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Friday Finds

FRIDAY FINDS

August 14, 2015

I’m on a really good streak with books. I’m reading Dear Friend and Gardener: Letters on Life and Gardening and although I’m only halfway through it (I’m taking my time with it, savoring every page), I just know this is going to be one of those books I go back to and may become one of my favorites. It is just letters between famous British gardeners Beth Chatto (who started the “Right plant in the right place” concept/movement) and Christopher Lloyd of Great Dixter, but it is absolutely fascinating. It also makes me sad that such exchanges rarely happen. I’ll tell you more about it in the future but I can’t keep that one under my hat any longer.

On the completely opposite end of the spectrum I listened to Andy Weir’s The Martian last weekend. This is not something that I’d normally gravitate to but this tale of an astronaut left behind on Mars and forced to survive was compelling and fascinating. There’s a movie based on the book coming out in fall and I assume that’s why the book, published in 2012, is having a revival. I haven’t been so riveted by a book in a long time.

I’m also reviewing a great new coffee table gardening book right now, but I’ll tell you about that soon once I’ve had a chance to really dig in. So far I love it.

In other places around the blogosphere:

New House New Home photo

Heather took a trip to the World Peace Rose Garden in Sacremento and it is gorgeous.

Remember those videos I worked on for Troy-Bilt? Here they are up.
Amend clay soil
Comfrey tea
Crop rotation

Linda has finished her amazing driveway project. Who would have thought a driveway could be this interesting?

I cut back the nepeta that lines the path for the second time this summer. It looks horrible now, but give it 10 days and there will be lovely little balls of new growth. 

Lynne is sharing a list of re-blooming perennials, using one of my favorite tricks. I’m on my second cutting of nepeta this summer and I may get it to bloom again!

Have a great weekend. I can’t believe it’s mid-August already. More savoring the summer on tap for me!

Friday finds nepeta troy-bilt video
by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener 
3 Comments

About Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

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Comments

  1. Heather - New House New Home says: August 15, 2015 at 12:20 pm

    That book of letters sounds fascinating! I'm just about to place an order to Amazon and think I'll add it to the list.

    And Sacramento was lovely. Thanks for sharing it with your readers!

    Reply
  2. Garden Fancy says: August 16, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    Thanks for the book recommendation — another book I will have to add to my incredibly long list of books I want to read! -Beth

    Reply
  3. Ms. Wis./Each Little World says: August 17, 2015 at 1:28 am

    Thanks for the mention. I don't think we expected it to br that beautiful either. Trying to begin planting but too hot to do much before I collapse. I'm reading an annotated version of The Secret Garden and the latest Ken Druse.

    Reply

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The Impatient Gardener

Do you love gardening? Me too! I'm Erin and I garden in Southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. The Impatient Gardener is all about real-life gardening: the good parts, the bad bits and even the funny stuff. It's part information, part inspiration and a little bit commiseration. Thanks for visiting.

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Erin Schanen 🌿 The Impatient Gardener
In a few days ‘Rosy Teacups’ dogwood is going In a few days ‘Rosy Teacups’ dogwood is going to be absolutely spectacular. There are so many bracts!
I just love doubledile viburnums that present thei I just love doubledile viburnums that present their flowers on a serving plate all neat and orderly. This is ‘Shoshani,’ which I got from Classic Virburbums.
When choosing plants for a container I think it’ When choosing plants for a container I think it’s best to start with one “hero” plant. It can fill any role in the container, but it should be the one that’s non-negotiable in your mind. The one you love the most. Then work from there to decide what plants you need to make the design work. For me, and in particular when it comes to this urn in the middle of my patio garden bed, which is a riot of color and texture that borders on chaotic, texture is the key. So I designed this container with an out-of-box hero plant (Lemony Lace elderberry) and then chose a few other plants to create a simple but bold design that will stand out from everything happening around it. See the whole design and how I chose the plants in my video today (easy link in stories).
On the far edge of the property there is an only l On the far edge of the property there is an only lilac that in our 20 years here has done nothing more than produce a few sporadic blooms. The other night I looked out and saw it full of blooms (well, more than it’s ever had) and immediately made myself a bouquet. To be honest they are almost too fragrant. I need to have a window open to have them inside or it’s full-on Yankee candle (an apt description borrowed from a friend). I absolutely love them in this mustard vase from @wakefield_handmade
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