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!

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