Porch Postulating on 45 Years in One Garden
High on a Hill in Utica, Indiana We welcome back one-time Garden Rant partner Bob Hill, who has stayed in one beautiful place for a long time. A few very random thoughts while sitting in a screened-in back porch in Utica Indiana in early April of 2020 while mulling over 45 years of home gardening, the memories, connections and friendships born of all that – if not the meaning of life. Phlox subulata beyond the garden gate. This may be the much needed and finest spring in all those years, a rain-blessed chronological PowerPoint of purple hellebores, fragrant witchhazel, pink flowering almond, magnificent magnolias, the shy, blushing ‘Pauline Lily’ redbud, screaming yellow Kerria, butter-yellow Weigela, deep red crabapples and simple white daffodils with yellow centers. The latter well predates our four decades in this place in a 160-year-old farmhouse. I can’t look at them without thinking and wondering about those … Read More
The Methods of Timber Flooring Installation
Timber flooring has been quite popular over the years, especially when it comes to the home. With its durable construction, versatile style, and its timeless quality, it’s no surprise that most homeowners prefer the installation of timber flooring in their homes. But if you’re not too familiar with the process of timber flooring installation, you may be wanting to do your research before the project starts. This way, you not only are aware of what’s going on when your contractor begins work, but you can also ensure that your home is prepared for a successful installation. Method As with any timber flooring installation, the subfloor and underlay need to be level and prepared in order for the boards to lay properly. This is also the time where you decide how you want your hardwood to be laid out. A good rule of thumb is that laying out your boards … Read More
Develop To Eat, Tools, Gardens To Visit, Shows
Gardening A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. Find every thing that you must create your dream kitchen with our professional guides and kitchen ideas. Whether you’re remodelling a kitchen in an old dwelling, or constructing a model new house, we’ve you covered. Spoon College is a food community for our generation, the place all the content material is produced by school college students. They cover every thing from simple recipes and native restaurants to eating corridor hacks and healthy living tips. Did You Know? Gardening Know How has three websites. Check out our weblog crammed with nice articles from our weekend gardening warriors and a Questions and Solutions website where you can ask a professional gardener. The commonest cooking equipment in Chinese family kitchens and restaurant kitchens are woks, steamer baskets and... Read More
Back to Basics – GardenRant
Sequestering has brought my focus back to life’s basics. Deprived of my usual distractions, suddenly I am keenly aware of and grateful for just the mere facts of comfortable shelter, enough food, and the good company of a compatible partner. At the same time, this self-imposed isolation has also returned my attention to the fundamentals of gardening. Shocked by vistas of empty grocery shelves, I, like so many other Americans, am concentrating on kitchen gardening this spring. My plan is to keep the garden producing a succession of crops from mid spring through mid-fall. To be so productive, the garden’s soil will require a lot of nutrition. I’m going to supply this in the most basic way. Today I drove to a nearby dairy farm and picked up a load of last year’s manure. My wife and I actually own a share in that farm’s micro herd. The farmer, whose... Read More
The Truth, Nothing Butt the Truth? Forget About It.
Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) on the High Line in New York City last month. I have a soft spot for forsaken plants. The Allegheny spurge quickly comes to mind. Pachysandra procumbens should, without hesitation, be planted in more shady gardens. Do not spurn this spurge. There are hundreds of worthy plants and seeds, hidden in the shadows, of dozens of 2020 garden catalogs. These shy introverts may be lacking only a little sizzle. Here’s your chance for an award-winning plant description. All you have to do is write a short, I-must-have-this-plant description about your favorite nowhere-near-loved-enough perennial, tree, shrub or edible plant. Leave your description in the reply box below. I will judge entries and recognize the best two descriptions here on this post, next Wednesday. The winning entrant will have their choice of one of two grand prizes. The first option is a piece of Pachysandra procumbens ‘Angola’... Read More
Home Décor, Inside & Accessories
Home Improvement Ideas Create the right entrance yard and yard landscapes with our gardening suggestions. Her arms had been bent and twisted over the breast, and had been stiff to the touch. Her right hand was bloodied and clenched; the left was lacking as much as the elbow. Claw marks confirmed deep gashes on her again and down the size of each arms. Her shoulder blades bore deep lacerations, allowing sticky gore to partially seal and fill the wounds. The flesh of her body was puffed due to the prolonged exposure and absorption of bay water. Whatever the puffiness, the remaining body components appeared entire although battered and bruised. It appeared as if it had been thrown about and slammed multiple instances. It was like that of a child bashing, slamming, and throwing a rag doll of the trouncing of a Teddy Bear. A bit of lace was found tightly... Read More
On the Persistence of Sheared Shrubs
Azaleas as Mother Nature intended. I’ve held off ranting about the examples of sheared shrubs that I see in my town, but no more. Hey, I’m just agreeing with the experts. I Googled “shearing shrubs” and found: Both the Arizona Water Authority and the AZ Plant Lady agree that it’s bad, and Maureen Gilmer in the Seattle Times declares “Sheered Shrubs a Travesty:” If Mother Nature had intended shrubs to be square, she would have created them that way. Yet humans persist in trying to render a free-growing plant into geometric perfection. So there’s the obvious aesthetic objection – the plants don’t LOOK as good, at least in the eyes of most plant-lovers. Correct pruning not only looks better but is much less work. Maureen’s mentor taught her that “The shrub should never look as though it’s been pruned….And if done properly, you rarely have to prune at all,” adding … Read More
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed for Square Foot Gardening and More
Your knees and back are tired of you gardening on the ground! That’s why Cassity and I, designed and built a DIY raised garden bed that you can stand next to, to do all your gardening at counter height. Your back will thank you later. 🙂 This post contains affiliate links. Learn more and read our full disclosure policy here. This raised garden bed is: 37 1/2″ tall. 48″ x 48″ wide in the center opening. 58″ x 58″ from outside top trim edge to edge. Depth of soil can be between 6″ to 16″ deep, depending on what you decide you need for depth. The estimated cost to build one garden box is around $250. The thing about this project is that it will last for 30+ years if you use cedar and/or redwood lumber. I plan on having mine for over 50 years, maybe even 100!… Read More
HiEnd Accents celebrating 15th anniversary in 2020
Camille Buffalo Check bedding set from HiEnd Accents. HiEnd Accents, a producer of luxury top of bed and home accessories, is kicking off a yearlong celebration of its 15th anniversary at the January markets in Dallas and Las Vegas. The company began in 2005 as a small home textile manufacturer in Dallas. Its rustic designs quickly propelled HiEnd Accents to a leading position in the rustic bedding market. In 2012, with the success of our Lifestyle Rustic Collection, HiEnd Accents expanded into transitional and traditional beddings and accessories with the addition of its Landmark Home Collection. In 2013, HiEnd Accents launched its home décor line to respond to the growing demand of the market. “We feel very blessed and fortunate to see our company grow through the years. HiEnd Accents is committed to providing quality and inspired designs to our customers with a focus on creating products that enrich and... Read More