Grooving With Spring

Posted on March 29, 2016 by pgbundil

Yes, everything is ahead of schedule. One simply has to embrace what is – it is spring after all!

I’m loving the early bulbs. This is their (albeit brief ) time to shine. The mix of periwinkle-blue scillas and mauve creeping-myrtle carpeting the top of the front garden is the sweet sight that greets me when I return home from anywhere. The yellow of the daffodils in their midst give an extra pop of delight.

In the meadow, as the earth is greening up, the small bulbs sit like scattered gems twinkling in the clear sunshine. Every day reveals more treasures. Makes getting on with the daily chores so much more exciting. It’s hard to be grumpy when surrounded by beautiful new beginnings. At the same time, I find it totally distracting!

Last week, while I was tackling the numerous hydrangea surrounding the meadow, I kept pausing to admire the new growth at their base. It looked like there was a larger amount of dead wood to cut off and as a result, the shrubs seemed to be shrinking in size. At first, I was quite alarmed. It had been a rather mild winter so I didn’t expect much loss. Spying the basal shoots emerging shyly was a relief.
And then my eyes came to rest upon the primroses and hyacinths nosing through the soil. So charming and reassuring. Not far from where I was working, I noticed black-capped chickadees investigating an opening on the trunk of the sugar maple where a branch used to be. Perhaps they will be moving in soon.

Using the lengths of grapevine prunings to wrap around the railing at the end of the driveway, I was struck by the way the buds sat on the climbing hydrangea that also grows around this structure. The plumules make the vine look like a network of stringed lights as though waiting to illuminate the garden. Which of course they shall when their creamy lace-cap flowers bloom. Meanwhile, assorted birds seemed to think I was giving away nesting material – they demonstrated great expertise at swooping in, picking up a short bit of grapevine and taking off to sites unseen.

Cool weather vegetable plugs await planting. But first I must clear the plot of anything that could harbor slugs and turn over the green cover of unidentifiable seedlings that have spontaneously sprouted. I think that this year I will spread a nice layer of sharp grit over the soil to deter the aforesaid pest. However, before I do all that, I must stop to run my hand over the creeping thyme that has self-seeded near by. The fragrance evokes menus for herb infused meals under the new pergola. Soon, very soon….

In the greenhouse, several plants can be brought outside but the kumquats hanging like tiny suns catch my attention. Now I’m off to make kumquat chutney. A dollop of it goes divinely with a sliver of cheese atop a cracker. Add a glass of perfectly chilled white wine and you have a feast.

As a result of the joyous diversions, every task takes longer than they ought. The going is slow but the spirit is high. As Mother Nature colors in the garden, the anticipation is palpable. An awful lot of chores need to be done and time always seems short. Yet, I know I cannot let myself miss these days of rebirth. After all, they hold all of a gardener’s hopes and dreams.

Is my garden’s Open Day marked on your calendar? It is May 7, 2016. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Raphsody In Blue seems like the theme playing in the garden right now:

Climbing hydrangea with plumules

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Spring Break!

Posted on March 22, 2016 by pgbundil

Spring arrived bearing snow this year. While I listened to forecasts that couldn’t pinpoint just how much snow to expect, I found myself crossing my fingers and fervently sending out messages to the universe to please, please spare us any real damage. Methinks I was heard. The crocuses, hellebores, snowdrops and scillas had been blooming for a week or so already but, the daffodils had just begun to unfold their sunny petals and I was concerned that they would be crushed. Thankfully, the flowers were spared. For a brief period the snow made everything white and pretty but in no time at all it had all melted away. Spring was once again underway.

But it got me thinking about how we approach life. So much time is spent in anticipating and planning that we don’t pause long enough to simply be. All winter long we look forward to the return of life in the garden. And then, when it starts to bloom, we get caught up in the chores and to-dos to get ready for summer. There ought to be a time we allow ourselves to be completely present in the garden. To notice the details, appreciate the beauty, get to know intimately the plants we nurture. How else could we learn to value what we have?

The same could be said of how we miss out on time with our children and other loved ones. We are so focused on doing what we think they need, that we fail to spend time with them doing nothing in particular. It is in that last ‘activity’ that we are given the opportunity to truly acquaint ourselves with our own. How often we have surprised ourselves by having a proper conversation when ‘trapped’ in a car! Or when sitting down all together for a meal where no electronic devices are permitted.

Young children are good at doing nothing and still observe and learn about their surroundings. While it might appear that they are unoccupied, they are in truth filling up on information about their world. They are living life. We could do well by giving ourselves such a break in our over-scheduled days.

Because there was so much confusion about how much snow we might get, I was afraid all might be lost with the early bulbs. So I decided to go out and take photos of whatever was in bloom. Once I started photographing, I realized how much I neglect to notice at this time of year. The yellow crocuses bloom before the others. The wood hyacinths start two weeks after the crocuses – I’m usually so occupied with my spring chores that I notice these timid bulbs only when they are in full form. Yet, their slow progress is in itself a gentle reminder to savor every moment. The muscari are close to follow and their tight buds resemble diminutive, deep mauve wands. Soon they will reveal their lighter hued tiny bells. At this time, the roses are putting out new leaves – shiny and bronze. The hellebores have peaked and some are even bold enough to tilt their faces upwards. Their pastel colored flowers contrast strikingly with the rich jewel tones of the crocus. The pale yellow petals of the early daffodils glow softly in the sunlight. And I wonder how I might capture that luminescence in watercolor. So ethereal.

All the while, all manner of birds are making sorties to determine where they might set up their nests. I watch a pair of cardinals foraging in the meadow as though ensuring the food supply they will need once they have babies to feed. Their nest is clearly going to be amidst the brambly limbs of the Paul’s Himalayan rose that covers the very old apple tree in the meadow. This is a favorite amongst other birds as well. It seems the blue jays have elected higher quarters. I see them perched on the sugar maple.

Finally, I come back indoors to attend to other matters. The clock says I was away for a whole hour and that comes as a real surprise. I’d been so immersed in the goings on of the garden, that I’d shed all other thoughts from my mind. No wonder I felt so relaxed and high in spirit. I had taken a wonderful, life affirming break.

As I write this post, news of the terror attack in Belgium is flooding the airwaves. Another reminder that life is ephemeral. Here today, gone tomorrow. So this week, I’m taking an honest spring break. I’m going to enjoy this season of rebirth and renewal. The chores, and there are so many, will wait. I want to remember my todays.

Before I let you get to some lovely spring images below, here are some announcements:

Correction! My garden’s Open Day is now May 7. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

This week, I have art work on exhibit at the Phyllis Merriman Gallery in NYC. Do take a look if you can!

I have posted my most recent visit with the HIV children of Mukta Jeevan. I know you will be interested in reading on their progress. Click Girls Just Want To Have Fun!

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Service Industry

Posted on March 15, 2016 by pgbundil

I’m getting ready for an onslaught of guests. They will be in residence for some months. Yes, months. And I’m super excited. I intend to get their quarters in tip-top shape. My aim is to make them so comfortable that they feel completely at home here. There is a Jewish proverb that says Hospitality Is One Form of Worship. Well then, I’m worshiping mighty zealously. Cleaning, washing, removing clutter, freshening, ensuring that every detail has been included. I can’t do enough. That’s how eager I am. As always, some guests have arrived ahead of time. Rather than get distressed, I’m using their presence to spur me on to work fast and create the best accommodations for my treasured company. It is going to be a joyous, no holds barred party.

You are now thinking I’ve taken leave of my senses. Who would want to entertain guests beyond a a couple of days? Yet, here I am preparing to welcome a plethora of visitors and then permitting them to stay for as long as possible. No, no! I’m quite sane. I’m getting the garden ready for season! All the plants are my personal, most cherished guests. In Turkey, there is a saying that guests bring good luck with them. I fully expect to enjoy that benefit in abundance!

Preparing the garden for the growing season is quite like getting the house ready for guests. There is the same excitement, anticipation and yes, even apprehension. There is the desire to provide a warm welcome, comfort, clean and adequate space, good food and drink, interesting company and a strengthening of bonds. One goes about it in a flurry of activity. The plants arrive like old friends – familiar and comforting. We are ready to enjoy each other. Every season also brings new arrivals and so the circle of friends expands.

Having been overseas this past week, I’ve returned home to find that spring has definitely arrived. A bit ahead of schedule but nevertheless a welcome sight. The hellebores that had started blooming some weeks ago are now joined by the snowdrops, scillas and crocuses. The sugar maple is heavy with red flowers. They contrast strikingly with the white flowers on the Abeliophyllum distichum near by. This has galvanized me into action. There is no time to waste. While I’d thought to get to my list of pre-spring chores in a few days after jet lag had worn off, I am now already in full gardening mode. Within hours of getting home and unpacking, the front lawn was addressed. With rain expected, it seemed an ideal time to do the reseeding. Done. Whew.

Pruning, cutting back, clearing deadwood, feeding the beds with compost, mulching, planting and sowing will commence as soon as possible. Urns and window-boxes will get potted up. Bird houses to clean and water-baths and fountain to restart are next. In creating a most wonderful, life affirming environment for the plants, I’m hoping to keep the plants utterly, giddily happy that they thrive and look spectacular. And that would make me reciprocally happy.

To be in service of my garden is indeed my own form of prayer and meditation. After all, to tend to the earth with thought, compassion, love and care is to connect to a higher power that provides and nurtures my very existence.

Note: While on the subject of visitors, the date for my garden’s Open Day has just been set. From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday May 07, 2016. Please come, I look forward to welcoming you! Mark your calender.

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Nesting Instincts. Enlightened Gardening #3.

Posted on March 8, 2016 by pgbundil

Awwww! Right?!

Nothing like the sight of babies of any species to turn us into mush. It simply cannot be helped. I never tire of seeing the homes the assorted garden creatures make. Bird nests are of course the most obvious. But solid looking adobe-like bee hives, papery nests of wasps, the large, messily put together squirrel abodes, the perfectly spherical beads of butterfly eggs on leaves of select plant, the cottony casings through which are visible the growing baby spiders are all the result of parents no less dedicated or anxious than we humans. In the role of parent, across genus and species, we can understand each other with total clarity and empathy. Is that not marvelous in itself?

A healthy garden will support all sorts of beneficial creatures. Any gardener worth her salt will do everything in her power to do right by her garden. Which brings us to part 3 of our goal to creating gardens with a conscience. Enlightened Gardening. Given all that we now know about the delicate balance in Nature, our role in impacting the environment and, how each living thing is connected to every other, it becomes imperative and urgent to do our part and do it well.

Imagine entering a garden that is lush with flowers, neatly clipped hedges. Even some clever topiary. Mature trees. Green lawns. Exquisite statuary. Sounds lovely so far? But now notice the quiet. No hum or buzz or shriek or trill or hurried rustle. Dead silence. Begins to feel strange? Then notice the absence of all animal life. No sign of movement but for a passing wind. Nothing flitting, flying, scurrying or hopping. I can already sense my panic. Like a child in an Halloween haunted house. Something bad is about to happen!

And that is what animals bring to our gardens, our world. Not only do they perform basic necessaries like pollination and pest control but they bring in the full spectrum of life itself. We could not function without them. Our spirit would be lost.

So, starting with including indigenous plants, a garden must offer a safe haven for beneficial creatures. Thickets and brambly shrubs for certain types of bird nests and other insects to find shelter and avoid discovery by their predators, Trees for other birds and squirrels. Discrete piles of fallen branches and upturned pots to give safe harbor to toads and garden snakes. Bird houses, nesting boxes, bat houses, bundles of narrow, hollow cylinders of wood or bamboo to encourage bees to take up residence.

Just like humans, other creatures also look for the ‘right’ neighborhoods. If you’ve ever watched birds check out possible nest building sites or houses already in place, you’ll know how carefully they consider the options. Safety, privacy, availability and access to food, light and wind exposure are factors uppermost on every animals mind. Sound familiar?!

It is in the interest of all concerned parties that the gardener does her bit to create the appropriate environments for the valued creatures. If we want them to grace us with their presence, then we must do the needful. Apart from a choice of housing locations, there must be available water and food. A water-bath, a fountain or a pond will suffice. Appropriate and diverse plants for food. Birds are good at scouting out where to get bugs and worms as well. If the garden is organic, then the food and water will be naturally clean. For us and for our fellow residents.
In very early spring, I put up a ‘nesting wreath’. A bunch of grapevine clippings are woven into a circle. To this I loosely attach natural fibres like cotton, jute or wool, feathers, twigs, hair, ribbons of colorful paper, dried flowers and leaves, moss and such. A little reservoir of nest building supplies to encourage the avians.

We provide a healthy place for them to live and raise their babies and they return the favor. No doubt we also provide each other a certain amount of entertainment in the bargain. Isn’t this how life is best lived?

This bluebird house is not in the ideal location but I’m optimistic. It hosted wrens last year. Maybe this year I’ll try to move it to a more appropriate site.

The meadow is a veritable smorgasbord – nectar, worms, other bugs …
At the same time, it is a safe haven for some creatures.

Organically Certified – Enlightened Gardening #2

Posted on March 1, 2016 by pgbundil

I’ll say it right off – keeping an organic garden is not so easy. I’m not saying it is difficult but it does require greater vigilance and prompt, timely measures. Compared to freely applying chemicals preventively and pro-actively, organic practices are somewhat more demanding. But isn’t that worth it if it means not polluting the air, soil or water? Are our children and pets not worth that effort? They should be able to play freely in the outdoors without worry of getting sick from chemicals in their environment. Preserving the health of our world is the legacy we pass on to future generations.

Last week I regaled you with the power of compost on your lawn. In truth, it is essential everywhere in the garden. I know it is hard to believe that this one ‘product’ can be fertilizer, mulch and thereby weed suppressor and water-conserver all in one. But that is only because the manufacturers of chemical/synthetic fertilizers and pesticides have done an excellent job of telling us otherwise. This is no different from baby food manufacturers who in the mid-1900’s convinced women that the factory made formulae were superior to breast milk. But we now know better don’t we? Enough said.

