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Gardening: Take me home, country road

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Random rocky outcrops planted with shrubs and ground covers break up the long expanse of driveway; above, if your driveway is unlit, use white stone, chip or pavers to show drivers where the edges are.
Random rocky outcrops planted with shrubs and ground covers break up the long expanse of driveway; above, if your driveway is unlit, use white stone, chip or pavers to show drivers where the edges are.

I suspect one of the greatest gardening challenges for those on an average income is landscaping a long driveway. The “small budget, big space” dilemma applies and, probably for this reason, most of the driveways I traverse are au naturel. Including, despite strenuous efforts, ours.

Urban driveways are less of a problem. They’re usually short, edged and sealed, and there’s not often a lot of room for plants. Rural driveways, however, are usually long, irregular, metalled and pot-holed. If you’re unlucky, they can also be steep, winding and weedy.

The first step in dealing with them is to ascertain why you’re even bothering – apart from the fact that an unlandscaped driveway is about as attractive as a triple bypass scar. Are you looking to create a grand entrance to impress visitors, or do you regard the driveway as an extension of the garden?

If the former is the case, stop reading this minute and phone a landscaper. If it’s the latter, try to think of the driveway as simply a long strip of undeveloped garden that’s desperately in need of a plan.

A friend of ours has a very long, winding driveway with wide grass verges planted in rosemary and lavender. Aside from the fact that this planting palette sits a little uncomfortably in a subtropical landscape, it’s also, well, boring. A more interesting approach would be to divide the space into a series of smaller gardens using a variety of plants. Having said that, may I just caution against leaping from one style or theme to another. Variety is the spice of life, but a succulent patch alongside a lush palm grove isn’t going to sit comfortably either.

It pays to get your hard landscaping elements in place first, and this is not an area where you can mix and match.

A picket fence adjoining bollards and rope adjoining a low brick wall adjoining a formal hedge will simply confuse visitors, so choose a way to define the drive and stick to it.

Unless you specifically need a post and rail fence to contain miniature donkeys, babydoll sheep or some other, more commonplace stock, the way you edge your drive can be based on aesthetics – and budget, of course.

If the B word is paramount, remember that you don’t have to carry your fencing or edging all the way from gate to house. If 2km of dry-stone wall will break the bank, consider sections of stone wall that taper down to the ground then start up again a little further along. Irregularly spaced outcrops of carefully placed rocks, interplanted with shrubs and groundcovers, are another option.

If, like us, you happen to have a large pile of randomly sized posts that your partner was offered and couldn’t resist, despite the fact that he couldn’t, at the time, think of anything to do with them, here’s a plan. Sink the posts into the ground (hiring a post-hole digger for half a day will not break the bank) and run thick, gnarly rope between them. It’s an effective way of saying “this is the edge” without major construction costs. You can add climbing plants to crawl up the posts and along the rope if you like, and groups of plants behind the fence at random intervals.

Formal hedging is making a serious comeback so, if you’re a good gardener, you may like to go for either a classic, straight hedge, or a freeform version. Freeform is ideal for the busy or lazy among us, while a formal hedge is therapeutic to those who enjoy the discipline of precision trimming. The great advantage of this choice is that, effectively, you get the benefit of hard and soft landscaping in one.

For country cottage-style properties, how could you go past a white picket fence and wildflowers? The picket fence can be as tall or short as you like, but keep the plants that are closest to the drive fairly low, and increase the height further back. A kilometre or two of picket fence will not be cheap, unless you’re lucky enough to find one that’s being recycled, but you can use wildflowers right from the road then introduce the fence partway along the drive to define the approach to the house.

Try to remember when designing your driveway landscaping that the primary reason the area exists is to provide vehicle access to your house. So choose plants that won’t encroach on the driving space. Do provide lighting or light-coloured paving or edging to guide guests at night, and don’t position those rocky outcrops on bends where they’re likely to take out someone’s door.

Modernist moa trio

Three moa sculptures in the exhibition garden of award-winning Auckland landscapers Adam Shuter and Tony Murrell are a standout at this year’s Ellerslie Flower Show.

Made from driftwood by a Taumarunui-based wood sculptor, the largest of the family of birds stands about 3m tall.
Adam says they chose the moa for their “Modern Day Moa” garden design because they wanted to feature something iconically Kiwi that no-one else had used before.

The resulting garden is an attractive fusion of new and old, native and exotic.
 

A different kind of garden

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What are the benefits of growing aquaponically? Aquaponics gardening enables home fish farming. You can now feel good about eating fish again. It uses 90 percent less water than soil-based gardening and is twice as productive on a square-foot basis as soil-based gardening. It is free from weeds, watering and fertilizing concerns, and because it is done at a waist-high level, there is no back strain. It is necessarily organic. Natural fish waste provides all the food the plants need. Pesticides would be harmful to the fish. Hormones, antibiotics and other fish additives would be harmful to the plants. And the result is every bit as flavorful as soil-based organic produce. It also consumes no energy to transport out-of-season produce to distant markets across the globe because you will be able to select your own produce from the garden right in your own home.

