Muck About

A Man Named Pearl

I think this will be the documentary to see this year.  This world could use a lot more Pearls!

A bigoted remark dissuades Pearl Fryar from moving into a white neighborhood. Told “Black people don’t keep up their yards,” Pearl creates an extraordinary topiary garden that conveys his philosophy of Love, Peace and Goodwill.

Opening in Seattle, August 1st (see schedule below for other cities.)
SIFF Cinema
321 Mercer Street at 3rd Avenue, McCaw Hall
In the heart of Seattle Center's theatre district
Show Information: 206.633.7151

View the Trailer.

COLD SPRING, N.Y.: The Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, a preservation project of the Garden Conservancy, is the subject of a new feature length  documentary film entitled A MAN NAMED PEARL. The film will have its nationwide launch at the Angelika Film Center in New York City on July 18th, 2008.

A MAN NAMED PEARL is about Pearl Fryar, an African-American man who challenged stereotypes by creating a garden paradise on his three acre yard. With no formal training and limited resources, Pearl takes throwaway plants from a local nursery and teaches himself the art of topiary gardening.

Told in a candid and often humorous way A MAN NAMED PEARL opens both hearts and minds and is an expression of Pearl’s genuine belief that anyone can rise above obstacles and social barriers.

The schedule to date is:
May 23 (pre-release) WASHINGTON, DC - Avalon Theatre
SANTA FEE, NM- The Screen
June 13-16 (pre-release) DETROIT, MI – Detroit Institute of Arts
July 18 NEW YORK, NY - Angelika Film Center
July 25 ENCINO, CA – Laemmle Town Center
IRVINE, CA – Regal Westpark
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – Regency Laguna Niguel
LOS ANGELES, CA – Laemmle Music Hall
PASADENA, CA – Laemmle One Colorado
August 1 PLEASANTVILLE, NY - Jacob Burns Film Center
SEATTLE, WA – SIFF Cinema

 

Jeff Gillman Goes to Beaverton

Here I am again, jealous of Oregon’s Get Gardening series.  This month’s guest is Jeff Gillman author of The Truth about Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawbacks, and the Bottom Line and The Truth about Gardening Remedies.  I’ve read the latter from cover to cover and enjoyed Gillman’s writing style and the slue of information packed between the paperback covers. I even reviewed it.  I ordered my copy of the former after hearing it was as good as his first. 

I’ve gardened most of my life organically.  I’ve made a few bad choices along the way--using Round Up one year and metaldehyde-based slug bait another time.  I stopped when I found the benefits did not outweigh the harm I was doing to the land.  Not too bad considering the 33 other years, I gardened organically.  However, there are organic gardening practices that also raise my eyebrows.  Especially ones that is dangerous to the user.  In addition, some organic practices are a useless waste of time, resources and money.  Therefore, when Jeff Gillman writes a book about it, I take notice.

If you are in the Portland area, I recommend you check him out at this event coming up this Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m., Powell’s Book Store at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., in Beaverton.

For the rest of us, we will just have to be content with buying his book or checking it out at the library.

Red Pig Tools

Finally, they’re online!  Here in the Northwest, this gem of a business makes hand forged garden tools.  Although you can’t order their long handled tools, you can certainly find every other tool available through mail order.

These tools make great gifts for gardeners.  My first introduction came when Lisa Albert wrote about them in her article "Dig This!".  I had the chance to visit them in 2006 and bought a wonderful shovel from them.  I wanted to buy almost every tool they offered, knowing it would be hard for me to visit them again.  Their country store is four hours away and located out in the middle of nowhere--Boring, Oregon.  Of course, with 1000 tools to select from that would have put a serious dent in my pocketbook. I envied those who lived in Oregon and their easy access to quality, hand-forged tools.

I am tickled to see them online and I already see a few too many tools I want.  They promise to add more to their online presence. I’m doomed!

Red Pig Tools

Mama’s Day—Big Day for Flowers

Mother’s Day almost rivals Valentine’s Day for giving flowers to a favorite lady.  Only instead of your sweetheart, mama receives the bouquets and living plants.

Traditionally, my child and husband usually give me a hanging basket of flowers.  Sometimes fuchsias, other times New Guinea impatiens.  Both baskets are perfect for our east-facing porch.  The plants receive morning light and afternoon shade, ideal conditions for these plant choices.

This year my gift was an Anthurium for inside the house, although its beautiful foliage will be welcome outdoors for the summer once it is acclimated.  Unfortunately, the tag doesn’t tell me which cultivar it is.  A member of the Arum family, they originally came from Central and South America.  I grew these in Hawaii where they are a popular plant for the cut flower trade.  I won’t be cutting mine though; I will enjoy the long lasting flowers on the plant.  When our unseasonably cold spring ends, it will live outside for the summer; the large, heart-shaped foliage is lovely in the garden.

What we normally think of as the flower is actually a rich-hued, modified leaf, referred to as the spathe.  Both male and female flowers grow on a tapered spike that rises out of the spathe.  A sterile band of flowers separates the females from the males. 

Plant Bits

Here are a few tips to help you in your garden.

