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| Dear Barbara,
Well how did your garden grow?
My gardens (yes I have many) did great!!! It was a remarkable summer
here in Michigan. It rarely got hot, rained when it needed to and just
made you extra happy because you were a landscaper and got to spend so
much time outside.
Speaking of working outside, what about
all the people who work inside? Recently my crew and I have been
discussing 'office politics' and they asked me if I'd ever seen the
movie "Office Space". I don't think I've seen more than 2% of the
movies they watch so it came as no surprise when I hadn't seen "Office
Space" either. All three of them have the lines down from the movie and
their reenactments crack me up. So much so that I broke down and
ordered it from Netflix. Take a peak at a classic scene from "Office
Space".
While I personally can't endorse this movie,(it does have its share of
unsavory elements) it is funny. The printer scene had me laughing out
loud because with a few minor changes, that is me and my printer!!
(except for the swearing of course.) I know it may be wrong to hate
your printer but sometimes, well..... I hate my printer. The only thing
that seems to bring me any relief after a bout of printer mania, is
knowing I can escape the torture of my 'office space' to go work
outside!! Yahoo!
In closing, turns out I actually enjoyed my crew's version of
"Gardening Graces Space" more. It might be a bit more sanitized but it's a lot more funny!
Doesn't seem like a gardening newsletter so far does it? Well, the
rest of the newsletter will be devoted to all things garden. Promise.
Welcome, once again, to the Gardening Graces Newsletter!
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Don't Cringe. Or Should I Say Shiver?
This
article was in the August issue of the newsletter and is being
re-printed for new subscribers and those who may have been unable to
read the August issue.
 This
is the only picture I could find of the Austrian Pine in my front yard
that my crew and I cut down last year. (It was sick.) And since I
needed a 'before' picture in order to show you the 'after' picture, I
was forced to use a snowy one. Believe me! I am in no way looking to
rush the seasons. In fact, I am so into denial about them that I call
September summer and October is early fall and November, there is no
good thing to call it and it only gets mentioned because it has
Thanksgiving in it. December is ok but about two days into the new
year, I'm looking for it to be spring. You wonder how I get through
those winter months. Even March, which teases us with the word 'spring'
, never offers the warm embrace I'm looking for when it comes to the
weather.
Enough
already, Barb, you may be saying, why did you put this in here anyway?
It's to show you what we did after we cut down the tree. Removing a
tree is traumatic for some of us but take heart, good things can come
from it. I love this new garden that shows off not only it's new
wardrobe, but all the beautiful pieces once hidden by the pine.
Don't
ever despair over changes in your landscape. You never know the beauty
that can come from it. I get more compliments on this garden and as a
gardener it truly gives me joy.
When
viewing this garden, you will see it looking toward the house rather
than away from it, from the opposite angle, and in a more favorable
season.
The new garden
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What Can You Do with Your Green Tomatoes?
 I know many of you grow your own tomatoes and some of you tried vegetable gardening for the first time this year. Congratulations!
Wasn't it worth it? Now what do you do with those left over green
tomatoes still on the vine? Well first of all, make sure you pick them
soon before a hard frost. Then bring them inside and wrap each one in
tissue paper. Be gentle with them so they don't get bruised. Store them in
a cool dark room and check on them periodically. They will ripen on
their own over the next month or two and you will find yourself eating your tomatoes from your
garden in November and December. This tomato (you will have to trust me
on this) is from my garden last year and the picture was taken in
November.
Want
to try something even cooler? Grow your own lettuce and spinach right
into the winter. Both lettuce and spinach, along with some other
vegetables, can handle lower temps. But when it starts to get snowy and
icy I cover them with row cover fabric. This offers enough protection
to keep the plants alive and also keeps the deer from getting my salad
before I do. Check this out. Once again, taken last November in my
garden. I am doing it again this year. You can't beat fresh greens
pulled out of your own garden in the middle of November!!
You may call this extreme season extending, but I'll do anything to stay in denial that winter is beating a path to my door.
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Thanks
for spending some time with me via the newsletter and indulging the
discussion on the joys of being landscaper in my opening dialog.
I am always available to help with any horticulture and design questions. Don't forget, landscapes and gardens always enhance the quality of our lives and I am here to help not only maintain but enhance that worth.
I've said this before and I say it again; to all of you with whom we work, thank you! If they had a contest for best clients. I'd win.
734 482-8230
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