Figuring Out the Combo

Finding the perfect companion can be one of the biggest challenges in life. There’s no real secret but when you figure out the combo, you tend to stick with it because it works. Same philosophy with figuring out that perfect plant companion; if it works, keep it. So when you start down that road of discovering all the beautiful plant material available, don’t base it just on good looks but whether it has the durability to last. So one word of caution - don’t become frustrated by those initial efforts of falling in love with the wrong plant material including those few failures you’d rather forget. When you do combine that smashing color with the right texture and panache, you’ll know if it’s working in your garden or not. And remember, the perfect plant combination is personal preference. Some folks may prefer subdued with little to no maintenance while others may say bring on the bold splashes of color and lots of engaging days in the garden. Either way, spring is the season to work those combos and figure out if you have the perfect plant companion. To wrap up this thought, let’s take the advice of the famous British gardener, Christopher Lloyd. “In answer to the amateur gardener’s eternally repeated question ‘When should I?’ and ‘What’s the best time to?’ I’ve concluded that nine times out of ten the answer is ‘When you’re thinking about it; when you’re in the mood.”  

Image of a Hemerocallis ‘Strutter’s Ball’ and Hydrangea paniculata ‘Unique’ combo by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie P.S. Also starting to dabble on Pinterest, too! http://pinterest.com/bilowzassoc/

The Element of…

Loran Eisely said this about the element of water in her book, The Immense Journey. “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” And in this drier than normal year to date, we could certainly use a bit more precipitation to assist our gardens as this season unfolds in all its magic. With that said, do you have plans to implement some past blog tips to conserve and preserve the use of water in your gardens?  Let’s not forget the biggest water gobbler – our lawns. If you forgot to read this recent March 16^th post, http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2012/03/rethinking-green.html this might give a few extra thoughts on rethinking your green.

And don’t forget that spring and fall are the perfect times to aerate and thatch your lawn; a big plus in opening up the soil layer to get the necessary water and nutrients to the root zone, assuring a healthy lawn. Need a few helpful watering hints from our July 2010 archives? The following tips, although related to summertime drought issues get us thinking ahead as we plan and lay out our garden and lawn areas.

1) Let the grass go dormant. Most lawns typically resuscitate when the weather moderates. If you water your lawn frequently, it actually becomes less drought-tolerant.
2) Water early in the AM.
3) Use drip irrigation whenever possible.
4) When watering with a hose, irrigate the roots not the foliage. Avoid overhead irrigation use. This can cause diseases with your crop and plants.
5) Use mulch to keep the soil cool and moist.

6) Remember to plant native and drought-tolerant materials as part of your mix.

With all this talk about water, let’s hope we get some beneficial precipitation soon. And by all means, share your thoughts on what you use or do to make a difference in your garden. Maybe it’s a rain barrel or some other product keeping your plants cool. Let’s reflect on how we can conserve and preserve this magical element in our gardens – water!

Image of a cascading waterfall by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Wednesday’s Reflective Garden Moment

Creating quiet spaces in the landscape

Rachel Carson, the author of Silent Spring pointed out that, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” Where do you spend time in nature and what do you do each day to preserve a small piece of it?  This quote from Kalu Kalu reminds us of something much more important. “The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”

© All Images - Bilowz Associates Inc. Challenging Conventional Landscape Design 

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.  And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)

Early Spring Havoc

Douglas William Jerrold once said, "If you tickle the earth with a hoe she laughs with a harvest." This season, it’s been extremely early ‘to tickle’ the soil and prepare for ‘sooner than usual’ plantings. And while it’s inspiring to see blasts of color a month premature, tonight’s predicted hard frost may be a difficult one to handle. We need cool but we don’t want freezing cold. Last night’s protection came from the wind. Tonight’s safeguard could be simply keeping our fingers crossed. As I mentioned in last week’s blog http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2012/03/whats-waking-up-in-your-garden.html about the McIntosh dilemma, that tasty apple we so love in New England may never reach its proper ripeness and sweetness without cooler temperatures but a hard frost tonight with everything popping into bloom could cause a different sort of havoc. Let’s hope these early bursts of spring shed ‘laughs with a harvest’. And don’t forget to support your local farmers whenever you can.

Image of a Peach blossom unfurling by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Lace Up Your Sneaks

Henry David Thoreau discovered that “an early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” There’s something wonderfully meditative about the early morning hours and routine. So what better time for a scheduled walk during this fine season of spring? Squeezing in five minutes each day to stroll around your garden, neighborhood or city park can jumpstart your mornings, especially on Mondays when the start of a work week often seems a bit daunting. It’s amazing what you notice and how you feel blessed rather than depressed before you delve into your busy day. Discover this simple routine, which is easier than the Texas Two Step, especially with the spring season and all its blossoms at least one month too soon! As Hamilton Wright Mabie pointed out, “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” It’s popping up all around you, in every garden you pass; spring truly is that season of love!

Image by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Beyond the Garden Gate

With spring color popping ahead of schedule, jumping into the pretty before we deal with the nitty gritty is an easy thing to do. Keeping to the regularly scheduled garden tasks for late March is appropriate, especially with a few frosty nights predicted for early next week. Need the list for a few must-do items before making your move beyond the garden gate?

1) Prune, clip and trim (If you’re a regular, you know the drill.) There is always the search button to peruse through the archives for pruning tips or you can always send a question or comment through the usual chains.

2) For lawn lovers: First, aerate, second, thatch and third, apply a preemergence herbicide for Crabgrass. The Forsythia is in bloom and the Lilacs are coming soon so don’t lose that window of opportunity.

3) Dormant Oils: Mentioned in the March 19^th, 2012 blog - http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2012/03/whats-waking-up-in-your-garden.html for a quick review. This stifles the first generation of insects so the buggers don’t get a foothold in your plant beds.

4)With soft, workable soil, use this weekend to divide and transplant your perennials. It’s also an ideal time to plant and/or transplant any trees or woody shrubs.

5)You can even sow some cool weather seeds in your veggie garden: peas, spinach, lettuce are a few favorites and easy to do.

With a full garden list plus some cooler temperatures in store, don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead of the chores. Is it time to move beyond the garden gate? As Ralph Waldo Emerson pointed out, “The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.” Enjoy the garden weather this weekend; the spring season has finally struck.

Image of a garden gate by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Thursday’s Tidbit about Grapes

The most recent Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Farm and Market Report Extras indicate positive signs for the Massachusetts’ Wine industry. “There has been a 66 percent increase in overall sales at Massachusetts wineries last year, thanks to sales of wine at farmers’ markets and agricultural events, which were allowed for the first time in 2011.” If you follow this blog regularly, you may recall this past 2011 post http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2011/02/interest-or-commitment.html regarding legislation finally allowing local vineyards to sell their product at these venues. To make this a success, the general public’s commitment and support of this industry’s efforts would be the deciding factor. Apparently, per another noteworthy tidbit from the MDAR report, your support is making a difference.  “During the 2011 season, 18 local wineries participated at 67 different agricultural events, including 63 farmers’ markets and four agricultural fairs and festivals. Wineries reported an average 66 percent increase in overall sales due to sales from these markets. According to the MDAR survey, sales at farmers’ markets totaled 34,280 bottles of wine – with an approximate value of $514,200.” So that’s the scoop on one of the hottest locally grown products worth checking out as farmers’ markets and Ag fairs start kicking into gear. And to all those in the industry, hats off as growing grapes is a risky business. Alex Lowe provides that extra boost of encouragement. “When you remove the risk, you remove the challenge. When you remove the challenge, you wither on the vine.”  In my book, that’s overall good advice for anyone on this fine, summerlike Thursday morning.  

Grape Image by Greg Bilowz

(P.S. This is the same image I used in the 2011 post, which I failed to credit Greg for the photography.)

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Waiting for the Echo

Creating a harmonious design for an outdoor space should tell a story. A design is more than color on paper. It weaves together the elements of a well-told tale. As Don Marquis reminds us, “Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.”  This resonates in the design world as well. Waiting for that magical fairytale to unfold can be a long time waiting. How do you want your outdoor space to echo for years to come? 

