Some of my lovely crocuses are juuuuust about to bloom! Mostly yellow in this batch:
Some of the daffodils have blooms readying themselves, too - I think the Rijnveld's Early Sensation is living up to its name.
And the first of the Spanish bluebells is peeking up leaves:
Last week having been so uncharacteristically warm, the magnolia tree is on the verge of massive bloom. It has cooled back down this week, though.
And in my mini-greenhouses, the alyssum has started to germinate.
I am two weeks into a garden design course at the South Orange Maplewood Adult School. It turns out to be taught by the sister of my friend Matthijs, whose daughter goes to preschool with Emma. I would say "small world," but it's not as if we didn't know that about SOMA.
Anyway I have learned all sorts of interesting things, though it has not translated yet into a design for the sad patch on our back patio that I have plans to redo.
Some of the things I've learned:
Helen (the teacher) recommended a book listing all plants - National Gardens (there is also a Northeast version), by Sunset publishers.
Some of the daffodils have blooms readying themselves, too - I think the Rijnveld's Early Sensation is living up to its name.
And the first of the Spanish bluebells is peeking up leaves:
 |
| This shows the bluebell plant (up against the wall) in context, with the Pink Wonder daffodils poking up in the foreground. And a dandelion, which must die. |
Last week having been so uncharacteristically warm, the magnolia tree is on the verge of massive bloom. It has cooled back down this week, though.
And in my mini-greenhouses, the alyssum has started to germinate.
I am two weeks into a garden design course at the South Orange Maplewood Adult School. It turns out to be taught by the sister of my friend Matthijs, whose daughter goes to preschool with Emma. I would say "small world," but it's not as if we didn't know that about SOMA.
Anyway I have learned all sorts of interesting things, though it has not translated yet into a design for the sad patch on our back patio that I have plans to redo.
Some of the things I've learned:
- Plants with variegated leaves are nice for reflecting moonlight if you'll be enjoying a garden after dark
- Plant grape hyacinths with daffodils because they have shoots in fall that let you know where you've already planted daffodils - plus they're cheap
- We can plant plants hardy to Zone 7A or any lower number
- This area has quite acidic soil. And trees increase the acidity in soil - which is why grass doesn't grow well under them, and moss takes over. You can decrease the acidity with lime.
- Lavender likes well-drained, rocky, limey (not acidic) soil - not clay! (explains why the plants in front did badly)
- Boxwoods don't like mulch
- Epsom salts contain phosporus, which promotes blooms, eg. for hydrangea
- If you want to get moss to grow on something (e.g. stones), mix some moss with yogurt and water in a blender to form a thin paste, then paint it on!
- Lawns should receive about 1" of water per week - if you're watering, give it to them one long (eg. 1.5 hour) dose
- Master Gardeners hotline: 973-228-2210
- Soil tests are especially important for places where you're growing edible plants, to test for contaminants.
- There are a couple nearby gardens that I'd like to visit: Durand-Hedden garden in Maplewood, and Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills
Helen (the teacher) recommended a book listing all plants - National Gardens (there is also a Northeast version), by Sunset publishers.
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