Since I've been gardening with the free form Cottage style, I just don't really care so much for the neatly organized perfection you see in some gardens. Not that I don't appreciate their beauty, just doesn't reflect who I am- I think the garden and the gardener become a symbiotic entity as time passes.
I don't think I'll ever go back to layering short, medium, and tall plants. Now I prefer having that 3-D effect, always something beautiful peeking from behind something else, drawing the viewer into the garden to discover other surprises.
Just what exactly is "Cottage Gardening"?
Meant to say that gardening is my obsession, not looking for bottles. hahahaha
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Christi, speaking of bottles, I have a red one you can have if you'd like. It's not the see through glass like the blue ones you've got, but looks like painted glass. You may just want the ones that light shows through, but if you're interested I'll send ya this one :-)
That is a sweet and generous offer and I don't want to seem ungrateful, but you are correct in that I would prefer a clear red bottle. I have Christmas lights strung on it at night and they reflect the colors. Maybe you could start your bottle tree.
Gemini I think our gardening style is very similar. I can never get that short to tall layering thing to work for me. I use the see bare ground put in a plant method.
Exactly!
Happy New Year, Everyone! Wishing us all the best gardening year ever.
Christi, I like your monk; but, is he gazing on the gazing globe, or peeing on it! (hehehe! Ouch, don't hit so hard!)
Sorry I bruised your shoulder. hahaha Caused me to go through at least 200 pictures looking for a front version. Seems he is shy as everyone is from the side or behind or tall plants or, or, or. Supposed to be St. Francis and he is holding a rabbit. Guess I will be forced to take another picture. Wasn't too bad of a trip, showing from April till Nov. Now I really can't wait for Spring.
Happy New Year!! 2009 - Best garden ever year! :)
Thanks Pam! :)
This message was edited Jan 2, 2009 7:36 AM
Happy New Year to everyone, haven't been here in awhile.
Thanks Singing Wolf, I feel the same way. Being a native I like diverse open spaces and not all green. Too much green and I get claustrophobic! LOL!
Thanks Pam garden, I don't exactly know what you meant about celebrities but if you are a quilter you may have heard of Marti Michel? She stayed with me on her visit to the local guild. LOL! Not sure the agave but most are the natives Neo Mexicana of course--guess that would be my variety too? LOL!
This message was edited Jan 3, 2009 6:38 AM
cactuspatch, isn't it interesting how our natural environment effects us? Your mention of your need for open spaces made me think of my love of the hills and forests. Much of my family heritage is rooted in the Appalachians. While I can see how those forested hills can sure feel claustrophobic, I found myself feeling kind of exposed when I've visited the west and midwest, like a rabbit constantly on the lookout for hawks, LOL. I feel very much a part of the land from which I came.
Christi, I forgot to add, you don't seem ungrateful at all, I agree see through colors are much prettier :-) I'll be on the look out for ya though. Friends are always bringing odd wines and liquors and leaving them, so I often find myself with bottles that are too pretty to toss (I'm a bit of a pack rat).
I went walkabout today. It's sunny here and in the mid 60's.
Am sending a photo taken at the top of the hill behind my house. This is my open space. The dirt roads are on our farm, you can see the trees behind it. You can also see DH's Grandpa's old Bee Barn. We've got lots of granite too!
The desert has its own special appeal. I've spent most of my life in one desert or another, mostly here in the So. West. I have a deep appreciation for the life in the desert and the critters that live there.
If you put me in the woods, I'd probably feel claustrophobic for the sky! Right now everything is greening up, but by June or July everything gets really dry and mostly brown. Hence my desire to create my own oasis.
WIB,
SW
This message was edited Jan 2, 2009 3:02 PM
SW, what a beautiful palette you have to "paint your picture" on, so to speak. I love rocks in the landscape, those are gorgeous. Will you be irrigating your oasis? Other than the dry time, it sounds like you have a wonderful growing environment.
One of my messys.
Our average annual rainfall is about 10 inches a year. Everything I grow goes on drip irrigation or I have to hand water them. DH has automatic sprinklers for his lawn.
I'm still getting used to the idea that some people have to buy or make rocks. Dad got to be pretty good at it. He started a thread on the subject and explained how to make fake rocks and rock looking paths. Fooled me! : )
I have give credit to Mother Nature for giving the farm such a lovely variety. I've been here since 1987, I've been working on it ever since.
Even during the dry time it is gorgeous.
Love your messy bluebunn. It looks so green and lush!
WIB,
SW
What a view, Singing Wolf. You're fortunate to have those rocks. What I'd give for a couple of them!
BTW, what does WIB mean? Walk in ?
Oh gee, what a glorious view. Certainly could help a person unwind and see how God has blessed us.
Christi
Lovely view, I live in a very rocky area too and love how interesting they make the world around me. A plus I have realized by visiting DG is that with our arid climates we have fewer weeds. I mean we only get them where we water (or sometimes after monsoon rains!) Which leads me back to another aspect I love about a "cottage style"--planting lots of plants very closely really limits the room and water left to nourish weeds!
Gemini all of my family heritage and that of my husband is rooted in the Appalachian area namely Eastern Ky. I love mountains(green ones like in Ky and Tn) more than any other region of the country to visit. I was born there and raised in the In flat farmland of In and it is pretty special too. It's great to love our homeland, right everyone.
Its sort of like spots on the earth hold deep rooted feelings of home, from our own lifetimes and I think even those of our ancestors. My Mother was born and raised in south eastern Kentucky, but I was born in the somewhat flatter Bluegrass region. However the wooded hollows have always felt so familiar and comforting to me.
I know the feeling. A certain peace just settles over you. My sons went to Clay Co last year for a trip with my brother and they were just in awe. I believe they felt the voices of their ancestors in those hills.
Doesn't matter where you go to recharge your batteries. I like our forests. Did you know when you hug the Giant Redwoods they are warm? I love our beaches too. It's all good. : )
My ancestors come from your part of the world, NC, TN, KY, MO, via the Trail of Tears. One GMa was born in NM. I'm a CA transplant, but have lived here most of my life.
WIB means WALK IN BEAUTY! I borrowed it from my Dine' friends. It is both a reminder and a blessing.
WIB!
SW
Wonderful term, the Dine walk in the most beautiful place on earth that is certain so it stands to reason they would come up with that term! Love it.
Singing Wolf: Thanks for the explanation. I knew it meant walk in something, just couldn't figure out the last word. Our church's final blessing is "Go in peace and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God."
Are you of Cherokee ancestry? You mentioned the Trail of Tears. When I worked in western NC, I developed an appreciation for our Cherokee tribe that I did not have before. In fact, in doing my own family research, I keep running across two different lines supposedly with Cherokee blood, but haven't been able to prove that yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, though.
WIB.
Angie
SW, thats something I've always wanted to do, hug a Redwood! I will someday, by golly :-)
I agree SingingWolf it is all good. There is something about nature and land that speaks to a gardener's heart. I never loved nature nearly so much until I became a gardener. I regret I didn't come to love it when in my teens and twenties but I found it and I am thankful.
I love your Walk in Beauty. If more people would say that and mean it what an effect it would have on relationships.
Let's remember to enjoy each day and garden to our heart's content.
Veronica
Go ahead and use it often. No one I know would find offense. It is a Blessing after all. Not to preach, but all of Creation is Holy Ground. The Dine' do live in a beautiful place. Lovely traditions.
Yes, Hemophobic, I am of Tsalagi (Cherokee) descent from several lines. Pity that they cover the Trail in the history books with one paragraph.
If trying to trace Native American Indian (NAI) Ancestors, start by interviewing your elders. Ask them about their childhoods and what they remember about their parents, grandparents. Ask where they lived, when they got married, check the family Bible, baptismal records/parish records. If you can find one of them on the Dawes roll, that is extremely helpful.
Seems most of my ancestors fled into the wilds while on the Trail and merged into the colonial population. Try the LDS Churches Family History Library too. I found some really interesting stuff there. Haven't checked out the geneology forum here at DG.
My Uncle and one of my SIL's are working on the geneology. Have turned up some interesting stuff. I have ancestress buried in Jamestown, about 1510. Uncle managed to find on his mothers line, a record of us being descended from a Chief Doublehead who later took the name John Kelly. Fascinating to google that one.
If it is any consolation, I haven't been able to "prove" it my ancestry yet either. Doesn't matter, I know who I am. Surprisingly, some card carrying members get upset about people wanting to know their family history. If your family has been in this country for more than three generations, you probably have some NAI blood in you.
All I know is that the BIA looked up my GPa and told him that he was entitled to some Indian land. He told them to fold it into sharp corners and stuff it where the sun don't shine. In his generation, (when people were very prejuidiced, some still are), if you could pass for white, you did. Funny though how that my Gma (the one we can prove), called me a "rotten little heathen Indian", when I was naughty growing up. I was the only one she did that to. I asked my GPa once about it, and he said it was because I looked so much like his mother. She was extremely prejuidiced about people of color. Go figure.
Gemini_Sage, I hope that you get a chance to hug one, I hugged General Sherman. Lovely giants, the redwoods are.
WIB,
SW
SW: The prejudice against NAIs still exists, although I think anyone with a modicum of conscience and common sense realizes the great injustices that were perpetuated against them. If there is anyone who is owed reparations or apologies, it is the NAIs. I doubt very much if any of the early settlers or explorers would ever have made it without the assistance given by NAIs. History is replete with instances of NAIs helping settler/explorers/expeditions which otherwise would have perished.
I wish it were as simple tracing my ancestry as you say. I'm back to the late 1700s where one line is supposedly linked to the Cherokees and the mid 1800s with another one, so it's going to involve much more than talking to my forebears, I'm afraid! And my age (65) makes me one of the older generation now, too, so I'll persevere and see what I can come up with.
WIB
Angie
Angie, I am dealing with the same things in my search too. I never meant to lead anyone to believe it would be easy, I was just trying to give you a starting point. Besides if it were easy, would it be worth doing?
I am well aware that the prejudice against those of NAI blood still exists. My thought in the above post was incomplete. I know many NAI, who are prejudiced against whites, or even NAI with lighter skin. It both surprised and appalled me. Many NAI, especially along the southern border states claimed to be Mexican because they were treated better, and also that the US Gov. still treats Native Populations like they can't handle their own business. Sad, but true. Thanks for letting me clear that up.
Let's get back on topic.
Question, what vegetables have people grown successfully in their Cottage Gardens?
WIB,
SW
The one veggie I haven't been able to grow is butternut squash - have no idea why it won't grow. I try it every year and nothing, or sometimes a puny squash or two, happens.
I have also researched some of my genealogy on Ancestry.com found some neat links but none of my Grandmother who was born a Choctaw on the reservation in OK.
I just mentioned on another thread that I have had success with lettuce, strawberries, oregano, chives, and even this year tomatoes and a canteloupe in my cottagey front courtyard. The canteloupe did take over a bit but it roamed through the flowers and I cut it back just a bit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quiltdiva/2752922121/in/set-72157606667746492/
Tomatoes, green bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, arugula, bunching onions and garlic.
Thanks, that gives me a start on ideas for veggies in the cottage garden.
cactuspatch, have you talked or written to the Choctaw Nation about finding out information on your Gma? They do keep records as did the BIA agent in charge of that Rez.
Great photos of your wandering (I love those guys!) cantelope. The herbs are ok in the ground! Goody!
I like your suggestions too, Hemophobic, I'd planned on planting some of those but had thought that they would need to be in containers. Glad to know that they will do well in ground! : )
WIB,
SW
SW and others: I did log onto the Cherokee Nation's web site some years ago to see what proof is needed for tribal cards and there is lots of info there, so if you haven't checked it out, you may want to. The Eastern Band is quite active in NC. Chief Junaluska's grave site is located in Robbinsville, NC, where I worked, off and on, for four years and I visited it once when I was there. The NA names are still quite actively used in Western NC.
Back in 2000 when I was still operating a free-lance court reporting agency, my firm was hired by the US Census Dept. to transcribe some hearings on its NA efforts and I was quite surprised by some of the things I learned during those meetings. All the Cherokee and NA tribes in the Southeast US were involved and the chiefs and tribal elders were in attendance. That was when I learned that there is still prevalent among the NA population a general distrust of the federal government. Given history, can you blame them? Some of the tribes still speak their native languages, thank heaven, but some native languages have been lost, due to the restrictions imposed as a result of our country's lack of understanding. It was an eye-opening experience, let me tell you. I came away from those hearings with a completely different perspective and total empathy with our NAIs.
WIB
Angie
I LOVE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE COTTAGE GARDEN AS A "MESSY GARDEN ", BECAUSE I PLANTED SOME DIFFERENT KIND OF FLOWERS ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO FOR BUTTERFLIES, AND TODAY MY FRONT GARDEN LOOK KIND OF MESSY, BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND I HAVE A LOT OF BUTTERFLIES.
The Quixotic Garden is one of our articles for today. Be sure to read it. Describes my garden to a "T".
Christi
ABY I just love that...
Veronica
Beautiful, ABY!