Saturday, November 13, 2010

I'm a Slacker. . . . .

Yep, I am a slacker. . . .I haven't posted a lick since . . . .June? I have to confess that the heat, drought and generally lousy economy took the will to write anything right out of me. . . BUT hope springs eternal in those of us who are plant lovers, and I just know next year will be better! We still have some nice Knockout Roses in 3 gallon containers on sale for . . .that's right, $10 each!!Also some nice Oakleaf Hydrangeas for $12. We will have some reblooming lacecaps next Spring, as well as the fantastic INCREDIBALL Hydrangea- imagine an Annabelle on steroids. You will have to see the blooms to believe the size of them.
Right now I am sitting here with a great cup of WestEnd Coffee's Augusta Grill Blend, and there is a nice warm fire in the stove- thank the LORD for simple pleasures.Keep in touch dear readers!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Summer is here!!


Summer is officially here and man, is it hot!! The garden is cranking , and the Nursery is growing. We will have new hydrangea selections next year, and who knows what other surprises are in store. I think we will be running the Nursery every Saturday next year from Spring until the end of June. I will be keeping updates on the blog as things unfold. Remember we offer hardscaping design and installation services as well as great deals on superior plants and shrubs.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Summer is coming. . . .



May is blowing by at an unreal rate! The garden is doing well- I have small 'maters that are the size of grapes...Ha!! Beans and corn are growing , squash is forming too. The star jasmine is covered with blooms and the fragrance is almost overpowering, but I can live with it. The Annabelles are ready to bloom and so are the Oakleafs. Remember, for LOCALLY grown shrubs come see or call us and we can set you up. You will not find better hydrangeas anywhere else. Need a little privacy- a place to decompress and catch your breath? We can create that space for you- whether with plants/shrubs, or a combination of hardscape and plants, we can meet your needs. Contact us, you will be glad you did.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Another month gone. . . .



Wow!! Time is flying by. April is over, and here comes May. I have been eating lettuce, onions, and radishes out of the garden for several weeks now. The corn is 3" out of the ground; things are happening! The wegelia are at their prime right now, and the hydrangeas are fixin' to start blooming. All the wegelia are on sale right now at $12 each. Hopefully the pictures will load. . .

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Random thoughts, Stuff for sale, etc. . . .


Well, another Tax Day come and gone. . . the buggers got their pound of flesh for another year.We need to go to a National Sales Tax, but that is an issue for another day. Time for more pleasant things. . . April is almost gone, and things at the Nursery are alive and well. How is your veggie garden coming along? There is nothing like seeing those seeds you planted come to life, grow, and then reward you with fresh HEALTHY produce. I will be posting pictures in the future of the garden(s) and if anyone sends me some pics, I will post them also.Gardening and yard work is a great way to get some exercise, Vitamin D, and fresh food- why wouldn't everyone want to do it? The wegelia here at the Nursery are starting to bloom right now and would be a great way to put some early Spring color in your yard. We have them on sale right now -3 gallon pots at $12 each- and have the following varieties: Ghost (pale green foilage, with red blooms) Red Prince, Carnaval( red, pink and white blooms, a personal favorite), and Wine and Roses ( a Color Choice selection with a beautiful maroon/pink bloom and dark varigated foilage) These plants love the sun /partial shade and will give you years of enjoyment! Too often we dwell on what we think is wrong with life, instead of being thankful for the blessings (big and little) we enjoy each day: our spouses, kids, freedom, good ( or even decent) health, a beautiful sunrise/sunset, a good cup of coffee ( thank you West End Coffee), good music ( Vaughn Williams, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, SRV, Claude Debussey,Chris Duarte, the Who, etc), good BBQ, a good cigar ( CAO, Drew Estates, Perdomo, etc), I could go on and on. I guess I just want to say "Thank you, LORD, for all you have given us.May we never take anything for granted, our get so used to what we have , we lose our appreciation for all we have.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Ramblings and Ideas

Wow!! Here we are in March, and I am nowhere near getting all the things done I wanted to before Spring arrives. Today AJ and I built another raised bed and started a rhubarb bed. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will finish the rhubarb bed and maybe plant some lettuce and onions. If you are gardening, by now you should have planted potatoes, beets, onions, and leafy crops like spinach, lettuce and chard. Plant them in small rows (all but the potatoes) in 7-10 day intervals for the next month, and you should be enjoying fresh greens before you know it. If you haven't yet, you need to start tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers inside in peat pots right now, so they will be ready to go out in the garden in mid-April. Is your garden soil ready for Spring? Add composted manure and organic matter, and till or spade it in before you plant. Take all your old plant debris from last season and put it in your compost heap -you do have one, right? Want to try your hand at raising fruit? Try blueberries- they are fairly low maintainence and dependable, and once established should provide you with fresh fruit every year. Plant at least three different varieties, and use those for the Southern planting zones (7-9). Peach trees are also a good bet, but make sure you plant a later bloomer, so it doesnt get bit by the late frosts we seem to have here in Greenville. I am becoming more and more a believer in preparedness-do everything you can to take care of your family because it is for dang sure the government can,t take care of much of anything, except for wasting our tax dollars on entitlements and giveaways. . .comments,feedback...anyone?

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Global Warming and other random thoughts


Has anyone other than me seen the wheels coming off of the AGW train?The big name scientists who backed it are starting to back away. More and more is coming out about all the flawed, or in some cases faked data. The Medieval Warming Period has thrown a wrench in the works, because, gee whiz, things got warmer and there were NO cars back then; not much heavy industry either.Meanwhile those that are making money on this scam(like AL Gore) are nowhere to be found. The network TV stations still play the (untrue) ads about polar bear decline and people are still worrying about costal flooding. I predict that within 5 years the same folks who are screaming about AGW will be screaming about the coming ICE AGE. . . .Anyway, it is about time to start those tomato, pepper, sguash,cucumber,etc. seeds in your kitchen. They need a good 6 weeks to grow large enough to transplant outside after the frost is over( usually April 15th here in the Greenville area). I am trying a few heirloom varieties this time so we will see.I will post pictures as they ( hopefully) grow.With Spring approaching there will be deals in the Nursery so keep watching. . .The Breath of Spring/Winter honeysuckle are blooming right now, and don't they smell great! We have a few for sale, contact us if you are interested. . They will take sun/partial shade,grow to a height of 6' and a width of 5' and flower from now through February. Looking to the future-The Piedmont Plant and Flower Festival will be happening the last of April/first of May. Come check us out!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Random thoughts


Looking out my den window,watching the sleet/snow blow over the sheet of ice covering the front yard makes me (1) GLAD for the heat coming from the woodstove, and (2) wish that Spring wasn't so far away. Took my boy out sled riding this AM and we both had a good time. Yeah, even I went down the hill once or twice. Still want to build some more raised beds for the garden. Still planning what I am going to plant and where I will plant it. I am sooo ready to start picking fresh veggies. . . Here is a thot: If you live in a apartment/condo, and don't have the room to plant a garden, try to find a friend or relative that does have the room and offer to do a shared garden. Or find a community gardening site. I wish there were more of the community gardens around. If you know of one let me know, and I will spread the word. . . Any political topics to rail on or comment on ? let me know what you think. . . tell your friends. The more people that read this blog, the more information that gets out there.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Random thoughts and Kudos


What a beautiful past couple of days!! Spring-like temps and warm sunshine. . .BUT Winter is not over. There are more cold days and nights coming and maybe even snow (my son hopes so). Plenty of time to enjoy a firepit. . just like the one in the picture. We can build one for you.. .The Nursery is mostly asleep right now, but I am eagerly awaiting Spring and selling plants and shrubs to all. We will have some new Color Choice selections as well as some old favorites. . . at prices that will make you smile.Keep watching, and tell your friends. . get on my followers list. You will save money and get great plants!! Time to send a shout out to Marty Hartman, a real friend who has been an encouragement and a great help getting this blog going. . . Also to Daniel Vervaet for my BlucasStoneWorks website and his friendship through some tough times. . . Thanks, guys!!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Raised beds and woodstoves

My son AJ and I were building another raised bed in our garden today. Now is the time of year to do that sort of thing, not in the Spring when the mad rush to get things in the ground pushes all thoughts of garden improvement to the back burner. Why raised beds? There are many good reasons for them: your soil warms up quicker in the Spring, allowing for earlier planting, by keeping the beds to a manageable size( 3'wide x8' long is ideal) you are able to reach all parts of the bed, and can avoid walking all over the bed, compacting the soil. If you are planting tomatoes( and who wouldn't?!) you can bury them deep(as you should) with a minimum of effort.You can also keep your plants closer together, allowing for a better yield in a smaller area.The beds can be constructed of almost any material capable of holding in your soil, from stones to concrete blocks, to even railroad ties.The only material I frown on is treated lumber, as the chemical treatment can leach into the soil- not good for you, the plants, or those necessary soil workers, the earthworm. The beds can be anywhere from 6-12" tall. Fill them with a good mix of soil and compost (remember your compost pile) and plant and enjoy. . . Is there anything as good as the heat coming from a woodstove or insert? I don't think so. To borrow a little from the Beatles:" Happiness is a warm . . . .stove." Another benefit is all that good ash that is left after the fire. Sprinkle a little of the ash on your garden, around your trees and shrubs, and in your flowerbeds, and enjoy the benefits of free fertilizer as you recycle and use all your resources. Doesn't feel bad to give the utility companies a little kick in the shorts either, does it?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Spring,Haiti, and Preparedness


With the continuing cold, my thoughts go often to the garden, and the chance to start planting. . . no, not planting yet, although you still could squeeze in a few Spring flowering bulbs (like daffodils, hyacinths, or crocuses). I am so ready to plant radishes, beets, lettuce, and onions, and then harvest those fresh organically grown veggies and chow down on a fresh salad. . . . I believe there is a connection between man and the soil, and for those who are willing to explore this connection, great satisfaction ensues. What a tragedy is taking place in Haiti even as I ramble, and my thoughts and prayers go out to friends there, and in fact for all affected .This brings me to my last point: BeingPrepared How ready are you and your family for even a minor natural or "man -caused" (what a bunch of bs!) disaster? Do you keep flashlights with fresh batteries on hand? Do you have any canned /dry goods on hand to feed yourselves for at least a few days? Do you have any cash on hand( I know, I know, I am a Luddite. . . Nobody that is techno savvy and "with it" keeps cash around.) That debit card ain't much good if the computers that run with it are down. How abour 5 gallons of gas? At least you can keep a little mobility. How about a jug of common bleach to purify water if the water system gets contaminated? A flood can put the screws to a water treatment facility real fast. What about a means of self defense? Horrors!! Yes, I am talking about having a gun(s) and knowing how to,and be willing, to use them to protect you and yours. Does this subject disturb you? Would you rather get back to important stuff like American Idol and the latest football/basketball game? Then don't come to me for help when the fecal matter hits the fan. You won't like my reply. . .

Thursday, January 7, 2010

More cold!!


After going through the cold weather this week, I am more ready than ever to get to Spring. It is hard right now to look at all the plants and shrubs that were so alive and vibrant this Spring and Summer and see them dormant, but remember, they will, LORD willing, come back to life in a couple of months. Now is a good time to be thinking about what you will be planting in your garden this Spring. It doesn't hurt one bit to actually draw a rough sketch of your garden to plan it all out.Clean up all the old vines, stems and dead plants and compost them if you can.On a political note, anyone want to take bets on when Tim Geitner will be out the door? If this had been a Republican administration, the media and the democrats would have been screaming for his head, or at least some part of his anatomy. . . On the other side of the aisle, GOP chairman Steele either needs to grow some balls, or hit the road. . who's team is he playing on? Would like to reccomend a good news site: PajamasMedia. You will get a lot of news the MSM ignores. Don't those Oakleaf Hydrangeas look nice? Time to go put another log in the woodstove. . .

Monday, January 4, 2010

BRRRR!!


Dadburn it, it is cold!!! At this time of year we don't think much about our yards, but there are some things to do. . .If you have fruit trees, now is the time to spray them with dormant oil. This will kill the bugs that like to overwinter under the bark of the tree. Follow the mixing and application instructions on the oil( which you can buy at any garden center,Lowes or Home Depot) and spray those trees and bushes! Now is the time to cut back those Annabelle hydrangeas and hardy Hibiscus (we sell both, by the way) to about 12" above the ground. Throw away or compost(better idea) the branches. You DO have a compost pile, don't you? And now, on a political note: What is it going to take to make this administration admit that these ongoing acts of TERROR are being committed by MUSLIMS and that these rats need to be treated like the murderers and thugs they are?! Shoot these rodent illegitimates and bury them with some pigs. Then let's see how anxious they are to take one for allah. . . As long as these "man caused disasters" are glossed over we can expect more of the same. Your thoughts comments and ideas are welcomed.I may not agree with you, but I will let you speak your mind. So far, we can still do that here. . . Like the fireplace in the photo? We can build one for you.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Here we go

I have some strong opinions about politics and living . . . for now all I will say on politics is we are in deep trouble as a nation. . .on living, however I am going to let it fly. I strongly believe we should do all in our power to support , all local business, in every way we can. Buy local food and local made products where ever you can, support local tradesmen and merchants, and for pete's sake buy your plants and shrubs locally, especially if the nursery is growing them your area. You will be amazed how much better plants do when they are raised in the area they will be planted in! At Nature Trail Nursery we only sell what we grow here. If we bring in any plants or shrubs from out of state, we acclimate them for at least 2 years before we sell them. the result is a healthier, happier plant with much better chances of vigorous growth and survivability. Just because it is sold locally, doesn't mean it is! Ask before you buy next time, you may be surprised.Stay in touch for tips, ideas and photos. . . send me your ideas, comments, questions, and photos. . .let's get something going. . . locally!