 We like this Belmont place for its lush look. Its vine-laden walls and portico are bordered by a spacious yard (evening mojito? Yes, please). The round window-and-pillar combo makes this home stand out among its neighbors, and even as the greenery says, I’m mysterious, the bright red door says, Come on in. |
The full sun of summer wilts plants and people. Faced with a southwestern exposure, most living things welcome the relief of afternoon shade—our “Elysium,” according to the little mountain’s favorite son.
Large trees like red maples and willow oaks cast canopies that lower temperatures 20 degrees. Dogwoods and redbuds suit smaller spaces and thrive in full sun if they have good soil (yearly topped with leaf mold or compost and not compacted by a constant stream of feet or wheels) and adequate water.
If you’re trying to shade the house, plant at least as far away as half the mature width of the tree. A mature red maple can reach a spread of 40′ to 50′, a dogwood perhaps 25′ to 30′.
 Geraniums can stand the heat and then some. |
If there’s no room for even a tall shrub like doublefile viburnum or lilac (both 10-12′ all around), consider the vine-covered cottage effect, especially for sheltering a west-facing porch. Perennial woody vines like Carolina jasmine or trumpet vine soon cover a large sturdy trellis and morning glories and hyacinth beans make quick annual screens on a zig-zag of twine or fishing line.
I have a friend whose porch and front walk are consumed in a fairy tale each summer by the prolifically re-seeding cypress vine with its tropical feathery emerald foliage starred with deep red flowers. Not for everyone, but quite an effect.
If you have a deck or patio where you can fry an egg on a sunny afternoon and shade is not an option, think barrels of rosemary and thyme, boxes of lantana and petunias or pots of sedum (dark “Matrona” or burgundy “Autumn Joy”) and geraniums. They love to sizzle, but not without some help. Don’t skimp on the size of the container and mulch with compost or finely ground bark to conserve moisture.
Modern bedding geraniums are made for full sun but have also been bred for durable, double, rather meaty flowers—somewhat like leathery pom-poms if you get my drift—and have been forever spoiled for me by the delicate tracery of the single-flowered scarlet, Pelargonium inquinans, perpetuated by Monticello’s Center for Historic Plants. We over-winter ours each year in the back room and sink them for the summer in a pair of turquoise glazed pots that flank the start of a gravel walk.
I’ve mentioned compost twice already, and regularly allude to it in these columns as an all-purpose elixir. It is indeed the magic potion we all seek, recycling organic nutrients while amending the soil and improving its structure. Most people are familiar with the concept, but there are many misconceptions, the chief being that the only way you can make it is with a big stinking pile in the back yard that beckons skunks and possums.
We will delve into this rich matter in further columns, but for now suffice it to say that it should be a crime to wrap organic waste—from coffee grounds to eggshells to leaves—in plastic and bury it in a landfill. If you’re guilty, you can redeem yourself—even if you live in an apartment without an inch of green space—by acquiring a small bin that you can rotate with a handle, and throw all the kitchen scraps into it.
The black gold that results is dandy for potting soil or fertilizing turfgrass. Trade it with your rural friends. At least one good soul is giving her garbage away to country composters via craigslist.
Shine on.—Cathy Clary
Unlike the gourmet version of asparagus, the shoots of the asparagus fern are poisonous to eat, so don’t try it. These plants bloom and billow during the summer months, and are heavy feeders—so make sure to keep them well fertilized. About every two weeks is recommended.
 The asparagus fern also grows in a leggier, more finely-leaved form. Either way, it’s a looker. |
Ferns have shallow roots, so they don’t need big pots. Only when the fern is completely spilling out does it need to be re-potted. Ferns do not like excessive heat, and especially at night, preferring something under 60 degrees. What they do like is greater humidity than most plants, so standing them in water or near a humidifier is a good bet.—Lily Robertson
-Make shade with trees, shrubs and vines
-Use large containers for full sun
-Think compost
Created several years ago by Cynthia Schroeder and Blue Light Grill’s Remington Donovan in honor of Schroeder’s boutique, Spring Street, this cocktail’s personality is “effervescent, happy and lively,” in Donovan’s words. And it’s pink as a summer sunset.
