garden tips | Gardening

Tios for creating your own butterfly , hummingbird garden

A garden enhanced by butterflies and hummingbirds is one of nature’s great treats.

Kathy Varn, manager and horticulturist at Taylor’s Landscape Supply in greater Bluffton, said anyone can create their own butterfly or hummingbird garden with a little planning.

“Ideally, butterflies like morning to mid-afternoon sun, not the hot afternoon sun,” Varn said. “The soil needs to consist of some sand as they like to puddle and get the nutrients from the sand.”

Varn said plants with vibrant colors such as reds, oranges, pinks and yellows are desirable. Popular plants include phlox, lantana, verbena, milkweed, black eyed-Susan, daylilies, yarrow, marigolds, impatiens, zinnias and hibiscus, Varn said.

Another plant that is butterfly and hummingbird friendly is the purple-blue plumbago. Even though the milkweed plant is not as showy as other plants, it has it’s appeal.

“More than anything, the nectar in the milkweed that it puts out is what the butterflies love,” Varn said.

Master gardener Sue Roderus, past president of the Sun City Avant-Gardener’s club, was active in planning the Community Hummingbird Butterfly Garden. She said certain host plants attract certain butterflies, so choose accordingly.

“The host plants are those that the female butterfly lays eggs on and the caterpillar eats. They are specific to every butterfly, so learn which plant is the host plant of the butterfly you are trying to attract,” she said. Some of her favorites include milkweed for attracting monarch and queen butterflies; passion vine for attracting gulf fritillary and zebra longwing; and cloudless sulfur, toothache tree and citrus for attracting giant swallowtails.

Herbs also can attract butterflies. Roderus prefers parsley, dill and fennel to attract black swallowtails.

Adult butterflies require food, or nectar, and the best environment for nectar plants is in full sun, as butterflies feed mostly in the middle of the day.

Butterflies and hummingbirds can cross over and enjoy each other’s plants, but in general, hummingbird gardens have their own requirements, Roderus said.

“Mostly, (hummingbird plants) should be tubular or trumpet flowers. Some of my favorites are salvias, bee balm, honeysuckle, butterfly bush, trumpet vine and fuchsia,” Roderus said.

Here are a few other tips for attracting butterflies and humminbirds.

Provide a source of water and a mix of sun and shade.

Select plants with small, tubular flowers with flat rims that are fragrant. Plants with long periods of available bloom are best. Groupings of the same plant are preferable as butterflies find plants by sight and smell.

Indigenous plants are best, and hybrid doesn’t always mean ideal. Roderus said hybrids sometimes produce less nectar than the native varieties.

Avoid using insecticides on butterfly or hummingbird plants.

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Half an hour to prepare for guests? Some tips

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Summer is the season of inviting friends over for impromptu, casual get-togethers. That means it’s also the season of cringing when you realize your house is in no condition to be seen by the guests who will be arriving any minute now.

On summer evenings, “my husband will invite people over after golf,” says interior designer Mallory Mathison. “He’ll call and say, ‘We’ll all be there in 30 minutes.’ ”

That’s when she begins rushing around, quickly prepping their home for the soon-to-arrive guests.

What’s the best way to use that half hour or so before the doorbell rings to get even the messiest home party-ready? Try breaking it down like this:

• Ten minutes of cleaning: “Most people don’t mind clutter,” says Evette Rios, a lifestyles blogger and a correspondent on ABC’s The Chew. “But they mind grime.”

Focus on wiping surfaces in your kitchen and bathrooms. Then grab an old sock or pair of pantyhose and use that to quickly dust surfaces in your living room and dining room.

Save time by only cleaning the rooms guests will enter, suggests Donna Smallin, founder of unclutter.com. And don’t feel obligated to give anyone a full-scale tour of your home.

Got dishes in the sink? There’s no time to wash them, so Smallin suggests keeping an empty bin available for stashing dirty dishes under your sink. Or stash them in the oven, assuming you won’t use it during the party. (Just be sure to pull them out and wash them the following morning.)

Rios points out that having your dishwasher empty when the party is over will be helpful. But don’t hesitate to fill it with dirty dishes if necessary.

If you have carpets, a minute of quick vacuuming in major traffic areas can make a difference, Rios says, especially if you sprinkle on a bit of carpet deodorizer.

