Jewell's Blog

Jewell
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Is It Really.....?
Posted: 16 Mar 2015

Flowers, Perennials and Weeds
Posted: 06 Oct 2014

Planted My First Fairy Circle
Posted: 29 Aug 2014

Winter Squash
Posted: 28 Aug 2014

Pot Garden and Hugelkultur in the Last Days of July
Posted: 30 Jul 2014

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Ramblings from the Puget Sound

Always Knew I Was Dizzy

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 8:44 pm

This is no time (but then there never is a good time) to be dizzy. Actually it is vertigo and I am seeing a physical therapist tomorrow. Hoping to get the world on a solid footing then and get back to work. The garden has lots to do with things popping out of the ground and crying out to be dug, cleaned up and/or be transplanted.

I wobble out to the backyard several times a day with an excuse that the dogs need a potty break. Actually it is for my own break of fresh air and a short sit to hear the birds and squirrels among the city noises. If I take my time I can scrape some moss off the bricks and place it on the new shade garden beds. Little things I wouldn't normally take the time to do.

Am making plans in my head. Leveling one small area, terracing another. Maybe a pallet of bricks and some bark to be delivered. How should we lay out the gazebo area and is it too early to get it out? Have had a foot of snow in April in the past, so had better wait.

Oh we'll, it is all in my head and it won't be long before it all comes together as best as it might. Gardening is a process and never a end ....it is always changing.

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I Hate Squeaks at Night

Category: Pets | Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:35 am

Would you like to take my photo? Buddy, alias rat catcher ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

This calm, self assured guy is Buddy. He has trained two generations of dobies and is working on our latest dog child. I don't know why he feels the need to bring in live rodents, but Buddy just brought in his latest catch tonight, or should I say this morning. Ugh! Pulling out furniture, baskets and chairs during the mad chase to corner a skittering squeaking creature at two in the morning is not the kind of adrenaline rush I want at that time of day.

Ciara, alias rat crusher ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Ciara is getting better at snapping them up, but it really helped having someone like Amber small enough to get behind and under big pieces of furniture. Amber kept it moving, so I could do as much squealing as the poor doomed adolescent rat.

Amber, alias rat chaser ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Our big brave male (my sweetie) took the rodent remains outside to the garbage. Now I just need to relax enough to fall back asleep

Last edited: Sun Jan 20, 2013 6:46 pm

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New Bed Bench

Category: Winter projects | Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:21 am

Had plans to build a little sofa bed. An old wooden coffee table worked great instead.
Here it is right after I brought it how and tossed an old piece of foam on top. Was thinking of painting it, but decided I liked it just the way it was.

New sleeping bed/bench ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Here it is after I got the baskets online. They store a lot of craft supplies and fit perfectly.

Bench with baskets for storing craft supplies ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Then I remembered using another one up at the cabin for the old TV, games and videos. A small DVD and stereo are behind the doors.

original used as entertainment center for cabin ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Last edited: Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:58 am

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Plans for Shade Garden Chapter 2

Category: Starting and Maintaining the Garden | Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:22 pm

Have been dwelling on the prospects of this shady garden area on my last day of vacation. Woke up to ice on the pond and a crisp day. With so many of the plants small or deciduous in this area I will need to wait until spring to do too much. Somewhere is hidden some painted ferns: Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' and a dozen or so hosta.

Here is a closer look at some of the plants that are currently dwelling in the new beds.

Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ears) ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Ajuga reptans (Carpet Bugleweed, Common Bugleweed) ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Ajuga bed started ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Digitalis purpurea (Common Foxglove) volunteers: this was a small strawberry bed, but I wasn't happy with the results so transplanted the strawberries elsewhere. ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Heuchera 'Marmalade' (Coral Bells) ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Pieris japonica "Valley Valentine" (purple blooming) with a Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)at its base ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Pieris japonica (Japanese Pieris, Japanese Andromeda) white blooming ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Acorus gramineus...I think..an evergreen grass that does well in the shade ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Blechnum spicant (Deer Fern): nice smaller variety of native fern ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

violets mark where a deciduous fern sleeps ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

baby Polystichum munitum (Western Sword Fern) moved from perrenial garden bed ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Polystichum polyblepharum (Tassel Fern) in winter: tassled at base noticeable ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Polystichum makinoi (Makinoi's Holly Fern): glossy leaves and is staying nice this winter ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

big hosta in winter....at base Soleirolia soleirolii (Mother of Thousands, Baby' ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

summer view: Hosta "Francis Williams" ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

winter: Brunnera macrophylla "Jack Frost" (Siberian Bugloss) much prettier in summer ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

summer: Brunnera macrophylla ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Then I will move some of the following into the area where there is room in the spring (I've been pretty lucky if I get a large enough shovel full. Then some plants don't seem to mind the move).

Achlys triphylla (Vanilla-leaf deer foot)already potted up and just need to get into the ground ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

wild hyacinth ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Such pretty little bulb flowers, but rather an invasive plant. ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Pacific trilliums, Trillium ovatum ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

primroses, mother of thousands, and Pacific bleeding hearts ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Also this big sword fern, and wild ginger that I want to move or divide. The wild ginger is an unknown to me (only had for a couple of years and haven't tried to move or divide it yet). I am guessing it may not take kindly to division.

I am also wondering about maybe planting some hardy cyclamen. They are doing OK in my little protected area between the house and garage. They may be too small to put into a large area where they could get lost.

Polystichum munitum (Western Sword Fern): to be moved to new beds ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Asarum caudatum (British Columbia Wild Ginger) ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Cyclamen hederifolium (Hardy Cyclamen) in bed of mother of thousands ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Last edited: Sun Feb 17, 2013 3:20 am

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Plans for Shade Garden Chapter 1

Category: Starting and Maintaining the Garden | Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:33 pm

The warm, sunny weather brought on the feeling of spring. The yard is in its winter doldrums with fallen leaves and perennial flower stems falling across beds and paths in a haphazard manner. Very untidy. The last of the leaves are almost all off the filbert trees and scattered on the barked and paver paths. I keep raking, but gosh it will be January tomorrow and still not all the leaves are down and some are already composted in the beds.

New gardening area in June ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

The new woodland garden area is a 30 foot by 70 foot area of vacated alley. Slowly I have been pulling up the lamb's ears, a favorite of native bees, that spread out over the patio areas. I have been then laying the uprooted plants onto the ground in the new woodland area. These plants do as well in shade as they do in the sunny spots. We'll see if they root in this mild winter we are having. My bets are on their self-preservation complimented with the rainforest habitat. If not I may have pity on them and toss a little dirt over their roots.

Woodland area 2012 on south side of lot being developed ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

I moved my garden work benches behind the shed. With most of the grass now smothered with cardboard I have been moving plants into slowly developed beds. In many places the cardboard has already decomposed and had a thin layer of bark tossed over it (new beds and paths). Some cardboard has been covered in fir needles and small branches that have been wind blown down from the neighbor's fir trees. The rest is the new cardboard waiting for spring laid bark and time to smother weeds, decompose and let nature help me out.

grasses, small plants, bare ground and hopes for the future??? ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

This new area has a lot of bare/barked/card boarded ground. Some of the plants are a couple of shade grasses, two small Pieris japonica evergreen plants for future structure. With primarily hostas in this area I am not happy with the winter look so far. I have also moved a few ajuga, sweet woodruff, mother-of-thousands into the area for ground cover. Some of the smaller evergreen ferns also got transplanted into the area that sprouted in my vegie/perennial garden.

It will need several years to have winter lines that make the area feel "right". A few paths are delinated with small fencing to keep the dogs from running through beds. Not pretty, but the plans are semi laid.

Last edited: Sun Feb 17, 2013 3:20 am

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Good Year Ending....sigh

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:50 pm

Fall passed me by without my grabbing onto the time and making the most of it. Too many photos missed and moments spent sitting in the comfort of buildings working away, or resting/wasting away time. Fall colors were bright for the Pacific Northwest with a very long fall.

sweet woodruff and red Japanese maple ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

bark, red Japanese maple ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

fall anenome ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

The fall flowers held on forever! I've gathered and spread seeds heads in new beds. Hopefully they may sprout and bloom within my lifetime.

Lost my rescue dog, Kota to heart disease. Decided to down size from dobies to something smaller. Rescue dog Amber came into our lives. What a charmer! She had extreme knee problems and had her first surgery before Christmas.

Amber ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Almost didn't do a Christmas tree, but decided on a small one and got out the butterfly decorations to adorn it, and the rest of the living room (house plants and all).

butterfly Christmas ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Butterfly decorations and branches ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Life has been very good to us this last year and am looking forward to another gem of a year as my garden/life plans unfold. Best wishes for all and may a very good new year be unfolding for all.

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Rest In Peace

Category: Starting and Maintaining the Garden | Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:48 am

Some plants just don't make it. Lost several different plants to giant slugs this year: all petunias (hope springs eternal, but come July it is obvious they have become fodder for the slimy ones

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

wave petunias ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Slugs also enjoyed the star gazer lilies. I am getting better at squishing the slimy criminals.

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Freezing rain and unusual cold killed my dahlia bulbs. Dead. Chose not to replant, but they were pretty. Sigh.....

Unknown white dalhia ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

dahlia ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Black eyed Susan's chose not to return. Birds forgot to bring in more seeds.

Rudbeckia hirta ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

The double hollyhock hate wet summers. Deceased.

Hollyhock: Alcea rosea "Chater's Double Red" ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Driveway heather got ran over one too many times when it snowed. Pulled the broken carcass.

June blooming variety ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

The second hardy hibiscus bit the dust. It didn't like the pruning job I did on it. It shouldn't have gotten so huge. Maybe mini ones or not... Oh well, some thrive and some don't. It is always changing in the garden.

hardy hibiscus - Rose of Sharon ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Then the ivy over grew the coreopsis and smothered it. Dead.

Coreopsis ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

So ends the short list of deceased greens. Unfortunately there have been many more than shown over the years. With my gardening skills (or lack of) I will always have an excuse to shop the gardening centers.

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Garden Gone Wild

Category: Starting and Maintaining the Garden | Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:07 pm

This gardening year has been one of things growing wild. Why on earth would a normal phlox (Phlox paniculata) grow six feet tall?

arrow points to 6+ feet tall phlox not yet in bloom ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Most of the phlox has stayed within somewhat more normal ranges, but are still taller than usual. The Speedwell and calendula are looking fine still.

None of the plants got so out of control last year. Another offender is the Shasta Daisies (Leucanthemum maximum). Come on I don't want to have to get a ladder to view the flowers. They are the white blob in the background. (I shouldn't be taking photos with my phone...but...)

Shasta daisies as tall as the hollyhocks ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Although most of the foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) were shorter than normal in the three foot range one crazy one got over twelve feet tall.

top of foxglove above and beyond the arrows ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Plants are stretching out as well as up. I had to start pulling the deciduous ferns since they were beginning to suffocate other plants. One clump of ferns I took the ax to (quite literally) since it had covered one of my favorite hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata 'Blue Billow')

fern take over ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

fern axed ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Then there are some phlox that have decided to send starts into the pathways. More plants to divide in the spring.

phlox starts in the pathway ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

I am pulling lamb's ears (Stachys byzantine) out by the wheelbarrow load. They are covering the walkways and paths.

blue-willow hydrenga ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

pathway after clearing lamb's ears and ferns ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

I chopped the gorgeous Knautia macedonica back to its base as it was another plant that needed more room than it was allotted. It will be a memory until it regrows.

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

The fig leaf hollyhocks (Alcea ficifolia) are doing great. They are just coming into their own. The mallow (Lavatera thuringiaca) is beginning its bloom. Both look somewhat small compared to the plants that have gone giant this season.

figleaf hollyhock ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

mallow ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

I have to come in and take a break at the computer and relax. Somehow being out in the garden right now makes me see all that I need to be doing and not what has already been accomplished.

starts of iris, columbine, ferns ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Take a breath and relax

Patroit hosta in bloom ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Peace in the small spaces ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

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Petite Cactus Baby

Category: House and Home Plants | Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:30 pm

Last week I found a good buy on small bonsai planters. Used two, but that was the previous post.
Anyway I was left with the third planter. What to get to plant in it???

I stumbled across the most incredible little cactus. "Thank you big box store." It is called a Mouse Tail Cactus, Rhipsalis baccifera horrida. Rhipsalis is a genus of epiphytic cacti. This particular cactus is from South America living in the trees of the rain forest.

Mouse Tail Cactus ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Tropical warm places in the winter hold my imagination so it had to come home with me. The new little cactus likes more moisture than most cacti and higher humidity. Sounded like a match for my crazed windowsill garden of sunloving succulents.

I am hoping that it will stay small. There is obviously a lot of variation in this genus from looking on the Web.

I grew another rainforest/tropical cactus and loved it for a while. Then the previous one cactus kept getting too big. *sigh* I hate it when a plant tries to take over my living space. Then they have to be put out for adoption and that is always a very wrenching experience for me.

Hopefully unlike the other cactus I grew this new one will stay small.

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

saddly gone and not really missed..bad plant ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

I have two other succulents that are well loved and well behaved. Their size is right and they hang nicely in the living room windows.

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

Hopefully this new cactus will keep its petite size and manner and be with me for many years. Small is good. Otherwise there is always putting them out for adoption...

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Lady Slipper Maintence

Category: House and Home Plants | Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:23 pm

In February I had found one of my lady slipper orchids had roots that had rotted out. Found out when the plants began to bloom and the blooms faded before opening. Very disappointing. Upon further inspection the bark/soil had decomposed into a compacted substance unfit for the lady slippers. I tossed the remaining plants into a plastic Ziploc bag with some moist bark in the bottom for safe keeping.

I had my eye out for a bonsai container for this variety of orchid. Bonsai containers with a wide surface area and multiple holes in the bottom for root to air circulation have worked well for me over the years. (I gave two away to my son with plants in them so had attempted to use a few other types of containers.) In recent years, one of the criteria for pots in my little house is that they can sit in the window sill or a narrow table top by the window. This really limits the pots I buy. It also limits the size of the plants that I buy (in most cases :)).

The bonsai pots have provided a great environment for the lady slipper orchid. The plants had been successfully blooming several times a year. Unfortunately these containers can be expensive, so until last week had not found anything I liked in the price point I was willing to pay. Then I struck pay dirt! Five dollars apiece in a few designs I liked. I got three. Two went into immediate use.

mini terrariums for lady slippers until they get their feet planted ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

One plant has developed a nice thick root and the others have root buds developing. The temperatures in the house haven't' been as warm as the plant would prefer, but hopefully roots will develop soon. The plastic bags aren't that attractive.

My other lady slipper, a dark blooming variety has a pair of blooms at the moment. It too should probably be repotted. I will wait until after the blooms fade. Then it too will get new bark/soil.