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries or mixed berries
1 Tbs. sugar
2 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau
6 oz. vodka
Champagne or sparkling white wine (happily, “you don’t need to use anything expensive,” says Donovan)
 This shakes includes its own strainer; others will send you shopping for a strainer accessory. |
Use a spoon to mash the berries and sugar with the Triple Sec or Cointreau; be sure to leave small pieces of berries. Mix in vodka. Fill a small martini glass half-full with berry mixture and then top with champagne. Makes approximately four drinks.
When the weather starts to heat up and you entertain the idea of entertaining by the grill, consider stirring up festive signature drinks that feature herbs and local berries and fruit.
Harness the energy of the sun to make the base for your signature cocktail (or mocktail, the nonalcoholic version). You’ll need a large glass pitcher or jar, a hot, sunny spot, and imagination—the heat of the sun will infuse water with the color and flavor of your “tea,” which becomes a simple syrup when sweetened with puréed fruit, honey, juice or sugar. This syrup can be frozen in ice cube trays, ready to pop at your next party.
 Seasonal berries make cocktails more fun. |
But how to build the perfect drink? Sweet liquors like bourbon or whiskey would love the astringency of a sun tea of Orange Pekoe, orange zest, mint and honey; clear liquors like rum and vodka are naturals with lemon and Thai basils, vanilla bean, and lemonade. Get wild with a chilled chai—Darjeeling tea, cinnamon stick, clove, black peppercorn, cardamom, vanilla, and milk or cream.
For a fancy presentation (be it tea or cocktails) consider freezing whole or sliced berries or fruit—the trees and bushes in our area produce cherries, blackberries, plums, peaches, melons, and blueberries (in roughly that order). To avoid disposables, serve drinks in Mason jars (or ask friends to bring their favorite drinking vessel!) and use the frozen fruit as ice cubes in each glass.—Lisa Reeder
So you have a signature cocktail, eh? Every great bartender is also armed with a bottle opener, “wine key” (or corkscrew) and a drink shaker. For entertaining, a larger drink shaker enables one to mix and pour in batches. You can also mix each drink in a glass, then tip it into a smaller shaker for mixing, and back into the same glass. Regardless of size, a shaker also requires a strainer (either perforations in the top covered by a small cap, or a separate bar-toy that fits inside the shaker and is held in place while the pour is accomplished). Confident you have what it takes? Don’t forget a bar towel and a couple of great stories.—L.R.
Question for Zeke Cox, owner of The Mattress Gallery: How do you select the perfect mattress?
Answer: First of all, test it the way you use it. You’d be surprised how many people just come in and flop down on their backs, says Cox. “If you’re a side sleeper, you need to test the bed on your side, and on your stomach if you’re a stomach sleeper.”
Think about a trial run. Custom Comfort and Tempur-Pedic are two companies that let you try the new hay in your own home. “If you’re experiencing shoulder pains you might need a less dense bed in order to release pressure,” says Cox. (For those of us who are not mattress connoisseurs, “less dense” just means softer.)
 Zeke Cox says to test out a mattress the way you really sleep, even if that means “on your stomach with your legs folded like a frog.” |
Some of us might still be under the impression a firmer bed makes for a better night’s sleep. But, Cox says, “no one’s back is shaped like a piece of plywood,” and so a more plush shape can actually help support the different curves of the body.
Expect a whole array of options. Spring, latex and Tempur-Pedic are three of the main types to choose from, and prices vary widely. If it’s a traditional spring mattress you’re after, expect a higher price tag on models with more material in padding and quilting.
Bottom line? Trust your own sensations. “The best bed in the store,” says Cox, “is the one that’s right for you.”—Suzanne van der Eijk
Here’s a book with some serious local relevance. In Contemporary Country, renowned stylist Emily Chalmers has created a book that aims to seamlessly blend urban living with country style. Think rustic wood dining table with stainless steel chairs coming together to create a relaxed, calm, Western Zen look.
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Apart from some slightly patronizing suggestions about standing in fields listening to nature, her advice is sensible and aesthetic. The focus is as much on small details as on the bigger picture, so even if your home isn’t festooned with wooden beams and of barn-like proportions, the advice still applies.—Lily Robertson
Local botanical artist Lara Call Gastinger is a subtle master of leaves, roots and delicate tendrils. As this watercolor, Swiss Chard, demonstrates, she’s also an adept channeler of the aching beauty found in plants that are decayed or otherwise less-than-picture-perfect. Lovely chaos: an apt description of—and adornment for—your average real person’s home.
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Shoppers who recently said au revoir to the French antiques and homewares shop 2 French Hens at 100 South St. (a.k.a. the “pink building”) can soon say buongiorno to the Italian ceramics and farm tables shop Verity Blue. Mark Cave, who owns Verity Blue along with his wife, Victoria, tells us that Verity will decamp its current location at the Main Street Market in favor of the South Street digs on or before July 1 and that Milano, the couple’s espresso and gelato shop next door to Verity, likely will land there as well. The pink building will not actually be going blue as far as exterior paint goes, but Cave says he’ll improve exterior signage for the building’s somewhat confusing façade.
 Mark Cave of Verity Blue. |
Another Downtown shop that’s moving really far away—to virtual reality, in fact—is Penny Lane, which currently is located at 214 Ridge St. Owner Penny Latham has decided to “semi-retire” from the bricks and mortar manner of selling her antiques, art and unique gifts. She’s closing the shop for regular business effective June 1 and will instead offer her inventory online at pennylaneshops.com. Latham says she’ll also continue to market her own “altered and found object art” at two Virginia galleries: Willow Place in Richmond and Kilmarnock Antiques Gallery in Kilmarnock.
Finally, all the schmoozing with government dignitaries in Charlottesville’s French sister-city Besançon seems to have trickled down to the design business. This April, two Besançon-ians—Thierry Marquis and Laurent François—opened a branch of their France-based interior design firm at 1108 Little High St. and specialize (natch) in interiors with authentic French flare.—Katherine Ludwig
One of our favorite find-it-in-every-junk-store items is the ubiquitous blue Mason jar. Sure, it’s a humble, mass-produced item, but that turquoise color dresses it up so nice, and looks as fresh today as it did when the jars were made (as far back as the mid-1800s). Here are five ways to put it to work in your rooms:
1. Fill with wine corks
2. Use as a vase for casual flowers like daisies or peonies
3. Make it into a soap dispenser by adding a pump
4. Use it to collect pennies
5. Put tealights inside to dress up your dining room
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This month’s surfer: Jose Giron of The Consignment House
What’s on his browser: worthpoint.com
What it is: A go-to site for info on antiques and collectibles. You can buy ‘em, sell ‘em, chat about ‘em, and just read about their history here. Oh yeah, and you can figure out how much they’re probably worth—as in, will that old perfume bottle in your attic bring a few hundred bucks, or enough for a cheap bottle of pinot?
 Jose Giron |
Why he likes it: Giron says he often turns to worthpoint’s research library in particular for object prices and descriptions. We also like the articles on specific topics, like antique coins or Marvel Comics.
Around this time last year, we decided to paint our roof. This was no idle project; the old roof, a standing-seam metal affair painted silver, was showing rust in many places and needed a layer of protection to keep it from a rapid decline. Serious business—and the job itself was, too.
Before we could even think about breaking out the brushes, we had to power-wash the roof. This, of course, meant renting a power washer, which in turn meant renting a big pickup truck to be able to drive the machine home. My husband ascended (fortunately, we got as hand-me-downs both a tall sliding ladder to get onto the roof and a “chicken ladder” for crawling up to the peak) and sprayed the whole thing down as I manned the kill switch on the washer. As it turned out, power washing took a whole Saturday, so it was Sunday before we could prime.
