Home and Garden Corner

It’s still winter here in southwestern Wyoming. But, no matter. Hope springs eternal and, with that in mind, gardening is in the air. Yuk! enough with the cliches! Finding the right perennial for our climate is always a challenge. We are somewhere between zones 4 and 5. And yet, our yards have micro-climates that sometimes allow us to grow plants that wouldn’t ordinarily grow in either zone. The two books listed below talk about perennials that look good together and can survive in a range of zones. Sweetwater County Library has added these books to its collection.

Rodale has expanded and updated Perennial Combinations: Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right From the Start by C.Colston Burrell, 1999 and 2008. Chapters have headings such as ‘Combinations by Color’, Combinations for All Seasons’, and Combinations on the Wild Side’. Within the chapters information is broken down into seasons, soil types, garden types and so on. Each grouping has a color photo with a photo key. Additional information includes growing zones and much more. Burrell has included garden plans with plant lists and diagrams.

The second book is The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer: the Essential Guide to Creating Simply Sensational Gardens by Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra, Story Publishing, 2005. It is very similar in content as Perennial Combinations but more expansive in detail and explanations. It is especially good with helping you to get started by discussing design considerations (budget, your style, maintenance, etc.). The appendices include a USDA Hardiness Zone Map, extensive planning chart that show each plants light requirements, soil (moisture needs), bloom season and foliage color, some recommended reading and a good index.

I wish I had had these books when I started planning my yard four years ago. They would have taken so much of the guess work out the equation. But, there’s still time and I plan to purchase at least one of them to have on hand at home.

A third gardening book I would like to share with you is A Child’s Garden : 60 Ideas to Make Any Garden Come Alive for Children by Molly Dannenmaier, Timber Press, 1998. While this is an older title it is timeless. It is mostly what I would call a picture book. The pages are full of color photos that show everything from hiding places, whimsical figures, game areas, play areas, high places, plants guaranteed to delight children, and resting places. Most of these gardens were designed with children in mind to teach them as well as for their enjoyment. It is a fun book to just page through. You may even be tempted to design a child’s garden yourself.

Making & Installing Handmade Tiles. Angelica Pozo. Lark Books, 2004. ISBN: 9781579905255.
This is a recent purchase for my library that I am absolutely in love with. It is an exciting book both in its content and concept. It makes me want to go right out to buy a kiln, slab roller and all the accessories, tools, clay and glazes to go along with them. Angelica Pozo does a wonderful job of presenting tile making from beginning to end. She includes colorful photos of everything that is needed to create your own tiles, insets about specific aspects (i.e. ceramic absorption test, tile styles) of tile making, charts for cone temperatures, clay types, kiln colors and firing stages and others. Her colorful photos of tiles in all stages of development even show them in the setting they were created for. Also included is a list of gallery artists and a glossary.

Treehouses & Playhouses You can Build. David and Jeanie Stiles. Gibbs Smith, Publishers, 2006. ISBN: 9781586857806

Wow! These don’t look like any treehouse I ever built. The treehouses in this book are more like mini-cabins. Well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but see for yourself. The Stiles have shown us that a treehouse can be a work of art and be functional, too. They are well designed and colorful. This is a do-it-yourself handbook with all that that entails. There are step-by-step instructions for building the treehouse/playhouse, rope ladders, bridges, decking and more. They include designs, measurements, lists of supplies, wood, tools, and hardware needed. Also included are ways to stabilize and secure the house to the tree(s). If you want to make your child (or grandchild) happy get a copy of this book. Happy building.

 Sweetwater County Library has added 3 titles from the Black & Decker Complete Guide series. The Complete Guide to Landscape Construction: 60 Step-by-step Projects for Completing a Perfect Landscape is exactly that. With color photos guiding you every step of the way, you can’t miss. The publishers suggest two good reasons for doing it yourself; saving money and personal satisfaction. There are charts that show you everything from choosing the right grass seed to selecting the right tools to figuring quantities needed. You will learn how to build fences, lay paving stones, install a water system and wire your landscape with outdoor circuits. Yes, you can do it! Remember. This book is a ‘guide’ designed to get you where you want to go.

The second book, Flooring 101: 25 Projects You Really Can do Yourself By Matthew Paymar, and the third, The Complete Guide to Dream Kitchens continue to provide the excellent information that Black & Decker is noted for. You will find everything you need to know to do your own floors and design and complete your dream kitchen. Again, color photos guide you through each phase of your project. Tools, supplies, charts and lists are scattered throughout. All books have comprehensive indexes.

