they reading "cover" literally?]

mound
noun
a rounded mass projecting above a surface [and projecting 1-2' up the tree trunk, rotting the bark and leaving entry points for insects and disease!]
•a raised mass of earth, stones or other compacted material, sometimes created artificially for purposes of defense or burial. [Ironically, "burial" seems an appropriate term, for the purpose of this discussion!]
•a small hill
•(a mound of/mounds of) a large pile or quantity of something: burying potential problems under mounds of cash [how about causing potential problems under mounds of mulch?
Ironically, the vigorous over-application of mulch eventually becomes what can only be considered as a burial mound.]

verb
heap up into a rounded pile : mound the pie filling slightly in the center. [These folks have taken "heap up" to a whole new level, when it comes to mulch... almost an art form, as if there were some hideous competition to see who can mound mulch the highest up the tree trunk, defying all logic, commonsense cultural practices and laws of gravity.]

post-mortem
noun
• the hospital carried out a postmortem autopsy, postmortem examination, necropsy. [What an arborist or garden center professional will be conducting, after the unfortunate demise of an over-mulched specimen... also what I just conducted on the stumps of Kwanzan cherry trees, which expired over the course of ten years. The city park department (city shall remain nameless) just cut down the last two dead trees. Girdled, with rotted bark, armillaria root rot and borer infestation were what I found... sadly, I am unsurprised. It was about what I expected. And this mulch was only maintained at about one foot up the trunk!]

soapbox
noun
a box or crate used as a makeshift stand by a public speaker : [as adj. ] a soapbox orator.
• figurative a thing that provides an opportunity for someone to air their views publicly [What I proudly mount, on a somewhat regular basis, to air my views about the hideous, dangerous mulch mounds that surround us!]

Who knows? Perhaps the originator of mulch mounds will read this and forever change his mulching methods... well, I can dream, can't I? Anyway, feel free to join me in this rant. While you're out there, spreading mulch in your yard today, spread the word, would you?

©Deb Lambert 2008


Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The Addiction of May

"The Addiction of May"
An Extemporaneous Late
Day Essay
By Deb Lambert


I have no picture to share
No glorious photo of what I've been viewing
Just beyond my kitchen window
So let me describe the experience and
Attempt to explain why I am afflicted
With the addiction of May

At precisely 6:50 this evening, I was treated
To nature's symphony, as courting birds cooed
Lyrical sweet nothings and the call of wood ducks
Echoed 'round the basin of Lily Pond
As I glanced up from washing the supper dishes
I was treated to a fleeting spectacle

The sun lingered warm and golden atop the hill
Shafts of burnished gold shone brilliantly
Backlighting the newly emerged sugar maple leaves
Which fluttered in a shimmering chartreuse rumba
Their heavy veins silhouetted by the western sun
The moment of full glory was brief, but I drank it in

For the sun had another non-negotiable appointment to keep
The same one it keeps every day, whether we notice or not
Whether or not the obstructions of inclemency intervene
The sun will set and rise again tomorrow
May all our tomorrows be filled with simple joys and pleasures
And may you join me in the undeniable addiction of May.


©Deb Lambert 2008

Sunday, May 11, 2008

A Mother's Hands

"A Mother's Hands"
A Mother's Day tribute to my mom
and moms, everywhere.
By Deb Lambert

It's all there, in a mother's hands...
Those caring, nurturing, industrious hands,
that bring solace and evoke memories.


The hands that toiled in the garden,
soothed a fevered brow and mended scraped knees.
The tapered fingers that played piano and violin,
also hooked and braided rugs for the parlor.
They stenciled serving trays, painted walls and
designed garden elements, which my father completed.
They sewed entire wardrobes, over the years,
for a growing schoolgirl.

The hands that scrubbed a kitchen floor belong to a
talented cook, who kept a family delightfully fed.
They plied an iron and crocheted a doily with equal alacrity.
They grew vegetables, planted bulbs and inspired
the next generation of gardeners.
These hands would knit, tat and needlepoint a myriad
useful and decorative items, throughout the years.
They polished, scrubbed, dusted and swept, as she
maintained a well-ordered household.

These are the hands, browned by the sun, at the
commencement of yet another season in the garden,
that evoke so many memories.
They held the flash cards, as I mastered multiplication
one long, hot summer and held the heavy volumes of
Charles Dickens she read aloud, all through my youth.
They rifled through the bird book, as we identified
our many bird feeder patrons.

And while every day should be Mother's Day, there's
something special about a tender spring morning, that
puts us in a reflective mood and moves us to pay
homage to our mothers and extend our appreciation.

Look at your mother's hands on this Mother's Day,
or just visualize them, and welcome the flood of
memories that may overwhelm you...
It's all there, in a mother's hands.


©Deb Lambert 2008

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Mother's Day Sneak Preview...

Just a few ideas for that creative gardener -
"Mom" .....


Copper watering vessels

"Crocs" for garden and casual wear

T-shirts with clever, amusing mottoes

Felco and Wolf Garten pruners - she deserves the finest,
long-lasting garden tools, and with their red handles,
she'll never lose them in the grass.

Always a good idea...
A gift certificate allows Mom to choose her own gift

Give Mom a hand in the garden,
or at least a pair of long-wearing garden gloves

Watering in style!

Shield her from the hot summer sun.
with a colorful garden hat

When is a garden hat not a hat?
When it's a resin birdhouse!

Statuary - large and small, for indoors or out,
like this peaceful sleeping feline.

Gorgeous ceramic birdbaths and bronze sundials

Favorite plants - from flowering and shade
trees to flowering shrubs, evergreens and perennials,
Mom usually has a "wish list" -
it's a great time to work on that list!

Cheery sun faces and wind chimes to brighten
gardens and patios

McMansions for birds... the ultimate in elegant nesting
and roosting boxes for Mom's best backyard friends.

And finally, classic garden benches for resting,
planning, reading and contemplating... for Mom
and all her gardening friends to enjoy!

Make it a garden center Mother's Day -
you just never know how many
great ideas await you!

©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos: CBI/DJL 2008

A Perennial Reminder

A perennial reminder... as in something I like to share with fellow gardeners each spring, regarding perennials and biennials. While you're out shopping for annual, herb and vegetable seeds, pick up a few seed packets of your favorite perennials and biennials and save

them for summer. Sowing perennials and biennials during mid-July to late August, lets you gain a whole growing season. Be sure that you'll be around to water, lightly mulch and care for them during the heat of summer. Set aside a corner of the veggie garden or flower bed, to establish a little nursery (scatter a bit of salt marsh hay to retain moisture and obfuscate the birds) . Once they've produced several set of leaves, transplant them to their final position. From the time they produce their second set of leaves (first set of "true" leaves), feed them every 7-10 days with a water-soluble fish/seaweed blend (I like Neptune's Harvest). Just before winter, in addition to the compost or bark mulch, apply a 2-3" deep layer of salt marsh hay as a winter mulch, when the ground starts to freeze.

How do you save a season? Come spring, your young perennials and biennials will be ready to bloom. Whereas they are normally started indoors in late winter, transplanted and nurtured for an entire growing season, this summer sowing saves considerable time and effort. However, although I often share this reminder in July, by then most of the perennial and biennial seed packets have disappeared from garden centers, along with the seed racks.

For new gardeners... perennials and biennials are herbaceous plants (dying back to the ground each winter) that normally require an entire growing season to become established. The second season, they begin to bloom. Perennials are usually long-lived ( a very few, like Gaillardia, may only live for 3-5 years) and provide years of reliable color. Biennials have a life cycle of two years. After flowering during their second year, the plants die off - but not before dropping seed. Leave a biennial bed undisturbed, and you'll always have a combination of newly developing plants, mixed in with those that have begun to bloom... the next best thing to perennials.

Sweet William (Dianthis barbatus), 'Excelsior' foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Lunaria biennis (silver dollar, honesty or money plant), Canterbury bells (Campanula medium)and hollyhocks (Alcea ficifolia) are some of the biennial seeds that are still available. Rudbeckia hirta hybrids (black-eyed Susan), blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis), shasta daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum), bee balm (Monarda didyma), oriental poppy (Papaver orientale), painted daisy (Pyrethrum or Tanacetum coccineum), coneflower (Echinacea), columbine (Aquilegia), delphinium, and hollyhock (Alcea 'Chater's Double') are among the perennial varieties you'll find in packets.

So today, here on a cold, rainy Sunday, I'm reminding you to "think summer"... at least when it comes to perennials and biennials. It's a good day to browse the seed racks and stock up on next season's blooms. Just don't forget to plant them, come summer! Why this particular day to remind you about this worthwhile project? Maybe it has something to do with a Saturday spent consolidating the packets in about eight seed racks... stubbornly insisting on leaving all perennial and biennial seeds prominently displayed, for those gardeners with foresight.

And this concludes my "perennial reminder!"

©Deb Lambert 2008

Thursday, May 01, 2008

YOUR MAY 'CORLISS CLIPS' IS READY!

The latest issue of the 'Corliss Clips' garden newsletter has just been published... 4 long pages of garden updates and reminders, to assist you with those May gardens. What a great time of year to be a gardener! Come in from the garden, relax a bit and click on 'Corliss Clips' for the latest garden "buzz." Enjoy!... Deb Lambert, Garden Author

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Manchurian Azalea and Weeping Cherry

More visions of spring...

Manchurian Azalea / Azalea mucronulatum*
This deciduous azalea flowers before the foliage emerges
and matures at 6' high x 5-6' wide.

Snow Fountains Weeping Cherry/ Prunus x 'Snofozam'
8-12' high x 10-12' wide. Graceful, cascading branches
with interesting mounded structure. A profusion of
single white blooms in early spring. Vigorous foliage.
Great structure for the winter garden, as well.
(Sometimes listed as a cultivar of Prunus x yedoensis
or P. subhirtella) May be grafted to the glossy,
reddish trunk of Prunus serrula.


*A concerned reader emailed a comment - a reminder that Manchurian Azalea is properly known as Rhododendron mucronulatum... consider yourself reminded. For our purposes, as a supplement to the Corliss catalog, I think "azalea" will do... otherwise, we'd have quite a bit of confusion.

A Valuable Link: For all things azalea, we have an interesting, informative link to the web site of William C. Miller lll, member of both the Azalea Society of America and the American Rhododendron Society. Click on The Azalea Works Home Page for great information and scroll down to "The Azalea Works Images" for his wonderful photography of azaleas and other flora, as well as fauna... Enjoy! Additional Note: Mr. Miller recommends a visit to the Azalea Society of America web site for lots of images- you'll love the photo gallery!

Update: For a link to the American Rhododendron Society, local NH chapter, go to the comments section of this post and read Rosebay's comment - complete with link.

©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos: ©CBI 2008 (by Deb Lambert)

Friday, April 25, 2008

Magnificent Magnolias

Magnolia is star of the spring flower show!

Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' / Royal Star Magnolia
A double-flowered Star Magnolia reaching
10-20' high x 10-15' wide. Shrubby when young,
with a rounded outline at maturity. Hardiness and
fragrance are also key to this magnolia's popularity.
Thrives in sun to part shade.


Magnolia stellata / Star Magnolia
The narrow petals and single flowers give this magnolia
its star-shaped blooms. It retains a broad, shrubby habit
as it attains a mature size of 10-20' high x 10-15' wide.
For sun to part shade.


Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel'
Leonard Messel Magnolia
A cultivar, whose parentage includes Magnolia kobus
and M. stellata
. The former, Japanese native, gives it
increased hardiness (M. kobus is listed at Zone 4,
sometimes into Zone 3, hardiness) and a more pleasing
rounded form. The pink to fuchsia blossoms have
the typical stellata form, but the color and subtle
shading are what attracts most gardeners.
Matures at 15-20' high x 20-25' wide.
This one's a real knockout!


©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos: ©CBI 2008 (by Deb Lambert)

Just a Few More Pieris Specimens

The abundance of Andromeda...

'Spring Snow'

'Mountain Fire'
4-6' high x 4-5' wide. Lush green foliage.
Fiery red new growth for extended color.
Graceful flower clusters.

'Compacta'
4-6' high x 4-6' wide. Dense, compact form of the species
with smaller leaves and heavier flowering in March and April.
Drought tolerant, once established.

'Purity'
4-5' high x 6-7' wide. Extremely dense and round habit.
Upright white flowers. Perfect green foliage.

'Valley Rose'
6' high x 4-6' wide. Deep green foliage.
Pastel pink flowers. Somewhat open habit.

'Valley Valentine'
5-6' high x 5-6' wide. Deep red flower buds turn
to deep pink flowers. Shiny, dark green foliage.

To view the previous Pieris posting, scroll back to April 20th,
or click here... "The Andromeda Strain"

©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos: ©CBI 2008 (by Deb Lambert)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Spring, Glorious Spring!


Time for a backyard stroll...

Light the drab corners of our yards with
the luminescence of Forsythia yellow.

Carpet our spring walkways with Chionodoxa blue.

Tint our flower beds with glistening white,
washed with the delicate blue of Pushkinia.

Ah... spring, glorious spring!


©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos: ©CBI 2008

Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Andromeda Strain

Just a quick glimpse of the Pieris hybrids (aka Andromeda) having an early spring fling. The first of the broadleaved evergreens to blossom, Pieris is valued for its early displays, light fragrance and resistance to deer damage. Tolerant of shade and varying amounts of sun, it is not tolerant of wet, poorly drained soils. While many of the hybrids have a naturally dense growth habit, a light shearing or hand pruning, as soon as flowers fade, will enhance that effect and ensure an even floral display next year.

'Avalanche'

4-5' high x 4-5' wide. Dense compact habit with a profuse
spring display of white flowers that obscure the plant.

'Brouwer's Beauty'

4-6' high x 4-6' wide. Dense foliage and abundant clusters
of fragrant white flowers. New growth lemon-yellow.
Hardy and reliable.

'Cavatine'

3-4' high x 3-4' wide. Unusual upright green buds which
open to a white explosion of blooms. A dense butterball
of dark green foliage. Tough and hardy.
Does well in full sun.

'Dorothy Wycoff'

5-6' high x 4-6' wide. Deep pink buds during winter.
Blush pink to white flowers in spring. Compact.

'New Red' (named for the bright red coloration
of new growth, following blossoms, extending the season)

©Deb Lambert 2008
Photos ©CBI 2008 (photographer Deb Lambert)