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Grounding The Garden Mentor

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Yesterday ranked among the top ten worst days I can remember. And, it wasn’t just one thing that made it awful. All day, the bad news just kept rolling in. By evening, it got to the point that when Bob pointed out that our in-recovery Beta fish was laying on the bottom of his bowl, I shrugged and numbly replied, “If the poor guy dies today, I won’t be surprised.” If you know me, you know it takes a lot for me to reach a point where empathy is outside my reach. Yesterday, got me to that point.

Me and Isabella Enjoying Her Garden Over Breakfast

Me and Isabella Enjoying Her Garden Over Breakfast

Among other things, my darling, happiest-girl-in-the-world niece Isabella was bitten in the face by a dog. One of my best friend’s sweet cats was hit by a car and died. My friend moved to another state so fast we didn’t have a chance to say good-bye. Another friend’s mother had a severe stroke and was taken off life support. Shall I go on? I could; there’s more….

But, no. Odds are I’ve already shared enough for you to have likely named dubbed me “Debbie Downer” and clicked off the page. So, in case you’re still here, I just want to turn the mood around.

Today I got out in the field. I worked hand-in-hand with one of the most faithful Garden Mentors clients, Mrs. C.  And, it grounded me.

When I arrived, late and shaken off my usual A-game, she smiled and welcomed me, with a sniffle. Despite feeling under the weather, she was looking forward to working with me, her long-time Garden Mentor. For two hours we evaluated, dug, divided, discussed, trimmed, layered, photographed and chatted. Her appreciation. Her enthusiasm. Her general love of her ever-improving and always-evolving garden brought me back down to Earth. Our gardening session reminded me why I love being her Garden Mentor.

As the sign says, Garden Mentors provides encouragement, empowerment and joy in the garden — to people and to the planet. Who wouldn’t love doing that? Even during a time when the Universe or God or whatever-you-call-the-unknown is dishing out the ugliest of the hard stuffs of life, getting into the garden manages to literally bring me down to earth, grounding me in the truest sense, reminding why I love what I do. Sure, the ugly stuff is still ugly and the painful stuff still hurts. But, being out there in the wind and rain and sunshine and plants and death and bunny damage and new life and dirt and slugs and bugs building a garden with a gardening enthusiast like Mrs C. somehow makes all the bad news a little less sharp and painful. Sharing knowledge, success and even failure in the garden simply brightens the edges of every dark cloud not with a silver lining but instead with an unsurpassed, gorgeous, glistening flower bed springing forth in every joyful color of the rainbow.

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Caring for Ornamental Grasses in Seattle

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
'The Blues' Schizachyrium with Lambs Ear

'The Blues' Schizachyrium with Lambs Ear

Autumn is probably my favorite time of year to really enjoy ornamental grasses. And, by grasses I don’t mean lawn. I do mean ornamental grasses and grass-like plants such as sedges and rushes. Plants like blood grass are brilliant red and showy at this time. Seed heads on Miscanthus are shining and flowing in the breeze (and frost). Little tufts on bunny grasses hop along at the edges of borders. And, hairy carex shimmers, promising interest into the winter ahead.

Well, it promises interest if cared for properly. Too often, all ornamental grasses are treated the same by unknowning humans with scissoring tools in hand. This can cause permanent damage. So to help you wade your way through your grasses, here are some general guidelines. Of course, in each genus there may be exceptions to the rule, but these tips should help you avoid the big mistakes.

  • True Grasses:
    Miscanthus Seed Head Adorned with First Snow

    Miscanthus Seed Head Adorned with First Snow

    True grasses have “elbows” or “joints” where the leaves run down the stems to the ground. They may be clumpers or spreaders, and they do well when cut down at the end of the season. What you define as “the end of the season” is your call. If you enjoy looking at seed heads swaying in the autumn sunlight, then you might wait until after a frost or until mid-winter to cut the plants down. If you are concerned about the plants spreading in the garden after forming and spreading their seed all winter, then you might cut them down earlier.  Grasses like blood grass are easy to snip at individually to remove. Clumps of bunny grass are tight and with a sheet underneath are easy to shear and then pluck out brown old growth. Tall grasses like Miscanthus are best bundled tightly with string and then cut a few inches above the ground but below the tie. This way the bundle comes away in one bunch. Take care, these plants may have sharp edges.

  • Sedges: Sedges have edges and no elbows. They are often mop-like and spreading. Generally, their seed heads aren’t showy.
    Carex testacea intermingling with Euphorbia

    Carex testacea intermingling with Euphorbia

    They do not take kindly to being cut hard. Some will die back for winter. Most ornamental Carex, however, is an evergreen plant that should be combed and very lightly trimmed once or twice a year. I tend to comb mine out in mid-summer and again in fall or winter. After I comb out all the dead and stringy growth and remove any dead clumps, I then bundle the plant in my hands and trim off the dead ends, which should be around 2″ or so of the very tips. Its like giving the plant a little bob haircut. If the plant has been neglected for a long time, the center may be dieing out. In these cases, I dig out the plant to divide it and reinvigorate growth.

  • Rushes: Honestly, I don’t do much with rushes. If they have dead growth, I remove those shoots to the ground. That’s about it.
Carex flagellifera with Lambs Ear

Carex flagellifera with Lambs Ear

This is basic primer barely skims the surface of ornamental grass care. There are many, many more grasses to choose from and care for. Some are weedier than others. Some are sharper and harder to care for than others. And, many are just plain wonderful and not to be missed for their fantastic, unique forms, textures and colors they add to to the garden.  If you aren’t sure which kind of grass plant you have or if you have one that isn’t specifically mentioned here, get in touch for a coaching session for hands on plant care training and identification sessions. Or consider picking up a copy of one of my favorite grass books such as Grasses:Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design or The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses.

(This topic was originally published in October 2008 and updated in September 2009.)

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Posted in Garden Maintenance, Ornamental Grasses, books, garden coach, garden mentor, seasons | 3 Comments »

How Much Time Does a Garden Coach Spend in Her Garden Each Week

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Yesterday I was helping a regular client prune several woody shrubs away from a deck she’ll be renovating this summer. The shrub work was long past due, but together we made great progress. As we were working she asked, “Robin, how many hours a week do you spend working in your garden?”

Stone & Filled Beds Make for Easy Summer Care

Stone & Filled Beds Make for Easy Summer Care

Hmmm…that was like getting the job interview question you’re completely unprepared for. Fortunately, I wasn’t interviewing for a job as the question gave me pause. How much time do I spend working in my own garden in a week?

I answered my client honestly. I barely have time and energy left this time of year to get out in my own garden. My hands are exhausted from pruning and weeding and typing and writing all day, so my own weeds flourish and my shrubs thrive despite the work I know I should devote to them.

Fortunately, I’ve invested almost a decade developing my garden, which has a lot of stone work. And, stones don’t require a lot of maintenance. And, my beds are quite full from years of planting, dividing and spreading perennials. Some I regret and now classify in the weed department (Alstromeria & cat mint rules this regret.) Still, I would like to have garden perfection with zero weeds, perfectly coiffed shrubs and pest-free cabbages.  But, time is at a premium. And when free evenings bring lightening storms and hail such as we had last night, I miss out on my rare opportunities to weed away the evening sunlight.

So, to answer the question. I find myself puttering through the garden with coffee each morning most days of the year for a good 30 minutes or so. I visit my potted garden and greenhouse for about 30 minutes a day in spring and summer (at least). I visit my veggie beds daily to harvest (if not to weed and plant and water) for about 20 minutes a day. And, when I have an actual day to really get out there. Well, those are the days I can put in a good 8-10 hours renovating big spaces and making progress pruning those shrubs, pulling those weeds, squashing those slugs and dressing up the finished areas with a nutrious layer of composted mulch. And, of course, I try to wind down sunny evenings sitting in the garden with a glass of wine or iced tea — and odds are, I’ll pull another weed while I’m at it. So shall we say I spend a good hour or two, on an average day, working in the garden (and sometimes quite a bit more.)

Now that I’ve wrapped up this thought, I’m going to escape into my own garden for a rare two hour, mid-day weed-a-thon. Wish me luck!

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Garden Coaching & Garden Mentors’ Robin Haglund in the Seattle News

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

Today’s Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine starts the New Year looking at “the end of excess”. To round out the concept, Valerie Easton interviewed me earlier last year for today’s gardening feature in which she discusses the many ways a garden coach can help gardeners grow. I can’t thank Val enough for bringing the idea of a garden mentor to her devoted readership. With so much uncertainty ahead and so much media reporting on the negativity out there, it is refreshing to find writers bringing useful ideas, services and information to a community interested in learning, growing and becoming more self-sufficient. Enjoy Valerie’s article, Coaches Help Gardeners Grow, in More Ways than One here.

And, yes, Garden Mentors does offer garden coaching for edible gardeners, too! Get in touch to sign up for a garden coaching program that fits your lifestyle, landscape and budget here!

If you’re not from Seattle, have a look anyway. Valerie provides links to find garden coaches all over the world.

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Gardening in 2009 — A New Year with New(er) Garden Ideas

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Looking for innovative ideas and options for your garden for 2009? Here are Five simple ones to consider:

  1. More Edibles:
    Properly Divided & Planted Cauliflower

    Properly Divided & Planted Cauliflower

    Yep, the buzz is humming. Buy local. Buy organic. Grow your own. And why not? Growing food is easy. Even if you’ve never grown a bite of food, there are so many simple ways to get started. You don’t need to purchase seed for everything. Each year higher end nurseries and local plant sales are offering more and more edible plant starts, cycling them in at just the right time for you to set them out in your garden. And even easier: put in a few herbs. Many add fragrant, low maintenance evergreen interest to your garden as well as saving you several bucks on fresh herbs at the grocery store!

  2. Less Lawn: Sure, we Seattle horties say it every year — reduce your lawn to reduce dependence on water, pesticides and the mower. Each year I get more and more requests to find alternatives to traditional grassy spaces. This spring may be the perfect time for you to start seeding your lawn with self-fertilizing, low-mow, low-water eco-turf meadow seed blends. Or better yet, get out there now to sheet mulch your lawn so it’s gone by spring. Need help? Get in touch!
  3. Goats:
    Goats Clearing Weeds in Seattle

    Goats Clearing Weeds in Seattle

    Tired of hand weeding and using a machete to clear through blackberries and other overgrown brambles? Consider hiring a goat herder (and her herd) to do the clearing for you! The trend to bring in ruminants to clear out weeds and poop out fertilizer and aerate soil with cloven hooves has been growing, especially among parks and public utilities. 2009 is the year more homeowners are likely to bring the goats back into urban settings to do the heavy clearing for them!

  4. Container Gardening:
    Decorative and 100% Edible!

    Decorative and 100% Edible!

    Sure, there’s nothing new about planting in containers, but they sure do look good. And, they’re easy to manage. Plus, you can always take your container garden with you! And, adding edibles to containers makes for a super-simple kitchen garden for anyone. Whether you live in a tiny apartment or on a farm, big containers with mixed edibles is a great way to decorate and have a snack right outside your door!

  5. Gardening Families Hiring Garden Coaches: Each year I get more and more calls and emails from families who want to start gardening. I’m not one to draw graphs, but I know this one would have an upward arrow. Gardening industry pollsters have been telling this industry for years that there is a decline in gardening interest as Baby-boomers age & downsize. They tell us that Gen-Xers/Yers just aren’t interested in doing for themselves and would rather pay to hire out gardening “work” so they can “play”. Well, I disagree. Families call all the time, often inspired by their children’s inquiries about the garden and food. Some are Baby-boomers retirees with time on their hands and a new or re-found interest in their gardens. Sure, these folks may have the money to hire out their gardening “work”, but they’re interested in learning about getting their hands dirty. They want to grow food or start a compost bin or just come together as a family in their garden to create a space they can truly call their own. And, a garden coach offers them the guidance to take ownership and have fun in their gardens.
Harvesting Her Own Raspberries

Harvesting Her Own Raspberries

Today, it’s difficult not to be concerned about holding onto our homes and our jobs. The news bombards us with depressing stats on everything we’re losing or may lose in the months ahead. Our connection to the planet, our opportunity to use our bodies to feed our bodies, our families, these are all the things an economic downturn cannot take from us. With a little help, a bit of rain, a flash of sunlight and a small seed, we have the power to build a stronger future, better families, and a beautiful planet.

I could go on & on with other topics like adjusting gardens to deal with climate change, reducing fertilization, increasing composting, adding mid-winter interest plantings, planting more trees, wearing more sunscreen, doing more plant sharing/dig ‘n split parties, inviting more bees and birds into the garden, building more coldframes/greenhouses, attending more garden tours, using herbs for medicinals, converting the White House lawn to a Victory Garden, and on and on, but I leave you with this and invite you to suggest ideas of your own for the year ahead.

If you’re ready to start a garden coaching program in the greater Seattle area, please get in touch. If you’re interested in reading more in-depth articles on any of these topics, or others, please let me know.

Happy New Year!

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Posted in Container Garden, Edible Gardens, Food, Food for Thought, Garden Maintenance, Gardening, Localvore, garden coach, garden mentor, gardening with children | No Comments »

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