I use compost on lawn, flower beds, pots, vegetable plots, around fruit trees and shrubs. Literally everywhere in the garden. In the beds, I do cover the compost with a layer of cedar wood chips for both aesthetic reasons as well as to create a hindrance to the vagaries of digging critters like squirrels, dogs and cats. No other product needed.

On the few occasions when additional feeding and spraying is required as in the case of nurturing the apple and pear tree espalier fence, only organic products like seaweed and fish emulsion and dormant oil spray are used. Producing organic fruit is a particular challenge and I’ve learned to deeply respect the farmers who supply our markets.

In conjunction with maintaining an organic garden, it is imperative that the plants one selects are largely native plants. Native flora attract native fauna. These native fauna will not only pollinate cheerfully but they will also safeguard the plants from predators. Think ladybugs eating aphids, birds picking off pesky beetles and caterpillars, bats devouring mosquitoes etc., Research has shown that when a plant is attacked by pests, it does two things. First, it changes its leaves by making them less nutritious and then, it releases chemicals like jasmonic acid that act like ‘screams for help’ which are signals picked up by beneficial insects that zoom in to feed on the pests thus protecting the host plants. Even more interestingly, planting the right plants alone does not bring in the right insects. The pests must arrive first, do some harm to which the plants ‘cry out in alarm’, and only then will the predators show up. There is an implicit protocol or line of action that ensues. While we are still trying to understand these highly complex and rather impressive phenomena, we can purposefully create the correct balance of flora and fauna thereby doing right by the environment.

Whether one uses chemical or organic pesticides, we are not simply taking care of specific pests. The products are broad-based killers. So even the good guys are wiped out. It is important that we do not use any product if we can help it. For example, dormant oil spray is applied to smother the eggs of pests such as aphids, certain mites and scales. But it will also cover everything else. So, when it is sprayed is crucial. The window is small – when temperatures are above freezing for more than 24 hours but not yet too warm,when rain is not expected for a few days and, before leaves are put out and the buds have not as yet opened. Miss that time and then don’t bother. It’s too late! Or else you risk choking the leaves so they are unable to photosynthesize properly and, coating opening buds making them unpalatable to arriving pollinators.

My general principle is to keep it simple. As few or no products. Accept that organic fruit may not look perfect. They will however taste wonderful. The sheer, unadulterated joy of biting into an apple right off the tree is priceless. Or, how about a carrot freshly pulled up from the earth and gently rinsed to get the grit off before crunching into its crisp, sweet, orange flesh? Imagine having no worries when you pluck nasturtiums and roses to add color, taste and beauty to your salads and desserts. Scented geranium leaves to perfume lemonades. Chemical-free catnip for your cat. Are you catching the organic spirit?

So first, get yourself started with a collection of native plants. ( see my article from 2 weeks ago Giving Back To The Future for sources) and organically produced vegetable seeds and/or plants which are available at any good nursery. Set up bird baths, nesting boxes and hidey-holes for beneficial fauna to take up residence. Set up your own composter and feed it garden and kitchen waste. Until you start generating your own compost, purchase it from local nurseries. Your town, like mine, might have a place to get free compost. ( For a nominal fee, they will even deliver large amounts of compost or wood-chip mulch).

Get to know your plants intimately. Learn their appearance and habits. This will prepare you to notice right away if something is amiss. Act promptly and prevent further damage.

Now you are in the organic business. Get to work!

The hyacinths inside the house have bloomed and the air is redolent with their perfume. Sheer heaven. Meanwhile outdoors, snowdrops and some hellebores are in bloom. Distinct signs of spring! Enjoy the images below:

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Lawning Ahead. Enlightened Gardening #1

Posted on February 23, 2016 by pgbundil

Winter is entering its final quarter. Are you ready to implement all those garden plans and resolutions? You want to go organic, grow some if not all your veggies, have something in bloom all year long, create a more casual garden to reflect your lifestyle, set up the patio so you can enjoy al fresco meals as often as possible, provide the children with a space that fires their imagination and finally, it all seemed so doable in January but now, you are daunted. Am I right?

Well, you are not alone. It is quite common to feel a bit overwhelmed and not know how or where to start. I get asked about this all the time. Let me reassure anybody who has doubts that all of those goals are not only well within reach but can be achieved this very year. The only thing you need to begin is a deep desire to do what it takes. Make time in your schedule, set aside a minimum of an hour every other day ( every day is better) and a good half day of the weekend ( a whole day is better!). You might not need all that time each day but then, you can use it to just sit and enjoy the garden. I guarantee you will get hooked to puttering in your corner of paradise. It just feels so good!

After hearing from many readers, I’m happy to discuss the several tasks and habits to cultivate (!) that will get you creating the garden you want.

Lets start with the lawn. That ubiquitous green swathe that seems to be the dubious prize of most property owners. A healthy, verdant, well manicured monoculture lawn has become the unofficial American symbol of success. And the struggle to maintain said lawn is the “successful” American way of life. Really America? After all that we now know about the huge cost to the environment and wallet in the upkeep of such a feature, are we still going to continue hankering after this shallow dream? Think about that.

