Hit the Links!

We here at Ben's Creek Nursery are all for working in the yard. But let's face it: January is not a good time to be outside. Oh, there are gardening advisors out there pretending that the dead-cold of January is somehow ripe for garden tasks (here and here). But for my money, January is good for one thing: running your central heat bill up as high as it will go. 

So while you sit in the cozy warm of your home, here is a round up of links on different topics that do not demand you do anything right now.

Design your garden for a room with a view:

It happens quite often. Many of us are burdened with unfortunate views. Sometimes a window in a frequently used family room looks out on a garage next door, or a breakfast nook peers into the neighbor’s family room. But with some purposeful planning, it’s easy to transform a plain, or even unsightly, view into a beautiful picture and bring the garden into your home every day of the year.

Flash: a disease triangle is not good for gardens (or anything else, for that matter).

One of the most mystifying things that can happen in your garden is when a plant gets a disease. How did it happen? Will it spread? Will all my plants die? How can I get rid of it? The most important thing to understand about disease prevention is something called the disease triangle. Disease can only happen when three things coincide: you have a plant that can get sick (a host), a pathogen (like a fungus, bacterium, or virus) that can attack the plant, and environmental conditions (like humidity or drought) that promote the disease. If any one of these things is not present, the disease will not happen, so prevention involves knocking out at least one side of the triangle.

 A lawn without the lawn? Give a thought to grass alternatives:

Imagine a Saturday that doesn’t start with a sigh: It’s time to mow the lawn. When other, more fulfilling garden projects beckon, it’s easy to begrudge the time spent on the tedious and noisy task of mowing—not to mention edging, feeding, and watering. Surely, there must be some alternative to grass ... Perhaps it’s time to expand our definition of lawn to include other low-growing plants that carpet the ground, yet require less maintenance than turfgrasses. Options like sedges, moss, and clover thrive without fertilizers, require less water than grass, and rarely or never need to be mowed.

Who needs sunlight? Shade plants in stylish containers can brighten your home:

Born in England, I grew up with a sincere love of gardening. When we moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1996, I came across an unfamiliar phrase that filled me with foreboding: “shade gardening.” At first, I was daunted at the thought of not growing my beloved roses and sweet peas. But as someone who loves a challenge, I began to scour nurseries for shade-loving plants and soon discovered many treasures I never had the opportunity to grow before.

Birds fly south for the winter. But they have to stop somewhere, why not your place? Here are some tips for attracting some feathered friends:

 By the time winter settles in, birds have, too. Migration is long over, and winter birds are ranging in groups over large foraging territories. Here are some tips to keep in mind.