Archive for May, 2008

Sunday, May 25, 2008 Memorial Day Weekend

May 23, 2008 at 8:26 am · Filed under Helen's Haven ·Tagged

One the one hand, I wish I could report on what is happening in my garden; but on the other hand, I am happy I can’t because I traveled to other peoples gardens this week.

Thanks to my friend Beth, 20 of us friends and volunteers of the JC Raulston Arboretum toured public, private, and nurseries in the Mountains of Virginia.  The time with friends gushing over gardens and plants was most enjoyable and will remain one of my top ten highlights of the year…I am at 7 now, at this rate, something will have to be bumped, but I doubt this trip will be!


With Andre Viette
Photo Credit Barbara Kennedy

Gardening gals in Virginia
Photo Credit Jayme Bednarczyk

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Sunday, May 18, 2008 Garden Design Doubts

May 18, 2008 at 10:14 am · Filed under Helen's Haven

Shouldofs, couldofs, wouldofs – as in life – so goes the garden. Should I have better thought out my garden design? Could I have waited to pull it off? Would I be happier today?

On a scouting trip this week I saw the garden of my dreams…the garden I always wanted. And I don’t say that lightly. The garden is still young, but this gardener had the patience to plan and wait to get what he wanted. I admire him so much; I cannot even put it into words.

Often times I am blindsided. Lily asks me last night, “Mom, what does the tooth fairy do with our teeth?” Slow on my feet as ever with these deep questions, I tell her she gives them to the birds to increase their calcium intake. Then she wonders how I know this, and I explain that in nature, creatures are naturally conservationists, humans have to make a point to rethink old habits and work at it. Human’s take for granted what the wildlife revere.

I made two scouting trips this week. Pinching myself that this is my job, I hope I never take my job for granted.

Saturday, Raleigh experienced the Tour de Coop – Hen Side the Beltline, chicken coop tour. If it were up to Bob Davis, there would be a chicken (or three) in every yard. My day is coming. Jesse, thank your mom again for giving me those purple poppy seeds from your garden. You have a great coop and I can tell you love your “girls.”

Sunday, my day to spend in my garden, will be filled with rest and wonder – to the chase to chase my dreams.

I leave Monday morning on a great garden adventure. Twenty women form the gardening community, mostly the JCRA, are converging in Charlottesville to visit some gardens. There will be gardeners (all of us are) landscape architects, designers, writers, admirers – all volunteers, it should prove to be a great adventure.

Helen Yoest (Philbrook)

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Sunday, May 11, 2008 – Rain Harvesting

May 11, 2008 at 11:11 am · Filed under Helen's Haven ·Tagged

Bill and I are getting closer a final spec on our “rain water collecting, distribution, and transfer system.” That is just the engineer in me wanting to name a system; in other words we are rain harvesting…still a neat name! As a reminder, were trying to take rain harvesting to a level where we can EASILY transfer the water from the main collector (the house) and move it around the garden either as storage or to use. Putting in the valves wasn’t so bad, although Bill did draw blood doing something only field engineers know to be a bad idea, but we seem to do anyway. After all that, Bill has rethought these valves and will test others on Monday. The pump will also be tested next week.

I am a true believer that there are no coincidences in meeting people. Bill is one of the ones I believe who was put in my path to meet and I am so glad I did.

It has been a good spring in the garden. Such an amazing contrast from last year this time when the drought was officially called. We have plenty of water and I’m happy to report most people realize that we still don’t need to water our grass; but still others do – because they can, I guess. I don’t plan to water my grass and will get a sign to put out when it goes crispy brown that says “Dormant for the Moment.” I am getting another sign to put out that says “Gardens Watered with Harvested Rain Water”.

The week was interesting and I can’t look back to say with confidence that I accomplished something important. I guess it was too mudded with work. However the work was loads of fun. A crew from Better Homes and Gardens was in town to shoot one of my gardens. By one of my gardens, I mean one I scouted and then was their field editor. We had BHG art director and photographer, plus the photographer’s assistant. Working in two different lights, the evening of one day and the morning of another, waiting for the sun between the rain clouds and drops, vying for the perfect shot on top of the SUV, delightful homeowner’s, good food, good conversation and many laughs and shared stories. Perhaps I had such a good time at the end of the week that the beginning of the week was just over shadowed.

