Just plant it

This is why we often advise you to put things in the ground as soon as possible after purchasing them. These lilacs were starts that were given to me by a fellow gardener that she had dug up from her own yard. Don't you just LOVE  it when people want to share their gardens??? Anyway, I have had these since this last spring. One made it into a nice comfy spot by the shurmardi oak, and the other......well let's just say it hasn't found a home yet. The one on the left was pretty much exactly the same size as the one on the right when it went in the ground last April. So as you can see, it has quadrupled in size while the one on the right has pretty much done nothing. Even with daily water and monthly nutrients.

Sometimes you just don't know where they are going to go. This was exactly what happened here. I didn't know where I wanted to put a shrub that could possible get 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. A common lilac shrub could easily do this. So, I planted one of them, and tucked the other one into my "I will put that in the ground when I decide where it will be happy." spot. In other words, underneath the shade of the raised herb garden. In other words.............out of site...out of mind. I looked at this one quite often though, and as the weeks stretched into months that I still hadn't found it a home it started to turn into this experiment. Since I knew that they were both the same variety/size etc when given to me, I kept an eye on both of them to see their progress. Now here it is almost fall and it will go in the ground this week. I am anxious to see if it catches up to it's partner next year.

So, here is my little piece of advice, PLANT IT WHEN YOU GET IT, unless it is 105 degrees and the sun shows no sign of relenting. Then it is always a good idea to wait until it cools off before putting them in the ground. Living things want to be where they are comfy. Us under the shade of a nice big tree, plants in the ground...with a little bit of food and organics so they can stretch their roots. On another happy note, this is the sunset tonight.  See you in the garden, Su.

clouds...they make me happy

Embracing the past

Many have been into my office at the nursery and been temporarily mesmerized by the south wall. Filled with photos, posters and other memorabilia, over the years it has turned into a  somewhat of a giant scrapbook page. If you have worked at The Flower Tree, odds are....you are up here. Weddings, graduations, birthdays and just plain fun days....all are here. As I move into this next few weeks before permanently removing and packing up all of these memories, I  thought I would share a few here.

  

  

 This poster has hung on the office wall since shortly after September 11, 2001. While on our way to England for a garden tour, the tragic occurrences of that day stopped our trip and we stayed in San Francisco for a few days awaiting a way to get back home to Fallon. During those days, Charmaine and I wandered the eerily quite streets of the city and found ourselves in a little shop down in the Haight district. The principle behind the little non-profit store, tucked in behind another, was to promote peace throughout the world. This poster was one of many items they had for sale to fund their efforts. It has hung on my wall since our return and over the next 12 years I found strength and humor in it on many a day. It just kind of sums up The Flower Tree too, except we romp on the floor with our cat....sweet Harriet.

Harvesting Hops

Just one more thing on my long long list of what I love about gardening. You can always find something new to plant and experiment with. This last year it was hops. What a beautiful plant. I have been thrilled with the way the vine covered the west side of the gazebo this year. It provided wonderful shade in the late afternoon on the sunny hot days we had in August. The plant has been in the ground two years now, and last year, it's first, didn't really do much of anything. Thinking back now I even wondered if I should just quit watering it and yank it out. This year it exploded with growth....and hops. Now it is time to harvest and dry them. Since this is the first year for me, I did some research and below are a few of the best sites I have found. I will let you know how this project comes out when they are dry. And....since Bob doesn't brew his own beer, anyone need/want some hops???

http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.3/montell.html
http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2011/07/drying-hops-at-home.html
http://sroc.cfans.umn.edu/People/Faculty/VinceFritz/Hops/HopDrying/index.htm
http://barlowbrewing.com/2009/08/08/simple-and-basic-homegrown-hop-drying-1st-harvest-of-2009/

Harriet's NEW home

This one is a little long......

Harriet will soon have a new home. My home, where I spend my evenings and all the waking hours that I am not at The Flower Tree. No, she is not ill, or lonely...quite the contrary. She is probably going to be extremely upset with me for taking her away from all her social commitments and obligations.

You see, I have sold this little piece of the earth known as The Flower Tree. I know this may seem sudden to many, but trust me.....this has been a well thought out year long process that will culminate on November 1. I know that there will be a lot of disbelief right now....and questions. Those that have seen me here at the nursery know that I LOVE what I do. I consider myself one of those really, really lucky ones......the ones that get to get up each day, place some clothes on their backs and shoes on their feet and excitedly go off to spend many hours doing what they love. I am thankful every single day that I have gotten to learn about the earth, the flowers, the trees and everything that can help them survive and THRIVE in this extremely hard climate that we live in.

I could spend the next thirty years trying to write about the strong, beautiful, knowledgeable and lovely women that have surrounded me for the last 14 years. Each with their different petals of strength and character that somehow combined to make the most perfect of blossoms. I have been truly blessed.

My other extremely fortunate move. Being married to a man that supports and encourages me to follow my dreams and passions. Many a night the call came in about the gate falling off the front post, the beavers backing up the water well, the pumps exploding on a 105 degree day, the bobcat broken and the forklift stuck. Yes..there were words of frustration, but he fixed it.....and we carried on. I plan to spend the next thirty years, or however many we have left, thanking him. For letting me do what I love, and supporting me even when it wasn't his vision. Especially.....when it wasn't his vision.

This moment in time offers me some new opportunities. The next owners of this nursery bring with them a commitment to the practices we have begun, 30 years of growing experience, and 25 years of retail nursery experience. Trust me please, I leave you in good hands. Yes, I am also thankful to say that you will still see many familiar, and friendly faces that you know and love around the garden. Heck, you will even see me from time to time as I hope to continue with some of the classes, programs and community events that we have developed over the years. Some things change, and others....thankfully...stay the same. As for the majority of time, I am going to set off for new horizons. Expand on some much anticipated opportunities, spend some quality time at our other venture, Red Zinnia, and of course spend some amazing time with the family. I will also continue to do what I love.....play in the garden.  

I am so thankful though, for you. The young and old...and everything in between, that have walked the concrete walkways around the nursery, that have ventured out to the pond and taken some time in Nana's Garden to reflect and relax. Those of you that have been on the verge of covering your entire property in cement, only to come in two years later and tell us what an oasis you now enjoy because of the support, encouragement and vision that we gave you. These are the memories of this last 14 seasons that I will take home with me. But it won't be all I take home, Harriet of course is coming home.......with me.

It's not a goodbye.........it's a "See you soon",  Susan

Some favorites from this month

Loving life

During this past week I turned 58, and also returned from a retreat in Lake Tahoe with some of the most inspiring, powerfully creative, and fun loving women a gal could ever be so fortunate to meet. We hiked, we biked, we cooked, we swam.....we laughed, talked, and laughed some more. These............are my friends. We wear our scars right out there for everyone to see, but more importunately our smiles and triumphs as well. I am so very privileged to have them in my life, and as I turn this new magical number of 58, I hope with all my heart that they will be there for another, and another, and another, and another.....I think you get the picture, but just in case you didn't...here are a few to share. It was a beautiful week.  

 

 

 

Shots from the garden

I venture out many mid-summer evenings with a book tucked tightly under my arm, and a cold drink in my hand, to the chair that awaits me in the side garden after a long but rewarding day at the nursery. Last night was one of those magical evenings, when I wished with all my heart that others were there to share it with me. Because I was alone, I lingered awhile in my thoughts before I just HAD to get up and walk into the house, grab the Nikon, and head back out to the patio to try and capture the moment..... if only for me.

The evenings around Fallon are filled with beauty that others don't always get to see. The sunsets...of course...because after all we are in the desert, and second only to the ocean sunsets are the desert beauties. But the true marvels are the rare times when we have CLOUDS! Lots of billowy white puffy things, filled with the possibility of a little bit of moisture and the feel of fresh sheets on a summer day hanging on the line. This was such an evening. And to top it all .......... a RAINBOW! Something I took for granted on 200 out of 365 days in another world...a long time ago, a rainbow...........ahhhhhhhh!

It's tomato time! "Michelle's Garden Ripe Tomato Pie"

I spent most of the morning pruning on my roses and doing some clean-up but the thrill of the day......I pulled  the first Brandywine off the vine and brought it in for a mayo/tomato/cheese sandwich for lunch. I LOVE IT when the tomatoes start to ripen in abundance. I can eat them at EVERY meal and still want more. Hope yours are coming on nicely too, and remember to do your early morning deep watering. You don't want blossom end rot on those beauties. 

When you start harvesting daily, it will be time for Michelle's recipe, so I have included it here so you don't have to go searching for it like I did. Enjoy!!!

Michelle's Famous Garden Ripe Tomato Pie

1 BAKED 9" pie shell

4-6 large red tomatoes -  sliced  very thick

1 bunch of green onions - chopped

½ cup Parmesan cheese grated

1 crushed clove garlic

Oregano to taste

Fresh basil LOTS - I use the whole leaves - not chopped

2 tbs water

1 tbs cornstarch

1 cup mayonnaise (Do not use "lite" or Miracle Whip)

2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Make two layers of the first 6 ingredients

Mix cornstarch water/ dribble over tomatoes

Mix Mayo and cheese and spread on top edge to edge

Bake 350 for 45min - 1 hour

Oh My Gosh

It's so good, you will wish you made 2 ! ! !

Rockin' The River for RELAY 2013

Once again the River was a Rockin' for a great cause. Thank you to all those that supported us in this great event. From the amazing watercolor poster by Michelle Nelsen, to the promoters and workers at the concert ~ we thank each and every one of you! The band "Yellow Submarine" did an outstanding job of bringing people to their feet and Chef Shale got great reviews on the food (you can find her now at her new restaurant inside The Overland Hotel here in Fallon). We also thank local photographer Kori Meyer's for capturing the evening so beautifully. 

I thrilled to report that we turned over a check from the proceeds for $1243.00 to Relay for Life's Chairwoman Lacy Lehman! This brings us well over $25,000.00 in the last 12 years!!! 

Garden Tour 2013

Some views from this years garden tour. It was a lovely day for a tour ~ heavily overcast, cool and just a sprinkle or two to show us a slight hint of the rain that would come the next day. We want to send out a huge 

Thank you

to the homeowners that graciously opened their gardens to us. 

Bill and Theresa Lawry

Terri and John Sweet / Sweet Farm

Ray and Bonnie Jones

Dave and Sylvia Lumos

Linda Jacks