Why Mow?

An interesting book excerpt has started a small discussion over at MetaFilter on just this issue. Are you a mower or a meadow-er?

My own garden contains no lawn at all, and I like it that way. As a kid, I spent hours mowing our 1.5 acres of grass and came to dislike it immensely, even using a riding mower. When I had to mow it with a push mower, I often contemplated a meadow with a few mown paths instead of the great tracks of green lawn. Well, I contemplated that and other, less acceptable things.

How are you going to address your lawn issues this year?

Streetside Gardening

Starting to see an interesting trend here in the San Fernando Valley and other parts of Los Angeles. Through a series of grants and programs, garden islands have been springing up in the middle of busy streets. In my case, the car dealers that line Van Nuys Boulevard have funded the work. It appears that various teen work groups are providing the labor and maintenance.

My only fear is that the lousy economy and non-existent budgets will leave the islands to turn into just another weed patch, but so far, so good. I know it does my heart good to find a bit of nature in the big city. Maybe it will help reduce the amount of Road Rage. One can hope!

Busy, busy, busy

It has been busy in all sorts of ways here at the Welch Homestead. Even with all the work going on Rosanne still found time to move a shrub rose to make room for a small herb garden. I cleaned up all the grass and weeds sprouted by the Spring rains and pruned all six of our small Monterey pines to keep them smaller and develop the gnarled and twisted limbs that give them some character. Still many more projects to do before our annual summer potluck in June.

Web

Hortic.com

Hortic.com was kind enough to link over to AGN, so I am offering a reciprocal link here and in the BlogRoll to the left. Please check out their extensive list of gardening links and information.

Landscape With Roses: Gardens, Walkways, Arbors, Containers

This book proves it is always a great idea to check out the New Book shelf at the library whenever you drop by. Landscape with Roses has some excellent ideas for using roses beyond the typical well tended beds. Roses can be used to hide the stumps of fallen or removed trees, trained to climb Apple trees, or planted in containers to decorate your tiny apartment balcony. The books also includes lots of information on different varieties of roses and where they might best fit in your garden.

Garden Blooms

Here are a few garden blooms from this month. Due to abundant rain (at least for Los Angeles) the roses are blooming extensively. Even the Amaryllis are exploding. I am always amazed at the size of the plants and blooms on these bulbs. They make a dramatic statement in the garden.

My time has been at a premium lately, so I missed getting pictures of the first "rose tide" of the pink Bewitched roses that line our driveway. Perhaps I can catch a photo during their second bloom in a few months. They always put on a good show and continue blooming almost all year long. When I give them their heavy pruning in January there are still blossoms.

If anyone can identify the vine with the purple-striped flowers, I would very much appreciate it. I haven't been able to definitely identify it with the books I have on hand. Perhaps one of you has seen it or has it in your garden.

LA Public Gardens

The Los Angeles Times has a wonderful piece on the public gardens of Los Angeles today entitled Bend, inhale: Try it . It includes a list of 50 gardens to visit in LA, Orange, San Diego and Santa Barbara counties.

Spring Willows in Martha Stewart Living

This month's Martha Stewart Living (April 2003, page 155) has an interesting article on Pussy Willows of all sorts. It reminded me of the tree in a neighbors yard that always acted as the harbinger of Spring in Ohio, even when it snowed on the first day of Spring...which it seemed to do every year.

The article is not online, but you can probably find the magazine at your local public library if you are not a subscriber. In addition, there is an interesting Pussy Willow Wreath project available the MSL web site.

Joshua Tree NP Cactus Blooms

Click on the picture to see some photos from last Sunday's Road Trip to Joshua Tree National Park.