tel: 512-280-1192 Fri, Dec 30, 2011
Nursery Notes: Wishing all our customers a Happy New Year.
(See below for some resultion ideas for tomorrow night.)
Each year, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
awards professional awards to the year's best residential landscape
designs. Eight amazing winners (from Garden Design Magazine):
Chris's Current Winter Vegetable Patch! (see resolution #1)
Resolutions Ideas for Gardeners
by Chris Winslow
During the festivities of tomorrow night's new year’s eve , most
will be making their standard resolutions, many of them connected
to the nation’s booming health and fitness industry. But gardeners…
we know better than that.
Rather than hollow declarations of intent that will barely last
through January, we must use this time to create plans to carry us
through to the other side of our present drought, plans to make our
landscapes prettier to the eye, and our vegetable gardens more
bountiful.
Let’s all keep in great shape in 2012 by using our gardens (rather
than the gym) as our springboard for our fitness, health and well-
being. Some further thoughts and ideas….
Grow more vegetables and culinary herbs. You can reduce your
weekly grocery bill, cut down on the number visits to the doctor, and
enjoy your food at the dinner table more…if you grow your own. You
know how they were grown and what’s been sprayed on them.
Experiment: Central Texas is also perfect for asparagus, grapes,
berries, artichokes, peaches, pears, apples, plums, olives, apricots,
nectarines, and pomegranates. These plants are perennials and will
produce year after year without replanting.
Start composting. By saving and composting grass clippings, leaves,
and kitchen scraps, you can make rich compost and mulch for your
garden and flower beds. The material is free and just takes a little bit
of effort to convert it to something useful.
Lower utility bills by xeriscape gardening. Remove some of your
lawn and add new beds with xeric plants, and you’ll you can save on
your water bill. If you plant deciduous trees on the east, south, and
west side of your house, you can keep it cool in the summer and
warm in the winter and save on electric bills.
Shop in garden centers. Gardeners need quality specimens and
knowledgeable staff. You don’t find either of these in the big box
nurseries.
Make my landscape a “Knockout”. This is easy. All you have to
do is to plant some knockout roses. These cherry bloomers are
no-muss, no-fuss roses that bloom all the time, without pruning or
any kinds of sprays.
Volunteer: Start gardening projects with your neighbor or perhaps
the community. Target a piece of ground that’s going to waste and
produce some vegetables for the Food Bank. Reap the mental
rewards of volunteering!
Well, that’ll make a good start for 2012. I’ll have to get to work…
but only after I eat my good luck food for the year: cornbread for
gold, collards for dollar bills, and black-eyed peas for pennies.
Happy Gardening in the new year!
Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com Visit the nursery:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin 78748
