Spring cleaning tips for the NW garden

by lorene on March 4, 2010

Hey, it’s my premier podcast for Angie’s List.

Do we ever get used to the sound of our own voice?!?

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My 3rd trip to Bainbridge Island this week…

by lorene on February 27, 2010

I know, not the best planning.  That’s about $75 in ferry boat fees, 100+ miles of slick, rainy backroads and 3 more days away from my home, office and garden (not necessarily in that order of importance!)

My husband said it best the other night in a plaintive stressed, over-worked, under-nurtured voice: “…for being the shortest month, February sure is taking a long time passing.”

Thank goodness March is only a couple of days off.

I don’t care if it comes in like a Lion, a lamb or an orangutan.  Just so long as it shows up on time. I need its flowering bulbs and fragrant shrubs, lengthening days and – hooray – day light savings time!  I may loose an hour, but my March schedule is far easier on this weary writer, speaker and gardener.  I’ve got big plans for the garden, a book project to jump in to; heck, I may even do some grocery shopping and clean the house!

How do you get through the difficult busy parts?  I could use some tips for next time.

In the meantime, the sun has just emerged from the grey clouds which were forecast for the day.  I’m off to Bainbridge Gardens to meet up with my dear friend Leda Langely, of Langely Fine Gardens and about 150 enthusiastic, and no doubt eager-to-get-outside gardeners to talk about Growing Your Own Food and Extending the Harvest.  I feel better already.

Puget Sound is glorious from the water.

ferry boat on Puget Sound

...a lovely commute

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Comfort me with Mud Gloves

February 21, 2010
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The past 4 beautiful, uncharacteristically warm days here in the Pacific Northwest has me on a gardening tear! Seriously folks. There will be cold, rainy and windy weeks in May that have us looking back fondly on this period of blue skies and nearly 60 degree days in February!!!
Gorgeous conditions, a schedule with [...]

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a Garden’s Valentine

February 16, 2010
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I missed Valentine’s Day.  My poor husband.  Sure, my road-weary self was present for our traditional cheese fondue dinner with romantic candlelight and well… cheese.  But I’m afraid my recent schedule of travel, speaking, board meetings, and deadlines has left me an empty shell of a human.  Breathing and functioning (well, sort of) but hardly [...]

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Plant TNT

February 9, 2010
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No, I’m not recommending the cultivation of explosives.

Plant TNT = Plant this not that.
It’s a fresh department in the newly re-branded, Organic Gardening Magazine – and I write it.
Short, sassy pieces direct readers to the best in landscape plant choices.  Look around.  The market is packed with plants.  How do you decide what will thrive [...]

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Small is the new Big!

February 8, 2010

Catchy huh?  This is the title of a presentation I’ll be giving at this week’s Yard Garden & Patio Show in Portland, Oregon.  (I do love me a road trip!)
I’ve lived in cities all my life and my gardens have always been “modest”, i.e. -  small, if not teeny tiny.  Sure I complain about wanting [...]

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Color, color, color

February 5, 2010

I’m on the hunt for my “Color Muse.”  I have a feeling she’ll be a fickle muse…subject to seasonal whimsy and the changing light.  For instance, like now (I’m pretending it’s spring) the skies are pale, wan, often watery but glistening with light.  So my color muse calls out for PINK, pale yellow, lime green, [...]

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This is NOT your parent’s Flower Show

February 3, 2010
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As a member of the media I got a sneak preview of this year’s 23 display gardens at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show which opens this morning at 9am.  Having created display gardens for this show in the past, my hat is off to the creative vision, gumption and strong backs of the garden [...]

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Let’s talk growing food!

February 2, 2010
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But REALLY – let’s talk about eating homegrown food! According to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) over 41 million US families – or about 38% of all households – grew a vegetable garden in 2009.  The report goes on to state that the majority of [...]

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Butterflies are coming to Seattle!

February 1, 2010
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Think you’ve seen everything under the sun at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show?  Well think again!  How about a walk among hundreds of fluttering live butterflies to set your heart a’ patter?
This year’s  family-friendly “Butterfly House” exhibit will bring out the kid in all of us. Designed to teach about the life cycle of [...]

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