Dialing in the Weather

Friday, April 22, 2011

A bright morning here on the mountain. 30° in the sun but 24.9° on the shady side of the house. A beautiful day is on the way so we have to work hard and quick as rain returns by late afternoon and continues all day tomorrow.The woodpeckers are the noisiest they have been so far and and as I walked Karl out the door I noticed fresh-from-last-night moose tracks exiting the woods and leading up the little valley to our neighbors. Deer and moose are very mobile now and they are visible as they search for fresh food.

Gail and I are heading to the nursery in an hour to begin preparing for planting. After two years of better understanding the weather at the nursery, Gail is exchanging the miniature and small hostas and the astilbes for places that better accommodate their sunshine needs. The shade cloth we cover the houses with is 80% which some question or criticize but as the warm, direct suns of July and August come straight down, it's important to have good cover. In their new locations the astilbes will receive a little more sun and the hostas a little less. They should all smile nicely.

The little sundial in the yard, pictured above, reflects the time of about 7 AM and the crystals of snow that fell last night. I guess it is a weather dial too. It does not tell how much work gardeners expend in the spring to get their gardens ready but it reminds Vermonters that spring takes a while to work its way through and then summer leaps forward, beautiful but too short. Get out and enjoy at least part of today.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where juncos are abundant under the unfilled bird feeders. Two doves search for the last pieces of cracked corn and a tom turkey calls loudly from the field asking his girlfriends to join him for breakfast.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Find us on Facebook at George Africa or at Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Good gardeners always remember that we are here to help you GROW your GREEN THUMB!

Erratic Behaviors

Monday, October 26, 2009

A bright, sunny morning here on the mountain. 27 degrees and a 4 mpg wind bring a chilling reminder to us that the snow flakes we have seen recently will soon be staying with us. I've noticed that Karl the Wonder Dog has picked up on the temperature changes too and is less hurried for early morning walks than perhaps a month ago.

Some gardeners have been known to express erratic design behaviors and I have been offered that handle more than once. I really don't care as good gardeners should be able to find talent in any design. My excuse is that I live in the land of erratics and as such there should be no surprises to what I design. I like stone and I like this part of Vermont.

Years ago I was introduced to the term "glacial erratics". Looking back, I cannot recall the introduction but I fell in literary love with the term that represents the odd shaped and sized pieces of stone that were broken off larger stones and tumbled along as glaciers advanced and receded. Glacial erratics work very well in gardens although they must be sized properly. The ones I picture here might be considered extreme in size for typical Vermont gardens but have merit in the correct setting.

I have come to learn that the enthusiasm of the gardener relative to the money in their pocket can translate to the movement of erratics. The bigger the erratic, the larger the need for a big pocket and large heavy equipment. Just the same, the hard scape can begin with massive stones like these and work down with an accompaniment of vertical and horizontal plants, textures and colors. You need the money but you also need a vision.

The land around here is very acidic and moss begins to grow on the forest floor and on new stones as soon as they are disturbed. The mosses appear to cushion the hardness of the stones while creating a cloak of color that this time of year looks so nice dotted with leaf confetti in different colors.
If you are out and about and up our way sometime soon, call ahead and see if we can arrange an "erratic walk". Our journey will be round about too but you'll get a chance to see and photograph some fine specimens and perhaps think differently about adding stone to your design palette.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where one brave little junco pecks seed from the platform feeder in the company of vocal blue jays.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm