Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Open-Line Garden Show WILL be back!

Due to technical difficulties experienced at 105.1 Ed FM, the Open-Line Garden Show will be back in its regular time slot next week, August 4, 2012 from 8 am - 9 am.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Illegal Front Yard Garden! -- Check Your Local Bylaws First!

Illegal Front Yard Garden: Canadian Couple's Kitchen Garden Targeted by Authorities

Take a look at Josée Landry and Michel Beauchamp's gorgeous front yard kitchen garden in Drummondville, Quebec. The cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinis, beets, onions, and brussels sprouts and other vegetables grown by the couple helped Beauchamp lose 75 pounds, and Landry 25.

The only problem? It's illegal.

Read more:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/illegal-kitchen-garden_n_1687558.html

Check your local bylaws first!


Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens

The Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens is also on the Buffalo Garden Walk.  As I walked up the central walkway it took me back to a stormy February day at Kew Gardens with my future wife.  The house design is from the the same period, shape and style, whitewash and all.
Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens Entrance
Looking from the Entrance back to the road


Saturday, July 21, 2012

Buffalo Garden Walk Mini-Tour Weekend

Last weekend Bruce & Ken Brown went to Buffalo for a mini-tour of the Buffalo Garden Walk that takes place on the weekend of July 28-29, 2012.  Wow!! did they have a jam packed mini-tour, just like Bruce likes.  You have to drag him out of the garden but only for great food.

Julia Child Rose in the  Olmsted's Delaware Park Rose Garden
Here's were they went Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, the Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens, Olmsted's Delaware Park Rose Garden and Japanese Garden--at the History Museum, National Garden Festival's Front Yard contest--Crowley Ave & a whirlwind mini-tour tour of the Buffalo Garden Walk.
Olmsted's Delaware Park Rose showing fountain

Stone Walkway in the Japanese Garden at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society Museum
Islands in Japanese Garden at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society Museum
Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens
Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens


















Ball Seed Co. selections in Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens
Ball selections in Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens   

Monday, July 9, 2012

Fiskars Cut+More Scissors




Fiskars
is a global supplier of consumer products.  The company was started in 1649, so when I say I like reliable, dependable, practical and long lasting, I am not just talking about their tools, it is the company as well.  One of the many Fiskars tools that impress me is their new garden scissors.  There is no gardener in the world that would not find a practical use for the Cut+More Scissors.  First they come apart for easy cleaning and sharpening.  The single coated side of these scissor acts as a knife or a pointed awl.  Whether separate or assembled with its other half it has a twine cutter.  The coated blade is a knife on one side which at the handle end is serrated, the other side of the black side is a curved scissor blade, that when put together captures and cuts woodier stems.  These scissors also contain a wire cutter and tape cutter.  It also has the all important bottle opener for when I sit back with a Stella and admire my handy work.  Should you ever dull the stainless steel blades it comes with its own sharpener built into its black protective sheath.  The thought and design of the Fiskars Cut+More Scissors is indicative of why this company has been around so long and will continue to do so.

--
Bruce

Friday, July 6, 2012

June in the Garden


These are the Golden Honey Bunch tomatoes in our garden.  They were eaten about 2-3 weeks ago.  I am waiting for the rest of the green tomatoes to explode in our garden, along with the rest of the tomatoes.  No more buying tomatoes for this household!!

The Vegetable Garden!
Well we might as well say the tomato garden as most of whats in the garden is tomatoes. This picture was taken about 2-3 weeks ago and they have grown more since then.  There are hundreds of little green tomatoes waiting to explode in our garden!!   Roll on the heat!!

The strawberry urn is looking fabulous with the Honey Bee petunias trailing over.  I must say I was skeptical when Bruce first planted the strawberry urn, but boy does it look great!! 

Strawberry Urn planted with Honey Bee Petunias

  Gardenia from PC Lawn & Garden Event looking great!!

 The pink of the Tricolour Hibiscus in full bloom

Our instant water garden.  The juncus  died over the winter!! so what's left is the King Tut. 
It looks great in the new container we bought for it.

Turkish Orange Eggplant.  
Must find a recipe for these, they are exploding in the container!!

City of St. Catharines Daylily.

Echinacea 'Sunset'


Thursday, July 5, 2012

One Mans Trash - Part 2

 This must be the year of getting rid of aluminum sun/shade shelters.  Either people are getting rid of them because they don't want them any more or they are so flimsy that they fall apart in a windstorm.

Bruce hoofed it down the street again to bring back these panels that actually ended up being hinged.  Bruce put them together with zip ties and this one has been put over the clematis obelisk.  If he took the clematis off the obelisk there would be nowhere for the clematis to climb.

The other one is on the other side of the yard and it is decorative only.
Clematis with Obeslisk inside


Decorative only

Decorative only


Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Father's Day 2012

Dad Man Myth Legend
 Father's Day was Sunday, June 17, 2012.  The girls saw this mug at the Hallmark Card Store at the Fairview Mall & decided that Dad had to have this mug for Father's Day. 
No this year he did not ask for, or get manure!!

Happy Father's Day!!

First Coffee of the Day with his new mug!!