Perennial garden in our local newspaper

[TinaW]

My garden was featured in our local newspaper (The Herald in Everett, Washington) today, May 17th, as part of the Home & Garden section. The topic is perennials. They did a write-up with lots of photos. It was very exciting. This is number 1 of a 3 part series they're doing using my garden as the backdrop. All the articles will be on perennials. The remaining are scheduled for summer and fall. If youd like to view it here is the link:

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/05/17/100hg_hg10perennials001.cfm

It shows only a few of the photos but the main body of the article is all there.

[ideasguy]

Exciting it most certainly is Tina. Thanks for the link and thanks for sharing this experience with us. It really is a fantastic

I like this:

Wilson's perennial mantra: "In the first year they sleep, in the second year they creep and in the third year they leap."

I'm very much in agreement with that statement, but Ive never heard that related so "memorably". I like it 

Quoting again from the article:

This year, we'll follow Wilson, a master gardener and landscape designer, on her perennial journey, in a three-part series of articles.

Thats very ggod news indeed. We shall follow the progress eagerly.

The lady in the photo, top right of the article - (with that spiral device) - is that you?

I have to say I really do like your "Tinas tops".
May I make a request? Now that you have mastered the new IG Pro Web Generation feature, how about doing a Web project of that name? Its got a nice ring to it!


 

[greenfinger]

The topic is perennials. (...) All the articles will be on perennials. The remaining are scheduled for summer and fall.

Making borders with associating perennials is not an easy thing indeed, but sometimes nature itself produces the nicest combinations. I made some big borders myself and recognize a lot of the recommendations given in the article. A good start, also for beginning border planters. Do you know the work of Oehme and Van Sweden?

[TinaW]

Yes, George, that is a picture of me in the web article. The device I'm holding is a spiral stake. It works well for plants you didn't get around to staking before they needed it, which applies to most of my plants! You poke it in the ground and twist it as you feed plant stems into the spiral.

Once I get the hang of the website thing I'll create one for my favorite plants as you suggested. I do have quite a few favorites that weren't listed in the article. This one was about perennials only so I could mention many shrubs and trees on a website I like also. Good idea Idea Guy!!

[TinaW]

Hi Greenfinger,
In the 2nd and 3rd articles for the newspaper the plan is to add more of my favorite perennials. Since I'm aiming at a large audience I try to pick plants that everyone should have luck growing. When I design gardens I usually don't have a problem when I add trees and shrubs but when adding perennials it takes me much longer. There are so many choices out there.

I'm familiar with Oehme Gardens but not Van Sweden. The reporter who wrote the article on my garden did a big write-up with photos on Oehme Gardens the week before. I'm embarrased to say I have never been there. It's probably a 2-3 hour drive from my home. Each time I have been near it has been with my family (husband & 2 boys) and they weren't the least bit interested in a garden tour. Now my boys are adults and away at a job & college so I have no excuse. I'll put that on my list of to-do's in the near future.

[ideasguy]

Yes, George, that is a picture of me in the web article. The device I'm holding is a spiral stake. It works well for plants you didn't get around to staking before they needed it, which applies to most of my plants! You poke it in the ground and twist it as you feed plant stems into the spiral.

Its nice to see you, Tina!
Does the spiral stake work? It sounds like a good idea!

Once I get the hang of the website thing I'll create one for my favorite plants as you suggested.

Excellent. I look forward to that!

RE: André's references:
Is this their book André?
http://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Nature-Wolfgang-Meadows-Outdoor/dp/0679429476

[TinaW]

Yes, the spiral stake really does work. I got them from www.charleysgreenhouse.com. I'm fortunate their retail location is only a 30 minute drive for me. I can spend way too much money in that place. The stakes disappear quite nicely in a full bushy plant (like Peonys) and with others they look kind of artistic. They do a great job of corralling plants. I have 6 of them.

[ideasguy]

Corralling plants

Hey, thats a very apt description of what it does! Sold to the IdeasGuy 

I'm fortunate their retail location is only a 30 minute drive for me.

Gosh! How many miles is that?

[greenfinger]

RE: André's references:
Is this their book André?
http://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Nature-Wolfgang-Meadows-Outdoor/dp/0679429476

That's it! I bought mine secondhand.
See also the references to the books of the Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf (one written in cooperation with Noël Kingsbury) in the lower screens. I can recommand them.

[greenfinger]

I'm fortunate their retail location is only a 30 minute drive for me.

Gosh! How many miles is that?

And what's your speed?