The End

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

It's a strange night tonight for the first day of July. I just walked Karl the Wonder Dog down the road until he smelled a bear and balked at walking any further. It was apparent to me that the weatherman had missed again. 52 degrees and damp from repeated days of heavy rain just doesn't feel like summer. The rivers are very high, the ground squooshes, and the fungus that wiped out people and plants during the Potato Famine is upon us again. I don't think the fact that this is the first time I ever planted Irish Cobbler potatoes has anything to do with the current fungus problem but first time gardeners will surely be disappointed; some will be hungry.

I have been thinking about this blog for some time. I started it in mid November 2006, a couple months after we purchased 5 acres for a new nursery. My intention was to use Vermont Gardens as a means of demonstrating how a nursery can grow from the ground up. My intentions were great and some of the information was probably helpful but the fact is, time is shorter than ever now and two blogs must become one.

I have decided to let Vermont Gardens snooze for a while while I move all blogging to The Vermont Gardener . I know this will disappoint some folks but five acres of nursery is a lot for Gail and me and I am neglecting both blogs now. Readers deserve regular commentary and picture highlights and I must meet my commitment.

So for those of you who have joined the conversation at Vermont Gardens, please take a regular look at The Vermont Gardener. It's the same "me", the same wonderful dog, the same mountain above Peacham Pond, the same piece of Vermont that lures many to live here.

If you have comments or questions, send them along and I'll try to respond as I always do. And if you get a chance, stop and visit us on US Route 2 , just half a mile outside Marshfield Village in a nice part of Vermont. 802-426-3506 at the nursery, 802-426-3505 at home after 6 and before I start snoring, and by email just anytime at bizplanr@hughes.net for me or to Gail's attention at lilies@hughes.net.

Thanks for your dedication and participation. I'm not a bleeding heart (pictured above), I just like Dicentra a lot. These are about finished for this year but their fine colors will stay in our memory until next year.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the rain has started again.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm A site to enjoy and even order good plants from!

Trees As Competitors

Thursday, June 18, 2009

A damp and drizzly evening here on the mountain. It's holding at 52 degrees as clouds thicken over Peacham Pond and the rain drips off the standing seam roof with a plunk, plunk, plunk as drops hit the big leaves of a burdock below. We needed some rain so I am not complaining but the reproductive strength of burdock is not impressive to me; I'd prefer more creative music than those leaves encourage.

I arrived at the nursery at a little after 4 PM today and Gail and Austin were well drenched despite changes of top clothes and boots and socks. It was one of those days that started slowly but as the rain advanced, it came on strong. Gail suggested that I go home, more a caring gesture than a "we don't need you here today" notice. I'm creating a new hosta garden and time is short and the hostas I am moving are growing quickly so the sooner I can move them, the more successful I will be and they will look. I have reached a point in my life where some things advance too quickly and I have to show caution to accomplish what I set out to do. This type caution exists with or without raindrops.

Hostas, like all plants, on occasion show a temporary rearrangement of their genetic structure and as a gardener you just stand there some day and ask "Where did that leaf come from?" A perfectly nice plant that you have savored for some time suddenly displays one or more leaves that just don't seem to belong. Such an occurrence is called "sporting" I hear and the dissimilar leaves are a "sport" which can be excised with care from the main plant and grown on to determine if the new look continues or if it reverts to mother's look in another year or two. Some hostas produce more sports than others and I am sure that is true of plants in general. Below is a sport of the famous hosta 'Striptease' which originally sported from 'Gold Standard' Last I counted there were 35 registered sports of 'Striptease' but by now there are probably more. I imagine mine is one of the named ones by now but I haven't done any comparisons.

If you scroll back to the photo at the top, you'll see another sport of a plant of 'Striptease' I have had at the house for some time. I am still kicking myself for not separating it years ago when the streaking was very balanced. Gardeners have hindsight like everyone else and I am no different.

This time of year when hostas are a popular plant to purchase, not a day goes by but what someone visits and says that they want to purchase hostas to plant "under a large white pine", "under a maple", "under a lilac", "in where's it's quite dark". These are not always good conversations because people often have their minds made up and it's almost useless to try to provide a little experiential insight that might even work. Just the same, we always try to sort out what people have in mind and what might work. Sometimes it can work nicely but often with a little more planning than the gardener arrived at our place with.

The planting situations I described are not at all satisfactory for hostas as trees and root systems in general make for fierce competition over time. If you think of a tree out on your lawn, the root system is at least as big as the tree that you see growing above the ground. That provides incredible competition for a hosta. I have found that planting a hosta in an oversized nursery or tree pot prevents root system encroachment and allows you to dedicate water and nutrients to the hosta via the confines the container provides. I have done this for five years and am just now moving some of these plants. Here is an example that was three years old. It's a three gallon nursery pot in which I grew two plants of Hosta 'Rascal'.

Notice the root system that forms and how it grows within the pot. The roots are thick and the plants are healthy. I suspect that if I had watered them at all last year, they would have grown even better. I started with a very good soil/compost mix and during the first couple years was conscientious about applying fish emulsion, magnesium sulphate and plenty of water.



If you have a place where trees as competitors are a consideration, try potting your hostas and sinking them into the ground. The container will provide protection against incoming roots, mice and voles and it's worth the time and the couple bucks for the protection. I have to say that digging the holes isn't that handy but looking at the reward in a couple years is.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where no barred owl will hoot tonight as rain is falling harder, and the silent woods are dripping. The mice population is safe until the rain stops.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm A web site that likes mail orders

Daylily Color Begins

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Just scouting the garden before dinner and I picked some contrasting colors to make a quick display. The yellow lemon lily is one of the first to bloom here. It's a great lily but one of the slowest to reproduce. Customers are typically so very happy to find that you have some for sale but I hate to think what they say after year one when the plant has not reproduced like most daylilies. Seeing a large clump by the side of the road suggests something that has probably been growing for over 50 years.

The background foliage is from Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart'. This is a mutation from the common bleeding heart and has been around since about1997. Someplace I read that it was found in England. The prices finally came down enough that Gail bought some to offer customers.

All bleeding hearts have been very popular this year.

The orange gold daylily is a mystery but I am leaning towards 'Elizabeth' hybridized by Norton in 1942. No confirmation on it yet but the way the buds are at the top of the scape make me think it is. I hope someone can verify this .....and I don't mind being wrong publicly.

Simple little pairings like this bring some color to the house and help get us through another day. See what you can do tomorrow when you walk your gardens.


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a barred owl is calling for attention.

Early Morning Bruiser

Sunday, June 14, 2009

The quiet of the morning and a mental list for today were too much for me as I awoke at barely 4, thinking how much had to be accomplished today. A quick glance at the clock confirmed this was too early for complicated thinking but Karl the Wonder Dog was part of the problem as he sat near the bed demanding through repetitive whimpers that a walk was in order. He knows when the weekends fall and he wants to be a part of my every move but this morning it was a nature thing that called him.

We headed down the road towards the pond and had hardly passed the mailboxes when he froze in the road, so statue-like that I almost pulled his collar off. With coffee spilling and expletives flying we had stopped dead in front of the lower hosta garden and he wouldn't budge. I switched the coffee cup right to left long enough to shake off the hazelnut wetness and then looked around for signs of what was bothering Karl. Looking down the road I noticed a set of tracks and my first assumption was a small moose had just passed by. Understand this is a hard packed dirt road of two centuries existence and a recent topping of calcium chloride had packed it harder.

I coaxed Karl down the road a couple resisting feet (his) at a time and got to where his leash was extended to the fullest and I could see the tracks. The problem was most obvious. Karl did not like the bruiser black bear that had just gone through and I was uncomfortable enough myself to start to glance right and left and turn on my one good ear to full alert. This bear was giant for Vermont standards.

I bent down and placed my hand over a track and there was a good inch and a half remaining around my hand's outline. The bear was huge. His toenails cut deeply into the hard pan, footprints close enough together to confirm that he was on a morning breakfast foray and not in any rush. I have a good sized paw myself and out of curiosity I'd like to see this bear. I usually see a single track like this each November after first snow maybe around Thanksgiving week. The animal follows the exact same treeline route each year and like growth rings on a fresh cut tree, this set of prints grows bigger each year.

Gardening in Vermont has changed over time, especially as more people build homes in what were remote areas. I did not know that twenty years ago we built our little house 50 feet from a major animal corridor and a neighbor down the road built his right in the middle of an ancient path. We can't track animal commentary on human intervention but I know I react when I have to walk around something someone has left in my regular path. I expect animals have their own comments about humans.

Here on the hill above Peacham Pond we see an abundance of wildlife each day. A barred owl was welcoming morning when I got up, a pileated woodpecker just commented that it's time for breakfast in the sugar maples and the loons at the pond are loosening very ancient calls that are echoing through the valley. Bigger animals like whitetails and moose as well as bears more formally interact with gardeners. For me they are simple reminders that we have to get along. The birds and the animals and me are like the picture of Sempervivum tectorun, hens and chickens, houseleeks up top. We come in different sizes and we live in slightly different places but to make it all work we have to get along.


Good gardening wishes from the mountain. I have to get to work.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com
Vermont Flower Farm
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Still have a few golden bleeding hearts left for sale at the nursery as well as maybe 5 eximia.
E mail if interested.

Strange Spring

Monday, June 8, 2009

A bright sunny morning here on the mountain with an abundance of large, gray clouds floating by and a temperature of 67 degrees. Last night's rain was a marginal, two drops (literally) in the bucket storm and a disappointment to farmers like us who need to see spring rains at the right times. The ground is dry and the forests and pastures worry us in case a fire starts.

Despite the recent dryness, the spring flowers are nice. The bleeding hearts are well under way and they remind us of grandmothers gardens. The old fashioned varieties so common to us were joined a few years back by a gold leafed variety that has been expensive to buy. Gail has ordered it twice this year because of demand and although many say $17.50 is too much to pay, dozens already have. She has one planted by the back door that is in bloom for those who cannot wander to the split rail fence that has a bunch I planted years ago.

Along the path to the lower hosta garden is a patch of Dicentra eximia. We typically carry the creamy white 'Aurora' as well as the pink-red 'Luxuriant' and 'Stewart Boothman'. 'Luxuriant' drove me nuts last year because it was featured in a number of gardening magazines and people were ordering it right and left. Our supply remains better than I thought but will be a challenge in a few more weeks. I really like all the eximias because the foliage is light and nicely cut and at 14" tall it works as a nice contrast to many other late spring colors.

I have never been a fan of perennial bachelor buttons but I have to say that the blue of this flower is something you'd like to maintain all summer long. If you take a single close up picture of one flower you will be amazed at the beauty that prevails in the design. By afternoon it's difficult to get a picture here as the bumblebees love them and can often be found bouncing around from flower to flower. This happens to be a flower that contrasts well with peonies and as this photo shows the contrast appears as if it belongs in a painting.

I wish I could stay here this morning and get caught up on writing but my favorite sport--the dentist--beckons.

Best gardening from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a loon calls loudly from an overhead flight.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Gardens
Vermont Flower Farm A web site in need of interested gardeners

New Tomato To Try

Tuesday, May 28, 2009

There are some advantages to being a would-be garden writer. Over time dealers, growers, publishers, manufacturers, and suppliers find out about you and try to encourage you to comment on their product. Some things I just let slide over the top because I don't think they are in line with what Gail and I think of gardening. I'm not interested in flowered belt buckles and garden shoes with little smiling snails, and really, I'm not interested in anything "steel" made in China.

In this particular example today, the product received a double whammy award from me because I like the concept and I also am intrigued by the method of shipping enough to share it with you. The product is a tomato hybrid named Tomaccio, the sweet raisin tomato, originally developed in Israel and now popular in parts of Europe. It will be released in America next year although there has been some experimental release via vegetable plant wholesalers this year. If you click on the following announcement, you'll get all the details including its merits as a dried tomato and its ability to do well as a container or garden plant.

Gail and I receive lots of plants each year and packaging is critical to a happy customer. One shipment from a major US supplier arrived by a major delivery company but looked as if it had been pushed off the truck without regard for the contents. There was no doubt that the boxes were expensive but they didn't do the trick at protecting the plants inside. Not the case with this shipment!

These six packs were surrounded by a cardboard wrapper which took up half the box size. The box was designed to hold up to 12 tomato plants. Although the box was marked with an arrow and asked for proper handling, I turned the box upside down to see how the tomatoes fared and they didn't move at all. It's obvious that the supply network has to be perfect as the plants must be shipped just before they reach the interior height limit of the box. No problem with the 6 we received.

I noticed that the stems were very strong, almost wiry and this might be attributed to the origin of the tomato said to come from the wild. This is important if planting in a windy area and is a must for a plant which reaches 9 feet tall.

I'll give away all but one of these Tomaccios and try to collect results later this summer. In the meantime, keep your eye out in stores if you are looking for a small cherry tomato with good flavor and the ability to dry well in the oven for use next winter.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the rain is pounding down as Karl the Wonder Dog, 6 hours post-dental surgery, is just beginning to wander around as his anesthesia wears off.

Good gardening,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm A web site with trollius offered--now in bloom here in Vermont!

New Shade Garden Under Way

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Almost 7:30 PM and Karl the Wonder Dog is getting anxious for his evening walk. I am less than anxious as I have acquired some nasty cold virus and my patience and energy are minimal. The neighbor's cat just went by and that translates to some amount of running-with-dog, one arm outstretched, and I'm not really in the mood.

Another nice day here in Vermont although that will change tonight as a large low pressure mass will move in after midnight with heavy rain for a couple days. We are in serious need of moisture but there are dozens of things that need completing that do better when I'm not dressed in rain gear. One project that won't be completed all too soon is the new hosta and shade garden.

I've mentioned and pictured this garden site since first posting pictures of our new land a couple years back. The garden is finally taking shape although I'm still working on the skeleton phase. The pictures aren't the greatest but see if you can picture this in your mind.

The cultivated part is almost 300 feet long and 100 feet wide in the deepest part. There's a 7.5 foot tall deer fence on the back (right side of cultivated area) the runs about 8 feet higher than the cultivated area. That's because that section was an old road used locally to dump off sand and gravel for the road crews to use fifty years ago.

On the left of the area, I planted seven fast growing maples. These are Glory and Sunset maples which can handle the varying moisture while growing quickly to 25-30 tall and wide. In between each maple I have planted 24 to 36 one gallon pots of daylilies. Each block is a single variety, single color beginning up top left with Tetrina's Daughter, then Red Ribbons, then Wayside King Royale, Lemon Lollypop and ??? ??? boy I am tired. Although the colors will show significant bloom at different times, my plan was that blocks of color would overlap and the mass of color would catch visitors attention both from Route 2 and from our small parking lot. I caught this idea a couple years ago while visiting the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden for the first time. Although planting larger numbers of the same thing is expensive, the eye catching notice is worth it.

There are two sets of flags, orange on the left and red on the right. The orange flags mark a proposed walkway that will curve through the garden. Eventually stone steps and another pathway will lead down from the hilltop astilbe/shade house near the river bank to connect with this path. I have tried to accent the minimal curves with a couple linden trees and three weeping blue cedars. I have plans for maintaining all these trees to less than their natural mature height.

The red flags mark the high water mark during last year's flood. That was the biggest flood I had seen since 1983 so it seemed like a good benchmark to employ. To the right of the red flags will be the plants which are more tolerant of moisture like astilbes and aruncus, darmeras in containers, rodgersias and ferns. Along the bank where it is dry, I'll add astilboides tabularis. The fringe between the two wet-dry areas will accept the hostas, primulas, iris, and pulmonarias. The line flagged in red is already planted with winterberry and long term I have plans for a small pond. I want to try to get about 250 different hostas planted in small groups by the end of June. Some hostas will be planted in waves of 25. I'll be satisfied for this year if we can meet this goal. Some of last year's gardens are already out of control and until we can get those cleaned up, I'm reluctant to move ahead at my typical, Tasmanian Devil speed. Since few thought I'd be this far along, I'm pleased already.

Most gardeners would hardscape first but as I move along with this I'll bring in a friend with a cherry picker to place large stones where I decide I want them. I'll pick the stones to contrast with the way I do the hosta planting, color combinations, need for shadow, etc. and will go from there. Lots of times I ask peoples' opinions but on this garden I am the creator and the plan is in my mind, not on paper or a computer screen.

Karl has now scratched my leg about enough so we're out of here. If you have a chance, stop by the garden and take a look. I'll continue to post pictures now and again so you can see how this is progressing. I wish all of you could have seen the blue ribbon of native forget-me-nots that grew after I rototilled the fence line again this spring. Apparently they were in great abundance there some years back and the light activated germination. Click on the pictures and you should be able to see the wave. It is predominantly blue but also contains white and pink flowers.


Good gardening wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm: A nice offering of common plants that grow well and make good gardeners and their friends smile!

Garden Fair

Saturday, May 16, 2009

A dreary night here on the mountain. The fierce winds have subsided and the rain falls straight down with a drumming sound on the standing seam roof. The office window screen is filled with water and my vision to the outside has become cataract-like and limited. Oh for evening sunshine!

Tuesday night I had a chance to visit an interesting garden. It included a woods walk to the crest of a mountain where the owner had planted a rock garden some thirty years ago. The garden had been left to its own some years back but the conifers prevailed and one nice planting included four jack pine. Just seeing them reminded me of the coast of Maine, a place I would like very much to retreat to for the balance of my life.

I have always pushed conifers aside, not because I don't like them as I really, really do. I have too many plant vices already and days grow short for me and some parts of my list never get done as it is. Conifers would take more time than I can spare although they would enhance every garden.

I waited at the top of the mountain for other visitors to pass as I wanted to look over the special pine, congratulate its size and enjoy its sprawling peace. Only here and there were residual cones from last year but it had the appearance of a bountiful harvest of cones and seeds come fall 2009.


The June issue of Downeast Magazine includes an ad for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Garden Fair which is scheduled for June 19-21. This spectacular garden is located in Boothbay, Maine and their web site is http://mainegardens.org. If you do a quick search of my blogs you'll see past comments and pictures from 2007 when the gardens first opened. I wanted to go back last December to take some winter shots but never made it so this summer's visit will be real special as the gardens will show more maturity and the new Sensory Garden will be open. Something as simple as a jack pine can make your garden sing a new spring song. Give conifers a thought and if you are in Maine in June, try to squeeze in the Garden Fair.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the rain has quieted. Karl the Wonder Dog knows this as he is nudging my leg for an evening walk. Sometimes walking with him is better than Advil for this gardener's aches.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm A web site with hostas and daylilies wanting to move from our gardens to yours

Heavy Rains, Happy Mother's Day

Sunday, May 10, 2009

A cold morning here on the mountain with a slight wind and a rawness to the air that makes all of us want to stay inside for the morning. Karl the Wonder Dog apparently has an internal weather evaluator that suggests he continue to sleep in as I can hear him snoring in the other room. Usually he is already out and about but today is different.

The spring flowers continue to please us excepting that we can't find enough time to get out into the woods and enjoy the wild ones. The weather has been perfect for some beautiful displays of our native foam flower which I have noticed along the road on the way to the nursery. Years ago Gail got interested in tiarella, the hybridization of our natives, and at one point she had quite a collection. Last fall Michelle dug up and repotted those we were growing on in the lower garden and I noticed how well they looked the other day. They are slower to sprout forth than the natives but once they get going they are very nice. If you are interested in tiarellas, take a look at our shade plant section, Some Nice Shade Plants and scroll down to Tiarella. Yes, I know, I know, I should simplify this page so you can get right there but it takes time I don't have right now.

Spring bulbs are easy to come by although I am always amazed that people know little about them and ask to purchase some in the spring when they see them. Fall is a good time--actually any time after late August here in Vermont, and local nurseries often have good selections and mail order sources are plentiful. I always wanted to begin a collection of historic daffodils but once again that wish is simply on a list of scrap paper someplace now.




Today is Mother's Day and all mothers need a hug and a kiss and a thank you for putting up with us for so long. I've never seen a mother yet who didn't like a new potted plant, a bouquet or something for the garden, but the "thank you" is the important part.

Best wishes to all mothers!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Mr and Mrs Mourning Dove scour the ground in front of my office window looking for errant pieces of cracked corn kicked to the ground by wasteful blue jays. The feeder has been empty for weeks with the thought of prowling black bears but birds return in hopes of one last buffet.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm, a nice place to visit, virtually or in person. Mothers Day hanging baskets still available today

Spring Frosts

Sunday, May 3, 2009

A beautiful morning here on the mountain. The grass is frosted from last night's temperature but the sun rising above Peacham Pond is already beginning to melt the whiteness from along the house. I just returned from a brief walk with Karl the Wonder Dog and for the second day in a row marveled at the sight of a mature male osprey dive into the trout pond and come up with breakfast. It is a splashy affair when he hits and rises back with talons tightly clenched around a squiggling fish. I try to enjoy the glory and not remember that I paid $1.89 for that fish a couple years ago.

This is a busy time of year at the farm and days start at 5 and end well past that time on the other end. Weight loss is less of a problem as mixing soil in a 8 cubic foot wheel barrow with the repetitive back and forth motion of a hoe tightens muscles that need some work. My hands are beginning to callous up again and I start each day with a good coating of Bag Balm, that very old Vermont product originally developed for dairy cow udders and bags. Great stuff because it fights infection and heals cracked skin in a couple days. I usually have some for sale at the nursery for those who cannot find it although more general stores seem to stock the small sampler cans.

Although we are unpacking boxes, potting, planting, dividing, digging, rototilling, there's still time to enjoy the spring flowers. The little yellow crab spider above was having breakfast while surrounded by the various daffodils and narcissus, the scilla, corcus, hellebores and of course the array of wild flowers including erectum and grandiflorum trillium, the hepaticas, trout lilies and bloodroot.

I have to get going here but if you have a minute today, get out into the woods and see what is available. You can now get into Osmore Pond and that's a nice walk. Kettle Pond is open and the Lanesboro Road is passable. Owl's Head is a mile climb until Memorial Day weekend when the park opens but a walk up the hill, like me and the wheelbarrow of mix, are good for "spring tighening." Enjoy!

George Africa
The very busy Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm Our revised, ready to go website. If you cannot get out today, walk through our virtual tours....not bad substitutes.

Shade House on a Sunny Day

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Yesterday was a cold, damp, sometimes drizzly day and today was sunny, bright and 56 degrees with a stable wind that never let me really get warmed up. Both days shared one goal: to erect the new 30 X 60 foot shade house. This is the third shade house we own and every one has been purchased from RIMOL Greenhouse Systems in Hooksett, NH, 1-877-746-6544. RIMOL is the largest pipe bender in New England and although you can purchase from many other dealers, there's a good chance the pipe came from RIMOLs anyway. I figure if I buy a couple more I'll have the installation part down to a science. This one is the "squarest" yet and was actually more of a challenge to erect because the land slopes down to the Winooski River.

I started yesterday by getting the pipe layed out and some of the holes dug with the power auger. My neighbor Kim showed up about noon and in 4 hours we had the full house erected. Today I went back and added the stabilizers on each pole and tomorrow after work I'll go back and space those properly and tighten everything up.

There are a lot of variables involved in making anything square and it's just not a responsibility that you can force to go quicker. Measuring several times, using a level, eye balling up and down, back and forth all result in a better looking structure. I have to say that when the shade cloth is on and the house is full, about the only guy who can see the problems is the installer but just the same there are many reasons to do it right from the beginning.

This particular house will have the hosta overflow from the other two houses as well as all the astilbes, the actaeas, rodgersias, epimediums and astilboides tablularis. Gail is a "mover" when it comes to her displays and if things don't sell in one place, she moves them to a new location. This translates to some other plants ending up in the new house too.

The potted plants on the ground in the pictures are just beginning to show new growth. They need some rain or watering to get going but they spent last winter right about where you see them. In a week they'll all be lined up and accompanied by new products that will begin arriving next week. If you're out and about, stop by and say hello. We're not officially open yet but we always make sales and always offer advice.

Good gardening wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm Our newly revised site with some great pictures and good gardening
ideas to help quell your springtime garden anxieties.

Spring Thoughts!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

April Fool's Day but here on the mountain we are not pranksters and we just sit and watch others in their small glories. We always seem to be too busy this time of year to get into that kind of spirited fun and this year we're more busy than ever. Gail is getting ready to take a load of clothes and durable medical goods to the Salvation Army and I have some construction work that has to get started. We're only a couple weeks away from transplanting time and we have to make good use of our time between now and then.

I just finished a phone conversation with the building supplier who wanted to schedule a tractor trailer with a 52 foot box trailer to make a delivery here. I cautioned him with an explanation of deep snow and thick mud and we mutually agreed three weeks from now would be more safe for the driver and us. Mountain life has different challenges than living along Lake Champlain where lake temperatures present a different weather set than here.

My last post about hellebores was more to encourage me to get through until real spring than to suggest we have them blooming here now. It won't be long but they are under lots of snow in the lower hosta garden. My thoughts are on what plants we have started so far and what is planned. Yesterday an order arrived with 50 astilboides tabularis. The order came a month early and I'm still thinking about what to do with them. If I had space in the fridge they'd be there but they really need to be planted. They are a great plant with 3 foot wide leaves over time like a plant from the Jurassic Age. The roots are dry now and the buds are thick so I don't have much time to reach a conclusion.

As I think about summer, I always think about how many new gardeners we saw last year and how many more we expect this year. Daylilies are a great flower to start a garden with because they are easy to grow and dependable. As I move on to other chores today, here are some more pictures of daylilies that you'll find at Vermont Flower Farm. Our website has a fresh new look so give it a try at http://vermontflowerfarm.com If you are one of the 18% of the US population who has a computer but must still use dial-up for a connection, remember that we have lots of pictures. Up top is Patio Parade, followed next down here by Jeune Tom.

Island Sand Dollar

Janice Brown

Jungle Beauty

Late Pink


Lady Fingers

If you have any gardening questions, need more info after looking at our site, or have any good recipes for hungry springtime gardeners, mail us at lilies@hughes.net. Gardeners make good friends and are always happy to share!

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where 46 degrees and a 21 mph wind take away thoughts of spring.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com
Vermont Flower Farm newly updated and better than most catalogs!

Hellebores Are Fun In Spring

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The sun is falling quicker now and soon the day's brightness will fade away until tomorrow. It has been a beautiful day in Vermont today and I hope the same has been true where you live. I can see a light wind is rustling the leftover spirea scapes but it doesn't look serious. The snow is still deep here as Alex and I were reminded Sunday when we went to Burlington for the day. Up there the fields were bare and Lake Champlain was open all the way across to New York.

I told Alex that when I went to the University of Vermont in the mid sixties I learned to ice fish quicker than I learned British literature or Zoology. I tried to encourage him to believe me when I said that in early April of those years the lake remained frozen solid and ice fishing was a glorious event. The Burlington waterfront was lined thick with fishing shanties that were a course in sociology all by themselves. I knew Alex didn't believe me as the view coming down Main Street showed open lake and whitecaps that made him challenge my recall. Kids will do that with their parents and you often never know if they will ever see the truth.

When April draws near I begin to think seriously about a plant I really like because it is one of the first to flower here. I think hellebores are a neat plant but I find that few gardeners around these parts know what I am talking about. Kind of like trying to explain about epimediums, another favorite of mine.

Joseph Woodard knows a lot about hellebores and he shares his knowledge at a site named
Hellebores.org It's worth the trip there to see why I am fascinated by the power of this plant to push away snowbanks and beautify garden paths. Prepare to spend a little time with this site. Europe has had an interest in hellebores and more recently American gardeners have expressed a sincere interest too. When it comes to hellebores, I continue to like to visit the picture tour of Barry Glick from Renick West Virginia. To me Sunshine Farm and Gardens is a place to visit if you like hellebores. The place!



In the time that's left between now and spring flowers, take a look at these sites and let me know what you think. In the meantime, the Vermont Flower Farm site is finished save for another hundred pictures and some minor tweaking. It is graphics heavy so be willing to spend some time. We think it will be a nice visit.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the great smells of a fat roaster are floating in here from the kitchen. Gail should be calling for supper any second. Maybe your supper is ready too.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Forest From The Trees

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A bright sunny day here in Vermont today. The temperature is up to 50 degrees on the sunny side of the house and I can almost see the ice melting off the driveway. In a few minutes I'm going to put on the snowshoes and head out into the woods for an hour or so.

Forests are friends to me and I fear for their health on the one hand while also being thankful for all they do for us. On our Vermont Flower Farm web site I wrote a piece years ago entitled "Our Forests, Our Responsibilities." That page will be available for a few more days so if you are interested, look at http://vermontflowerfarm.com/ourforests.html and see what I wrote. The whole subject means more to me today than the day I wrote those thoughts.

All forests have a life term dependent upon the tree composition. The following picture shows a stand of red pine that was planted over forty years ago. They weren't well cared for so they did not produce as much growth as intended but they are still somewhat of an asset. This time of year the returning crows find refuge there, barred owls eat their evening meals of rodents from lofty perches, and incoming flocks of robins find refuge in large numbers when they return in the midst of spring snowstorms.


We need to do a better job teaching our children the importance of forests and what they can do to help nurture good forests around the world. This next picture is from several years ago when Alex took an introductory forestry course. There were seven or eight home school kids and they obviously felt comfortable in the woods and they learned a lot. We need more programs like this one!


Sometimes we have to take advantage of an assortment of tools to make the woods feel more comfortable to each other. I have been walking the forests since I was five or six. I have had good teachers and that's made it easier for me. Just the same I am quick to walk with anyone who has more skill than me and I reference new books and guides as they come along.




You have probably heard of the Arbor Day Foundation before. They have released a great book named What TREE Is That? Here is some background on an excellent pocket guide.

What TreeIs That? A guide to the more common
trees found in North America

"The Arbor Day Foundation is offering for the first time a tree identification in book form. What Tree Is That?: A guide to the more common trees of North America, published by the Arbor Day Foundation, is a perfect resource to help people identify trees in a simple step-by-step process.

What Tree Is That? will help people identify more than 250 species of trees that live and grow in North America. The book uses a step-by-step approach to identifying trees, explaining what to look for determining the species for a specific tree, such as the shape of the leaves, the differences in the leaf stems and twig structures, the fruits and flowers, and the details of buds and bark."

What Tree Is That? features advanced, hand-drawn illustrations of many distinctive characteristics of many species of trees in full color. The book was illustrated by Karina Helm, who specializes in scientific illustrations."

I'll detail more about the book on The Vermont Gardener in the next day or so. In the meantime, learn to tell the trees in the forest and help new generations learn too! Click on
What Tree Is That? It's available at bookstores and on Amazon beginning April 1, 2009.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a fine day has developed! If you haven't purchased or ordered vegetable seeds yet, you better get going. Estimates for seed sales suggest as much as a 19% increase in sales this year. Plant start sales may reach the 100's of % increases. While you're at it, consider putting a copy of What Tree Is That? on hold.


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Vermont Flower Show, Let's Go!

Centaurea Amethyst Dream

Thursday, March 5, 2009

One of those afternoons when the air feels as if bad weather is coming soon. No precip but 29.9 degrees and a deadness to the outside air that confirms what they have been saying this afternoon about a mix of weather by morning. Karl the Wonder Dog is stretched across the bed snoring as if the weather doesn't matter. Alex is working on his computer and Gail just left to meet some friends in Montpelier for a meeting of the Hardy Plant Club. She and her friends should have an enjoyable time as tonight's presentor is David Lewis. A recent introduction of Mr. Lewis and his experience reported :

"David Lewis has decades of experience growing, breeding and propagating rhododendrons. He will give a slide show about rhododendrons that bloom reliably in northern Vermont, others which are potentially hardy here, as well as a few which he wishes were."

(Intro by Don Avery, owner of Cady's Fall's Nursery, Morrisville,VT)

I'm hoping Gail can give us a brief summary of this presentation. Rhododendrons are not popular yet in Vermont although more and more people are showing their success with them. I think as more get out there, the colors will encourage gardeners to ask their nursery suppliers to buy in more varieties. Personally I have always been reluctant to grow anything that I have to protect from 4-5-6 feet of snow but the more I see growing, the more I think I may give it a try soon.

As for me, I'm cleaning up paperwork and making lists for the weekend. What I would like is to locate a day stretcher so I can catch up on some reading. Plant material abounds this time of year and being a member of the Garden Writers Association seems to guarantee additional treats, by e-mail and in packages.

Today some pictures came from Blooms of Bressingham and they were just enough to divert my attention from what I should be doing to what I'd like to be doing--planting new gardens this summer. Just about any new flower catches my attention while making me wonder if they will be successful here or not. In today's world, gardeners are looking for more unusual plant material and if it's easy to grow and presents a nice display, it's sure to catch on. Here are a few pictures from Blooms of Bressingham. Most of these introductions are listed as zone 5 but I wouldn't be surprised but what they would make it in much of central Vermont on South.

Dendranthema Frosty Igloo

Dendranthema Cool Igloo



Penstemon Loganberry Ice



Penstemon Amelia Jayne



Eryngium Big Blue

Whoops, someone is knocking at the back door and Karl the Wonder Dog is not the best of greeters! Have to go. Remember, everyone, that if you are within traveling distance of Chittenden County/Burlington/Essex Jct, Vermont, the Vermont Flower Show starts tomorrow at the Miller Convention Center in Essex. This is a spectacular event sure to jump start your spring. Sponsored by Greenworks, the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association.


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

University of Vermont P&SS Seminars

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Blustery and cold here on the mountain this morning. Yesterday's high of 50 degrees and sunny was replaced by dark and gusty and 11 degrees. As I look out the window I can see where a coyote came through the field to the compost pile sometime after midnight when the snow crusted over and travel became easier. It's years like this when I really fear for our deer population because snow is deep and travel is difficult for them.

I have been remiss in not posting enough about events in the area which will benefit some gardeners. I'm always tossed between local conversation and the world at large. I have had correspondence from India, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and New Zealand this week, hence the confusion of who I am writing to. Just the same I figure that what I offer might provoke thought about a similar resource in your locality. Here goes.

The University of Vermont is located in Burlington, Vermont and like any land grant college it has a College of Agriculture and a division of plant and soil science. Recently I heard that they offer seminars most every Friday afternoon at 3 on a variety of subjects. The seminars are free and open to the public and located in the Stafford Building adjacent to the greenhouses. Here is the schedule.

Yesterday the seminar was listed as Garden Marketing and Trends and was presented by Kathy LaLiberte, the Director of Gardening for Gardener's Supply. If you are familiar with the area you know that Gardeners Supply merged last year with Four Seasons Garden Center in Williston and the merger took two of the finest gardening companies in New England and shared their information and resources.

But anyway--the seminar. Other than the fact that I should have picked a seat up front so I could hear better and also the fact that those skimpy little fold-down lecture hall seats don't accept a maturing gardener with a bad back, the lecture was super. Kathy is one of the original Gardener's Supply founders so we're talking a long period of experience gardening in Vermont. If you get a chance to hear her speak sometime, it's worth the hour.

I was interested in the demographics of the company and how things had changed since it's inception. Originally the customers were mainly men aged 62 and over. Over time that has changed and although I didn't take notes I think the ratio went in favor of women like at 52%. The most important change to me was that age has decreased and there's an interesting split now with more favorable ratings in the area of the 30 year olds who want to get into gardening. That tells nursery owners like Gail and me that we have to gear our marketing and our seminars to younger customers who may be new to gardening. We are good at describing our customer profile but we are still in a slightly older profile with a higher concentration of women. You have to temper our review with the fact that we not only offer only perennials but we only offer specific perennials--hostas, daylilies, astilbes and shade plants so that concentrates the market some more.

The other point of interest was the fact that the first Gardener Supply gardeners were mainly interested in vegetables and that's where the original emphasis centered. That's not a surprise. As I have mentioned in earlier writings, the post WW II days gave constant reminder to the lean times of the Depression and the things that people sacrificed for the the war industry.

If you can think back 30 years, there was an abundance of greenhouses growing annuals and there were no box stores as we know them now. If you wanted annuals or vegetable starts or perennials you went to a farm stand or a greenhouse. That has all changed and GS experienced that change and responded to it.

So from the predominance of vegetables to the integration of perennials came the current trend that is different in several respects. From a nursery owners perspective, this is important to remember at all levels--not just the changing interest, not just the change from vegetables but the influence the advent of box stores had coupled with the American lifestyle and accompanying need for instant garden (and other) gratification.

The day's of six packs of plants has changed to garden centers offering large pots which give the impression a garden has been growing for some time. Now people want large plants, different plants, showy plants, low maintenance plants and they often want them right away. This whole lifestyle change lead to a company named Proven Winners which offers pots of perennials and shrubs in mature sizes. The same large pots easily transplant to containers as the container gardening market has really caught on too.

So where is this now? Lots of nursery owners including Gardener's Supply and even lowly producers like Gail and me ask the same question. Garden research is interesting and with a little luck I'll share some in the near future with you. In the interim, remember that from Gardener's Supply research there is an expected 19% increase in vegetable related sales en route for this year. That's obviously part of the recession, part of the "stay at home-save money-work on our landscape-produce some safe food" thinking. When we hear of all the groups trying to get a vegetable garden back on the White House lawn, the direction we're heading in becomes more obvious.

I have to say I enjoyed Kathy's presentation and I wish it was a web cast so you could see it/hear it too. She pointed out the importance of saying thank you to all customers as she received thank yous from the audience for help GS has done with the Master Gardener program. In a time when things are tough, it would be good for each of us to set some gardening goals that include growing vegetables to go with our expanding perennial gardens. And at the same time maybe we can think about growing some extra vegetables for a friend or helping start a community garden that others can share. If you want to see what the impact can be in terms of people power, try this link which comes from the Gardener Supply page. These are people's stories about their gardens. I enjoyed them and I think you will too. Oh yes, and thanks Kathy for a great presentation!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the birds want breakfast, "somebody" better bring in some more wood for the stove, and I should go find my old copy of Putting Food By.

Best garden wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Berry Nice Thoughts

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Thirteen degrees here on the mountain and a bit warmer than I had expected. The sky is overcast and there are clouds matching the outline of Peacham Pond. It's always odd to note the seasonal influence the pond, all 360 acres of it, has on the area. You might not think a body of water, frozen solid and held firm by winter, would be an influence but it holds temperature differently than the surrounding mountains and is enjoyable to watch.

The balance of the inhabitants here on Peacham Pond Road are having a snoring competition this morning. Karl the Wonder Dog is in second place and the other two are moving in and out of first. We went to bed late last night and apparently the deep REM sleep has just kicked in for the trio.

Alex found a DVD set of H.P. Lovecraft oriented horror films at Borders the other day. They are tame enough for Gail and I to watch. Actually they are about a newspaper writer/quasi investigator and they are quite entertaining from the perspective of a 1970's production. The part I like is each one is only 45 minutes long so I am not committed for too long. We have watched one a night for three nights (17 to go) and Alex is happy for the participation and we are happy to see him smiling. People on the autism spectrum have an remarkable set of interests, sometimes difficult to comprehend, sometimes compulsive in repetition. In this case we have struck a balance for everyone. Hopefully his growing interest in daylilies will follow the same direction.

So I am sitting here this morning thinking about making some pancakes and thoughts of fruit have turned to berries. Some gardeners are absolutely firm about their garden design and the thought of fruit or vegetables integrated with flowers just doesn't make it with them. That's fine but to me the integration adds a spot of interest. It may be that when I grew up in Vermont after WWII, there was a not-so-fine depression going on and any food was good food. By the late sixties there was a strong resurgence here in the "Have More Plan" concept of 1946 and in Burlington there was a neat store named Garden Way that promoted many of the grow-your-own, put-food-by lifestyles. Together, those thoughts helped build a gardening philosophy for me.

So as thoughts turn to what fruits to add to the morning pancakes, I'm encouraging you to think of what fruits or vegetables might fit nicely with your flower gardens and add some unadulterated produce from a known and trusted source to your table. We are big on blueberries here and have both the wild ones in adjacent fields and cultivated berries in the flower garden by the road. There are blackberries on the hillside by the house and wild blackberries and raspberries in the fields and along the woods roads. We compete with birds and bears for these fruits but there always seems to be enough for everyone.

Strawberries is a crop I cannot find time to plant-grow-harvest, plant-grow-harvest, but we sure go through a number of pounds here. In summer time the area CSA's and market growers have a good supply and it seems as if we know enough people who like to pick their own that baskets of berries show up unannounced. This summer a customer I never even saw before even shared a basket and a visit and made me pleased. Gardeners are like that.

I guess this morning I'm going to make a quick compote with blueberries and strawberries and add some apples to the pancakes. Should be a good mix and provide smiles at breakfast---
-----if the snoring competition comes to an end.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl the Wonder Dog wants to walk and the birds are looking for some sunflower seed.

Best wishes and good gardening thoughts on Sunday morning!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Lilies on Valentine's Day

Dizzy

Saturday, February 14, 2009

A peaceful morning here on the mountain. Eleven blue jays are enjoying a cracked corn feast as half a moon fades into slumber on one side of the house and the sun climbs up through the tamaracks and above Peacham Pond on the other side. It should be a nice day.

Valentine's Day is sometimes a dizzying event. Romance can do that to you. The Oriental lily featured above is named Dizzy and it is always an attention getter and its name always encourages interesting comments. We don't grow lilies for sale any more because of the insidious lily leaf beetle but lilies are sure to arrive in Valentine's Day arrangements and packages of cut flowers. It's sad to us that the beetle has knocked us out of that business as at one time we had the largest retail sales of potted lilies in Vermont and probably the largest number of varieties in New England. I've written about the lily beetle before so just plug "lily leaf beetle" into the search area up above and you'll get to know the problem.

Lilies make a great florist flower and in fact the hundreds of varieties available at florists every year is the result of the demand placed on the floral industry to come up with new and interesting color combinations each year. Most all lilies in major floral production are now grown in greenhouses with dozens of bulbs planted side by side in black plastic crates. The lilies are forced into beauty, cut and processed and then the spent bulbs are discarded and the process starts again. We would probably have problems throwing away bulbs but that's just how it works.

Here are a few pictures to think of on Valentine's Day. They are easy to grow but think through the beetle before you commit to trying some.

Lollypop

Kiss Proof

Dutch Red

Arena


Partner

Smokey Mountain


Red Claret


Red Canadence


Sorbet


Sphinx

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where backyard bird counts are about ready to begin. Click on the link and involved!


Sweet garden wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Bleeding Hearts and Valentine's Day

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Good morning from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the rain has picked up since I finished writing Valentine's Greetings a few minutes ago. Travel over to this page for the greeting: http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com/2009/02/vanlentines-greetings.html


Bleeding hearts are a popular flower with a long history in Vermont and New England. In spring they seem to save their underground energy through a few rainstorms and then with the first warm weather they grow almost non stop, changing leaf color from this picture to a nice blue green that accentuates the rows of pendant hearts. The entire family is said to be poisonous which means that troublesome woodchucks, rabbits and deer enjoy the color but not the plant. In today's world of garden critters doing flower garden damage, this is a welcome plant to grow.

For all the times that I have written about my appreciation for bleeding hearts, I don't think I gave advice to think about where you place one. As summer works into August here and Vermont receives a few days of heat, the foliage of Dicentra spectabilis yellows and fades. In warmer climates south of here, the foliage may fall apart sooner. This translates to a need to think through a good site so that you aren't left with a bare spot close to where garden visitors walk to view your gardens, access your home, etc. Good gardeners don't like to hear too many "What happened heres?"

In addition to the old fashioned bleeding heart, we have some fringed bleeding hearts--smaller plants, smaller foliage, different flower. They are available at the nursery or via our website. The new varieties will be posted by mid-March. If you have a particular interest, send us an inquiry.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail is leaving to work with Jerome the Florist in Barre for a couple days. She is a superb florist and they are mutually pleased to be able to work together at such a busy time.

Valentines wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Time To Plan

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Just got the fire going again in the wood stove and the coffee has finished. 4 degrees above this morning which is considerably warmer than the below zero that was predicted. I checked the weather maps for the possible storm on Tuesday but not much is showing yet. After spending 4 hours yesterday on the tractor moving snow around in the driveways, I can accept a break.

February has arrived. We are halfway through winter but this is the time when big storms can come and temporary thaws are often followed by cold blasts and more snow. Two years ago around Valentines Day we received three feet of snow over much of Vermont and 42" here on the mountain. That's not the way you want to see snow arrive!

As soon as we finish with tax preparation, we begin to go over our plans for spring. Orders have to be checked and rechecked against inventories and the questions have to be tracked down. I keep telling Gail I want to put all the inventory on a hand held for her but she is still one of those pencil and paper people for lots of things. That's probably why we can't tell if we do or don't have that nice little 12" mound shaped Aruncus aethesifolius. It's not too handy looking for plants in the garden this time of year even if they are in neat rows. 4-5-6 feet of snow on the ground here depending on where you are.

Sometimes the plant wholesalers that you use for buying in new items don't help a lot either. Yesterday we received an order confirmation for a hosta named 'Faithful Heart'. Gail and I did one of those mutual "Did you order this?" moves but the answer was no. Gail mumbled away about another thing to add to her list which meant she had to call the company and remind them we have some other nursery's order coming here. We'll keep the order if the company can spare it because it's a nice mini hosta, a sport of Hosta 'Cheatin' Heart'. Miniature hostas are always popular and this one works well as a border plant or in rock gardens.

Despite the usual business interruptions, this is a good time to finish your planning. If for some reason you're one of those people who think you should kick up your hobby garden to a small business, take a few snowless minutes and read Tony Avent's book So You Want To Start A Nursery. Then follow up with one I bought Gail for Christmas. It's not new but it is very good.
The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski, Chelsea Green Publishing, 1997, 2008, is a great resource, full of pictures, grower bios and some nice business profiles from around the country. Between the two books, you can get a good sense of the business side of taking your hobby one step further and in either case the lessons that are offered apply to most businesses.

If your planning at this point is only for your personal gardens, catalogs and the Internet should get you where you want to be. In the daylily world in the 70's, a number of small daylilies were released with the prefix "little". Many of these plants were in the 16"-18" range and most had high bud counts. Here are four I have always liked that you might find space for.

Little Missy

Little Skipper

Little Bumblebee

Little Pumpkin Face

Regardless of where you live, this is the time for a little planning. If you are a vegetable or a wanna be vegetable gardener for 2009, plan early and get your seed purchases made early. Last year most seed suppliers set records selling out earlier than ever before. There's no doubt that with today's economy, we will see more gardeners than ever. Great gardens benefit from good planning. Give it a try!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where we are already up to 9 degrees and the birds are looking for breakfast. Have to get going here!


Good garden thoughts from The Vermont Gardener!

George Africa
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Presidential Concerns

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Ten degrees above zero here on the mountain and a growing wind blows small birds sideways as they land on the feeders. Flocks of evening grosbeaks and blue jays swap back and forth on the platform feeder, trying to maintain dominance which is short lived. Birds have a self defense mechanism that triggers when there's movement close by--all birds that is but mourning doves which seem to have steadfast courage not to fly until the last end. Last week I almost put the truck in the ditch waiting until the last minute for a small flock of sand eating doves to move out of the road. They flew and none got nailed but it was a last minute affair. I tried out a few expletives as I continued on.

Been very busy lately and can't get everything done that needs doing. My hand is coming along nicely thank you. I tried it out snow shoveling the roof yesterday. I brought that event to an incomplete conclusion when I got four feet around the edge shoveled off. My hand was hurting and I have been well advised to go slowly. I left the rest of the snow on Gail's mother's place for another day. At least now the icicles won't grow.

I don't know how many of you do your own websites but I'm sure you're tired of me mentioning ours. You'll probably enjoy it when it's done but boy does it take time. To complicate things Gail has the house laid out with IRS materials and I am about ready to start the taxes. Taxes are not my favorite sport and it's amazing to me that I have to spend so much time getting things ready to give to an accountant who charges too much to finish the deal. Where did that presidential candidate go who said he would get rid of the IRS?

Yesterday as I listened to the news, I chuckled as a new stop-the-war president approved a drone in Pakistan and got hammered for not having enough women in his cabinet. Of the two subjects, the one that made me stop for a minute involved the female critics. Not enough women in the cabinet I guess. To insure that none of you criticize the management at Vermont Flower Farm I want you all to know that this is a 50-50 management "group" and it involves Gail and me. That's one woman and one man. There may be slightly more women than men in the world but our management ratio is staying the way it is. Now the staff ratio is a different thing. In the spring there are an average of 7 women and 4 men getting us through planting time. That means 64% women and 36% men. That should satisfy folks I think. When we get into the business end when customers prevail, a typical day has Gail and some combination of Michelle, Austin and maybe one other woman. Again, this should satisfy any critics out there that we try at VFF to be gender considerate. I'm open to comments but we do try!

As snow deepens here on the mountain, give some thought to your gardens, now blanketed under tons of white stuff. Daylilies are a very good flower for the Vermont climate. Gail and I enjoy the older varieties and refuse to pay $150-$250 for some new to the market variety. Up top is one of Gail's favorites, Indian Paintbrush, named after the wildflower that predominates out west but grows here in Vermont too. Immediately below here is Island Sand Dollar and Hush Little Baby. None of these are expensive, they all preform very well and in three years from planting you'll receive compliments that will make your day. With +61,000 registered daylilies on the market now, you have plenty to choose from. Give them some thought and stop by this summer to walk the fields and see what we have.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where ice fisherman sit in shanties drinking different beverages and peering out windows waiting for small flags to pop up on their tip ups, perhaps signaling a trophy brown trout, perhaps a hungry nuisance perch.

Be well!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm: Our old but functional website that will be replaced in February

Seeds of Change

Monday, January 19, 2008

20 degrees warm here on the mountain and that's a fine change for what has been a colder than normal week. Three mornings were close to or colder than minus 20 so there's been quite a temperature spread. I just came home from White River and Hanover about an hour ago and there was snow all the way. There was also a little black ice here and there on the interstate that made things inter-state-esting. Right now large fluffy flakes drift by the millions bringing reality to the fact that Snowflake Bentley photographed over 5000 snowflakes that he said were all different. Next time you're out with the kids take a good hand magnifier and start counting!


Gardeners are writing regularly on their blogs now about the number of gardening and seed catalogs they are receiving. Something like 95% of all published catalogs, even in good times, get dumped unread. Part of the moral here is that if you like forests as we do, look on-line more and order that way too. Admittedly there is something nice about a stack of new catalogs to thumb through but we all have to be more cognizant of what we are doing with our resources.

Because of my membership with the Garden Writers Association I received some promotional pictures from Park Seed Company. The first pictures came on a CD of specially selected seeds for 2009 as judged by a seed overview group. That's what caught my eye and prompted me to write to Park Seed and ask for some pictures to use in my blogs. Parks has been around a long time, they understand customer service, and they responded immediately. Here goes!

That's a Cauliflower named Graffiti up top with a brilliant purple look, followed down below by three different tomatoes including Tomatoberry, Kellog's Beefsteak, and Chocolate Cherry. There's also an acorn-like small squash named Honey Bear at the end. I can envision the tomatoes sliced thin in a nice vinegar-mint dressing and the Honey Bears cut in half and filled with maple syrup, butter and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Baked squash can't be beat!







Last year I grew just a few vegetables but a few seeds made for lots of vegetables which found their way to the local food shelf and the senior citizens weekly meals program. I never personally met a single person who got any of the fresh produce but I did get reports that it was gone lickety split on pick up days. This is why I'm thinking about more vegetables this year so we can have a little more variety and we can send more food to those who need some help. These Park Seed varieties are new to the market and look interesting.

As you plan your gardens and make seed purchases, think through how many seeds you need for the size of your garden. If you have extra seed and a little spare space, think about growing a little extra produce to leave off at your food shelf. If that doesn't work for you, I guarantee you don't have to look too far down your street to find someone who would appreciate what you don't need. Fresh vegetables can't be beat. Seeds can create change and can help us rebuild relationships the way I remember them in the early fifties. Friends cared about neighbors and looked out for old folks. "Thank yous" were commonly heard. Wouldn't be too hard to get back to that point would it?

Today's miles have caught up with me for sure. I'm tired but I keep wondering what those Chocolate Cherry tomatoes taste like. Give this seed thing some thought and maybe you can help make a little change in someone's summer menu!

Winter garden greetings from the mountain above Peacham Pond. Karl the Wonder Dog is snoring on the rug by the stove. I'm thinking about some maple nut ice cream topped with two ounces of light amber maple syrup from Gadapes Sugar House in Danville. Then I'll be snoring too!

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Very Cold Thoughts

Thursday, December 15, 2009

Good morning from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the wind is calm and the thermometer registers 19.8 below zero, and slowly drops lower as the sun contemplates rising. Karl the Wonder Dog just made a Superman-like, "faster than the speed of light" trip outside and back and neither of us debated the decision.

I've been busy at work, had a carpal tunnel repair job on my left wrist, and here at the house I have been working on our new website. I'm down to resizing hundred of pictures and that takes time just to get organized. I have always said I am not a "New Years Resolution" person but one thing that has to change this year is when I take pictures, they have to get sorted, labeled and stored in proper files and folders. I am spending too much time trying to find what I know I have and it's all my fault.

I belong to the Garden Writers Association and with that membership comes product information from many plant and supply companies. The DVDs are interesting and most work so after you get excited you really can see what is available. I planned to show you the latest poinsettias before the holidays and the DVD I received was messed up. I called for another and half of it was missing so I gave up on that one. By next year there will be more varieties of this fine holiday flower as a great deal of hybridizing work is being done on color and style. I'll try again!

Before I head out the door this morning, here are a few selections to think about. Nothing super but everything has a place. Gaillardia Arizona Sun is up top.Change is good in the garden too!

Vinca Pacifica Burgundy

Osteospermum Asti White

And finally, a new pepper named 'Carmen' . Hot thoughts on a very cold day!

Be well, keep warm and remember your pets and animals. It's cold out there!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

Winter Work

Friday, December 26, 2008

Morning marches on here as the early red sky that reminded of bad weather has cleared to brighter sunlight making shadows form through the balsam woods. It's an unusual morning here and the birds and squirrels know of an impending storm. The blue jays number 11 on the platform feeder and they only leave their breakfast meal when myriads of evening grosbeaks gang up on them and cover the feeder and the ground. Blue jays are fascinating birds as they pack 23-24-25-26 sunflower seeds in their crop before flying away. That gives the other birds time to clean up all the seeds they have scattered about wastefully.

Black oil sunflower is the seed we have always used here. Grey stripe was my preferred seed for years but it became more and more expensive and then less available. Black oil now costs slightly more than $20 for 50 pounds. I use coarse cracked corn too which is rising to almost $9 for 50 pounds. The ground feeders like that and it seems to make the sunflower go further.

I have a pile of boards left over from summer construction of our new building. These will give plenty of opportunity for new bird houses. I prefer to recycle old boards like I did with the triple decker house above. The decorative boards on top of each entry hole were actually shingles from an old camp on the Lanesboro Road. The shingles were cut the way you see and I simply cut off the bottom and nailed them on.

As stormy days approach, making bird houses is a great project for kids or adults. A study of the birds in your area and their housing requirements is a good place to start. Be sure to read up on where your favorite birds live as a nice new house in the wrong place won't do too much for you.

Have to get going here. Need more wood for the fire and I have to shovel to the back shed. I'm still trying to find one 20 foot piece of tow chain to have ready if the rain storm that is coming turns icy again.

Best holiday wishes!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Short Thoughts, Short?Bread

Thursday, December 4, 2008

A long day today that started at about 4 AM and is drawing to a forced close. My shoulder blades feel like there's something large on them, partly I think because as I was coming up the steps tonight, the recent corn snow had slicked things up. I instantly found that I am not good at splits with armfuls of groceries. No dozen eggs tonight, so other than my aches.... nothing broken.... all is well.

See if you can visualize this non-garden encounter I had when I returned home. I made it up the steps with pieces of brown paper bag in one hand and an unscathed bag of groceries in the other. All the way home I was listening to a news program which was detailing how bad the drug scene is in Vermont, Oxy this and Percocet that. So I opened the door and there in front of me, passing a bottle of vanilla back and forth between them, are Gail and Alex. I asked the obvious "What is this all about?" to which I received a non answer and heard another "That is so nice." Great, now I have to add vanilla sniffers to my list of life burdens.

As I pushed the groceries onto the counter, Gail said that she and Alex were preparing to make shortbread and they just got to the vanilla part. Remember now that we are home schoolers at our house and Alex has some quirky Aspergers traits but cooking is a favorite pursuit he enjoys and we do too. I had forgotten that I had asked Gail about shortbread after reading a couple weeks back that Ann Zuccardy of the Vermont Shortbread Company (has a blog too) was thinking about selling twelve years of work. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want to buy a shortbread company (and Ann's is a great one!!) but I did want to see how the recipe from the cookbook King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion turned out. This is a great cookbook by theKing Arthur Flour folks from Norwich, Vermont, a place that should be on everyones "Go Visit" List.

So-o-o-o-o as I recovered from the case of the fallen groceries, Alex and Gail proceeded with the recipe and in time the shortbread was in the oven and Karl the Wonder Dog and I were thinking about sharing some. As we waited, I looked over the recipe again. Although I have eaten shortbread in various shapes, it is traditionally round and that's how the cookbook directs you.

In time the baking was done and Alex flipped the bread out on the board. The fork print design for some reason wasn't deep enough to show through nicely but for a first attempt at an untried recipe, it was great. The recipe makes two pans and one was gone before I could get a picture of the other. I recommend the cookbook, the store in Norwich and Vermont Shortbread Company.
Try them all!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is 29, snow is falling and the wind is howling as the front moves along. If you like history, try Wikipedia for King Arthur Flour and trace K.A.F. from 1790 in Boston to where it is today. Nice story, good company.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Business Insurance

Sunday, November 23, 2008

A cold morning here on the mountain, so cold in fact that I think it's January, not November. The seven degrees above zero is not the bad part, it's the wind which cuts through untempered skin that just a week ago experienced +60 degrees for two days. It will come to pass but for the next few days through Thanksgiving, we will experience more light snow, wind and cold. I already am missing the long morning walks with Karl the Wonder Dog but even he says the wood stove is too comfortable to trade for anything.

Back when I started this blog I said I would try to offer some insight into building and growing a business. Some of what I offer needs personal interpretation, like how I build a new shade garden, but some guidance like putting up shade houses or where to buy them in New England is more clear. Like it or not, one aspect of business that always needs attention is insurance.

There are a few things in life that I don't care for all that much. Some are controversial and not good on a blog and insurance is close to the perimeter of such a discussion. It's one of those things that you just plain have to maintain in today's world. It comes up any time you apply for bank loans and you get reminded each year at tax time if you have a good accountant. But before the insurance discussion, a reminder about what you call your business in the world of taxes and insurance.

Years back we ran Vermont Flower Farm as a hobby at home and then it actually became a real business. Originally we were a sole proprietorship but as time passed, our assets and our customer base grew to the point that we kept looking at the value of our personal assets and our business assets. We had never had any problem with customers or staff but you always heard that "fall down and break a leg" discussion. Our business had grown to a longer season and our gardens placed customers in different places on our property.

Some visitors had to walk down the dirt road to access the lower hosta garden, some walked through a bumpy woods path to the peonies and daylily nurseries out back and others just plain pulled little red coaster wagons through the paths and picked up black plastic pots of various perennials. Probably the scariest day in our history to that point was the day a psychiatrist sent his patient to our place (unannounced by all of course!) to view nice flowers (a positive I was told) and come in close proximity with insects (a negative I was told) which she was paranoid about. The blood curdling screams of that exercise in absolute stupidity will never leave my recall, not even this morning at seven degrees, white and blustery. The woman was not hurt physically but her paranoia was challenged big time and as she ran through the gardens, arms flailing, I had no idea how/if she had been injured.

Sometimes it takes little things like this to make you bump yourself to the next level and we immediately moved to a commercial business policy and also moved from a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company. The latter separates personal and business assets and in today's world that's where we should have been in the first place. An LLC doesn't insure that if you are sued you'll be safe, it offers a little more assurance that your bed will still be there at night and the fridge will still run, even if empty of food.

As businesses grow, staff additions sometimes occur and as we moved away from bartering with people and part time laborers, it was clear that workers compensation insurance had to be added to our list of insurances. In Vermont when you first start with workers comp, your business may have some history but not on record with an insurance company so you begin with the assigned risk group. Your agent searches for companies interested in insuring your business and you make a decision on the "takers". Depending on the business, there may be few interested companies and the premiums may shake you up. A roofer, carpenter, electrician, heavy equipment operator all pay startling premiums and those are reflected in the wages they receive.

Part of Vermont's regulation is that as soon as you enter the assigned risk pool which is state mandated, your name is made available to other registered agents. This insures that employees who might have been placed in an incorrect risk group can be properly assessed. So as the close of your first year in the assigned risk pool nears, you begin to hear from companies who are interested in bidding on your coverage.

I have always been driven to keep paperwork at a minimum and have had the same insurance company since 1983. House, business, two cars, at one time a lake property--all under one umbrella. Workers comp was the first insurance to disrupt this convenience and I learned a lot about the change. When I rebid the entire package, one company said they would save me almost $200 per year but there was a caveat. They proposed coverage through 4 different companies which they said they would maintain annually. I just couldn't buy it because in my mind I was and am comforted in the knowledge that I know who I am calling if a have a question and my rates of combined insurances are about as good at they will get.

So the only message I can offer on a cold morning and after two cups of coffee is to research your insurance needs well, make a list of questions and get the answers from of variety of interested companies. Consider deductibles and replacement values and loss of use of buildings or machinery, think through vandalism and theft, natural disaster and your customer experience to date. If you are an organic operation, consider outside influences that might rob you of that classification. I once knew a family who had an organic operation and a plane flew close by spraying an adjacent orchard. The over spray hit their farm and you can imagine the rest.

None of this is difficult, all is a bit of a chore but it all has to happen. Since businesses are for the future, they factually do have a life, and since good business people should have a plan for what they will do with their business when they don't want it any longer, insurance is a big part of this. If you have insurance questions, I cannot be helpful other than to say do not postpone the responsibility, some of which you are legally obligated to maintain.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun is shaking off a cold start and the blue jays are using their beaks to knock the snow off the feeder to find breakfast.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Heartwood Time

Saturday, Novemeber 15, 2008

A busy morning here on the mountain, not "us" being busy but being surrounded by the commotion generated by the opening day of rifle deer season in Vermont. Headlights break the darkness, traveling in all directions as hunters head for deer camps, favorite "stands" or agreed upon meeting places. Karl the Wonder Dog began his security watch around 4 AM and within half an hour I was up and around, wanting just a little more sleep but knowing it was a hopeless wish with so much uninvited company.

Karl and I had hardly stepped off the walkway to the lawn and he came to attention with a mean growl that sounded like a "STOP, Who Goes There?" to me. Close by, in the damp, thick air of the 52 degree morning, I felt the presence of a big bodied animal not far from us. First I thought it was a moose but as it moved away, there was no sound of hooves in the damp soil. I quickly passed over 'paranormal' and concluded that Mrs Bear and the cubs were passing through again. As long as she is moving away from me I am fine with that but having a protection unit at the end of the leash can be troublesome depending on how the bear interprets relationships. This morning all went well and we got back to the house safely.

Yesterday morning as I stopped at Tim's Mobil for my daily morning paper and extra large Green Mountain Coffee , someone I had never seen before asked "Blog don't work?" as he never stopped walking towards the sleepy cashier. "What's that?", I queried as other coffee pourers stopped filling cups to catch the answer. "You're not writin" much now. Sick?" It still didn't register who this man was but I could tell by his dress that he was a logger and the conversation proved that even some loggers are gardeners....or read gardening blogs.

It might have been difficult to figure through his oiled chain saw chaps and ragged sweatshirt, but the smile through a pile of third day growth whiskers made it clear he missed the blog. I topped off my coffee and walked up to him as he almost swallowed whole the first of 6 Eddie's jelly donuts. "I've been cleaning up for the season and the new nursery is taking more time than I thought." "I figured that." he replied "See you out there every night and don't know when you sleep. Get some writing done cuz we miss it." I told him that I appreciated his comments and I'd get back on target soon.

If you follow garden blogs, there's always a time when there's a noticeable absence. Everyone has some chores which take a bit longer than usual and priorities are a must. For me, it's been splitting wood for the next season or two as I like to be at least a year ahead. That insures that we have dry would to burn and even if something happens to me that interrupts my schedule, the house will be warm and worries about creosote in the chimney won't exist.