• Ten minutes of hiding clutter: Walk through all the rooms where guests will be and collect any clutter in an empty laundry basket, Smallin says. Stash the basket in a bedroom and close the door. If all that household clutter is collected in one place, it will be easier the next day to deal with it all and not lose track of anything.

Once major clutter has been removed, Smallin says, go through the rooms and stack remaining items neatly. Magazines look much better in a neat stack, for example, than in a messy pile.

Pay attention to your home’s entryway, which makes a first impression, and to areas where guests will spend the most time.

If you work on your home’s “clutter hot-spots” in advance, improving the way you handle things like junk mail and other items that pile up, you’ll have less to deal with before a last-minute party, Smallin says.

• Ten minutes of finishing touches: Scenting your space is fast, easy and has a huge impact, says Rios. She suggests placing a drop of lemon-scented oil or vanilla extract on light bulbs, then turning them on. The warmth will spread the scent throughout your home.

Mathison suggests lighting a few candles for their scent and flickering party atmosphere.

Other ways to add a fresh scent: Rios likes to tuck scented fabric softener sheets (the kind made for use in a clothes dryer) underneath couch cushions or inside throw pillows. If you have a kitchen garbage disposal, she suggests dropping slices of lemon or lime into it and running it for just a moment.

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The Root of It All: Straw bale gardening and July tips

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I am trying to grow tomatoes using the straw bale method this year. So far, so good, but can you give me any advice for the remainder of the summer to get the best production? — Thanks. Frank, Caledonia.

Straw bale gardening is a technique gaining popularity in Wisconsin, and across the country. It is reported as an easier way to grow vegetables in small spaces. Joel Karsten’s book “Straw Bale Gardens” can be found at local bookstores for all the details, or visit his website at http://strawbalegardens.com. He also appeared on Larry Meiller’s “Garden Talk” radio show earlier this year; listen to that broadcast at http://wpr.org by searching for “Karsten” or “straw bale garden.”

Straw bales are placed upright and primed by watering daily for a couple of weeks. A nitrogen fertilizer (synthetic, like lawn fertilizer, or organic, like fish emulsion) is watered in. Compost or a soil + compost mix is added to the top and pushed into the soft center of the bale before planting with your favorite vegetable.

I was intrigued by this concept and am growing summer squash in a bale discarded by my neighbors after Halloween. So far the squash is growing well and I have not yet had to add any additional fertilizer. Watch for yellowing in lower leaves, as that could be an indication of nitrogen deficiency. Any tomato fertilizer can be used; follow label directions and be sure to water it in thoroughly. Keep moist, a soaker hose or a slow drip on the bale is better than overhead watering via a sprinkler. Splashing water on the leaves can result in the spread of fungal diseases.

Another factor to consider is vine support; some container type tomatoes, like “Tumbling Tom” or “Lizzano” do not need support. But if you have an indeterminate tomato like “Brandywine” or even a more traditional determinate cultivar like “Early Girl,” you will need a post or cage to hold the vine up.

Keep me posted on how your tomatoes produce this summer and send a picture.

Summer garden tips

Once again it seems like our spring and summer are abnormal. Are there any special tips for helping maintain our gardens and keep them growing through the summer? — Joyce, Racine.

Last year our spring was three weeks ahead of “normal”; this year our spring was three weeks behind. Fortunately, with rain and warmth, plants catch up quickly, so now they are growing very fast.

If your beans are up, watch for bean beetles feeding on the leaves. There are many organic and synthetic control products available; if you choose the chemical route make sure “beans” and “beetles” are both listed on the label. Follow label directions to the letter. Not only is that the safest way to use pesticides (organic or synthetic), it is the law. And products work better when you follow the directions.

My favorite control for bean beetles on bush beans is to cover the entire row or area with floating row cover at planting; leave enough room for the beans to grow up under the row cover. You can leave it on until harvest because beans do not need bees for pollination. Keeps them clean, bug free and as a bonus, rabbits can’t eat them.

In your flower garden, take a look at late-blooming perennials that always get tall and floppy. Now is the time to cut them back to encourage more branching and a shorter, tidier appearance. Examples are the yellow coneflowers (Ratibida), asters, Russian sage and chrysanthemums. They can be pinched, or cut back to ⅓ of their height. Don’t cut any more after mid-July or flowering will be affected.

And, no, it is not too late to plant. Visit your local garden center and nursery to check out the great deals on annuals, vegetables, seeds and shrubs.

1. Bugs be gone

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7. Bye-bye weeds (Part 3)

Most weeds can also be killed with an inexpensive and eco-friendly spray made from 1 gallon of white distilled vinegar mixed with 1 ounce of liquid dish soap.

8. Fall planting

Most people get the urge to plant new flowers, trees and shrubs in the spring, but in most climates the best time to plant them is in the late summer or fall, when their chances of survival are better and when they’re often marked down at nurseries.

Contributors to 99 Great Ways to Save 2013: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, Tara Finnegan Coates, Joan Rattner Heilman, Stacy Julien, Megan Lawson, Marlece Lusk, Bob Lyford, Anne Masters, Jeff Yeager and AARP members like you.

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Six tips for a great gardening program

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June 28, 2013

Dave Singleton

“To dream a garden and then to plant it is an act of independence and even defiance to the greater world.” — Author Stanley Crawford

Often, seniors are worried about losing a sense of “beautiful home” when they enter into any kind of assisted living or retirement community. One creative way to address that worry: planting vegetables, herbs, flowers, and more.

A gardening program (or horticulture therapy) gives seniors an opportunity to beautify the environment around them and engage in a beloved hobby — or take up a hobby they’ve always wanted to try. It can be a wonderful addition to the assisted living activities program you offer and a strong selling point for potential residents.

There are other benefits too: Gardening can help your residents improve mood, increase their sense of self-worth, and even enhance communication, says Claudia Collins, a specialist in healthy aging and lifelong learning who helped develop a community garden with Nevada’s Silver Sky Assisted Living. “The staff were amazed by the fairly radical change in participants,” she notes.

Just think what impact growing plants, flowers, and vegetables could have on your facility. Here are six ideas that will help you create gardens — and a gardening program — that your residents will love.

Plant the “seeds” of interest in a fun way. “Spark a passion for gardening by creating a virtual tour and then taking field trips to real gardens to show residents how they work,” says John O’Hara, garden coach at Special Plants Special People in the San Francisco Bay Area. “This will get residents excited as they see the possibilities for themselves. Having photos and video that show the benefits that a beautiful garden will bring to your facility is a great marketing tool, too.”

Encourage participation by focusing on the health aspects. “Gardening helps seniors fight isolation and improves health and attitude,” says Angela M. O’Callaghan, PhD and social horticulture specialist at the University of Nevada. Raise support for your facility’s garden as an investment in the health of your residents.

“There’s more than just the physical exercise and mental engagement. There’s a spiritual aspect as well. The people are giving to the plants by watering and taking care of them,” says O’Hara. “And the plants give back to the people a sense of purpose and connection.”

Help residents see that gardens also restore a sense control over some aspects of life, which is positively correlated with better health.

Get staff involved to build community. “The garden will create community not only among the residents but also among the staff,” says O’Hara. “Facility staff can get burned out. It’s just a fact. I have seen how engaging the entire facility can really bring residents and staff together in a positive way. Stress that it’s not just for community; it’s for food, too. You’re creating something tangible — garden to kitchen to table — that everyone can help produce and share.” It might motivate residents when they see that they can make their own food taste better.

Take advantage of your space and weather. “Consider both indoor and outdoor components for your gardening program,” says O’Callaghan. “This isn’t an either/or situation. You just need to consider the weather in your location and what suits residents best. Start with an indoor garden, such as windowsill boxes, since they’re simpler. Then move to outdoor options, but factor in capacity — wheelchair and accessibility issues.” Make sure outdoor space is handicap accessible for wheelchairs and walkers, and raise gardening beds so residents don’t have to garden on their hands and knees.

Offer tools and support. To ensure your garden’s success, make sure you provide everything residents need to be successful — training, supplies, lights, pots, and seeds, to name a few needed items. “Make sure you take advantage of the knowledgeable gardeners in the group, too,” says O’Callaghan. “Call out the experienced gardeners in the facility as valued contributors. They can provide their know-how to the group while feeling good about their contributions. It’s nice for them to know that skills from former homes translate to their new ones.”

Keep it simple. You don’t have to grow huge flowering plants or truckloads of tomatoes. Keep your garden successful by keeping it manageable. Of course, your parameters for that will vary depending on your residents’ abilities and interests. “Sometimes I’ll start small and plant a few seeds with a resident, and then show them the progress over a few weeks,” says O’Hara.

“Let them know they have options, too,” says O’Callaghan. “They don’t have to grow flowers. They can keep a small pot or two of relatively simple herbs. It’s also good to have a regular class or check-in system in place to troubleshoot if seniors hit a stumbling block.” You don’t want anyone stuck or disappointed.

Dave Singleton is an award-winning writer and Caring.com author.

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What’s a good warm weather plant? John Humphries on what you should be …

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How often have you been tempted when holidaying in a much warmer climate to nip off a piece of exotic plant material in the hope of propagating a garden ablaze with red bougainvillea on your return home?

I doubt whether you’d get it through customs today let alone a strip search by security!

Gone are the days when you could walk in with a cactus under one arm and the dried skull of a Mexican steer sticking out of a carrier bag as I did once.

The cactus has long since succumbed to our Welsh weather although the skull with two holes drilled in its forehead still adorns the wall of my garden shed.

Despite all this global warming stuff, I suggest it’s best to stick with warm-weather plants with a track record for surviving our variable weather.

Admittedly, we haven’t had it yet but July is usually the month when the weather most suits drought-resistant plants, not necessarily due to a lack of rain but also because it’s the period in summer when garden maintenance is most likely to be replaced by garden appreciation.

Dry weather plants on sunny, well drained sites respond wonderfully to baking sunshine while all around look limp and exhausted without regular watering.

In moderate rainfall areas, gardens most suitable for such plants are well-drained flat or gently sloping screes, or if that’s not possible raised free-draining beds above a layer of drainage material.

Whatever type of dry garden, it should be clear of over-hanging branches, south facing, and the soil neutral or alkaline which is most suited to many dry-weather plants.

If planted in summer, it should be remembered that although they are adapted to dry conditions they need regular watering until established.

Of all the dry, hot climate imports, the Yucca, a native of arid North and South American regions, if given a site with good all year round drainage and sandy or peaty soil, usually succeeds in producing a tall stem covered in creamy-white flowers.

Despite the Yucca’s desert appearance, it is hardy except in severe winters and on cool soils.

A large number of drought-tolerant plants are distinguished by grey foliage, some like lad’s love (Artemisa) with silver filigree leaves, Cotton lavender (Santolina), and Anthemis tinctoria with masses of lemon yellow daisy flowers now so familiar it’s easy to assume they are all natives.

For poor soil in a dry, sunny location, rock or sun roses are ideal.

Mention rock roses and most gardeners think of Cistus but the group also includes Helianthemum which is smaller and spreading with a wide range of colours and suitable for rockeries and border edges.

All rock roses are natives of south-western Europe and North Africa where they are seen growing freely on walls and in rocky outcrops and although some thrive well enough in any garden soil, they prefer it to be sandy and are much more likely to suffer during winter in rich soil.

Fleshy-leaved plants are also drought-resistant because they conserve moisture.

Sedum is probably the best known and while it does not flower until late summer/autumn, the clumps of thick, grey-green leaves are a valuable addition to the border from spring onwards.

WEEKEND GARDENING TIPS

* Trim conifer hedges taking care not to cut back into old wood which will not re-generate

* Plant autumn-flowering bulbs

* After harvesting, prune fruited raspberry canes down to ground level

* Onions, garlic, shallots are ready to harvest when foliage turns yellow

* Pick courgettes and beans regularly to encourage more to form

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Olive Garden , Red Lobster , Ruby Tuesday and more restaurant chains illegally …

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An A-List tennis pro is suing a half dozen restaurant chains on behalf of consumers in the five boroughs for illegally adding automatic tips to smaller groups of diners.

Ted Dimond claims that Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday, Marriott Marquis Hotel and Applebee’s in midtown have all added 15 percent or more gratuities to his bills at least once.

A native New Yorker, Dimond, 47, runs the courts at Randall’s Island in the winter and teaches in the Hamptons during the summer. He helps actresses like Naomi Watts and fashion bigs like Vogue entertainment editor Jillian Demling brush up on their backhands at Sportime in Amagansett.

New York City law says that restaurants “may not add surcharges to listed prices,” except for groups of eight or more.

But Dimond claims the eateries regularly flout the rule by “price fixing” that “has jointly raised the prices of dining in restaurants while simultaneously lowering the quality of products and services.”

The result is millions in improper profits, the Manhattan Supreme suit says.

Dimond’s attorney, Evan Spencer, said his client also dines at more upscale restaurants where illegal tipping happens, but the joints named in the suit were the most egregious violators.

The legal papers note that when a Long Island man was arrested in 2004 for refusing to pay an 18 percent automatic gratuity, the district attorney tossed the charge, saying “a tip or gratuity is discretionary, and that’s what the courts have found.”

Dimond wants wronged customers to be recouped $50 plus $1,000 for “willful violations,” where restaurants trick diners into adding a second tip when one is already included.

The class action suit cites a 2009 Post investigation that found dozens of businesses including trendy La Birreria on Fifth Avenue had engaged in illegal tipping practices and were fined for the violation.

Half of the chains did not immediately return requests for comment.

But Marriott spokeswoman Cathleen Duffy told the Post that the Times Square hotel’s Crossroads American Kitchen and Bar charges 18 percent gratuity on parties of six or more and that the policy is clearly stated on the menu. She said she wasn’t aware that the law only applied to groups of eight or larger.

A rep for Red Lobster and Olive Garden said he’s looking into the allegations.

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Gardeners’ Dirt: Seasonal gardening tips for hot summer months

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By Myra Sue Schulze – Victoria County Master GardenerEdited by Charla Borchers Leon
Originally published June 27, 2013 at midnight, updated June 27, 2013 at 4:35 p.m.

FOR INFORMATION ON
See for yourself: Victoria Educational Gardens at Victoria Regional Airport Go to: vcmga.org; Click on “Gardeners’ Dirt” – June 2004 Call: Victoria County AgriLife Extension Service at 361-575-4581 Summer office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday

CARE FOR ROSE BUSHES IN AUGUST FOR BIG FALL SHOWING
Cut back to about 25 percent for vigorous new growth. Cut off any diseased or damaged stems. Apply a nitrogen fertilizer. (Mix 1/4 cup urea with 1/2 Reapply in two weeks if new growth is slow. Source: Dr. Doug …
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CARE FOR ROSE BUSHES IN AUGUST FOR BIG FALL SHOWING

Cut back to about 25 percent for vigorous new growth. Cut off any diseased or damaged stems. Apply a nitrogen fertilizer. (Mix 1/4 cup urea with 1/2 Reapply in two weeks if new growth is slow. Source: Dr. Doug Welsh, Texas Garden Almanac

APPLICATIONS ON-LINE FOR FALL TRAINING CLASS
Go to: vcmga.org; Click on “2013 Training Class”

Deadline: July 18

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of four articles on seasonal gardening tips provided by the Victoria County Master Gardeners for the Victoria area. Reference material is from Dr. Doug Welsh’s Texas – specific Texas Garden Almanac. Dr. Welsh was the first statewide coordinator for the Texas Master Gardener program.

I don’t know about you, but despite it officially starting on the calendar only last week, I sure know it has felt like we’re well into a hot South Texas summer. Here are a few pointers on how to keep your gardens and landscapes looking their best from now through August.

Mulching

Once you have established your garden, then begins the challenge of keeping things alive through good watering practices while keeping away annoying weeds.

The practice of mulching will have the most impact on water conservation practices by retaining water and cooling the soil. It is also the best way to get a head start on controlling weeds.

Mulches come in many types and colors. Pine bark, cedar, rubber and even rock are available. Remember to choose those that blend in aesthetically with the environment.

Watering

Watering the lawn and garden prior to and just after sunrise is best. During this time, the temperature and wind are at their lowest. Remember to begin irrigation at the first sign of moisture stress in lawns, landscape plants or the vegetable garden.

Be observant for dull, gray green-colored leaf blades rolling up or perhaps footprints left on the lawn after you have walked across it as these may be signs of drought stress.

Water as soon as possible with 1 inch of water during any irrigation so that it reaches 6 inches deep in clay soil and about 12 inches in sandy soil.

Drip irrigation should run for much longer periods than sprinkler irrigation. With proper drip irrigation, 1 gallon of water per hour for two to three hours should be sufficient for flower or vegetable gardens and lawns. Monitor daily and when in doubt, observe the plants; they will signal you.

If you don’t currently use drip irrigation, make a commitment to set up one flower or garden bed this summer. Drip systems significantly reduce water use and should be the standard whenever possible for all your landscape and garden plantings.

