What’s a Gardener to Do When the Groundhog Sees His Shadow?

Jo Ellen Roe February 3, 2014 0 Comments

snow pic 1 2014

Yesterday, February 2, in celebration of Groundhog day, Punxsutawny Phil came out of his burrow in Pennsylvania, saw his shadow, and darted back in. According to the Groundhog Day legend, that means six more weeks of winter. (Groundhog Day began as a Pennsylvania German tradition in the 18th and 19th centuries. “It has its origins,” says Wikipedia, “in ancient European weather lore.”)

Be that as it may, my goodness, what a winter it has been! Michigan, where Serendipity Gardens is, has had one of the coldest on record, with temperatures well below zero on many mornings. According to Michigan meteorologist Mark Torregrossa, in an article posted at MLive.com,  it may have the most snow cover of any state, with as much as 40 to 60 inches on the ground near Lake Superior. ... Read More

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Three Reasons to Work Toward Making an Eco-Friendly Garden

Jo Ellen Roe January 25, 2014 0 Comments

Butterfly

Reason#1: Bring Life to Your Garden

It’s a heck of a lot more interesting to sit in a garden buzzing with life than it is to sit in a still one. You can watch the birds bathing, see butterflies and bees up close, and count the frogs.

The truth is, if your garden is missing its wildlife, you probably won’t be sitting in it very often, either.

Liz Primeau, a Canadian gardener and author, describes the difference between a lively garden and a lifeless one in her book, Front Yard Gardens. “Esthetics may have been the primary reason I finally dug up the lawn and planted a front yard garden,’  she writes, “but I did have other more lofty considerations. Over the years I’d come to consider our lawn more than merely boring, there seemed to be something wrong with it. The birds and the bees shunned it, the bugs stayed away in droves. There was no movement, no rustling, no chirping Jiminy crickets to leap up in front of me as I passed by on the pathway … ” ... Read More

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The Shocking Truth about the Moles that Tunnel in Serendipity Gardens

Jo Ellen Roe January 18, 2014 2 Comments

Mole 2 - map

Leave It Alone!

Creating a backyard ecosystem is a good thing to do for many reasons. One reason is that you, the gardener, have less work to do. Why? Because someone else does it for you. Thus, an important part of having a backyard ecosystem is leaving the parts of it alone to do the work they are there to do.

Welcome the Diggers

Despite a somewhat shady but largely undeserved reputation, as well as their less-than-beautiful looks, moles like this one are an example of an ecosystem player that provides benefits a gardener wants. ... Read More

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Old Man Winter Is Having Fun in Serendipity Gardens!

Jo Ellen Roe January 6, 2014 0 Comments

It’s been snowing for nearly 24 hours in Serendipity Gardens. This, over an existing layer of snow about six inches deep, makes for a lot of snow! Now, according to The Weather Channel, the wind will pick up to 20 mph with gusts of 35 mph — “blizzard conditions,” says one meteorologist.

I am very glad that most of my family members do not have to drive tonight or tomorrow, and have the resources to stay warm and cozy inside.

Meantime, outside, Old Man Winter has become a sculptor of note. Here are some of his interesting creations. Dinner on the patio, anyone? ... Read More

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Hallelujah! It’s December 21 at Serendipity Gardens!

Jo Ellen Roe December 21, 2013 0 Comments

Calendar

Today is the shortest day of the year. We have reached the bottom of the rolling hill that goes from winter to summer and back again every year. Tomorrow we begin the climb upward. For gardeners, this is an important milestone.

I have several birthdays of loved ones to celebrate in December. But I quietly celebrate on December 21, too. How do I celebrate? I might send a message to fellow gardeners who are also celebrating the day, tweet the “holiday” to all my followers, and perhaps spend an hour or so perusing a favorite garden catalog or website. ... Read More

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