Is aquaponics organic? It doesn’t work unless it is organic. Think about it. If you were to add chemicals, antibiotics, or other artificial additives to your aquaponic fish tank it would harm your plants. If you use pesticides or growth stimulants to your plants, it will harm your fish. Your plants are being grown with “composted� animal waste. Aquaponics works as well as it does because of how well it mimics nature. The closer you are to pure nature, the better your system will work.

Is Aquaponically grown produce safe from E.coli and Salmonella? Yes, because fish are cold blooded animals their waste does not, and cannot, contain either of these pathogens. In fact, there was a recent study done by the College of Tropical Agriculture in Hawaii titled “A Preliminary Study of Microbial Water Quality Related to Food Safety in Recirculating Aquaponic Fish and Vegetable Production Systems� that explored this very question and concluded that, in general, aquaponically grown food is even safer than soil-grown food.

Can I grow outdoors in the winter? That depends on your winter, the type of plants you are growing and the type of fish you are using. All three living components to an aquaponics system (fish, plants, bacteria) need to be bio-active in order for the system to thrive, or at least survive until the following spring.

Source: www.theaquaponicstore.com

Farmer Michael Dickson believes aquaponic gardening — a system of growing fish and vegetables together — can be the ideal way to grow food in urban areas.

Dickson, owner of Seed of Life Nurseries Inc. in Frederick, demonstrated the food-growing method and shared other gardening tips recently at Ag Week at The Mall in Frederick, which offered the public a glimpse of Frederick County’s $200 million agriculture industry.

“Aquaponics is a revolutionary combination of the best of aquaculture and hydroponics — and an amazingly fun and easy way to raise fish together with organic vegetables, greens, herbs and fruits,” according to aquaponicgardening.com. “Aquaponic systems are much more productive and use up to 90 percent less water than conventional gardens. Other advantages include no weeds, fewer pests, and no watering, fertilizing, bending, digging or heavy lifting.”

Dickson said aquaponic farming functions on a closed-loop system that cultivates both organic fish and vegetables for consumption. This process is a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. The fish effluent is converted into natural plant food, then filtered through plant absorption, returning viable water back to the fish habitat. This recirculating environment permits both cultures to grow at an accelerated rate without producing any waste or using chemicals.

Quick crop vegetables, such as assorted lettuces, chards, spinach, turnips and greens, endives, watercress, arugula and fresh herbs are ideal in this process due to their aggressive nature to grow in low nutrient conditions, Dickson said. When these vegetable plants grow in an aquaponic farming environment, they are able to more quickly absorb nutrients, thus reducing growth time cycles.

According to traditional farming practices, one lettuce plant needs 1.5-square-foot of soil for a 60-day harvestable growth cycle.

“In the aquaponic growth bed, we will grow six times more lettuce in the same square footage with half the growth time needed,” Dickson said. “This equates to 12 plants harvested in aquaponic farming versus one in traditional farming.”

Tilapia and catfish also grow faster in aquaponic conditions, Dickson said.

A small aquaponic system that produces 20 pounds of produce a month will cost about $300; using recycled materials will cost between $100 to $125, Dickson said.

Dickson is no stranger to finding ways to grow food. He has organized a collaborative effort to help counter hunger locally.

Working with the Middletown FFA, local churches and the community, Dickson started Bethel Farm in Frederick, a 20-acre tract that grows lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, radishes, potatoes and other vegetables. Much of the food the venture grows is donated and delivered to needy people in Frederick. The remainder is sold to raise additional funds for the farm.

Lisa and Peter Moholt, of Gaithersburg, said Dickson’s presentation gave them confidence about their gardening skills.

“You can feed people, but educating people on how to grow their own food is a lot more important,” Lisa Moholt said. “You got to teach people how to fish. I learned a lot of helpful, useful, take-home tips, and I like the idea of reducing your carbon footprint by growing a garden.”

Peter Moholt liked Dickson’s tips on inexpensively growing food in a small space, and without insecticides or pesticides.

“I thought his presentation was awesome. It offered very practical tips,” Moholt said.

Dickson wants to grow more food. He plans to start a 350-acre farm in Emmitsburg later this year to grow produce for the Maryland Food Bank and Maryland schools. The land was bought by a group of local businessmen, he said. The project will create 30 new jobs and, when fully operational, add 80 new positions to the local workforce.

“We’re planning to grow the food, then freeze, package and deliver it to different locations,” Dickson said.

UNH master gardener to share tips in Londonderry

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LONDONDERRY — AS A YOUNG BOY, Henry Homeyer would count down the days to those precious four weeks each summer when he would visit his grandfather’s organic farm in Massachusetts.

