Garden Profiles – Plants and People

Moss dish gardens – Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks!

May 18, 2011 By HelenYoest Leave a Comment

I wanted to share with you another blog I’ve been writing for Moss and Stone Gardens I hope you enjoy and bookmark it!

As if butter and nutmeg were blended on stone, molded, then spread with lush, emerald green moss, this dish is worthy of a nosh.

David Spain’s Mellow Yellow dish came about by the proverbial, cart before the horse, philosophy.

Typically, David will let a piece of pottery move him to create moss landscapes as art in the shallow well of pottery or crevices of stone.

In creating of this piece, David was moved first by the moss. “I had a particularly beautiful colony of Polytrichum commune and Dicranum scoparium that were evenly mixed together,” says David.

Recognizing the rarity of these two mosses in such a large colony combined as one, David commissioned Marsha Owen Pottery to make this mellow, yellow pottery dish.

“As a moss cultivator, I am always looking for exceptional specimens and as this mixed colony developed, I knew I wanted to showcase the fusion of species and their exceptional size,” says David.

David carried the colony to Marsha’s studio where they made a cardboard template of the colony’s footprint. David says, “I asked Marsha to come up with a simple, elegant container to house this voluptuous mixture and I was not disappointed.”

Careful consideration was needed in making this pottery fit the moss colony. As pottery is fired, there is shrinkage. Allowing for this, Marsha and her husband Rick, carefully constructed the container, so once fired, the moss colony would fit exactly.

At first glance, this moss dish may seem to be lacking the detail of a micro-landscape David is so well known for; however, to David, “This dish epitomized the simple beauty of a moss dish garden.”

As ever, photographer, Ken Gergle, masterfully photographed this dish garden, Mellow Yellow. Often, Ken leaves the scale of the art a mystery. When I learn of the scale of some of David’s pieces, I often equate it to adding the last wiggly-shaped piece to a 500 piece puzzle, as Country Dish revealed.

So while Mellow Yellow, may only be made of two mosses, Polytrichum commune and Dicranum scoparium, it measures 22 inches across or about the size of my mondo computer screen or that of my first born at birth. Indeed, this is impressive.

In the wild, a colony of this breadth takes about 20 plus years to develop. David was able to grow this colony in just four years using the optimal conditions at Moss and Stone Garden’s moss nursery.

Mellow Yellow is a permanent part of David Spain’s personal collection; “I am happy to report, for five months, the colony housed in Mellow Yellow, has a healthy formation of sporophytes, signifying it’s content in it’s uniquely crafted sanctuary.”

For many more months, and perhaps years to come, I hope to learn of Mellow Yellow’s continued contentment.

By: Helen Yoest

Follow Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks! on Twitter @Moss_Rocks and our Facebook Like page Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks!

To learn more about Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks!, please visit our website . Or email David Spain at info@mossandstonegardens.com.

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People Tagged With: David Spain, gardening, moss, Moss and Stone Gardens

Entering redbud season

March 30, 2011 By HelenYoest 6 Comments

Cercis canadensis subsp. texensis 'Traveller'

Raleigh is in redbud season. I have a weakness for redbuds. Although I like them on their own, I am particularly enamored when the ultimate southern trifecta occurs – when the redbuds, dogwoods, and azaleas bloom at the same time.

Raleigh is also fortunate to have the National redbud collection for the North American Plant Collectors Consortium at the JC Raulston Arboretum.

The JC Raulston Arboretum’s collection is one of the most comprehensive in North America, growing 53 taxa.

According to the JCRA, “Redbuds occur throughout the northern hemisphere in the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico, Asia, southern Europe, and parts of the Middle East. This collection contains species from all of these regions with a special emphasis on our native eastern redbud (C. canadensis). Wherever they are found, redbuds are cherished for their spring pea-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white and their distinctive heart-shaped, deciduous leaves.”

I have a fondness for weeping plants, in general, and even more so with weeping redbuds. Cercis canadensis ‘Traveller’, in photo, is a particular favorite of mine.

Not only is the collection at the JCRA vast, but research for new cultivars are continually being tested and introduced. As Ted Bilderback, director, notes, “We’re developing different flower colors, leaf colors and forms. We have one coming out,” – ‘Kay’s Early Hope,’ that blooms 10 days earlier than typical redbuds and stays in flower throughout most of spring.”

In nature, redbuds are understory trees, performing best in a partly sunny site; they will, however, grow in full sun.

What redbuds do you have in your collection?

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People, Garden Travel Tagged With: canadensis, Cercis chinensis, Redbuds

‘February Gold’ adds winter light

February 4, 2011 By HelenYoest 5 Comments

The joy of moving into an older, established home, comes with it the potential of an, older, established garden, as well. But not always. It’s best to wait and see what the garden reveals over the first year to learn what you have (and don’t have) in the garden.

