All HALE THE KALE

The Cabbage photo is one I took in mid January. Last fall I shared a picture of the cabbage seedlings that I started, and now I wanted to show what they look like at maturity.
Ornamental kale and Cabbage are planted here in early fall and continue to grow throughout the Winter. They don't seem to be bothered by the cold and now that we are in March they are starting to bolt because the temperatures are warming. All come from the same parentage as regular cabbage and kale, as well, as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. Through selection in different areas of the world the same plant evolved into many forms.
The kale and cabbage I choose were shorter cultivars only getting about 14'' high. I like planting them with winter pansies for colour in the colder months. Usually they go in the ground in October around the same time I plant the fall bulbs.

A BEAUTY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

With Winter still going strong and work being very busy, I haven't gotten as much of an opportunity to do the daily stroll to see whats growing. Other than some of the perennials and bulbs sprouting their still is not much going on. During these times I take great joy in noticing some of the old stand-byes in the garden that always seem to putz along without any extra care.
One of these plants is the Cotoneaster dammeri that I have several grouping of throughout the front gardens. I planted these roughly 3 years ago as a under study to the foundation plantings and they have worked very well.

Cotoneater is a member of the Rose family and when studying the flowers closely you can see it family resemblance (each flower looks like a miniature old rose).
C. dammeri is native to China and has been hybridized creating several sizes and berry colours. I have C. dammeri 'Coral beauty'. It's a variety that grows 12" to 18' high and about 6' wide. When the plant is young it's important to pinch it to promote fullness, then allow it to spread on the ground or cascade over walls and rocks. C. dammeri is hardy to zone 5 and requires little water once established. Spring flowers produce red to vermilion berries that form through out Summer and last till late Winter. Cotoneasters do best with minimal care and actually seem to look their best when left unattended once established.

Coral Beauty is an appropriate name for this plant because it really is a beauty throughout the whole year.

SPROUTS

It's been a month since my last post. It's funny how life works out when you think you might have a little extra time on your hands and suddenly you end up with less. The last month has been very busy, but also good. I am very excited about this year. Lots of new opportunities and events, and many new things I'm learning at my new job.

That being said I thought I'd share something else that delights me, signs of Spring. Right now it's snowing and in my area we are expected to have snow or rain for the next few days. I feel very fortunate that soon the snows will stop and Spring will begin to make her appearance. Usually in my area Winter finishes up the end of February to the beginning of March.
The above shots were taken a few weeks ago. I'm always glad to see the new growth on the perennials, the bulbs push through the ground and the buds start to swell on many of the deciduous shrub.


For those interested, the top and bottom pictures are of Sedums, the middle photo is of Alliums sprouting.

JACK FROST NIPPING AT YOUR NOSE

Vinca minor 'compacta'

Fallen leaves of Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' (Coral Bark Maple)

Viburnum davidii

We were delighted to have a white Christmas here in the Northwest. It snowed for a few hours yesterday just enough to cover the ground and make it pretty. From what I hear it's one in twenty years that it snows on Christmas in my area. We don't get snow to often but one thing we do get a lot of is frosts, especially from Nov. 1st to March 15th. Usually they happen between rainstorms. I'll have to say I do like them. There is something very beautiful to me about having everything sugar coated. I do have to be cognisant about putting out annuals to early, but generally I'm very good about being patient and waiting. The textural photos above are a few examples from the other day. The center pictures is of some fall leaves. Some may ask why I haven't raked them up. Well, as long as they are not on the lawn or covering evergreen perennials and shrubs I let Mama Nature do her thing and use it as a mulch. In addition to protecting any deciduous plants it helps keep the weeds down.

WINTER SOLTICE

Tonight Winter officially starts and for many it translates to cold weather and snow. Here in the Seattle Sound area we are blessed to have a milder Winter than most. I am always thankful for that, and when I forget, all I have to do is turn on the television and watch the evening news when broadcasting what the weather is like in other parts of the world. Attached is a picture from my garden during a recent snow fall. We only get a few a year and generally they are always under 6 inches and melt in a few days. With the picture is a wonderful poem about Winter from one of my favourite writers.

Enjoy and Happy Winter.

For those that hate Winter remember that the days are getting longer now and before you know it Spring green well be surrounding you in your garden :)

We give thanks for the blessing of Winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
To make warmth and quiet for the heart.
To make soups and broths for the heart.
To cook for the heart and read for the heart.
To curl up softly and nestle with the heart.
To sleep deeply at one with the heart.
To dream with the heart.
To spend time with the heart.
A long, long time of peace with the heart.
We give thanks for the blessings of Winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
- Michael Leunig

BARK

Well, all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray, to quote a song. Life has been busy with all the holidays, visiting family and a exciting new job. The garden is sitting silent in its winter slumber and there is a lot of barren dirt showing where perennials and annuals once flourished.
During this time of year in scanning the local foliage and fauna I find my eyes gravitating to the bark on trees. Often they go unnoticed because they are covered with summer foliage or we focus on their amazing canopies of these beautiful plants instead of their incredible trunks. Winter is a perfect time to enjoy the wrapping of some of our favourite trees, and with the background of snow or the gray of a cloudy December sky it only enhances their viewing. I have selected several photos to illustrate the wonderful texture and colour of a few trees in the neighborhood.
It is always a gentle reminder that even in a flowerless garden, or one filled with many deciduous plants, that there is always something interesting to study and enjoy.

CALENDER IN THE WORKS

It's seems that when one looks forward to life slowing down a bit that it actually gets busier. That is definitely the case for me. This weekend I will try to finish the end of season clean up in the garden and the 2008 edition of the BOBSGARDEN.COM calendar. That being said, I thought that it would be nice to share the pictures of last years calendar. The photos were selected to coincide with their bloom time or the celebration of a holiday during that month (i.e. red in February for Valentines Day, green in March for St. Patty's day, etc). All pictures are of the garden during different times of the year.

COVER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Even though putting together the calendar is a lot of work, it is something I do really enjoy. And for friends and family it is something that is look forward to, certainly making all the effort worth while.

IN THEIR PRIME

In a final installment of the series "When Autumn leaves Fall" I've selected several photographs of trees in the neighborhood. These shots were taken 2 weeks ago at the peek of their colour. Since then, they have succumb to our Northwest rain and wind storms. Now, after serving their purpose, they litter the ground, fill gutters and storm drains, and hopefully compost piles returning to the dirt to nurture the trees they came from.
I feel very lucky to have captured them in their prime and truly enjoy sharing them with you.
All the best of Autumn to you all, Bob

A PLACE TO REFLECT

The final days of our Indian Summer were this last weekend, so I figured I'd take a stroll in the Yao Japanese Garden located in the Bellevue Botanical Garden and enjoy the end of Autumn. I have always been a big fan of Japanese gardens. It always seems that when I frequent them, that they completely ground me. Most Japanese gardens are not filled with riots of blooming colour, but with carefully placed plant material and layer upon layer of foliage colour and texture. Maybe that's what touches me is all the greenery, but in any case, they are tranquil and special, and I really enjoy them.


I find that Japanese gardens are incredible all year long. In Winter, the beautiful structure of the deciduous trees and shrubs are shown and accented with evergreens and bamboos. In Spring, all the rhody's and azaleas are in bloom in mounds of colourful displays. In Summer, the Maples and other trees are fully leafed out sheltering drifts of ferns and other complements. And in Fall, the trees have changed the coats in a serene Autumnal display and mosses carpets the ground in emerald splendor.
The Yao Japanese Gardens and others like it always bring me back to reflect, to contemplate, to dream. They create a beautiful place where the natural process of life seems to slow down. Certainly something more of we all can use in our hurried busy lives.

STARS IN AUTUMN

In the craziness of Spring and Summer our thoughts when visiting the local nurseries are focused on the beautiful colour. We walk in, being greeted with drifts of bountiful floral displays, rows of new starts promising immediate flowers in weeks and impulse treasures waiting for purchase. It's hard not to be mesmerized by all the perennials and annuals in full bloom ready to be added to our gardens for instant gratification. I love going to nurseries at this time of year and relish in all the excitement, really enjoying all the sights and sounds. In all this hustle and bustle though, it easy to forget about what's going to be of interest when all the flowers are gone. What's going to add that little something special towards the Autumn months. Sure there are some fall bloomers like Japanese Anemones, reblooming Bearded Iris, Phygelius, and others. But what is going to add that punch to our often tired retiring borders?

This is where Autumn shrubs come in to play. Few of us would even consider a Euonymus alatus (Burning bush) in Spring unless we saw what it colours up to in Fall. And what about Fothergillia? It's a attractive shrubs that has pretty little honey scented flowers. A very nice plant, but when Fall comes around. Wow! The leaves come on fire. This list of the Autumn treasures can go on and on.


I often feel that Fall shrubs come in more colour combination then trees. I look around in my own yard and that of the neighborhood and see so much variety. Maybe it's because the shrubs are more at eye level. But in any case, you can really find a leaf colour in every shade of an Autumn sunset.


The colour variations can be incredible. Even on one plant. Take the Rose Glow Barberry pictures above. At it's peak in natures transformation it has leaves in lemon yellows and pumpkin oranges, peaches and apricots, melons and apples reds. Nature deliciously paints in the most amazing colours.

So next time you are at your local nurseries or garden centers in Spring and Summer, after you have selected some annuals and perennials. Remember that some of those basic, plain Jane, green foliage shrubs, looking rather drab and ordinary, often turn into brilliant stars in Autumn.