Gardener

Ireland is a land of such beauty that to
not visit it is to leave your life
incomplete. Ireland is just that nice.
Having been over to the Emerald Isle
several times, I know all too well the
many memorable sights that bless this
ancient, captivating land. And maybe it is
time that you, too, succumb to the beauty
of Ireland and think about making your
own memories. I can help make that
happen. If you are interested in a trip to
Ireland, please feel free to contact me by
email at: lajackson1@gmail.com to find
out when the next "adventure" will be. If
you are part of a group that wants to
venture to the this grand land, contact
me about special group rates and the
dates your party (And I guarantee it will
be a party!) would like to go. If you need
more incentives for a trip, click here to
see what awaits you.

Greetings, Gardeners!

Welcome to my garden world. As a Southeast garden editor,
writer and lecturer for over 20 years, I have discovered that
there is not only a lot to learn about plants in our region, but
there is also certainly plenty of knowledge to share. So, in the
true spirit of all that is green and growing, here is a website full
of tips, information and updates that I hope will help make your
garden just a little bit prettier, just a little bit more successful. If
you have a particular question about gardening, I even have an
"Ask L.A." page to help solve your problems. I update this site
monthly, so don't forget to add it to your bookmarks!

Designing a
Container Garden

Color, texture and
flower form are the
basic elements in
designing a
container garden.
With color today,
anything goes. Gone
are the days when
pink and scarlet
clashed—today you
can combine any
colors you want in a
pot or in a grouping.

Texture is often
best brought out by
including foliage
plants such as
leather-leaved
ferns, or asparagus
sprengeri with its
long lacy fronds. Let
trailing plants spill
over the edges of
the containers to
soften and
de-formalize
plantings. Some
perennial ground
covers offer
interesting textures,
and can be dug up
and replanted in the
garden in the fall
when annuals have
died back.

Flower forms can be
grouped into three
basic shapes. Line
forms like Salvia
spendens or
snapdragons are tall
and spiky. Mass
forms such as
daisies, petunias or
marigolds have
many small or large
flowers. Focus
forms, such as
African marigolds or
a spectacular
geranium plant, are
characterized by
large or distinctive
flowers.

One example of
combining these
forms would be a
large container of
red salvia (upright
form and tall), pale
blue petunias (round
masses of flowers,
medium height), and
white alyssum
(small, lacy flowers,
low and trailing). Or
use tall blue
lavender for height,
and white petunias
and red creeping
phlox for color.

National Garden
Bureau

Water lily and lotus plants
have begun showing off in
the water garden now, so
to keep the flower show in
its full glory, fertilize these
heavy feeders about every
three to four weeks.
Marginal plants will put on
a better show too if they
are fed every five to six
weeks during the growing
season.

* If you have recently placed a prized plant
just beyond the water hose, to get it through
the hot, dry times, poke a small hole in the
bottom of a plastic, one-gallon milk jug, fill it
with water, replace the cap and set it next to
the plant. The small hole and slight vacuum
will cause the jug to slowly, thoroughly water
the plant.

* For a good show of chrysanthemums this
fall, fertilize the plants lightly with a water
soluble fertilizer every two weeks and pinch
out new tip growth early in the month to keep
the plants bushy.

* Strawflowers that are going to be used in
dried arrangements preserve best if they are
harvested when their flowers are only halfway
open.

* Most herbs do best with minimal
maintenance, but many benefit from a 2- to
3-inch mulch, which will help keep the
moisture supply at a more constant level.

* Considering potted plants or hanging
baskets this summer? Keep three points in
mind: (1) Clay pots permit additional
evaporation through the sides, so plants in
these types of containers must be watered
more often than plants in plastic containers;
(2) the smaller the pot, the quicker the soil
inside it dries out; and (3) the more you
water, the more nutrients leech out of the
soil, so water with a liquid fertilizer every two
to three weeks.

* Production from the vegetable garden
should be in high gear now, but, to keep even
more crops coming, harvest such veggies as
okra, cucumbers, squash, beans and
indeterminate tomatoes every two to three
days.

* Pruned tomato plants improve production-if
it is done right. Prune lower leaves to divert
more energy into fruit production. However,
resist cutting off any upper foliage that
shields tomatoes from the sun because this
natural covering helps prevent sunscald.

* Patrol the potato patch in search of exposed
spuds. If you aren't going to harvest them
immediately, cover them with mulch to
prevent the sun from turning them green and
making them taste bad.

* Hate how slimy okra gets when it is boiled?
Leave the edible stems on the pods and cook
them whole.

* Don't forget your feathered friends--at least
once a week, clean the bird bath out and keep
the feeder cleaned of old seed and refilled
with fresh feed.

* Sure, it's hot, but don't forget your friendly
local garden center. Midsummer sales are in
full force now and are sure bets for finding
the best plant bargains.

* Think the summer garden is nothing but a
sea of green? Think again. Visit your local
arboretum or botanical garden to see how
these professional public gardens add color to
their summer beds.

On the Road with L.A.

Like a rolling stone, I gather no moss
because I am constantly on the move to
experience the best gardens not only in
the Southeast but the rest of the country
as well as the big, beautiful world beyond.
You see, my philosophy is that, since
plants don't know anything about county,
state or even country boundaries, why
should gardeners? So with that in mind, I
believe the perfect gardening experience
should include enjoying what you grow in
your own yard as well as seeing what can
be found in other gardens, whether they
are down the block or halfway around the
world. Beauty, like plants, knows no
boundaries. So, the latest feature garden
from my wandering ways is:

Rio Grande Botanic Garden
Albuquerque, New Mexico

In western Albuquerque, NM, an oasis
grows beside the Rio Grande River. The Rio
Grande Botanic Garden is a 36-acre Eden
that showcases Southwestern native
plants and features many pleasant
surprises, like a first-rate Children's
Fantasy Garden that includes a
14-foot-tall dragon, and a
42-foot-diameter, walk-through
pumpkin-and watch out for the very
sneaky, 6-foot honey bee! Other exhibits
include the recently opened Sasebo
Japanese Garden, an award-winning, early
20th century homestead exhibit complete
with a kitchen garden and farm animals,
the seasonal Butterfly Pavilion, a model
railroad garden, the beautiful
Spanish-Moorish Garden, and a walled
garden. In addition, the Mediterranean
Conservatory houses plants that thrive in
other hot, dry regions in the world, while
the interesting Camino de Colores features
gardens of the four seasons and plants
that thrive in each. The Rio Grande
Botanic Garden is part of the Albuquerque
Biological Park, which also includes the
fun, 64-acre Rio Grande Zoo and
impressive Albuquerque Aquarium. For
more information, go to:
www.cabq.gov/biopark/garden.