Top Image of Cokie sniffing Rose petals by Ann Bilowz

Bottom Image of Canyonlands, Utah by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

True Colors

The English poet, Leigh Hunt noted, “Colors are the smiles of nature.” As we welcome this first day of spring, we ready ourselves for the burst of true colors smiling back at us each day. Are you ready to engage? So much awaits us as spring unfolds. What favorite blossom of this restorative season do you anticipate?

Image of a Robinson Crabapple (Malus 'Robinson') in Bloom by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

What’s Waking Up in Your Garden?

The morning sun is stretching its rays wide, generating warmth more typical of June. It’s hard to fathom we are just hours before Spring Equinox kicks into gear when our plants, trees and shrubs should slowly be awakening rather than busting in bloom. So what’s waking up in your garden? Our garlic is starting to appear under its winter mulch and the apricot trees shall bloom before the end of the week! But then again, it wasn’t much of a winter. But is this good?

When speaking with a local apple expert this weekend, if these patterns don’t slow down a bit and this rapid growth cycle continues, our apples may be applesauce this year. Take the well-known McIntosh variety. To be picking these apples in mid-August rather than September is not good. Here’s why. The change in temperature and daylight during the latter part of August and beginning of September initiate the red pigment formation in the skin along with this apple’s increased sugar content. The disastrous end result – green McIntosh apples looking more like a Granny Smith. And what’s worse, the fruit will fall off the tree before it changes to its nice red, barely green shade. With this year’s growing season already advanced, if we don’t see moisture, cool temperatures, even a bit of snow, (dare I say it) we may be seeing many things in the plant world doing weird things!

So pay attention to what’s waking up in your garden but before calling it a wrap, here’s another quick tip: Dormant oil applications are a good idea right now. If the temperatures continue in this heated pattern, insect pressure may be extremely high this year. Multiple oil applications timed correctly can decrease your insecticide requirements throughout the season. NOTE: Do not apply dormant oils if freezing temperatures are predicted within 48 hours of application.

It’s time to sign off now and enjoy this beautiful Monday in March. But we cannot leave out the quote of the day and Benjamin Franklin’s words resonate as the perfect segue. “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” Hmmm; when it comes to the garden, we may not be able to control the weather but we can pay attention. Yes, become wise before it's too late.

Image of garlic sprouting underneath its winter mulch by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Rethinking Green

With St. Patty’s Day just a leprechaun leap away, March is a perfect time to rethink green – with our expansive lawns, that is. Most of us are a bit obsessed by that sleek, plush look of grass and we typically pay a high price in water and chemicals to keep it looking weed free and pristine. Allowing your lawn to go ‘Au naturel’ or finding a new purpose for that open green space may be in the cards for your property this spring. It’s just a quick garden reminder from the wonderful world of Permaculture. You can achieve the true green in so many healthy ways! (P.S. - One tidbit of advice: for any grass areas, seed with Fescue instead of Bluegrass; it requires a 1/3 less water and nitrogen, amongst other things.)

On that note, this week’s post ends with an Irish Blessing. “Green are the hills of Ireland and green they will always stay. Warm are the blessings wished for you and they’ll always be that way.” Have a safe and happy St. Patty’s day.

This lovely image of clover from the Internet (http://olivebike.wordpress.com/) Awesome photography! Something to aspire to…

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Anni

Thursday’s Thought – ‘Bulbs in Bloom’ Day

Henrik Ibsen believed that “A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.” With spring flirting and skirting its way into our soon-to-be garden lives, why wait for the daffs and tulips to pop from the ground! Treat someone special to a bouquet of bulbs in bloom. A spray of sunshine (daffodils mixed with tulips from your local florist) can turn this dreary Thursday into a sunny day. That one deed may say the thousand words you need to say! Make March 15^th the official ‘Bulbs in Bloom’ Day!

Image from the Internet

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

First Bulbs in Bloom

Pablo Picasso captures best this ‘Few Words’ Wednesday with his poignant quote. “The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web.” Did you know that today, March 14, 2012 would have been the 101st birthday of head honcho origami artist, Akira Yoshizawa?

