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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #21 - Tabletop Gardens


This striking book is an excellent choice for those of you who simply can't stop gardening, no matter what the season or location. While apartment dwellers will especially benefit from the tabletop gardens, everyone could find a place in their home for these beautiful examples. Everything from dry gardens to bogs is covered. Each example includes information on lighting, water, temperature requirements and average life span.

I have never had much success with indoor plants, but I am tempted to try out a few of these, including the ones growing simple grasses in pretty containers.

Link: Tabletop Gardens

See Also:
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 11-20
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #20 - Strathwood Basic Elements Adirondack Chair

Every garden needs comfortable seating, and I find Adirondack chairs very comfortable. The reclining posture can lull you to sleep or the big arms can support your book (and a cool drink) while you do a little reading. You can't work in the garden all of the time. Give yourself a bit of relaxation to enjoy what you have created.

Link: Strathwood Basic Elements Adirondack Chair

See also:
#19 Kitchecn Composter
#18 CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl and Chimineas
#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Monday, November 28, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #19 - Kitchen Composter

When I first started composting a few years ago, I thought the old mixing bowl on the counter would be fine. Now, though, turning out a big pot of soup is enough to create 2 trips to the compost pile. A compost bucket like this would certainly make it easier, and prettier, to handle the kitchen compost.

Link:Kitchecn Composter

See also:
#18 CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl and Chimineas
#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Build a PVC Greenhouse

While it is a bit late to start a project like this in colder climes, it might be a good project to keep in your bookmarks. Here in Los Angeles, I don't have much need for a greenhouse, but, up in the mountains this might be an interesting project. I like the fact the size is somewhat expandable and you can grow or shrink it as necessary.

Overall, a great DIY project with lots of pictures and good descriptions.

Link: Build A PVC Greenhouse

BTW, you can monitor my list of delicious bookmarks as a notate items I would like to highlight in A Gardener's Notebook.

Simply visit: http://del.icio.us/dewelch/agnblog. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed at that link and let your RSS reader monitor it for you.

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #18 - CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl

I would love to have a firebowl such as this, or perhaps a chiminea (a Southwestern outdoor fireplace) in my back garden, but the abundance of trees and the young children of friends have convinced me otherwise. There is nothing like a warm fire to attract people and generate conversation. There is something instinctual about gathering around a fire, even one made in such as handsome fixture.

Link: CharBroil 05501168 Caldera Copper Outdoor Fire Bowl

Link: Chiminea

See also:

#17 Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Saturday, November 26, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #17 - Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle

A little light in the nighttime garden is always a nice touch. Whether you use landscape lighting, twinkle lights or a faux candle like this, a little light helps to draw people into the garden and extend a relaxing day.

Link: Philips Aurelle 13677-0 LED Rechargeable Candle

See also:
#16 Bionic Gardening Gloves
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10

Friday, November 25, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #16 - Bionic Gardening Gloves

A good pair of gardening gloves can make the difference between enjoying gardening and merely tolerating. These Bionic Gardening Gloves bring a bit of high-tech to the high-touch world of gardening.

Link: Bionic Gardening Gloves

See also:
#15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Thursday, November 24, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #15 - Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System

I haven't met a hardcore gardener yet who wasn't itching to grow something, even before the snow has melted. This propgator can provide you a jump on the season by cultivating your own seedlings, ready for the last frost of the season.

Link: #15 Envirolite T-5 Clone & Seedling System

See also:
#14 Truly Tiny Gardens
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Sapling thrives from 2,000-year-old seed

Now THAT is an heirloom variety! It is amazing that some seeds can remain viable after thousands of years. I guess this points out the truly elegant evolution of plants to perpetuate the species.

JERUSALEM, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Israeli scientists say a sapling germinated earlier this year from a 2,000-year-old date palm seed is thriving.

"It's 80 centimeters (three feet) high with nine leaves, and it looks great," Sarah Sallon, director of the Hadassah Medical Organization's Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center in Jerusalem, told National Geographic News. (Continued at link below)

(Via Science Daily)

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #14 - Truly Tiny Gardens

You don't need a large space to have a wonderful garden. This book shows you a myriad of ways to make the best out of what you are given.

Link: Truly Tiny Gardens

See also:
#13 The Rural Life
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Tuesday, November 22, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #13 - The Rural Life

Verlyn Klinkenborg's The Rural Life is a collection of previous work from the New York Times and other publications. It is a philosophical and touching series of memories from the farm life he grew up with and later re-created after time spent living in the city.

Link: The Rural Life

See also:
#12 Urban Sanctuaries
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Monday, November 21, 2005

Wisteria Trellis

This afternoon I finally tackled the rejuvenation of the wisteria trellis in the back garden. This trellis is at least 15 years old, and perhaps even older. In our 10 years in the house we have done absolutely nothing to the trellis or the wisteria growing there.

The lattice, the typical stuff from Home Depot, across the top of the trellis acted as a basket for all the leaf litter of the 3 large trees that surround it, as well as the wisteria itself. There was so much litter up there that I was beginning to wonder if the extra weight might be making the entire structure unstable.

Now, though, the entire structure stands bare. The lattice top is removed, as are all the the sprawling wisteria vines and the leaf litter. It looks quite different now and just a bit sad. Built out of 2x4 and not 4x4, the structure is basically worn out. It sags to one side, even without the extra weight and all the structural/decorative corner blocks have split and the screws have pulled out. The decorative lattice-work sides have been spit and driven apart by the insistent vines until entire frames have shattered.

Finally, the termites (and other bugs) have had a field day with the wood. It doesn't even look like redwood was used to build the trellis, although, perhaps it was pressure-treated lumber at one time. While I didn't see any area that had failed entirely, there was much evidence of insect damage.

So, I guess this means that I need to get a new pergola up in this spot sometime before the wisteria leaves Winter dormancy. I had hoped to make some simple repairs to the existing trellis, but I think I knew in the back of my mind that a replacement was necessary. Luckily, I have some close friends, Don and Susie, who are landscapers and landscape designers. I am sure they can help me come up with a suitable replacement in return for a little computer consulting. Thank goodness for friends.

Any new structure would be built out of 4x4 with some allowance for protection from weather and insects. The current vertical posts are simply set in the ground. Perhaps we should raise the new ones on some piers or in holes with better drainage.

I am sure the wisteria will recover, regardless of the structure. It will be a slow recovery for the next several years, but that is good, as it will allow me to prune it into shape each Fall and not let it get out of hand so badly. I fully intend to treat it with a heavier hand each season instead of letting run wild.

I will keep you informed of my plans with the trellis and I would be interested in hearing what solutions you have devised for your own gardens. Leave your comments using the Comments link below.

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #12 - Urban Sanctuaries

Another great book for garden "dreaming." We all need new ideas to energize our gardens and books like this provide them on every page.

See also:
#11 Garden House

AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Sunday, November 20, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #11 - Garden House by Bonnie Trust Dahan

Why should the garden remain in the garden? Here are hundreds of ideas for bringing your garden inside and, even better, blurring the difference between them. Great text and gorgeous photos let your garden house dreams take flight.

See also:
AGN Holiday Gift Guide Items 1-10


Saturday, November 19, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #10 - Tall Copper Birdbath

I love having birds in my garden. I can sit in my home office and look out to all the activity in the garden. This is such a nice balance to all the technology that surrounds me. This tall copper birdbath would be a great addition to any garden, formal or inform.

Link: Tall Copper Birdbath

See also:
#9 Architecture in the Garden by James Van Sweden
#8 Muck Chore Boots
#7 Astonica Autumn Leaf Bench
#6 GE SmartHome Weather Station with Forecast
#5 Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening
#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners


Friday, November 18, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #9 - Architecture in the Garden by James Van Sweden

I came across this book while browsing my local bookstore. Its thoughtful discussions (and beautiful pictures) combining architecture and gardening are a refreshing change from the usual gardening books.

Link: Architecture in the Garden by James Van Sweden

See also:
#8 Muck Chore Boots
#7 Astonica Autumn Leaf Bench
#6 GE SmartHome Weather Station with Forecast
#5 Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening
#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Up on the roof!

I was so proud of myself last week. On the day before the rains arrived I took an hour out of my afternoon, after doing computer consulting work all morning, to climb up on the roof to remove all the leaves and empty all the gutters. Despite my better judgment, and having no one else handy, I had to do it alone. I don't like doing this, as there should always be someone around to dial 911, if necessary. Luckily, I completed the job without incident.

During the first rain, the debris filled gutters overflowed and made a bigger mess on the patio than usual. I didn't want to see that happen again, or see the gutters ripped off the house due to the extra weight. This is one curse of having so many beautiful trees on the property, though. You have to be vigilant about cleaning roof, since the leaves can actually cause the water to dam up and seep under the shingles.

We don't have many gutters on the house, just a few, pitiful feet running around the patio and the garage. We need to add gutters and fascia board all around the house, but that will probably have to wait until next Spring. We don't have too many water problems around the house, but gutters would probably be a nice feature and help to keep the stucco clean. Maybe I could even buy some rain barrels at catch a bit of this liquid sunshine for use in Spring and Summer? I have thought about it, but other projects come first on the priority list.

Of course, this week brought high winds shaking all the trees and, wouldn't you know it. The roof looks like I didn't even touch it. Oh well, such are the troubles of the Fall.

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #8 - Muck Chore Boots

A perfect gardener gift to get them ready for Spring. As gardeners, we all seem to want to get back in the garden long before the weather makes it easy. These boots keep your feet warm and dry, even on the muddiest Spring day.

Link: Muck Chore Boots
See also:
#7 Astonica Autumn Leaf Bench
#6 GE SmartHome Weather Station with Forecast
#5 Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening
#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #7 - Astonica Autumn Leaf Bench

I have a bench similar to this in the back garden and it always attracts people during our yearly garden party. There is something special about sitting on a park bench and gazing at the the garden.

