The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Author Archives: jmarkowski

The big reveal

Posted on by Posted in Blog stuff .

It’s time.

It’s time to pivot.

I’ve absorbed and embraced all of your feedback from yesterday’s post (thank you) and I know where I need to go from here.

I need to be fully transparent.

I need to get back to the roots of this blog.

I’m no expert; just a crazed gardener who more often than not gets it wrong.

So with that in mind, I give you the following video. It’s a tour of my entire garden. Nothing is hidden. I didn’t plan ahead before starting the video and I didn’t edit a thing. I just grabbed my phone, hit the record button and started walking.

I’m terrified to view it myself but I don’t want that to hold me back from sharing it with you all.

This is the basis of the blog moving forward. The struggle is real (tongue sort of planted in cheek) and I’m thrilled to share that struggle (and the successes) with you all. It will all be viewed from a much wider lens.

This will be horrifying yet real.

But fun.

Be kind.

Potential blog changes – need your input

Posted on by Posted in Blog stuff .

Howdy y’all.

I’ve been mulling over some potential changes to this blog (and my writing platforms overall) and I would love your input. After all, you’re the ones who keep coming back each week (and why the heck do you?) and nobody knows what you want more than you.

I’m not considering drastic changes, more like a tweak here and there. I’m leaning more subtle.

As I’ve looked over my posts here from the past few months, it’s clear that I’ve come to favor the garden tour. A tour of my garden that particular day along with some brief notes accompanying the photos. Not a ton of detail as the photos ultimately tell the story.

Do you like these posts? Should they continue to be the bulk of what I post each week?

Or would you prefer shorter, more detailed posts that I post more frequently? These would focus on one topic only.

A mix of both of the above?

Are there new topics you’d like to see me cover?

As you know, I just published my second book and I’m actively trying to promote that book. While it has a lot of gardening, that really isn’t the focus. Should I separate my non-gardening writing from this blog? Keep this to plants and gardening only?

I just created a new “John Markowski – Author” Facebook page that for now, will include all of my book writing news, promotions and non-gardening writing.

Psst – if you want to follow the page, click here.

I may eventually get rid of the “ONG” Facebook page and group all of my writing under the new FB page. We’ll see where that goes. What are your thoughts on the different FB pages? Do you even follow FB pages? If so, what would you like to see there?

I’ll end the questions for today so not to overwhelm you. Again, I’d love to hear your thoughts so I can make this blog the best it can be.

One last thing.

If you picked up a copy of my book (and thank you BTW), I’d love for you to write a brief review on Amazon if you’re up for it. And I beg you to be as honest as possible. Those reviews mean the world to a new and unknown author like me.

THANK YOU ALL!!

One more last thing.

The plant below is my new fave in the garden. I’ll keep you in suspense as to its name until a future post. Any guesses?

?

 

The only way to prevent weeds

Posted on by Posted in Weeds .

I’m overwhelmed.

If you saw the weed sitch in my garden you’d scream in horror. It’s really bad. With all the rain and the inability to get outdoors, the weeds have exploded in numbers I never thought possible. It’s close to pushing me over the edge.

I’d show you some pics but I need to maintain some level of your respect. I can’t have you leaving in droves to visit better gardening blogs. I’ll never get you back after that. This blog would then collapse upon itself in loneliness and disappear into oblivion.

I can’t have that.

Just imagine the worst case weed scenario and add on 10% more badness.

I’ll try to attack it over the next few weeks and then show you more of my garden when it’s looking all nice and pretty. Maybe we’ll look back and all have a chuckle.

So as I ignored 75% of the garden this morning I quickly realized why the other 25% was okay to photograph. That 25% has no room for weeds. It’s completely filled in with nothing but plants.

The weeds don’t have a chance to see the light of day.

They die an ugly death under the surface never to be seen at all.

The good chokes out the bad.

It’s nothing but all thriving plants all the time.

Seems so easy.

Now to apply that logic to the other 75%.

Gotta run.

 

I’m giddy over Plantskydd

Posted on by Posted in Critters, Deer .

