October 17, 2009

13 Beautiful Examples of Wine Grape Growing

One of the main mistakes in wine grape growing is poor planning of arbor or other support. See this selection of of hand picked marvellous examples of grape arbors and get inspired.
If you plant grapes in the garden today, even your grand grand grand grand grand children can still enjoy it and remember you as the founder of family little vineyard.
The oldest grape with an age of over 400 years is still growing grapes. It is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest vine in the world and symbolises wine culture of Maribor, Štajerska and Slovenia.

Grape arbors are beautiful - they don't have to look sad.




October 15, 2009

GBBD, snow and Blog Action Day


Do you also think sometimes, that even if you are 40 or 50 today, there is high possibility of next 40 or 50 years in front of you? If yes, do you also think about how your garden will look like?

I wanted to make just regular GBBD post today, but also I wanted to post today for Blog Action Day which is also happening today. After short thinking, I have decided on Sunday to make today 2 separate posts, but yesterday events changed my mind.

I can sadly report too early arrival of winter – all my blooms in the garden are covered with snow! I don’t remember such early winter in middle Poland. The first snow was usually appearing and leaving fast in second part of November, and real winter arriving in December. But in October?!

Those made me combine both posts together, because we already witness the change and I realized that if I write my Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post in 50 years, flowers blooming in my garden will be possibly different. And by 2080 I may see some flowers blooming 2 months earlier – this is what say researchers from the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

Whatever is causing the climate change, the process seems to speed up. It is happening faster than predicted before. Currently used climate change models predict an average of 5.2 degrees in the earth temperature growth, which is double in comparison with projections made six years ago. Such rise in temperature will affect all plants and animals - scientists say it will desynchronize it.

According to mathematician Robert Clark of Monash University in Australia and geoscientist Roy Thompson of the University of Edinburgh, every 1 degree of change in temperature may speed up the flowering by 11 days.

Whatever is causing the climate change, make sure you get more environmentally friendly. Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” What to start with? Aside the changes in your gardening style, you may think on the chemicals you flush down the drain every day in your household - start with reading this awakening article if you would like to know what I mean.

This is mixed post written for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Garden and also for Blog Action Day which is both happening today 15th of October.

Source of information: WFS

October 6, 2009

Tall ornamental grass - Miscanthus sinensis Sirene


Tall ornamental grass in the large garden, may also look beautiful - like this one on the picture. However watch the size. Miscanthus sinensis Sirene grows up to 2 m tall, while Miscanthus giganteus can reach 3 m!

Size – let’s say - is similar, but space planned for the grass is really large. Perennial bed of such size would take 1/8 of my garden. When I look at the number (1/8) it seems feasible, but thinking of my garden, it would look rather odd than harmonious, because style of the garden and architecture of the house should be also matching.

If you know that on the left side, out of the frame, there is an old cathedral (built in 10th century and rebuilt in 12th century) would you also agree, that this grass, in this place doesn't fit – don’t you think?


Check out backyard gardening ideas for gardening tips and ideas for beginners.

October 1, 2009

Tall ornamental grass - my mistake.


Miscanthus giganteus - name of mistake.
Firstly - mistake of distracted mind to buy it.
Secondly - mistake to plant it here. Too tall, too much out of context. In the nursery websites they write: good to plant at the pond.
Not in this case.


I admit that Miscanthus giganteus looks pretty in other gardens, especially after about 3 years, when it gets denser, but in this case it’s clear mistake.

Place is completely wrong - it competes with Cornus controversa – the tree growing on the left side. Too tall in comparison with the rest of planting.

I garden, so I make mistakes, right? Mistakes in the garden can be corrected. So I did. I was not able to remove it by myself – the rhizome is hard like stone. I tried, but I gave up. With HIS help we removed ‘giganteus mistakeus’ last autumn, 1 year ago.
You may see on the picture what happened 1 year after operation. Tadadam! Grew back in only 12 months. Doesn’t want to go away.

Do you think I shall treat it as a sign or should I be persistent?
Recommended further reading The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
KEEP READING - MORE GREAT STUFF IN OLDER POSTS