See also:
#6 GE SmartHome Weather Station with Forecast
#5 Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening
#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #6 - GE SmartHome Weather Station w/ Forecast

I have an older model of this unit and really like it. The wireless receivers sit out on a tree in the garden and the base station is right next to my computer. I also have a similar unit in the front of the house. I don't use it for the forecasting feature very much, but more for deciding when to open and close the windows during the summer. We can avoid running our air conditioning quite a bit if we take advantage of the cool evenings.

Link: GE SmartHome Weather Station with Forecast

See also:
#5 Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening
#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Monday, November 14, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #5 - Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening

This is my favorite gardening book and the first one I picked up when we bought our house. It has nothing but garden front and back and, coming from Ohio, I felt the need for a region specific, month-by-month guide to help me out.

See also:

#4 Fiskers Power Gear Loppers
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Green Roofs

Inhabitat has a great article on why, where and how of green roofs in urban areas. While they might not be the same as a long stroll through the woods, they can be some of the nicest gardens you could visit, while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and helping to mitigate a variety of environmental issues.

See the end of the article for more information on green roofs.


GREEN ROOFS

American cities have a surprising amount of wasted open space. Even in densely packed urban areas like New York City, the prime real estate atop roofs is given much less consideration than one would expect from a populace that values each square foot of space so highly. This oversight is a real shame, because there is so much that can be done to improve the local environment and quality of life, simply by fixing up a roof.



The average city rooftop is layered with black tar, a material which traps sunlight and heat, raising the temperature of the surrounding area. The heat trapped by dark, flat roofs elevates city temperatures as much as ten degrees Fahrenheit - contributing to what scientists call the "urban heat island" effect.


(Via Inhabitat.)

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #4 - Fiskers Power Gear Loppers

These are great loppers, although smaller than the usual one's you might find in the typical garden tookkit. They are great for working inside dense trees and shrubs. They also come with a lifetime guarantee. I broke the blades on mine, returned them to my local home store and walked out with a brand new set. Very cool!

See also:
#3 Potting Bench
#2 Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 Fiskers Pruners

Friday, November 11, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #3 - Potting Bench

I have wanted a nice potting bench like this for a long time. It provides such a nice place to work outdoors, even if you aren't potting plants. This one appears to be just the right height for me. I hate working on a surface that is too low. My back starts to ache from hunching over and that certainly reduces the fun that should be a big part of gardening.

See also:
#2 - Cedar Bird Feeder
#1 - Fiskers Pruners

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #2 - Lantern Feeder

The previous owners of our house left one of these (or one like it) in the garden 9 years ago. It has sense fallen apart, but I do remember how much I liked it hanging outside my office window. Seeing it again in a catalog reminded me how nice it was and I am thinking I should pick one up again. It fits in very well in my rustic garden, although anything that claims to dissuade squirrels will have a hard time proving it in my garden. I have a raucous grouping that seem to be able to get into anything and everything. They have become so accustomed to us, they will sit on a limb right off our shoulder as we go about our gardening business.

See also:

#1 - Fiskers Pruners

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

AGN Holiday Gift Guide #1 - Fiskers Pruners

This are my favorite pruners of any I have owned. They come especially handy during the end-of-year rose pruning. I tend to do all the roses in 1 or 2 days and my hand can get quite tired after 30-40 roses. The rotating handle on these pruners takes the strain off of your hand and gives you a gear-assisted boost to get through the more stubborn canes.

Link: Fiskars 79366935 PowerGear Pruner

Sunday, November 06, 2005

A lingering Fall...

I probably write about his every year, but there is something special about the Fall, even in here in "season-less" Southern California. Perhaps it is my Ohio upbringing, but I sense Fall by the smell. There is a dark, mustiness of decaying leaves and damp humus that triggers the sense memory in me. There are nights, when I walk outside, when my brain simply triggers the thought, "It's Fall." My choice in food turns to hearty, heavy and warm and I find myself slightly chilled even when the temperatures are only in the upper-50's.

There is something satisfying in the smell of wood smoke and the crunch of dry leaves beneath your feet. There are several apple growing areas near here and I am drawn to them for apple cider. The real stuff, not what you might find in the stores. In my mind, real apple cider should be cloudy and dark, with a tang that puckers your lips, but only a little. Something as different from apple juice as wine is from grape juice.

Unusually for Los Angeles, the Fall has lingered this year. I often joke that Fall normally lasts a week , and then we are in to the wet Winter season where all the leaves are knocked from the trees and things begin to look a little stark. Of course, the rain also leads to some of the most gorgeous views we get all year. This was especially striking when I was working early mornings in a high-rise in Century City. After doing the morning prep routines I would sit in the large conference room on the eastern side of the building and watch the sun come up, illuminating the snow on the San Gabriel Mountains through the newly-washed air. For now, though, I will enjoy our extended Fall and revel in the changing of the seasons.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Edible Flowers

We often think of eating the "fruits" of our labors, but the myriad of edible flowers are often forgotten.

Del.ico.us turned up this very nice list of edible flowers maintained by Linda Stradley.

I am working my way through the list as a bit of light evening reading.