In a few minutes I have to get going on the wood pile that if half and half, ash and beech. I dislike cutting either of these trees as they are on my list of favorites. Unfortunately both have major problems and they are dying out around here. The ash is bothered by the emerald ash borer, a beetle that has been here for 6 years now. That number is in conflict with what all the state and federal tree people say but I identified the problem here while they were denying it existed.

With the beech, there has been a serious decline that started in Vermont in the early 60's. The problem involves Nectria fungus and the beech scale insect which in conjunction are known as Beech Bark Disease. The smooth beech barks become pock marked and the heartwood begins to get pulpy as the tree quickly dies. In short order the tree is worthless for lumber or even firewood and the result is great economic significance to an important resource. I cut this very high BTU wood when I see signs of bad health. I don't like to but it's better to use the resource than it have it fall into useless piles.

Before it rains today I want to wash off the brush hog and the tiller and get them covered for the winter. There's a still a ton of empty pots stacked here and there and residual debris from a short but successful summer on Route 2. Better get going as rain shows strong on the radar and the temperature will fall as will snow by morning.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where two shots just broke the morning silence. Deer hunting is a big economic event in Vermont.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Japanese Beetles

Friday, October 31, 2008

It was apparently a quiet night here on the mountain. Apparently. A beautiful starlit night, motionless air and 16 crisp degrees suggesting the distinct possibility that the prediction for a +50 degree, snow-melting day would occur. That apparition dissolved about 4 am when Karl the Wonder Dog, premise protector extraordinaire, life buddy, home security chief, flew out of slumber like one of those vertical take off jets, ending a dream I'll never get back to. As I left the dream, I thought I heard someone at the back door so I stumbled in that direction, ungratefully cursing while simultaneously begging Karl to calm before three zombies were fully awake and bouncing off the walls for the balance of the night.

When I got to my office and flipped on the outside perimeter light, the tracks in the snow below the window made the problem obvious. I got dressed and leashed up Karl and we headed outside. The sow bear and two cubs had been standing on the back steps getting ready for one of those Goldilocks maneuvers as they went from place to place in the yard, turning over stacked plant crates and five gallon buckets looking for breakfast.

Karl is a strange security officer for sure. He stops abruptly and snorts hard like a musk ox or a pawing bull but one always wonders what he'd do if large, physical danger approached. I knew that the bears had heard his noise long before I pulled on my boots so the only fear I had was how I'd make it through the rest of the day without enough sleep.

We circled the yard and tracks were everywhere. Two days ago I had spread a little cracked corn on a platform bird feeder and then the rain came and the birds left. That provided sufficient smell that the bears bent over the steel pole and licked off the little corn that remained. Once again my eagerness to enjoy birds out my office window disrupted my sleep. I know better than to do this but I messed up again. In a forgiving way, I was thankful that Karl's auditory perception was so clear. When he finished pulling me around the yard, we returned to the house and he was fast asleep almost before I got my boots off.


Something that is really more troublesome to me than bears is Japanese beetles. A month ago I wanted to mention beetle control as I have that one figured out. I've written about this before and I guess that's a sign of how important I think it is to get control of this beetle. There's plenty of information on the Internet about how the beetle got to America but less obvious info about milky spore. I swear by this bacteria and suggest that you do some quick research and consider it. If your soil temperature is already below 50 degrees, it's too late to apply this year but just the same you can get prepared for next spring. Several companies manufacture it but here's an example of what I purchase from the garden section in Vermont box stores. It's about $25 to cover 2500 square feet. Give it some thought, it really works!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the stars switch has been turned off for the night and I have to get to work!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Shade Garden Construction Continues

Saturday, October 25, 2008

A quiet morning here on the mountain. 37 degrees which is the warmest in a few days. A front is approaching with rain by noon and heavy rain by tonight. Predictions are from 1 to 3 inches by midnight tonight so there's lots to do this morning to stretch the day as far as possible.

I took off most of yesterday from my regular job to work on the new shade garden. This is a big project which Gail had her doubts about me completing, actually even starting, this fall. Good gardeners have goals and one of mine was to get the designated area cleaned up and rototilled for next spring. This had to match the declining night time temperatures and my need to get the tractor home and get next year's wood supply out of the woods before the snow comes. As of this morning, the project has a bunch left but is on target to be completed. It was "close" a couple days this week because night temperatures in the low twenties froze things solid and thaw didn't occur until late afternoon. This is a characteristic of this portion of our new land. It lays in a hollow, bordered in the back by the Winooski River for some warmth but low enough otherwise to frost up first when other areas are warmer.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our hosta collection is not big by collectors standards but hidden away here on the hill are over 400 varieties. We actually have more but unlike some gardeners we don't maintain an Excel spreadsheet with everything in the collection. If we grow for sale, we know what we have for stock but probably half what we grow has not been put into sales yet. The only excuses for that is developing salable numbers or finding the time.

This new garden intends to recreate the shade garden in the old barn foundation here on the hill. For many people, no matter how nice it is, it won't be the same. I agree, but also guarantee that in a couple years, the garden will be a destination for those interested in shade plants including hostas.

The soil at this site is alluvial clay washed there annually for years as the spring river flow went over the bank and covered the area several feet deep. There's not a rock, not a pebble to be found. Just before we came to Marshfield in 1989 the river was reconstructed a bit and the spring flows began going where they should. This summer's rain was a good test to how much water that river can hold and save for debris damming it up, we have no worries.

Riverbanks are notorious for their collection of weeds and shrubs. They contain wide samplings of about every plant that lies upstream from the point you are working on. In this part of Vermont you can be assured that you'll find wild hops growing up the alders, Joe Pye Weed, Jewelweed, Forget-Me-Nots, Ground Ivy, Vetch, Burdock,Canada Thistle, and Japanese Knotweed in abundance. There are tons of matted Goldenrod woven into a terrible mess with a variety of 5-6 foot tall grasses. On any perimeter where there is a little sun, poison ivy is guaranteed and smattered here are there are wildflowers, in this case trilliums, Lilium canadense, Purple Fringed Orchids, Red and also White Baneberries. The mix creates a challenge for the gardener as members of this offering belong to the "Wish I Never Saw You" Collection.

As of last night I am down to two truckloads of top growth to load up and bring back here. I'm filling in a couple areas in a back field here so I can get the material off the nursery land and put it to use. I have now rototilled all the new areas over a dozen times and with each till I am getting a little deeper into any remaining root systems I missed earlier. The three yellow "x's" mark large groups of Spotted Joe Pye Weed which I have left for their height and shade. The large yellow spot is a wet area which will be dug out a bit next year. I have lots of left over clay piled up and the plan is to dig out the wet area and drop in some loose clay so hold the water in that area better when it rains. Earlier this week there was one night of rain and I can't work that end again this year because it is saturated. My plan is to surround that area with various Ligularias, Rodgersias, Astilboides tabularis and similar plants that are large leaved and like their feet wet. Then I'll add giant swaths of various astilbes. Each tree will be surrounded by swaths of the same hosta and somewhere, yet to be determined, will be a network of stone paths.

If you look at the picture with a little imagination you can see a slight definition above the truck and tractor that represents an old road. It comes down behind the tree line and is more noticeable on the right side of the picture above the pond location. I have already cleared this and tilled it. It is directly in front of the fence and now represents an elevated walkway. My plan is to have a stone path come down the perimeter from the right of the picture and then extend across through the trees so visitors can view the gardens from above. I'll probably need a bridge of sorts to keep people out of the seasonal muck that predominates above the pond location but for next year that may be a couple elevated 2 X 12's.

Next spring after the summer planting is done, I'll go through this whole piece, free it of weed plants I have missed, rototill it again and then begin planting. The soil is so good that I really think the plants will catch on quickly. It is a work in progress no different than the foundation garden we have left behind. If you travel Route 2, glance down the bank and you'll see a garden that will be worth stopping to visit!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the only noise this morning is my stomach suggesting breakfast is in order, two cups of coffee doesn't cut it!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

October Skies

Monday, October 20, 2008

I woke up early this morning with pins and needles carpal tunnel hand and a hope that the day would be kind to me. Karl the Wonder Dog sat up and whimpered which is his cue for going outside. He knows that on Mondays I start a week of different behavior but he didn't care this morning as he wanted to go out. I think he slept through the part of the Red Sox game just before I gave up last night and neither of us made the last call of the night.

I got dressed quickly and headed for the back door. Karl was obviously more awake than me as he already wanted to play a "try to catch me" game which didn't really tickle me all that early in the morning. I latched onto him and snapped on the leash with a couple non- dog expletives and away we went into the cold.

This time of year caution is the word on the first step. That's when you find out how thick the frost is and whether you will dance to the ground or not. Karl was away after some scent before I could get organized and before I knew it I was looking at a star-filled sky and a large meteor plummeting down. I must love that dog for what I go through.

Forty minutes later I was out the door and heading to Waterbury to work. Tired, lame and too cranky to pick up the pot of Aster 'October Skies' that I had knocked off the steps. Asters are a great fall plant, a good grower and an easy plant for color no matter how cold it gets. I almost like its color in contrast to the reds and yellows of the maple leaves and the bright yellows of tamarack needles. But for today, it was off to work, enjoying what was to become a gray clouded day with little warmth until after 4 PM.

Hope your fall days are going well and that you have had a chance to plant some spring bulbs. If the Farmers Almanac is correct again, spring bulbs and color will be in order when Vermont welcomes in May 2009.

Good gardening wishes from a tired gardener,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm