Improbably, NDL is responsible for production of the Garden Club Annual Directory. After the meat and potatoes content of the publication is updated it is time to add a bit of fluffy filler. One year it was garden tips, another quotes, and this year... notes on gardening with nature by NDL her ownself.
You may notice that by the end of the directory year NDL was getting a bit punchy with editing fatigue, but we hope you may find at least one small uncultured pearl of wisdom here:
September - Designate an area in your
yard to let milkweed and other butterfly host and food plants grow. Mark it as
a butterfly friendly area so the neighbors will know you are growing “weeds”
with the intention of being environmentally friendly.
October - As you clean up the garden for winter, create, some natural bird feeding
stations by leaving seed heads intact and encouraging small recesses for water
to pool. Your fine-feathered friends will
appreciate your thoughtfulness.
November - If you are interested in
free plants don’t mulch too heavily under known reseeding perennials. Then,
next spring look for volunteer seedlings to relocate or nurture in place.
December - While your memory is fresh
make note of which of your plants need dividing for garden bed expansion,
sharing with friends, or donating to a plant sale. If possible,
before they disappear for the winter try to remember what color that iris,
lily, or phlox was and write it down with a map to the plant’s location.
January - When the snow falls take a look at who is making tracks in your yard.
Knowing which creatures are living in your garden and where they hide may help
you to gently encourage their relocation, or continued presence in your garden
habitat.
Consider
starting a nature/garden journal. Record your observations from year to year to
keep track of when trees bud, birds leave and return, and when your first ripe,
red tomato appears.
February - Armchair gardening has kept
many a restless gardener going until she can get back in the dirt again. Get
out those catalogs, books, and notes from last year’s garden efforts and start
to dream and plan for this year’s garden campaign. Now is the
time to review horticultural hits and misses and how to repeat or avoid them.
March - If you are planning a vegetable
garden consider planting a row to share. Programs like Grow a Row for the
Hungry encourage us with helpful tips to grow extra produce to share with area
food pantries or communal dining sites. Even a free basket on your curb during
garden bounty time can help families add to their good nutrition efforts. Or
extend this idea to growing a row of
lovely flowers for floral designs to share with friends, family, nursing homes,
your church, or to grace the serving table of one of the above mentioned
communal dining sites such as Agnes’ Table or the reception area of the Open
Door Clinic. Spread health and
happiness, and smiles!
April - Arbor Day is a good time to hug a
tree, but don’t kill it with kindness. Mulch around a tree trunk should be more
like a donut that leaves the base exposed than a mulch volcano. 2 to 4” of mulch depth is enough to suppress
weeds and show you care, without smothering it with love.
May - To avoid frustration protect your
plants from baby bunnies who are trying out all kinds of greenery to see what
is tasty. You can use this advice from February to October as rabbits have a 28
day gestation period and can produce up to seven litters per year. They are
really cute, and very hungry.
June - Use your camera to help you remember good ideas from gardens you visit.
Capture that lovely combo in a container planting or a particularly striking
perennial pairing. Don’t forget to snap shots of your own favorite garden stars
for your records.
July - If inviting friends to tour your
garden it is a kindness to them and yourself to leave a few weeds, some undone
deadheading, or an unfurled garden hose lying out. A garden is a dynamic work
in progress, not a completed masterpiece. Everyone enjoys seeing other
gardeners’ spaces, and no one expects perfection.
August - Invasives are like wolves
in sheep’s clothing. Most were transplanted because of their beauty in the
garden and only later discovered to be a danger to our native habitat. Weeding
out invasives from our gardens and project areas calls for a “tough love”
approach.
Photos from a 2010 Garden Club field trip.