“My grandpa was a pretty serious gardener,” the Cornish Flats resident recalled. “I think it was fun because he understood that kids don’t really like to pull weeds all day. I got to get my hands dirty and learned a lot while I was there.”

Decades later, those early lessons left permanent impressions on Homeyer, a UNH master gardener whose weekly gardening column now appears in a dozen New England newspapers.

Homeyer will share his knowledge at Londonderry Leach Library later this month as part of the free program, “Growing Great Flowers in New Hampshire: Old Favorites and Lesser Known Beauties.”

A regular contributor to Vermont Public Radio, Homeyer has taught sustainable gardening at Granite State College and also posts regular blogs on his website, www.gardening-guy.com.

During the March 21 program, Homeyer will discuss which varieties of flowers grow best in New Hampshire and what each needs to succeed.

He will share tips and tricks and explain how one can grow such exotic species as showy lady slipper orchids and Himalayan blue poppies – or just have better luck with the standard roses, peonies and bee balms.

“Many times people get discouraged when they buy a nice plant and in a few years it’s gone,” Homeyer said.

And while many New Hampshire residents are tempted to try to grow the endangered pink lady slipper orchids in their home gardens, Homeyer recommends they instead try their luck with some of the orchid’s colorful cousins.

“Many other lady slipper varieties can be purchased, and they’re wonderful additions to a home garden,” he said.

Homeyer’s presentation will emphasize the importance of gardening without chemicals, and the audience will have the opportunity to ask him questions. Growing vegetables and edible flowers is something that can be done year-round, he said.

“Organic gardening is really about stepping back and letting Mother Nature take control,” Homeyer said. “I don’t spray my garden for insects because in doing so, you’re killing some of the beneficial bugs too. Remember, you’re born with the best insecticide of all – your two fingers to pick the Japanese beetles off your flower bed.”

Homeyer’s presentation, which will begin at 7 p.m. on March 21, is free and open to the public. The program will take place in the library’s lower-level meeting room and light refreshments will be served.

aguilmet@newstote.com

Advice and tips bloom at Garden and Patio Show

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We aren’t feeling the warmth of Spring just yet, but inside the Coast Coliseum you couldn’t tell. As we prepare for the upcoming season, gardeners were making sure they’re prepared the days ahead. 

“We have such a good time at the Garden Shows. We love seeing people that we’ve seen before, but we always get to meet so many new people. Particularly here on the Gulf Coast. Frankly there are always a lot more gardeners here every year,” Author and Garden Expert, Nellie Neal said.

Luckily for them, everything a garden fanatic could need was all under one roof. From potting soil, to seeds, and even top of the line advice. The idea for the show, that continues through Sunday, is to make even novice gardeners comfortable. 

“It’s just a passion. Everybody coming is looking for something special, or to see bright things. It’s that first sign of Spring. Here it is, a cold gloomy day. Look around, this is Spring time,” vendor, Michele Varner said.

While outdoor living is seen as a pastime for many, there are others who see it as much more than a hobby. But whether or not you’ve utilized your green thumb, these experts say its never too late to start. 

“Gardening really touches your soul. It’s one of the things in this world that, the more you put into it, the more you get out. It’s actually a great form of backyard therapy. We enjoy it because it makes us feel good. The better we feel, the better we do at everything else,” Neal said.

The Garden and Patio Show at the Coliseum wraps up Sunday at 4 p.m.

Copyright 2013 WLOX. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floyd County bridge expected to be completed in August

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NEW ALBANY —
After two years of waiting and frustration from residents and county officials, Bridge 23 is expected to be completed in August.

The old iron bridge, at John Pectol and Hamby roads, has been removed and a bid will be accepted by the state Wednesday, March 6. The construction of the new bridge is a federal aid project which means the county will be responsible for 20 percent of the total cost which is expected to be around $1 million.

Don Lopp, director of operations and Floyd County planner, said there have been several issues to solve to get to this point.

“The main thing is there are so many historical requirements to go through,” Lopp said. “There were a lot of regulations and procedures to follow.”

The county has already paved the way for the new bridge to be built by clearing trees. The bridge is 92 feet long.

Floyd County bridges are inspected every two years, and in 2011, a state inspector recommended closing Bridge 23 immediately due to safety reasons Lopp said. He also said about 900 vehicles a day used the bridge before it was closed.

Stormwater manuals approved

The Floyd County Commissioners recently approved two stormwater ordinances which should help spell out maintenance standards and along with the city, put together a new design manual which includes criteria for builders to follow.

“We were able to set our own guidelines and ordinances. The rules and regulations are now in one place,” said Chris Moore, GSI technician for Floyd County. “The design manual also provides specs and design ideas on catch basins.”

Moore said the guidelines were copied from Louisville’s Metropolitan Sewer District manual, but includes Indiana regulations.

“New Albany and Floyd County worked together on this. We have the same design standards,” Moore said. “This should help us out and give us more oversight. We can show this to people and say this is what is on the books.”