One of the really nice features of gardening magazines is their tips section, did you know? columns, etc. I learn a lot from them. Garden Gate Magazine was kind enough to let me add this to my blog.

Did you know?

Get dirty, be happy
Gardeners know how important soil is to plants, but studies are now finding out that it’s good for people, too. Researchers at Bristol University and University college London discovered that the soil bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae helps elevate your mood. Originally used to treat cancer patients’ pain, scientists found the bacterium also increased feelings of well-being. Studies with mice found that M. vaccae affects the brain in a similar way to anti-depressants. So get out in the garden and get dirty – it’s good for you.

Where have all the honeybees gone?
Honeybees pollinate more than 130 agricultural food crops, as well as your back yard tomatoes and peppers. Unfortunately, these busy pollinators have been disappearing at an alarming rate since the fall of 2006, and no one knows exactly why. Dubbed “Colony Collapse Disorder,” this mysterious phenomenon has affected bees in the United States, Canada, Europe and South America. Recently scientists identified a virus originally found in Israel in the affected bees. But it’s too soon to be sure that’s the cause. Other suspects include a new disease, pest or pesticide. It could even be stress weakening the bees’ immune systems. How can you help? Use pesticides as little as possible and grow nectar-rich plants, such as hollyhock (Alcea spp.), catmint (Nepeta spp.), phlox (Phlox spp.) and sedum (Sedum spp.), to keep your bees well fed.

Copyright, Garden Gate magazine, www.GardenGateMagazine.com.

I’ve known for years that nurturing our insect community is a good thing, but unless the bugs in question are butterflies or ladybugs I tend not pursue ways to improve my surroundings. However, this book has me looking at the insect community with new eyes. Man has destroyed many natural habitats and food sources that insects need for survival. Their survival is intricately connected to the survival of other insect, bird and animal species and, in some instances, plant life itself. In short, we need many of these insects and should try to create environments that will ensure their survival. I’ll get off my bandwagon, now, and let you read for yourself.

Bringing Nature Home: How native plants sustain wildlife in our gardens. Douglas W. Tallamy. Timber Press, 2007.

Tallamy includes chapters about the vital role of the suburban garden, biodiversity, creating balanced communities and why insects can’t eat alien plants. There are many beautiful color photographs showing insects in their larval and adult stages as well as the plants they need to survive. Some plants and insects that are necessary for a healthy, biodiversified environment, some can be dangerous. Tallamy explains what to watch for. Appendix 1 lists native plants and wildlife value by region. Appendix 2 charts the butterflies and moths and their host plants. The appendices are followed by an extensive reference list and index. If you are interested in restoring native plants to your area and improving the natural environment this book can help you make the right choices.

HAZELNUT RESEARCH

As the world looks for ways to feed a growing population and also to conserve energy, the research surrounding hazelnuts is beginning to gain momentum.

At Arbor Day Farm, the research work goes on developing disease-resistant, hardy hazelnut bushes. With help from scientists at Badgersett Research Farm in Minnesota, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and Rutgers University, dozens of most promising varieties of hazelnuts have narrowed down to the ten best producers. These will be used as the Foundation continues to promote the concept of woody agriculture as an improved method of land stewardship and a way to help fight global warming.

Woody plants are three times more effective at capturing solar energy than annual plants. This “photosynthetic efficiency” means woody plants used on a large scale could reverse increases in carbon dioxide…and its effect on global warning itself.

Arbor Day hazelnuts are hardy shrubs resulting from years of research and crossbreeding of Amerjcan, beaked and European hazels that flourish in a wide range of soils from hardiness zones 3-9.

Bushes will begin producing within 4-5 years and once established will yield up to 7-10 pounds of nuts every year.

For more details if you would like to participate in this testing project visit http://www.arborday.org/hazelnuts.

Excerpts on hazelnut research were taken from the January/February 2008 issue of Arbor Day and from www.arborday.org with permission from the Arbor Day Foundation.

I know, I know! For us Wyomingites it doesn’t look promising for spring–especially with more snow in the forecast. Have faith. It will come. In the meantime here are a few books to help get those creative spring juices flowing.

Design Ideas for Home Decorating. Heidi Tyline King. Creative Homeowner, 2006. ISBN: 9781580113137

“Design Ideas…offers hundreds of inspirational ideas and down-to-earth advice for creating a comfortable, attractive home.” There are over 500 color photos, advice for using color, choosing and arranging furniture, selecting wall, window, and floor treatments, etc. There is something for every room and budget. Included is a resource guide of manufacturers and consumer associations.

