Gardening With Confidence™

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Learn tips to photograph your garden at home from Barbara

Pintozzi, garden blogger at Mr. McGregor’s Daughter.

TIP OF THE WEEK

When taking photographs of your garden, take the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Seeing your garden in a photo will teach you more about your garden than you will ever be able to do in person. Study the photo, note the angles, witness the stuff you walk by everyday, such as the hose, the utilities, the play set and such.

By evaluating your photos, you can better place screens and see what changes can occur to improve what your mind is making corrections for. If you shoot digitally, print out the image and draw-in your vision. It’s amazing how effective this can be.

Sketch your idea over a photograph

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 Fan Page.

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

Helen also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum

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Happy Winter Solstice

On Monday, December 21, 2009 at 12:47 PM EST we can take a collective breath as we begin to see the days grow longer. Longer days are here again. As we go from the point of days with shorter daylight to days with longer daylight, there is a cause of celebration.

To celebrate, Helen Yoest (that’s me!) of Gardening With Confidence™ and 3 fellow social media friends created a Winter Solstice meal just for you.

(more…)

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Metro Magazine\
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Here’s the originial copy:\

The Elizabethan Gardens

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By Helen Yoest

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The Elizabethan Gardens is a unique American garden, with a definite nod to 16^th century England.\’a0 Built on the site of the first English colony in the New World and staying authentic of the era, these gardens offer a wide appeal.\
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Horticulturists, nature lovers, history buffs, and culture seekers find their way to this historic site on the Roanoke Sound in Manteo, North Carolina.\
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Nestled under a canopy of Southern Magnolias, pines, dogwoods and ancient live oak trees, the garden was originally funded more than 50 years ago by the Garden Club of North Carolina and designed and built by M. Umberto Innocenti and Richard Webel.\
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A visit to The Elizabethan Gardens is very much like touring a great English estate.\’a0 Ten acres of gardens are designed with a mixture of both formal and naturalized areas.\
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The formal areas include an entrance garden designed with desirable parterres of clipped boxwood and filled with annuals to reflect the seasons.\’a0 The Shakespeare\’92s Herb Garden is filled with culinary, medicinal and sweet smelling herbs.\
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Of particular interest is the Sunken Gardens with a magnificent antique fountain donated by The Late Honorable John Hay Whitney, former Ambassador to the Courts of St. James and Mrs. Whitney.\
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The fountain dictated the design of a formal parterre pattern of clipped boxwood and yaupon hollies.\’a0 Surrounding the fountain is a circle of eight Crepe Myrtles.\’a0 Each year, the trees are pollarded to maintain their size.\’a0 In doing so, the ends of each branch form gnarled orbs that have become individual works of art.\’a0 During the summer, their watermelon-colored flowers are simply striking.\
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The naturalized areas have you trod on ground softened by fallen leaves and pine needles with walls of azaleas and camellias.\
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A summer stroll will reveal many different types of hydrangeas.\’a0 Climbing hydrangeas grace the Gatehouse wall in the Courtyard.\’a0 The sweet scent wafts the area making it difficult to venture on.\’a0 Linger long enough to satisfy, but then be ready for the sight of lacecap and mophead hydrangea blooms beckoning you in blue.\’a0 Naturally pink cultivars also abound along with Oak leaf hydrangeas with their white blooms fading to a rosy pink.\
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Lining the Great Lawn are daylilies offering several weeks of great color and delight.\’a0 Perennial sunflowers, rain lilies, Stokes Asters, Gardenias, and coneflowers will also welcome you, as well as, the wildlife.\
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The natural paths will lead you to the octagonal shaped Gazebo.\’a0 Built to period specifications with a thatched roof over looking the Roanoke sound, it is also sighted at the perfect moment to rest.\
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As you journey back, you will meet Virginia Dare, or at least the artist\’92s rendition of the first child born to the new world, if she had lived.\’a0 Sculpted in Italy by American sculptor, Maria Louis Lander, in 1859, the statue stands at the place of the child\’92s\’92 birth, now a young woman looking towards the future.\
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Sidebar\
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The Elizabethan Gardens\
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Open year-round seven days a week\
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Closing times vary with season\
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1411 National Park Drive\
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Manteo, NC 27954\
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(252) 473-3234\
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www.eliabethangardens.org\
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Self guided tour open 7 days a week year round\
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Be sure to visit the Gatehouse Gift shop offering unique items and plants propagated in greenhouses located on the gardens grounds.

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It’s really been two weeks since I posted all that goes on in Helen’s Haven and Gardening With Confidence’s world.\’a0 I’ll just gloss over the highlights.\
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Last Sunday I didn’t post because\’a0 my family and I were in\
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New York City to soak up some culture.\’a0 My kids want to go back.\’a0 So do I.\’a0 We visited the Natural History Museum, took in Lion King, ate multiple pieces of pizza pie, went to\’a0 Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, checked out the Statue of Liberty, and acted like goofy tourist in Times Square.\’a0 The usual.\
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This was the first time I took all three kids.\’a0 Most years, I will have one in tow or go with a friend.\’a0 One year, Lily and I did some gardens.\’a0 This year, we didn’t go to any.\
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They loved the subway and I loved how they compared it to other transit systems they have experienced so far – those of\’a0 Spain and France.\
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My gift to these young’ins,\’a0 is the gift of travel.\’a0 I’m giving them the opportunity to be wide-eyed and bushy-ed-tailed all around the world and the USA too.\’a0 Oh for a stronger dollar.\
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Saturday, I visited Nancy Goodwin’s Montrose.\’a0 It was a lovely day in the garden.\’a0 Montrose looked awesome. Magical. \’a0 I’ll post about that next week.\’a0 Here a sneak photo to pique your interest.\
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Helen’s Haven is a test garden for Proven Winners.\’a0 This week was spent planting pots and beds with this years’ selection.\’a0 Check out this photo – it’s really Christmas in May!!!\
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I’m pleased with some of the container combinations I created.\’a0 Results will be posted later in the season.\
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As I came and went, I managed to have some fun in the garden:\

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• Transplanted a ‘Blue Chip’ form the North Border to the Sidewalk Garden.

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• Fretted over the Cow birds that moved into Helen’s Haven.\’a0 My friend, James Baggett, Editor Country Gardens soothed me by reminding me they are native birds.\’a0 We may not like what they do, so\’a0 plan to just observe Mother Nature as she intended.\’a0 He’s right, of course.\’a0 Just as I was about to take Jame’s advice, they moved on.

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• Planted a Virginia sweetspire ‘Henry Garnet’ I picked up in Wilmington, NC

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• Planted Rose of Sharon ‘Lavender Chiffon’.

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• Pruned peonies and\’a0 roses.

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• Mowed.\’a0 Tried to mow this week, but the wheel fell off.\’a0 It just fell off.\’a0 Ordered new part; need to borrow mower from our dear neighbors.\’a0 Not the first time I’ve had to borrow from them.

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• Trimmed back half the Bee Balm to stagger bloom times.

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• Called to the frogs.

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• Set up another rotting fruit station for the wildlife.

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• Added another flat tray ground feeder for the birds such as Mourning Doves and Towhees

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• Had Heather help me whack back the Forsythia.\’a0 Need to work on it a little more.

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• Racked Magnolia leaves.\’a0 ‘Tis the season to drop leaves.\’a0 Should be over soon.

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• Planted a Red Homestead.\’a0 I’m excited about this.\’a0 Hope it makes it through the winter.\’a0 The reds and purples look GREAT together.

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• Planted King Tut near the fountain (one of the Proven Winners.)

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• Read up on Copperhead snakes since I heard there had been some sightings and bitings in the neighborhood.\’a0 Working in a garden once, on my knees, I came nose to nose with a Copperhead.\’a0 I’m not sure where doing the right think came from, but I froze, then slowly backed out and away.

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• Leveled some pots.

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• Pitched some stories to my editors.

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It was a good couple of weeks.\’a0 Wrote my column, drafted another story, blogged, client consults, maintenance, design, preparing for a couple of talks…all in the world of a Garden Coach.\’a0 Very happy I’m able to work in a field that gives me so much satisfaction.\
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Enjoy this spring…it’s the only one we will have this year!\
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Copy and photos by Helen Yoest\
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Gardening With Confidence

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There are many plants in Helen’s Haven that are fine on their own, but many are even better with a little help from me.\’a0 With a little nip here and tuck there, I’m able to delay blooms, prevent leggy-ness, and share the wealth.\
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Nipping to Delay Bloom Time\
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In one area of the Mixed Border, there is a batch of bee balm, Monarda \’91Jacob\’92s Cline.\’92\
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In the winter, there is nothing showing in this area \’91cept seed.\’a0 Winter is\
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followed by the birth of tiny Monarda giving spring greens.\’a0 In early summer, haunting red blooms flower their hearts out.\’a0 These flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.\’a0 \’a0\’a0After the flowers are spent, the Cannas arrive taking the border through frost.\
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Bee balm reseeds herself readily in Helen\’92s Haven despite mulching with a heavy hand.\’a0 Some find bee balm too aggressive a re-seeder to want in their garden. Indeed it is.\’a0 However, I also find it easy to thin out.\
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At home in a wildlife garden such as Helen’s Haven, or cottage and country gardens, bee balm responds well to nipping back.\’a0 To extend the display, I nip back half of the plants.\’a0 This nipping delays blooming, effectively extending the flowering time, giving more time for the wildlife to enjoy and allows more time for the Cannas to fill out.\
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Nipping to Prevent Leggy-ness\
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Many plants benefit from nipping to prevent leggy-ness.\’a0 A great example is the Nippon daisy.\’a0 This plant is a great fall bloomer.\’a0 Always starting out in a nice mound; but if not nipped, it will get leggy.\’a0 Nippon daisy can be nipped several times up to about July 4^th.\’a0 Then let it go.\’a0 A little nip helps her stay in shape.\
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Tucking to Share the Wealth\
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I tuck tansy cuz I can.\’a0 I also nip her.\’a0 In the spring, the lacy leaf is a great addition to the garden.\’a0 In Helen\’92s Haven, the leaf is valued more than the flower.\’a0 When it goes to flower, it tends to get leggy \’96 not that this is a\
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problem, but when it goes to flower, the leaves start to look ratty.\’a0 To me, the leaf is so desirable, it is tucked in other places of the garden; tucked in areas that could benefit from a little green.\’a0 Tucking Tansy in the back border is done often.\
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Tansy is also shared often here, passing along plants to friends to tuck in their gardens as well.\
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Other plants that are nipped and tucked in Helen\’92s Haven:\
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Sedums\
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Mums\
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Cleome\
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Mint\
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Rosemary\
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Salvias\
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Basil\
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Give your garden a little nip and tuck.\’a0 Help your garden stay in shape and get around.

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Our local paper did a story on what to do with the extra hour of daylight this weekend will bring.\’a0 The timing could not have been more perfect.\’a0 I met with the photographer on Wednesday afternoon, not a day I’m usually in my garden. Sunday is my day in the garden.\’a0 The rest of the week, I’m\’a0 in other people gardens or at my computer writing about gardens.\
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For the photo shoot, I actually had to work so the photographs were candid.\’a0 We spent about 3 hours together – you can get a lot done in 3 hours.\’a0 Good thing too, this past Sunday was cold and rainy.\’a0 So I got my weekly gardening fix after all.\
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News & Observer\
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Of course, you can always refer to my This Month in the Garden for monthly maintenance tips.

