I know everything is relative, but boy have we had a lot of precipitation this past week. It started with a snowy April weekend, which I thankfully missed by being up north in Door County. Came home to spring plants that were no worse for the wear. Then it kept raining, bringing the weeks total … Continue reading Finally Drying Out
Many Hands in the Garden
It's finally starting to look like spring! The daffodils and tulips are blooming. The Star Magnolia, focus of My Magnolia Saga, is showing signs of life and trying to bloom... ...although around town they are in full bloom. And the hostas, daylillies, astilbe and peonies are all bursting out from the ground. In the house, … Continue reading Many Hands in the Garden
Another Tree Toppled
We had three spruce trees along the backyard fence line offering a sense of privacy from the neighbors. Then we had two... (Read more about that in Spruce Down 🙁 ) And then came this very wet and windy winter. We had been having recent trouble with the swale area and the water wasn't flowing … Continue reading Another Tree Toppled
Finally, Planting Season is Beginning
Finally, I can stop thinking about last year's garden and start thinking about this year's. I've ordered all my seeds, (maybe) and printed out my growing resources from Botanical Interests. I've used these garden resources for years to organize my plantings, both for indoor and outdoor sowing. I thought they didn't have them this year, … Continue reading Finally, Planting Season is Beginning
2018 Garden Recap: Vegetables (Part 2)
Now that we've mostly recovered from a record breaking, bone-chilling winter, it looks like spring may finally be coming. I thought it was time to get back to one final review of last year's gardens before the spring growing season is fully upon me. I checked in on the flowers, 2018 Garden Recap: Flowers and started reviewing … Continue reading 2018 Garden Recap: Vegetables (Part 2)
Bird Count Time
It's that time of year again! The 22nd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend, Friday, February 15, through Monday, February 18, 2019. This is a wonderful citizen science project that helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment … Continue reading Bird Count Time
This Crazy Winter
The winter of 2019 is definitely one for the books. We've been through snow, rain, crazy temperatures swings, a winter thunderstorm, the polar vortex...and now another ice storm has hit the Chicago area. As temperatures hovered around freezing, the precipitation has rotated between rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow. Aside from the treacherous driving and … Continue reading This Crazy Winter
Burpee Home Garden 2019 Gardeners of the Month-I’m July!
Yep, that's me! Last fall on Instagram, Burpee Home Gardens asked gardeners to enter themselves or a friend to be one of BHG's 2019 Gardeners of the Month. I shamelessly submitted my name with the following description: "I would love to be one of your featured gardeners. I may not have the most perfect garden, … Continue reading Burpee Home Garden 2019 Gardeners of the Month-I’m July!
Most Visited Posts of 2018 on StephiGardens.com
Happy New Year! Its always fun the end of the years to see what was the most interesting posts to my readers. Sometime it's posts from previous years, sometimes this year. Here's the top 10 most viewed posts in 2018:
2018 Stephi Gardens Holiday Gift Ideas
Struggling with what to get that special someone for Christmas? Here's some ideas from the things that I love! Birding: Do you enjoy feeding the birds, but dislike feeding the squirrels? I tested out a number of squirrel-proof feeders and can report that they actually all work as advertised. The squirrels don't even waste their … Continue reading 2018 Stephi Gardens Holiday Gift Ideas