January 2013 - The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Two of my favorite plants

Posted on January 30, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Uncategorized .

I will never stop seeking out new plants to experiment with in my gardens and I will continue to push the boundaries of what my landscape will allow me to grow successfully. It isn’t always the smartest approach, but it is reality. Then again, I think most gardeners think the same way.

After struggling with my poorly draining clay soil, little to no shade and hungry deer that roam my yard like violent gang members for so long, I may have finally come to grips with the fact that my plant palette doesn’t need to increase as much as I need to add more of what I know already works. Make those “proven performers” the backbone of the garden and then experiment a little while filling in the gaps.

Recently, I was getting myself lost in all of the photos I took over the past year or so and noticed that there were two plants in particular that kept putting a big ol grin on my ugly bearded face. Two plants that define not only the term “low maintenance” but also the term “multi-seasonal”. What more could I ask for? And these two plants definitely fit into the aforementioned “proven performers” category.

I have written previously in great detail about both of these plants and I’ll include a hyperlink to each of those original posts down below.

For today, I just wanted to bask in the awesomeness of both of these plants through photos taken of each from spring through fall.

I am going to do my best to add more of these workhorses through additional purchases and/or some form of propagation (post on this topic surely to follow) in the very near future.

Without further ado:

Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern bluestar):

Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ (Sweetspire):

And wouldn’t you know it, they look damn good together in a fall combination:

Like the old saying, “Dance with the girl that brung ya”.

Until next time …

John

For today at least, Winter is OK

Posted on January 28, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Winter interest .

I’ve noticed an interesting pattern with my blog posts of late. One day it’s “Winter isn’t so bad, look at all the interesting textures and the plant interplay with snow and ice.” The next day it’s “This sucks, let’s look backward or forward and reminisce about actual living blooms or healthy foliage.” A bit schizophrenic if you will.

And that just about sums it up for me. While I’ve come to appreciate the winter garden more and more and its beautiful subtlety, I still long for the days when I couldn’t keep up with the pruning or deadheading or even the weeding.

Today was one of those “Winter ain’t so bad” days as I wandered the yard for the first time in two weeks. We have had brutally cold temps for days now but that wasn’t going to stop me in my quest for the beloved “winter interest”. Frost bite and runny nose be damned; we are getting some pics up in here.

There is no better example of winter awesomeness than the peeling bark on trees. Throw in some late afternoon sun and you’ve got yourself a cornucopia of interest:

River Birch

Multi-trunked River Birch

‘Winter King’ Hawthorn

Without any leaves or flowers in sight, it is an awesome opportunity to get up close and personal with the tree limbs and enjoy their subtle colors and textures:

‘Winter King’ Hawthorn

Next, we move on to the deciduous shrubs. Many offer great branch color that contrasts so well with all of the surrounding “brown-ness”:

‘Henry’s Garnet’ Itea

Dappled willow

Or even their own version of peeling bark hidden deep inside all of that shrubbery:

Ninebark

Of course, I couldn’t compose a winter post without some reference to an ornamental grass, and for today, I was digging the spent “blooms” on a patch of ‘Karl Foerster’ grass:

I even find interest in the spent siberian irises, with their dead foliage lit up by not only the winter sun, but also the snow at their feet:

The spent seedheads of the bee balms …

A reminder of what was and what will be:

Same goes with the obedient plants …

And their once crisp white blooms:

The aforementioned siberian iris and their seedpods add a certain look to the landscape …

Although they cannot compare to their “spring look”:

And finally, a lonely bud bides its time until …

It puts on a show for both the eyes, and more impressively, the nose:

Be on the lookout for the next post which will go back to winter denial/hatred.

John

Anticipation

Posted on January 25, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Uncategorized .

Note: I originally posted this as “photo only” and then realized it may appear that these were all taken current day. That couldn’t be further from the truth. These pics are all from last year. I was just daydreaming of a better day on this arctic-like morning.

John

Plant shopping – Klehm’s Song Sparrow

Posted on January 23, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Uncategorized .

We are nearing single digit temps as I type this and the wind is absolutely pounding against the house. I’m pretty sure the house will be blown off of its foundation in the next hour or so. Until then, I am going to enjoy my evening coffee (caffeinated because I’m hardcore) and escape with some intense plant shopping online.

Tonight I am perusing the website of Klehm’s Song Sparrow with a focus on their “New in 2013” section. I have a very specific process when plant shopping online and tonight is no different:

Ogle the eye popping flower photos and allow myself to get lost for a bit
Start reading individual descriptions of said flowers
Methodically eliminate those plants that will not work in my landscape (deer, soil type, etc.)
Realize my list has dwindled to almost nothing
Curse and scream and vow to uproot the family to a property with better soil
Recover from my self pity party and review plants with a more realistic point of view
Start adding plants to my online “cart” without yet deciding on number of plants and ignoring cost
Review finalized cart, slowly mixing and matching plant quantities, keeping cost in mind
Once cart has been amended, step away for a day or two and analyze again

This process has worked for years now so if it ain’t broke …

I love the Song Sparrow catalog and website as I can find so many unique and hard to find plants, not typically sold in my local nurseries and garden centers. This year’s version continues that trend and I wanted to share my “rough cart” with you. I won’t be purchasing all of the plant’s below, but these are the ones that made the final list.

If you click on the photos below (all taken from the Song Sparrow website), it will take you to the detailed description of each plant within the online catalog.

Enjoy:

Cornus mas ‘Aurea’ (Dogwood) – Yellow flowers in spring before the leaves emerge followed by red fruit in summer. I love the glossy yellow leaves and since it maxes out at 9′ x 6′ and survives to zone 4, I am considering growing this in a large container on my deck. That way the deer can stay away and I can control the soil (not to mention the … sigh … constant watering).

Geranium pratense ‘Laura’ – I have had a lot of success growing geraniums of late and I am totally digging these double white blooms. There is also a good shot at rebloom late in the summer, so that is just more reason to give these a whirl.

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Sunny Swirl’ – This cypress maxes out in size at 3′ x 2′ so I can find a deer ~~friendly~~ unfriendly spot to tuck this away. I am intrigued by the mahogany red bark, contorted branches, varying colors of foliage and unusual cockscombs at the tips. OK, I had to google “cockscombs”.

Rodgersia ‘Bronze Peacock’ – I planted a few of these in the fall and I cannot wait to see if they come back with full vigor this spring/summer. I know they like wet soil (yeah) and I am enamored with the deep bronze color on this cultivar.

Viburnum lantana ‘Variegata’ – Viburnum lantana? Huh? Admittedly, I have never heard of this species but upon some research, I am liking the potential of this one. I am most interested in the berries that form after the white flowers in spring, as they emerge green and transform to red and to black, all at the same time possibly. Count me in for one.

Molinia arundinacea ‘Cordoba’ (Moor Grass) – I realize ornamental grasses will ultimately make up a large percentage of my landscape and I am more than OK with that. This moor grasss has silver seedheads by midsummer and it all turns a “golden russet” by October. It is a larger grass at 7′ x 4′ so I’m thinking maybe a screening of some sort.

Sesleria ‘Greenlee’ (Moor Grass) – I was immediately taken by the idea of pale purple flowers by early summer on this groundcover grass and love the fact that they eventually mature to a deep brown. I can envision massing these, but the price tag may be too much. Will have to start small and divide in the future.

Koeleria glauca ‘Tiny Tot’ – I like the look of this cool season grass and I have vowed to integrate more blue foliage into my gardens. The short tan seedheads by midsummer are a nice added bonus:

Picea pungens ‘Bonnie Blue’ (Blue Spruce) – At 5′ x 3′, this blue spruce is very intriguing. I see this as the perfect specimen tree. Where that specimen fits in exactly? Not sure yet.

Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’ – I’m not the world’s biggest Pennisetum fan, but this one is labeled as “unusually vertical” and I was pulled in by the “tails” maturing to a “glowing wheat”.

Panicum ‘Dust Devil’ (Switch Grass) – It has gotten to the point where I want every available Switch Grass cultivar so this one immediately gets added to the list. The “wine/purple flower panicles” emerge by late summer and the foliage tips turn to “purple red” in fall. At 4′ in size, me thinks I can find some space for a few of these.

And there you have it.

I’ll be sure to share my final purchase decisions with you, but until then, I would love your feedback on any of these beauties.

Thank you as always,
John

The garden is beaten down by ice

Posted on January 17, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Winter interest .

Inspiration through denial

Posted on January 16, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Uncategorized .

Here is the mindset for today:

I am sick of hearing myself complain about all of the deer damage out in the garden so I can only imagine how y’all feel.
It couldn’t be uglier outdoors of late. Nothing but fog and drenched soil. “Soupy” is the perfect description. I’d kill for snow cover to hide it all.
It is the 15th of the month, AKA “Garden Bloggers Bloom Day” and I ain’t got squat going on right now. Of course I wouldn’t expect to have anything this time of year, but you get the point.
~~The flu and other ailments are all around us as it is a cacophony of moans and coughs and sneezes.~~ Pretend the prior sentence isn’t there as my family has been relatively healthy to date and I don’t want to jinx that.

So in the spirit of … raising spirits … here is a … spirited series of bloom pics from the past year that will hopefully serve as inspiration as we churn through the heart of the winter.

Let’s pretend for a day that we are in the middle of May or June or even July.

The daydreaming has commenced:

Joe Pye Weed

Catmint

Geranium ‘Brookside’

Catmint

Geranium ‘Karmina’

Bugleweed ‘Chocolate Chip’

Viburnum ‘Aurora’

Candytuft ‘Snowflake’

Viburnum ‘Shoshoni’

Bellflower ‘Joan Elliot’

Eastern Bluestar

Iris sibirica ‘Snow Queen’

Iris versicolor

Iris sibirica ‘Ruffled Velvet’

Penstemon ‘Husker’s Red’

Viburnum ‘Emerald Lustre’

Catmint and Astilbe ‘Amethyst’

Astilbe ‘Deutschland’ and Catmint

Yarrow ‘Moonwalker’

Coneflower ‘Fragrant Angel’

Rose of Sharon ‘Lavender Chiffon’

Summersweet ‘Ruby Spice’

The deer mean well?

Posted on January 14, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Deer .

I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was July of 1985. I was 13 years old. My family had been vacationing “down the shore” (that is some NJ speak for you) when we returned home, exhausted after a week of doing nothing but frying in the sun.

As we walked through the front door and into the kitchen, we were greeted by at least 20 plastic bags filled with immature looking veggies. The first thought was, “Wow, that’s nice, the people who were watching our house while we were away, left us some gifts from their gardens.” But then the reality quickly sunk in. Those were our f’n vegetables in those bags. And they were nowhere near ready to be eaten.

I could see the disappointment on my father’s face. He was crushed. All of that time and effort in the spring and now we weren’t going to be able to enjoy the fruits of that labor. Turns out, a few kids in the neighborhood had taken it upon themselves to completely wipe our garden clean of all veggies that had just started emerging. I could have beaten them all senseless. But it was hard to be too angry for too long when ultimately, they had good intentions.

I tell you that story because it came to me while I was surveying the garden this afternoon in the seasonably warm, but brutally foggy outdoors. I knew I would discover more deer damage based on the high volume of the f’ers I’ve seen of late.

I would be right of course.

Here is an Arborvitae ‘Rheingold’ from just two days ago:

And here it is from earlier today:

The second shot looks better, right? Well that would be due to all of the growth chewed off by the deer. They actually ended up exposing the still green growth underneath all of that ratty discolored foliage that came on quickly once the temperature dropped.

Maybe the deer were doing me a favor, eh? Maybe they can sense my dissatisfaction with them and this is the first step to mending our relationship? Sort of hard to argue with them at this point.

And then I turned the corner and knew for sure. The deer were handing out the olive branch. I mean look at the stunning topiary they left for me:

Pretty wild stuff. What do I have on my hands here? More research is required and you all will be the first to know the results.

After witnessing the deer artwork, I stumbled inside and grabbed myself a brew. Because I am a man of my word and told you I would start adding beer reviews to some of my posts, I give you the following:

This IPA is of another world.

If it hasn’t passed Stone IPA to become the new #1 on my IPA ranking (soon to be published) it is a definite “1A”.

The citrus scents are intoxicating and the “heavy on the hoppishness” is right in my wheelhouse. There are even hints of pine in there and that is a big positive. I highly recommend this IPA if you are a fan as it is the best new beer I’ve tried in a long time.

It gets 9.5 blooms out of 10.

And one last thing, especially for my Canadian friends:

Welcome back NHL, we sorely missed you.

John

My unbelievably amazing and cutting edge new blog ideas

Posted on January 9, 2013 by jmarkowski Posted in Uncategorized .

January is THE time to start planning for the upcoming garden season and as I’ve learned over the past few years, is also a great time to start dreaming up “out there” blog concepts.

Now I know what you’re muttering to yourself already; this is the same guy who has failed to deliver on so many “big ideas” in the last three years since he started this blog. He can’t be friggin serious.

Yes, I have mastered the art of “over promising and under delivering” and yes, I am setting myself up to fail yet again. But maybe, just maybe, one of the ideas I am about to present to you will actually stick. Maybe it will take the gardening world by storm and you can say you were there during its infancy stage. You can’t take the risk and NOT read through the high brow concepts below.

So here are some things I am considering adding to this blog in the next few months. They have been well thought out and presented to test audiences up and down the East Coast and feedback has been nothing but stellar to date.

Enjoy:

Combine my love of beer drinking and gardening in an educational and informative way
Here’s the idea: Kick off the post introducing my “beer of the week” (which by the way I am writing already with a bunch of friends on another blog – “Beer of the Week”). I love me some IPA’s (India Pale Ale) and each week I’ll educate my readers on what new beer I am sampling and thoroughly enjoying.

So I am a complete beer snob and this is where the gardening twist comes in. I take the old, crappy beer I have rotting away in a refrigerator in my garage, and add that to my compost pile each week knowing that old skunked beer is compost worthy. It will all be very ceremonious as I carefully and excitedly dump the bad brew and let it make a difference before it is put out of its misery.

Start my personal gardening documentary and have my daughter film and narrate it
I am imagining a short film documenting my struggles with poor soil and hungry deer and now is the time to start capturing those struggles. I have been known to heave a shale bar across the yard like a javelin, challenge deer to a karate like duel:

or simply give up and lay in the dirt for hours on end. That needs to be on film so others who share the same frustrations can take comfort in knowing they are not alone. My own personal PSA if you will.

And who better to capture it than my 7 year old daughter:

She has mastered the use of the video capabilities on the iPad, has the sensibility of like a 30 year old and she is my blood. I am confident she could provide her own witty commentary and impart her ever developing sarcasm. And hopefully, it will one day influence her to seek out great soil when she purchases her first home.

Document lawn removal
I hate cutting the lawn and all the precious time it takes away from me and my plants. I have a little over two acres of property and it takes me about an hour and a half to cut the lawn each week.

That sucks. While I have made decent progress removing turf over the past few years to make room for more plants, the job is nowhere near complete.

I am imagining documenting what lawn has been removed on a regular basis and then measuring how much lawn cutting time was saved as a result of removing said lawn. That saved time is then used for actual gardening tasks like … weeding:

I hope by carefully measuring this, it will motivate me to make serious strides on the lawn removal front. That is a damn good thing. The environment will thank me as well.

Good karma.

Track beard growth
This is simply pure comedy. I have been trying to grow a “real” beard since I was 17 years old and have never been able to do so. It is maddening because I think I really need one. It just feels right, even if it is shoddy at best. Ask any of my friends and family and they’ll tell you I am always in the midst of growing a beard. There is usually about a 2 day window where I get the scruffy look nailed down but then it all falls apart. All I’m left with is a fabulous “neckbeard”

So now I’m thinking I get more creative in my beard growing adventure. Maybe there are products I can use or unique ways to cut and trim it along the way. And of course, why not document it all? I mean is there anything more interesting and edge of your seat interesting than a man growing a beard? And if I am able to finally f’n pull it off, won’t I gain more credibility in your eyes as a gardener? I know I trust male gardener’s with beards more than those without.

Visit one local garden a week
This is self explanatory but I don’t necessarily mean community or “professional” gardens. There is a garden I pass each day when I go running and I would love to get the cojones to just ring the doorbell and ask if they wouldn’t mind me photographing their garden. There isn’t anything creepy about a sweating, out of breath middle aged man knocking on someones door early in the morning, right?

Impact of music on gardening
My musical interests run from Metallica to Radiohead to Barry Manilow to The Wiggles. What if I measured my gardening task times based on the type of music being pumped into my ears? Does the “heavier” music aid in getting things done sooner and aid in getting through the tougher tasks?

Does the more mellow stuff allow me to stay calm when suffering through the more menial tasks? I’ll have to think through how it will all be measured, but I think I am on to something here.

I’m sure I’ll come up with more over the next few weeks but for now, these are the ideas I will be fine tuning so I can present them to you in an organized and meaningful way.

Wish me luck.

John