“It will allow folks to have a set of guidelines that everyone is supposed to follow,” Lopp said.

Council must redistrict

The Floyd County Council will soon begin the task of redistricting its four districts prior to the next election. A committee was formed following the February council meeting.

There is a large variation of the number of residents between the four districts represented on the council that needs to be more equal.

Cleanup day planned

Floyd County has planned a cleanup day April 27 near the Edwardsville-Georgetown exit off Interstate 64, which is known as the Edwardsville Gateway area.

Besides picking up trash, some landscaping will be completed that day.

Reshaping Ettrick: Revitalization ideas focus on turning this historic village …

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ETTRICK – Virginia State University and Chesterfield County are considering opportunities for evolving Ettrick into a pededestrian friendly college town complete with retail, housing and other services. A panel of experts shared ideas for revitalization generated from a two-day study of the area.

The plans presented by the Urban Land Institute panel on Tuesday focus on evolving Ettrick into a microcosm of retail, pedestrian friendly areas and housing, with VSU at its core. Central to these plans is the opening of an 8,000-seat convocation center on VSU’s campus by August of next year. Plans were also discussed to increase usage and access to the Petersburg Amtrak station, and to possibly relocate Ettrick Elementary School and Fire Station 12.

The experts in housing, development, traffic and retail, see a convocation center, increased student enrollment; and Chesterfield’s plans to revitalize Ettrick as “central drivers” for revitalizing the area. The 6,000 student university is projected to grow to 10,000 in 2020.

“We have a village and we have a town, but we have don’t have a college town,” panelist Randy Holmes said about Ettrick and VSU’s existing relationship. He stressed fixing Ettrick’s lack of retail and other services for the community and students alike as a key part the vision.  

The panel discussion is not the first mention of these college town visions. A master plan for Chesterfield Avenue written in 2010 mentioned modeling the area after other college towns in Virginia.

“Charlottesville and Blacksburg, Virginia, and Davidson, North Carolina are college towns that have evolved around a distinct university presence. All have become desirable enclaves for a variety of economic and social classes,” planners wrote.

The plan cites VSU’s expansion along Chesterfield Avenue as a main driver, and proposed improvements such as street scaping, more parking areas and signage to help visitors navigate the area.

The businesses in the section of Chesterfield Avenue that spans from Lee Street to the roads’ eastern bend were emphasized as an essential link between the village and VSU.

“This is a logical place for businesses in that Lee Street is a main artery into the village and should serve as a principle link … Development on the northern side of the street should focus on this critical node and the existing presence of commercial use,” planners wrote.

They also envisioned, “mixed use buildings” with retail on the lower floors and residences and offices on the top.

A central driver of these visions – and the only item discussed on the panel’s agenda that is sure to see ground breaking – is a new convocation center.

The center is set to be completed in August and will provide a forum for campus and communitywide events. The 8,000-seat facility – which is much larger than the existing Daniel Gym – will take up 155,000 square feet and will require 1,500 additional parking spaces. Large local events, such as graduations for Chesterfield County Public Schools, could be held at VSU instead of at the Siegal Center in Richmond.

Planners envision the convocation center not only as a large and convenient gathering place, but as a defining north western edge of the campus.

“Every university needs a strong sense of edge, a strong center and consistent texture,” panelist Randy Holmes said about the need to link the convocation center with the rest of campus and Ettrick.

The center, as the “strong edge”, would be linked to the middle of campus, which would be more greatly defined by landscaping details such as a plaza. Planners discussed adding residences and 15,000 to 20,000 square feet of retail area on the campus’ northeastern edge near Chesterfield Avenue, which would also be linked to VSU via walkways. Much of this retail area would minimize the visual impact on the surrounding community of the proposed 1,500 car parking lot. Planners also hope that the pedestrian friendly retail boulevard would entice students to live closer to campus.

John Keegan, the chair of the panel stated that this area would, “give residents and students the opportunity to walk a short distance to get a sandwich … to shop… and to make this (Ettrick and VSU) a destination.”

Panelists also discussed improving the Petersburg Amtrak station – located in Ettrick off River Road – to make it more accessible and visually appealing. Panelist Craig Amos described the train station, built in 1955 by the Atlantic Coast Railroad, as “pretty uninviting.” He also said that access could be improved to increase usage.

Both Chesterfield and Petersburg officials are vying for a stake in the station’s future. Chesterfield hopes to persuade the state to allow the Amtrak station to remain in Ettrick, while Petersburg wants to build a new station near Interstate 85.

It was also suggested that the spot between the Amtrak station and the Triple Nickel Bridge would be ideal for a hotel.

Plans were discussed to relocate Fire Station 12 on the southern end of Chesterfield Avenue to a more modern building, and to revitalize the current building.

“You could end up with a neat restaurant or retail space,” panelist Chris Corrada said about the building.