Decorating Hints & Tips. Julian Cassell & Peter Parham. DK Publishing, 1997. ISBN: 0789423936

Probably the best things about the DK Publishing books are the illustrations. I have never been disappointed in my expectations from this publisher. Decorating Hints & Tips is just another example of their excellence in visually portraying their message. The fly leaf has a quick index to color and style, painting walls, covering walls, tiling walls decorating woodwork, covering floors, window treatments, and finishing touches. Inside the book is a wealth of exciting examples of what you can do with a little elbow grease to spice up a room or your entire home. From painting effects to creative tiling to ways to hang curtains this little book has it all.

Use What You Have Decorating. Lauri Ward. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1998. ISBN: 0-3995-2536X

This book “shows you how to get the look you want, using the space you have, the things you like, and the budget you can afford. It helps you identify the ten most common decorating mistakes and illustrates how they can be corrected…in as little as one hour.” Black and white photographs show before and after arrangements.

Shade: Ideas and Inspiration for Shady Gardens. Keith Wiley. Timber Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-08819-28952

There isn’t a whole lot of shade in southwestern Wyoming, but what we do have can be problematic when planning flower beds. This book, while using examples that are more applicable to the humid, forested areas of the east and Midwest, can still work in your favor. There are all sorts of microclimates in our back yards. Once you have determined which one is in yours, Shade can help you find the right plan and plants. Using many colored photos, Wiley goes into detail on such topics as what to do with tree roots, double planting bulbs, raising the ground level and other tricks to make your shaded areas into the gorgeous gardens you want. He includes a plant directory and an index. However, the index does not include subject listings– only plant names–making it somewhat difficult to navigate through the 175 pages.

How to Build Your Own Greenhouse: Designs and plans to meet your growing needs. Roger Marshall. Story, 2006. ISBN: 978-1-58017-647-7

When you can’t get a plant to stay alive out-of-doors what’s the alternative? Maybe you just want to be able to grow fresh food all year round. Or, you don’t like fighting bugs and animals that damage your garden. Building your own greenhouse might give you the edge you need to give those delicate plants a head start and to protect them. In How to Build Your Own Greenhouse Marshall provides the questions needed to be asked before you deciding to build one. Questions such as what kind of watering system are you going to use, will it be heated or unheated, will you use a foundation or not, and how much are willing to spend on it? Once the main questions are answered, you then need to decide if you are going to build it yourself or hire a contractor. He goes into every aspect of the design. There are lists for everything from building materials to plumbing and heating to watering systems, etc. This is a very comprehensive book that will make you think before you leap.

Whether you believe in the theory of global warming or not, trees are a fact of life.  Trees have proved to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are being emitted into the atmosphere.  As you plan your spring (or fall) planting schedule, consider planting a tree or two. The following information is taken from ARBOR DAY, a publication of the Arbor Day Foundation, www.arborday.org.

Living in the Garden Home. Connecting the Seasons with Containers, Crafts, and Celebrations. P. Allen Smith. Clarkson Potter, 2007.

I have enjoyed P. Allen Smith’s laid back approach to gardening as I’ve watched him on TV. His books, including the newest Living in the Garden Home reflects this same attitude. This makes his journey through the seasons an enjoyable read as well as an adventure in gardening information. From spring through winter, Smith shows us what we need to start our spring gardens, projects we can do to fit a season and/or holiday, groupings of plants that take color, size, and bloom times into consideration, and lots of excellent color photographs. He even includes plans for an apple-tasting party in the fall (with recipes). The book is complete with a source guide, a suggested reading list and an index.

The Authentic Garden: Five principles for cultivating a sense of space. Claire E. Sawyers. Timber Press, 2007.

Sawyers says that we Americans have drawn heavily on foreign gardening traditions for inspiration. She feels that we need to have a connection to our natural landscapes and to our own history when creating gardens…thus, The Authentic Garden.

Drawing upon her knowledge of a vast array of American and foreign gardens, Sawyers explores five principles that help instill a sense of authenticity:

1. Capture the sense of place. 2. Derive beauty from function. 3. Use humble or indigenous materials. 4. Marry the inside to the outside. 5. Involve the visitor…

…Practical and inspiring, The Authentic Garden will enable the reader to make a garden that is true to a specific time, place, and culture; to capture and reflect an authentic spirit so that the garden, in turn, will nurture the spirit of those who cherish and dwell in it.

Clematis for Small spaces: 150 high-performance plants for patios, decks, balconies and borders. Raymond J. Evison.  Timber Press, 2007.