Summer Fun
“What did you do over the summer?” It is a frequently asked question as kids get ready to head back to school.
For some of you, this may be a bit early to ask this question, but my kids started school a couple of weeks ago, so I am in a sort of retrospective mood, looking back at our summer fun.
Much of our summer vacation was spent in Michigan.
Now, if you had told me a year ago that I would be headed to Michigan, the next summer, I’d ask you “Why?”
However, that was before my daughter, and her family moved from Arizona to Michigan, which I wrote about in an earlier post.
So, my husband and I found ourselves on an airplane along with our three youngest kids headed to Petoskey, Michigan, which is located “on the tip of the mitt” as Michiganders like to say.
This was to be our kids first trip to Michigan, and they were understandably excited.
Enjoying a tea party.
Our trip was split into two parts: the first in my daughter’s rental house and the second part, in their new home.
‘Welcome Summer’ festival with the local high school’s steel drum band.
Victorian homes line the streets in my daughter’s neighborhood.
While waiting for escrow to close on their new home, we spent time playing games, walking down to the historic downtown area, enjoying local festivals and of course, eating ice-cream at the local parlor.
This is the type of small town, where life moves at a slower pace, and we enjoyed escaping the demands of our busy lives at home.
I kept busy with my daughter’s lone basil plant, moving it into the sun and out of the shade throughout the days, as their rental house was shaded by a lot of trees. The basil was to be planted in the new home’s garden.
Petoskey is located on Little Traverse Bay, which opens out into Lake Michigan. It is a popular tourist destination throughout the summer months, and we had fun exploring our daughter’s new town.
Because they lived on the shore, a few of our days were spent on the beach wading in the water and searching for ‘Petoskey’ stones.
‘Petoskey stones,’ are found along the beaches in this area. You’ll find them in gift shops throughout all of Michigan. The stones contain the fossilized remains of ancient coral, who lived over 350 million years ago.
So, we went on our own search for Petoskey stones.
My son-in-law is the geology professor at the local college in the area and gave me some pointers on how to identify these unique stones from the others.
You see, the fossilized coral isn’t obvious in unpolished rocks until they get wet. So, we would look for some likely stones and then dip them into the lake to see what we had.
I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was to search for rocks and I even found a few small Petoskey stones of my own.
Along the shore of the lake were large lilac shrubs and their intoxicating fragrance perfumed the air.
My daughter had some in her rental house, so we picked some and used them to decorate the dinner table.
Finally, moving day arrived, and not a moment too soon as a new baby was set to arrive five weeks later.
While my daughter and I spent time checking out the inside of their new home, we were equally as excited to look at the outside.
Bearded iris, peonies, and daisies were the primary plants in the landscape.
More daisies, bearded iris along with hydrangea and purple coneflower.
Part of the front yard.
A weed-filled raised bed – home of the future vegetable garden.
A fire pit, perfect for roasting s’mores.
The view, off to the side of the backyard, looks out onto a farm and its planted fields.
Enormous maple trees mark the end of their property. How big were they? That tiny spot of pink is my 4-year-old granddaughter.
Stepping into the woods, surrounding their backyard, you can see their white shed.
Lovely forget-me-nots are growing underneath the trees, all part of their property.
It was so fun exploring their new surroundings.
Before moving day, we spent some time in the garden, pulling out unwanted plants and adding new ones, such as this lavender.
The kids all helped.
The one plant that my son-in-law wanted was an apple tree. So, in went a ‘Red Delicious’ apple tree. The kids all had a great time helping while learning about how to plant a tree.
The soil around their house was extremely rocky. A good-sized Petoskey stone was found on their property. You can see the how different they look when wet.
After a few days of hard work, moving my daughter and her family into their new house, we all decided to take a well-deserved day off and visit Mackinac Island, which is only a short distance away.
I had visited this lovely place two years ago, but it was the first time for everyone else.
I had told the kids that there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (except for a couple of emergency vehicles), but I don’t think it sunk in until we were greeted by views like these.
Exploring the history and beauty of the island took much of the day.
Smelling the lilacs.
We just happened to arrive during the Lilac Festival and the lilacs lining the streets were in full bloom.
A fairy garden in an old wagon.
A pair of unique planters for succulents.
The gardens in Mackinac Island are truly stunning.
Posing for a picture on the island with the Mackinac Bridge, connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan.
Summer Fun: My son-in-law, the geologist, looking at rocks along the shore of the island.
I love visiting this island, and it was so nice sharing it with my family.
As our trip to Michigan was drawing to a close, we visited Mission Point Lighthouse, just outside of Traverse City.
It was a brisk, stormy day, which simply made it more fun.
The kids climbed were able to climb to the top of the lighthouse, before heading to the beach.
As the last day of our vacation arrived, we asked the kids to choose what they wanted to do.
It was unanimous – go to the beach and swim!
We had a fun-filled vacation, exploring a new area while spending time doing activities together as a family.
**What did you do for summer fun this year?
10 Southwest Native Ground Covers
AZ Plant LadyNative Ground Cover, Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
Most of us are familiar with the idea of using ground covers in the landscape and how they can add a welcome carpet of color.
Goodding’s Verbena (Glandularia gooddingii)
But, you may be surprised to find that they serve another purpose that is especially appreciated in hot climates. Ground covers help to reduce the heat from the sun. They do this by preventing the sun from heating up the ground that they cover. When the ground heats up, it absorbs heat only to re-radiate it outward. So, using ground covers is just one way to help cool down the landscape by a degree or two.
I recently shared my favorite 10 Southwestern ground covers in my latest article for Houzz.
What is your favorite ground cover?
Historic District Landscape Styles
The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat
az plant lady familyFamily Olympic Celebration
Are you one of those people who obsessively watches the Olympics?
I am. Every two years, I find myself rearranging my schedule and converting our kitchen island into my makeshift office so that I can watch the Olympics.
You would think that my love affair with the Olympics would mean that I am somewhat athletic myself. Well, other than playing on a softball team when I was 12-years-old, my athletic prowess is rather lackluster.
But, that hasn’t stopped my armchair athleticism from coming out whenever the Olympics comes around. My passion for the Olympics comes from my mom, who would have my siblings and I watch it when we were kids. Today, she has made sure that we celebrate it as adults by holding our version of the games.
Summer Olympics 2012
For our last Summer Olympics, we were each assigned to one of four teams: China, France, Great Britain, and the USA.
This year, we went with the same teams, mostly because we had all the stuff left over from the last time.
Instead of team shirts this year, people looked for other ways to show their team affiliation.
France
French team captain
Team China (note the Top Ramen noodles and chopsticks in the hair).
My sister decided that she would try ‘cupping’ like Michael Phelps to help her muscles recover faster after each event (not really).
My daughter, Gracie, decided to wear her medal that she won in the Special Olympics earlier this year.
Team Great Britain
As you can see, there was no shortage of fun ways to display our assigned country’s pride.
Last time, I was on Team China. But this year, I was asked to be an Olympic official, judge, and scorekeeper while my mother ran each event.
My grandson, Eric, was our sole official Olympic observer, because, what’s an Olympics without people to watch?
We began with the Parade of Nations and then gathered for a group photo.
So why were we all gathered today on this hot, summer’s day?
For a chance to win one of these medals.
Let the games begin!
The first event was the ‘Team Captain’s Challenge’, which involved walking as fast as you could holding a mandarin orange on a spoon in your mouth.
I’m telling you; we are very serious about the complexity of our games – ha!
Next, it was time for the ‘High Jump’, which was a kid only event and tested who could jump the farthest off of a step ladder.
Back outside and it was time for ‘Finger Flingers’, which were rubber chickens that you shot off your finger – I think that was the kid’s favorite game.
While competing, we attracted the attention of our friendly, neighborhood police officer.
The ‘Diving’ event involved throwing foam balls into water buckets.
For some parents, it was a particularly anxious time as they watched their children compete, much like a famous U.S. gymnast’s parents?
Indoors again and it was time for the last event, ‘Shooting’.
Using Nerf guns, you had to hit one of three targets.
As many found out, it was easier said than done.
Being an ‘official Olympic observer’ builds up your appetite!
After tabulating the scores, it was time to award the medals. All were wondering who would win the most medals.
As you might expect, it was so exciting to see the culmination of years and years (hours) of hard work.
Winners of the ‘Captain’s Challenge.’
Winners of the ‘Long Jump.’
‘Finger Flinger’s Winners
The ‘Diving’ event victors
Finally, the winners of the ‘Shooting’ competition
So, who won the most medals?
My 5-year-old nephew, Danny, who could scarcely believe that it was him!
In the last Olympics, he wasn’t old enough to compete. He has certainly come far in just four years.
We had so much fun that we have decided to hold a Winter Olympic event in two years. We might expand the number of countries represented and come up with some new winter-themed games.
Do you watch the Olympics? Have you ever held an Olympics event or party?
Summer Fun: A New Garden, Hunting for Stones, and an Island Trip
az plant lady familySummer Fun
“What did you do over the summer?” It is a frequently asked question as kids get ready to head back to school.
For some of you, this may be a bit early to ask this question, but my kids started school a couple of weeks ago, so I am in a sort of retrospective mood, looking back at our summer fun.
Much of our summer vacation was spent in Michigan.
Now, if you had told me a year ago that I would be headed to Michigan, the next summer, I’d ask you “Why?”
However, that was before my daughter, and her family moved from Arizona to Michigan, which I wrote about in an earlier post.
So, my husband and I found ourselves on an airplane along with our three youngest kids headed to Petoskey, Michigan, which is located “on the tip of the mitt” as Michiganders like to say.
This was to be our kids first trip to Michigan, and they were understandably excited.
Enjoying a tea party.
Our trip was split into two parts: the first in my daughter’s rental house and the second part, in their new home.
‘Welcome Summer’ festival with the local high school’s steel drum band.
Victorian homes line the streets in my daughter’s neighborhood.
While waiting for escrow to close on their new home, we spent time playing games, walking down to the historic downtown area, enjoying local festivals and of course, eating ice-cream at the local parlor.
This is the type of small town, where life moves at a slower pace, and we enjoyed escaping the demands of our busy lives at home.
I kept busy with my daughter’s lone basil plant, moving it into the sun and out of the shade throughout the days, as their rental house was shaded by a lot of trees. The basil was to be planted in the new home’s garden.
Petoskey is located on Little Traverse Bay, which opens out into Lake Michigan. It is a popular tourist destination throughout the summer months, and we had fun exploring our daughter’s new town.
Because they lived on the shore, a few of our days were spent on the beach wading in the water and searching for ‘Petoskey’ stones.
‘Petoskey stones,’ are found along the beaches in this area. You’ll find them in gift shops throughout all of Michigan. The stones contain the fossilized remains of ancient coral, who lived over 350 million years ago.
So, we went on our own search for Petoskey stones.
My son-in-law is the geology professor at the local college in the area and gave me some pointers on how to identify these unique stones from the others.
You see, the fossilized coral isn’t obvious in unpolished rocks until they get wet. So, we would look for some likely stones and then dip them into the lake to see what we had.
I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was to search for rocks and I even found a few small Petoskey stones of my own.
Along the shore of the lake were large lilac shrubs and their intoxicating fragrance perfumed the air.
My daughter had some in her rental house, so we picked some and used them to decorate the dinner table.
Finally, moving day arrived, and not a moment too soon as a new baby was set to arrive five weeks later.
While my daughter and I spent time checking out the inside of their new home, we were equally as excited to look at the outside.
Bearded iris, peonies, and daisies were the primary plants in the landscape.
More daisies, bearded iris along with hydrangea and purple coneflower.
Part of the front yard.
A weed-filled raised bed – home of the future vegetable garden.
A fire pit, perfect for roasting s’mores.
The view, off to the side of the backyard, looks out onto a farm and its planted fields.
Enormous maple trees mark the end of their property. How big were they? That tiny spot of pink is my 4-year-old granddaughter.
Stepping into the woods, surrounding their backyard, you can see their white shed.
Lovely forget-me-nots are growing underneath the trees, all part of their property.
It was so fun exploring their new surroundings.
Before moving day, we spent some time in the garden, pulling out unwanted plants and adding new ones, such as this lavender.
The kids all helped.
The one plant that my son-in-law wanted was an apple tree. So, in went a ‘Red Delicious’ apple tree. The kids all had a great time helping while learning about how to plant a tree.
