Then and Now

I took photos of quite a few of the old posters that were on display at the Jacksonville Children's Museum when I last visited the kids. I have these on the desktop of my computer and they pop up every now and then.   The display was an interactive one meant to show the children what life was like back in the 30-50's when war efforts overseas and troubles at home due to the depression were causing hardships to families everywhere. As much as things change, they stay the same don't they?

I think this is one of the things that drew me to the nursery business to begin with and what continues to make it a life that I want to wake up to every day. When you help someone build their first vegetable garden, plant that first seed, turn that first shovel of compost into the ground - you are planting something inside yourself also. Success can be spelled in so many different ways. Sure, money is one of them, but fortunately for me, it hasn't ever really been an important part of my life. Success this last ten years has been measured for me by the smiles on the faces of fellow gardeners when they harvested their first crop of carrots, or built that first trellis that withstood the winds of our valley, or got that rose to bloom and thrive in the desert. Success is taking a bag of soil and creating a living world under the ground, planting a small 4" tomato and harvesting enough at the end of summer to freeze 20 gallon bags of marinara sauce. Yeah, I guess you could say, after all these years, I still love what I do.

This second  poster brings up another class that we have planned for the nursery this season. If you would like to contribute ideas and recipes we would love it. I never learned this particular skill as a child, or adult - but I have a few friends and fellow gardeners that are absolute experts on canning. I will keep you updated on the date, but it will be sometime late summer when the bounty of the garden is overflowing. Perhaps a "Best Pickled Beet Contest" is in order????? See you in the garden soon, Susan

Sharing little joys

My daughter Sara is wonderful about sending over little links that she thinks might help me at the garden center - and life in general. Yesterday she forwarded one over that sent me down a path of link clicks that lasted for over an hour. While I don't usually HAVE an hour, the injury to my shoulder has forced me to take a back seat in the outdoor gardening department. Instead, I am filling some of that time with gardening ideas and reading. So - here is a little something I picked up today,  Sharing your bounty, houseplant style.

A couple of weeks ago one of our fellow Flower Tree followers dropped by with some begonia cuttings that were from her GREAT Grandmothers garden. Just the thought of this little plant having been alive for longer than I have somehow just fills me with joy. If you already have begonias you probably already knew how to propagate them and share, but since this was my virgin plant, I thought I would share. And share I will, a leaf off of this plant as soon as it is mature enough to do that. Mine is still in water as you can see here, another injury issue - I have plans of getting help potting it up this coming Sunday. And when it is big enough to take a cutting off and sharing, I have just the person in mind who will get my first one. Are you out there??? Is it you? Happy Soil Day, Susan

Driving through town on a Sunny day.

Wondering what some of the plants and trees that are blooming right now around town are?

Flowering quince has found a perfect spot in front of Churchill Stations. Even though this shrub loves the full sun, tucked into the northern spot here it seems to even bloom well in the shade.

Tucked under the vintage car at Farmers Insurance you will find huge clumps of daffodils, although when I went inside to say Hi and tell them why I was taking pictures of the truck I was told that the majority of them find their way onto Mark's desk.

Look for this beautiful little flowering plum out front of Mayor Tedford's office. Over the next couple weeks watch this area as all the crab apples that are planted close to this tree start to bloom.

What can you say about the forsythia blooming on both sides of Berney Realty, BREATHTAKING!

Another fine specimen of a flowering plum found on the south side of Nevada State Bank, this one I think is a 'Blieriana'. All you have to do is get close and get a whiff of the blossoms to know that the bees will have a field day in here. Plant one in your yard if you are trying to get more pollinators to visit.

And the last one for this week, judging by how many we saw when we drove around town, probably one of the most "over planted" trees in Fallon was found in front of Sandwinds. But, how do you argue with a tree that not only takes all the harsh weather we throw at it and still shows up every year with beautiful blossoms, amazing shade and incredible fall color. What do I say to flowering pears, PLANT ON!

next week: hmmmmmmm what is blooming now: TO BE CONTINUED

The River Rises

The Carson River will start to rise this week, and now we will be able to see it, thanks to the marvelous effort of a few great friends. A couple days ago I happened to mention to Mike and Rose when we were back looking at the River Garden how it would be great if we could actually see the river that is just on the other side of the picket fence. Next thing I knew Rose was "volunteering" her husband Dave and his 2 chainsaws, and Mike was offering to help him clear a path so we could at least see a 10' section or so. They started in at 9am Sunday morning, and by noon not only the 10' section, but the entire width of the River Garden was cleared, raked and burning in a neat little pile down by the waters edge. The TCID (Truckee Carson Irrigation District), for those of you that don't live here in Fallon, is getting ready to release water into the river from upstream any day now so it was imperative if this was going to happen, it happen fast. Who knew!!! just how fast it would be. A huge THANK YOU!! to Dave and Rose Faulk, and Mike McLain for making the already serene garden even more beautiful.