Picasso’s quote accompanied with this simple image of an Iris reticulata, (the first bulb to bloom in our garden this year) works quite nicely with this origami celebration! Can’t you see this blossom easily transformed into origami art; at least for someone good at making such creations? Creative inspiration, when in tune to it, comes from everywhere, including our own gardens. We become artists, creating beauty each and every day that as Picasso reveals “come from all over the place.”  

How many more days until spring? Are you ready for the first bulbs in bloom?

Image of Iris reticulata by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

A Day to Muddle in the Puddles



If you were lucky enough to receive some much needed rain this morning, take a minute to go outside and muddle around in the puddles before the sun dries them up. Just appreciate the rain. Yes, walk aimlessly for a bit and allow for clarity to appear in your landscape. And if you need to understand more about your space, take photographs. Do it before everything wakes up this spring and it is amazing what you can see, even if it’s your own reflection. It’s sort of like celebrating your own Groundhog Day.

Leon Levinstein reminds us of the importance of capturing 'never again' moments in photos. “I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph.” There’s something so simple yet so revealing in this activity. And as Levinstein points us, “A good photograph will prove to the viewer how little our eyes permit us to see. Most people only see what they have always seen and what they expect to see. Where a photographer, if he’s good, will see everything.”

Image by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Springing Ahead

Whatever time the hands of the clock indicate this morning, (yes, the spring ahead happened yesterday) one thing is clearly in store for us – spring-like temps this week rather than a few more days of winter. And if you haven’t noticed these ‘warmer than normal’ temperatures creating a bit of a stir with the insect and tick population, you obviously have been staying indoors.

It could be an interesting start in the plant world as we ready ourselves for outdoor spring projects. The insect activity, like some of our trees and plants, really didn’t enjoy a winter break. Many articles like this broad-brushed one in yesterday’s Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-bugged-life-warm-winter-could-mean-more-insects/2012/03/07/gIQA5b033R_story.html have been popping up since January when it seemed more likely we might be dealing with a different type of winter this year. Past weather records indicate similar patterns with temperatures but it would be interesting to unearth some patterns with insects. Anyone interested in growing any type of crop realizes that, like weather, insects can be tricky to navigate.

So as we spring ahead into the wonderful season of bloom, keep an eye on what can doom a garden’s beauty overnight. James Russell Lowell, the American Romantic poet once said, “The eye is the notebook of the poet.” It should be that of the garden lover, too. Take note of what you see buzzing around in your garden. Don’t wait until you see the symptoms.

P.S. As we spring ahead into blossom and bloom, share any pertinent articles, questions or comments, photos...this blog is for you! 

Image by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in daily. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Friday’s Winter Thought

Edna O'Brien best sums up the pure beauty of winter with an accompanying snow shot from yesterday. "In a way Winter is the real Spring - the time when the inner things happen, the resurgence of nature.” And as Gunilla Norris points out  “when winter storms prune what is ready to let go.”

We are getting closer to March 20^th so enjoy the last moments of dormancy before bud break. P.S. Hitting the pause blog button for a few days but stay in touch as I’m always one click away.

Image by Ann Bilowz

If you like this blog, remember to post your comments, questions, even your garden photos. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie

Winding Down

Despite the recently snow-covered trees and shrubs this morning, winter is winding down. My suggestion: take these final March days to gather all your winter garden thoughts – the plans, the seed orders, possibly the garden journal or collage you pulled together and review it one more time. Then find your favorite cold weather recipe. Hopefully it includes some garden treasure you stored or canned for a winter day. I’ll share some tips again. http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2009/11/spearmint-secret-ingredient.html  It’s a tried and true; meatballs and sauce with a twist of spearmint and canned tomatoes from the garden. What’s your favorite winter recipe that makes snowy days less blue?



This complex weather system may hang with us a bit so best to accept that it is still winter in New England. Enjoy making snow angels or a cozy winter recipe if you can. As Rabindranath Tagore pointed out, “We believe that mere movement is life, and that the more velocity it has, the more it expresses vitality.” Translation - take these final March days to rest before the mere movement and velocity of spring keep us garden-occupied come April and May.  

All images by Ann Bilowz

 

If you like this blog, remember to post your comments, questions, even your garden photos. You can like our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz (where there are even more shared tidbits) or subscribe on the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at annbilowz@gmail.com Happy Gardening. Annie