YART taos garden style newsletter

YART taos garden style : newsletter issue xvi march 09 Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows and messenger of the gods, spreads her message of love and hope while cloaked in a multi-colored robe of dewdrops reflecting the stars. She communicates through the rainbows, those bridges between the heavens and the earth. Thus, the Iris is the symbol of communication and the name itself means "rainbow" in Greek. The Iris is featured extensively in art, symbolism, and folklore. Its history is nearly as deep and long as that of humankind, and the attributes of its nearly 300 species could fill pages. We’ll keep it shorter here, but have provided a list of resources for further reading at the end should you wish to learn more. If you want to grow your own, Iris should be planted in July, August or September and they do best in full sun with good drainage. Don’t make a rookie mistake and plant them too deeply; Iris should always be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are still exposed. Overwatering is another common mistake, so be careful not to overdo it. After blooming, cut the bloom stems off close to the ground, trim brown or diseased leaves, and leave any remaining healthy green leaves undisturbed. The Iris comes in many sizes and colors, but all are perennial herbs and showy flowering plants. Cut flower irises are mostly the blues, yellows, and whites of the summer sky, while garden varieties cover the rainbow spectrum of color. While known for their resplendent colors, the sword-like foliage of the Iris is attractive even when the plant is not in bloom. When choosing a cut Iris to bring indoors, select flowers in bud with color showing and keep them cool to extend file:///O|/mar09news.htm (1 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter the life of the flower. “In your neat garden iris grows Bright yellow, mauve - in stately rows. This one you’ve picked’ a lovely thing, I know it brightens up our spring. But in the forest, springtime’s child, A purple iris growing wild, Can melt my heart as spring melts snow, It’s spoilt me for the sort you grow!” - Jude, Wild Iris iris trivia : did you know ? ● ● ● ● ● The artist George Gessert has specialized in breeding irises. The artist Vincent van Gogh painted several famous pictures of irises. Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in New Jersey is a living Iris museum with over 10,000 plants. A flower on the Sphinx is considered to be an Iris, and another appears on a bas-relief of the time of the 18th Egyptian dynasty. Pliny the Elder wrote of Iris cultivation and praised its medicinal virtues. {click} for further reading ... Iris Species A web site devoted to Irises The American Iris Society Historic Iris Preservation Society Iris in Art and Culture MARCH gardening tips The first day of spring blesses us this month on the 20th, and amateur and avid gardeners alike are eager for the new life hiding beneath our fingertips. Follow these steps and your thumb will be green again in no time! Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams flowers file:///O|/mar09news.htm (2 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter ● Come choose seeds from our great selection, and begin starting those tender annual and perennial seeds indoors. Starting seeds indoors in March gives you a head start on the gardening season. ● Trim back your roses this month. ● Continue to reapply any mulch that has blown away. ● The bulbs you planted this fall are getting close to flowering. Now is a good time to give them some fertilizer before they open up. Soluble solutions such as seaweed extract are a good choice. ● Check your stored bulbs and discard any bad ones. trees and shrubs ● ● ● Prune your shrubs and ornamental trees this month before their growth starts. However, don't prune birches and maples until their leaves are fully developed, and wait to prune little flowering shrubs after they finish flowering. If your evergreens get sprayed with salt spray from the street, rinse them gently with water on a mild day to prevent damage to their foliage. It may be spring, but we all know that chances are good we’ll get another storm or two before the warm weather is here for good. Remember to brush snow from evergreens as soon as possible after storms. veggies ● ● ● ● If you haven't done so already, plan out your vegetable garden so you can use your space most efficiently. Plan for some companion planting to strengthen your plants and repel pests--remember, nasturtiums and marigolds repel white flies and aphids!—and don't forget to rotate the vegetables in the garden to reduce insect and disease problems. Prepare the vegetable garden soil for planting by adding well-rotted manure, peat moss, or compost to the soil. It won't be long until you can plant those snow peas, and other cold-hardy vegetables. Read new gardening books. Don’t forget to check the bookshelves at YART for some good finds. Continue to check your stored fruits and vegetables (if you have any left!) and remove and use those which show signs of spoiling. lawn and houseplants ● ● ● Give your lawn some TLC this month. If needed, add some top dressing mix to repair patches that struggled last year, then fertilize with a nitrogen rich fertilizer. Set some of your houseplants outside on the warmest days for some fresh air. Be careful, though, and don’t leave them out too long since we still have some cold temperatures. Repot plants as needed. odds and ends file:///O|/mar09news.htm (3 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter ● ● ● ● ● ● Check your semi-permanent pathways made of woodchips, sawdust, or gravel. Winter can be hard on them and you may need to fill in some holes and smooth them. If you haven't done so already, clean, oil and sharpen your stored tools. If you built some new birdhouses during those long winter evenings, you can put them outside this month. It won't be long before our feathered friends will be looking for nesting sites. Keep refilling that bird feeder, of course. Turn your compost! Continue to save coffee grounds and kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings) for the compost pile. Come hang out with some warm personalities at YART! JOHN DENVER the garden song There's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor's. - Clyde Moore file:///O|/mar09news.htm (4 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter Our Top Ten Easiest Seeds to Start 1. Beans 2. Squash 3. Sunflowers 4. Beets 5. Kale 6. Radishes 7. Tomatoes 8. Broccoli 9. Carrots 10. Basil MARCH CALENDAR 2 Dr. Seuss (author) born, 1904 7 Artwalk at The Taos Gallery 8 International Women's Day Plant a Flower Day Daylight Saving Time Starts 10 Full Moon file:///O|/mar09news.htm (5 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter 14 Learn about Butterflies Day 17 St. Patrick's Day 19 Los Jardineros Garden Club of Taos monthly meeting, 10am, 118 Cruz Alta Rd. Mix & Meet-Taos County Chamber of Commerce HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATRICIA! 20 Spring Equinox 21 Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday (1685) 22 International Goof Off Day 24 Harry Houdini’s birthday (1874) 25 National Family Day 26 Mystery Book Club at Moby Dickens Bookshop New Moon "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson file:///O|/mar09news.htm (6 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter The author herself describes Trowel & Error as a book “filled with the wisdom of friends, family, scientists, and my own lifetime of gardening. It includes over 600 color illustrations, a helpful resource list for everything from heirloom seeds to aerator sandals, and an appendix with directions for many simple garden projects.” Informative, humorous, and with many bitesized tidbits of wisdom for the busy reader, Trowel & Error collects Lovejoy’s homespun garden advice into an inviting, environmentally friendly, whimsically illustrated book that will benefit every gardener. Do you want to learn how to cure plant viruses with spoiled milk, or make your own insecticide out of fresh basil? Or are you ready to repel rabbits with baby powder, garnish yourself with garlic, and shower with your Trowel and Error: Over 700 Shortcuts, Tips, & Remedies for the Gardener file:///O|/mar09news.htm (7 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter houseplants? These are just the beginning of the practical wisdom found in Trowel & Error. In addition, the book is indexed by problem, plant, pest, and solution, and includes a list of tools and common household items borax, cornmeal, vinegar - that completes the gardener's arsenal. About the Author SHARON LOVEJOY is an award-winning garden writer and naturalist. She is also a contributing editor to Country Living Gardener magazine, a frequent guest on HGTV, PBS, and the Discovery Channel, and a lecturer at conferences, botanic gardens, arboreta, and gardening organizations. She lives in northern California and Maine. "The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young virgins into the fields, there in dalliance to set an example in fertility for nature to follow. Now we just set the clocks an hour ahead and change the oil in the crankcase." - E.B. White, "Hot Weather," One Man's Meat, 1944 Got Fairies? To attract fairies, build a special garden just for them. Plant some of their favorite flowers and herbs, add some natural building materials for them to make their home, and then just sit back, wait, and believe. file:///O|/mar09news.htm (8 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter Plant a Fairy Garden Chair Used with permission; credit goes to Karen at www.gardenchick.com Materials needed for your Fairy Garden Chair: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Scour thrift stores, flea markets or the neighborhood curbside for an old chair. Remove the bottom. Chicken wire. Cut two pieces about 12" larger than the opening of the bottom to allow you to form a basket to place the soil and flowers/herbs. Wire cutters Staple gun and heavy duty staples Sphagnum moss Green sheet moss Potting soil amended with compost or rotted manure Fairy flowers and or herbs- choice of plants will depend on where you intend to place your chair. Sunny spots will require sun loving plants and a shady or woodland area will require shade loving plants. Directions for planting the chair. Place the two pieces of chicken wire over the opening of the seat and gently push down to form a fairly deep "basket". Shape the wire over the seat sides and staple underneath being careful to push down any wires. Line the basket with wet sphagnum moss, placing the green mossy side face down and showing through the chicken wire. Cover the wire completely. Staple the chicken wire to the frame, bending it around to the bottom of the chair frame. Be sure to carefully bend down the edges to prevent any sharp wire from sticking your fairy friends. Fill the basket completely with your amended soil and plant some of your favorite fairy plants. Plant suggestions include: HERBS: Thyme: This is a must. Thyme will invite fairies into your garden and it is said that fairies hide their babies under the thyme for safekeeping. Lavender: Lavender is good for all those midnight fairy parties. They can create wonderful lavender infused wine and the scent of lavender is very soothing. Sweet Woodruff: The delicate white flowers will reflect the moonlight for their fairy dances. Lambs Ear: What a soft place to make a bed! Rosemary: Called the elf plant. Fairy lore maintains they are captivated by it. Plant the trailing variety to cascade down the side of the chair. FLOWERS: Primrose: Attracts the company of fairies. Often called the fairy flower. Bluebells: Lures the fairies into the garden to dance Pansies: Created by the fairies from the colors of the sky, (blue) sunset (red),sunbeams (yellow), and brown from the earth. Lily of the Valley: Dainty, bell shaped flowers, perfect for making fairy caps. Forget-me-nots: A pure blue flower associated with many fairy legends. Forget-me-nots represent remembrance. Care of your fairy chair: Like all container gardens, the fairy chair will need to be watered more often. Check daily. If herbs and perennial flowers are planted, they will need to be pruned to keep them compact. Also, your soil will need to be refurbished periodically and new plants to replace the annuals. file:///O|/mar09news.htm (9 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter THIS MONTH IN NEW MEXICO HISTORY March 10, 1862 — The Confederate army marched into Santa Fe to find that the Palace of the Governors had been abandoned, so troops raised the Confederate flag over the Palace. March 11, 1907 — Chaco Canyon National Monument, with its impressive Ancestral Pueblo stone ruins dating back to 1000 B.C., opened under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Recent theories suggest that the complex is perfectly aligned with the seasonal and annual skyward paths of the sun, moon and stars. March 11, 1925 — New Mexico adopted its current state flag. March 14, 1933 — The Legislature created the New Mexico Motorcycle Patrol, but replaced them two years later with the state police because of the number of Patrol accidents. March 18, 1938 — The second Rio Grande Compact was signed by Colorado, Texas and New Mexico to distribute equal water from the Rio Grande Basin. March 31, 1950 — Hot Springs along the Rio Grande officially changed its name to Truth or Consequences when national game show host Ralph Edwards sponsored a national contest with incentives to any community in the nation that would change its name to that of his popular game show. "The sun is brilliant in the sky but its warmth does not reach my face. The breeze stirs the trees but leaves my hair unmoved. The cooling rain will feed the grass but will not slake my thirst. It is all inches away but further from me than my dreams." - M. Romeo LaFlamme, The First of March file:///O|/mar09news.htm (10 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter Dear Soup, While I know it’s good to age like fine wine, my body begs to differ. Can you give me some ideas on how to pretend that it’s still easy for me to push up with my back legs at sun up when I want to go out? I’m worried my human may be getting distressed at my obvious signs of aging. Sincerely, Aging Annie Dear Aging, I can relate to the aches of aging, but I welcome them as physical evidence of the internal wisdom I’ve gained in my years in this physical world. I suggest you do the same. Don’t try to hide your weaknesses, but instead let your human help you out a little bit on those stiffer mornings. (Sausage, belly rubs, and a heating pad do the trick for me.) Remember, you cannot control how your human reacts to your limitations, but can only control how you react to her actions and emotions. Stay mentally strong, keep your heart open, and be authentic you, aches and all. Namaste and Woof, Soup If you have questions you'd like to ask Soup, send him an email at DearSoup@gmail.com. photos from our valentine art show file:///O|/mar09news.htm (11 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter new : eucalyptus bistro sets file:///O|/mar09news.htm (12 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter back in stock : frazier fir diffuser sets bon voyage kayla have an amazing time file:///O|/mar09news.htm (13 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter on your great bicycle adventure! welcome julia, ned, patricia, and casey THANK YOU, Ben & ReGenesis {www. regenesisgroup.com} FIRE TO FLOWERS new works to celebrate spring by Lisa Chun & Ben Haggard Lisa Chun Fine Art & Soulful Gifts 533 Agua Fria Street Santa Fe, New Mexico our new website and online shop is nearly finished! there will be a change in formatting for both our site and the newsletter {don't say we didn't warn you ...} ....................................................................... Writer : Whitney Glenn Photography : Jane Glenn Layout : Emily Bakko to be added to our newsletter mailing list please send us an email back issues : file:///O|/mar09news.htm (14 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM] YART taos garden style : newsletter december 07 january/february 08 march 08 april 08 may 08 june 08 july 08 august 08 september 08 october 08 november 08 december 08 january 09 february 09 file:///O|/mar09news.htm (15 of 15) [7/8/2009 9:35:41 AM]