Work the Week of Sept. 9

On Monday I arrived early at 7am in hopes that I could beat the rain. I was already raining so I offered to walk a dog for the staff. The city's work crews were not out yet, and they never arrived. Many of my loyal volunteers did come even though it was raining. I began by removing some iris and by the time I finished the crew began arriving - Betty and Ed Marcus, Carol Hudenko and her husband, Crys Wells, and Jeanette Holmes. We removed one large shrub, many small ones, and a few ground covers and grasses. Ed dug out the irrigation line along the street, cut it and clipped it off. The south portion was pulled out about 6 feet. All plant material was placed in temporary pots and will be replaced when the city work is completed - hopefully this week. The irrigation is off with all the rain.

Inferno before digging

Thursday, the city resumed work on the water lines. We had a large crew and most worked on weeding and deadheading. Rebecca Davis was the 1st to arrive and she worked under the aspen trees weeding. Leslie Stone, Sue Ordway, and Carol Hudenko all weeded and deadheaded in the main garden. We have begun to cut back iris and lavender as well as many other flowers. Lori Tamblingson worked on the corner weeds and Whitney Fessler worked on deadheading. Carol Lease worked on staining the 2 remaining redwood benches. I spent my time working on a whiskey barrel that I neglected to put holes in.  The plants were floating so I removed them, the water, and the soil. Joe Harte came and worked on the locust again and will come on Monday to put holes in the whiskey barrel. Peggy Sheldon-Scurlock filled in for Judith and watered all the indoor plants. Rebecca filled bird feeders with the last of the food. Next week we will begin adding suet feeders and removing other feeders as they are empty. Most of the hummingbirds are gone.

New Blooms:
Fall aster (purple and white), red leaves on the Virginia creeper, Maximillion's sunflower,and some re-blooms on many perennials.

                      Fall Aster                                                   Maximillion Sunflower
Plans for the next week:
Thin a few more iris
Weed and deadhead
Re-plant the whiskey barrel and the inferno
Put out suet feeds and begin to clean seed feeders for winter
Clean bird baths

Upcoming:
Annual Harvest Festival Potluck- Thurs. 9/17 at noon
Make a Difference Day - Sat. , Oct. 26, 9am-12pm, Girls for Good
Last day in the garden for 2013 - TBA (weather permitting)

"Even the smallest landscape can offer pride of ownership not only to its inhabitants but to its neighbors. The world delights in a garden.... Creating any garden, big or small, is, in the end, all about joy."-  Julie Moir Messervy

Thanks,
Loni

Workdays the Week of Sept. 2

Because Monday was a holiday the only two who worked were Becky Lewis and me. We had to make another round of looking at roses and it was a good day with few distractions. I watered a few pots and new plantings as we have not had rain for several days, and Becky did some deadheading.The irrigation was turned back on.

Thursday was an especially busy day at the garden. The tree purchased for me by the volunteers was looking a bit stressed. The root was bound tightly and it was not holding water even when watered daily, so we began to look for a place to get it planted. The first area tried was the Rose Garden. Rebecca Davis and Jeanette Sletten began digging in the only spot available and soon discovered we were over a main irrigation line that goes through the middle of the garden. Joe Harte and Carol Lease repaired the lines which were leaking from work last week removing iris. We began work on the 2nd option, between the 2 apple trees south of the gazebo. This required Joe and Rebecca digging out a large lilac that has not been thriving. It will be moved elsewhere.



After much work the tree was planted while all gathered around to watch. The area was a good choice. It fills in a blank spot where the lilac sheltered the view from north and south. The tree is an Amur Maple which will have good fall color once established.

Jeanette cleaned up the area in the Rose Garden and removed some more iris. Yellow iris were planted after the area was thinned and cleaned.  Carol worked on plant labels and irrigation repairs. Becky Lewis worked on moving a rose in the garden. Whitney Fessler filled bird feeders and made some hummingbird food. Carol Hudenko and Lori Tamblingson continued work on weeding on the corner and planted some seed for next year. It is mostly bunch grasses (blue grama and sheep fescue) with some added perennial wildflowers. Marilynn VonWaggoner watered some of the pots since we haven't had rain in 3 days. Betty Marcus came and deadheaded and swept up debris from the tree planting.

We cut our workday short and headed up to Joe Harte's garden to see what he does in his spare time. His property is up on a hill and required much work to get raised beds established. We ooed and ahhed about all the wonderful vegetables and his prize winning sweet peas. He has a large pumpkin patch with most of the pumpkins marked by the neighborhood kids. Great idea!

On Thursday evening many of us gathered at the Woodland's Hotel for the annual volunteer recognition. This one was very special - 30th Anniversary of Northland Hospice. Marilyn Pate was present along with many old friends. We all enjoyed a great dinner, speeches, raffles, and gifts to take home. Thanks to Diana Watt and staff for a wonderful evening!

Next week will be interesting with the city's road work reaching our area. There will be no parking at the house for anyone due to construction. All must park at the church next week - including me and Joe. Along with Russ Anderson, I talked to the work crew chief and city coordinator. Russ and I tried to talk them into moving the cut in to the property to just south of the driveway. We may lose some juniper - what a shame - but the other option goes through many other shubs and plants. We will hear their decision on Friday. If they choose the latter we will need to dig up 2 shubs and some plants on Monday. I would appreciate help if I can get it.

Update:
The city work crew decided on an entry through the middle of the Inferno Strip to avoid cutting into the sidewalk. The area has 1 large shrub and several small ones, but many of the other plantings can easily be replaced from other parts of the garden. We tried to work yesterday to remove the shrubs but the rain was too heavy most of the day. We will try again on Monday morning for anyone who wants to join us.

Area on Inferno for cut in (cinquefoil, lavendar, sage and some grasses and snow in summer.

Upcoming:
Fall Harvest Potluck - Sept. 19, 12pm in the garden (details to follow)
Girls for Good - clean-up workday - October 26, 9am-12pm
Last workday - who knows?

Thanks,
Loni

Week of 8/25 - 8/31

On Sunday, we had a goodbye potluck at Judith and Don's beautiful home and garden. More than 25 attended (current gardeners, past volunteers, and spouses) on a rainy day. The weather was threatening, but we were able to enjoy the garden all evening. It didn't start to rain until after 7pm. We enjoyed the beautiful drought tolerant garden, the company of good friends and their spouses, speeches, gifts, party favors, and our usual great meal. Oh! and even Murphy came. All attending were clean and well dressed for a change. All in all it was a very special evening. It is a good thing I don't live there because I would never get anything done. I would spend all my time just relaxing in the garden. We will do one more potluck in the garden - Annual Harvest - to include other good friends.

Monday only 3 of us managed to get to the garden. It rained lightly on and off throughout the morning, but Betty Marcus deadheaded and filled bird feeders, and Carol Hudenko and I weeded on the corner. It was almost to wet to weed. That's a first in Flagstaff. By the time we finished we were about 6 inches taller - mud on the bottom of our shoes. On Thurs. we will plant at least 1/2 that area with bunch grasses while it is still wet.

Thursday brought a small crew to the garden. Linda Guarino worked on the compost, and thinned some iris beds. Rebecca Davis finished creating a rock garden in the native garden with a couple of purchases and many transplants from other parts of the garden.

Rock Garden Bed in Native Garden

Sue Ordway worked on treating some blackspot on our copper roses, and Crys Wells gathered some seed from the Mexican hat and hollyhock. I worked on iris, watering a few pots, and raking the corner in prep for seeding grasses.

Work for the next few weeks:
Plant an Amur Maple
Weeding as needed after more rains - focus on Switzer area west of sidewalk and east of trees on corner, and under the aspen trees
Watering as needed (ha)
Deadheading
Fill bird feeders and baths
Move a couple of roses
Harvest seed for planting on the FUTS trail
Stain redwood benches on back porch
Continue thinning any needed iris

Upcoming:
Sept. 5 - Visit to Joe Harte's garden
               This is a workday but at 11am we will head to Joe's garden to see what he is up to.
Sept. 5 - Northland's 30th Anniversary Event to honor volunteers (RSVP to the office)
Sept 12 - Tree Planting -1030am
Sept. 19 - Tentative date for Fall Harvest Picnic - 12pm - details to follow
Oct. 19 - Saturday - 9am-12pm - Clean-up with Girls for Good

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."-  James M. Barrie  

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." -  Marcel Proust  

Thanks,
Loni

Workdays 8/19 & 8/22

Monday brought our usual small crew. Leslie Stone returned and worked on gathering rocks for a small garden. She cut lettuce for the house and then helped me begin weeding an area behind the trees on the corner that we will seed with bunch grasses. Mary Natali deadheaded, weeded, and filled some bird feeders. Julie Holmes removed some invasive grasses from the Inferno Strip and then transplanted other grasses and yarrow to fill that area.

On Thursday, we had a good crew working in the garden. Betty Marcus deadheaded, Linda Guarino worked on the irrigation and helped several of us weed on the corner in preparation for seeding some grass. The corner crew included myself, Sue Ordway, Whitney Fessler, and Lori Tamblingson. There is still about 1/3 of the bed to do but we will seed at least part of next week while it is still raining. It will be seeded with bunch grasses (Blue Gramma and Sheep Fescue). Rebecca Davis spent her day creating a small rock garden on the north end of the house. Next week it needs to be filled in with soil and compost, and transplants from other parts of the garden. Carol Lease worked on painting a new donated birdbath for Doris Johnson from the Hodge Podge crew.

Doris Johnson's Mini Garden & Birdbath

Joe Harte worked on pruning some trees and removing many of the elms lining the garden. Becky Lewis worked on the roses. She planted 2, and then spent her time working on black spot that recently appeared on our Copper Roses for the 2nd year. Treatment requires removing all the affected leaves, and then treating with a spray  insecticide for the remaining leaves. Next year it is suggested that they be treated with Neem oil just after leafing out in the spring. Becky was on for treats and brought homemade goat cheese for all who were interested.

Work for the week:
Weeding as needed after more rains - focus on Switzer area west of sidewalk and east of trees on corner, and under the aspen trees
Watering as needed
Deadheading
Fill bird feeders and baths
Fill rock garden and transplant some natives to the bed
Harvest seed for transplanting
Stain redwood benches on back porch
Begin thinning any need iris

Blooming:
White valarian, white fall asters and a few purple

Ready to pick:
Some hopi beans, purple beans, squash, strawberries, kale and chard

Squash

Corn and Bean

Upcoming:
Garden Potluck - dates to be advised in September
Volunteer Event - Sept. 5, 530 pm - Woodlands Hotel
Girls for Good - Oct. 19, 9am-12pm, garden clean-up

Thanks,
Loni

Workdays week of 8/12-8/17/13

Monday we had a small crew and we worked on clean-up for the upcoming tour on Saturday. Betty Marcus deadheaded and watered the MMG. Carol Hudenko continued her work weeding on the corner of Turquoise. Mary Natali weeded and filled bird feeders. Marilynn VonWaggoner stopped by for a short time and filled the birdbaths. I spent my time weeding, watering a few pots, and putting up one more bird feeder and bath. I received a note from Katarina Karjala that she has broken her ankle so we won't see her for a while. The plant tags have finally arrived and many have been placed in the garden. On Thursday we will place a sign for the master gardeners.

During Thursday's work in the garden it rained off and on, but the people who came worked through the showers. We occasionally had to head to the porch for cover but it was mostly light rain. Jane Reukema and Sue Ordway worked on weeding a small area next to the Faerie Garden and then worked whereever they could find weeds. Carol Hudenko continued her work on the corner - weeding. Betty Marcus deadheaded and filled feeders and bird baths. Judith Chaddock worked on the plants inside and finished with some deadheading. Jeanette Sletten planted a couple of new shrubs and some perennials. She also did some cleaning in the MMG. I spent most of my time weeding, cleaning the gazebo floor, and adding a couple of annuals to some pots. Joe Harte came and pruned some trees and took down several elms. Special thanks to those who tolerated some rain. Carol Lease stopped by and dropped off some plant tags done at home. A master gardener sign was placed in the garden along with this season/last season donation signs.

On Saturday we participated in the Flagstaff Garden Tours. My thanks go to Lori Tamblingson, Betty Marcus, Carol Lease, Judith Chaddock, Jackie Clark, and Jane Reukema for helping. We had about 20 visitors. The gardens looked more beautiful than I have seen in my 10 years there, and it did not rain until after 11am.

Work for the week:
Weeding as needed after more rains - focus on Switzer area west of sidewalk and east of trees on corner\
Watering as needed
Deadheading
Fill bird feeders and baths
Gather rocks for a small rock garden - native bed
Remove some invasive grasses - inferno strip - move some natives to the area
Harvest seed for transplanting
Begin cleaning area behind pines on corner to plant some native bunch grasses
Spray paint new birdbath
Stain redwood benches on back porch

Blooming:
Most of the roses (Morden Sunrise and Ketchup-Mustard look spectacular), Valerian (FG), some wildflowers in the native garden,

Morden Sunrise

Ketchup and Mustard

Upcoming:

Saturday August 17, 10am - Flagstaff Garden Club Tours
Sunday August 25, 4pm - Thank You Potluck - Judith Chaddocks

Thanks,
Loni

Workdays 8/5 & 8/8

On Monday, I spent my day tying up grapes and clematis in the gazebo, weeding, watering tomatoes, and helping Jane Reukema remove invasive plants choking out a couple of roses. Betty Marcus deadheaded and made sure our corn was watered (a ear is beginning to appear on 1 plant). Carol Hudenko worked on the corner - weeding and spraying some weeds with our vinegar/soap mix. Mary Natale worked on removing pine and elm tree seedlings. Sue Ordway weeded the native garden.

On Thursday we had a good sized crew again. I spent my time watering pots and directing traffic as usual. Rebecca Davis dug up some twinflower snowberry that had traveled near the new generator. With Joe Harte's help she put up a bird feeder/bath that was removed from the generator area. It was placed near the new bench by the new trellises to cut down on foot traffic there. Jane Reukema weeded in the MMG garden and removed some noxious weeds from across the street on Switzer (Dalmatian Toadflax). Whitney Fessler spent her time weeding the north Switzer beds. Betty Marcus deadheaded and did general cleaning in preparation for a Friday tour. Joe Harte pruned some trees. Becky Lewis worked on some of the roses. Linda Guarino planted a small bed of perennial polinators that we received to honor Doris Johnson from HodgePodge. She also finished the irrigation for the north Switzer bed.

A group of 10 women who live or work at the Peaks bungalows came and toured the garden on Friday. They were treated to ginger/lavender lemonade and lavender/lemon cookies.

New in the garden:
Small bed of perennial polinators for Doris Johnson from HodgePodge - north Switzer bed

Blooming:
Most of our roses, beginning ears on our Hopi blue and greasy corn, tomatoes (cherry), squash (crookneck), red runner beans, purple coneflower, asiatic lilies, Rocky Mt. Bee in the MMG

 

 

Photos by Betty Marcus

Plans for the next couple of weeks:
Watering as needed
Continue work on the corner garden (weeding and planting some grass seed)
Weeding as needed throughout the garden
Deadheading and clean-up in prep for some garden visits
Work on a small rock garden in the Native Garden
Labeling - especially all the roses

Upcoming:
Thank you Potluck - August 25 - 430pm-7pm Judith Chaddocks home

And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.-  Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels

Thanks,
Loni

Week of 7/28 and 8/1

On Monday, most of us worked on weeding which is major with all the rain. We even have weeds coming through the weed cloth on the corner. Katarina Karjala, and Carol Hudenko worked on the corner and the inferno strip, Jane Reukema worked on the bed north of the gazebo, and I worked on the front half circle. Betty Marcus deadheaded and cleaned throughout the garden. A friend from the senior companion program stopped by and dug up some abundant perennials for her companion (alyssium, geranium, lamb's ear) for her companion. Julie Holmes stopped by to pick up our monthly sign-in sheets. The Girls for Good came and filled bird baths and feeders.

Thursday brought a large crew. We had 12 volunteers working throughout the garden. Linda Guarino worked on the irrigation system - new shade garden, FG, and the north Switzer beds.  Rebecca Davis and Becky Lewis worked on the corner finishing the weed cloth and weeding. Becky also spent time checking out all the beautiful roses blooming. Rebecca helped finish spreading the mulch left this spring. Betty Marcus continued her work cleaning up and dead heading. Jeanette Sletten planted a few more perennials in our sidewalk shade garden, and in the Moon Garden. Lori Tamblinson worked on cleaning up the front of the house - weeding. Carol Hudenko continued her focus on the corner - weeding and spreading rock mulch. She tried a sample of a natural weed killer - vinegar and soap- that we will check out on Monday. Since it  has alot of acid we will only use it on very difficult areas such as the corner. Carol Lease finished re-sanding and adjusting a bench brick pad. Joe Harte spent his time tangling with locust tree pruning. They are dangerous to work with and spread prolifically. I remember Laura trying to talk me out of buying these trees - but I thought the flowers were so beautiful. They are but not sure the work is worth it. Crys Wells transplanted some blood grass in the 1/2 circle and several people took home some for their yards. It is a beautiful grass, has spread but does not seem to be invasive. Judith Chaddock and Betty spent some time weeding in the MMG and Judith watered indoors. The gardens are looking beautiful with all the rain and help this season. They should be wonderful on the garden tours over the next couple of weeks. This was the last day for the Girls for Good who will be starting school next week. Thanks to them for making our work easier, especially Adrian who along with her Dad helped the entire month of July.

New in the garden:

Photo by Loni Shapiro     

Shade garden along the Switzer sidewalk - Knickknick, Heuchera, Vinca, Hosta, Bergenia
Completed weed cloth project for the corner
Some new perennials in the Moon and Zane Gardens (Balloon Flower, Echinacia, Choc. Flower, Succulent
Weeding and pruning in the Native Garden and lots of wildflowers coming up

New blooms:
Many roses - Peace, Shroppshire Lad, Coffee Bean, Julia Child - photos by Betty Marcus

Red runner beans - flowers and beans

Photos by Loni Shapiro - Birdhouse Trellis

Plans for the next couple of weeks:
Watering as needed
Continue work on the corner garden (weeding and planting some grass seed)
Weeding as needed throughout the garden
Deadheading and clean-up in prep for some garden visits
Work on a small rock garden in the Native Garden
Labeling - especially all the roses

Upcoming:
Peaks Bungalow garden tour - August 9 - 1230pm
Flagstaff Garden Club Tour - August 17 - 10am-12pm
Thank you Potluck - August 25 - 430pm-7pm Judith Chaddocks

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.  ~Lindley Karstens, noproblemgarden.com

Thanks,
Loni