Garden Talk classes through GJ Parks & Rec

The Grand Junction Parks & Recreation department will be sponsoring Garden Talk classes at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens this Spring.  All classes will be held at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens and cost $5.00.  See the schedule below for all of the details.  

I hope to see you at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, April 17th from noon to 1pm to talk about landscaping with lavender and general garden design ideas.

Happy New Years!

Winter in the Garden

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays around us, now might be a good time to go outside and take in the peace and serenity of our winter gardens.  With our recent snowfall, everything looks beautiful.

Upright sedum with snow caps!

Garden art in the winter.

It's easy to have winter interest in your landscape with a little planning.  Now is a good time to visit gardens around town and note what you like and what looks great this time of year.  It could be an assortment of vibrant evergreens, seed heads from grasses and perennials, colorful rose hips or interesting garden art that stands out more this time of year.

Some standout examples of colorful fruits are crabapple and hawthorn trees with their bright red fruits, fiery orange berries of the firethorn bushes and multi-colored hips on our roses.  

Crabapple fruits dusted with snow.

 There are other things you should be thinking about while you walk around your garden.  Be sure the leaves are removed from around your shrubs.  Insects and diseases overwinter here and will reek havoc next spring and summer.  Turn and water your compost pile.  Even though its really cold outside, there is still thermal activity in your existing compost.  Winter watering of your landscape is essential in our climate.  We don't usually get enough water to keep the roots of the plants hydrated and healthy over the winter.  The result will be scorch on leaves of trees and shrubs next June and July.  

Winter is a peaceful and beautiful time in the garden.  Be sure to get out and enjoy it and be thankful this holiday season for all of the joy it brings you all year long.  

I sincerely hope you have a wonderful holiday season and hope it is spent with family and friends.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Poinsettia's Poisonous Reputation Persists, Despite Proof to the Contrary — Ohio State University Extension

Poinsettia's Poisonous Reputation Persists, Despite Proof to the Contrary

Dec 07, 2012

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Myth busted: Poinsettias aren't poisonous, say Ohio State scientists.

WOOSTER, Ohio -- Perhaps it has happened to you: You present a friend with a beautiful poinsettia for the holidays, and she shrinks in horror. How could you possibly give her something that could be deadly to Fifi or Fluff or little Freddy?

The good news is that it’s not, though you may have a hard time convincing her.

“Every year, people ask me if poinsettias are poisonous to people and pets,” said Robert McMahon, associate professor and coordinator of the greenhouse program at Ohio State University's Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. Students in the program grow and sell approximately 1,200 poinsettias each year. “I try my best each year to spread the word that they are not.”

Disproven years ago by Ohio State research, the myth persists. In 1971, researchers tested the toxicity of poinsettias by blending a solution from parts of poinsettia plants and feeding it to rats. Reporting their findings in the journal Toxicon, the researchers concluded that rats, “when given extraordinarily high doses of various portions of the poinsettias, show no mortality, no symptoms of toxicity, nor any changes in dietary intake or general behavior pattern.”

In other words, not only did it not kill the rats, it didn’t even dent their appetites.

The myth may have arisen from an unsubstantiated report in 1919 of a small child who died after chewing on a poinsettia leaf. Or perhaps it is due to the fact that many members of the poinsettia’s botanical family, Euphorbia, have highly toxic latex sap. Poinsettia sap is innocuous enough that only people with a latex allergy are likely to have a reaction if they get it on their skin.

Most veterinary medicine websites state that poinsettias can be mildly toxic to dogs and cats and can cause vomiting, drooling and, rarely, diarrhea. Symptoms are self-limiting and generally don’t require medical treatment, according to the Pet Poison Helpline. The site goes on to note that there are far more worrisome holiday plants, such as bouquets containing lilies, holly or mistletoe, which can cause kidney failure or other potentially fatal reactions.

So while you may want to make sure your poinsettia is out of your pets’ snacking range for the sake of your carpet, you shouldn’t worry too much about little Freddy. To reach the equivalent of what those rats consumed in the 1971 study, a 50-pound child would have to eat upward of 500 leaves -- an unlikely scenario, according to McMahon.

“Any adventurous souls who actually take a bite out of a poinsettia leaf will not want to repeat the experience,” he said. “Poinsettia vegetation tastes lousy! Eat a carrot instead.”

Ohio State ATI is an associate-degree-granting unit within Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Ohio State University Extension, which is part of the college as well, offers a free fact sheet called "Poinsettia Care in the Home" at http://go.osu.edu/poinsettias.

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Shimmer Wreaths

I love living in Colorado because I can walk in any forest or garden and find the most beautiful cones in the world.  We have all sorts of pine cones - scotch, ponderosa, mugo and white to name a few.  Then we have fir cones from the majestic Douglas firs and spruce cones from the iconic Colorado Blue Spruce.  I have been collecting all of these cones from our many trips to the mountains around Western Colorado.  Recently we were in Rocky Mountain National Park and I found gorgeous Ponderosa pinecones.  Up on the Uncompaghre Plateau, Grand Mesa and San Juan mountains there are fir cones.  Spruce cones are easy to find up in those mountains as well.

In my own yard, I have three types of spruces - columnar, globe and RH Montgomery, an Austrian pine, three different types of mugo pines - dwarf (which really isn't), pumilo and Slow-Gro, and two scotch pines - Hillside Creeper and Arnold's Sentinel.  They are a great source to feed my obsession with cones of all types.  The texture and smell of these cones make me want to touch them.  I have also added a few dried seed heads from the evening primrose.

Beautiful wreath with assorted cones - approx 16" across

I have been creating pinecone wreaths for years for myself and friends but came up with an idea to really add elegance and shine to them. When I entertain or have a special dinner with my husband, I like to bring out the good china.  We have two sets, one from my great aunt Honey with gold accents, and one from our wedding with silver accents.  I like to have a special centerpiece that adds sparkle and shine.  So I added sparkle and shine to my plain pinecone wreath and Viola'

Champagne Shimmer Wreath in 16" size

I am going to add some beautiful candles to the center of this wreath and have a glamorous centerpiece with lots of shine, texture and Colorado beauty.  These can also be used as traditional wreaths for doors and walls.

Deep Purple Shimmer wreath in 9" size

  

I will be making these available for sale as well.  The colors will be Champagne Shimmer, shown above, Pearl Shimmer, Silver Shimmer and Deep Purple Shimmer.  

16" round x 4" deep will be $79.99 plus shipping

9" round x 3" deep will be  $29.99 plus shipping

Please email or call me if you are interested in purchasing a shimmer wreath.  kkimbro49@yahoo.com or (970) 255-1312   Thanks and have a great day!

Water Restriction Woes

Living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is truly wonderful.  We have amazing mountains, red rocks and desert.  We have lots of sunshine and dry air.  Here in the Grand Valley we have all of that plus orchards, vineyards and gardens that are known throughout the country.  Our mild climate and abundant irrigation water make these things possible.  This area gets its irrigation water from the Grand Mesa, the Colorado River and the Gunnison River.  The problem is we only have abundant irrigation water when we have sufficient snow pack in those wonderful Rocky Mountains.  Which by the way, we did not this year.  To add insult to injury, we are also in the middle of a moderately severe drought.  Our rainfall this year has been a paltry 1.38 inches.  It should be 3.87 inches.  Not a lot of rain by anyone standards to be sure.  Our average rainfall per year is only 8-10 inches with humidities during the summer ranging from 3 to 30%.  Yes, we use a lot of Chap Stick and moisturizer.

I live in the Redlands area of Grand Junction which is south of the Colorado River and the city of Grand Junction.  We get our irrigation water from the Gunnison River which is at historically low levels already this year.  We have been notified by our irrigation company that there will be water restrictions in place now and throughout the entire growing season.   (Please note that the rest of the Grand Valley - Grand Junction, Fruita, Clifton and Palisade are not under water restrictions at this time.)  This is the first time I have had to live and garden by these types of restrictions.  Since gardening is my passion (and my profession) I am wondering what effect this will have on my own landscape.  

I know all about xeriscaping (not zero-scaping) and water-wise plants.  I recommend them to clients all the time.  I wonder if I have followed my own advice though.  A  review of my landscape is in order to see what plants will do good under the water restrictions and what plants will suffer.   I know you're thinking maybe she has a rain barrel to collect any rainfall to use for irrigation.  Two reasons why I don't have a rain barrel - #1 - Its illegal in the State of Colorado to collect rain water for personal use.  It must be allowed to flow into the Colorado River to satisfy the water needs of the downstream states.  #2 - We really don't get that much rain anyway  :-) .

I know the tomatoes and herbs I just planted are going to suffer without additional water.  Most of the trees and shrubs are established and should do just fine.  We are lucky that our lawn is kentucky blue grass because it is one of the most drought tolerant lawn grasses available.  The newly planted and transplanted perennials and shrubs will need more attention so they don't wilt and dry out between waterings.  Oh my, what about the containers? Sheesh, there's a lot to think about and consider!

I'm going to get to work and review my landscape over the next week or so and see how it stacks up to all of the xeriscape principles I have been touting over the years.  I don't want to be the person who says to my friends and clients "Do what I say, not what I do".   Stay tuned.

Mesa County Library Summer Reading Program

Come to the main library in Grand Junction and learn about the many uses of lavender.  We will be making lavender sachets and you will get several lavender recipes.  See you there!

I just received my weekly email from the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado.  They always have great ideas, inspiration and practical tips for me to apply to my garden design business.  But when I saw this posting today I knew I had to share it.  It's exciting to see how homeowners are spending more time, energy and money on their personal spaces.  Your outdoor areas can be so much more than a dog run or your childrens playground.   I especially like #6.  Of course, here in Western Colorado, we already grow all the wine we need, why not grow our cocktails too!  :-)   

Enjoy and think outside the box when renovating or creating your outdoor landscape.

Top 10 Landscape/Garden Trends for 2012

Landscape Pros Identify What’s Hot for Colorado in 2012

DENVER, CO – Mother’s Day is the official start to the planting season in Colorado. But before you dig in, check out the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado’s (ALCC) latest list of landscape and garden trends.  ALCC polled its professional landscape contractor members to find out what Coloradoans are doing to maximize their outdoor experience. These Top 10 Trends for 2012 provide plenty of food for thought. 

Top 10 Landscape Trends for 2012

1. Kitchen gardens are healthy for body, soul and bank account.  Coloradoans love to spend time outdoors and gardening is a great way to get outside, grow your own fruits and veggies and take a mental health break all at the same time.  According to the National Gardening Association, an investment of $70 in your garden will return an average of $600 in produce. Gardening also is good for our bodies. The average female burns about 250 calories per hour gardening. It also relieves stress and promotes mental tranquility.

2. Go vertical with small space gardens.  Being pressed for space does not mean you can’t have a bountiful garden even if your outdoor space is a balcony, porch or rooftop.  A one-foot deep planter box with a trellis backed against a sunny patio wall can grow an assortment of climbing beans or cukes with other veggies and herbs planted in front.  Or the same set-up can be used to plant flowering vines to climb the trellis with petunias and other annuals spilling over the edges. There are many options to grow up, not out, and they can include watering systems that will keep your plants perky even when you’re away.

3. Accessorize with outdoor art.  Works of art have long adorned public outdoor spaces.  More recently, as Coloradoans spend their leisure time in outdoor living areas, art is also becoming a fixture in private yards.  Landscaping aesthetics are now bolstered by adding a myriad of mediums – from sculptures of metal, stone or glass to handmade wreaths of natural materials to architectural elements and artifacts.  Carefully placing art amid natural surroundings adds new dimensions of form, texture, color—and sometimes, even surprise.

4. Sustainability and the four “r’s”.  Sustainability in landscape is not just a garden design. It’s a philosophy that guides everything you do outdoors based upon the four “R’s” – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose. Whether you’re about to install a new landscape, renovate an old one or simply maintain the current one, there are many simple ways to be sustainable.  Reducing water use through careful design and plant selection, reusing existing plant materials in a landscape re-do, repurposing old bricks into new edging between grass and beds or simply recycling grass clippings by using a mulching mower and leaving the clippings on the grass—are all sustainable steps.  Taking advantage of rebates to make sprinklers more efficient, buying locally grown veggies and preferring Colorado-made blocks, stone and other materials are more easy ways to embrace the sustainability factor.

5. Movies al fresco!  Just because an outdoor space is small doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed.  Strategic design that involves careful plant placement and use of wood, flagstone and other hardscape elements can enhance the privacy of these areas and increase their functionality.  Coloradoans continue to maximize their small spaces with outdoor kitchens, bar lounges and even outdoor movie theaters complete with LCD televisions designed for outdoor weather.  You can now grab a beverage from the fridge, nuke the popcorn and watch a movie without leaving the comfort of your own backyard!

6. Grow your own cocktail ingredients.  Although you may not be able to grow that olive for your martini in Colorado, there are plenty of other cocktail garnishes that can be grown in your garden. “Garden cocktails” are a new trend many gardeners are imbibing.  A variety of cocktail ingredients can be grown including: mint (Mojito and Mint Julep), lemon grass (Lemon Grass Cocktail), pearl onions (Gibson and Martini), celery (Bloody Mary) and strawberries (Daiquiri). 

7. Get a “bang for your buck” through landscaping.  Whether you are looking to increase your home’s value or decrease the time it’s on the market for sale, investing in well-designed quality landscaping is a dollars and cents decision.  Unlike other home improvements, landscaping yields an average 109% return on every dollar spent.  Even basic tasks like pruning out-of-control shrubs, replacing unattractive bushes and adding fresh color with annuals and perennials are makeovers that heighten curb-appeal and return real dollar value.

8. Increase security and scenery though landscape lighting. Night lighting that highlights your house and landscape continues to be a very popular innovation. Not only does it look great, but it increases home security and expands the hours you can enjoy the outdoors. And new fluorescent and LED lighting options mean using less energy. LEDs now come in multiple colors, adding more drama to your nightscape.

9. Hardscape makes home entertainment happen.  Having a great backyard means you can host a variety summer events - from graduation parties to the 4^th of July barbecue to the end-of-season bash Labor Day weekend. The key to successful outdoor entertaining is having hardscape amenities – patio, pergola, deck, seating wall, fire pit – where guests can gather, sit, relax, eat, or dance.  Hardscapes use ‘hard’ materials, like natural stone, manufactured blocks, wood, recycled materials and metal to create the spaces suited to your style of entertaining.  The color and composition of these materials help define the mood.  Many of these materials are quarried or produced right here in Colorado – so ask if the material is local.

10. Water conservation is cool. This year’s low snowpack coupled with a dry spring and record temperatures - conditions very similar to the drought of 2002 - all point to the possibility of another drought.  Many landscape lessons learned in 2002 have been applied during the last 10 years.  In 2012, which has been designated the Year of Water in Colorado, we know more about creating a landscape that is both beautiful and water wise. Now, there are even more lush-looking low-water plants to choose from and advances in sprinkler technology that make watering them even more efficient.  ALCC’s website, www.alcc.com, has information about rebates for water-saving sprinkler system upgrades offered by cities and water providers.

Also remember that LOW water doesn’t mean NO water.  Plants do need water and in the process of living and growing they also give back by improving our quality of life.  Among many of their benefits, trees and lawns mitigate the high temps produced by pavement, clean the air of carbon monoxide and produce oxygen.  

The Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) is the premier professional organization for Colorado’s landscape contractors. ALCC celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year helping landscape professionals address Colorado’s unique climate and promoting responsible use of water and other natural resources.  To find a qualified landscape professional or subscribe to ALCC’s free lawn and garden “Tip of the Week,” visit www.alcc.com and click on ‘find a landscape pro’ or ‘tip of the week.’

The Hummers are Here!

Thursday evening I saw the first hummingbird of the season buzzing around my yard.  I should say I heard the sweet little bird.  I did not actually see it until yesterday afternoon.  She was pulling spider webs off of an evergreen shrub.  I imagine she is starting to make a nest with this silky material.

I put out my feeder because there is very little to choose from in the way of tubular blooms for these little guys right now.  My Ft. McNair red horsechestnut is starting to form is massive reddish-orange blooms but probably won't be in full color for another couple of weeks.

So, bird lovers of Western Colorado, clean out those feeders and hang them all around your yard.  Our little hummers are back for the season to enchant us with their magical ways.  Now if I could only keep those darn wasps and yellow jackets away from their feeders!  Any suggestions?

Got Curb Appeal?

Is your house on the market?  Is the outside of your home as "Market Ready" as the inside?  There are many shows on TV these days that show you how to "stage" your home for a quick sale.  Their mantra is remove the clutter, make every room look inviting yet not too personal, and clean, clean clean!

These ideas are even more important on the outside of your home.  Remember the old adage -  You only make a first impression once.  The exterior of your home and landscape are the first things buyers and Realtors will see.  If the landscaping is out of control or the exterior looks shabby and dirty, they will assume the inside is the same.

If you learn how to stage the outside of your home, you can:
           Increase the number of showings
           Eliminate price reductions
           Get top dollar for your home
           Close quicker with less conditions

Did you know most curb appeal make-overs cost much less than the average price reduction? With my experience in the real estate market and garden coaching, I can help you get to the closing table faster and with more money in your pocket.

We'll go beyond clean windows, fresh paint and no toys in the front yard.  In this competitive real estate market, every day costs you money.  Let's work together to get your home noticed, market ready and SOLD!

Words to Live By

I saw this on a great Facebook page called Positive Outlooks and had to share it with you.   Happy Valentines Day to everyone.  Hope you get to share the day with your loved ones or as my Dad would say "LW's"   .

On another note, my crazy Christmas cactus is still blooming like crazy and tulip foliage has popped its head out of the ground in my backyard.  Spring can't be too far away!

New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

The USDA has just released its new plant hardiness zone map.  My garden is now located in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a  (0 - 5 F).  It used to be in Zone 6.  Check out their link and see where your garden is now.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map:

Now all I can think about is what new plants can I try in my garden!  Do you grow anything in your garden that defies the "Zone"?  Please share and let's all try something new this year.

It's still blooming!

Just a quick note - my crazy Christmas cactus is still blooming.  See my post on October 17th when it started to bloom.  If its anything like last year, I will have beautiful blooms until April.

Holiday Blossoms

I have been enjoying the holidays at my parents' home in Sarasota for the past few weeks.  We drive down from Grand Junction every year so we can bring our beloved dog Molly Brown.  We leave Colorado when winter has a firm grip on the area - no leaves on the trees, no flowers anywhere.  Traveling through New Mexico, then Texas reveals green grass in Wichita Falls and roses blooming in Houston.  Driving on to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, we see more green, more flowers.

When we arrive in Sarasota, which is about one hour south of Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida, we were greeted with a delightful scene.  Countless shrubs and flowers  in full bloom, graceful palm trees and green grass! The star attractions are bougainvillea, hibiscus and Cape Plumbago.

Fuchsia blooms on bougainvillea in my parents' backyard.

Orange blossom of tropical hibiscus.

Delicate blue color of the Cape Plumbago

Mom has also planted several pots around the pool with colorful annual flowers.  Petunias, marigolds, salvia and kalanchoe.  What a beautiful sight to see everyday.

I also had a chance to replant an area that was overgrown with ferns and ginger plants.  We replaced those with Ixora, a beautiful low care shrubs with beautiful salmon colored blossoms and glossy green leaves.  We also added an additional cardboard plant to beef up the existing cardboard plant.  

Ixora

Cardboard plant

We love to come to Florida every year to see family but the gardener in me enjoys the blooms and colors every bit as much.  Its such a joy to see the happiness my Mom gets from maintaining her garden and the pleasure it gives everyone around her.    I think she passed on her "gardening gene" to me.  Thanks Mom.