After I left the BHG crew, I raced home to host Aster’s 7th birthday sleepover with 4 of his friends. The frogs in the garden were a big hit. As it would happen each boy brought a frog Webkinz as their sleep toy. Hours were spent trying to spy the frogs. As you can imagine, the frogs were out of sight, but obviously egging the children on with their croaking. Let’s just say my flag iris surrounding the fountain base (and blooming beautifully, I might add) are a little worse for the wear.

Saturday, I had the good fortune to have lunch with Amelia and Beth and more of their friends thanking those who helped promote their garden art sale and open garden. A lunch that was to be over at 1:00 reluctantly broke up at 3:30. Many good ideas were cooked with these amazing women. We may be on to something with an idea that was “seeded at the kitchen table, to bloom in the Triangle area.” We’ll see!

Now it is mother’s day…breakfast in bed, flowers picked from the garden, and candy to be shared (of course), this is what it is all about. As an added bonus, we have a gentle rain falling; still gentle enough that I hear the birds chirping. I wonder if I can get my kids to put another pot of coffee on…

Helen Yoest (Philbrook)

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Sunday, May 4, 2008 Helen’s Haven Flower Find

May 4, 2008 at 1:19 pm · Filed under Helen's Haven ·Tagged

I am officially calling my herb garden her best year yet. After years of struggling with French Lavender, I finally went Spanish and I’m calling it a success! The Spanish cannot compete with the French with regards to scent…not even a close second, but I like that it blooms earlier and that is more tolerant to our humidity and rainy spells.

Today, Aster and I are at the shed. He makes the most basic observations that I often overlook. We have a volunteer fig tree next to the Shed; it is about 7 years old now. Our main Brown Turkey Fig is probably 12 years old and it is loaded with figs. The younger one has none, as Aster points out. He says, “Mom this fig isn’t as good as the other one, because the other one has lots of figs on it – ready for eating in a couple of weeks. This one has none.” Indeed! I really like that I have someone to share my garden with. It makes it so much more enjoyable than to garden alone.

This is the time of year when the e-mails are flying back and forth from my editors of the gardens I am preparing to style for Meredith Corporation publications. This spring, I am the field editor for several stories to be published in Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens, Perennial Magazine, and Nature’s Garden. I have known for weeks Better Homes and Gardens would be coming this week shooting a Raleigh garden, but it wasn’t until today as I leisurely “work” in the garden that I realized they will probably stop by here, they usually do. I was going about my business of taking photos, notes, trimming branches off the Scarlet Curls, pulling a weed here and there, mowing the lawn, and planting the new plants I received from a friend – generally puttering in the garden. Then I realize that she is looks good, but is not worthy of showing off. Oh well, I am sure my editors will realize that I am indeed nothing more than a cobbler and my kids need new seeds.

I met with Patrick, my go-to garden handyman and THE one I recommend to those who need to prepare beds, mulch, and trim. We worked out a plan to help me “fix” my back bed. It drives me nuts that kid’s “soccer field” is not true…perhaps I have already shared this frustration in an earlier diary listing. Until it is fixed, I don’t believe I will be happy. Again, today as I mowed, I had to make that north corner of the shape right. We will also make the shape more of an oval and pop some box to reshape the formal aspects of this back bed.

Yes, I am doing this in the midst of national exposure. Again, oh well, what’s a girl to do…I just have to have it right. And so does Patrick. He was here edging these twin beds last week and noticed the imperfection and it drove him nuts too…my kind of guy!

I am happy to report I got both of my 250 gallon rain harvesters’ level and secure. One is hidden behind the Leyland’s and covered with burlap. The main one under the drain spout and is covered with netting from the Army/Navy store. Now, all I need is a new reducing fitting at the bottom to be able to hook up to a garden hose. I think Bill and I will work on that next week.

Plants in the garden that are just coming up or just getting started include:

  • Crinums
  • Echinacea
  • Buddleia Butterfly bushes
  • Rudbeckia Black-eyed Susan’s
  • Crocosmia

Plants in the garden that are waxing include:

  • Climbing fig
  • Rhodos in a container garden
  • Hostas are up. I am surprised I have any at all as much as voles love them. Could it be they are not everywhere yet?
  • Verbena on a Stick
  • Amaryllis
  • Bottle Bush
  • Brown Turkey Fig – full of fruit.
  • Hydrangeas – Oakleaf, Lady in Red, Lime Light, Endless Summer, Nikko blue all leafing out nicely
  • Santolina
  • Clematis – added a new trellis to support it – first flower – purple
  • Passiflora Incarnata Maypop is ready to pop! I have this strong-growing vine in my garden because it is the host plant for Gulf Fritillaries
  • Spice Bush (both Lindera spp. and Lindera spp.) These were a gift from the JCRA and make a nice addition to my garden because they are the host plant to Spicebush Swallowtail
  • Arisaema tripihyllum Jack in the Pulpit
  • Pink Phlox in the mixed border
  • Confederate Jessamine

Plants in the garden that are peaking include:

  • Herbaceous peonies (spp?)
  • Achillea yellow yarrow (spp?)
  • Japanese Maples in full leaf
  • 7 sisters’ rose
  • Spanish Lavender
  • Grecian Foxglove
  • Foxglove
  • Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’
  • German Bearded Iris, purple and yellow
  • Siberian Iris (blue spp.?)
  • Dwarf Iris cristata, Columbine
  • Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’
  • Hardy Orchid
  • Chrysogonum virginianum green and gold ‘Allen Bush’
  • Lavandula stoechas Spanish Lavender
  • Pink Double Knock Rose
  • Cl. Rose Stairway to Heaven with two hundred blooms
  • Tree peony (spp?) white,
  • Sage blooming (spp.?)
  • Edgeworthia – all leafed out
  • Big leaf Magnolia – all leafed out
  • Salix ‘Scarlet Curls’ all leafed out and needing thinning
  • Dianthus (spp.?)
  • Campanula (spp?) – a white variety given to me by Annette Hunt from New Bern whose garden will be in Better Homes and Gardens 2010 Salvia macrophylla ‘Hot Lips’
  • Tradescantia (spp.?) – a volunteer,

Roses in bloom besides the Stairway to Heaven include Honey perfume, Bride’s Dream, Europea, French Lace, Iceberg, Fragrant Wave, Julie Child, Pristine, Sweet Valentine, Pink Peace, Rainbow Sherbet, Black Cherry, and Don Juan.

Plants in the garden that are waning include:

  • Iberis sempervirens Candy Tuff
  • Fringe tree (just added in honor of a friend)
  • Cross Vine
  • Hellebores (seeding)
  • Vinca
  • Ajuga
  • Lady Banks Rose – still a couple of flowers holding on

Voles found my cast iron on the north side where I never had any before.

The frogs are croaking and Aster is so very excited. We don’t see any tadpoles though and Aster is getting a little worried. I think everything is alright, but my little guy is concerned. Hopefully, we can visit with Eliza, the originator of our frogs and get some of her tadpoles. She loves kids and anything and everything to do in the garden…I am sure she will be happy to oblige!

We had a close call with Lily’s guinea pig, Love today. The cage was outside to be cleaned and to give Guinea and Love some fresh air. Lily decided to get Love out for a visit. Love was quick and ran away. “Maaahhhmmmm” I hear from my screaming sweet 8 year old daughter, “Love ran away, you have to get her.” I check out the situation. Love is now in the Leyland Cypress trying to look stealth. Behind him is a 250 gallon rain harvest storage unit so he can only go straight, left or right. He goes left and is quick, but I’m quicker. I got him! Lily is happy that she has Love back and I’m happy for one tiny moment, I could be a hero in my daughter’s eyes. Oh, what we do for our children.

Helen Yoest (Philbrook)

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