Mad in Love mangave mix - photo courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc. Have you ever purchased a plant that wasn't originally on your list? Dumb question. We're gardeners. Lists are a distraction and feel so limiting. Therefore, I rarely stick to them. Which was the case last May when my mom and I visited Sunrise Greenhouse in Grant Park, IL. In addition to the coleus, banana plant, clematis and roses, a mangave landed in my cart. I've grown plenty of succulents and had heard of it before but I can hardly say I knew what to do with it. All I knew was that I had to give it a go. How hard could it be? As it turns out, mangave is one of the most undemanding, and quite surprising, plants I've grown. This is my Mission to Mars mangave the day I brought it home from the nursery. The water spots ...
Softened Water? A Rain Barrel is a Houseplant Lifesaver in Winter
It's that time of year again when the leaves are changing and the garage begins to look like doomsday preppers live here. My husband complains about it and I anticipated his reaction when he came home a few nights ago to find his garage workbench temporarily "altered." Not only has it been wiped clean and the empty chip bags disposed of, but it now has everything I need to keep my houseplants alive through the winter, namely water. In my experience, especially for a man motivated by food, having a good meal waiting on the day I begin infiltrating his man space is an excellent diversion. I've become a pretty good cook. His basement workshop has been "altered" as well. He's chosen to accept it in the same way he begrudgingly accepts that he'll lose a little turf to my garden each year. In ...
Weeding is a Cinch with the Hula-Ho
https://youtu.be/6pBhN9gU2f0 Sorry for the graininess of this video. It's my first and comes with a bit of a learning curve. I forgot to select the proper resolution on my camera. But I think you'll get the gist, grain or no grain. *I was not compensated for this product review. All opinions are my own.* The thought of weeding bugs me. It's like dishes, laundry and dog poop. My garden is rarely without weeds. Yours is probably that way too so we should feel better since misery loves company. Once the urge comes over me to get in there and weed though, I'm like a woman possessed. Putting a dent in the weed population is an incredibly satisfying, albeit fleeting, feeling. Sorta like the one I get from drowning hundreds of Japanese beetles. A weed free garden is a pipe dream, as they ...
Rediscovering Marigolds – A Newfound Appreciation
Big Duck Gold Marigold Two women came into the garden center last week looking for marigolds. When they learned we were out, their faces changed to ones of disappointment. Why anyone would be sad over marigolds is beyond me but I had to know why they were so desperate. The marigolds were meant to be table centerpieces for a combined anniversary/retirement/birthday party they were throwing for loved ones. Based on their flower selection, I resisted the urge to ask whether or not they actually liked the guests of honor. But instead asked simply, "Why marigolds?" Until earlier this year, I hated marigolds. I thought they were obnoxious, particularly the red/yellow combinations. I can't imagine why anyone would use them for anything other than a fall container arrangement in a pinch. Not ...
From the Biltmore Estate, With Love
Every year, I plan a budget friendly road trip that appeals to the whole family. It's not easy when you're traveling with two teens. But we got lucky. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, had something for everyone. I wanted gardens. My husband wanted trains. And the girls just wanted to be somewhere other than Illinois. By the end of the Biltmore experience, we all were blown away. You can't grasp the enormity of the place until you pass the entry gate. It was then that I realized we had entered a different world. One where the roads are lined with an impenetrable bamboo thicket and the forest leading up to the estate is pristine and full of enormous trees. Even the small stone bridges were worth admiring. So much care and thought had been put into this very grand, but incredibly ...
Six Tips for Managing Food Allergies on Vacation
Vortex Doughnuts was an exceptional bakery in Asheville, NC, and quite possibly the highlight of my daughter's entire vacation. Their selection of soy-, nut- and egg-free doughnuts, as well as made-to-order coffee, had us wishing they were closer to home. I felt my hips expanding with every inhalation. Food factors into everything. How we socialize, celebrate, train, relax, connect, vacation. It's the vacation part that scared me most when my daughter, Abigail, was diagnosed in 2016, with Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and allergies to soy, nuts and eggs. We can't fly by the seat of our pants and eat anywhere. Every move requires a plan of attack. While I still approach vacation with a bit of trepidation, I have a better handle on how, who and what to ask when it comes to ...
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