>And what will poor Robin do then, poor thing?

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As the weather continues on the downward spiral, feeding the birds becomes serious business for without our help, many may not survive the current temperature plunge. True bird aficionados feed year round, but I feel it is best to insist they forage until the weather no longer permits or food is no longer easily obtainable.

We all remember the haunting nursery rhyme:
“The North wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor Robin do then,
Poor thing?”

The illustration accompanying this little ditty often displays a pitiful Robin lying on its back in deep snow with fixed eyes, twig-like claws, a beak barely opened… clearly dying from either starvation or hypothermia! Notwithstanding the implied cruelty of presenting such images to small children, the visualization of this “Poor Thing” easily instills enough guilt to encourage one to purchase a high quality bag of wild bird feed immediately!

Most birds like the commercial mixtures but if you want to splurge purchase additional sunflower seeds and thistle. Many beautiful songbirds spend the winter indulging in entertaining antics and now that the trees are bare, it is possible to see and hear them far better. Once you begin feeding you will discover the reason so many people find great enjoyment in bird-watching, for every bird has personality traits characteristic to their individual species.

With the onset of cabin fever this week, the birds have taken on substantial significance, providing a most welcome respite on seemingly endless boring days. The Blue Jays are excitable, boisterous, rather the bullies and always traveling in a gang. The Cardinals are polite, laid back and lacking in aggression. All species of the Woodpecker family demand and receive respect; their beaks are daunting and presence can clear the feeder immediately. The darling finches squabble and tumble about while the Black Capped Chickadee and timid Titmouse dart for sunflower seeds. The wonderfully enthusiastic Sparrows are mentioned in the Bible as one of God’s favorites.

Birds eat in regular intervals during the day much as we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. For this reason the feeder is sometimes chaotically busy with all species feeding together in a feathered fluff of noisy competition while other times the filled feeder stands alone. The word spreads quickly among the bird community and bird feeders will find themselves at the height of popularity this time of year.

Lovely books which identify bird species are available at all of the public libraries and it is exciting to identify old favorites and new friends who visit your feeder. And since we have many more weeks of winter, plan to enjoy the bird show… from the warmth of your easy chair!

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>Mastiff Puppies

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>The Herb Garden…. The Basics

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Planting an herb garden is immensely satisfying for besides providing visual beauty as the plants flower, they will provide seasoning for culinary delights, flowers for relaxing baths, and often offer medicinal properties as well. Either used while fresh, or dried for future use, herbs are among the most ancient plants to be utilized by mankind. And the satisfaction of planting and growing your own knows no bounds.

Mint has traveled everywhere~ interloped to fraternize with the Oregano… and the Larkspur was not invited~

The Mint family encompasses an enormous selection and a summer glass of iced tea is naked without a sprig. Spearmint, chocolate mint, peppermint and many other varieties are traditional garden constants. All are fond of warm climates, and may be found in most parts of the world. Most of the mints with the exception of ‘Apple Mint’ tend to travel along the edge of the bed so plan on their wayward wandering when planting them. Containment can become a taxing full time job unless they are allowed to roam. Apple Mint stays where she is planted and will remain lovely and carefree for years.

Apple Mint Below~

Lemon Balm is both an ancient herb and a favorite of bees. It was used among bee keepers in Greece where it was rubbed on hives to keep the bees from swarming by calming them. Taken as a tea, it has been touted to ensure longevity, ease fear, and cure headaches or fatigue. Very easy to grow, it is a native of southern Europe and North Africa, where it has been cultivated for over 2000 years. Today it enjoys continued popularity and brushing by it on an evening stroll through the garden brings a sensory delight.

Perhaps add the beautiful perennial Garden Sage for it has long been a staple in southern culinary. No turkey is complete unless stuffed with sage dressing and sage picked from your garden has a taste more flavorful than any which may be found in processed products. Following blooming slightly prune then allow the plant to recover before cutting stalks to dry. Wait to cut until the morning dew has dried and hang the stems in a dark closet until they have thoroughly dried. A garage or out building is the best place to dry so the leaves are not subject to accidental air conditioning. Once the leaves are crisp, strip them from the branch and seal in an air tight plastic bag.

Love my Sage~

Lavender is not to be forgotten, especially since this Mediterranean native adores our western Oklahoma climate. Dry, sunny, even rocky gardens appeal to this perennial favorite making it easy to grow here. It has been continually cultivated for over 2,500 years and its ability to dispel odor made it useful in Egyptian mummification. In Greece and Rome it was used to scent baths and ease fatigue and by Medieval times it was used as a deodorant and a way to ward off Black Death. Legend has Cleopatra using lavender’s sensual properties to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, which no doubt accounts for its time-tested popularity… which continues today.

Add Some Chives too~
Chives are not only beautiful, but provide sweet early snippets to add to salads, baked potatoes, and anything else that needs a zing!

