Gypsy Gardeners

Straight Up Vertical Gardening

This is something that is making me ponder the idea each time I see a representation of it or read a gardening article on the subject. We were on a trip to Thailand several years ago, and I was lucky enough to go to their version of the Chelsea Flower Show. There was an extraordinary display of vertical gardening and now 6 years later everyone is talking about it.

 

There is a great book by Derek Fell titled "Vertical Gardening" Grow Up, Not Out, For More Vegetables and Flowers for Much Less Space; the book talks about all kinds of vertical gardening from cool ways to stake vegetables to using the vertical kits that are out there right now.

If you have a small patio, deck, or simply want something green in your life and don't have a green thumb, this may be just what you need. There is a vertical wall with pockets that can be used for large more custom projects.....Jamie Drury just did this on HGTV recently

This on a smaller scale can be achieved by using a verticle kit.
You can take it down for the winter, and actually winter the plants over,  I think this system will enable you to do some funky patterns in your gardening space. Here is a picture of Hens & Chicks  that were planted in the vertical box....very modern looking and the picture is so cool it is now the background on my cell phone.

I'm seriously considering adding this on my outdoor deck in some fashion next spring/summer. I love succulents and I think this is a great way to make a statement in my garden with them and not take up a lot of room.

Who would have thought that a pallet could be this groovy in the garden......I cannot wait to get my hands on one.......I have even seen them painted and plants are growing in them.

Another wild idea but it turned out great.....BRICKS, yes BRICKS planted with succulents, another terrific way to reuse / recycle.

I think this is a great way to have a vertical garden and small enough to create an art area and move it around.

So, look around your town, neighborhood, tag sales, yard sales, and come up with your own way to "grow up" this spring/summer!!!!

Garden Design Magazine on Bromeliads

A great article from Garden Design Magazine on the beautiful  Bromeliads .

 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.........

"It's the most wonderful time of the year".....nope; I'm not talking about Christmas, or going back to school.......I'm talking about that time of year when the garden is sleeping......but now is the BEST time to pine over all the gardening catalogs that are coming  in the mail nearly as often as the Victoria's Secret catalog!!! Here are just a few that have arrived in my mailbox over the past couple of weeks.

Totally Tomatoes http://www.totallytomato.com/ I found this site last summer after it was too late to order, but I got on their mailing list......don't let the name fool you, all vegetables are represented in this catalog but if you want tomatoes this will interest you....well worth taking a look at.

Select Seeds is another catalog that came recently, this company has some great varieties of heirloom plants and seeds. I will definitely be ordering for my vertical gardening project this spring, but that is another post!!!! Burpee came in the mail this week....they are reliable and good for basic stuff. I have ordered seeds from them in year's past and was happy with the results.

Last but not least is Plants Delight Nursery and their 2012 Spring Sales Catalog arrived....this is almost as exciting as the release of the newest Christopher Radko Christmas ornament catalog. This publication requires total concentration and focus in order to decide what I will add to my perennial beds for 2012. There are several new selections the sparked my attention "Tangerine Dream Coneflower " http://www.plantdelights.com/Echinacea-Tangerine-Dream-PP-21773-Tangerine-Dream-Coneflower/productinfo/8878/ I do love a coneflower and this one is a beautiful orange, that is fragrant which is a plus......and  "Sierra Madre Perennial Cardinal Flower" http://www.plantdelights.com/Lobelia-laxiflora-var-angustifolia-Sierra-Madre-Perennial-Cardinal-Flower/productinfo/9627/  it's another plant that has that candy corn look going on and for some reason I cannot get enough of that. Now the only thing left to do is plan the gypsy gardeners annual spring garden weekend!!!!!

Stay tuned, I'm sure that there will be more catalogs worth talking about......it's a great time of year to ponder, plan, and dream about what you will do in your dirt for 2012!!!!

Vertical Gardens Slide Show from Garden Design magazine

Gorgeous pics of vertical gardens....all the rage....I think Alyce has an article in store for us on a do it yourself vertical garden involving wooden crates coming up in a future post......

 

Vertical Gardens Slide Show from Garden Design magazine

Pruning 101.... Part 1 Crape Myrtles

I'm terrible at remembering when to prune what and then a newspaper or magazine article comes out that reminds me that I am a month behind in my pruning chores......so I am going to write about it and maybe it will help both you and me!!! I won't write about all trees and/or shrubs only what is in my own yard and what I know from other people.

Crape Myrtles, I love them, I love them soooo much that I planted three beautiful white Natchez varieties in my front yard 

They have a groovy distinctive bark throughout the year.
I have to admit that when I first pruned them I did commit crape murder, but Tony Avent quickly made me see the error of my ways in his article http://www.plantdelights.com/Crape-Murder-The-Unkind-Cut/products/504/ and since then I have become an advocate for all Crape Myrtles. If you only remember one thing from this article remember this........Crapes need to be pruned in late winter, my mother always says February, but she's retired and I'm not so I have had to wait until mid March and they have been fine. Crapes grow on the NEW WOOD, so waiting too late will definitely decrease your flowers. Crapes also like lots of sun and water......if they go for extended periods of drought they will pout and hold back on blooms.

I'm a visual pruner so I take a little at time....making sure all tiny limbs are off the main branches that I  want to keep, then stand back and look at my work and snip again if needed kind of like a haircut. Crapes naturally have a wonderful southern way of making an arching canopy and I have tried to keep that in my yard. Crapes have very soft wood so make sure you take care of any crossed branches, this should eliminate pests, disease, and weakening of the limbs as they mature.

My trees are large enough now that this season I didn't prune them at all, except some small branches/limbs that needed it. I wanted to see what would take place.....they seem happy and have put on a show once again.

A terrific book that I have was recommended to me by a dear friend in Raleigh NC when we bought our house;http://www.amazon.com/Landscape-Plants-Southeast-Gordon-Halfacre/dp/0916822141 Landscape Plants of the Southeast by R. Gordon Halfacre & Anne Shawcroft. I took on the task of designing  my landscape myself (I was young and fearless) and this book remains a staple go to reference when I need any information regarding trees/shrubs. The book is divided by evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs as well as categorizing them by size. There is also a chapter on climbing vines.....a great resource to add to your gardening library.

 

Stay tuned....more pruning info to come!!