Showing posts with label and. Show all posts
Showing posts with label and. Show all posts
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Gardens and Memory
| Photo of Reservation 232 taken in 1927 (photo courtesy of Historical Society of Washington) |
Gardening for me is mostly a solitary activity. But the last few months, I’ve been sharing my watering, weeding, and transplanting with my ten-month old.
It gives my wife a few moments of peace, and it is a pleasant distraction for Jude, who would otherwise be tugging on an electric cord or grubbing dust balls from underneath the refrigerator. Jude is fascinated with the ornery mockingbirds (“dta” while pointing), the cloud of bees over our perennials, and the raisiny fruit on our Serviceberry tree. He often notices something that I do not. Yesterday, he leaned over to grab the seed clusters of our Kousa Dogwood. They had budded into these gorgeous emerald orbs. “Huh,” I thought. “That’s cool.”
| Image by Fred Jeranes |
To see the garden with my son changes the way I experience it. The filter through which I see the garden is dislocated, and I not only see the garden in a new way, but see my son as well. I get these glimpses into his precious mind, experiencing the world all fresh and new.
Moments like these make me think about other gardeners. If I feel most like myself—most grounded—while I wander through my garden, then I want to know other gardeners as they are in their gardens. How do they see their gardens differently than I do? What do they care for and love?
| Kim Breneger |
Several months ago, I was contacted by a woman who is working with a group to create a memorial garden for Kim Brenegar. Kim was a garden designer who lived and practiced in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Kim died at the age of 49 in a tragic car accident. Although I never knew Kim personally, her presence was everywhere in the neighborhood. Friends of mine were her clients, and they raved about her. Kim was passionate and colorful gardener and designer. I only knew people who knew Kim, but her enthusiasm was infectious. Her loss was not just for those who loved her, but the entire neighborhood and gardening community in Washington, D.C.
The Friends of Kim Brenegar have proposed a most fitting memorial. Together with the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, the Friends group will redesign, restore, and maintain a garden called Kim’s garden on the site of a National Park Service Reservation at the intersection of 8th Street SE and Independence Avenue that Kim volunteered her time to maintain.
This garden will be an ideal tribute to Kim. What I love most about this project is not just the physical space—the garden—dedicated as a memorial, but that volunteers and friends will remember Kim through the act of gardening. It’s not so much the place that is connected to her memory, but the activity of caring for the garden as Kim did.
We are what we love. To connect with another, we must love what they loved, care for what they cared for, and cultivate what they cultivated. In doing so, we get a glimpse of the heart.
To read more about Kim’s Garden, click here.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Killing Your Dinner Guests and Other Pest Control Solutions
Getting rid of pests in gardens is a tough subject. Its never easy watching bugs or other pests eat their way through your beautiful garden. Especially when youve put in all that hard work, or spent all that money.
But as with so many of the problems that we face in life, we resort to a knee-jerk reaction, or we respond emotionally. We dont stop to think things through properly. Sometimes it requires an unemotional look at, and a better understanding of the problem to decide what to do.
To put things in perspective, I look at pesticides (maybe we should more honestly call them naturecides because of the damage they do) in as serious a way as chemotherapy drugs. They should only be used in very serious situations, and when all other options have been examined and weighed.
Heres some questions to ask yourself before resorting to poisoning your garden with pesticides:
1. How serious is the problem?
Will the pest kill the plant that it is eating, or will it just perform a natural function of cutting back, which gives space for new growth? Get some advice if youre not sure.
In most cases, its just a natural cycle, and the garden/plant will recover on its own without needing our intervention.
2. Is there a bigger problem behind this infestation?
Sometimes there are other reasons for a sudden increase in insect activity, but we end up treating the symptoms and not the cause. These reasons can be anything from a change in the plants ideal environment (too much sun, or shade), or even the over-use of chemicals in the past which has removed the pests natural predators or weakened the plant. Usually pests increase when plants are weak and cant defend themselves.
3. Have I planted the right plant?
If we choose the right plant for the right place, it usually needs less attention. The right plant is usually less prone to attack from insects. Choose indigenous plants over exotics. Indigenous plants are normally more resistant to attacks.
4. Have I planted too much of the same plant?
Mono-cultures (a single type of plant spread over a wide area) are like an eat-all-you-want buffet. Theyre basically an invitation for insects and animals to come in take a load off, and eat to their hearts content. Most lawns are mono-cultures, and are usually the source of most problems.
5. Is this normal?
There is often a natural and harmonious balance between plant and insect that shouldnt be interfered with. Some plants actually need insects to eat them, to stay healthy. By spraying pesticides and herbicides, were getting in the way, and could end up killing a lot more plants and animals than we intended.
6. Are you killing your dinner-guests?
This is really a follow up to the previous question. Most plants put "Open For Business" signs up in the way of fruit and flowers and juicy leaves. These attract insects for a reason, but these insects may sample other plants on their way in and out. If you plant a Butterfly Bush, it follows that youre going to see more caterpillars coming into the garden. Either get used to your visitors, or take the plant out.
7. Can I deal with them in other ways?
If at all possible, rather kill them by hand (or foot). If youre squeamish, there are plenty natural solutions out there; from beer, and grapefruit to chilli and flour. A little research usually yields a better solution (literally).
If none of these questions give you reason to resist the chemical route, then ask yourself one final question:
8. Is a little bit of chaos and mess not a good thing to have?
The need to have everything perfectly neat and tidy is sometimes a reflection of other issues that we are not dealing with, or other areas in our lives that are not under control. I believe that sometimes the challenges we face are there for us to confront the things we would rather not face.
If you still decide to go down the naturecide route, do it carefully and in a restrained way. But come back to these questions every now and then, and re-evaluate your garden as things change.
Read More..
 |
| I left this little guy to eat what he wanted from my plants |
To put things in perspective, I look at pesticides (maybe we should more honestly call them naturecides because of the damage they do) in as serious a way as chemotherapy drugs. They should only be used in very serious situations, and when all other options have been examined and weighed.
Heres some questions to ask yourself before resorting to poisoning your garden with pesticides:
1. How serious is the problem?
Will the pest kill the plant that it is eating, or will it just perform a natural function of cutting back, which gives space for new growth? Get some advice if youre not sure.
In most cases, its just a natural cycle, and the garden/plant will recover on its own without needing our intervention.
2. Is there a bigger problem behind this infestation?
Sometimes there are other reasons for a sudden increase in insect activity, but we end up treating the symptoms and not the cause. These reasons can be anything from a change in the plants ideal environment (too much sun, or shade), or even the over-use of chemicals in the past which has removed the pests natural predators or weakened the plant. Usually pests increase when plants are weak and cant defend themselves.
3. Have I planted the right plant?
If we choose the right plant for the right place, it usually needs less attention. The right plant is usually less prone to attack from insects. Choose indigenous plants over exotics. Indigenous plants are normally more resistant to attacks.
4. Have I planted too much of the same plant?
Mono-cultures (a single type of plant spread over a wide area) are like an eat-all-you-want buffet. Theyre basically an invitation for insects and animals to come in take a load off, and eat to their hearts content. Most lawns are mono-cultures, and are usually the source of most problems.
5. Is this normal?
There is often a natural and harmonious balance between plant and insect that shouldnt be interfered with. Some plants actually need insects to eat them, to stay healthy. By spraying pesticides and herbicides, were getting in the way, and could end up killing a lot more plants and animals than we intended.
6. Are you killing your dinner-guests?
This is really a follow up to the previous question. Most plants put "Open For Business" signs up in the way of fruit and flowers and juicy leaves. These attract insects for a reason, but these insects may sample other plants on their way in and out. If you plant a Butterfly Bush, it follows that youre going to see more caterpillars coming into the garden. Either get used to your visitors, or take the plant out.
7. Can I deal with them in other ways?
If at all possible, rather kill them by hand (or foot). If youre squeamish, there are plenty natural solutions out there; from beer, and grapefruit to chilli and flour. A little research usually yields a better solution (literally).
If none of these questions give you reason to resist the chemical route, then ask yourself one final question:
8. Is a little bit of chaos and mess not a good thing to have?
The need to have everything perfectly neat and tidy is sometimes a reflection of other issues that we are not dealing with, or other areas in our lives that are not under control. I believe that sometimes the challenges we face are there for us to confront the things we would rather not face.
If you still decide to go down the naturecide route, do it carefully and in a restrained way. But come back to these questions every now and then, and re-evaluate your garden as things change.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Interior and Exterior Landscape Design Ideas
People become very confused while choosing how to decorate the Interior and the Exteriors. Numerous great Ideas for landscaping the yards from your house are available in the internet. There must be a particular sense of tranquility experienced in a place when we try to unite the Design theme flowing in between the Interior and Exterior. You can also Design the Landscape present around your house by using the following tips:
How about making the best features to stand out? You may think about what is the best of the architectural feature present in your house, and then make it stand out. You can repeat its shape or color, clear the space around it or surround it with plants or flowers that do not distract from your homes natural art or beauty.
You may also use various colors which suit the presence. The Color often becomes one of the most obvious and important elements of both house and Landscape Design. If you want the landscaping to add to the visual appeal to your home, then you may also extend the beauty of the home through to your yard. For beige, gray or white homes, mix in purple or even in the soft yellow plants or flowers into the natural Landscape Design. The use of the bold colors like that of the reds, whites and bright yellows are of great use for the homes that already have colors that stand out. The reflection of the architecture and style is also very important. Use the architecture and style of the house for the inspiration. Colors in the orchard provides nice and attractive appearance to your house. 1 to 2 colors in the orchard can give extra look to your garden. I have observed that many professionals are using more than 2 colors. But in my viewpoint, two colors are enough to make your garden perfect.
The Victorian styles look great with boxwood hedges. You may also end up in making a traditional colonial style home decor will go fantastic with the open lawns. Cottages might go well with lush plantings and curvy paths. Contemporary homes may feature modern and most possibly geometric Designs in the Landscape. Also, if you want to give a wild look to your garden then use Exterior stones. Exterior stones can add a little more wild look to your garden.
In the end of this article, I would like to say that always think for a natural look. This will create an excitement and a luxuries look, which no artificial plants can do that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)