The Woodland Garden

First Day Of Spring 2012 2 Month 1 week

Glenn — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:40:46 +0000

Well spring is on the way two months and two weeks. It will be great to get out to the woodland garden again. As much work as it is to get it ready each Spring it is something that I have grown accustomed to and actually look forward to.. After a long winter the cabin fever will get to you. This year though it is different there has been snow cover no bitter temperatures actually way above normal in the 40′s a lot.

That will change tonight wit the first significant snow of the season maybe 2″ to 4″ nothing really compared to last years Ground Hog Day 22″ Blizzard.Just an inconvenience really. It will be enough to snap me back to reality though and make mme have to work for my money this week..

As we get closer to spring I will be posting some updates on the coming gardening season check back i about two weeks. Have a great week and hang in there Spring Is Coming !

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The Woodland Garden Is Coming Alive

Glenn — Sat, 07 May 2011 09:48:56 +0000

As we transition into May the woodland garden is really starting to come alive, Tomorrow will be Mothers Day the unofficial start of the gardening season. The garden centers are bursting at the seams with all manner of plants and tomorrow will probably be a mad house. I will be headed for the woodland garden in two hours even though I would really like to go and spend time being bumped and jostled around the petunias and firecracker plants. I have a lot of patience but I do not like to go elbow to elbow while picking out plants.

This weekend I will be mostly be bringing supplies and equipment out to the woodland garden for the upcoming weekend. I plan to make it a four day weekend next week so I want to get as much materials and supplies out as possible,.There is always the ability to run out to the home improvement centers for forgotten supplies but I try to reserve that for only last ditch efforts as it is about a 30 mile round trip and I really do not like to spend my time at the woodland garden out shoping.

The trees are just starting to leaf out and soon the canopy of shade will start to fill in and the dappled sunlight will grace the woodland gardens floor. The shade will be a cool and soothing respite from mid summers sun which will be here soon enough. I truly can say that it is a retreat for the mind, body, and soul being out in the woodland garden and experiencing all that nature can do.

If you have any questions about woodland plants or comments please get in touch I would love to hear from you. Time to head off but a Happy Mothers Day to everyone and we will update you on this weekends adventures tomorrow!

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May 1 May Day At The Woodland Garden

Glenn — Tue, 03 May 2011 08:44:07 +0000

May Day at the woodland garden this year was a great day. I planted new trees that I had acquired at the annual tree sale as well as two free trees provided by Woodhaven Lakes. The trees are offered each year bare root at a very reasonable price. I purchased 2 Kentucky Coffee Trees, 1 Chinkapin Oak, and 1 Freeman Maple. The trees are small but will establish and grow quickly. The two free trees that I received were a Norway Spruce and a Black Hills Spruce. These trees will be a great addition for the woodland garden and add something for future generations to enjoy.

The Best Time To Plant A Tress Is Twenty Years Ago! The Next Best Time Is Today!

The weather was very nice but a bit windy. I was very happy to see that the daffodils were all in bloom and spreading nicely. The spring garden is not complete with out their bright cherry faces.

The May Apples were only just poking out of the ground two weeks ago are now emerged and in all their glory and have spread even further this year. I will be planting the new arrivals this coming week as the weather slowed me down a bit.

Along with everything else going on at the woodland garden I have taken some time just to sit and enjoy the 10 years of work and love that has gone into creating this garden. It seems hard to believe that ten years has passed already but as we all know time marches on and so to enjoy the little moments it is a great reward.

A garden is your own expression and creation, make it what you want and like then spend as much time there as you can. The garden it will be a great source of joy and fulfillment!

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Woodland Garden Spring Fling 2011

Glenn — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:15:41 +0000

Today is the start of the Spring Fling Weekend out at the woodland garden. I will be out for the weekend enjoying the great weather and getting this years projects lined up as well as enjoying some down time.

I will update you when we get back . Have a great weekend.

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Woodland Plantings Ready

Glenn — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:28:51 +0000

This is going to be a long week as the days will drag on until Friday. This upcoming weekend will be the first to be spent out at the woodland gardens this year. Earlier day trips were great but it seems as if a few hours pass so quickly and then it is time to go.. Along with the first weekend Woodhaven will also be hosting the Spring Fling Weekend so a lot of activities will be taking place.

This weekend the new woodland garden plants will be installed and I can hardly wait. Pictured at the left are astilbe ‘Maggie Daley’, Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’, Cimicifuga ‘Hillside Black Beauty’, also some toad lilies. It is a group of woodland plants that I think should do well in our woodland garden.

Adding to the plantings is always on my list of to do projects. My hope is to have a diverse garden with as many different woodland plants as possible. The diversity is what I think will give the woodland garden it’s charm.

Along with the plantings of course I will be tackling a few other projects. For a couple of years now I have allowed the woodpile to get into shambles and even though it is at the back of the property it still needs to be addressed. There are also yearly task such as the planting beds and the walk paths that need attention. It will not e all work as some time will be spent enjoying the peace and serenity of the woodland gardens and all of it’s inhabitants. Well that is really not true, all of it’s inhabitants EXCEPT THE MOLES!

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Early Spring Flowers Emerging At The Woodland Garden

Glenn — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 12:39:58 +0000

Yesterdays trip to the woodland garden was not the finest of days. The weather was in the upper 30′s and it was drizzling rain well until late afternoon when it changed over to snow. None the less the time was well spent as it was in the trailer cleanup day Cleaning all the nooks and crannies of spiderwebs and dust that had accumulated over the winter. Also the occasional stash of acorns courtesy of our winter guest.

After all the vacuuming was done the drawers and cupboards where washed down. When all was ready the dishes, pots and pans, as well as silverware were all washed and put away. The window were cleaned and floors washed everything is ready for our first weekend stay at the end of the month.

I did get a chance to walk around a bit between showers and check on the early spring flowers at the woodland garden. Of course the daffodils were in bloom which is always a welcome sign as spring.

The bleeding heart is coming along nicely It seems like each year it is more beautiful than the year before.

The May Apples that were just a nub coming out of the ground are starting to unfurl their umbrella like leaves.

The Trillium grandiflorum are starting to show and will be showing their beautiful white flowers in just a couple of weeks.All in All there has been a lot of changes in just the last week.

Next weekend will be Easter so there will be no trip to the woodland gardens as family obligations come first. The following week will be the first weekend stay as it is also the big Spring Fling Weekend. There will be many activities as well as a plant sale so it should be a large turnout of property owners. I hope you have a great week . I will be busy this week at the urban garden as the early spring plantings for the color pots will be arriving on Monday and need to be planted right away. Cleanup still continues there as well, so a busy schedule for Easter week.

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New Project Completed At The Woodland Garden

Glenn — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:14:00 +0000

The weather yesterday was spectacular it was sunny and 77 degrees the perfect day to get some work done at the woodland garden. I have known now fro a while the door to the trailer needed replacement so with a good day of weather I knocked this project out. Because this is an original park model manufactured back in the 80′s by the Park Mobile Home Company you can not just get a new door from the manufacturer. Well you can’t get any other parts either as the company is no longer in business. The alternative was a new door from the home improvement center that hand to be cut down to fit. It was a bit of a challenge but it got done.

The next project is a bit more serious as you can see the tree at the left is starting to grow into the deck. The choices cut the tree down or cut the deck. I believe next weeks project will involve modifying the deck to make the tree happy. This is a pretty large oak and it was there first over the last ten years or so it has grown into the deck. While cutting into the deck and giving the tree some room will alleviate the immediate problem a more permanent solution will be needed to address this issue as the screen room will need to be relocated in a couple of more years. This looks like it will be a major project in a year or two but for now it will relieve the stress on the tree and the deck.

The new woodland plants did arrive for the woodland gardens but because the ground was too soggy due to heavy storms the day before the plantings will go in next week. I will post those pictures with the article. Have a great week and get out in your gardens!

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New Plants At The Woodland Garden

Glenn — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:22:38 +0000

while visiting the woodland garden this past weekend I see the May Apples emerging.The two little nubs coming up out of the ground do not look like very much. The fact is in about a month or so there will be a whole big patch of May Apples in this corner of the woodland garden. May apples like many woodland plants appear for just a short time and then disappear for the rest of the year. The tiny berry size fruit is edible when it is soft and yellow and has fallen from the plant, but poisonous if eaten while green and not matured. I have never tried them but the squirrels go crazy over them. The real attraction for me is the umbrella like foliage.

Speaking of woodland plants this week my order of woodland plants will be arriving so next weekend they will be planted out at the woodland garden. A new variety of Astilbe as well as a ground cover ‘Karasuba Mukdenia rossii” and a couple of other plants which I will share with you in the next post. Thank goodness I have finished cleaning up the lot this week and will be ready for them. The beds are in need of some attention and this is just the thing to get them spruced up some new additions.