So, if you are keen on such a perfectly superficial and downright wasteful element in your garden, then this article is probably not for you. But, before you leave this site, just pause to ask yourself why you think you must have that pristine lawn and why you are so willing to work so hard to keep it that way. Do you truly believe that such a lawn means you ‘have arrived’? You like having the ‘pure green’ space? You enjoy spending unnecessary amounts of time, money and effort in the pursuit of such a thing? Are you at peace with yourself? Do you believe climate change is not impacted by human activities?
If you said yes to at least three of those questions, then it really is not useful for you to read on. You’re excused.

For the rest of you I have excellent news! Giving up on that perfect lawn is most liberating. You will save time, money, energy ( yours as well as natural earth resources) and at the same time create a healthy, thriving environment.

Take a look at the size of your lawn. Does it need to have those dimension or could you whittle it down? The reduced lawn will make room for more plant beds, shrubs and/or trees which will only enrich the garden. Of course, mowing will also be quicker.

After determining how small ( or big ) a lawn you are happy to live with, banish the thought of it supporting that single crop of grass. The green color that serves as counterpoint to the flowering beds can be from a diverse array of ‘lawn’ plants. Leafy jewels once considered as weeds in the conventional lawn are now free to sparkle. For the most part, this ‘new’ lawn will be a canvas of green but, every now and then, little color will spark it up. Violets, bugleweed, scilla, crocus, clover, forget-me-nots, ajuga, grape hyacinths, wood hyacinths and yes, dandelions. That last one is one of the earliest sources of nectar for bees and hummingbirds. But understandably, one doesn’t want dandelions taking over entirely. Here’s what I do – in my tiny lawn in front, I pull up all dandelion plants in the spring and then only remove the flowers the rest of the growing season. In the ‘meadow’ however, I depend on the dandelions following on the heels of the daffodils and clashing madly with the blues of the forget-me-nots and ajuga flowers. It is such a happy-making sight.
The other lawn flowers are given complete freedom.

Maintaining this type of lawn is easier than you think. I have one word – compost! Compost doubles as fertilizer and mulch. No more chemical fertilizers ever again. By supporting diversity, friendly insects will arrive and they in turn will take care of the pests. No more pesticides ever again. Mulch will restrain true weeds like crabgrass as well as stop the lawn from drying too quickly and hence the frequency and quantity of water consumed will be reduced. Finally, mowing with the blade set at a height of 4 to 6 inches, means you will not have to mow as often. Lawn clippings left on the ‘grass’ after mowing will also mulch and enrich the soil as they decompose into it. Keeping the grass a bit higher will also help in conserving the moisture in the soil. All good!

Consider how this one shift in practice will reduce the volume of chemicals polluting the water-table, save use of water, cut down on fuel use, lower air and noise pollution, create a clean, healthy area for pets and children to play and still look provide the coveted green backdrop.

A 3 inch layer of compost spread when aerating and seeding the lawn in spring will go a long way. I feed this area once again in early summer and finally after leaf raking in the fall. That is it. Imagine how freeing this process is compared to the constant demands of the old, perfect lawn! Are you game to get started?

Whatever will you do with the new found free time?!!

My tiny front lawn – hardly pristine but looks good right?!

The lawn nicely complements the perennial beds on either side.

The meadow!

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Giving Back To The Future

Posted on February 16, 2016 by pgbundil

Something happens in mid-February. With the sap rising in the sugar maples, my gardening spirit goes into high gear. I get fully vested in preparing for the growing season. While I might have luxuriated in dreaming my way through seed and plant catalogs in December and January, come February and I’m raring to start doing garden things.

The amaryllis have been blooming beautifully since the New Year and I just got the hyacinth bulbs that had been cooling in the refrigerator since early to mid-November into bulb forcers.. Does this gardener’s heart a whole lot of good to see them sitting in their jewel-toned glass vases twinkling with all the promise of the spring to come.

This year, my plans for the garden are focused primarily on native wildflowers. It is very much in keeping with my continued efforts towards stewardship of land. Restoration of the landscape to a healthy, indigenous state is a critically important step. It is the only true legacy we can be proud to leave for future generations. I firmly believe that by bringing back what is native to our region is critical before we can pass on the trowel to those who will inherit it. Reinstating the flora and the fauna will follow. Balance will have been re-established.

If each gardener added regional native plants, then ‘habitat corridors’ will be created for free passage of pollinators and helpful wildlife that protect and/or support the plants. The natural symbiosis that is the foundation of a stable ecosystem.

My ‘meadow’ is the natural choice for introducing native wildflowers. However, it is not a simple matter of scattering seeds and expecting the plants to happily emerge. First of all, seeds from the wild are notoriously finicky. Probably evolved to give themselves the best chance for successful propagation, the seeds will germinate only when conditions are ideal. Often, depending on the species, they could take months or years to show signs of life. All of this might be proper for Nature’s normal habits but for a home gardener, it can be torturous waiting. And waiting..

Hence, I’ve forged a two-prong approach. To get the meadow established with plants starting this spring, I needed to procure said plants. Since this area has numerous bulbs already in place, I cannot risk destroying them by digging into the soil to put in mature plants. The solution was to source native wildflower plugs. Not so easy to come by. By discussing with fellow gardeners and researching on my own, I was delighted to come up with North Creek Nurseries. My plugs were obtainable! The additional bonus of the plugs is that they are that much easier to plant. This is a tremendous relief for my back and knees as they were dreading the labor of dealing with a large volume of grown-up plants.

Given that the meadow gets dappled sun, my selections are restricted to plants that are fine with that condition. The order has been placed. Shipment should arrive late April. Already I can ‘see’ the meadow shimmer with columbines, pink turtleheads, yellow sneezeweed, toad’s lily, wild bergamot ….

Meanwhile, the scientist in me was interested in working with seeds. I wanted seeds legitimately sourced from the wild. Plants from such seeds are quite different from their cultivated counterparts. If we are serious about restoring to our countryside and cities true native plants, then we must propagate from those seeds. Enter the Wild Seed Project. Based in Maine, its goal is to bring back the natural flora of Maine to Maine. Fortunately, those of us living in other similar regions of the country can purchase appropriate seeds from them.

Serendipitously, this past December, I was given a bunch of seed packets from Wild Seed Project. A gift of the best kind! Most of the seeds need a period in the cold after being sowed in pots. I have now done just that. My ‘babies’ wait in a sheltered part of the garden for their spring awakening. I will do my very best to attend to them as required and anticipate their germination with patience. Those who know me well are probably smiling with skepticism. Just watch. I’m going to show you a side of me you have never known. Patient and persevering. Wipe that smirk off your face!

Note: North Creek Nurseries supplies wholesale quantities – far more than the typical garden might require. So, team up with friends and neighbors, garden clubs and such, to order. The bonus will be creating native habitats in whole neighborhoods or communities. All good!

Wild Seed Project has a wonderful website and e-newsletter chock full of information and beautiful photos. Their efforts in Maine ought to be emulated in all the other states. Lets get started! I see this as a wonderful project to be taken up by towns and cities, private and public gardens, Girl and Boy Scouts, garden clubs, local Rotary clubs, schools and every other person or group that cares about what happens to our environment.

Below are a few images of the beauty of native flora and fauna:

Joe Pye

Monarch butterfly on asters

Echinacea

Hummingbird at work

Bees on asters

Pink turtlehead

Closed Gentian

Sneezeweed

Yellow Lady’s Slipper

Columbine

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Smarty Plants

Posted on February 8, 2016 by pgbundil

As adamant as we humans are about being the most superior of all living things on this planet, I am compelled to differ. To begin with, I don’t think our time on earth should be focused on proving our dominance over everything else. In doing so, we expend enormous efforts and do considerable damage to the entire planet. We go well beyond what we need to do to survive and thrive. It seems we reach for excess in all areas. Food, shelter, clothing, safety, comfort …. We commit acts of unspeakable violence for reasons of wanting more than we need. Of course, we often disguise our true intents in the name of doing good. To put it plainly, humans love playing God. A greedy, selfish, wrathful God.

But look around at those other living beings with whom we share this world. Not a single animal or plant takes more than it needs to live and procreate. I am particularly in awe of plants. They truly rule!
Think about it – while humans cannot exist without plants, the reverse is not true! What would we eat? How would we build our homes, feed our animals, make our clothes, obtain life saving medicine? All of our celebrations and observances incorporate plants in some form or other. Meanwhile, plants themselves can grow happily without us altogether. Take away plant life and you effectively end our race.

How plants live is mighty clever. Whatever they need, comes to them. The pollinators, the rain, the sunlight, the wind. Their seeds, distributed by creature or wind, establish themselves wherever conditions are ideal and calmly continue the family line. When the climate turns unusually harsh as in a drought, plants are known to go dormant and/or set seeds in quantity so the species can be preserved for when circumstances return to normal. Research has shown that when a tree is attacked by a pest, it sends out chemical signals to neighboring trees which in turn arm themselves by synthesizing compounds that could help repel or harm the pests.

To protect themselves, the kingdom Plantae has developed a plethora of weapons. Disguises, thorns, chemicals that kill/repel/cause sickness or allergies, bark, fatty coats, trapping mechanisms and, in some cases even ensuring that animal ‘bodyguards’ are always at hand. Pretty cool right?

Plants have evolved to look or smell nice to those they need for pollination. In fair exchange, they offer their nectar or fruit. And if humans choose them for their gardens or farms, well, what the heck, the odds of survival just got better.

They respond to seasons with aplomb. Highly tuned to even the teeniest shifts in weather and temperature, like state of the art, well-oiled machines, they will launch themselves to grow, set fruit, enter senescence and dormancy right on cue. Ingenious and resilient, flora outdo fauna by far. And compared to Homo sapiens, they are, in my opinion, the most superior of beings.
Lets start treating them with due respect. Each time I bite into an apple, enjoy a cup of coffee, fix a salad, treat a cold with Echinacea, perfume myself with rose water, sit under the shade of a tree, use my wooden dining table, select a linen shirt, receive a gift of flowers or, go about a myriad quotidian activities, I will do so with heartfelt gratitude and humility.

Life with plants is very good.

The images below demonstrate our dependence on plants:

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To Bow And To Yield

Posted on February 2, 2016 by pgbundil

A whole month of the new year has come to pass. It went by so fast. On reviewing the to-do list for January, I’m relieved to note how much got done. But what I didn’t accomplish stares accusingly at me. Did I give myself too much to do or did I waste time by getting distracted/ lazy? All of the above I’m sure. Yet, it felt like I was working steadily and somehow time got ahead of me.
Each month has a list of tasks for every area of my life. The garden determines pretty much how I organize it all.

As gardeners, we know to prepare for each season. Winter for dreaming, planning, organizing, researching, ordering, starting seeds. Spring for cleaning up, readying the earth, planting, mulching, staking, weeding, deadheading and inhaling the freshness of the season. Summer for intense weeding, constant deadheading, mowing, watering, reaping the benefits of summer fruits and veggies, long, lazy meals al fresco. Autumn for harvesting, weeding, clearing and cutting, planting, tidying and moaning the end of the growing season. We know, we plan, we expect, we execute.

And working with the garden calender, I organize all my other projects. Writing and painting, while pursued all year round, pick up intensity as the garden grows. It seems counter-intuitive but the more that happens in the garden, the more I’m inspired to create. Fitting it all in the limited hours is challenging but oh so rewarding! Hence, I prepare for it. Sometimes, it is hard to keep up with all the ideas generated by the garden but in all honesty, I love the pressure to stay creative.

Vacations occur only when there is a natural pause in my garden. Winter and late summer work best. Short of impromptu trips partnered with upgraded tickets, I’m not likely to rush off anywhere. Thankfully, celebrations such as weddings and babies give enough lead time for making the right accommodations in my calender. If this admission makes me seem inflexible, it is only partially correct. For the right reasons I’ll happily adjust.

I like this rhythm and routine. There is comfort here. It keeps me centered and present. So when there occurs a shift or change in this schedule, it is unsettling. Like the temperature shifts we’re experiencing this week. Just when January felt more normal and I was beginning to settle into the winter groove, we are given springtime weather. February is off to a balmy start. When the snow melts tomorrow (57 degrees and rainy!), will the dormant plants think it is time to awaken? I should think they’d be mighty surly to be roused so rudely a couple of months too early.

Should I start regular watering of the vertical garden? Will the roses want to be freed of their burlap protection? What will happen to the flats of seeds kept outdoors so they can receive their required cold treatment? How will I do the stuff I’m supposed to do if I’m busy with these unexpected to-dos?

I’m certain winter temperatures will return. But for how long and how low is unknown. It might keep fluctuating erratically. Never mind the havoc to my carefully organized lists and schedules. Agendas be damned.

So with a great big breath I ask myself what is the lesson to be learned here. The answer becomes apparent. I’m being called to stay open and adaptable. The natural world is so resilient. It has seen immeasurable changes from time immemorial. Yet, here it is always bountiful and beautiful. Somehow, this planet of ours has survived every change and onslaught with grace and aplomb.

I shall stop fighting these natural departures from the norm. After all, there’s nothing I can do about it. Instead, taking my cue from the willow, I’ll bow and yield to the winds that blow my way and carry on with what I know to do – to nurture and grow ideas and plants.
With humility and optimism.

Here’s what is keeping me inspired right now:

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You Have The Time

Posted on January 26, 2016 by pgbundil

`If you knew Time as well as I do,’ said the Hatter, `you wouldn’t talk about wasting IT. – Lewis Carrol’s Alice In Wonderland

If you were given an extra chunk of time each day what would you do with it? That was a question I asked myself on the first day of this year. There is so much we seem to have to/want to do that the most common lament is that we don’t have enough time. Not having the time is the #1 reason given for not gardening. Possessing a black thumb is the next most popular excuse. The problem of a lack of time begs close examination. Are we truly overwhelmed or is that merely a perception? Has being ‘too busy’ become the hallmark of being important/valuable? Is it just an easy excuse for not doing something?

So, with that gift of extra time, how would you use it? Would you spread the current to-do list to give yourself a better chance to handle it? Would you add new chores into that time? Or, would you designate something fun like dancing to your favorite music or playing with the children and/or pet, make a garden or, as in my case, reading more?

As I pondered this matter of extra time to reduce the reading material towering by my desk, how we actually use our normal hours needs serious consideration. In the course of any given day, how could one carve out, at the very least, an hour to do as one pleased and still accomplish the other necessary tasks without pressure? There is good news and bad news. Depending on how you look at it. To give up some habits or adjust oneself to a different approach can be inspiring to some and very challenging to others.

To put it plainly, I can expertly waste a huge amount of time every single day. While I might address the most urgent and/or important matters, I could and have spent a good many hours on the unimportant and non-urgent.

“Checking the news” is one such time guzzler. I come away with more unhelpful trivia than actual news I can use. And yet, I’m a repeat offender..
In the name of research, I log in several hours reading up on a variety of subjects. While all that material is no doubt good, solid data, more often than not, it has very little to do with the topic on hand. Though, I must say, at the time of doing this kind of reading, that fact escapes me altogether. Everything seems relevant and interesting.
Taking a break by watching a bit of mindless television can wreck havoc with my day or evening. Time truly is elastic because that break just stretches and stretches.
Saying ‘yes’ to too many demands on my time has invariably led to sideswiping my own responsibilities. And then I’m scrambling with deadlines and worried I’m not giving my best efforts.
While I am not one addicted to social media or even my phone, I find not prioritizing my emails can lead me to while away precious hours with completely silly communications. Haven’t I got anything else to do?!

Just as I know very well that gossiping and negative thinking are a drain on my energy and time, mindless activities like those mentioned above do the same. I cannot recall ever feeling good about myself after spending any length of time on any of them. (Okay, doing research is not all bad.) While it may have felt fun for a moment, the aftertaste is anything but. It is exactly like overindulging on desserts. So yummy and comforting but so energy sapping, unhealthy and, guilt inducing.

And I know that multitasking does not work. While I might think I am getting so much done, once I step back and review, the reality is disappointingly different. In my experience, multitasking is always followed up with damage control and/or redoing. Worse, it leaves me so dissatisfied with myself that I get grumpy and unpleasant to be with.

Eliminating, okay minimizing, time wasting activities is fine but what do I do about procrastination? At this point I could write a book on the subject but then, I have other stuff to do first.

So, here is how I’ve developed a way to create a chunk of time for myself. These ‘rules’ work well for me in as well as out of the garden

Take time to organize first, do the research. Not general research but specific to the task. Say you’re thinking about creating a Belgian espalier of fruit trees. Read up on this ancient, space-saving method of growing trees, source the nurseries that will provide the young trees, consider the cost and amount of work, understand the maintenance required. Talk to experts. Visit gardens that have such a feature and find out as much as possible from the gardeners themselves. Set up a schedule to address all the steps. Then, get cracking.
The winter months are ideal for this sort of planning. When I plan well and things are set up right, I’m not likely to put off doing them.

Instead of talking about it, just do it. Avoid all the unsolicited comments and advice that come forth when you do talk. That is a drain on your time and often leads to procrastination. The time spent on talking is better used in preparing and executing

Say ‘no’ politely but firmly – forget about FOMO (fear of missing out). Agreeing to do whatever/whenever something is asked of you gives one a false sense of importance. Instead, offer to think about it. Consider what you must give up to do what is asked. Question your real motive. Say ‘yes’ only if it is truly the right thing to do.

Budget your time. By allowing x amount of hours/days for each of my projects and commitments, I’m able to cover different tasks and meet deadlines.

By staying on top of regular maintenance chores like weeding, deadheading etc., I am hardly ever surrendering too many hours toiling in the garden. A half hour every other day patrolling for weeds is usually adequate. Another half hour to tidy up and check for problems/pests. I take action right away if there are signs of pests. Nip it in the bud so to speak. However, as I love being in the garden, I’m happy to putter around tweaking and tending much longer.

In the garden, practicing environmentally sound, ecologically correct, organic methods are perfect examples where doing the right thing is actually easier. Growing mostly native plants, using compost, mulch and living ground-covers, reducing lawn area are huge time, energy and money savers. Really. You get to sleep with a clear conscience to boot.

As a result of operating in this manner and seriously curtailing those time wasting habits I mentioned earlier, I find myself with absolutely no excuse not to do what I want to. There is always time to create, work, gather with loved ones, share, play, read, learn, pursue passions, sleep, exercise, day dream, learn something new … If something is important or meaningful enough, the time for it is unfailingly available. One activity at a time.

You have the time, take it.

P.S Please don’t be offended if you hear me say ‘NO’. You’ll understand!

The images below demonstrate what we can miss seeing if we don’t take the time to be present: