New Gardening Project: The Wildlife Garden
Not only is the first of August gone, but I’ve missed the 15th, too! It’s been a busy month — and a good one, though.
It’s my birthday month, and I started off with some celebrating and travel to Las Vegas. A highlight? The Neon Museum after dark with sooo many great examples of signage from Vegas history on display. I highly recommend it! Vegas isn’t really my scene, but I went with a dear friend to see Adele in concert — which is very much my thing!
But it hasn’t all been fun and games around here! While I was playing, the garden was doing it’s thing, and I came home to weeds and overgrown beds and all the rest. So, I’ve been working feverishly to get things back into shape. That’s the problem with vacation: the gardening fairies never show up to take care of things while I’m gone!
But the Amaranth and sunflowers that I planted this year are stealing my heart! Both are native North American plants. Amaranth is actually a grain, but the flowers and seedheads are so sculptural and glorious, that they make huge, beautiful bouquets. Add some sunflowers — well, it is spectactular!
My new favorite combination: sunflowers and amaranth!
The Wildlife Garden is coming along beautifully! While I am doing a LOT of weeding, the plants are absolutely thriving. I have started a whole section about the Wildlife Garden here on MidModernMama. Not only will there be information here, but also on HighCountryGardens.com. And, of course, I’ll be doing updates on Instagram as well.
I am so proud of this particular project. I hope you will hop over and read all about it. I often feel pretty gloomy about the state of the world and the enviromental damage we continue to do. But wildlife gardening is so empowering! I am actually doing something that will have a profound impact on the flora and fauna in my neighborhood. And while my one yard isn’t going to change the world, imagine the impact of a hundred yards — or a thousand — or a million… That’s the thing about gardening. It is a tangible, real way to advocate for change without waiting around for other people to take action.
Anyway, I hope you’ll follow along!
Stay cool, everybody! And happy gardening!
Cheers!
Angela
Summer's Sizzle
I hope you are doing well and are keeping cool. So many of you are already suffering in lingering heat. I am so sorry! Here’s hoping for a respite soon!
I can FINALLY tell you about our huge gardening project — if you don’t already know. Last winter I took a garden-planning class with garden designer Kelly D. Norris. It was a wonderful experience, and I am now putting all of his ideas — and a lot of my own — to work in our front yard. This huge transformation which we are calling the Wildlife Garden will ultimately involve more than 1000 plants, nearly 50 species, trees, borders, and more.
My goal: creating a wildlife-friendly habitat for birds, bees, bugs, microbes, fungi, and more. I’ve been gardening for wildlife for years now, but this is the biggest, most ambitious project I have ever taken on.
Those before photos are pretty bleak. Our yard has been a blank slate — just weeds and more weeds and barren soil — for the last six years (and probably a lot longer). But with the help of my sponsor, High Country Gardens, this yard will, over the next three years, be transformed. This isn’t a quick fix. I’m focused on planting native North American plants, and they will take some time to grow in and mature. But I’ll be sharing the whole journey with you both here and on Instagram. So I hope you will follow along!
Ok. I’ve got some weeding to do! Happy July! Stay cool out there!
Cheers!
Angela
Happy June!
Happy Pride Month! All are welcome in this garden!
June is busting out all over! We have had such a rainy, pleasant spring so far. It’s been perfect for planting, and I haven’t even filled the Stock Tank pool yet — it has been too cool!
I have been soooo busy! First of all: if you missed it, the One Room Challenge is over, and our Guest Bathroom is done — flamingos and all! Be sure to check out the final reveal here:
In addition, we have had some HUGE gardening projects underway. I mean HUGE. I will be revealing all soon, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, thinking about your own Stock Tank Pool this year? DO IT! We love ours, and I have a how-to guide to get you started.
And be sure to check out my guide to peat-free gardening. Keeping peat out of our gardens is a small but important step toward being more eco-friendly gardeners. Questions? Be sure to let me know!
As always, daily updates on my projects can be found on Instagram and in my Instagram stories. I would love to see you there, too!
Happy June!
Cheers!
Angela
The One Room Challenge
If you have been following along, the One Room Challenge is occupying a LOT of our time these days as we scurry to finish one bathroom — possibly two.
If you aren’t already signed up for my weekly updates, be sure to do that!
Not only do we have this bathroom renovation happening, but I’ve also planted a brand new orchard! And we are working on finishing the Shade House, and there’s a HUGE new project coming soon that I can’t wait to share.
If you want all of the day-to-day news and updates, follow along on Instagram where I post more current updates — particularly in my stories.
Ok. Back to it! But Happy May Day!
Cheers!
Angela
Peat-Free Gardening Guide
The April newsletter — all about gardening without peat!
Hello, friends! I hope you are enjoying these first few days and weeks of spring. While we have snow on the ground, I am also seeing the first blooms with daffodils and Chionodoxa forbesii both poking up through the snow. I work really hard not to wish time away, but this year I am ready for spring’s arrival in a way I haven’t been before.
Chionodoxa forbesii
And as our thoughts turn to gardening and plants and the warm sun, I have a passionate plea for you: make this the year to start gardening WITHOUT peat.
You may not even realize that you are using peat in your gardening. It is ubiquitous in soil mixes and gardening supplies here in the US. But harvesting peat does irreparable damage to some of our rarest and most productive ecosystems. Peat is a resource which we can not readily replace — it takes thousands of years. And harvesting peat releases carbon into the atmosphere as well.
I have been gardening peat-free for several years now, and I have found that with a little effort, it’s actually not that hard to do. I have put together a guide for peat-free gardening including some of my favorite peat-free resources as well as some soil recipes and a how-to guide for making leaf mould — a free garden resource that many in the US don’t know about!
I encourage you in this month of Earth Day to check it out! And, as always, if you have questions: just ask!
I have some incredible projects lined up for this spring with a focus on planting native species and supporting biodiversity. I can’t wait to share it all with you!
If you aren’t following me on Instagram, check it out! I will be posting regular updates on all of our projects there including my new orchard which we have been working on for the last few weeks. So exciting!
I’m following the pruning methods put forth in the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph. Reaching back more than a thousand years, these methods keep fruit trees small and managable and allow higher-density planting, too. So what you see here are 11 apples, pears, and plums planted in our side yard — less than 30 feet long. And it’s all peat-free! I’ll be pruning some of these trees to be cordons, two will be espalier, and a few others will just be very, very small. It’s a giant science experiment, and our whole family is thrilled to be back in the laboratory.
My next step is the scariest: I have to prune each tree! So that will be coming.
If you are interested in adding some fruit trees to your yard, join my fruit tree group on Retrieve! It’s a fun community of gardeners, and we are working to share our plans and resources with each other. Super cool!
Happy April to you all! Questions about peat-free gardening? Please ask!
Cheers!
Angela
Join our Group!
Thinking about growing fruit trees? Or want to learn more about caring for trees you have? Join our gardening group devoted to fruit trees and their care!
How to Choose the RIGHT Roses!
Plus a great discount at Heirloom Roses!
In our first house in Sacramento we had a tiny yard dominated by a 200 year old oak tree. And in the middle of that tiny yard, a tiny rose bush emerged. I suspect it was a grocery store rose thrown out by the previous owners — maybe even a cutting. I don’t know. But it grew. And it grew. It was planted in a terrible spot, so I moved it. In fact, over the years, I moved it to three different locations. But that rose loved our yard. It grew from a tiny little sprig into a giant bush that clambered over the fence — and might even still be there. The thing is: roses have a reputation for being fussy, but they really aren’t.
It’s truly a matter of choosing the right plant for the right place!
I love roses, and I have a new post all about choosing the RIGHT rose for your yard. AND, in case you needed more inspiration, I also have a great discount for you from Heirloom Roses — my FAVORITE place to order roses!
Use the code MODERNMAMA10 for $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. Good from 3/13- 3/18!
So be sure to check out the new guide to choosing the right roses, and then pop over to place an order for yourself! Spring is coming, friends! I promise!
XOXO
Angela
March without the Madness
In this edition:
New! Growing Fruit Trees Group! Join us!
Gardening without Peat
Pots of Bulbs: It’s not too late!
and more! Keep reading!
Hello, friends! Here we are on the other side of winter. In Colorado March and April are our two snowiest months, but I found my first daffodils tentatively peeking out of the ground this week, so I know that spring is coming.
I have lots of goodness for you to begin your month as we slip toward the Vernal Equinox and the first days of spring.
New Group: Grow a Little Orchard Together!
It all started with an Instagram post. I wrote about the fact that I’m planting about a dozen fruit trees this spring in what I hope will be a small, high-yield orchard on the side of our house. So many people chimed in and said they were going to do the same, that I decided it was time to start a group.
And you are invited, too!
Grow a Little Orchard will bring together gardeners from all over who want to share ideas and experiences growing fruit trees. I’m using Grow a Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph as a guide — a pruning manual to keep my trees very small but very productive. It’s a big science experiment, and I’m excited to invite you along!
Membership costs $5 per month which covers the cost of maintaining the group on the Retrieve site.
You’ll find registration information and everything else on the group page. Click the link!
New! Gardening Group
Whether you are planning to plant a dozen fruit trees or just begin with one, I hope you'll enjoy connecting with other gardeners, sharing resources, and supporting each other in our growing endeavors. Click below to be redirected to my class storefront!
In 2023 Ditch the Peat
As our minds begin to turn to plants and spring, I would love for you to consider my new guide to Gardening without Peat. If you make one change as a gardener this year — no matter how much or how little gardening you do — the best thing you could possibly do is stop using peat. Why? In a nutshell: harvesting peat is a terrible ecological practice, and there are lots of good alternatives. Click the link below to learn all about why and how we as gardeners need to give up peat asap:
Easy Potted Bulbs
And it’s not too late to start some bulbs! I’ve been forcing bulbs for the last month, and they are starting to bloom. Glorious! But pre-chilled bulbs are still available, and if you start them now, they will be perfect for your Easter or Passover tables. Check out my guide for all of the details!
I’ll be starting seeds this month and getting the orchard prepared for trees which will come at the end of the month. So much going on here! And I’m so excited for a little more daylight, a little more warmth, and more time outside.
Here’s to a wonderful March for you all!
xoxo
Angela
February? What?
I’m not sure HOW it is possibly February, but here we are! Yikes.
If you’ve been following along on Instagram, my One Room Challenge which was supposed to be done in November is still NOT. We are waiting. It is infuriating. This is why we DIY everything.
I hope your projects are going better than ours.
And now Valentine’s Day is coming! So here are a few resources for quick and easy decorating and gifting ideas for the day of love!
And if you are looking for a gift idea, don’t forget the Thoughtful Giving Guide — it’s not just for Christmas, afterall!
Budget-friendly gift suggestions for everyone on your list! Lists include:
My Favorite Gifts | Gifts Under $15 | Gifts for Mid Modern Lovers | Gifts for Children | Books to Give Gifts to Make | Wines to Give | Bubbles for the New Year
Here’s to a great month — and some finally finished projects, too!
xoxo
Angela
