lotta's garden

purple shades

2011-04-19T15:04:00.000-04:00

Just a few samples from the current color explosion in the garden. In bloom – tree peony, euphorbia, and fritillaria. Leafing out – red bud, japanese maple, smokebush, and japanese painted fern. Just lovely.

surprise snow

2011-03-27T10:29:00.000-04:00

We woke up to snow this morning. It always seems to happen this time of year, but it still takes you aback The winter sweaters are almost packed away, and I was looking forward to spending my Sunday in the garden. The snow surprised the fruit trees as well. Their delicate blossoms, just starting to open, are covered and wet. I am hoping they are hardy enough to withstand the challenge.

Last weekend I planted two peach trees in the kitchen garden. They will eventually be espaliered, but I wanted to enjoy the pale pink blooms before I trim the branches. I also planted a new apple tree. This time far away from the black walnut tree that lives next door and who's roots spreads a nasty toxin that has crippled my other apple tree in the far corner of the garden. Spring will come. I know it.

buds and blooms

2011-03-18T15:21:00.000-04:00

Somehow there is always something happening in the garden even if I am not there to tend it. Spring is here. Buds are bursting and fresh green growth is peeking out. The rhubarb is growing vigorously, and the daphne and star magnolia are both in full bloom spreading their heavenly scent along the way. I now have a beautiful cold frame, almost a small greenhouse, in the kitchen garden and a wonderful new walkway leading to the front door (more about those two projects later). I am delighted that warmer weather has arrived!

july heat

2010-07-08T10:19:00.006-04:00

100 degree days with no rain in sight. It is mighty miserable over here. I try to keep watering to a minimum, but it has to be done to stop things from wilting away. The kitchen garden is playing a waiting game. The tomato plants are happy and robust, but the tomatoes are still green, there are cucumbers on the vine, but still a bit too thin to harvest. Instead I ventured to the market this past weekend. Lots of goodies to be found there and lots of people too. The buy local movement is thriving in my little town.

a cheerful hibiscus among the weeds

I know this guy is a mean plant eater, but you have to marvel over nature

back from the market

june joy

2010-06-10T08:07:00.005-04:00

The last few days have been absolutely perfect here in our little town. Temperatures are hovering around 80 F, humidity is low, and the sun is out. The garden is on its best behavior.

This is what happens when you repeatedly complain about not having enough peas.

Rhubarb and raspberry abundance.

A bit of garden whimsy, provided by my mom. We call him Boll, after a Swedish children's story.

Jumble of herbs and vigorous tomato plants = happiness.

surprise

2010-05-20T12:34:00.005-04:00

All it took was a bit of whining. Yesterday I discovered that the peas are flowering after all. These beautiful pink and maroon blooms are slowly popping out and hopefully the pea pods will follow. I also have to share a few photos of the peonies. They are gorgeous right now, especially on a sunny morning after a quiet night of rain. Delightful.

mystery x 2

2010-05-17T07:37:00.006-04:00

Another weekend filled with garden work is over. Everything is looking wonderful. The lush growth of roses, peonies, ferns, lettuce, herbs, and hydrangeas is currently overpowering the army of weeds lurking in the background.

I have two small garden mysteries to share. The first is the beautiful redbud tree that we planted in the fall of 2008. Last summer it was happy and healthy, blooming vigorously in the spring, leafing out nicely in the summer. I loved its nice shape and its place in the garden, near the "stump" bed in direct sight from the kitchen windows. This year, after a long and unusually cold and snowy winter it appeared to be dead. The promising buds on its branches dried out, and there was no sign of life until early April, when blooms first appeared on the trunk near the ground, followed by new shoots and healthy looking leaves along the trunk as well. The beautifully branched top part is still lifeless. So what to do? Do I cut the dead branches out hoping for the new growth to survive and take over?

Another mystery is this years crop of pod peas. Or I should say lack of crop. The peas were planted 4 weeks ago, and is growing energetically, almost overpowering their supports. But there are no flowers, and therefor no peas... This has never happened to me before. Granted I am sometimes a bit neglectful, and the spot where they grow is not in full sun, but not one single flower? I am puzzled. Right now I think it is the batch of peas that I planted that is defected.

If any of you have an answer or even a suggestion to fix these problems, I would welcome them warmly. More photos from the garden to come.

best of times

2010-05-08T19:32:00.013-04:00

I am in the midst of a weekend devoted to gardening. It has been so long since I really took time to get grubby and sweaty from pulling weeds and digging in the dirt. This is the best of times – bright, not too hot, few bugs. Everything is fresh, green, and blooming beautifully.

The kitchen garden's inhabitants are growing rampantly. The peas that were only a couple of inches tall a few weeks ago, are climbing over their fence. Once budding roses and clematises along the parameter are in full bloom, and tiny lettuce seedlings are becoming vigorous heads.

We installed a fountain in the kitchen garden using an old soapstone sink we bought from the university's surplus sale some years ago and a found rusty old pipe. It is quite magical. Therefore our old adirondack chairs are now moved to the center circle to be on hand for quiet celebrations.

spring

2010-03-23T14:18:00.006-04:00

Finally. The sun is out, the air feels balmy, there are birds chirping everywhere, and the maple tree's spent blossoms are littering the streets. Spring is here.

There are no memories of winter left in the garden either. Everything is competing to see what can burst first. My favorite tree – the star magnolia – is in full bloom, its white petals fluttering in the wind.

The daphne is covered in blooms with an infatuating scent. Then there are hellebores, still looking downwards but ready to go.

The lanky camelia is positioned between two windows along the driveway, where nobody can enjoy its picture perfect flowers. I frequently snip some of them, to brighten up the window sill in my studio.

snow story

2010-03-07T22:04:00.006-05:00

Here is our back yard, slightly skewed, by the panoramic view, but nevertheless in its full winter glory. Note were the snow is still lingering – in the kitchen garden – which is supposed to be the sunniest and warmest spot of all. Not any more. The neighbor's trees has grown taller by the years, so part of our potagér barely gets any sun at all. That's were the blueberries now roam... This spring the garden will move up the hill, with two new raised beds to make room for the sun loving treats.

resilience

2010-03-01T12:31:00.003-05:00

We've been covered in snow for so long. I am afraid to discover the damage that's been done to the garden. But today the sun is out, and there is a hint of spring in the air. Look what I discovered during my walk-about. The star magnolia almost ready for bloom, stringy witch hazel flowers spreading their heady scent, and the ever cheerful winter aconites. Nature's resilience is encouraging.

snow cover

2009-12-07T09:36:00.002-05:00

Snowfall coated the garden this weekend. It took the fairy roses by surprise. Maybe the garlic finally will stop its rampant growth...

raspberry rescue

2009-10-17T13:33:00.004-04:00

Several years ago I planted some red raspberry plants along our back fence, envisioning a glorious raspberry patch basking in the sheltered sunshine producing an abundance of delicious berries for my morning breakfast. Well, the raspberries are now overtaken by rambling grape vines, full grown mulberry trees, and stubborn trumpet vines. The berry canes are slowly suffocating and harvesting them has become an impossible task.

This morning I bundled up, fueled myself with coffee, and set out on operation raspberry rescue. Just finding the remaining canes were a challenge, but I managed to dig out five healthy and still happy plants. They were transfered to the two shady beds in the kitchen garden where I am hoping they will have a somewhat easier existence. Once in place I realized they are the true ever bearing variety - several of them still had blooms and immature fruits.

garden tidbits

2009-09-11T11:57:00.005-04:00

Frayed beauty. Wonder where you have been?

Late summer roses, somewhat ragged too.

Fall crocuses nestled in weeds.

French beans in the garden.

Lamb's ears, oh so soft.

Thriving nasturtiums.

Spider lilies in full bloom, everywhere. Now they brighten my home.

golden raspberries

2009-08-28T17:15:00.002-04:00

Our golden raspberries are ripe and ready. This variety is called 'Anne' and it is sweet and delicious. Unfortunately we only have two young plants, so no gigantic harvest this year.

the clothes line

2009-08-21T12:13:00.009-04:00

My lovely husband made us a clothes line. It is sturdy and functional, with plenty of room on three long lines, and the beautiful green color makes it blend in elegantly with its surroundings. I love to hang out my clothes in the warm summer breeze. It is quick, the laundry smells delicious, and it is easy to fold and sort the dry clothes as you take them down. Line drying our laundry makes me feel good about saving both money and energy, but what are the true facts behind line drying vs. tumbling?

Dryers consume about 6 - 8% of a households monthly electricity use. For us that would mean $9 - 10 in savings per month. Not a lot of money, but it adds up. When you consider that a clothes dryer uses 1800 to 5000 watts per hour it is still a worthwhile thing to do. 1.5 pounds of carbon emissions per kilowatt hour are generated in the production of electricity by a coal fired power station. Another benefit is that air drying makes your clothes last longer, and the sun acts as a natural bleach and disinfectant. It also gives you a tiny bit of exercise and precious fresh air time.

We are fortunate to live in an area where outdoor clothes drying is allowed, but in many places in the US that is not the case, especially in planned developments. For some reason clothes on a line are considered an eye sore and a threat to property values. If you are interested in preserving your laundry rights you can join the right to dry movement, you can also sign an online petition to encourage our first family to line dry their clothes for one day to set a good example.

a garden's path

2009-07-29T08:38:00.006-04:00

The paths in the kitchen garden has always been my lovely husbands domain. He laid the first path many years ago with small rocks in an intricate mosaic pattern, shown in the top picture. He would come home from work, and wind down by creating this puzzle from the stones we had dug out of the dirt. It looked really cool, but weeds quickly rooted in the tiny cracks and it became impossible to maintain.

My husband still recharges his batteries by hauling dirt, piling up bricks, and building things with his hands. Nowadays things are done more sturdily, and somewhat professionally. The ground is leveled, and the paths are covered with newsprint and stone dust before being covered. This summer, as a generous birthday gift for me, the paths are being transformed again. This time by using a combination of bricks, old and new, soapstone slabs, left over from various projects, and river stones.

In the lower part of the kitchen garden there will be a circle of soapstone, surrounded by gravel. Maybe it will have room for a chair and a small table to create the perfect spot for morning coffee and/or evening drinks... What I love most about my husband's work is the casual and spontaneous look while everything still is sturdy and well made. I am grateful!

I am also grateful for my friends Amoret and Lynn, who came and cleaned out the kitchen garden while I was on vacation. Encouraged by a few glasses of chilled rosé that my husband provided, they pulled weeds, hauled away old pea vines, and rescued a variety of useful plants waiting to be engulfed by the surrounding wilderness. Thank you my friends!

We have many Rose of Sharon (hibiscus syriacus) bushes in our yard. I love them despite their tendency to become weedy in our climate. This pure white one is my favorite.

While we were gone a volunteer butternut squash established itself by the compost pile. It looks like it will bear fruit, which is exciting. Lastly, the naked ladies (lycoris squamigera), my favorite summer bulbs, are up in full force. It is great to be back!

rock garden

2009-07-01T05:38:00.008-04:00

Our travels have brought us to my my family's summer house on the west coast of Sweden. Its rugged surroundings feature plants, flowers and wildlife, familiar to me from my childhood. Hollyhocks and wild allium self seed every season. In rocky crevices you'll find geranium and sedums. Out back are apple and cherry trees, and large stands of fern and rugosa roses grow along the house foundation. To me this is the most beautiful of gardens.

day lilies

2009-06-12T22:18:00.005-04:00

The day lilies' fleeting presence is most impressive. They seem so vigorous and perky, yet each bloom lasts only a day. I love them in mass, where you don't notice the faded ones, and I am working on building up the border along the new family room addition on the northern side of the house. These are the common orange variety, I don't even know if they have a name or a cultivar. I love them regardless, especially because they all are hand-me-downs from my friend Lynn's garden just down the street. We are all packing up to go to the beach, so it will be quiet over here for a few days...

garden tidbits

2009-06-11T08:20:00.008-04:00

surprise iris along the kitchen garden fence

these buds...

...turned into these blooms...

the matron of the kitchen garden. she seems so content.

freja, our labrador is helping with the pea harvest

delicious snap peas

swallowtail butterfly feasting on oakleaf hydrangea flowers

the kitchen garden

2009-06-05T08:30:00.015-04:00

The kitchen garden is the best cultivated, least neglected, and most appreciated section of our garden. It is located in the southwest corner of the yard, where the old rose garden used to be. We picked the spot because it has (or had) the most abundant sunlight and the best soil. The roses were carefully moved to other spots, and we started off by fencing in the area, mainly to keep the dogs from running through the beds. Over the years we have tried different configurations and designs, and last year we decided to install raised wooden beds. It has made a huge difference. The drainage is much better and although the weeds still will find their way in, it is so much easier to take care off the confined beds.

lemon thyme on the stone steps by the gate

tomatoes, etc.

My lovely husband loves to build things. He has a demanding and sometimes stressful day job, so carpentry and construction are some of his favorite ways to decompress. He designed and built the beds, the arches, and the beautiful jeffersonian gate at the top of the garden. He is also responsible for the brick laid paths, which are only partially finished, but hopefully will be completed this year.

the jeffersonian gate and the herb garden

the east arch/gate, and the brick path

At the top of the garden are the herb beds, backed by two espaliered asian pears. This year we have tomatoes in the top raised beds, 'sungold' cherry tomatoes, and the heirloom 'brandywine'. Next come the chard/lettuce and snow peas. Basil will probably replace the lettuce that is already bolting. In one of the small raised beds I have a beautiful stand of rhubarb. This is the first time I have managed to make rhubarb return. Normally it doesn't like our hot humid climate, or maybe it didn't like me...

this year's plan

snow peas ready for harvest

The surrounding trees, both ours and our neighbors, have grown since we first started the kitchen garden. The bottom quarter really doesn't get enough sunlight to grow much of anything anymore. The bottom fence is lined with espaliered plums. They always bloom happily early in the spring but rarely bares fruit due to lack of sunshine. Earlier this spring I met with garden consultant Tracey Gerlach of life in sugar hollow, who suggested berry bushes that like dappled shade in their natural habitat. So now I have planted several varieties of bluberries as well as raspberries in the bottom section of the garden. Tracey also suggested shiitake mushroom logs nestled in the shady spots, which sounds both easy and delicious. That will be next on my list...

espaliered plums and 'the fairy' in the shady part

the kitchen garden in relation

Eventually we will extend the kitchen garden further north to make room for more sun loving plants. We are also working on the new paths and a stone circle/sitting area in the bottom part of the garden. Over the years the kitchen garden has become a refuge for me. Not everything here is edible, roses, ponies, and clematis reside nearby. The result is a peaceful, harmonius, and often sweet smelling place...

rosa 'almost wild' by the lettuce bed, and fennel close up

rosa 'the fairy' and mallows by the herb garden

blueberry 'sunshine'

clematis buds on the fence

clematis on the fence, allium in the peony bed

killer cat

2009-05-29T11:36:00.007-04:00

Hoppsan is 19 years old and the garden is still her domain. She's had a happy life and is famous for her feistiness (notice the jagged ears), but lately we have worried about her health. Her hearing is ailing, she is very skinny, and definitely has some renal issues. Yesterday, we found her proudly prancing around the kitchen with a recently deceased chipmunk in her mouth. Not that I want to promote violence in any way, but I could tell that this particular kill did wonders for her self esteem. She had singularly stalked out the hole to the burrows, waited for the innocent victim, and pounced when the time was just right. Not too bad for an ancient cat lady...

now

2009-05-27T14:44:00.007-04:00

Wild. This is the best way to describe the garden's current state. So much of it is patiently waiting for my attention. The perimeters are slowly being engulfed by bittersweet, wild grapevines, trumpet wines, and an endless list of other invasive weeds. Small oak trees, and hack berries are sprouting in once carefully tended perennial beds. So this is a starting point of sorts. These photos were taken the other day, early in the morning after a long spring rain. To my defense, the lawn mower had been in the repair shop for almost three weeks, and therefor everything looks extra shaggy...

a rugosa rose in the stump bed, first photo shows red roses, original to the garden, along the front fence

Trevor, the fountain, by the base of the oak tree

the adirondack chairs in the far northeastern corner

redbud 'forest pansy' in the stump bed

oak leaf hydrangeas and azaleas by the back patio

the path to the arch and the vegetable garden

clematis unfurling on the arch

then

2009-05-16T10:19:00.015-04:00

This garden (and the accompanying house) became ours in the summer of 1998. It was love at first sight in many ways, but still not an easy acquisition. We had been hunting for a new home for months, when I spotted the sale sign the first time. The property is located in a historic neighborhood along a throughfare in the heart of Charlottesville. I knew it would be out of our price range, but something made me stop the car to have a look. The first thing I noticed was the trees. There is a gigantic beech tree in the front yard, a majestic oak just behind the house, and several large trees (tulip poplar, yellow wood, weeping beech, hackberry, and magnolias) along the north edge of the yard. The next thing I noticed was the house, with its peeling paint, broken shutters, iffy roof. My heart sank. Not only would this be a very expensive proposition, there was a lot of work to be done as well...

the house and surroundings in 1998

After much stress and agony, including a tour of the house which revealed much more peeling paint, pet urine stained floors, and a questionable electrical system, we signed the contract a few months later and moved in with our two young boys. Needless to say this place has been a never ending project ever since. We have undertaken big renovations (kitchen, family room, and bed room additions) as well as small (sewer repairs, new roof, painting, lots of painting...)

the former next door estate

We soon learned about the history of our new home. The house was built in 1936 for three spinster sisters and the land was parceled off from their uncle's next door estate, which had both a vineyard and an arboretum. The sisters never married and lived in the house until the youngest one died in the mid 1980's. Roumors say the garden back then was impeccable with large peony stands, a renowned rose garden, and a gardener to take care of it all. By the time we came around only traces of the former garden remained. The next door estate was demolished to make place for a large church built in an unfortunate 1970's design style.

the plat

There has always been something enchanted about this place, be it the sisters kind spirits still looming large, or a sense of quality and craftsmanship that we found underneath all that peeling paint and neglect. When it came to the garden I was first overwhelmed by the large space (almost one acre) and the tradition that so obviously was hidden beneath the all the overgrowth, but little by little we have reshaped the land to be ours, while trying to maintain the original feel and intent. If caring for my own garden was my full time occupation, I would have a masterpiece by now, but regretfully it has been hard to keep up over the years. Sections once redone, has been overtaken by weeds again, and there are large parts that were never fully mastered. The love and the eagerness are still there, its just time that is lacking...

this place

2009-05-11T13:24:00.004-04:00

A garden is never truly yours. This garden journal is created with the sole purpose of documenting the garden I am lucky enough to inhabit. It will portrait mundane tasks, as well as more exciting ones, big projects mixed in among the small. There will be lists of current plants as well as ones I wish for, and pesky bugs and funguses will be observed. Successes will be celebrated, but the mistakes will not be ignored. There will be plenty of photos, but all of them will not be pretty. This is my garden journey, and if you like I invite you to come along.