Y’all told me and I finally listened.

And shit, you were all right.

This Plantskydd stuff works (fingers crossed that it will continue).

The deer have been hovering and yet they haven’t touched a thing since I starting use this a week ago.

The best part? I didn’t have to re-apply after the rain. And we’ve had a lot of rain this past week.

The leaves were sprayed (and yes, I didn’t fear the temporary coloration of the leaves. I read labels) and that was it.

My precious peonies haven’t been touched.

The Baptisia has been ignored.

 

The Sambucus, which has never grown more than a few inches before being chewed down, actually bloomed some.

Ninebark ‘Amber Jubilee’ foliage continues to grow without interruption.

My dear Filipendula are thriving. And I’m crying tears of joy.

But I’m most excited about my Thalictrum. It has never survived to full bloom and it appears we are finally on our way.

 

Thank you readers and commenters.

Once again you’ve proven that you’re way smarter and more aware than me.

More to come with this.

 

Blue

My new book “Seed, Grow, Love, Write” is now available

Posted on by Posted in My books .

It’s heeeeeerrre.

After months of editing, proofing and designing (thank you ten times over Katie Elzer-Peters) we have the final product completed and available for purchase.

For those unaware of the book’s topic, allow me to pull the description directly from the book:

Part self help, part a hilarious jaunt through one writer’s life, Seed, Grow, Love, Write will leave every reader laughing, crying and, as author John Markowski says, “chewing” on something different. Grow with Markowski as the “Family Leaf Management Program” lures him into gardening, a love further strengthened by “The Markowski Mulch,” a grand event that happened each July. Feel the relief of a clean slate provided by mowing the lawn (known as “The Theory of Vacuum Momentum”), and nod with understanding as he explains how ornamental grasses saved his life. It’s not all gardening, though. There are stories of his time as a mailman, private investigator, new dad, and petty thief. You meet his grandfather, the amateur taxidermist, his wife (and editor), and blog readers, including “Allison in Ohio.” In Seed, Grow, Love, Write, Markowski shows that a life lived without passion isn’t really a life at all, and you’ll close the book reinvigorated to find your own passion and not apologize for it. Meanwhile, you’ll have had a grand time getting there. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I hope you get even the slightest jolt of inspiration.

And as always, I hope you laugh, you cry and you learn a little something more about yourself.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon:

Seed, Grow, Love, Write

If you are up for leaving a review on Amazon, I won’t stop you … even if it isn’t glowing. I’m steady like that.

A deep thank you to all of you and your support over the years. This book never happens if you don’t visit me here.

Cheers.

 

Garden tour – 5/22/18

Posted on by Posted in Spring .

A lot of rain.

Not  a lot of sunshine.

I’ll shut up now.

 

Companions

I didn’t plan this combo of Salvia ‘May Night’ and Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) as they’ve never bloomed at the same time before. While I’m not the biggest purple and yellow fan, how can I not enjoy this color explosion?

 

Now this one I willingly tried to pull together. Unfortunately, the blooms of Clematis ‘Scented Clem’ are fading fast and the Baptisia isn’t there yet.

 

Here’s hoping these peonies bloom before the Lilac flowers are spent.

 

At least the lilac and the Baptisia ‘Carolina Moonlight’ are putting on a show together.

 

Here is my first container combo of 2018. I’m kind of proud of it. If the Sambucus ‘Lemony Lace’ really takes off, then this has the potential to look fantastic in a few weeks.

 

New to the Markowski collection

This is Lysimachia ‘Outback Sunset’. It will be an annual for me in zone 6B but I’m okay with that. I really like the leaf coloring as a one-season groundcover in a spot where I’ve struggled to grow anything.

 

Gold Leaf Tansy ‘Isla Gold’ has been added to a partially shaded location where I hope it brightens things up a bit. It can be aggressive through rhizomes so I’ll have to keep a watchful eye on it.

 

One of these years …

I think this is Cimicifuga ‘Brunette’ (Bugbane). For years now it has looked great in spring only to do nothing once the blooms emerge and never actually bloom. The leaves are greener than others I have in different locations but those have yet to ever grow beyond a foot in size.

I just removed a large shrub near this one and here’s hoping a little more sun will do it wonders. I know these take time to get established, but my patience is growing thin after five years.

 

 

I’ll save you

Before the deer could get to this Hydrangea ‘Little Lime’, I dug it out and put it in a container on my back deck. We’ll see if we can get this to thrive with those killer light green blooms.

 

This week in deer

They ate at least 6 of my Allium blooms clean off the stem. They’ve never done this before.

These are the only two I have left. Wah.

I mentioned previously that I’m all in on deer prevention and that still holds true this week. I’m going to try everything and will be diligent about it.

Two plants in particular I want to save since they’ve never reached the point of full development.

The first is Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’. I friggin love the foliage of this perennial.

And the blooms are fantastic but I haven’t seen them since 2015 as seen in this pic below.

 

The other plant that needs my full attention is Filependula rubra (Queen of the Prairie). The deer and/or rabbits have nibbled it a ton this spring.

But if I could keep them away from here on out, just look at how damn sexy they are in bloom.   

 

Ho hum

Your token Lady’s Mantle in spring photo.

 

We never tire of Amsonia

Amsonia hubrichtii further along in bloom than all of my other Amsonia plants.

Including Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’.

 

Just around the corner

Nepeta ‘Walkers Low’ (Catmint).

 

Astilbe ‘Amethyst’.

 

This week in weeds

Help. What is this? It’s everywhere this spring.

 

Allium ‘Blue Eddy’

I can’t get this perennial to grow beyond what you’re looking at here. But I’m anxious to see what it looks like in the right conditions.

Now to figure out those right conditions.

Garden tour – May 14, 2018

Posted on by Posted in Spring .

This is an exciting week for me.

Not only is the garden truly coming to life, but my new book Seed, Grow, Love, Write will be available for purchase within the next few days. This go-round we’re doing a hardcover, a softcover and an e-book version. Hopefully something for everyone.

I have some giveaways planned and some other cool ideas I hope you’ll like.

Stay tuned.

On to the garden.

 

A better view

The Clematis ‘Scented Clem’ is in full bloom.

Now I need to figure out how to properly adhere to a trellis. All of the blooms are at the base of this trellis and along the ground.

I’ll get there. Don’t any of you worry about me.

 

Flowers galore

Geranium ‘Espresso’ looking good. And hot damn that foliage color, right?

 

Golden ragwort (Packera aurea) is truly a mad bloomer. And not too aggressive as of yet. Want to buy some? Try here.

 

Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’ is truly a carpet of blue. Even better is all of the weeds that are suppressed.

 

Iberis ‘Snowflake’ (Candytuft) not feeling it this year. Although it looks healthy and thrives in this dry spot. Maybe the only dry spot in my entire garden.

 

These are Ornithogalum nutans (Silver Bells). These bulbs were planted last fall so I’ll give them some time to get established. A few actually bloomed a few months back when the weather warmed temporarily.

 

Hyacinthoides hispanica ‘Excelsior’ (Wood Hyacinth), bulbs also planted just last fall, are now showing signs of bloom.

 

Carex ‘Grayi’ are making their presence known with the emergence of their club-like seed heads. These plants love some wet soil and actually stay semi-evergreen in our zone 6B winter.

 

On their way out

Later Moss Phlox.

 

On their way in

Amsonia hubrichtii on its way.

 

Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ as well.

 

New foliage growth

While the new growth on this Tsuga ‘Moon Frost’ is yellowish right now, soon it will transform to white and that is when this evergreen truly shines.

 

Juniper ‘Gold Cone’ looking solid.

 

Well hello my lady

A welcome sighting of Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’. This Northern Sea Oats has not been the least bit invasive and I cherish that variegated foliage. It’s working in a partially shaded location which is most excellent.

 

Oh deer

Yep, they got my Lady’s Mantle.

Time to take all of the necessary precautions.

Watch for a future post where I test a whole bunch of methods and products.

