It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
I'm not sure pines even need feeding; they grow so well in the wild, but then there's a natural compost from the falling leaves. Mother Nature's compost is best!
After buying the house, they died within a year.
Reminds me, the succulent ground cover is dead! Take it out! It looks bad, sitting at the front of the driveway. Who is going to do this? Bwah hooey!
I'm hopeless at giving up on plants, too. Like my gardenia plant, which I am very very upset about and for months insisted it was just a bit upset about getting sunburnt when I took it outdoors in May for what was supposed to be a treat. Nope. Last month was forced to admit that the technical term for what ails it is "dead." It's awaiting burial in the back porch, while I pretend to myself that I'm not secretly hoping and praying for a miracle.
The tree is not worthy of real bonsai making. I think it is just the concept to learn how to trim it up nicely, as if bonsai expert! I liked reading how trees grow (and we can control it); and to trim up to 1/3 so it won't die.
The pot has limited it's growth, that did take years. If I cut off all the recommended wayward branches, there would be no tree. Not being able to walk from pain today has limited my gardening future. Hubs dropped out early, was just wandering, wishing he could disappear, and I don't blame him. So we both disappeared to In-N-Out.
Next, I will feed the tree. Maybe today.
Me too, googling is so much more fun than hurting from just moving the pot around.
I read up on the bonsai.
Funny, this tree has never had any pine cones. It is about 6 ft. tall now, very sparse.
Will probably make this happen in the spring.
You will probably find a dense carpet of roots.
Shave them, ruthlessly. Detangle as you get further in.
Repot in fresh compost.
There's an article about doing this under Lippi Consulting Arborists, though they're talking about preparing nursery grown plants for planting out; the good news is that your tree should recover nicely with a pruned root system and a good long drink.
I haven't checked with the RHS but I'm pretty sure they'd just say stop trying to keep a pine tree in a pot.
Don't bonsais take decades?
Thank you for that advice, Cwillie and GardenArtist! Much appreciated, and, there is no waiting for an appointment (lol) on "Gardening as therapy".
It was my tree who needed the therapy this time.
And if it's produced cones, you might want to gather the cones, warm them enough that the seeds pop, and then plant them. You could also take tip cuttings and try to root them.
Bonsaiing is a great idea.
I'm curious why you can't plant the pine. Is it considered invasive?
(maybe treat it like a bonsai plant?)
Wondering if sawing off the bottom of the pot, placing it in the ground part way, so it looks as if in a planter, not planted....would give it a few more years. I know most real gardeners would throw it away, but maybe I am just a sap for a tree.
I've always thought there must be a special moment when someone can go out into his/her yard and choose freshly laid eggs from the hen house.
A former neighbor of Dad's got fresh eggs from her grandmother, up north somewhere. She brought the most beautifully colored turquoise and light chocolate brown eggs. They were too pretty to eat!
I know that I took the robin wreath down and put it somewhere in the garden, but don't recall where. I thought about putting in on the fence, but the neighbors that moved in during and after the recession are of the type that would probably report the poor thing to code enforcement, or they'd find some way to dispatch it to the nether world before the little chickies could even hatch.
Interesting question. I don't know what I did with it. Now you've got me thinking; I'm wondering if I should make more and hang them on trees? That might invite squirrel invasions though, as they seem to have first priority on all the trees around here.
Only one of my chickens went broody, but goodness did she! She was bottom of the pecking order and normally so timid, but the peck she gave me when I reached in to the nesting box left bruises. I transferred her and her clutch to a cat carrier and took her into the house to take extra care of her (and stop her being bullied. Chickens are the original Mean Girls). The books all say that at least once a day you must take the hen off the nest to make sure she has something to eat and drink and does a poo. What they don't say is how. When I tried to lift her, she sort of splayed herself out and hung on like grim death so that the whole bed of straw, eggs and all, came with her.
Did you donate the wreath permanently to the robins? You could hang it somewhere more secluded for her next time, perhaps?
A mother robin decided to nest in the one closest to the mailbox on the porch.
I wasn't really aware of the nursery until the crabby postman refused to deliver the mail, claiming that Mrs. Robin was "dive bombing" him. When I checked the nest, I saw some lovely blue eggs in it, so I couldn't in good conscience move it until the little ones fledged.
So I had to watch for the mailman, go down to the postal vehicle and get my mail for a few weeks. Then he complained that he had to give me my mail personally!
This guy should have been living in a city high rise. Later he complained that one of the arborvitaes in front was "leaning" over the sidewalk and he was afraid spiders would jump out on him. He again refused to deliver the mail until I trimmed back the arborvitae.
Fortunately, he must have been reassigned (or maybe he was divebombed by a bird or spider) a few years later and I didn't have to deal with him again.
But Mrs. Robin did become upset if I opened the door to get my mail while she was in the nest, so I had to peak out and wait until she was gone, then quickly rush out and get my mail.
Uh oh, Cwillie, it is like a movie, but thinking I should keep the zooming, fighting, and dive-bombing across the street so I can come and go freely.
I stopped using the back door of a house I rented in the country because birds built their nest there. Excuse me birdies, can I exit now?
One day, at the beginning of fall, I was backing out of the driveway, stopped to change gears, and one hummingbird got in front of the car, facing me, it elevated straight up into the air, and straight back down to eye level, again facing me. Hovering really.
Was it demanding to be fed? I just don't know, but I think it was trying to send a message. The nearest neighbor has a bottlebrush tree. I don't think they would intentionally poke my eye, just accidentally if it zoomed by too close. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Zoom you? Poke your eyes out? I don't think even a hawk would do that unless you look like a tasty rodent.
That half 'n half seeds idea was excellent!
That moment, however, has passed me by, and the seeds are still in my dresser drawer.
My squirrel must be hibernating already, and I am out of peanuts, but will buy more.
Maybe he didn't like his new name, Ratatouille. Having real fun around here was set aside for financial and paperwork reasons. However, I did transplant some plants into larger pots so they could live.
We had a bit of California rain last night, only the slightest bit, now the sun is out.
Georgeous time of year! My windows have been opened daily, bringing the light inside more. Really want to start feeding the hummingbirds, but not sure if I should do this.
Will they zoom me, poke my eyes out?
Late tonight in Illinois my faithful flower friends are going to get stung by the nasty 30 something windy air.
Most made the move to their nursing home, the greenhouse and the other brave ones decided to stay
put on their own while one geranium asked for a blanket. She will move tomarrow to the "nursing home".
In the morning I will slowly peek to see who is still alive.
Keeping fingers crossed 💜
GA—without a doubt my mom is where I got the love of flowers and now spending time in the yard is where I feel closest to her memory. She was a true plant lover and knew them all by name.
CWillie—I’m in LA, that’s Lower Alabama! We have freezing temps for 2-3 months a years but not even every night then. So the gardening season is long. But the summers are cruelly hot, so there are trade offs. The pansies will bloom from late October til late May.
And I too love the visitors to the garden. My bird feeder has had a wealth of cardinals lately. So nice to see. Even if I do feel a bit ripped off that the males get the show off feathers and color while the females are destined to look dull! Oh well, all in the grand design!
Once a butterfly landed on my hand, resting there for only a short time, but it was an exciting interaction with such a beautiful and delicate little creature. Another time one of the visiting rabbits became almost tame after I had been feeding it. It hopped up to me, thought for a moment, then laid its head down on my foot and took a nap. That was so exciting - I felt such a natural bond with this sweet little bunny.
I've often thought of gardening as Nature's Symphony. Spring is the prelude, beginning softly, slowly and metamorphosing into Summer, with its diverse array of color and texture, and which is the main portion of the natural symphony. Fall is the dramatic closure with a stunning finale.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is one which most closely reminds me of Nature's Symphony. His Ode to Joy (actually Schiller's) is a choral masterpiece which equates to Nature's magnificent Fall array and blend of beautiful colors.
Daughter, so glad you mentioned pansies. My neighbor gave me some seeds and I need to get those out today. I’m hoping for pansies in snow.
Belle, your insight is spot on. There is a beauty in all seasons. I, too, want nature to take its course. Although ironically, I just “rescued” a praying mantis from the first freeze. I told him he was going to freeze and he hopped onto my shoulder, came indoors and went straight for the terrarium. So... today’s to do list is property taxes and baby crickets - that’s a first!
I don’t think any of us would be on AC if we weren’t nurturers (despite sometimes wanting to run screaming away.) So here’s to those making life more beautiful.