Dirt Therapy

After unseasonably warm weather a few weeks ago (or was that a month ago!), it has turned downright nasty with cold temps and lots of rain. I'm not going to gripe about rain. I could do without the frigid climate though. This was Spring Break week but I had volunteered to work part of the week and now I'm glad I did. It has been cold and wet all week and I could not have accomplished much in the garden. A few weeks ago, when it was tolerable, I took some photos of early spring flowering plants. Alabama Snow Wreath  ( Neviusia alabamensis )   Click on image for larger photo Fringe Flower- ( Loropetalum chinense)  Deutzia gracilis Kerria japonica (Easter Rose)  Carolina Jessamine Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Click on photos for larger image After my last post, I received several questions and comments about this shrub. First of all, it isn't growing in our garden. It belongs to a friend. I've always wanted one and almost purchased it a few years ago but finally faced the sad reality that there isn't room for it in our garden. Edgeworthia chrysantha (E. papyrifera), common name Chinese Paper Bush, is native to China where the bark is used to make high grade paper. It is related to daphne and in similar fashion, has exquisite fragrant blooms in late winter before leaves appear. The stems of the shrub are pliable and can be formed into knots. Growing up to 6 feet tall and wide, white buds emerge in fall on the tips of the branches and fully open to pale to bright yellow in late winter. The flowers hang downward. It is easy to grow in semi-shade in moist soil that is well drained. This is an ideal shrub for a woodland garden. Many references say that this is a zone 8 plant bu...

Edgeworthia (Chinese Paper Bush) Tulips   Carolina Jessamine Epimedium   Hellebore Hellebore Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

It actually feels like the first day of summer with temperatures in the low 80s. I'm exhausted after working all weekend weeding and applying mulch. I'm ready for a long soak in the tub! I did manage to get some photos first thing Saturday morning. Crabapple Loropetalum Loropetalum Viburnum "Mohawk" Viburnum "Mohawk" Yoshino Cherry Pansies Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

My experience with growing vegetables has been haphazard at best but I'm ahead of the game this year. For the first time, I've planted some cool season vegetables that hopefully will be ready for harvest before it is time to plant the tomatoes and peppers. Am I getting too optimistic? Two weekends ago, I planted the following and today, after the monsoon we got last night, everything appears to be coming along nicely. The only thing I don't see yet are the carrots. Here is what I have: Lettuce Cabbage Spinach Radish Onion Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

{{{ The Random Number Generator chose "10" which means the winner is Catherine at A Gardener In Progress . Thanks to everyone who entered!}}} "Sustainable" is a popular term in gardening circles these days. What exactly does it mean? More or less, it refers to the creation and maintenance of a landscape that is in balance with the local climate and doesn't use resources like fertilizers and pesticides and most importantly, conserves water. As much as I hate the title, the "For Dummies" series of books (on every topic imaginable) provides excellent information in a user-friendly format. Owen Dell is an award-winning, internationally admired landscape architect, author and educator. He is the principal of Owen Dell & Associates in Santa Barbara, which specializes in sustainable landscape architectural services. In this book, he provides a wealth of information on the topic including: * How to plan a sustainable landscape and what factors to cons...

Since my previous posting a few days ago, the Saucer Magnolia ( Magnolia x soulangiana "Rustic Rubra") has opened and it is just gorgeous. Today, during my lunch hour, I wanted to get some photos before our weekend of rain arrived (and it has already started as I write this). There are lots of beautiful saucer magnolias all over town but they all seem to be the solid pink variety. I've yet to see another bi-color like this one. This is planted alongside our driveway and it is leaning toward the sun as a bank of hackberry trees fills the backside of it. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Star Magnolia ( Magnolia stellata ) Saucer Magnolia "Rustic Rubra" ( Magnolia × soulangeana ) Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy