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#AtoZChallenge: Gardens and good friends
Photo © Diane Weidenbenner Spring has sprung and it has me thinking about gardens. Buds have appeared on our lilacs, irises are springing up and the roses have green, velvety leaves. I can’t wait to get a whiff of the lilac-perfumed air from our bedroom window. I also begin thinking of new plants to add to the landscape. Do they require a lot of care? Since we’ve had a drought these past few summers, how much water will they require? I have a lot of enthusiasm at the beginning of the season when it’s sunny and warm (and not humid.) As the summer progresses, and it gets muggy and…
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Accidental gardener
You’ve heard of the “Accidental Tourist”? Well, I’m more of an accidental gardener. The plants that I pay more for, that I put a lot of thought and care into, are the ones most likely to NOT survive. At least it seems that way. My husband and I have been trying to get a rose garden going and some plants do well while others wither and die, never making it to season two. Then there are the plants that I buy at the end of the season, from roadside nurseries or the “leftover” pile at Menards. These include discounted plants that even the stores don’t think are going to last…
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A to Z Challenge: “N”ame this plant…
At the end of last summer, I found three plants whose tags said they were good in shade and partial sun. They were also on sale, which meant if they didn’t make it to next spring, I wouldn’t be out a fortune. I do take it personally when plants die on me but that’s another story. To my great surprise, all three survived the winter and are now flourishing. The problem is, I can’t remember for the life of me what they are. I’m hoping that a kind, knowledgeable A to Z Challenger will help me identify the plant. Here’s what I remember: it is a perennial that stays low…
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A to Z Challenge: “F”orsythia
O forsythia, forsythia, wherefore art thou Forsythia? (I don’t know why but this plant’s name just seems to lend itself to Shakespeare!) Why are all the springtime blooms bright and cheery? I’d like to believe it’s to remind us that winter is on its way out, and that summer is coming! I talked about the daffodil in all its glory! Another bright yellow flowering shrub to quickly shake off the winter chill is the forsythia plant. Its slightly bell-shaped blooms can range from buttery yellow to warm gold. Did you know it’s part of the olive family? I had no idea. They were named after English horticulturist William Forsyth (1737-1804).…
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“J”icama
Photo of jicama. By Eric in SF (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Have you ever eaten at a ritzy ditzy restaurant that served jicama, aka Pachyrhizus erosus? At first glance, it’s nothing special. It’s usually cut into thin strips or small pieces and is white. It’s actually a large, tuberous root from South America and Mexico and is a relative of the potato. (The rest of the plant is actually poisonous.) It can be eaten raw or cooked and has a sweet, crunch, nutty flavor that’s a cross between an apple and a water chestnut. I’ve also experienced it at up-scale salad bars. It adds a nice sweet…
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Winter wonders
It’s been a winter to remember, that’s for sure. As a transplant to Indiana from Colorado, having snowy winters is not new to me. However, this has been by far the snowiest winter we’ve had in our nine years in the Midwest. Here’s a recap of our winter thus far at the Weidenbenner home: To clarify, I love snow, whether it’s falling, drifting, being formed into cool snow sculptures and yard art, or adorning various trees, houses, and other outside structures. I am not in favor of, nor have I prayed for, freezing temperatures, ice, traffic accidents/rollovers or power outages. I think you can and should have one without the…
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“D”ish network or garden dish?
Photo © Diane Weidenbenner Technology plays a huge role in our lives, whether we want it to or not. Wireless phones keep us connected 24/7. We write on and design with computers. We watch television on flat screens and can record programming for when it’s more convenient to watch and fast forward through commercials. Or, we can watch programming on tablets or other hand-held devices. And, we have the choice of Dish Network or Cable for connectivity. As one technology goes out of style, another takes its place. With today’s reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy, this photo is a unique way of recycling technology and also serves as a unique garden…
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Blogging from A to Z: Early spring
For many of us this winter (and now early spring), have been really odd seasons. Not much snow or precipitation. In early March the tulips, daffodils, magnolias, lilacs, hostas and other perennials were dusting off their mulch and popping up to greet the season. Wildlife were waking from their deep winter slumber to look for food and nesting possibilities. I saw a baby Pileated Woodpecker at our birdfeeder two weeks ago. Many of us feared that we would get a late snow or final frost that would maim the early budding plants. We’re still holding our breaths. A friend and I went for a drive to Rockville, Ind., and discovered…