Plant, lawn care

If you are like me in the sense that your plants and lawn are a source of pride and joy, then inspect them often for any signs or symptoms of stress. Many of the symptoms we see such as discoloration, brown spots or dying leaves can be misdiagnosed as insects or plant disease.

Don’t ever turn to pesticides before correctly diagnosing the problem. About 75 percent of plant problems occurring at this time of the year are due to heat and drought stress.

Be on the lookout for damage in lawns from fire ants or chinch bugs that generally appear first in the hottest areas along driveways or sidewalks. These can be controlled relatively easily with proper diagnosing and by using organic or chemical insecticides.

Trees, shrubs and vines

Most trees and shrubs can survive without any supplemental irrigation; however, they will appreciate it. Watch your plants for signs of extreme water stress indicated by browning of leaf edges, yellow or wilting leaves and dropping of foliage.

Always evaluate plant location in landscape requirements of full sun, full shade, filtered light, etc. Also consider the variety and avoid heat sinks (courtyards, west sun exposure near brick walls, concrete drives or patios) that cause extreme stress on plants. Sometimes, it may be necessary to remove them from the landscape.

Vegetables, herbs and fruits

Most of your vegetable plants are in high production now, so harvest when ripe. Water to help them along and monitor pests. There’s no need for heavy fertilizer or pesticide applications during this time.

If you are into herbs, plant transplants such as basil, chives, spearmint or rosemary in a shallow, wide container and place in a sunny location. Provide water for all fruit trees to help maintain healthy foliage for next season’s crop.

Butterflies, birds and squirrels

Let’s not forget our little feathered and furry friends. The monarch butterfly will begin migration through Texas and needs nourishing rest stops in landscapes (e.g. butterfly weed) to make it through.

The purple martin houses will begin to vacate as their occupants head toward South America. These feathered friends do an awesome number on our backyard pesky insects.

Keeping our bird baths and water fountains fresh daily will help keep the mosquito population at a low while providing yard critters a happy sanctuary.

Time for a drink

I think it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. And that calls for a drink of something at a given hour for every living thing this time of year to insure healthy gardeners, gardens and landscapes. Enjoy your garden this summer.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

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Secret Garden Party Creator Jo Vidler Shares Her Top Career Tips

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Jo Vidler is the director of one of the UK’s most successful festivals: ‘Secret Garden Party.’ Set on Abbot’s Ripton estate in Cambridgeshire: a 220 acre landscaped garden surrounded by a river and lake, each year over 26,000 ‘gardeners’ flock to the four-day extravaganza.

Jo is the brains behind the creative side, championing ingenuity and invention. Think actors and acrobats, circus performers and moving statues interacting with ‘gardeners’ embracing fancy-dress. Then there’s the music – this year Faithless, Django Django, Bastille, Goldie, 2ManyDJs and Regina Spektor to name a few perform.

In the midst of organsing ‘a party like no other,’ we caught up with Jo to talk networking, mentors and working with men.

Tell us a bit about your background?
Growing up I was always organising events at school. I took a gap year when I finished and ended up working in Ibiza putting on club nights and fashion shows. I come from quite a creative family. My grandfather managed the comedic group ‘The Crazy Gang’ and my great grandmother was in lots of shows and I’ve always loved theatre. I’m a real extrovert, basically a silly person! However, I realised early on that I wasn’t the best performer and what I preferred was coming up with the creative ideas and transporting people to a different reality. So I decided to study a BA in arts and events at Bournemouth University.

How did that lead to what sounds like a dream job?
During my summer holidays at university I started working with an events company called ‘Continental Drift.’ My boss was really eccentric and basically introduced me to everyone. We used to do all the festivals and I met all these amazing people. I got chatting to Tim Harvey and Charlie Dolman at Lovebox and we all got on really well. I was travelling around Australia with my boyfriend when Charlie phoned me saying they needed a production manager for a festival called Secret Garden Party they were planning. At that stage it was basically just a big party in a field. They wanted me come on board and do the things I had always talked to them about doing – basically incorporating all these different art forms and elements to create an amazing event. I jumped at the opportunity, flew back to London that week and got straight to work. It’s grown from there.

Who are your mentors?
My parents never stopped me from doing anything I wanted to do which was amazing. My Dad always told me if you want something you’ve got to go and get it. They’re really proud of me and even come to watch the show I produce each year on the lake at SGP. Another mentor I’ve started to look to is Marian Goodell. We’re working together on ideas for the Burning Man Festival which is hugely exciting.