This was the approach I took when we moved into our 25 year old, established home in the fall of 1997. I didn’t want to completely redo the garden until I better understood the lay of the land and until I knew what I might already have. But I did want to create a garden memory for my one-year old daughter, Bud. Together we took a single ‘February Gold’ daffodil bulb and planted it about 5 inches deep with the pointed end up. She didn’t know or understand at the time, that this bulb would greet her with a bloom on a future date in February, during a time when she would need it most.

The gardening task of planting a single bulb with a one-year child took about 3 minutes – about the amount of time to steadily hold the attention for a child this young. The amount of time it took didn’t matter; what mattered what was that we made the time to make it happen. It was all that would be needed to reap the awards, that coming spring. Planting bulbs is easy. It’s remembering to plant in the fall where we often fail. So, if you forgot to plant your bulbs in the fall, mark your calendars now to order bulbs in late summer when the selection is good. Once you have them, you will be ready for planting after your area’s first frost.

COLLECTING CONFIDENCE

Over the years, each fall, dozens and dozens of daffodils are planted in our garden. Brent and Becky’s Bulbs have been on speed dial for some time as a reliable supplier for our garden’s bulb needs. We try new varieties each year, as well as, add more great performers, such as the ‘February Gold’. We are also on first name basis with the folks over at Old House Gardens , including their cat, Charlie. Their catalog has also been used for reading bedtime stories, as they include interesting tidbits about the history of bulbs.

So gain your confidence this fall, and plant bulbs so you can enjoy in the spring…right when you will need it most.

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Garden Design, Garden Profiles - Plants and People, Gardening With Confidence Tagged With: 'February Gold' daffodils, gardening

Amaryllis re-bloom in the garden

January 14, 2011 By HelenYoest 7 Comments

Outside, my shadow lies on the ground, long and low, leading the way, as I brace the winter’s cold, bringing in groceries for tonight’s dinner. I can see the shadow of the amaryllis bulb, precariously sitting on top of the bag, as if it may fall to the sidewalk if I loose my balance.

Inside, I set the grocery bag on the kitchen counter with my myopic mind set on showing the kids the amaryllis bulb I bought just for them – to plant and nurture, helping us all wait for spring.

This time of year, amaryllis are deeply discounted since most folks buy these bulbs for the holidays. I buy them now to enjoy through the winter; spring can be slow in coming. A bodacious flower, amaryllis makes the wait more bearable. But it’s more than that and I suspect too many gardeners aren’t aware. Amaryllis live on in the garden.

Amaryllis transition nicely from your winter display indoors to the garden for years of enjoyment outdoors.

Lucky for us, our zone 7 gardens suits this transition just fine.

Here’s what we do:

Keep the amaryllis alive inside until after the treat of the last frost date in spring. For Raleigh, that 90 percentile magical date is April 15.
Choose a location in the garden that receives full sun with afternoon shade for a little relief from our notably, hot afternoon summer sun.
The soil should be well-drained and fertile with some phosphorus added. Bone meal or phosphorus fertilizer work fine.
Remove the bulb from the pot and carefully, spread the roots.
Plant the bulb just below the neck of the plant.
Cover with 2 – 3 inches of mulch to aid in conserving water.
Water in well.

Keep mulched through the winter to enjoy your amaryllis for years to come.

COLLECTING CONFIDENCE

Most likely, your amaryllis will not bloom again this year. Still, there will be nice strappy leaves to enjoy. Lightly fertilize monthly through August.

Next year in the late spring, your amaryllis should bloom again.

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People, Garden Projects for Kids, Gardening With Confidence Tagged With: Amaryllis, gardening, zone 7b

Cruel, but beautiful

December 16, 2010 By HelenYoest 13 Comments

Raleigh’s weather is taking us for a wild ride. The worse weather we can ever have is when the trees and shrubs become encapsulated in ice. A thin layer begins, slowly adding a molecule of moisture more until branches can become pencil thick. We are at the point where this build up has begun. There isn’t much we can do about it…it is a cruel trick Mother Nature plays, but it’s beautiful.

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People Tagged With: ice, Raleigh weather

Montrose Opened For Fall Flowering Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus

November 29, 2010 By HelenYoest 12 Comments

It was a cold November day, at 2:00 PM on a Saturday, when the Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus opened for a few of Nancy Goodwin’s Gardening Friends at Montrose. In all, there were three groups of about 10 who toured.

As we trickled in over a 20 minute period, groups were formed and led away.

Craufurd Goodwin greeted our group along with Cathy as our guide, bringing up the rear. Nancy and Cheryl had gone ahead, leading the other groups.

This was my 5th visit to Montrose, my second time when there were no leaves on the trees. During spring and fall visits, there was gaiety in the visiting gardener’s voices. High chatter with a festive air. During this visit, the tones were hushed; silent almost. No idle chit-chat; the expectation of what we were about to see was treated with a degree of reverence. We weren’t told to act any certain way, it just occurred naturally. It’s not everyday one can witness ten thousand Galanthus nodding in the woods.

I’m not certain of the exact number, nor is Nancy. They grow in the woods in multiple areas, with one area about 300 feet long. This is not a sight many have seen. Indeed, even locals have only been able to see these for the second time. This is their second blooming. I missed last year for some reason, I can’t remember. I can promise you though, if I had seen these in bloom, I would have remembered what I was doing that day.

After our 45 minute walk in the woods, we were led to the building that was once the law office at the home of 19th century NC Governor William Alexnder Graham . Treated to cookies, cider, and toasted pecans grown on the Goodwin’s pecan trees, cracked by Nancy’s hands and cooked to perfection with butter and salt at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes. While I can duplicate the temperature and time, there is no duplication of the nut and ambiance where they were eaten.

Nancy enjoys a winter garden, as do I. We are so fortunate to have something in bloom all year long. Nancy just so happens to multiple what most of us can do by 10,000.

Now I wait for spring when ten thousand poppies bloom…

Enjoy the November sightings!

: Nancy Goodwin with David Spain and Jared Barnes

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People, Garden Travel Tagged With: David Spain, Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus, Helen Yoest, Hillsborough, Jared Barnes, Montrose, Nancy Goodwin, NC

November in North Carolina – Happy Thanksgiving

November 25, 2010 By HelenYoest 2 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving

All around my neighborhood, and homes across America, in trailers, condos, townhouses, apartments, and homes of Americans living abroad, Thanksgiving will be celebrated.

People are preparing a feast with Turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, yams and marshmallows, noodles and cranberries, to give thanks. Just thanks; no gifts or glitter. Just gathering with the ones we love and give thanks.

This year, I give thanks to my family who indulges me with my gardening forays. I’m thankful I can live in a place like Raleigh where the gardening never stops.

The Leaf of the Willow

All around my neighborhood,

People are preparing a feast,

Turkey, stuffing, yams and marshmallows.

Gathering round tables,

Giving thanks at their turn,

Thankful for each other and, of course, green jello.

They eat and laugh, unbutton their pants,

Waving off offers for more on their plate,

Eyeing surfaces where they will soon be mellow.

Wanting the day to slow and be savored.

Only rising some to stoke the big fire.

With no energy to blow, they bring out the billow.

A parade, a game, a walk, and leftovers

Thanksgiving’s a pause before the season kicks off

While anxious children wait for the mythical big fellow.

New beginnings happen with a turn of a calendar,

Promising more if we are not careful,

A footprint too deep, instead just a wee bit shallow.

As spring awaits, more holidays at the ready.

Lushness, flowers, and fragrance at the gate.

New beginnings in each leaf the willow.

I’m particularly thankful for having the best mom a girl could ever ask for.

Ida Yoest June 6, 1928 - October 30, 2010

Helen Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Helen is co-founder and contributor to:

Beautiful Wildlife Garden
You can follow Beautiful Wildlife Garden on Twitter @Wildlife Garden and facebook at Wildlife Garden.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People

Proven Winners with Danielle Ernest

August 16, 2010 By HelenYoest 2 Comments

Welcome to Gardening With Confidence™ on WebTalkRadio.net.

MY GUEST THIS WEEK

Join us as we hear from Danielle Ernest with Proven Winners about new annuals and perennials introduced this year, what we can expect expect for 2011 and where we can buy Proven Winner plants.

Anisodontea ‘Slightly Strawberry’ Trial in Helen’s Haven™ Words like Anisodontea don’t roll off my tongue as well as l would like them too. But Proven Winners has helped with that. Check out their audio to pronounce the Latin names.

I find the naming of new hybrids interesting and often wonder how the process works. In the absence of first hand knowledge, I envisioned this: The Fictitious Naming of ‘Pretty Much Picasso.’

TIP OF THE DAY WEEK – Extend your fall season by pruning summer annuals.

As the summer cinders on, some annuals, particularly petunias, will start to look leggy and tired. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy these blooms well into the fall.

In late summer, many gardeners fall victim of thinking summer is nearly over, so they might as well ignore their tired looking flowers or remove them altogether. But by doing so you will have a lost opportunity of extended fall pleasure.

There is no reason not to have your annual flowers blooming until first frost. Revitalize your tired-looking annuals instead by giving a mid-season pruning.

The beginning of August is a great time to trim back annuals. Just trim them back by a third to a half. Within a week, the trimmed plants will begin to flush out more bushy and fresh looking.

So prune now, and then relax and enjoy the rest of your summer knowing fall will continue to bloom for you.

Helen Yoest is a garden writer and coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook friend’s page, Helen Yoest or Gardening With Confidence™ Face Book Like Page.

Each week, Helen host’s a garden talk WebTalkRadio.net show called Gardening With Confidence™.

Filed Under: Garden Profiles - Plants and People Tagged With: Garden Coaching, gardening, Proven Winners

Moss dish gardens – Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks!

Entering redbud season

‘February Gold’ adds winter light

Amaryllis re-bloom in the garden

Cruel, but beautiful

Montrose Opened For Fall Flowering Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus

November in North Carolina – Happy Thanksgiving

Proven Winners with Danielle Ernest

Colchicums with Kathy Purdy

Anisodontea ‘Slightly Strawberry’ Trial in Helen’s Haven™

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