Also mentioned was a proposal to relocate Ettrick Elementary, which occupies a 15.8 acre plot. The panel estimates that the area could yield up to 500 housing units. Panelists felt that the areas’ location near the northeastern end of campus, close to the envisioned retail area on the northeastern side of campus, would create more foot traffic.

“All of a sudden, you’ve got a bunch of students walking through this retail sector,” Corrada said.

One potential project VSU has access to now due to its ownership of the building is renovating Simms Hall. Panelists envisioned the space being used as student or alumni housing, a hotel or other facility.

A prime concern of Ettrick residents is the fear that the village is losing its historic character due to VSU’s expansion.

“Soon, it won’t be Ettrick anymore,” Jeff Anderson of the Ettrick Historical Society told The Progress Index last year. “We will just be part of Virginia State University, but the place that we know will be gone.”

In order to construct the convocation center, and structures mentioned in VSU’s 2020 master plan, VSU demolished many of Ettrick’s existing structures. As of Feb. 2012, VSU planned to demolish 171 buildings.

Ettrick sits on the site of an Appomattox Indian village burned to the ground in 1676 during Bacon’s Rebellion. It is also the location of a former plantation that was the boyhood home of John Randolph, a Virginia congressman who was in office in the early 1800s. In the early 19th century it served as a mill town.

The university plans to create an exhibit showing what Ettrick was like before it began its expansion to the surrounding area. VSU engaged The College of William and Mary Center for Archaeological Research to document the history of Ettrick. The center also identified historically significant structures that could be relocated.

The Urban Land Institute will publish a written report of its observations in about 45 days that can be found at www.ulirichmond.com.

Greenery inspiration takes root at Biloxi Garden & Patio Show

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BILOXI — Regina Pavlov wants to transform her yard’s landscape from drab to fab and hoped she’d find inspiration at the 12th annual Gulf Coast Garden Patio Show.

When she and her daughter Rachal Pavlov walked into the Coast Convention Center, they were met with the smell of the outdoors, bursts of spectacular color from flowering blooms and plenty of trees and shrubs in various hues of green.

“I wish it was all in my yard,” she said.

The three-day event ends today. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6, and free for children 12 and younger.

Rudolph Hall with the Mississippi Nursery Landscape Association said the garden show has seen good crowds despite the cold weather.

Ted Battley, owner of Gulf Breeze Landscaping of Gautier, is a first-time vendor.

“We’ve heard good things about it,” he said.

Battley, who started his company 32 years ago, saw a good response during the show’s first two days.

Battley said he and his two sons can turn customers’ landscaping ideas into real yards for homeowners and businesses.

Most who stopped by his booth inquired about low-maintenance options.

“A lot of people are talking to us, seeing what we have,” he said.

Many customers at the show took advantage of the free convenient holding area, which was staffed by students from the landscaping department at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkingston campus. Customers can send their purchases there to wait for pickup at the rear of the convention center, Hall said.

More than 60 vendors are set up at the show with a variety of merchandise including flowers, plants, trees, equipment, accessories, pools, pottery and even food and jewelry.

Seminars today are “Preparing Your Home for a Wildfire” by the state Forestry Commission at 11:30 a.m., “Powerful Garden Color” by radio personality and author Nellie “Garden Mama” Neal at 12:30 p.m. and “Fearless Entertaining Favorites” by co-author Catherine Strange at 2 p.m.

These buds for you

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March 3

These buds for you

This week, the Portland Flower Show will put a spring in your step with loads of fresh blooms, ideas and inspiration.

By Meredith Goad mgoad@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

You might expect a bidding war over luxury box seats at Fenway Park or a February trip to the Caribbean, but a tree?

Visitors to last year’s Portland Flower Show study a winning display from Jaiden Landscaping.

Gabe Souza/2012 Press Herald File

Environments shows Jackson Fischer of Lisbon Falls how to operate the model train on Paquette’s display at the opening of the show in 2012.

Chris Paquette of Robin’s Nest Swimming

Additional Photos Below

PORTLAND FLOWER SHOW

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday (gala opening); 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 10

WHERE: Portland Co. Complex, 58 Fore St. A free shuttle runs along Commercial Street with stops at Angelo’s Acre, the Fish Pier parking lot, Dimillo’s Restaurant and the Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal. For parking information, go to portlandcompany.com/flower/directions.

HOW MUCH: $13 ($12 for ages 65 and older) in advance; $15 at door. Opening gala costs $30 in advance; $45 at door.

INFO: 775-4403; portlandcompany.com/flower

HERE’S AN OVERVIEW of the lectures that will be given during the Portland Flower Show. For more description and detail, go to: portlandcompany.com/flower/lecture- series

• THURSDAY

10:30 a.m. — Special children’s program, “Encountering Wildlife: The Do’s and Don’ts of Approaching Maine’s Wildlife,” with David Sparks of Sparks Ark and some live animals

Noon — “Feasting from the Garden Year Round,” with Barbara Damrosch of Four Season Farm. Book signing will follow.

1:30 p.m. — “Garden Photography: Tips for Using Your Digital Camera” with Gail Anderson, whose photographs have appeared in Horticulture and other national magazines

3 p.m. — “The Cary Award,” a program to promote outstanding plants for New England gardens, with Jeff O’Donal of O’Donal’s Nursery

4:30 p.m. — “Creating Edible Perennial Gardens the Permaculture Way” with Lisa M. Fernandes of the Portland Permaculture group

• FRIDAY

10:30 a.m. — Special children’s program, “Encountering Wildlife: The Do’s and Don’ts of Approaching Maine’s Wildlife,” with David Sparks of Sparks Ark and some live animals

Noon — “McLaughlin Garden: Timeless Plants, Timeless History” with Kristin Perry, director of horticulture at McLaughlin Garden and Homestead

1:30 p.m. — “Back to Eden: The Timeline of Plants and Flowers Highlighted in the Bible” with Rev. Dr. Frank M. “Sonny” Gada, regional director of the Biblical Botanical Gardens Society of the USA

3 p.m. — “Long Blooming Perennials” with Cheryl Rich, professor and department chair of the horticulture department at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland

4:30 p.m. — “What Was Learned in the Construction of Phase One of the Arboretum at Fort Williams Park” with Rick Churchill, founder of the horticultural program at SMCC and one of the founders of the Arboretum

• SATURDAY

10:30 a.m. — “Iron Will: 6 Years Into the Development of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens” with Rodney Eason, director of horticulture and plant curator at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay

Noon — “The Ever Unfolding Journey into the Unique Creative World That Inspires Ted Carter” with Ted Carter, landscape designer, contractor and author

1:30 p.m. — “The Rise of the American Garden” with Terry Hire, fine art photographer, interior designer and member of Maine Photo Alliance

3 p.m. — “The McLaughlin Garden: The Evolution of a Timeless Landscape, 1840-2013” with Lee Dassler, one of the founders of the McLaughlin Foundation and executive director of the Western Foothills Land Trust

4:30 p.m. — “Beware of the Invading Pests” with Tim Lindsay, manager/arborist representative of Bartlett Tree Experts

• MARCH 10

10:30 a.m. — “Pruning as a Plant Wishes We Would” with Mike Hughes, owner of Hughes Inc. Arbor Land Management in Yarmouth

Noon — “Mrs. Thrift and the Portable Cook’s Herb Garden” with Betsy Williams, teacher, writer and lecturer. A book signing will follow.

1:30 p.m. — “The Eastern Promenade — History With a View!” with Diane Davison, founding member and president of Friends of the Eastern Promenade, and chairperson of the city’s Parks Commission

3 p.m. — “Actively Tending Your Woods” with Kevin Doran, natural science educator with the Maine Forest Service

DO YOUR BIDDING

11TH ANNUAL CUMBERLAND COUNTY MASTER GARDENER PLANT AUCTION

WHEN: Silent auction 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. March 10; live auction at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Portland Co. Complex, 58 Fore St., Portland. The silent auction will be held in Building No. 11; the live auction will be held in Building No. 3.

HOW MUCH: Free admission. Benefits the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Demonstration Garden at Tidewater Farm and the Maine Harvest for Hunger Gardens in Cumberland County.

INFO: (800) 287-1471 (in Maine); 781-6099. Visit bit.ly/XaYxFf to view the list of donations.

That’s actually happened at the plant auction that comes at the end of the Portland Flower Show. Last year, the crowd went all “Market Warriors” on a $225 Japanese maple, and a lucky bidder snatched it up for a C-note.

It’s that kind of bargain on everything from lilacs and pansies to lawn mowers and fences that attracts gardeners to the afternoon auction like, well, aphids to a bed of roses.

The Portland Flower Show gets under way Wednesday with its annual opening gala and awards show, followed by fours days of winter-weary Mainers drooling over exhibitors’ lush garden landscapes covered in the cloak of spring.

Little waterfalls cascade down through a wildly colorful display of tulips. Greenery brightens spirits and gets gardeners thinking about what their plantings will look like this year — and how they can they set off their creations with beautiful stonework.

Visitors prowl rows of vendors like Carrie Bradshaw looking for her next pair of Manolos.

There will be 16 gardens at the flower show this year, including three new ones, and close to 90 vendors, said Joanna Sprague, the show’s producer.

The theme this year is “Timeless Gardens,” a concept that exhibitors can take to mean whatever they want it to mean, Sprague said.

“Some of them are doing some garden designing that is a little more traditional and (with) older plants,” she said, “but some are taking it to where it would be a simple garden requiring less time.”

Aronson Stonework in Litchfield is creating a garden called “Old Cellar Hole,” which is the designer’s vision of what a garden would look like in an old cellar hole someone stumbled across in the woods.