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There was no puttering in Helen’s Haven today.\’a0 Saturday and Sunday was a wash!\’a0 It rained the entire weekend.\’a0 This was good.\
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As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to work in the garden on Thursday afternoon.\’a0 A photographer spent a few hours with me, taking photos of what kind of tasks can be done in the garden now.\’a0 The News and Observer, our local paper, is doing a story on what people can do with the extra hour of daylight daylight savings time brings.\
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I thought this was a great idea.\’a0 The story would get people thinking about what can be done in the gardens now.\’a0 Normal people don’t begin to think about working in the garden until spring arrives.\’a0 Unlike my crowd of six\’a0sigma gardeners who never actually stop gardening, the story would encourage folks to get out and get a head start of the spring – pruning, weeding, mulching, fertilizing, bed prep, planning, etc.\
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I like that there was some proactive encouragement in gardening.\
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Here is some of the fun I did to demonstrate what can be done in the garden one extra hour at a time:\

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• Pruned the big Brown Turkey fig tree.

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• The fountain needs repainting.\’a0 Emptied the water from the fountain to get ready to paint.

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• Watched the fountain refilled with the weekend rain.

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• After Phil finished the steps, I wanted to add some boulders in 2 other areas of the Mixed Bed.\’a0 One area had a small retaining wall made from flagstone.\’a0 I removed these stones and was about to stack in the storage area when I got a bright idea. One day, hopefully next year, when the kids are done with their play-set, I plan to put in a greenhouse.\’a0 These flagstone would be ideal for the flooring.\’a0 As such, I placed the flagstone where I hope the Greenhouse will go one day.\’a0 Now I have a good visual of my future great space.

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• The back of our property is undeveloped property with a chain link fence.\’a0 I have reed fencing tied onto it to give it a much nicer look.\’a0 I’m actually glad the fence is there.\’a0 I like the look of reed fence and the chain link gave me the opportunity to use it.\’a0 Occasionally, an end breaks free.\’a0 So, I tied up this loose end of the fence.

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• Picked up leaves and sticks.

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• Cut back salvia leucantha.

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• Cut back iris winter burn.

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• Removed some garden art – looking to exposed.

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• Up-righted red gazing ball in Red Bed

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• Planted cotoneaster ‘Scarlet Leader’ I picked up in Greensboro.

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• Planted varigated euonymus in the back Crinum Bed.

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• Planted Asarum arifolium ‘Brunswick Stew’ in the Office Border.

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Saturday, a group of us from the JC Raulston Arboretum braved the rain and cold and went to the Pine Knot Hellebore Farm open house in Clarksville, VA.\’a0 We saw license plates from all over.\’a0 It was a lot of fun.\’a0 Of course, I bought more than I should have, but I was also getting some for my friend kk.\’a0 I got two flats of stuff.\
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After eating all the cookies were could stand and warming up with a hot cup of coffee, we left there and went to Cedar Creek Gallery 1150 Fleming Road, Creedmoor, NC.\’a0 The gardens were designed by John Martin.\’a0 John’s garden whom he shares with is partner Jeff Bottoms, will be open in September for the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days tour, also benefiting the JC Raulston Arboretum.\
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A selection of John’s plants were also available for sale.\’a0 We all managed to limit ourselves to just one flat full of fun finds.\
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Between the two visits, here is what I managed to bring home:\
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Euculyptus globulus\
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6 Helleborus hybrids\
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Narcissus bulbicodium conspicuus\
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2 Helleborus x hybrids ‘Gold Finch’\
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Rancunculus ficaria mixed hybrid\
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Acorus ‘Ogar’\
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Helleborus foetidus\
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Carex x comans\
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Euronymus fortunei ‘Kewensis’\
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Varigated Sedum\
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Hesperaloe parviflora Red Yucca\
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Bellis perennis English Daisy\
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Narcisus ‘Tete Tete’\
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Black Shamrock\
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Now we have a threat of 6 – 9 inches of snow on Sunday evening.\’a0 This could differently put a dent in my plans to attend the Davidson Symposium, March 2 and 3.\’a0 If it so, I think I’ll take a break and make snow angels with kids.\
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While I\’92m not necessarily a practitioner of feng shui, I do recognize good qi and bad qi (a.k.a chi or energy) when I see/feel it. I don\’92t need a Bagua* to know when good qi has gone bad.