10 Days in my Garden

Amazing what 10 days difference can make in the garden when you live in Northern Nevada. Just a short time ago, this was the view out my bedroom door onto the deck. Early morning I got up to witness once more the white covering on my trees. It was a warm day though, so it didn't stick around too long. Just enough to give us more of that much needed moisture. My favored spot for afternoon reading took on a new meaning

and then early this morning.....

Slipped on my shoes, draped a shirt over my shoulders and walked outside to the beauty of the plumcot tree in the side yard to take some shots for today. The tree is so filled with blossoms we will be taking some off for sure so as not to break the branches this year.

I even got my fountain going yesterday. What a beautiful sunny day it was to get this going.

In between these last 10 days we also unloaded all the Spring shipment of evergreens from Oregon. HUGE thank you to my two helpers Cody C. & Cody M. My tulips I put in pots last Fall are coming up like gang busters. The perennials beds are popping up in abundance. So fun to see all the little tiny things I planted last Fall coming up all over the place. Ten days - life in Northern Nevada. and on a personal note, Happy Anniversary to my dearest.

37 years ago we started out as kids - and the fun just continues.

Life with a hampered left wing

What parts of the chores in the garden world can be completed with one arm? I am finding out this month as I sit here and await the surgery that is scheduled for my left shoulder. Turns out that lifting trees and bales of compost are not so good for parts of your body when you reach the AARP crowd. I have always been a careful person regarding lifting, I thought. I lift weights and walk/run in the winter to stay in shape for the spring season that hits the garden center business like thunder, and I eat right and get lots of needed sleep. Well, maybe not rest - my husband would say, but I do get sleep. I do yoga on a semi-daily basis, just as much for my peace of mind as the strength of my core. So when my shoulder started to ache a few months ago I just put it on the back burner part of the brain and didn't worry to much about it. Figured out that if I just babied it a little all would be well. Turns out a 3" tear in your rotator cuff does not heal on it's own.

So, in a few weeks you will still find me at the nursery, but I will be the one behind the counter dispensing my best "Garden Words of Wisdom". I just won't be out loading any more trees or bales of compost for awhile. See you there, Susan

Spring Forward!

Well as much as I positively hate losing an hour to daylight savings, I have to say - SPRING FORWARD - sounds pretty darn good about now. I went on a nature walk of my own today around the Sparks Marina. http://www.cityofsparks.us/living/parks/marina/ It is a two mile path around the whole lake and what a lovely day to do it. The air was crisp, the mountains in the distance to the west were covered with snow, the clouds many and a few drops of rain even touched my cheek. The marina has a lot to offer for a horticulturalist nerd like me. I was on my walk with a friend who's husband is one of Bob's partners on his dual sport dirt bike rides. We had spent the night at their home at the marina and as we leashed up their two labs to go with us I was thrilled that such a beautiful path is basically right out their front door.

So many varieties of trees surround the lake I could not even keep track. Pears, plums and crab apples just to name of few of the varieties that will be covered in blossoms soon from the looks of their heavily swollen budded branches. With temperatures predicted in the high 60's this coming week, possibly even 70! Spring Forward really is appropriate. Amazing cotoneaster hedges overflowing the retaining walls, wonderful burning bush lining a large part of the path. I am going to go back soon, just to see everything again when it is all leafed out.

If you have the chance, skip part of the time you might have planned for the Legends Shopping center or Scheels, and take the short walk west to where the path starts. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Stop and sit on one of the many benches and tables provided, sip on a cup of coffee from the vendor right there and enjoy the day. It is a beautiful park, right smack in the middle of the city. And yes, the dogs thoroughly enjoyed it too.

When we got home mid-afternoon I walked around the yard to survey what the wind damage was from the other day and to take note of my own flowering trees and shrubs. Tree limbs and twigs were thrown about and covering parts of the garden, but my branches are just as ready to greet the upcoming Equinox on the 20th of this month as the ones were at the Marina. And the best part of my stroll around my own garden, these beauties were also here to surprise me. First ones for me this season...ahhhh SPRING FORWARD - yep, See you soon, Susan