30 Days In The Gardener's Garden: Day2

The good thing about today was that the garden schedule was all scheduled; I spent  most of my garden time in gardens elsewhere, at the Art&Flowers Garden Tour sponsored by the Phoenix Art Museum League.  (Some of my own handiwork was even on display, below)

(xeriscape oasis nestled under a palo verde tree)

(a spectacle of columnar cactuses on display)

One of my favorite features on the tour was this eclectic garden with recycled metal works, an edible garden space, a huge rooster sculpture, and some very shy chickens.

(welcome to Cluckingham Palace!)

The tour showed off some cool houses and amazing gardens. It was nice to meet the homeowners and get some back story on the evolution of each garden.  I also ran into my ol' pal Thomas Park of Xerophytic Design who created an amazing space for one happy resident of the Willo Historic Neighborhood. 

 (Thomas showing off his genius use of materials)

It was an enjoyable day, even with the almost 100* degree heat.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

(frontyard bed brimming with goodies!)

All inspired from the garden tour, I had to get outside (after a large iced beverage) and do some stuff.  Most pressing was the need to 'bump-up' my tomato seedlings to full grown plant status.  In the plastic container below (a re-purposed lettuce tub) were 16 little guys waiting to exhale!

(time for some elbow room)

It was a delicate process seperating some of them completely bare-root (don't worry, they will survive).  Tomatoes are great because they are such durable plants.   I also had a batch of tomatillos as well.  They will live in 1gal cans for a couple of weeks as I find new homes for them all.

(graduation day!)

My final effort of the day was harvesting seeds.  Lots and lots of seeds.  Pak choi, kale, spicy mustard, red romaine, arugula, broccolini, and cauliflower.  Best way I've found for collecting seeds is using paper bags.  Let the seed pods on the plant get as large as possible to where you see the bumpy texture of the seed inside.  Cut the stems off the plant, fold them in half, and stuff them into the bag.  The pods will dry and pop open releasing the seeds.

I label the bag with the plant name (pak choi), date harvested (2011APR02), and the source from where I originally acquired the plant or seeds (a Seattle gardener).  These will store in a dry cool place until after summer (about 6months).

(bok choi - bag it and tag it)

Lastly, I took some time to observe; 2 butterflies, 1 nosy carpenter bee, 1 male hummingbird, 3 (now dead) mosquitoes, and 1 surprising new bloom...

(here come the hollyhocks - finally!)

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Garden Art

Artistry and gardens have gone together as long as agriculture has existed among modern man. The artist often finds himself inseparable from nature, and in the garden he has produced many great works. Modern gardeners have an endless array of natural and man made items with which to decorate their own gardens. It is no wonder then that gardening has become such a popular pastime.

Examples of Garden Art

Garden art comes in many forms. Some of the most common of these include:

• Metal Garden Art (including copper garden art, brass ornaments, wrought iron furnishings, and steel structures)
• Glass Garden Art (including garden orbs, gazing glass ornaments, stained glass, glass sculptures, and glass furnishings)
• Garden Wall Art (usually a combination of materials used to create unique designs such as dream catchers to hang on vertical surfaces in gardens - like sheds and gazebos)
• Mosaic Garden Art (multi-colored items such as birdbaths and stepping stones often made from colored ceramic, stone, glass, and similar material)

And there are many more forms. The important thing to remember is that any art you add to your garden - whether it be furnishings, ornaments, or structures like gazebos - should be well balanced with the surrounding decor.

Tips for Adding Garden Art

There are several good tips for appropriately adding decor and furnishings to your garden. These will help you make the most natural and attractive scene possible for maximum enjoyment.

1. Keep the Scale of your Surroundings

When adding decor to your garden, try to keep in mind the size of the space you're working with. You wouldn't want to add a 10 x 10 foot gazebo into a 20 x 20 foot garden space, for instance. Also, try to keep items grouped relatively by size. Putting a bird bath next to a shed probably won't be good from an observational standpoint.

2. Consider Your Theme

When creating your space with garden art, it's important to consider what 'theme' you're going for. Patterns should be consistent, and balance between different items should be maintained so that nothing clashes. You may not want Pagan elements in a classic Victorian garden, for example.

3. Harmony with Nature

However you decide to decorate your garden, at all times you should keep in mind the surrounding nature. Any elements will have to fit in to the natural trees, rocks, and terrain which is already there. Instead of squarish architecture pushing against round trees and hills or large bright objects overshadowing deep green hues, work with nature for a harmonious, relaxing atmosphere.

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