Garden Ramblings

My blog has been neglected again. My excuse this time is that I have been busy creating a newsletter for my site. The first issue was published towards the end of September and if you would like to subscribe just follow the link for
Garden Ramblings. To give you a flavor of the newsletter here is the section on "From the Papers":

Where death bulbs grow, gophers fear to tread.

According to Maureen Gilmer nasty little rodents generally avoid death bulbs of narcissus like the plague. Rooted in its name is the legendary toxicity of the bulb, derived from "narke," the ancient Greek word for deep sleep, stupor or numbness. It is also the root word for narcotic, which in this case is a paralyzing alkaloid that strikes fear in the hearts of rodents everywhere.

So why write about narcissus as we head into September? Because this is when you should be thinking about your fall-planted bulb garden. Read more...



In answer to the question Question "What should I be doing to ensure that my garden remains lush and healthy this fall?" Sarah Robertson lists the tasks under four headings Weeding, Feeding, Grooming and Planting. For the details read more...


Sarah Robertson again on extending the summer! Well not quite but she explains how exterior lighting extends that connection to the outdoors, giving people a chance to appreciate and continue using their garden even as the seasons change and natural light is at a premium. I found this a really worthwhile article. Read more...

Liz Seymour reports on Gardening's new odd couple.

How's this for an odd couple: upscale, eco-conscious gardening retailer Smith & Hawken and the Scotts Co., which makes Miracle-Gro plant food and Ortho weed and insect killer products. The company paid $72 million to buy Smith & Hawken and its debts; the sale is set to take effect Oct 1. Read more...

Maureen Gilmer tells how nature's seed provides colorful fall bounty.

It was an old custom in rural farmlands to save a bit of the harvest for the birds. Farmers growing wheat, rye, broom corn and millet would gather up sheaves of mixed grains and tie them to fence posts, where they are not so vulnerable to rodents. Read more...

Finally here's a piece about the formation of The North American Water Garden Society which aims to look after the interests of one of the fastest growing sectors of the gardening world. Read more...

To see the rest you will need to be a subscriber and there is a link on the front page of my site The Garden Supplies Advisor.