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Roof paint is very thick, and our primer, like the top coat, was a nice dark red. Sunday, we climbed the ladders together and got started painting. We worked out a system where one person used a brush on the standing seams while the other rolled paint onto the flat “pans” between seams; we shared chicken ladder duties and did our best not to fall. Our house isn’t big, but this turned out to be about a nine-hour job, and the sun reflecting from the roof gave each of us a pretty sweet tan. It was a day worthy of several margaritas (when safely on terra firma, of course). A few weekends later, we climbed back up and put on the top coat.
Though we have plans to someday paint it yellow, our house is blue for the moment—with a red roof. Yeah, so it looks like a flag. You got a problem with that?—Spackled Egg
Is your bath getting to look like the last place you should go to get clean, even when you just scrubbed it? Actually, it is possible to get it refinished. All tubs—acrylic, fiberglass and cast iron—can be refinished, at significantly less expense than installing a new one. Refinishing can be done on-site and a standard bathtub can be refinished and ready to use in 48 hours.
It is possible to D.I.Y. your own tub, but it’s an epic procedure. You’d first cover your entire bathroom, except for the tub, with plastic sheeting and masking tape, scrub and sand the tub ‘til it gleams and is smooth, then don a respirator mask and goggles to apply the mixed enamel with a roller. Most professionals say it’s extremely difficult to achieve a smooth finish with the roller, and the chemical isocyanate necessary to ensure decent, lasting results is slightly toxic and therefore tough for amateurs to acquire.
 There is help for a spotty tub. |
If you still desperately want to do it yourself, try armorpoxy.com for a complete kit. Otherwise, there are a number of professional refinishers locally. Try K&K Associates (977-8774) and they’ll refinish your tub for around $450 and provide a five-year guarantee.—Lily Robertson
“Our Realtor suggests we do some touch-up painting on the exterior and hang baskets of flowers on the porch. I am reminded of the saying ‘lipstick on a pig.’ We move our furniture away from the walls to make our rooms look bigger. We now have enormous rooms with furniture piled up in the center.”—from the essay “A Seller’s Notes,” by Chris Bachelder
Cranking the central air yet? We all know it’d be better not to heat up the planet just to cool our houses. Here are the best strategies for minimizing your house’s solar gain in summertime, courtesy of Reed Muehlman, a designer with Bushman Dreyfus. This way, you won’t need to put that dial on 10.
 Keeping sun out is the cool way to avoid running an air conditioner. |
If you’re building or remodeling, ask your architect about:
*Building location and orientation. “From the beginning, you are controlling what is essentially a natural thermostat,” says Muehlman, through decisions about which direction a house faces and where it sits on a site.
*Eaves and decks. The larger the eaves, the more shade they give. A second-floor deck can protect the first floor and provide a hangout.
*Windows. “It’s really easy to say, ‘I want a lot of glass, I want that view,’” Muehlman says. But big windows can let heat in, too. Low-E glass offers some protection.
If you want to cool an existing house, look into:
*Shade trees. “Think of the mature height of the tree before you plant it,” says Muehlman, lest you shade your garden as well as your house.
*Blinds, curtains, or shutters. Choose insulating blinds, opaque or translucent curtains, or shutters depending on your space. “To have open glass but closed shutters is a magical quality,” Muehlman says.
*A pergola or trellis. “In Albemarle it’s the grape arbor,” Muehlman says—in short, any structure that supports a leafy vine that will give some shade and, as a bonus, food.—Erika Howsare
If you’re a regular Green Scene reader, you might remember the Hinge House, the first LEED house in the country built by high school students—specifically, young builders at CATEC, in partnership with the Gaines Group, a local architectural firm. The project provided challenges for both parties, but it’s paid off. In April, the Environmental Virginia Conference presented the Gold Medal Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award to the group. (The City of Charlottesville and UVA also received honors.)