Acidic Soil

Acidic soil sometimes is deficient in magnesium. When this happens, it is better to add dolomitic lime, which will increase the pH level and add the deficient mineral. Use Epsom salts if the soil’s pH level is at or near neutral, when magnesium levels are low.

Coffee Grounds in the Garden

With many coffee houses and espresso stands giving customers spent grounds, it has become a popular compost material. There are several things to consider when using grounds in the garden.

Coffee grounds add nitrogen (2 percent) and small amounts of phosphorus (0.3 percent) and potassium (0.3 percent). When applying, sprinkle on top of the soil; do not incorporate it, as it will tie up nitrogen while it breaks down, just like any uncomposted vegetative matter.

Many believe that spent coffee grounds are acidic and using it in the garden will lower the ph level of the soil.  In reality once it’s brewed the grounds become neutral.

Coffee appears to have allelopathic chemicals which will inhibit the growth of some plants, including many weeds. Lettuce benefits from coffee grounds; however, tomatoes, ryegrass and wheat are negatively impacted. Using grounds after they are composted will insure plants will not be adversely affected by coffee. Use care when using them fresh in the garden bed.


Beer Fertilizer?

Sure you’ve heard some “self-proclaimed” garden experts give advice to use beer for fertilizer on lawns and in the garden. I sometimes wonder if these “experts” come up with creative garden concoctions after consuming a few too many. Yes, beer has vitamins and minerals in it, which in larger amounts might prove beneficial to plants. Yet, beer contains alcohol, which in worse case scenarios can cause plant death or leaf burn. At the very least, alcohol stunts their growth.

Instead of using liquor products in the garden, save the beer for human consumption. Buy a quality fertilizer (organic being the best choice), or make your own organic fertilizer that is formulated to feed plants what they really need and want.

Wallingford Garden Tour in Seattle

I love the Wallingford District and to visit private gardens there would seem like a slice of heaven on earth. I am going to try to make this tour that sounds promising.  It may prove tough to get to all ten gardens in one day; but I am up for the challenge! Maybe we'll bump into each other?

The Wallingford Garden Tour slated for June 1, 2008, from 10am to 4pm. features ten beautiful gardens.  The self-guided tour also has a bike-safe route for bikers who would rather pedal the Wallingford District in Seattle.  It will be exciting to find all the hidden gardens in this community, from lush to secret gardens for only a 15 dollar donation.

Tickets are on sale at the Wallingford Neighborhood Office.  You can also purchase your tickets ahead of time by calling 206.632.3165 or at the businesses listed below.

• Wallingford Neighborhood Office - 2100-A N 45th St (Behind Tully's on N 45th @ Meridian Ave)

• Emerald City Gardens - 4001 Leary Way NW

• Ravenna Gardens - University Village

• Season's Nursery - 1051 N 35th St (between N Albion Pl and N Woodland Park Ave)

Be there, or be ordinary.

A Primrose by Any Other Name

I didn’t imagine it; this plant has bloomed nonstop since February.  On top of the rock wall in my entry garden, the tiny flowers are still hanging on stems well above the foliage where it grows under a wide spreading plum tree.  The silver-laced primrose, Primula polyanthus ‘Penumbra’ has tricolored flowers edged in white, gold centers, and a dark maroon red that is so dark it almost appears black.  Whoever named this perennial ‘Penumbra’, looked at the flower and imagined an eclipse of the moon.  I can see that…sort of.  No matter what inspired the name, I am enamored with this sweet primrose.

RSG Celebrates Ten Years on the Web!

 

It’s official; Rainy Side Gardeners is celebrating ten years on the web.  Hard to believe it’s been that long and shows how fast time flies when you’re having fun in the garden or when gardening on the web.  West Side Gardener Travis Saling, a past associate of RSG, wrote a bit of history of how we came to be a regional gardening site for the Pacific Northwest.  Well-wishers sent e-mails, and I gush on the anniversary page.  I am so proud our baby is growing up!

 

Drip Watering Systems

Today while watering the oodles of potted plants waiting to go in the garden, I thought about the energy I spend doing this chore daily.  Last year, I attended a lecture where Kym Pokorny demonstrated how to set up a drip irrigation system for containers.  She made it look simple enough that my intimidation about the project decreased.  This year I want to put in drip irrigation so I can stop doing hand-watering chores.  Yet every year I say I am going to do this and it isn’t done.  How silly for me to procrastinate when putting in a watering system would be fantastic.  I’d have more time for weeding, planting, and even moments for lounging in the garden.  We are making a holding area for flats of plants to help ease the watering chore.  Even better is put it on a timer and walk away.

Since I am such a n00b, the next few weeks I am researching what I need and the best place to purchase the system. Do I want a kit, or put it together myself? What’s the best timer and many other questions I need answers to.

Close for Comfort

Sometimes when I am busy, I forget to be creative when I photograph my favorite subject, flowers.  It’s the result of being in the illustrate mode for too long.  Yes illustrating is creative too; however, sometimes you have to put in too much information Today I changed all that, went out, and played with the camera.  Here are the results.