flynn070

Every year, Les at A Tidewater Gardener hosts a fun event called "Winter-Walk-Off" where bloggers take a walk and share photos of their surroundings. I have always wanted to participate but until now, never have. It seems that I was either working or too busy. Now that I am semi-retired (I will soon be working part-time with the Fort Vancouver Library System), I was determined to do this. There is also the factor that this neighborhood is new to me too.  Today, between downpours, I walked the surrounding streets in our Vancouver, Washington neighborhood, about 8 blocks in all. I focused on plants growing in neighbor's yards. Spring is popping out all around us and it is quite an experience. This is my first Spring here in our new home and the plant kingdom is overwhelming.  The flowering trees are stunning and the blooms are lasting a long time. I think the reason for this is because temperatures here are fairly consistent. The flowering plums are very popular in Vancouv...

I have never had much success with growing plants from seeds. Part of the problem is that I always end up a big wad of seedlings that are a nightmare to thin. I figured there had to be a way to spread seeds evenly so I went over to YouTube and did a search. I found a variety of interesting methods. One popular method that kept popping up involved using sand. I do not have any so then I came across a nifty little tool called a hopper. I don't have one of those either but it looks like something worth checking into. Then I came across a technique using tissue paper, something I did have on hand.   You spread a strip of tissue paper (if it is windy, you will have to place rocks or clumps of soil on it so that it will not blow away). Press it down evenly with your hands.  You still have to be extremely careful when spreading your seeds but at least now you can see them. They want to roll together so this does involve some manual manipulation.   After you have broadcast the se...

It would be hard to guess from the weather we have had this week. Blinding sunshine with nary a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the 60s. Whether it is a result of El Nino or climate change, it is pleasant and a bit disconcerting at the same time. Typically, we should be much colder (40s or 50s) and cloudier.  I have been taking advantage of the nice weather and enjoying every minute of it. My truck arrived from Alabama a few days ago and I have been putting it to good use.   I found a woman on Craigslist who made me these raised vegetable beds. Tomorrow I am planning to start some seeds of radishes, carrots, lettuce and other cool weather vegetables. I have been transplanting a few plants that were already here. I think this is a barberry. It was growing in the shady area near the back of the yard so I moved it to the front fence in the sunshine.   The previous owner left some of the tags on the plants so I was very appreciative of that. This is an azalea. The tag sa...

She left the web, she left the loom, She made three paces thro' the room, She saw the water-lily bloom, She saw the helmet and the plume, She look'd down to Camelot. Out flew the web and floated wide; The mirror crack'd from side to side; "The curse is come upon me," cried The Lady of Shallot. -Alfred Lord Tennyson  The first rose (and the first plant) to be planted in our new garden is the David Austin rose The Lady of Shalot . Roses were my first love and I grew close to 100 varieties of mostly old garden roses in the previous garden. The David Austin roses became popular after the garden was established and there wasn't much room to add more. I did grow a few of the Austin roses but they were a bit of a challenge in Alabama. Reports on their performance sounds good here and I am anxious to try some. I love the color of this one and I think it would go well with the brick on our house. I did not really know what to expect when I dug the first hole but I was...

I really should not be too surprised that there is a fantastic nursery close to our house. But to have one only six blocks away can only mean one thing - trouble.  I was aware of Yard n' Garden Land - the previous owner of our house had mentioned it and I had driven by the back of it on one of the numerous trips to one of our greatest Pacific Northwest discoveries - Burgerville. However, the back of Yard n' Garden Land, which faces 99th Street, is deceiving. There is a undistinguished sign and a mulch yard and that is about all you can see. To get to the entrance to the nursery, you have to turn onto a side street.  After you enter the parking area which features an impressive array of pottery, you enter a spacious greenhouse filled with all kinds of goodies. Adjoining the greenhouse is a gift shop filled with everything a gardener could want. Outside the greenhouse are lots filled with trees, shrubs and conifers.  Today was my third trip to Yard n' Garden Land. It was a ...