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>Monet’s Garden… and Adapting to Change

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February is a time for planning what to do in the garden and often visiting famous gardens of the past provides inspiration. Viewing a book on Claude Monet, the French painter and father of the Impressionistic Painting Movement will provide inspiration for he was a gardener extraordinaire. His paintings of flowers and water lilies are legend and his own gardens were inspiration for them.

In 1883 he moved with his family to Giverney France where he rented an acreage complete with a ramshackle home and out buildings in various stages of neglect and decay. He enlisted the enthusiastic energy of his eight children and the family worked tirelessly for years to create an oasis of beauty. Over time various gardens were enclosed to have a certain view and therefore many gardens contain ‘flower arrangements’ throughout. Often captured in his paintings, his ‘arrangements’ became immensely popular. As his wealth increased, he purchased the land and adjacent acreages and the gardens continued to evolve.

Eventually the children grew and lost interest in the projects so an undaunted Monet simply hired seven gardeners to help him. His fantastic gardens contain a central walk (allee) with rose covered hoops. There is one section with seven two-tiered pergolas containing roses with Clematis hanging above, draping like lace curtains. A meandering pebble path overflows with nasturtiums which were an ‘accidental mistake’ Monet loved and repeated each year. Both rare and common species of flowers dance in magical tandem throughout the gardens. In his later years, he used much of his money to purchase rare and expensive species of plants and became ardently interested in botany.

His final project was a water garden complete with a traditional Japanese bridge and although he never traveled to Japan, woodcuts inspired him and the bridge is of his own design. The covered bridge absolutely drips with white and mauve wisteria providing a stunning seasonal effect. Monet endlessly painted his gardens, capturing light and motion, the flowering and falling of petals, the ripple of water… from every angle, through every season. His overwhelming passion for gardening, for art, for living has made his home a French national treasure with over a million visitors a year. (Second only to Versailles).

There is a virtual treasure trove of information about his gardens available both online and in libraries. Why not research the genius of Monet to stave off the house-bound boredom which is bound to emerge in February? Without doubt, even Monet was pleased February is a short month!

Our (Former) North Garden:
View from N. to S.~ preparing to plant the garden below~ Pictured from S. to N.

Footnote:
*I can relate to the enthusiasm of his eight children. Our own eight adored projects and our acreage continually evolved with their interests. The north field which was once a massive vegetable garden became a horseback riding ring, a go-cart track, a baseball diamond, and finally a golf course! However, as Monet discovered, children do grow into adulthood and leave home. Since hiring a staff of seven was impossible, Michael and I realized replanting two acres to gardens was too much for us alone… thus the downsizing article. Adaptation is the secret and the garden will evolve… bringing new joy in unexpected ways. Smaller ways~

Horseback riding was a passion for years!

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>Snow, Snow and More Snow… A Benefit for the Garden

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Japanese gardeners refer to the snow formation above as sekka… snow blossoms. I had never seen them before our snowfall last winter… they are lovely.

Gardeners have long cherished snow as it forms a natural insulation for premature thawing. Since moisture in the soil expands as it turns to ice, a premature thaw followed by a freeze can cause the bed to heave disturbing the roots of small plants nestled there. It has been scientifically proven that a small layer of light fluffy snow can insulate the flower bed completely allowing for a tolerable temperature beneath it. Amazingly, a bone chilling temperature of minus 14 degrees Fahrenheit and a nine inch layer of snow can ensure the soil at the surface remains a relatively cozy 28 degrees. Snow also provides protection from drying winter winds and allows the bacteria in the soil to continue the work of decomposing organic matter leftover in the garden.

An odd benefit of pollution is the fact that snowflakes collect the airborne particles of automobile exhaust and add it to their composition as they fall. Most exhaust is composed of nitrates, which are the principal component of well balanced fertilizers. Today’s snow may be a noxious cocktail of chemicals that make for poor tasting ice cream, but its benefit to the garden is boundless.

The Japanese, famous for their dedication to gardening, have long revered snow and consider it integral to their garden displays. They have garden tours during the snow and even use yukimi (snow viewing lanterns) strategically placed about the garden for maximum effect. Snowflakes collected on tree branches are called sekka (snow blossoms). Trees are carefully pruned and supported with stakes to allow the canopy to collect the snow without collapsing.

In spite of the obvious inconvenience, our friends to the east may remind themselves that snow provides a multitude of benefits for the garden. It also gives stunning visual continuity and provides an unsurpassed aesthetic beauty during boring winter months… Snow is indeed a miraculous feat of nature.

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>January Thoughts

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Force some Redbud!

There are telltale and unmistakable signs that January is upon us for the garden appears to have collapsed upon itself, imploded if you will. Every bit of last year’s efforts left behind, either on purpose or by mistake, seems but a flattened pile of mish, begging to be hauled to the compost bin or the canyon. Walking the beds, scouting for the promise of spring, only a few daring green bulb-tips have appeared to push their way above the frozen soil. Such fortitude is admirable, but hardly fool hardy for they know the secret… the emerging green contains the equivalent of antifreeze. They are unafraid and determined to arrive at the garden party first!

Everyone who gardens considers weather watching a hobby and this year is an anomaly as one of the strongest La Nina events since record-keeping began is taking place in the Pacific Ocean. La Nina’s global influence is the cause of heavy rains in Brazil where conditions are disastrous with flooding reaching apocalyptic proportions. Mudslides are common in former forests which have been clear cut for urban expansion and more than 500 people have died in flooding last week alone, making it their worst natural disaster in decades. Poor Australia has suffered with a terrible drought for years and the old adage ‘be careful what you wish for’ applies to the entire Continent. Described by the Prime Minister as ‘epic’, the continued flooding will have an impact upon major cities for decades. China is having a disastrous drought which is threatening their wheat crop and our own North East is being pounded by dipping temperature and heavy snow. Here we are experiencing a drought with barely any precipitation in months. An elderly Oklahoma farmer once mused, “With what is spent on science, why don’t we have a year round temperature of seventy two degrees and half inch of rain every week?” Unfortunately weather is not the domain of science so we must resolve to carefully pray for rain… but not too much.

Since we are so dry, it is important to water on days which reach above freezing. Even dormant plants need a drink, for although they are resting above ground their roots are still busy below. The addition of mulch is helpful since the ground has finally frozen for will keep it from thawing on mild days. Mulch is not to keep plants warm, but rather to keep them cold and inhibit any premature action from a thaw which may be followed by more freezes. When watering remember to turn it off at night… it is rather embarrassing but on more than one occasion, we have forgotten and awoke to a shocking ice palace!

Oops!

To remind yourself that spring is coming, cut a few branches of flowering shrubs to force inside. Choose branches from any of the fruit trees and ornamentals such as Redbud, Flowering Quince, Forsythia, Spirea, and Viburnum are also favorites. Cut carefully so as not to disfigure the shape of the tree. Bring the branches inside, cut a three inch slit upwards at the base to allow the branch to ‘drink’ and place them in warm water for several hours to break dormancy. Recut an inch from the end, place them in fresh water in a cool room, and wait. It may take from two to four weeks for them to bloom, but watching and waiting is part of the joy of forcing… and the room will be filled with the scent of spring!

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>Horticultural Knives… for Your Valentine!

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The next holiday for gift giving is Valentine’s Day and the ideal gift for the gardener you love might well be an often overlooked time-saving device… the gardening knife. Available in many styles for many differing chores, the merit of a fine gardening knife is immeasurable. As we all know, the most important thing for success in the garden are tools of the trade and yet many gardeners use tired, rusty, and antiquated tools which make the job much more difficult.

Yes, there is such a thing as a gardener’s knife and it is a luxurious necessity. The many styles and chores for which they were designed make it possible to give this marvelous gift on every occasion until the gardener has an entire collection of them. There are knives for grafting and pruning, cutting and trimming, and the horticultural knife by Tina may be even be purchased for lefties.

The blade is of utmost importance and variations in design represent the practical and accumulated experience of hundreds of generations who have gone before us. The ancient Romans had a pruning knife, falculae arboraire, which was remarkably similar to grape pruning knives of the early 1930’s. The use of the same design for 2,000 years is surely not an accident making it a well tested product. Obviously the type of work it is to perform is also taken into account but the important thing to remember is the necessity of the single blade. Swiss Army knives, with their many blades and promises of versatility, are not ideal in the garden. The single blade has strength unto itself and will out perform any multi bladed knife tenfold. The more blades on a knife, the weaker it becomes.

The next factor is a blade which sharpens easily, stays sharp, and keeps a keen cut through many uses. No matter how attractive the knife, it is only as good as the hardness of the steel from which it was made. Carbon steel, while strong and used for hundreds of years, will rust if not oiled and put away after use. Prior to the 1950’s, and the process of ‘chill-quenching’, the tempering of stainless steel was hit or miss making it impractical for gardening use. It has been perfected and now has an edge comparable to carbon steel and is virtually rust-proof.

It is important when considering the purchase of a gardening knife that one ignores any product originating in China. As any one who has purchased a hammer from China knows, the steel is not correctly hardened and it will not stand the test of time. One of the premier manufacturers of gardening knives is a German company, Tina, who maintains the tradition of knife making and still uses the carbon steel and completes the process by placing the blade firmly in a walnut stock.

If a Tina is too expensive, there is a lovely Florist’s knife from the American company Schrade, and although the company went out of business just shy of their 100th anniversary, one may still find their knives through the Internet. A wonderful Budding and Grafting knife is made by Victorinox, a Swiss company and would be greatly appreciated by any gardener.

Short of giving a ton of exquisitely composted cattle manure, a versatile knife would be the next-best gift for the gardener you love.

A Victorinox may be ordered at http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/victorinox

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