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After 11 years of recognizing the need for substantial steps in my mixed border, I finally had them installed. Money needed to meet need before it could happen as well. When we first bought the home, my gardening budget went to building borders, paths and plants.

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Up to now, the path was made up of puny stepping stones that served no purpose other than to direct traffic from the house to the upper gardens. Now the steps also serve as a work of art, a rock garden AND to direct traffic from the house to the upper gardens.

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For what I wanted, there was no other person to do the project than Phil Hathcock of Natural Stone Sculptures, in Cary, NC. He knows how to work with the land to make it look natural – as if the stones were a naturally occurring outcropping in my hill.\’a0 As an added bonus, all the stone was unearthed from Phil’s property.\’a0 \
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According to the principles of feng shui, the best place to sight your home is believed to be near the dragon\’92s lair. No doubt I have had some critter issues in the past, but I can say without hesitation, I have never had a problem with dragons. And yet, I could have also said that before a deer showed up for dinner last summer. So, never say never.

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The best location is to be near, but not too near, the dragon\’92s lair. Where can one find a dragon\’92s lair? Well, it is generally halfway between the top of the hill and the valley. Specifically, with the back of the house cradled by the hill. As luck would have it, that is exactly how my house is placed in the garden.

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My house is smack dab in the middle of our lot, with the back gardens rising and the front gardens sloping down towards valley \’96 in this case the road. Phil\’92s interpretation for why this was the best location, confirmed feng shui principles, again, without the need for a Bauga.

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His input was this, \’93The best gardens are when you can see the land out the back going up. This way, gardens can be made to view from the inside or outside the door. If the gardens in the back sloped down, you would not necessarily see the garden. The garden sloping downward in the front is also best because the best view is meant to be seen from the street and a hill maximizes this view.\’94 Phil went on to say that, like all good feng shui, there are ways to get around bad land or energy.

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We used plants that I had on hand; mainly from the porchscape of conifers in containers.\’a0 Some of these will work in the short term to make it appealing, at the same time, stabilizing the dirt.

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Ta da!

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I keep taking photos of it.\’a0 Very much like when my kids were babies.\’a0 I guess this is my new baby.\’a0 Let’s hope we don’t peak the interest of the dragon.\
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*Bagua is an eight-sided picture or object that contains a trigram in each of its eight sides with an image of the yin/yang symbol in the center. Each trigram corresponds to a particular compass direction and aspiration area.

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Gardening with confidence can be achieved with one simple mantra:  Right plant for the right place.  Seems simple enough.  Yet, not following this mantra is often times why gardening goals are not met. Here’s my take on right plant, right place. Understanding these five essential elements will help you garden with confidence.

Zone
There is a lot of talk about zonal denial, micro-climates, and changes in our zones due to global warming.  If you are a risk taker and know your garden well, then by all means push the limits with your gardening zone.  In my garden, Helen’s Haven, Zone 7b in Raleigh, North Carolina, I no longer take these risks.  I’m perfectly happy in the zone I own.  I know plenty of folks that plant zone 8 and even zone 9 plants in our zone 7b gardens and are thrilled with their success, even if it may be short lived.  I use to, but don’t anymore. I find it is even risky planting plants on the zone’s edge.  Ideally, I like to wrap a zone around a plant, putting me into choosing plants for zone 7a, but not always.  This year, I will be replacing a Clematis armandii, zoned for our 7b gardens. But, alas, we had a particularly hard winter.

Soil
We need to accept the soil we’re dealt or be prepared to amend. I have yet to garden in perfect soil, and still, I find gardening success.  I’m a heavy amend-er and believe in the power of mulch.  In our area of the Piedmont region of North Carolina, there is clay and sand. In the heart of Raleigh, where I am, it is all clay.  As you move outside of Raleigh, you’ll find sandy soil.  So when I read a plant label that recommends planting in well drained soils, I know they are not talking to me.  But planting these plants in my garden is a risk I’m willing to take.  Why? Because here I have some control; I can amend my soil. I have amended all my garden beds, one planting hole at a time. Adding composted leaf mulch or other organic matter to the hole and blending it with the clay with some added insurance of a permanent clay buster such as PermiTil, I can make my sticky clay soil friable.  In any garden soil type, you cannot go wrong adding more organic matter.  Then top dress the garden beds with a lush, thick layer of mulch each year to moderate the soil temperature, suppress weeds, retain water and generally tiding up the garden.  By doing so, you’ll have a happy garden.

Sun
Full sun, part sun, part shade, dappled shade, full shade, afternoon sun, morning sun, winter sun, more sun. Know your sun.   If the plant tag says full sun (6 hours or more a day) then that means it needs full sun. Anything less, and the plant will not perform at its best.  However, having said that, you can use the sun requirements to “tame” plants as well. As an example, I like Akebia quinata commonly know as five-leaf Chocolate vine.  This is an invasive vine. However, I grow this sun lover in the shade where it is well behaved. Remember this: The north side will have the least sun, the south side the most.  The eastern side will have cool light, the western side hot.  Of course all this depends on what’s above and if it is deciduous. There is nothing mysterious about this.  Take the time to identify areas in your garden and track each hour.  To see the effects of the suns angle, track around March 21, June 21, September 21 and December 21. The results may surprise you.  Also good to repeat every few years as your plants (and your neighbor’s plants) mature.

Water
The last thing I want to do is deny myself is a plant based on watering needs.  But I’m also prudent.  I garden water wisely.  By that I mean, I have my gardens grouped into three watering zones:  Oasis, Transitional, and Xeric.   I’m also fortunate in that I have most sun types covered in each of my watering zones.  When I garden shop, the plants watering needs are a high priority for me.  But because my garden is designed in zones, it narrows down where I will plant it in the garden. This also makes my garden purchases easy.  I won’t waste money on a thirsty plant requiring shade if the only area in my Oasis zone is sun. Also, it allows me to have a mental map of my garden with me at all times.  do not want to spend any more time than I have to on watering. The thought of dragging a hose around, past 10 drought tolerant plants to reach one thirsty plant is not part of my makeup.  I’m way smarter than that.

Critters
We all have our critter challenges.  For some it’s deer, others moles, voles, and armadillos.  For me its rabbits. Bunnies are my nemesis! I have voles and moles too and once when a new development was going in two miles away, I saw evidence of displaced deer. Then I actually saw the critter. A sight common to many, but not to me. That deer was so out of character in my garden, it might as well have been a kangaroo. I’ve given up worrying about critters. If I don’t have a chance at winning, I’m not going to play.  I do what and where I can, but I will not be a slave to sprays.  I don’t have the time or the where-with-all that requires an exact spray schedule. I get no pleasure from it either.  These critter repellent sprays work fine, but need to be kept up. When I look back at what I had to give up, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I first thought.  I can only have a few Hosta, because the voles love them. I have voles.  But I also love Hellebores, so I grow Hellebores – the voles don’t bother them.   The bunnies will have to go elsewhere to Echinacea because I will no longer provide these favorites of mine as a favorite for them.  As for the Rudbeckia, I’m trying them in a tall pot this year. I may try to put some Echinacea in a pot as well.
So you see, understanding these five essential elements will give you what you need to Garden with Confidence. Follow the mantra of the right plant for the right place, do what you can and except what you can’t and you’re good to go!

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 Fan Page.

Helen also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum

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