• Bio and legaleeze
  • Plant & Tree Inventory
  • Wildlife

permie love

~ permaculturist + master gardener

permie love

Tag Archives: perennials

natives save the garden tour

15 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Dusty Lynn Baker in blog, in the gardens

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Buddha, edibles, fairy, garden tour, gardening, master gardener, medicinals, perennials, permaculture, permie love, Zen

DSC02852This past week I quickly became known at the ‘native plants/perennials’ girl.  Although my property had 10 daylily, 4 daffodil, and 2 iris beds before I arrived, I’m keeping not only the perennial tradition, but adding edibles and identifying the existing edibles and medicinals among the many native species on the acreage.

But, with spring ending and summer not here yet, most of my bulbs were not blooming for our annual garden tour.  My specialty?  The beautiful woods around me!

That said, there are a few pretties planted, veggies, fruit bearers, and natives.  Enjoy my bounty!

Buddha on limestone outcrop with daylilies
DSC04250 (2)
Devil's Walking Stick behind grapes, ornamental grass, White Fir
DSC04195 (2)
Pawpaw tree
Front garden
Field path
Cactus, succulants fairy garden
Wild violets and Lirope
Pasture
Spiderwort
Field path
Native fern
Zen garden
Mayapples
Wild black raspberries
Butterfly Weed
Burdock
wpid-20150607_213422-1.jpg

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

love tip #8: plants with wet feet

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Dusty Lynn Baker in love tips

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

benefit, flooding, gardening, hardiness zones, medicinal, perennials, puddles, rain, rooting hormone, shrubs, sustainability, trees, wet feet, Witch Hazel

So many of us panic when the rains arrive as small puddles form, then larger puddles, and then entire areas of our yard or acreage are overtaken by low-level flooding.  But is this always a bad thing?

As the rains came this past week (and yet more today) the approximately 4″ of rain in as many days has allowed me to find out where there are unexpected low areas on my property, allowing me to decide if I need to fill, line with wood chips, or just find an accommodating plant that enjoys and endures a little wet feet every now and then.

Wood chips are needed around the base of the composter.  But with a closer look, a puddle behind and to the right on the edge of the woods shows an ideal spot for a Blueberry patch.

Wood chips are needed around the base of the composter. But with a closer look, a puddle behind and to the right on the edge of the woods shows an ideal spot for a Blueberry patch.

Trees that accommodate wet feet are Willows, Red Maples, and some Magnolias and Dogwoods.  Willows must be placed carefully because they will seek out any and all water in their range, including any type of underground water or drainage/sewage lines within their reach.  Bald Cyprus will handle wet feet but if you are looking for an evergreen these will not do as they are true their name by dropping many of their needles in the late fall.  Some shrubs to consider are Blueberries, Witch Hazel, Holly and Anise.

Witch Hazel
Blueberries
Willow

When making your decisions, remember to consider sustainability and hardiness zones.  Of those mentioned, Willows are a base for making homemade rooting hormone, Witch Hazel has many medicinal values and of course Blueberries are both healthy and delicious.

this

This photo shows water settling below the driveway edge and in a lawn area between an Oak tree and the sidewalk to the house.  As this is the access area for the backyard, propane, etc., it’s not an ideal place for a planting and needs to be backfilled and reseeded so that the water will drain on the natural slope

So seek out the many additional options for your location.  And remember that perennials will not only provide you with benefits year after year, but if suited to your zone, they will not be so needing and craving your attention when gardening chores come due.

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

rain barrels are filling

27 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Dusty Lynn Baker in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cistern, clay soil, downspout, gardening, Mother Earth, perennials, plants, rain barrel, savings, sustainabilty, thunderstorms

UPDATE!  These rain barrels were a wonderful addition last year!  We had good rainfall and both remained nearly full the entire summer.  I did not use the garden hose, NOT ONE TIME, for watering!  When winter came, I had to open the valves so that the water would pass through and not freeze the faucets on them.  Need to figure out a way to ‘bypass the bypass’ so that the water will drain back down the original path and away from the house.

Thunderstorms coming in tonight to both test and help fill our new rain barrels!

Got two 50-gallon rain barrels installed on the downspouts.  Not anywhere near the amount I’ll want or need but it is a start.

50 Gallon Rain barrel

Hoping to eventually get a large cistern for this end of the house where the basement walk-out area is and then placing the smaller ones on the other end by our driveway.

And while it will take over 300 fillings of each to start saving dollars out of my pocket due to sunk costs on the barrel and downspout redirect, the savings to Mother Earth are enormous.

Every time a barrel fills, that’s 50 gallons less of pumped and chemical filled water being delivered to my door.  Also, by getting the pre-made enclosed barrels, we won’t be adding to the summer mosquito problems.

Note to self: Re-level them after a few rains (very clay soil) and then plant some perennials around the bases to help seat them in and to beautify!

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

greenhouse boxes are cooking

24 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by Dusty Lynn Baker in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

boxes, bricks, fire pit, gardening, grass, greenhouse, limestone, parachute cord, perennials, seeds, sunroom, tiller, weeds, wood chips

Got two 3′ x 3′ greenhouse boxes set up just outside of the sunroom door.  I purchased these and am concerned that they’re a bit lightweight so I’ve staked them down (inside) and, I’ve placed bricks with parachute cord over the lids to hopefully keep the wind from taking them until I find a better strapping option for the lids.  (Suggestions greatly appreciated!)  I have a feeling, that later this year or next spring I’ll be building more permanent ones with wood and recycled windows.

Greenhouse boxes

Before placing the boxes, I tilled the ground under them and in the walkway between.  I then placed newspaper over the soil inside of the greenhouses to block the sunlight and kill the existing grass and any weed seeds that I stirred up with the tiller.  The walkway is lined with newspaper also and then topped with wood chips from our property.  With newspaper and chips in place, I then soaked the area in and around the boxes to settle the soil and pack down the chips and paper.

Since this is the beginning of a pathway to our fire pit, I plan to continue the wood chips in a T-shape around the boxes so that I won’t have to worry about mud when working on the sides opposite the sidewalk.  I’ll then add perennials along the future pathway and line the edges with limestone rocks gathered from our property.

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
Follow permie love on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 145 other subscribers

Instagram

No Instagram images were found.

Recent Posts

  • land ho!
  • Ohio River Valley
  • living on a permaculture farm in Hawai’i
  • and miles to go before I sleep
  • transitions coming my way

Tags

blog Buddha compost edible education flowers forest garden garden gardening garden tour Good Earth Master Gardeners grass greenhouse hugelkultur identification Indiana insecticides knowledge love tip master gardener medicinal Mother Earth Mother Nature natural Ohio River Valley organic perennials permaculture permie love photos plants presentation Purdue Master Gardener Purdue University rain barrel seed seeds snow spring summer sustainability sustainable training travel trees vegetables Washington County weeds woods Zen

Categories

  • blog
  • education
  • Environmental relations
  • in the gardens
  • love tips
  • travel
  • Uncategorized

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • permie love
    • Join 40 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • permie love
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: