Downtown Home and Garden is AWESOME!

This is where I get all my daffodils and bulbs from! Downtown Home and Garden in Ann Arbor Michigan totally rocks. I feel bad that not everyone can have such an awesome garden center to visit-
They are friendly and cheerful and they sell what a gardener needs...not all that other stuff. Plus Mark opened a food cart courtyard in back where you can jet in and grab a snack while you are between weeding gigs. AND after work in the summer you can go grab a beer at his new beer garden! Giving business a good name in Ann Arbor! Thanks you guys!
This spring I am planning on planting a lot of asiatic bulbs. I have been having issues lately with my coneflowers and I need that shot of pink in the summer! So here is to hoping that lilies will help. If you have deer issues...build a fence...or surround with plants they don't like...I have been experimenting with this...still in fledgling faze.

What a Mid Century Collector does in the winter

Well, it is snowing in Michigan! A rare event this last few years...I'm about to head out into the snow and enjoy some exercise.
Thinking alot about what bulbs I want to plant this spring for summer blooms. I'm thinking alot about Asiatic Lillies  vs. Oriental Lillies. Asiatic lillies bloom earlier than Oriental ones...a new tid bit I just learned which should help get more pink into my gardens! I am thinking I want more pink!
I've been photographing some of my recent Danish Modern and Mid Century Modern finds and posting to Etsy. Thinking about trying out ebay...it seems a bit complicated, though. Chelsea Antique Mall is doing great-a popular destination for Southern Michigan. Well enjoy my new posts and Stay Warm!

Opening at Antique Mall

I am opening an antique booth in Chelsea at the http://www.chelseaantiquemall.com/

Come check it out! We will be doing 50's, 60's and 70's nick knacks and some furniture. A little bit something for anyone who appreciates the good old things from that era!

Still gardening like a crazy woman, but this is just something to keep me busy in the winter!
Hope you can come and see it. We are booth #130-don't have a sign yet, but we are thinking of calling it My Knick Knack Store and More--See you there!!

Mid Century Modern Hobby

Check out what me and my boyfriend have been doing to keep busy in the winter months! Visit My Knick Knack Store & More to see our Mid Century Modern Collection...just something to do in the cold months up here in Michigan!

Holiday List Panic?

Hi Everyone! I am trying to round up some fun work for the holiday and winter season!
If you are feeling stressed out this holiday season and need an assistant and errands or what not done this winter--

• Holiday Shopping(Grocery or Gift)
  
• Holiday Wrapping( I have an art studio in my basement with lots of holiday wrapping do dads! Hurray!)
• OR I can bring supplies and a wrapping table to your house!
• Deliver Your Mail and Packages to the Post Office for you!
• Pet Feeding/Walking/Petting because you are Traveling & Busy!
• Blogging--It's fun--Maybe you need one?
• Organizing? Hauling? I'm good at that too!
  

Contact Me Raquel at My Email: Gartengrl@yahoo.com

References Available Upon Request!

One Of My Jobs

Well, tomorrow is Halloween and I guess this garden season has come to an end. I am still working on my fall clean ups and planting bulbs. I've got my fingers crossed for a pretty exciting garden that I designed from nothing...but it has to get the go ahead.
My legs hurt and my hands hurt but at least I'm going into winter in pretty good shape. Can't say I'll be going into spring in good shape...ha ha.
It's a cycle.
Here is one of my favorite gardens this year...I did some more that are pretty great too, but I didn't get pics.
I'll be glad to put my tools away for a minute-
Happy Gardens,
Raquel

Iris, Poppies, and Ranunculus Repens

Hi Everyone! Just a few pics to share what is blooming in the garden this week here in Michigan! O.k. I realize I should have added this early peony to the title-my bad:) Here is a picture of my cat in the garden! I could not resist-don't say it!

I have a new blog!

Hey Everyone, I started another blog which will be dedicated(supposedly)to my graphic design stuff...check it out at RZWdesigns !

Look What We Found In The Garden!

Look what we found hiding in some ground cover while we were doing our spring clean-up last week! This little plant eater was so timid we could just pick her up. Erin wanted to take her home to live at her house, but well...I think she decided there wasn't really a better place than next door to the veggie garden for this little gal! What a sweet little bunny!

A Few Links For Spring Pruning Tips

Hi Everyone, I have been very remiss at updating my blog these last few months. I guess winter just finally dragged me into its evil clutches. But the sun is back and like the peonies at this time I am sticking my head up out of the dirt and getting busy in the garden and posting to my blog again.
As I have been working this week a few questions have come up about what to prune and when.

Do prune your Rose Of Sharon in March/Early April in Michigan
Do prune your pee gee hydrangeas and your white hydrangeas in either late fall/early spring in MI
Do NOT prune your viburnum in late fall or early spring(Doh!!!)

Do fertilize and add your amendments...come on people let's get out there and get to work!

O.k. with that said, here is a link to an article I wrote for Cool Garden Things blog:

Pruning Hydrangea Tips

Happy spring!

Micanopy Spring Vacation

I have spent a lovely week in Micanopy Florida which is a veritable plant and reptile paradise! Such a fun break from the 2 feet of snow that Michigan just got buried in!
While there we visited the Micanopy Historical Museum which was the coolest little museum ever!
We also visited rainbow springs which is an old resort from the 50's and is now a nature preserve!! Wow...totally awesome!

Can I Save These Orchids?

Hi Everyone! Gosh it's been awhile since I got on here...I've been photodocumenting my attempt to revive these Phaleonopsis Orchids I got from my boyfriend! Huh...I can't seem to upload my photos in order...doh...well here is what they looked like when I was done.

Grow Your Own - Gardenerd on ABC News: Nightline

Interesting video about the new wave of victory gardening-I thought this was interesting:)

All I want for xmas!

Dear Santa,
I hope you have had a great year and that all the elves and all your animal friends are doing really great this holiday season! I thought I might take a moment to make a xmas list this year, something I never do...but probably should!

1. I'd really like all my aches and pains to go away:)If you could do that I don't want anything else!

2. The next best thing would be a really good wrist brace and elbow brace and foot brace...and a year of visits to the chiropractor. If you have extra in the budget I am pretty sure some time with an acupuncturist would help too...

3. I'd also like some Gift Certificates to get a massage or two or 20!

5. I'm pretty sure a hot tub could be beneficial as well...

6. After all those I could use a new flat head spade, a new pitch fork, a new wheel barrow, oh and definitely a new truck!

7. Several yards of compost spread all over all my beds would be next to the best thing ever...

8. I would definitely enjoy some of those super soft garden gloves I see at the store that I totally can't justify purchasing since they will be dirty and torn apart in one day-for sure.
9. I could use a really good garden helper who knows the difference between weeds, perennials, and annuals...who would not mind working really hard for 10.00 an hour 18 hours a week...is that too much to ask for?

10. I would like a gallon of technu poison ivy soap.

11. I would like some brand new really sharp bi pass pruning shears.

12. I would like a small chain saw that is easy to start and doesn't scare the heck out of me:)

13. Or a really hot guy to do all my chain saw work for me;)Maybe you could mention that to my boyfriend...

14.I would really love a green house...that might be pushing it...but that would be a dream come true...

15. I would like some really cool garden decor like some gazing globes and some super cool bird feeders-Oh Wait! I even know where you can go to get those-Cool Garden Things

What would YOU like for under your tree this year?

Fall Scans

Just playing with scanner and photoshop. I always feel to desperate to preserve the last vestiges of summer and fall...soon it will all be gone...

Cold Fingers in the Garden

Well, here we are and it is already Fall. Where did spring and summer go? Soon I'll be wondering what happened to my 40's...I spent them gardening!

This is really the best time to split plants and move them around.

My Black-eyed Suzans are growing out of control and need to be split before they start to over-shadow other plants and impact the positive growth of other plants. So now is the time that I cut them down and seed out the seeds in a few places. I also dig up and split the growth that is intruding on other plants and move them to areas of my garden that needed some more late summer color. Because we all know that they have great foliage and awesome late summer appeal.

Evening primrose is definitely another plant that needs to be taken care of. I usually have to dig it out of my beds and just leave a few small areas intact...it spreads like an invasive but is luckily fairly easy to pull out. It can also be spread to other parts of the garden. I'm one to battle invasive against invasive so next year I'll be putting it with my evil snow on the mountain...yes I have some...don't put it in your garden...but since it's already in mine I thought I would see how these two hold up together.

I also want to say that some of my grasses are getting kind of large. I'm going to wait till spring to split, though, as I find they make a nice place for critters to overwinter.

Perhaps you did not like what was happening in some part of the garden and you want to move plants to a different part of the garden. For example you may have to move some taller plants to the back of the bed because it covered up some shorter plant. It happens, this is the time to do it!

GartenGrl

Growing Plants from Seed

I have a client who wants a very flower abundant garden. Very English cottage meets field of flowers kind of thing. This has been a new kind of project for me as most of my clients prefer a more structured and controlled looking kind of feel. I am personally inclined to the natural and wild looking garden.
I was surprised to find that this "easy looking" style of gardening required just as much work as the more formal garden. Which is funny, because you would think there would be less maintenance! Ha!
You still have to weed out invasive and unproductive weeds. You still have to split and divide plants. You still have to plant for the best location. Watering and pest control are still on the munu. Etc. Etc.
One thing I am doing with this garden, though, is using and broadcasting seeds. And that is something I don't usually do as seeds can be kind of hit or miss depending on if people are using things like Preen in their garden. Overzealous weeding...etc. etc.
I came across this useful link describing what time of year it is best to broadcast certain seeds...
http://flowergardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/fall_sowing_of_seeds_in_the_flower_garden

I found it very helpful...I think you will too.

P.S. Check out our gazing globes and very cool looking ceramic bird houses at Cool Garden Things

Need Help To ID this Plant

I was weeding a client garden...and over the last month I noticed this problem which I promptly attempted to ignore. But can no longer ignore!!! If anyone can help me to identify this Michigan late season blue/purple flower perennial and the disease and what to do...I would be very grateful!

Thanks, GartenGrl at Planning Plants to Plant

Butterflies in My Garden

Well...I know my blog is supposed to be about the plants I like to plant...but I get distracted on occasion.
But one plant I really love is regular old-fashioned Milkweed...it can grow up to 7 feet tall or more in my garden! And I love it's big dusky rose colored pom poms that smell like honey...mmmmm. And all the bumble bees and honey bees go absolutely NUTS over it.
A few day ago I was like, sigh, how come I never get any butterflies in my garden...I work so hard and not a single butterfly...whine, whine, whine...yada, yada, yada....And then the very next day I saw a monarch butterfly all over that Milkweed! YES!
And today I was whining to my dad about how I was not going to get any caterpillars because all the ants would eat them first...and low and behold-I saw TWO baby monarch caterpillars!!! YES!
I realize that two does not bode well against legions of predators...but I feel very happy none-the-less!
I even saw a hummingbird buzz by to check out my first time in bloom Trumpet Vine...only took 5 years...but hey...gardening is an exercise in patience and hard work!
I can thank both my parents for leading me to the joys of gardening and bird watching. I'm sure I thought they were crazy when I was a kid, but now I totally get it....
If you enjoy really cool garden things....like gazing globes and bird feeders and fire pots check out
Cool Garden Things!

Choosing the Right Annual For The Right Spot

written by GartenGrl

Choosing the Right Annual For The Right Spot

Every year when it comes time to plant your annuals there a few things you need to consider. The location of where you are planting, is the danger of frost past, what kind of irrigation system you are dealing with, what kinds of annuals and what sort of feel you want your garden bed to have.

Before you can even make any decisions about the colors and flowers you want to use you need to consider the location of your garden. For example, if you live in Michigan you need to know that Michigan has hot and dry summers, and late spring frosts. In this case you would want to pick an annual that can handle a light frost, such as marigolds, or begonias and can also handle the very hot and dry summer weather. The annual should hold up in extreme heat, but remember that all annuals need to be watered regularly, not over watered or you will just have dead annuals.

Is the spot a dry shade, wet shade, dry sun, wet sun, somewhere in between?

You need to know how much sun this location gets. Is it morning sun which is cooler or is it afternoon sun which is more brutal?

Does the spot get 6 hours of sun or less…because if it gets less than 6 hours, a full sun plant will not thrive. You are better off with a partial sun/shade choice.

So the next thing you want to consider is what kind of irrigation system do you have. If you have one that is professionally installed and basically waters the whole bed, then just make sure you adjust it to water only about 3 or 4 days a week for about half an hour.

Plants do not need water every day! In fact their roots need to dry out just a little so that they are encouraged to grow and reach for the water. If you water a plant too much it will surely die as if you never watered it at all.

Perhaps you do not have an irrigation system and will be watering by hand. Well that is something to consider as well. You will need to choose an annual that can go a few days without water in an emergency…like if you go away for a day or two. Find out from your local nursery what kind of watering is recommended for your particular region. They are usually very helpful and knowledgable.

Once you have considered all these factors and are at the flower store reading all the labels about Sun, Partial Sun, Shade…you are ready to think about the ways you want to combine your annuals.

It is really up to you, but consider that you may want the taller ones in the back. And to pick something that fills in around the other plants nicely and quickly, like a potatoe vine or some such thing. This will ultimately help to shade the bottom of the plants and help with water retention which will be good for the root systems.

Some people like a monochromatic garden and other people like all different colors…it is really about what you personally prefer. Once you have this part figured out you can add some cool garden things. Have fun and plan a little first to save some money later!