 The Hinge House, built by high school students, is now officially award-winning. |
Working with a high school budget was daunting for the Gaines Group, but donations from Benjamin Moore and Pella Windows and Doors eased costs. Says Gaines Group designer Adrienne Stronge, “It really taught us that green design can be done for any budget.”
The student learning curve proved another small challenge: Since students learned as they built the house, the project schedule expanded a bit. (And really, what building project doesn’t?) On the upside, the next generation of green builders learned best practices and will take those skills to market upon graduation. Gaines says it hopes to work with CATEC again.—Sarah Jacobson
It’s a bummer when apparently green products turn out to have hidden troubles. BuildingGreen.com recently published a notice that a University of Texas study has shed new light on some common building materials that were supposed to be environmentally friendly—cork wallpaper and perlite ceiling tiles among them. Although these materials are “biobased,” when they interact with naturally occurring ozone they can actually form VOCs, which green products are supposed to help us avoid. Research carefully before you buy.—E.H.
What’s the next frontier for LEED? The gold standard for enviro certification is getting into the remodeling game. The U.S. Green Building Council has just released an instructional manual for “environmentally preferable” re-modeling and renovating your home.
Based on the assumptions that remodeling means many things—from re-painting a hallway to gutting a kitchen—and that no two projects are the same, the USGBC has stuck with a comprehensive guideline, called REGREEN, rather than a certification. Practical suggestions for the average eco-minded homeowner range from paint choices to weatherizing strategies.
 Doug Lowe and other local green builders will be absorbing the REGREEN remodeling guidelines into their already-green practices. |
Local builders, including UpStream Construction and Artisan Construction, have been following green practices for some time, and plan to absorb the USGBC guidelines into their repertoire. Doug Lowe, owner of Artisan, predicts this document is just the first in a new wave of green re-modeling initiatives that will be appearing online, and says he plans to methodically adopt these green principles as they arrive. Translation? When it’s time to rip that bathroom out, you’ll have more and more ways to do it green.—Lily Robertson
What is summer without the requisite afternoon picnic? This summer, treat the ubiquitous picnic guest—Mother Nature herself—more kindly with these green tips.
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*Choose your favorite greenscape, nearby vineyard (eight vineyards lie within 10 miles of Downtown), or romantic spot by the river and go local for the menu. Select fruits and veggies from the farmer’s market (Tuesdays at Forest Lakes 4-7pm, Wednesdays at Meade Park 4-7pm, and Saturdays Downtown and Scottsville 7am-noon), but be sure to ask about the farm’s location and spray protocol.
*For fancier fare, visit the Main Street Market. Local cheese from Feast!, a fresh baguette from Albemarle Baking Company, and some Gearhart’s chocolate will satisfy the greenest palate. Finally, toast to your pint-sized carbon footprint with a local beer (Starr Hill) or wine.
*Pack reusable plates (bamboo, recycled or biodegradable plastic work well), flatware, glasses, and cloth napkins.
*For those uninvited guests, mosquitoes, try Avon’s Skin-So-Soft bug repellent (an alternative to DEET) and chemical-free sunscreen from Burt’s Bees or JASON Natural.
Your summer picnic is now a brighter shade of green!
Check out Better World Betty’s local green-living resource list and blog at http://betterworldbetty.com.
By the numbers
That’s the amount of pesticide applied to lawns, shrubs and trees around American homes each year, according to Grist.org’s book Wake Up and Smell the Planet. Guess where it goes? Into groundwater, lakes and streams, where it causes algae blooms and other mischief. Can you skip the chemicals this summer?
Question for Bates McLain, general manager of Spray and Wash: What are the best ways to maintain a wooden deck?
Answer: The biggest mistake people make when cleaning a deck is using bleach, says McLain. “It breaks down the lignin, which holds the wood fibers together, causing the wood to fall apart within six months.”
Using a power washer is the way to go, and if you tackle it yourself, “It is better to use lower pressure or else you run the risk of ripping the wood apart,” says McLain.
 Lay off the bleach! It’ll crumble your deck, says a local expert. |
Getting rid of leaf piles tucked away in corners or nestled against table legs is a must. Says McLain, “The moisture and acidity of the leaves can leave a dark stain on anything.”
Once the deck is clean, maintenance gets a lot easier after a seal is applied. McLain suggests solid colored stains that are oil-based, such as Olympic products. The resin seals cracks in the wood caused by the swelling and drying from rain and other weathering. “Don’t over-apply it though; it’s not supposed to be shiny like some people think,” McLain says.
If you decide to hire a pro, remember that every deck is unique and factors apart from wood type and size affect the cost. “It gets very complicated because there is so much about the condition of the deck,” says McLain. “If someone gives you a quote over the phone they will probably charge you too much or end up doing poor quality work.”—Suzanne van der Eijk
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Seemingly pink and abstract outside, Derry Moore’s book of photographs, Rooms, has an interior as full of Old World charm and decadence as you’d expect from a photographer whose other job is being the 12th Earl of Drogheda. The pages are filled with photographs of stately homes from across Europe, and interspersed with anecdotes about owners as eccentric and unique as the rooms they inhabit. This book is an adult fairy tale: an aristocratic fantasyland of tapestry and chandeliers to fall into once in a while when real life gets too plebian.—Lily Robertson
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It’s a lamp! It’s a candle! It’s both, in a way. Spotted at Glo on the Downtown Mall, this small lamp gets its lumens from a bulb, not a flame, but the quality of its light is due to the shade’s being made of wax. You can choose whichever base and shade lights your fire.
If you want to feed yourself and your family, reduce the number of bugs in your yard, and find a good home for your food scraps, consider the humble chicken as a backyard pet. Chickens have been domesticated for thousands of years, and whether bred for meat or for egg production, they have all been bred to stick around, eat our castoffs, and return to the same roost or nest each night. Whether living to make eggs or make the dinner table, chickens can thrive in just about any yard, so long as you provide shelter, water and a predator-safe pen. To find out more about chickens, check out backyardchickens.com. If you aren’t the do-it-yourself type, find fresh birds at the City Market or ask your grocer for uncaged, grass-fed whole birds and bird parts.
 Chickens are named for the cooking methods they’re best suited for: broilers for quick cooking, roasters for longer cook times. |
All hens will lay eggs, whether or not they are fertilized. Around 10 weeks of age a hen will weigh between three and five pounds and is called a “broiler” because the meat is tender and suited to quick cooking methods. Most pullets (young hens) begin to lay eggs around 6 months of age; at first their eggs are small but nutrient-dense, and they will increase in size and frequency as the bird builds her skills. After eight months or so, birds are called “roasters” because their meat has enough fat, texture and flavor to stand up to longer cook times. “Tough old birds” contribute rich collagen, fat and flavor to stocks and stews; it is said the secret to Matzah Ball Soup is broth made with chicken feet (and plenty of schmaltz, which is chicken fat).—Lisa Reeder
Flavored with the memory of a sweet trip to the Caribbean, this easy recipe from La Taza Coffeehouse should help you sail away.
4 chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup good spiced rum
2 tbs. honey
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt and pepper
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Mix lime juice, rum, honey, mint, garlic and seasonings. Add chicken and marinate for at least one hour. Grill until caramelized on the outside; chicken should be cooked through by this point and still juicy. Serve with slices of lime and mint sprigs as a garnish. Serves four.
 Shears let you disassemble a bird and use some parts for stock. |
While turkey and Thanksgiving may merit a carving set, the weeknight chicken gets roasted whole or it gets the kitchen shears. Shears make it easy to buy a whole chicken and cut it apart, then marinate it and cook it to your liking. Not only is this the most economical route; you will also end up with a variety of pieces to choose from, and the main “frame” of the chicken can be used to make chicken stock or frozen for future stockmaking. Look for shears that twist apart for easy cleaning—but make sure you know how they go back together! The Seasonal Cook (seasonalcook.com) carries a variety of shears, including Poultry Shears by OXO that have a slight curve and additional length for larger birds.—L.R.
Now that daffodils have faded we are faced with the telling dilemma of what to do with all that lush foliage. Whack it down immediately? Twist and tie it into cunning little braids or loops? (Gardening personality hint: If you have the time and patience for this, you might also enjoy training little topiary Christmas trees out of rosemary, sculpting fanciful hedges from privet or holly, or fussing about with hybrid tea roses.) Or shall we let it lie?
Those of us who pick the latter will score at the other end of the personality scale from the braiders and whackers. But in this case, as in so many others, there’s a genuine horticultural rationale for taking it easy in the garden. As long as leaves are green, they feed the roots for next year, so premature removal (along with constriction with rubber bands—ouch!) starves and stresses the plant. Noted Batesville gardener Cid Scallett religiously waits until June 10 to clean out what has not already melted away from the 10,000 daffodils he nurtures in his woodland garden.
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Proper placement makes it easier to leave the foliage up longer. A drift of 50 to 100 or more bulbs naturalized in a lawn cries out to the turf lover to be cut with the first revving of the mower lest unsightly tufts mar the smoothness of the sacred sward. Better to spare the sensibilities of the lawn people and avoid the Mohawk look by concentrating masses of bulbs along the edges of turf instead of right down the middle.
In perennial beds or mixed borders, once reedy daffodil leaves begin leaning over, just bend them gently down along the ground in between the other plants that are coming up and let them rot into the soil. Hostas, daylilies, ferns and sedums are helpful in hiding decaying bulb foliage.
Lawn people, obvious control freaks all, can take a lesson from the daffodils and try to restrain themselves from scalping grass below two inches. Turf grass is made up of multitudes of individual plants, each of which is desperately trying to produce chlorophyll with its leaves to feed its roots. Give the little guys a break.
Our prolonged cool spring gives with one storm and takes away with another. The groundwater is recharging, the creeks are running and it was a good long season for Virginia bluebells and bleeding hearts, but the zinnia and nasturtium seeds just sit in the cold soil, the tomatoes haven’t grown an inch and high winds tore the azaleas into confetti.
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Cool wet weather is the perfect incubator for the dreaded dogwood anthracnose, a fungal disease that causes reddish-brown splotches on leaves and twigs and can eventually destroy the tree. Spots restricted to leaves are less dangerous, but if you see small twigs and suckers drooping and discolored, you’ve got trouble.
Plant new dogwoods in sunny open spots with good air circulation and don’t spread the spores by pruning during wet weather. Wait until mid-summer or mid-winter to cut out suckers and crowded branches if necessary. Keep a generous mulch ring around the trunk, at least out to the edge of the branches, to keep mowers and weed eaters from nicking the bark.
This will be the third summer I’ve mulched the vegetable/cutting garden with newspaper and straw and I can’t imagine doing it any other way now. Regular rows of plants and seeds best suit this method. A few sections deep of newsprint wetted down and topped with straw pretty much eliminate weeding and add to the soil as they decay over winter. What could be easier?—Cathy Clary
Hens-and-chicks is the pet name for small succulents in the Crassulaceae family, which grow close to the ground in leafy rosettes. Care is easy, with over-watering being the most damaging mistake. Otherwise, well-drained soil and lots of sunlight are all these plants require. They have a high tolerance for heat and drought so can be ideal plants for patios or terraces during the summer.
Hen-and-chicks are entirely self-propagating. The “chicks” will remain attached to the “hen” plant until removed, and once removed they will begin the process again. It’s worth encouraging chicks, as adult plants rarely last for more than three or four years. Mature hen plants herald their own demise by flowering dramatically before dying.—Lily Robertson
-Let daffodil leaves ripen
-Keep an eye on dogwoods
-Recycle newspapers to garden
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You’ve probably seen this house; it begs to be noticed by drivers coming down the steep bend on W. High Street. The stucco exterior is a break from your more typical brick and vinyl, and it gives the place a slightly Old World vibe. (Prosecco, anyone?) Everything stands out here—from the carefully groomed plantings to the details on the second story dormer.