Cutting the seed heads off my Amsonia is the worst gardening job of the season. And I did that job today. What makes this the worst gardening job of the season is the sap hidden in those branches. It looks like ordinary, white glue but its stickier than glue and leaves a stain on whatever it gets on. I know this from experience. So every year, I put on the same long pants and long-sleeved shirt that I wear for just this occasion. No sense ruining more gardening clothes with … [Read more...] about The Worst Gardening Job of the Season
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May Dreams Gardens
The New Plant Family Legolaceae
I've recently become acquainted with a new plant family, Legolaceae. There appear to be at least six species in this plant family, all from the genus Lego. The poster above shows these six new plants in flower. They resemble Roses, Asters, Daisies, Poppies, Snapdragons, and Lavenders. Like the Lego® Bonsai I found earlier this year, most of these plants are easy to grow, needing no water, sunlight, or soil. As cut flowers, they make a lovely flower bouquet. However, they have … [Read more...] about The New Plant Family Legolaceae
Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – June 2021
Greetings on a lovely Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day in June! If you don’t love a garden in June, will you ever love it? Here in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6a garden in central Indiana, I'm pleased to have enjoyed a beautiful spring, so far. We've gotten just enough rain, and until a few days ago, the temperatures have been mostly mild. I realize it hasn't been that way for many others. I count my blessings and my flowers! That includes the two lavenders pictured above. I wish I … [Read more...] about Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – June 2021
A collection of plants in the genus Viola is called…
I read recently that a collection of pine trees and other evergreens is called a pinetum. A new term to me. I already knew that an arboretum is a collection of trees and a herbarium is a collection of dried plant material. I did some online searching to find out if there were any other -tums or -ums for different types of plant collections and couldn't find any. Then I remembered rosariums which are gardens of roses. And terrariums, which are gardens in glass containers, not to be confused … [Read more...] about A collection of plants in the genus Viola is called…
Garden Fairies Prepare to Save the Garden, Again
Garden fairies here. We are garden fairies and once again, it is apparently up to us to save this garden from, well, Carol. Let us begin by saying that we've calmed Granny 'Gus' McGarden down and reassured her that we will all help as much as we can. Granny, as long-time readers of our garden fairy posts know, is responsible for the Vegetable Garden Cathedral. Let us tell you she was fit to be tied this past week because Carol took her sweet time and then some before she planted the … [Read more...] about Garden Fairies Prepare to Save the Garden, Again
A webinar about how I self-publish
On Thursday, June 3rd at 7:00 PM ET, I'm going to do a webinar for GardenComm to explain how I self-publish my books and how you could do the same. The official title is "How to Self-Publish Your Book with Carol Michel." For GardenComm members, the cost is $20. For non-members, it's $30. Register here. (Really, that's a good deal for the cost of between four and six annual flowers in those 4-inch pots.) If you can't attend on Thursday, June 3rd at 7:00 PM ET, you can still register and … [Read more...] about A webinar about how I self-publish
