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One of the biggest joys I receive from my garden besides breathing in the beauty of it every time I go out the door or look out a window, is sharing it with others.
The history of flower giving extends back thousands of years as a way for people to communicate with each other. Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese all refer to the use of flowers in their stories and myths. The Greeks considered flowers to be particularly important and associated them with the gods.
Those stunning velvety “midnight blue” pansies planted in mid-March by the main entrance to Gettysburg College got me thinking, and thanking, John Beauchamp, Grounds Manager, and the wonderful groundskeepers for the great work they do every day. I wondered if the pansies over-wintered like many of the herbs and flowers this year. John said they were planted earlier than usual because of soil conditions and spring temperatures. Pansy beds appeared all over campus--thank you!
Trees and shrubs and permanent structures make up the "bones" of your garden. If you are planning a new garden, or thinking about improving the landscaping of your property, always think about the bones first.
As the title implies, this is the first of a 3 part series. Part II will cover the 3 flap graft with photos; part III will cover variety selection. Many readers of these Master Gardeners’ columns may remember that I have written several articles on stratifying nuts and growing Pecan trees in South Central Pennsylvania, also distributing a fair number of pecan seedlings to those who asked. Many of these seedlings have now grown to a size suitable for grafting. Also, I will have more seedlings to distribute at no cost in mid-summer 2012.
When Master Gardeners gather over a cup of coffee in January, they don’t lack for things to talk about. Here is some of the advice culled from Master Gardener columns in the past few years on ideas and activities for gardeners during the cold season.
Different gardening chores require different types of gloves. They protect us during varied tasks such as planting, digging, weeding, pruning and perhaps even chemical application.