The days at the woodland garden never seem long enough to get my chores done or to relax in the serene setting of a beautiful habitat surround by nature and the woodland critters, before it is time to head home.This weekend will be the next to last last visit before Easter so basically I have two weeks to get the place in shape as the weekend after Easter will be the first weekend long visit. If it were up to me I sometimes think that I would just go live in the woodlands, but me and the state lottery officials can not seem to connect with the same numbers.

This weekend past was another great Spring day and I really did enjoy the weather this coming weekend the weather forecast is for 67 degrees and sunny on Saturday now that is a day to look forward to but today is only Tuesday “Oh Bother”! I will be working on the beds and settling the new plants in as well. I will probably have to go pull a construction permit so that I can replace the front deck as it is well past it’s prime and need of attention. Each week I find a new project to attend to but I also find some time to just sit and absorb the peacefulness and beauty and after all isn’t that what a garden is for.

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2nd Visit To The Woodland Garden This Year

Glenn — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:24:30 +0000

Well I have just returned from the woodland garden for my 2nd time this year. The weather was a little chilly but mostly sunny. I did not mind a little briskness in the air however because the burn pile can get pretty warm. The leaves are finally cleared off the majority of the lot and corralled down by the fire pit. This is usually the hard part getting the leaves down to the burn area. Now they are there it should be easy to dispose of them.

As you can see there is a large number of leaves to burn. The big chore of course was gathering them up it does take some time. With all the leaves off the lawn I will be able to over seed bare spots.in the lawn and get those areas repaired. With out he leaves covering them I can see what is going on in the planting beds as well. The leaves make a great mulch over winter but can end up smothering the new spring growth if they are to thick and left on too long.

Looking closely you can see the Bleeding Hearts starting to emerge from the soil. In a couple of weeks they will big and bushy and ready to bloom.I think this is one of the all time stars of the early spring garden. It really is the perfect woodland plant. It is not a season long addition and starts to fade away in the heat of the summer but it always comes up in the spring ad the flowers are just gorgeous. A must have in any woodland plants list.

The Daffodils have doubled in size since last week and look strong this year. With herds of deer free roaming it is important to have plantings such as Daffodils that the deer do not bother if you want a lot of early Spring color. I love the wildlife but they will raise havoc if left to their own devices so as I see the hostas and other meal time favorites start to emerge I begin spraying with rotten egg deer repellent. This does help to keep them away from the plantings.

I have a list of projects that I will be working on this Spring the first one which I mentioned above is over seeding the turf areas. Due to the sandy soil and dense shade growing turf grass is a problem so I only grow it on those areas with enough light. The front deck and the front door to the trailer both need to be replaced and I would like to do that before the new plants arrive for Spring planting. The trailer could use a new coat of paint as well. That will be left until the summer time when the weather is a bit warmer.I also think I need to thin out a couple of the fern beds as well not to worry plenty of places to transplant them to.So the early projects are set for this year with any luck next Saturday will be as great as the long range forecast calls for. We will see the weather is always changeable and that is why you need to treasure those good days and make the most of them.

Have a great week and get out in your gardens. It is Spring and there is always a little something to enjoy.

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Headed To The Woodland Garden

Glenn — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 09:43:22 +0000

Well today is a bit cooler than last week but it should be dry. I will be heading out shortly for another day at the woodland garden to finish the leaf cleanup and getting the beds cleared of winter debris. The cooler weather may be a blessing when it comes to the leaf burning that fire can get a bit warm.

The other reason for the trip of course are my feathered friends. I want to be sure that the bird feeders are full as this is an must in attracting wild birds to your garden. A consistent source of food is very important to get the birds to return every day. Once they know that there will be food waiting they will come back and bring their friends.

Along with the chores this week I will be putting together a list of projects. I do not always get a chance to complete all the projects that I put down on my plan but sometimes due to time constraints, money constraints, or a project of higher priority will push some things over to the on hold list. It is just like anything else only so much time and resources can be devoted. I will be listing some of the scheduled projects in the next post.

Even though today maybe a bit chilly try to get out to your garden and get something done even if it is minor.The more that gets done now the more time you will have latter to enjoy the fruits of your labor. A garden is for inspiration so do not let the list of chores overwhelm you, take them one at a time and finish when you finish.

I will be posting an update when I get back either tonight or tomorrow.

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