Tightlines Landscaping in Brunswick, Sprague said, will be creating a “Garden of the Phoenix” with plants, and will reflect ancient Rome and Victorian England.

Mike Silvia, a landscape designer at Tightlines, has been attending the flower show ever since he moved to Maine 15 years ago, and has participated in it as a designer as well.

“For me personally, I like that we have the opportunity to sort of push the design envelope and give people ideas that, maybe they may not use the whole thing, but they can take a little bit away from it and possibly use it in their yard,” Silvia said. “And for me, it’s the interaction with the public and talking about gardening.”

Silvia thinks one thing that makes gardens timeless is that there are certain elements you can see throughout history. In ancient Rome, gardens had fountains and birds. The gardens at Versaille were designed with aviaries and resting areas.

Modern gardeners can use plants that are popular today, but by incorporating these other features, they can “still keep that feeling of antiquity.”

Silvia’s “Garden of the Phoenix” — which has a double meaning, because Portland’s city seal features a phoenix rising from the ashes — will have an aviary with red golden pheasants. The strong red, gold and auburn colors found on the birds will be reflected in other elements of the design — the flowers, for example, and a piece of garden furniture — tying it all together.

“People are paying good money to come to a show,” Silvia said, “and they should see something that they’re not going to see at the Home Depot display.”

Even if local gardeners probably won’t be running out to buy pheasants for their little plot of land, they can still take something away from the design, Silvia said.

“I think as a culture, we really are losing our connection with natural worlds,” he said. “Even the aviary — you don’t need to have an ornamental pheasant, you could have a few garden chickens and collect some eggs from them. But there’s some living things in your garden. There’s something moving and interacting.”

‘HORT COUTURE’ AND MORE

Other highlights will include a model train exhibit, which will make its second appearance at the show. “Kids love it,” Sprague said. And the book store outside the lecture hall will be back, because Books a Million agreed to sponsor it.

Estabrook’s garden center, a longtime flower show participant, will not be designing a garden this year, Sprague said, but will be decorating the entrance to the flower show and showing off its new line of “Hort Couture” plants.

When it’s all over on March 10, exhibitors will be donating many of the flowers, flowering shrubs and small trees from their gardens to be auctioned live at the Cumberland County Master Gardener Plant Auction that afternoon.

Vendors and businesses from the greater Portland area have also donated a lot of non-gardening-related items for a silent auction, ranging from culinary gift sets to yoga classes.

The auction typically raises $6,000 to $11,000 for a good cause. This year, the proceeds will go to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Demonstration Garden and the Maine Harvest for Hunger Gardens in Cumberland County.

In the market for 500 square feet of sod or a funky-looking garden fence? The plant auction’s got you covered.

The auction list also includes a field-dug Currier McEwen iris (a pop star of the iris world), 7 cubic yards of gravel or soil, a 2-ton boulder and two pick-up truckloads of sheep manure.

“To people that are die-hard gardeners, that’s really primo stuff,” said Amy Witt, a horticulturist at the Cooperative Extension. 

Staff Writer Meredith Goad can be contacted at 791-6332 or at:

mgoad@pressherald.com

 

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Home and Garden Show runs through weekend

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The 40th annual Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show runs Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum.

In honor of the show’s 40th anniversary, Home and Garden Show workers will be giving away $100 to random people in attendance throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

The event features more than 650 home and garden exhibitors. Experts will also be on hand, including celebrity Jeff Holper, known as “The Mole Hunter.” Jyll Everman, a 2011 Food Network Star finalist, and Erica Glasener, host of HGTV’s “A Gardener’s Diary” will have sessions throughout the weekend. Alex Babich, popular morel mushroom hunter, is also slated for a 2013 appearance.

Guests can tour various gardens and landscaping areas at the show.

Children are also welcome at the event. The kids’ area features an interactive themed “Old McDonald’s Farm” with hands-on exhibits, a petting zoo, adoptable pets, and ballet and martial arts demonstrations.

Becky Williamson, the show’s producer, said Saturday and Sunday are the busiest days for the show.

“We’re getting a lot of compliments this year. Our exhibitors have been stepping up their displays and making things bigger and more beautiful,” Williamson said.

Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for seniors (65 years and older), and children under 15 are free. Parking at the Coliseum is $4.

A $2 coupon off admission is available by clicking here .

NewsChannel 15 is a proud sponsor of the event and will broadcast LIVE from the event Thursday and Friday on First News, Noon, First at 5, and at 6. WANE-TV will also have a booth at the event with free giveaways. Make sure and stop by to meet your favorite members of the NewsChannel 15 team on Saturday and Sunday.

Landscape Now: Organic Landscaping + Taking Care of Soil

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Saturday, March 02, 2013

Frank Crandall, GoLocalProv Landscaping Expert

Can the principles of organic land care be used in your own backyard? From soil care to lawn care and landscaping, Frank Crandall will show you how.

The Green Movement has found new momentum the past few years, especially with the escalation of energy prices, local regulations prohibiting pesticides and chemicals on public athletic fields and school grounds and the increased awareness of the effect that excess nitrogen and phosphorus can have by polluting our fresh and salt water ponds, streams and oceans.

The resulting “Going Green” initiatives include reducing the use of pesticides, using least toxic and non toxic alternatives for insect and pest control, adopting organic lawn care, composting, recycling plastics, bottles and paper, using rain barrels and in-ground cisterns for reusing water runoff, installing landscapes with sustainable plants, brewing and applying compost tea, exploring wind, solar and alternative power sources, expanding use of bio-diesel fuels and building with nontoxic materials.

In a three part Organic Landscape Series, I will examine the basic principles of organic land care, components of an organic lawn care program and steps you can take to become more eco-friendly in your landscape, at home and in your office, and ways you can obtain an organic education through workshops, conferences and land care programs.

Introduction to Organic Land Care

My introduction to organic land care principles began in January, 2005 by attending the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) 5 Day Land Care Training Course in Wellesley, MA. The comprehensive course; taught by experts in the fields of soil health, organic pest and disease control, composting, organic lawn care, native plants, invasive plants and numerous other topics, changed my life. I have adopted many of the Organic Principles into my business and personal life. I teach at the Land Care Courses and serve as Educational Chair of NOFA’s Education Committee. For more information about NOFA’s Educational workshops and courses go to www.organiclandcare.net or www.ctnofa.org.

Basic Organic Land Care Principles

The four basic principles are:

1. Work to improve the health of water, soil, air, plants, animals, humans and the planet.

2. Ensure that ecology, the relationship between living things; plants, animals and the environment, are in balance and working sustainably.

3. Care for social, ecological affects in our environment by doing no harm and restore and remediate disturbances.

4. Exhibit fairness in our Stewardship of the Planet Earth including our creatures, plants, environment and extending this philosophy to our employees and business philosophy.

Organic landscaping means not using any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or soil amendments and following standards set forth by NOFA (or other organic organizations) including using only organically approved pesticides, appropriate cultural practices and landscaping for water conservation.

The Basics of Soil Health

Healthy landscapes, gardens and crops begin with fertile soil. Healthy soil is free of compaction, pesticides, toxins or excess salts and possessing a degree of organic matter, humus and balanced, available nutrients. Soil can be nourished with compost, manures, organic fertilizers and cover crops. The first step in the soil improvement process is to conduct a soil test! A basic chemical test will reveal the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the soil, nutrient levels (phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium), the amount of organic matter and recommendations to improve your soil. For soil testing contact www.umass.edu/soiltest for specific information on how to take a soil test and mail it to UMass for results and recommendations.

Along with the soil chemistry, knowing the level of biological activity in the soil (fungi, bacteria, nematodes and protozoans) is important to understanding the soil food web. The soil food web is the community of organisms that inhabits soil including worms, insects and countless microscopic creatures like bacteria, fungi, flagellates, amoeba and other protozoans that indicate a healthy soil. Bioassay testing for living organisms in the soil is expensive but if the yard is large or the project is a commercial or public property then more detailed biological soil testing may be in order. Contact www.soilfoodwebnewyork.com for detailed information and costs for bioassay testing.

Enhancing Soil Fertility

How do you improve soil health organically? Soil fertility is managed by feeding the soil, not the plant. Carbon, nitrogen and organic matter are added to the soil as rotted manure, finished compost, organic fertilizers and compost teas. The soil food web then breaks down the organic materials into nutrients that plants can use to grow, flower and remain healthy. Horticultural methods that short-cut this natural process by supplying synthetic nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium directly to plants can lead to damaged soils and weak root systems…leading to a greater susceptibility to insects, disease and drought. Repeated application of excessive amounts of synthetic fertilizers may inhibit the development of mycorrhizae…symbiotic fungi that help plant roots gather nutrients in the surrounding soil. (NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care, 5th edition, January 2011.)

Soil Building Program Benefits

A carefully managed soil fertility program that increases soil organic matter and humus can provide numerous benefits: It recycles nutrients, improves water retention, balances minerals, and buffers pH. Your soil is the key to successful gardens, landscapes and lawns! The first step to improving your soil is by taking a soil test and following the recommendations on the test results to enhance your soil fertility and increase your soil food web.

In the second part of the Organic Landscape Series I will detail the steps you can take to transition from a traditional lawn care program into an organic program!

“The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible.” Lady Eve Balfour

Frank Crandall is an RI resident specializing in coastal landscaping, organic land care, small business consulting, writing, speaking and photography will be submitting articles about Landscape Solutions. With over 40 years in the horticultural field Frank will write about pertinent, seasonal landscape topics including effective solutions. Comments about Frank’s articles are welcome by contacting him at FrankCrandall3@gmail.com.Frank Crandall, Horticultural Solutions. 

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