Recently I received a catalog of some of the most beautiful glass houses I’ve ever seen.   They’re made by a company called Hartley, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, and they are absolutely gorgeous, any grower’s dreamhouse.  Approved by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, they’re built with light aluminum frames that allow plenty of natural light to illuminate the spacious interiors.  Take a look at this Victorian Classic model:

Victorian Classic Planthouse, by Hartley Botanic, Inc.

As you’d expect, these greenhouses are not inexpensive.  My catalog lists a price range from around $16,000 all the way up to $58,685–and those are special offers.  Still, you get what you pay for, and these houses can be customized to serve as a garden room or a contained environment for specific growing needs.  Check out www.hartleybotanic.com for more details and illustrations of other models.

Have you made out your Christmas list yet?  I’d like to add a house to mine!

cheers,

Lynn

www.LynnCoulter.com

 Here’s the buzz:  the humble honey bee has gone missing from our gardens lately.  In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a shortage of our fuzzy, buzzy little friends, and fewer of them are visiting our fruits, flowers, and vegetables for the pollen that they turn into rich, sweet stores of honey.  Researchers think the bees are disappearing because of a mysterious problem known as colony collapse disorder.  Entire hives can die out overnight, and no one knows why, although scientists theorize that the bees may be suffering from deadly mites, viruses, or simply the stress of being moved around as farmers rent out their hives to pollinate crops in distant states. 

Does it really matter?  Wouldn’t a bee-free picnic be nice for a change?  No, no, no.  According to Robert Brewer, an Agricultural Extension Coordinator for Towns County, GA, bees pollinate about 85 to 90 percent of our food crops here in the U.S., crops worth $15 billion each year.  We need the little guys, especially in California, where most of our almond crop is grown.

The good people at Haagen-Dazs are feeling the pain–not from bee stings, but from the lack of bees.  According to an online article in The Christian Science Monitor, Haagan-Dazs uses  a million pounds of almonds a year in their frozen treats, so they’ve launched a campaign to raise money to help. They’re testifying before Congress for research money, selling a special honey-flavored ice cream, and even sending break dancers dressed like bees to perform across the country.  How much more serious about bees can you ”be,” so to speak?  

Want to help?  Haagen-Dazs is also sponsoring a contest to design a half-acre honeybee garden for the  Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at the University of California, Davis. Anyone can enter, but the deadline is Jan. 30.   One limitation:  you have design a year-round garden that costs no more than $65,000 to install.  This is a terrific publicity opportunity for landscapers and designers, and who knows?   The sponsor might even throw in some of their delicious honey-flavored ice cream!

To learn more about bees, wing your way over to the flower show on Jan. 30 to hear Jim Quick, of UGA, give us the “Bee Buzz.”  He’ll have tips for planting a bee-friendly garden, and on using organic practices to avoid harming bees with harsh sprays and chemicals.

Until then, save a bee.  Eat some ice cream!

cheers,

Lynn

www.LynnCoulter.com

                              Back in the Victorian Age, flowers were filled with meaning.  A man who gave a woman a rose might never say a single word, but the flower in his trembling hand spoke volumes about his love and passion for her.   Other blossoms symbolized other feelings.  Sunflowers meant pure, lofty thoughts, while violets indicated faithfulness.  Rosemary was for remembrance, and clover, good luck.  But woe to you if you received a bouquet of marigolds, which signified pain and grief,  or yellow carnations, which showed rejection and disdain.

Even today, roses still mean romance; garlic stands for strength and courage (perhaps to fight off vampires, as in all those B-movies); and snow-white daises speak of innocence and trust. 

Have you ever wondered what your favorite flower reveals about you?  Flower Magazine, one of the sponsors of the upcoming Southeastern Flower Show, has a free, short quiz on their website this month, and you’re invited to take it, just for fun.   Simply visit http://www.flowermag.com/quiz/quiz.php?quiz=flower-quiz .  I did, and guess what kind of flower I am?  (Hint:  see the picture at the top of this page.  Irises, it seems, symbolize intelligence, competence, and independence.  Hey, I’ll go for that!  I wouldn’t feel quite the same, though, if I’d come out as a prickly thistle.)

Flower Magazine debuted (or ”bloomed”) back in the spring of 2007, and since then, each issue has been packed with info and tips about all things flower-y.  There are how-to articles to give you the skinny on making fabulous flower arrangements, and profiles of artists who portray flowers in every kind of medium.  There are gorgeous photos, tips on unique wedding favors, flowers, and food, and more.  After you take the quiz, browse through the website and dig around in the archives, where stories from earlier issues have been stored for your use.

Enjoy the ”Which Kind of Flower Are You?” quiz.  There are no right or wrong answers–just a fun look at your “hidden” flower personality!

Any blog that focuses on passion, which of course is the theme for the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show, has to mention Monteen McCord, who is absolutely, passionately devoted to all things wild and wonderful.  I met Monteen several years ago, while buying sunflower seeds for our backyard cardinals and chickadees.  She was seated in the middle of the store with a crowd gathered around her, everyone trying to see the enormous Great Horned Owl perched on her gloved arm.

The owl, I discovered, was Sam, and he is Monteen’s constant companion when she speaks about protecting wild creatures and preserving our natural world through her non-profit educational organization, HawkTalk.  Based in Atlanta-based, HawkTalk works to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned and injured wild birds, especially hawks, falcons, and owls.  (You can see more about the birds at www.hawktalk.org)

Monteen took Sam in when he was an owlet, after he tumbled from his nest in the woods and was found by some well-meaning hikers.  Sadly, he can’t be released because he now associates food with humans, so he’s joined a group of permanent residents in Monteen’s  rural backyard.  She’s permitted to keep and rehab migratory birds like Sam, thanks to her federal and state licenses, and to her standing as a Master Falconer. ( There are only a few thousand Master Falconers in the U.S., and only a handful of women who hold that hard-to-earn title.)  

Monteen, also known as ‘teen, is crazy about her feathered family, but she’s also a fine photographer and passionate gardener.  You can see some of her snapshots at the top of this post.  Thanks for sharing, ‘teen.                                             

                On a sadder note, Mina, ‘teen’s beloved red-tailed hawk, and her companion on visits to schools, wildlife centers, and other groups, is seriously ill at this writing.  Monteen has been at her side throughout the night as a veterinarian who specializes in raptors tries to figure out what is wrong and how to help.  Monteen, we’re thinking of you and beautiful Mina, hoping she recovers and continues her good work with you.    

Mina, a red-tailed hawk, Monteen's friend and companion

Don’t forget to send your garden pictures to the Southeastern Flower Show.  Just email your jpgs and your name to inkycreek@gmail.com  We want to know: how do YOU bloom?

cheers,

Lynn

It’s not everyday that you learn to make raspberry jam alongside the retired captain of a nuclear submarine, listening to Captain Nemo-like stories of the dark and briny deep—but I did.  My chance came a couple of years ago, while on assignment for Delta Air Lines’ Sky Magazine.  My editor wanted a story that combined travel and education, and I found my subject in a catalog for the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C.

The catalog was packed with classes on every kind of art and craft, from basketry to blacksmithing, metalwork to music, painting, woodcarving, quilting, and more.  Two courses that caught my eye were gardening and cooking.

I drove to Brasstown and spent a fantastic week living at this Danish-style folk school in a beautiful mountain setting.  The submarine captain was just one of many friendly people who also came for a relaxing yet educational vacation. 

We learned to preserve, or “put up,” mouth-watering, organically grown foods from the school’s garden.  We picked raspberries for fresh, thick jam and gathered tiny, sugary-sweet ”Matt’s Heirloom” tomatoes, along with green beans, cucumbers, squash, and peppers.  Our group worked together in a huge, well-stocked kitchen to preserve Meyer lemons; can Dilly beans; process spicy salsa; cook up chow-chow, and more–and we took our goodies home with us at the end of the week.

The not-for-profit folk school is a wonderful place to learn about both gardening and cooking, and if you’re looking for a gift for the person who has everything, a certificate for one of its courses is bound to be a winner.  You can find out more about the school at www.folkschool.org

But what if you or your friend-who-has-everything can’t spare a week or even a long weekend?  Problem solved.  Come to the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show for a day, or for several days, when it opens next Jan. 28.

You may not sit beside someone who regales you with tales of the deep, but you’ll hear from floral designers from across the country; great chefs and popular authors; brilliant designers and experienced landscapers.  And when you’re sitting in the audience for a lecture or demo, take a look around, and consider chatting up your seat-mate.  Who knows who you might meet?

cheers,

Lynn

www.LynnCoulter.com

I fell asleep last night to the sound of rain, always a pleasant lullaby–until the weather got intense, and the rain began to pound against the roof.  I started to picture our gutters overflowing and all my good garden topsoil floating away down the hill. 

Still, after years of drought, rain is always welcome here.  Besides, it reminded me of that Prince song, ‘Purple Rain,’ which in turn made me think of one more blue flower I want to tell you about.  It’s  Viola ‘Rain Blue and Purple,’ an AAS cool season award winner in the bedding plant division. 

Viola

This sweet little Viola earns its name for its unique coloring. The blossoms appear in very early spring, slowly transforming from purple and white to purple and blue as they age. Only a few other varieties, the developer says, have this rare color-change characteristic.  Best of all, ‘Rain Blue and Purple’ is said to be both cold and heat tolerant, so it should last well into spring in our area. It’s new for 2009, so look it for it soon.

cheers,

Lynn

Remember The Color Purple, by Alice Walker?  In a memorable line from the book, a character says that God doesn’t like it when we walk by a field of purple flowers without noticing them, because He wants to share the good things He has made. 

Lo & Behold Blue Chip Buddleia (Photo courtesy of Proven Winners ColorChoice)

I’m crazy about purple flowers, and I do notice them.    But there is one color that’s hard to find, even if you’re looking.  It’s a shade rarely found in nature:  the color blue.

Developers and growers have labored for years to develop true-blue irises, roses, and other flowers, but it’s still difficult to find varieties that bring that elusive real-blue hue to beds and borders.

That’s why I’m excited to tell you about the upcoming release of Lo & Behold ™ Blue Chip, the first true miniature Buddleia.  Earlier this year, it placed second  at the Royal Horticultural Society Buddleia trials in England, and it’s coming to U.S. retail stores this spring–soon after the flower show.

This is a beautiful plant with fragrant, nearly non-stop blooms and a compact growth habit.  And we’ve got some advance pictures right here for you to see.  Enjoy!

A container planting of this new, blue Buddleia (Photo courtesty of Proven Winners ColorChoice)

cheers,

Lynn

Mike McGrath, passionate organic gardener and tomato fan

No offense, but –leave your Lima beans at home when you visit the Southeastern Flower Show on opening day.  Why?  Because keynote speaker Mike McGrath, host of the nationally syndicated public radio show, ”You Bet Your Garden,” hates Lima beans with a passion, that’s why.

Hey, we’re cool with that, Mike.  After all, the theme for the 2009 show is passion, and that intense emotion doesn’t always mean you love something. You can passionately hate a certain flower or veggie, too!

Luckily, Mike is passionate in a positive way about many other garden delights, like the tomatoes pictured in his cartoon.  He’s also crazy about organic gardening, and he’s eager to teach you how to raise your own bountiful organic harvest.  Don’t miss his keynote lecture, “A Passion for Nature:  The Seven Secrets to Successful Organic Gardeners,” on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m., or his workshop that afternoon at 2 p.m. 

If you’re got a lust for Limas, and you think you raise the most lucious legumes around, feel free to stop and talk to Mike while you’re at the show.  Ask him to give yours a try. 

Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.

cheers,

Lynn

visit Mike McGrath at http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/index.html

then visit me, your passionate Master Blogger, at www.LynnCoulter.com

Do you get sticker-shock when you buy groceries?  Fresh produce is always pricey in the winter, but with the current economy, fruits and veggies are more expensive than ever. 

But when times get tough, we gardeners dig deep, if you’ll excuse the pun.  If you’re planning to feed your family from your garden next year, I’ve got some great ideas to help you save money and eat well.  Just check out these three 2009 All-America Selection (AAS) winners, which have been announced recently.

'Lambkin,' the Christmas melon (Courtesy of 2009 AAS winners)

First, there’s ‘Lambkin,’ a gourmet melon to grow in the ground or containers.  These oval-shaped beauties have a sweet, aromatic white flesh with a wonderful flavor. The genus name is Cucumis melo L., and one common name is the Christmas melon–appropriate for this season.   

Another AAS winning vegetable is ‘Gretel,’ a pure white, elongated eggplant.  Again, this is a great choice for container gardening, and it’s early to harvest.  Yum…plan on slicing, marinating, grilling or sauteing these tender-skinned, sweet-flavored “eggs”.

Last but not least, ‘Honey Bear’ squash is a 2009 AAS winner.  This acorn squash tolerates powdery mildew, a big plus for those of us living in the hot, humid South.  Yet ‘Honey Bear’ produces into the cooler temperatures of fall, and it’s even compact enough for small gardens.  It has won raves for its sweet taste and high yield.

Now, my post is entitled, Plants for Pennies–so what do these plants have to do with saving money?  They’re all available as seeds, so you can purchase them now for sowing and transplanting next spring.  

Want to know more about growing delicious foods for pennies?  Watch this spot. We have so much more to tell you, and so many great speakers and gardeners to learn from at the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show!

cheers,

Lynn

Master Naturalists explore the plants that grow in wetlands, forests, and more--like these cattails in a bog.

Most of us have heard of the volunteer training program that allows you to become a Master Gardener here in Georgia.   Administered through county offices by the UGA Cooperative Extension Service, it’s a wonderful educational  opportunity.  Once you’re certified in horticulture and other areas, you pass on your knowledge by helping to train others.  Since its launch in 1979, the Master Gardener Program has certified thousands of Georgia gardeners and spread to 100 counties.

But did you know about the Master Naturalist Program (MNP)?  It’s new to me, but it sounds like a terrific next-step for Master Gardeners who are ready to expand their expertise. 

The MNP is hands-on training about the environment.  Students might explore swamps, wetlands, bogs, forests, mountains, urban landscapes, or whatever natural features surround them.

Weekly classes are offered by the UGA Cooperative Extension Service and the Warnell School of Forest Resources.  Birding, agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and native plants are just a few of the topics covered.  

If you’d like to learn more about the MNP, please visit  http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/faculty/html/mengak/gmnp.html or contact Dr. Michael T. Mengak, State Coordinator for the Georgia Master Naturalist Program, at 706-583-8096 or mmengak@forestry.uga.edu.

Butterflies, medicinal plants, tree identification: the Master Naturalist leaders are ready to ignite your passion, just as we are here at the flower show!

cheers,

Lynn

P.S.–if you’re in the Douglasville area tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 6, stop by Borders Books in Arbor Place Mall and say hello.  I’ll be signing my new book, Mustard Seeds: Thoughts on the Nature of God and Faith, as well as my first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds.