Our Garden

The art of Peter Bowden
My display of prints is now at the Hewitt’s on Western Ave. Drop by for a look!
They are 11″ X 14″ printed on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness.
Signed, framed and on sale for $49.99. Enjoy!

Need a garden speaker for your club or business?
Contact: pbowden2@nycap.rr.com

The 2012 seed packs are in!!! Can spring be far behind?

Some of us mark this season with football playoff games (how about those Giants!), but for gardeners it is the arrival of the new selection of seed packs at the garden center that lets us know that spring is just around the corner. There’s nothing like spending an hour or so among the offerings at the garden center to gather enthusiasm for the coming season.

Everything old is new again
There are always new varieties to check out and lots of old favorites as well. Lately the old varieties that our Read the rest of this entry »

The art of Peter Bowden
My display of prints is now at the Hewitt’s on Western Ave. Drop by for a look!
They are 11″ X 14″ printed on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness.
Signed, framed and on sale for $49.99. Enjoy!

Need a garden speaker for your club or business?
Contact: pbowden2@nycap.rr.com

Sunday Slide Show…Portraits of Narcissus
Since there was a nice response to last Sunday’s ice pictures, I thought it might be fun to post some images again today to add some color to these grey winter days. This week features portraits of various narcissus..the family that includes the popular yellow daffodil.

The word narcissus comes to us from Greek mythology. Narcissus was a beautiful boy who was so enamoured with himself that he brought about his own demise…more on that here.

We’ll never really know what our narcissis think of themselves but I eagerly await their arrival every spring…Enjoy and thanks for the read.

Read the rest of this entry »

Having a friend like my dog Ajax insures that I’ll be taking a walk at least once a day, even in the depths of winter. I’m lucky to live in the country so our route is through meadow and forest, past stream and pond. I’ve learned to always bring the camera since you never know what you’ll see. In warmer times it may be a stunning wildflower or gentle newt. It would seem that the colder months would have little to offer the photographer. A closer look sets that notion to rest.

Frost
Pause and take a closer look, and you’ll notice that ice displays a beguiling array of elegant forms. The first one we encounter in fall is frost. Frost grows from moisture in the air freezing on cold objects on the ground. It likes to grow on the edges of things like these rose petals.

Frost growing on the edges of shale Read the rest of this entry »

The art of Peter Bowden
My display of prints is now at the Hewitt’s on Western Ave. Drop by for a look!
They are 11″ X 14″ printed on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness.
Signed, framed and on sale for $49.99. Enjoy!

Ice…beautiful but dangerous

Finally it was our turn to get dumped on. Since we have to cope with snow and ice every winter our highway department have mountains of rock salt and sand so even a large snowstorm is only an inconvenience. Below are the most commonly used tools we use against ice.

On the left is a bag of rock salt. Rock salt is the cheapest and most commonly used ice melter. This is what the trucks spread on the roads along with sand so we don’t end up like our southern cousins…stuck at home every time we get snow. Rock salt works great down to about 16° F.

When temps go below 16° we need to take greater care driving since the surface of the road may freeze even though rock salt is is there. On our walks and driveways at home we can opt for Calcium Chloride which will continue to keep water from freezing at temperatures down to -25° F….that’s colder than I’ve ever experienced here (-20° is my personal lowest temperature experienced here). The middle bag is Calcium Chloride.

Naturally all these salty compounds can be really rough on plants. Since my front walk includes part of the lawn even a small amout of salt will kill the grass under the snow and ice. My friend Ajax also has to walk barefoot in this area so I cant really apply rock salt or calcium chloride to it. My only option is sand. Sand (the bag on the right above) has the advantage of providing traction instantly. What could be better than that! Ajax sure approves!

The art of Peter Bowden
My display of prints is now at the Hewitt’s on Western Ave. Drop by for a look!
They are 11″ X 14″ printed on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness.
Signed, framed and on sale for $49.99. Enjoy!

Our fine feathered friends
Winter weather sure makes our lives miserable sometimes. As difficult as it can get for us, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like for the wild animals out there…especially the tiny birds that we share winter with. How in the world do they stay warm?

Tufted titmouse

To endure such unrelenting cold, winter birds need to stay active, and their activity is fueled by calories and protein. Read the rest of this entry »

The art of Peter Bowden
My display of prints is now at the Hewitt’s on Western Ave. Drop by for a look!
They are 11″ X 14″ printed on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness.
Signed, framed and on sale for $49.99. Enjoy!

Oh no! No snow!
Several viewers/readers have told me they are concerned about their perennials and shrubs this winter. This November and December have been almost freakishly mild, and I’m hearing reports of forsythias and rhododendrons flowering. Others report that they have daylilies, iris and even daffodils starting to come up. Take a look below and you can see that there are plants that seem to be getting ahead of themselves during this confusing fall weather.

An iris with new growth

Heuchera normally hold their summer leaves over winter but this one actually
sprouted new ones in November.

This primula also grew new leaves recently…just in time for the wrath
of mid-winter.

Any new growth will be very tender and will suffer when winter’s cold returns. Another problem in a snowless winter is the churning of the soil as it heaves in repeated freeze/thaw cycles. Here’s a look at the soil in one of my beds.

As the soil freezes at night, ice forms. Water expands as it becomes ice and this forces the soil apart. Here’s a closer look at a frost heave.

Frost heaves are an amazing force of nature that I’ve written about before. Frost heaves are capable of shattering asphalt roads and buckling concrete as they grow. They are also a big problem for our hardy perennials and bulbs. Repeated thawing and freezing and heaving can push bulbs and shallow rooted perennials out of the soil. This is pretty rough on the plants as you can imagine….tiny roots have no chance against the unstoppable force of ice.

We need snow right now!
What we really need right now is a nice blanket of snow to stop this destructive cycle. The term “blanket of snow” is very appropriate. Once the soil is covered with a few inches of snow, the soil stops heaving plants out of the ground and they can stay safely frozen in place.

What can we do to help?
We are about to enter the coldest six weeks of winter. Unless we get some significant snow soon this is going to be a very rough winter for our perennial gardens and shrubs. The only way to help is to cover the soil with something to shade the ground from thawing sun and protect the crowns of our plants from drying arctic winds. Straw would work, but it blows around and is a mess to clean up in spring. Burlap could work as well, but that would be an ugly and expensive solution….there must be something better. Let me think….there must be something…. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s This Moment
by Peter Bowden

Comes a time on Christmas Eve
When all the gifts are bought
And wrapped and tied with shiny
Bows and placed beneath the tree.

Shops are closed,
Locked up tight.
Even merchants hurry home
On this enchanted night.

A glass of wine perhaps a kiss
Beneath the mistletoe.
Evening fades as night begins
While children dream of gifts.

Late that night stillness comes
Magic spills over the land
As every creature of the earth
Feels the promise of The Son.

Humblest home and grandest hall
Are wrapped in a mother’s love.
It’s this moment I hold most dear
When peace fills the hearts of all.

Got a Gardener on Your Gift List?

Finding the right gift at the last minute can even drive Santa crazy!

Think outside the season
Since Christmas is a winter holiday I’m afraid that a lot of gardeners end up getting sweaters or gloves as gifts. I know many of those gift recipients would really prefer a gift from their favorite garden center so they can indulge themselves out in thier garden when spring returns. As the giver of such a gift, you’ll enjoy the reward of knowing that your gift is appreciated twice; once when it’s unwrapped on Christmas morning and again in spring when it’s put to use.

Pruning and other Hand Tools
Gardeners always need pruning tools, and sharp new ones are always appreciated.

Garden accents
There are lots of garden accents available at the garden center from gazing globes to gnomes.

Pots and planters
Gardeners always appreciate decorative pots and planters for indoors or outside in summer

Bird feeding supplies
Lots of gardeners are also avid bird feeders. We love the creatures that share our gardens with us so a bird feeder or bird seed are always appreciated. How about a hummingbird feeder to attract those lively little ones into the garden in spring?

Houseplants & supplies
Every outdoor gardener I know also enjoys their houseplants in winter. We all need some flowers and greenery to keep the dream of spring alive during the coming months of white and gray. What better than some flowering houseplants like an amaryllis bulb, cyclamen, African violet or rosemary tree for the chef. Plant food, watering cans and mister bottles make great stocking stuffers too.

Gift certificates make perfect sense for the gardener
The one thing that gardeners always want is new plants for their garden, but this just isn’t going to happen at this time of year. A gift certificate, in this case, is really a very thoughtful gift. What could be better than knowing that when spring rolls around, they’ll be able to get that hydrangea, lily or blueberry bush they’ve been wanting. If you are giving a gift to someone who really loves gardening, this is the best gift of all. Even better if it comes with a potted Amaryllis Bulb so they can enjoy beautiful flowers this winter as they wait for “their” season to come back around.
The best gardener’s gift of all…a gift certificate!

The art of Peter Bowden
If you are in the Saratoga area, I have a selection of fine art prints
on display at the Hewitts on Maple Avenue. They are 11″ X 14″ printed
on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness. Signed, framed
and on sale for $49.99.

I had the pleasure of attending the Rotterdam Junction/Pattersonville tree lighting ceremony last night. Great portions of the community were devastated during the flooding this summer, and the recovery slowly continues. Many families are still out of their homes.

The evening was also an opportunity for those of us unaffected by the disaster to help out. Inside the fire station donations were accepted. My wife brought some toys and Christmas decorations, and I brought some certificates from Hewitts for free Christmas trees. Judging from the great mounds of donated items…especially the toys for the children, it looks like the community responded with great generosity.

Outside there was a huge crowd gathered to hear a few speeches and light up the tree. After the tree was lighted, everyone joined in the singing of Christmas songs. It was a joyful time in a community that has had little joy lately. Rotterdam Junction/Pattersonville might not be a large community but it has a great heart.

Thanks for an inspiring evening.

The art of Peter Bowden
If you are in the Saratoga area, I have a selection of fine art prints
on display at the Hewitts on Maple Avenue. They are 11″ X 14″ printed
on Kodak Endura paper for 100 year colorfastness. Signed, framed
and on sale for $49.99.

For you southwestern art lovers, my primitive rock art recreations have found a home
at the Artcentric Gallery at 266 River Street in downtown Troy. Besides my offerings
there are lots of cool things to check out. Downtown Troy is becoming quite the
mecca for art lovers.

The origin of Christmas ‘kissing balls’
I find it fascinating that Christmas has so many plants associated with it. Wherever we turn, we’ll see evergreen trees and wreaths, holly and ivy, Christmas Cacti and Poinsettias. Equally interesting are the stories of the roles they play and forms they take.

Let’s take kissing balls for example….you know, those round balls of evergreen usually with a bow on top. Thirty years ago, kissing balls weren’t really seen much if at all. If they were seen, they were homemade. These days you can get all kinds of kissing balls. Pictured below at top right, a ball made of plastic berries. Behind that is a kissing ball made of fresh evergreens and, at bottom, a modern kissing ball made from the same material as an artificial Christmas tree. These also come with lights on them.

In 2011 kissing balls are a well-entrenched holiday decoration. So, how did kissing balls get their start?

The biggest clue is in the name. To find their origin Read the rest of this entry »