GO AHEAD, MAKE FUN of all the shreds of recycled printer paper and envelopes on which I scrawl endless lists. To-do, to buy, to remember (but then of course I forget to bring the list along when it’s needed). Lists are the promise of control, and garden lists—of what will grow in what conditions, particularly, or what is “best”—is a genre I really like. In what I expect will become a recurring post, here are the first few to add to our growing list of lists (please add yours by commenting):
100 Great Plants: From the English newspaper The Telegraph, a list of 100 great garden plants. (An aside: Why don’t our newspapers have garden sections like this one?)
The Ambergate Lists: From Ambergate Gardens, Mike and Jean Heger’s nursery in Minnesota, a series of great lists covering topics from plants for deep shade to plants that don’t require frequent division.
Vinnie Simeone’s Lists: Vinnie manages historic Planting Fields Arboretum on Long Island, my old stomping grounds, and has taught me many things. His personal website includes links up top to lists as desired as deer-resistant plants and plants for the seashore.
Ahh.. lists. Where would be without them? At this point my list seems to be growing with ‘things to do’ as the weather warms. Today I was able to knock off a few of those to do items with a full afternoon in the gardens. There is so much more to do! I have list upon list!
I need to make a list of potential plant purchases this year and truly put some thought into it. Historically, I go to some of my favorite gardening haunts (I need to make a list of them!) and I buy what strikes me as possibilities in the garden. I have to admit, I’ve not always made the best choices, but part of what I love about gardening is the trial and error.
I do keep a garden planner every year… planting dates, sketches (okay, they are floor plans) of the gardens, tracking temperatures, etc. I try to journal what works and what doesn’t work. Do you keep a garden planner Margaret? Or better yet.. a scrapbook of your writings on scraps of paper and envelopes? :-)
Sow lettuce…plant more peas…prune roses…prune hydrangea paniculatas…feed emerging bulbs…feed garlic…turn compost…
I am ovewhelmed, and the list isn’t even one-quarter complete.
I keep temperature extremes on my calendar on the wall, take some digital pictures, scribble some notes here and here. Not a perfect system, but enough to stay an inch ahead of my memory. On a good day.
M.
How about a list of “100 Reasons to Garden?” Might make a nice addition to the ‘woo-woo’ section.
-Andrew
Hi, Margaret – Marian sent me. What a gorgeous blog you’ve created!
Now regarding lists…my life is one. I’m writing an indoor gardening book,and thus keeping a detailed journal of 186 plants that reside, mostly, in my window gardens.
On my “to do” list is the creation of a garden bed where many of my potted friends can lounge and luxuriate out of doors for the summer months before returning to home life for the winter. Near a hose, and in dappled shade. And photogenic, too.
My best,
Kevin
Kevin,
Good to “meet” you, and hear about your houseplants. One-hundred eighty-six! And I thought it was crowded here in my house with maybe 15 large ones and a dozen small ones sharing the space.
I will be opening forums later in the week or next week on the blog where people can do Q&A and also upload their photos, so maybe you can show us some of them then.
And thanks for the nice words. New stuff will be posted everyday–including houseplant stories, promise.
Margaret
I have been working on a list of salt-tolerant perennials, since I tend to garden in Northeastern cities and their near suburbs, where streets are frequently salted in the winter.
I would welcome suggestions.
http://rampingup.blogspot.com/2008/05/salt-resistant-perennials.html