Game the f’ on.

 

Canada Thistle

It’s only getting worse.

Like with the deer, I need to take immediate and long term action.

More to come.

 

Well that’s cool

This volunteer Penstemon has one red stem. I’ve only planted ‘Husker Red’ to date and the rest have been volunteers and now we have a cool looking hybrid.

Garden tour – May 9th, 2018

Posted on by Posted in Bulbs, Spring .

The garden has arrived and I’m silly with excitement.

The difference one plant makes

If I may say so, the recent addition of this Persian Shield and its dark foliage brings this section of the garden to life.

As the surrounding perennials grow, so will this annual and by summer it will be a frickin delight to witness as you approach my front door.

 

We need to talk about the Bee Balm

It’s infiltrating the entire garden year after year and I’m still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

I appreciate how it easily fills in bare spots.

I appreciate how it smells (and how much the deer disagree).

I appreciate how it combines with others when in bloom.

The question becomes: When is it too much of a good thing?

 

 

It’s OK to open up

The relocation of my Trollius ‘Golden Queen’ can now be considered a success since they are blooming and looking healthy.

Still, year after year I wonder why the flowers don’t open up like this.

They never move beyond what you see in the pics below.

 

 

Daffo-delight

Narcissus ‘Decoy’

 

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’

 

Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’

 

Other bulbs

The consistency and continued growth of Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’ (Summer Snowflake) has not gone unnoticed by this easily distracted gardener.

 

I’m still getting tulips in year two. Hell to the yeah baby.

 

Soon enough …

 

Phlox yeah!

Always a welcomed sight to see the Moss Phlox blooming. The perfect groundcover along a walkway or in a rock garden.

The only issue I’ve had is in trying to divide it to make more plants.

Most don’t survive or struggle mightily. It may be due to their short root system.

 

 

Malus ‘Prairie Fire’

While fleeting in flower, nothing signifies spring like this Crabapple tree.

 

Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’

Happy to see flowers in spring.

Solid and healthy looking green foliage all summer.

To die for color in fall.

 

Oh deer

This was the worst year yet.

The deer bombarded the Viburnum carlesii one night this past weekend and devoured nearly all of the about-to-bloom flowers.

And they messed with me by leaving a few along the bottom of the shrub.

A big F You.

 

Up next

Baptisia time is right around the corner.

 

Panning out

Posted on by Posted in Bulbs, Spring .

Too often I get caught up in trying to perfect all of my garden photos. Most of these pics are of the close-up variety and I’m very liberal with the cropping tool. While they may be pretty and all, they’re often not a fair representation of what’s really going on.

So today I opted for a different lens. I stood further back. I limited my cropping.

Hopefully this is a more realistic version of how all of our gardens look this time of year; at least in the Northeast U.S.

New growth is still exciting to capture in all its infancy, but even better when taken in conjunction with surrounding plants and even the occasional weed.

 

Daffodils in bloom, while a sight for sore eyes, are still dwarfed by bare earth and yet-to- show-signs-of-life grasses and shrubs.

 

Did I mention weeds are a plenty already?

 

Some times our flowers don’t cooperate and face away from the direction we want them to.

 

I like to pretend that I don’t have a driveway. I like the illusion that it is all gardens, all the time out here in the country.

I lied.

 

A suckering shrub was cute at first. Now I’m terrified.

 

Oh, pretty bloom you got there, John.

 

Well, maybe it does look a bit lonesome.

 

Fine, one close-up.

But I had to demonstrate that every one of my perennials has to battle through ornamental grass clippings each spring. They are everywhere. Next year I should wait for a non-windy day before cutting them all down.

My neighbors would be happier too.

 

One angle shows my attempt to fill in between the Catmint with Hyacinths that bloom in early spring and are then enveloped by the Catmine foliage by late spring.

 

Another angle shows me pretending to have purposely put together this little vignette.

 

If I’m being honest, this happens more often than I would lead you to believe.

Yes, I was laying on my back while trying to take a photo of the aforementioned Hyacinth.

It’s called dedication.