Is it quite a male-dominated industry?
When I first started it was mainly men. But it was just something I got on with. Of course there were times when it got a bit boyish and I had to close my ears but in general I enjoy the boys’ banter. Nowadays, thankfully more and more women have begun to move higher and higher up the ranks across the entertainment industry as a whole. It’s really important to me. Our company is now very much 50/50 because of the type of events we do. If it wasn’t we’d just get a one-sided view so it’s really important that we have a balance of male and female views.

What are your tips for leading a team?
I manage people in a way that makes them feel positive and want to work hard. Everything I do is collaborative. That means sometimes it takes a bit longer to reach a decision but I respect everyone’s opinion. I also make sure that if someone has an idea they feel they have ownership of it.

What three things do you look for in someone when recruiting?
Everyone I employ has to love and believe in what they’re doing. They have to be themselves, express their personality and have a kind heart. Creativity is important but it’s not always the most important thing. You’ve just got to be hard-working and dedicated to the task.

What habits do you have that make you successful?
My job isn’t a job, it’s my lifestyle. I’m always thinking of crazy ideas. We’ve now got a business development manager who I’ll phone and he’ll be ‘calm down, we need to do a feasibity plan.’ But I never stop planning ways that people can have fun.

What advice would you give to someone that wants your job?
There is no set way of getting to where I am. I worked my way up and did lots of networking along the way. I made sure I always worked really hard and people knew they could rely on me. I think the best piece of advice is that – you’ve got to work hard and prove your dedication.

What makes Secret Garden Party such a success?
The mixture of art forms and allowing people to do whatever they want works really well. People love the interaction and freedom Secret Garden Party gives them.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s festival?
The show on the lake is going to be immense. I can’t tell you anything about it but let’s just say you have to see the lake show. The theme this year is Superstition so I’m really also excited about those moments where I’m walking around and suddenly see something amazing and I’ll be like ‘did that really just happen?’

Any festival tips we should know?
My number one tip is you’ve got to get involved. This really does just happen at Secret Garden Party. Once you walk through the gates you’ll want to interact. Everyone is there for the same reason – to have fun and incredible. experiences. My practical tips are to take an airbed and don’t forget the baby wipes!

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Smart tips for growing a great summer garden

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Q: This year has been so hot and dry. What are some things I can be doing in my garden now? Kathy, Paso Robles

A: Theres still plenty of time for you to plant heatloving summer color in your landscape. Try verbena, zinnia, petunia and portulaca. You can also plant impatiens in shady spots.

July is a good time to feed warm-season annuals, summer vegetables, lawns, roses and subtropical plants.

Remove spent blooms of flowering plants, including roses, to promote continued bloom. Pinch chrysanthemums back and fertilize them for spectacular blooms this fall.

Bearded iris can be planted later in the month. Established iris clumps, which are overgrown, can also be divided and replanted.

In the vegetable garden, cherry tomatoes and squash can still be planted in the North County. In our South and Coastal areas, corn can be planted now.

Pick fruit regularly and dispose of any fruit that has fallen to the ground.

Control gophers by trapping. This activity should be continued throughout the year for the best result.

Inspect all of your garden mulch and add more mulch to areas where it is thin. Mulches are very important in summer they help retain moisture and keep the soil cooler.

Concentrate on being water wise this summer by closely monitoring your irrigation. Check timers, sprinkler heads, drip lines and emitters, and adjust or replace as necessary. Additional information on irrigation and water conservation tips are available from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 8036: Water Conservation Tips for the Home Lawn and Garden which is available online: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8036.pdf.

In this very dry year, be fire safe by removing dead limbs, trees and piles of leaves near your house and other structures. Keep weeds and tall grasses cut down to stubble. Remove any woody vegetation that grows against structures. More comprehensive information on fire safe landscaping is available online in the University of California ANR Publication 8228, Home Landscaping for Fire: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8228.pdf .

GOT A GARDENING QUESTION?

Contact the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners: at 781-5939 from 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday and Thursday; at 473-7190 from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday in Arroyo Grande; and at 434-4105 from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday in Templeton. Visit the UCCE Master Gardeners Web site at http://ucanr.org/sites/mgslo/or e-mail mgsanluisobispo@ucdavis.edu.

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