The soil around their house was extremely rocky. A good-sized Petoskey stone was found on their property. You can see the how different they look when wet.
After a few days of hard work, moving my daughter and her family into their new house, we all decided to take a well-deserved day off and visit Mackinac Island, which is only a short distance away.
I had visited this lovely place two years ago, but it was the first time for everyone else.
I had told the kids that there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (except for a couple of emergency vehicles), but I don’t think it sunk in until we were greeted by views like these.
Exploring the history and beauty of the island took much of the day.
Smelling the lilacs.
We just happened to arrive during the Lilac Festival and the lilacs lining the streets were in full bloom.
A fairy garden in an old wagon.
A pair of unique planters for succulents.
The gardens in Mackinac Island are truly stunning.
Posing for a picture on the island with the Mackinac Bridge, connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan.
Summer Fun: My son-in-law, the geologist, looking at rocks along the shore of the island.
I love visiting this island, and it was so nice sharing it with my family.
As our trip to Michigan was drawing to a close, we visited Mission Point Lighthouse, just outside of Traverse City.
It was a brisk, stormy day, which simply made it more fun.
The kids climbed were able to climb to the top of the lighthouse, before heading to the beach.
As the last day of our vacation arrived, we asked the kids to choose what they wanted to do.
It was unanimous – go to the beach and swim!
We had a fun-filled vacation, exploring a new area while spending time doing activities together as a family.
**What did you do for summer fun this year?
Drought Tolerant and Beautiful: Flame Acanthus
Drought TolerantDo you like colorful flowers and hummingbirds? If so, you may want to consider adding flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) to your garden.
This is a fairly new addition to my garden and the local hummingbirds are so happy to see it in my garden.
It blooms from late spring into fall and I love its airy, bright green foliage.
If you would like to learn more, I invite you to check out my latest plant profile for Houzz.
Flame Acanthus Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds All Summer Long
Summer Fun: A New Garden, Hunting for Stones, and an Island Trip
Drought Tolerant Fairy Gardens
CaliforniaThe popularity of fairy or miniature gardens is evident with whole Pinterest boards dedicated to them as well as nurseries having entire sections filled with fairy garden furniture and accessories.
During a recent visit to California, I visited the J. Woeste Nursery, which had taken a slightly different direction with fairy gardens. Theirs were decidedly drought tolerant and planted with succulents.
Each fairy garden was well-designed, each with their own unique mixture of succulents and moss for grass.
I was told that the nursery had a specific designer who created these miniature succulent worlds.
No two were alike. From the houses used to the combination of succulents and the container itself – each was a truly unique creation.
I must admit that I had a hard time tearing myself away in order to look at the rest of the nursery, as I was so captivated by these miniature, drought tolerant gardens.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t fit one in my suitcase.
However, if I decided to make my own, there were a lot of different fairy succulent gardens to be inspired by and the nursery had a large selection of succulents available to assist in my endeavors.
Besides miniature succulent gardens, the nursery was filled with other unique examples of succulents being planted in unexpected ways.
A large variety of succulents were available for customers to use to in their own gardens, whether planted in the ground or in a favorite container.
If you ever find yourself in the charming town of Los Olivos, California, you must stop by J. Hoeste Nursery to see the fairy succulent gardens along with its other treasures.
Have you ever thought of planting a fairy garden? If so, I recommend the book, Gardening in Miniature. It teaches you how to make your own miniature garden, in easy steps. There are also a number of inspiring ideas to help you on your way to making your own. I reviewed this book in an earlier post, which can be read here.
Gardening In a New Climate: Putting Your Own Personal Stamp on Your Garden
az plant lady familyFor those of you who have found yourselves in a new place without a clue how to care for your garden, this post is for you.
In my last post, we talked about six things to do before you make any changes to your landscape.
Today, it’s time for the fun part – putting your personal stamp on your garden.
How to Gardening In a New Climate, The front of the house had a continuous row of bearded iris, several peony bushes, and a rose.
To illustrate the steps, I will be using my daughter and her new home in Michigan as an example.
1. Remove any unwanted plants.
For many people, this is the hardest step to take. Quite a few have a problem with killing plants.
How to Gardening In a New Climate, My daughter didn’t particularly like bearded iris. So I dug up most of them.
Let me help you with this big step:
– The outside of your home should reflect you and your tastes, as the interior does.
– We eat plants (vegetables) every day without thinking twice about it.
– In many cases, you are replacing old plants with new ones that you like much better.
How to Gardening In a New Climate, It was a lot of work, but we got it done.
– You can try to give your unwanted plants away to friends, neighbors, or your landscaper may have a use for them.
2. Figure where you want to add new plants and how many you need.
Just because you have removed some plants, doesn’t mean that you need to replace all of them. Empty space can be used to draw attention to the plants present and create a more streamlined design.
Measure the area where you want new plants to be added so that you don’t inadvertently purchase plants that are too large or small.
3. Decide what types of new plants you want and how many you will need.
If you’ve followed the guidelines that I outlined in Part 1, you will have a good idea of what plants you will want to add along with their requirements.
My daughter and her husband wanted roses, an apple tree, and lavender.
It goes without saying that you should select plants for a certain area, based on what exposure they require. West and south-facing exposures are considered full sun. North-facing is shady. Eastern exposures can be tricky as they have both full sun and shade during parts of the day. In those cases, choose plants that can take the sun and filtered shade for best results.
4. Take your list and shop for new plants.
After canvassing several local nurseries, we finally found the Mr. Lincoln rose we had been looking for.
As I mentioned in my previous post, it is a good idea to form a relationship with your local nursery, who can be a wealth of helpful information.
Take time to ask questions about specific plants that you are buying – nursery staff will often provide information on how to care for it along with other characteristics.
Sometimes, you just have to do a little impromptu pruning in the parking lot to get your new apple tree to fit into the car.
Although big box stores aren’t the best source for plant advice or whose plant stock is reliable hardy for that specific climate – they can be a good source for plants if you know what you are buying ahead of time and can’t find it anywhere else.
5. Dig holes 3X as wide as the root ball.
How to Gardening In a New Climate, The soil in this part of Michigan has a LOT of rocks in it.
The majority of a plant’s roots spread outward into the top 18 inches of soil. By digging the hole wider than the rootball, you are helping it to become established more quickly.
How to Gardening In a New Climate, Get your kids involved – they will have fun while learning about nature at the same time. (A recycled cardboard box makes a great temporary knee rest or place to sit).
**It’s important to note that the depth of the hole should be slightly shallower (a couple of inches) than the rootball. Settling can occur after planting, and if plants are too deep, they can suffocate from a lack of oxygen.
6. Install new plants
This is perhaps the most rewarding part of adding your personal style to the garden.
All you’ve done to this point comes to a head as you place the first plant that you chose yourself in your garden.
There are a few tricks to transplanting new plants successfully. One of the hardest can be to remove the plant safely from its nursery container without damaging the roots.
For 5-gallon to 15-gallon size plants, a sharp pair of hand pruners, or loppers are invaluable. Use them to make two cuts from the top to the base, about 1/3 of the circumference of the pot apart.
Carefully fold down the cut section of the nursery pot and gently slide the plant into its hole.
Press the soil firmly around the plant and water deeply.
7. Prune and maintain what you already have.
My third oldest daughter, pruning the lower branches of the dappled willow trees.
As we talked about in Part 1, learn about your current plants and what type of maintenance they require from the nursery and cooperative extension office. They should be able to tell when and how much to prune certain plants. Don’t know what type of plant you have? Take a picture with your phone and take it to the nursery, who should be able to identify it for you.
Weed-filled, future vegetable garden
Remove any and all weeds.
Don’t be afraid to have your family help you.
8. Whenever possible, get your kids involved in the garden.
If possible, give them their own small plot of land where they can grow anything they want. *This can be a place to add some plants that you ripped out of other areas of the garden.
Provide them with kid-sized gardening tools such as gloves, hand shovel, and a watering can.
Let them pick out plants. This will give your child a sense of ownership of their new house and garden, which can help decrease any homesickness for their old home.
While weeding the vegetable garden, my youngest daughter, and granddaughter found a tiny frog.
Gardening encourages your child to spend time in an outdoor classroom where they can run and play while discovering new things.
No matter where you live, I hope that the following tips will help you create a garden the reflects your personality while adding beauty to your outdoor space.
Gardening In a New Climate: Steps to Take Before You Make Changes
AZ Plant LadyHave you ever moved to a new area with no clue what type of plants you have or how to care for them? Well, your plight isn’t unusual – people find themselves in this situation often.
Thankfully, there are steps that you can take to learn about your landscape, the plants in it, how to care for them and what types of new plants will do well.
Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter what region you live in – the steps are the same.
In my last post, I shared about my daughter’s move from Arizona to Michigan. She and her husband became new homeowners the beginning of this summer and were faced with many questions about their landscape.
I invite you to join them in their garden journey, learning helpful tips finding out about their new landscape, what plants to choose, and how to care for them.
Even if you live in a completely different climate than Michigan, my hope is that you’ll learn what steps to take when you find yourself in a new place with no clue how to take care of your garden.
gardening in a new climate
1. Take stock of the existing landscape.
We walked around the entire landscape, including the areas up against the house and further out. The front of their home had a combination of shrubs, perennials, and flowering bulbs while the outer areas had a number of different trees.
Lilac shrubs were in full bloom and peonies were just beginning to open…
I must admit to being slightly envious since my Arizona garden doesn’t get cold enough in winter to be able to grow these lovely plants. However, I was fortunate to be there when hers were in bloom.
2. Take pictures of large areas as well as individual plants – particularly those that you don’t recognize.
gardening in a new climate
While I knew what most of the plants were in my daughter’s landscape, she didn’t and there were a few that even I couldn’t identify (plants from more temperate climates aren’t my specialty).
If you see something that you think is wrong with your plants, take a picture of that too. I wasn’t sure what was growing on the surface of the maple trees. (It turns out they are leaf galls, which are fairly common and don’t seriously impact the tree.)
3. Visit a local nursery.
You will find most of your answers at a local plant nursery. Show the nursery staff pictures of your plants. They can help you identify what you have and can often tell you how to care for them.
gardening in a new climate
Often, you will find the same plants at the nursery, where you can check the labels for the names along with instruction on how to care for them.
We found that the shrubs alongside the house are ‘dappled willow’.
During your visit, take pictures of plants that you like along with a clear photo of the plant label. But, avoid buying anything at this point.
Be sure to show pictures to the nursery professionals of any suspected problems of your plants. They can often tell you what it is and how to treat it, if needed.
Local nurseries often have free (or inexpensive) guides on a range of gardening subjects. Be sure to ask if they have any.
**I advise against going to a big box store for advice on plants. Not all the staff is particularly knowledgeable and you’ll often find plants for sale that aren’t always suited for that climate. Local nurseries are best.
gardening in a new climate
For example, I found this Texas sage for sale at the local big box store. The problem is that this shrub can only handle temperatures as cold as 10 degrees F. In northern Michgan, winter temperatures can get down to -20 degrees. Unfortunately, this isn’t isolated to just this instance – it happens everywhere. So, visit local nurseries for the best advice and plant selection.
4. Contact the local cooperative extension office.
If you’ve never heard of cooperative extension services, you are missing out on a valuable resource. They are an “educational partnership that offers numerous programs implemented by county field faculty and supported by university-based specialists”.
Master Gardeners work for the cooperative extension office in your area, which is usually divided up by counties.
They have many resources for homeowners, especially in regards to their landscape, that is specifically tailored for that specific region. Often, much of the information can be found online and/or you can talk to a master gardener on the phone.
Here are some helpful questions to ask:
– What USDA planting zone do you live in?
– What type of soil is present in the area? Acidic or alkaline? That’s important to know since certain plants do better in one or the other.
– What is the average first and last frost date? In other words, how long is the growing season? For my garden in Arizona, the growing season is 10 months long while my daughter’s is only 6 months.
– When is the best time to prune roses, trees and shrubs?
– What are the planting dates for specific vegetables?
– Are there any insect pests that are particularly troublesome? How do you get rid of them?
For a listing of cooperative extension services, click here.
5. Take pictures of local landscapes and plants that you like.
When you are walking your dog or taking a stroll through the downtown area, grab your phone and take photos of plants that you like.
Gardening In a New Climate: Steps to Take Before Making Changes to Your Landscape
AZ Plant LadyHave you ever moved to a new area with no clue what type of plants you have or how to care for them? Well, your plight isn’t unusual – people find themselves in this situation often.
Thankfully, there are steps that you can take to learn about your landscape, the plants in it, how to care for them and what types of new plants will do well.
Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter what region you live in – the steps are the same.
In my last post, I shared about my daughter’s move from Arizona to Michigan. She and her husband became new homeowners the beginning of this summer and were faced with many questions about their landscape.
I invite you to join them in their garden journey, learning helpful tips finding out about their new landscape, what plants to choose, and how to care for them.
Even if you live in a completely different climate than Michigan, my hope is that you’ll learn what steps to take when you find yourself in a new place with no clue how to take care of your garden.
How to gardening in a new climate
1. Take stock of the existing landscape.
We walked around the entire landscape, including the areas up against the house and further out. The front of their home had a combination of shrubs, perennials, and flowering bulbs while the outer areas had a number of different trees.
Lilac shrubs were in full bloom and peonies were just beginning to open…
I must admit to being slightly envious since my Arizona garden doesn’t get cold enough in winter to be able to grow these lovely plants. However, I was fortunate to be there when hers were in bloom.
2. Take pictures of large areas as well as individual plants – particularly those that you don’t recognize.
How to gardening in a new climate
While I knew what most of the plants were in my daughter’s landscape, she didn’t and there were a few that even I couldn’t identify (plants from more temperate climates aren’t my specialty).
If you see something that you think is wrong with your plants, take a picture of that too. I wasn’t sure what was growing on the surface of the maple trees. (It turns out they are leaf galls, which are fairly common and don’t seriously impact the tree.)
3. Visit a local nursery.
You will find most of your answers at a local plant nursery. Show the nursery staff pictures of your plants. They can help you identify what you have and can often tell you how to care for them.
How to gardening in a new climate
Often, you will find the same plants at the nursery, where you can check the labels for the names along with instruction on how to care for them.
We found that the shrubs alongside the house are ‘dappled willow’.
During your visit, take pictures of plants that you like along with a clear photo of the plant label. But, avoid buying anything at this point.
Be sure to show pictures to the nursery professionals of any suspected problems of your plants. They can often tell you what it is and how to treat it, if needed.
Local nurseries often have free (or inexpensive) guides on a range of gardening subjects. Be sure to ask if they have any.
**I advise against going to a big box store for advice on plants. Not all the staff is particularly knowledgeable and you’ll often find plants for sale that aren’t always suited for that climate. Local nurseries are best.
For example, I found this Texas sage for sale at the local big box store. The problem is that this shrub can only handle temperatures as cold as 10 degrees F. In northern Michgan, winter temperatures can get down to -20 degrees. Unfortunately, this isn’t isolated to just this instance – it happens everywhere. So, visit local nurseries for the best advice and plant selection.
4. Contact the local cooperative extension office.
If you’ve never heard of cooperative extension services, you are missing out on a valuable resource. They are an “educational partnership that offers numerous programs implemented by county field faculty and supported by university-based specialists”.
Master Gardeners work for the cooperative extension office in your area, which is usually divided up by counties.
They have many resources for homeowners, especially in regards to their landscape, that is specifically tailored for that specific region. Often, much of the information can be found online and/or you can talk to a master gardener on the phone.
Here are some helpful questions to ask:
– What USDA planting zone do you live in?
– What type of soil is present in the area? Acidic or alkaline? That’s important to know since certain plants do better in one or the other.
– What is the average first and last frost date? In other words, how long is the growing season? For my garden in Arizona, the growing season is 10 months long while my daughter’s is only 6 months.
– When is the best time to prune roses, trees and shrubs?
– What are the planting dates for specific vegetables?
– Are there any insect pests that are particularly troublesome? How do you get rid of them?
For a listing of cooperative extension services, click here.
5. Take pictures of local landscapes and plants that you like.
When you are walking your dog or taking a stroll through the downtown area, grab your phone and take photos of plants that you like.
How to gardening in a new climate
If it’s growing and looks healthy, than it will probably grow in your garden. You can take the photos to your local nursery to help you identify what they are.
6. Wait 6 months to a year before making dramatic changes to the garden.
A garden undergoes several transformations throughout the year as plants bloom, change colors and fade. It is helpful to observe the plants, to see what you want to keep and those that you went to remove.
In addition, this is also a period of time to see how functional the design of your garden is. If plants are struggling, it may be because they are planted in the wrong exposure, get too wet from storm runoff or don’t have enough room to grow.
Once you have lived with your new landscape for awhile, it’s time to make changes.
How to gardening in a new climate, BEFORE
I invite you to come back to see the changes that we undertook in my daughter’s landscape. We took out some plants while adding some new ones. I’ll also provide some helpful planting tips.
See you next time!
Summer Garden Adventures With a Twist
azplantladySummer is a season filled with warm weather (or hot if you live in the desert) and brightly colored blossoms.
While I usually enjoy the view of my summer garden from the comfort of my air-conditioned house, this year I’ve experienced a twist in my summer gardening experience.
I have spent time gardening this summer in an entirely different state.
It all started back in 2007 when my daughter, Brittney, met a handsome geologist and got married. Fast forward to 2015 and that same geologist finished his Ph.D. and got a job offer in Michigan. So, they packed up and moved to the picturesque town of Petoskey, which is located at the ‘top of the mitt’ as Michiganders like to say.
In June, they bought their first home, and I was on hand to help them with their new garden. Now, to be honest, my oldest daughter has never shown any particular interest in gardening to this point in her life, despite my best efforts. But, that was before she had her very own house and garden.
These next few posts will highlight our garden adventures, including me learning some new things about gardening in a climate where temperatures dip to -20 degrees in winter.
Planting roses for my daughter.
Whether you live in the desert southwest, Michigan or anyplace where you have a small area in which to garden – many of the same gardening guidelines apply, and I invite you to join me on a summer gardening adventure where I promise, you’ll learn a few helpful tips for your garden.
Summer Adventures: Pick Your Own Strawberries and Cherries
Can It Forward: Making Nectarine and Blueberry Jam
AZ Plant Lady, Book Review, Product Review*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support in this way.
I love to can fruit, and so I was very excited when the publishers of The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving: Over 350 of the Best Canned, Jammed, Pickled, and Preserved Recipes asked me to test a recipe from their book, free of charge, for my honest review.
My love affair with canning began a few years ago when I made my first batch of jam, under the guidance of my mother and I have never looked back.
The inspiration for me wanting to learn how to can food came with the family farm, which had a mini-orchard filled with apple, peach, and plum trees. Since then, I’ve made blackberry, peach, plum, and strawberry jams as well as applesauce.
In fact, I enjoyed canning so much, that I planted apple and peach trees in my garden.
I must admit that it took me a long time to decide what recipe to choose because all of them were so tempting. Who wouldn’t want to make blueberry-lemon jam, grapefruit marmalade, raspberry-lemonade jam, or vanilla bean-citrus marmalade?
In addition to creative jam recipes, there are also many delicious recipes for preserving fruits and vegetables as well as savory selections.
In the end, I chose to make a variation of nectarine-sour cherry jam.
For this recipe, you could use blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or even strawberries in place of the sour cherries. Because my husband and kids love blueberries, that’s what I chose.
Isn’t the color combination beautiful?
As it cooked, the jam mixture began to turn a delicious shade of purple.
Once the jam was finished cooking, I poured it into sterilized mason jars and processed it in a boiling water canner.
Now, I have seven jars filled with delicious jam for my morning toast.
It’s important to note that the cookbook doesn’t have a beginners section for those learning how to can and preserve fruit and vegetables – its focus is more on creative, canning recipes.
The equipment needed for canning isn’t expensive or complicated to use.
Shop Ball® and Kerr® products at FreshPreserving.com
I blogged about my first canning lesson from my mom, when we made peach jam several years ago, that you can read here.
I’ve also written about my experience at making applesauce and blackberry jam recipes.
How about you? Do you like to can? What is your favorite fruit, meat or vegetable to preserve?
**I received the book, “Ball Brand, Can It Forward” for free. However, my review and opinions are my own.**