Garden Inspirations

[Nyboy]

I love how they have a English garden with a Tudor style house

 

[ninnymary]

Aftermidnght and Beekissed, I too like more of the natural English cottage gardens. This is what I aim for but I don't think I've succeeded. I blame it on growing veggies.

Both of your gardens and you always inspire me.

Mary

 

[Dahlia]

I used to pour over garden magazines when I was younger looking for ideas but seldom found anything that fit my garden space, still it was nice to drool over beautiful gardens and choice garden plants in front of the fireplace in a comfy chair in the dead of winter .

One thing I would still like to attempt before I'm no longer able to garden is to create a succulent border or, I have a lattice wall where I would like to take a stab at growing succulents along the top. Thomas Hobbs did this with a wall at a house he once had. I have two of his books 'Shocking Beauty' and 'The Jewel Box Garden', talk about eye candy. I've been to a couple of his lectures on gardening not only is he a superb plantsman, he a hoot to listen to. The few times I managed to get to his nursery on the mainland never disappointed, always came home with something special. For anyone interested, google images of his gardens.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=thom...2WMKHWGTCyYQ_AUICSgC&biw=1255&bih=739#imgrc=_

What gardens have inspired you, any pictures?

Annette

One day I want to build this greenhouse that I saw in northern CA. It is made of old fashioned glass panes! Check it out!

 

[Zeedman]

I've long been considering a glass greenhouse too. It would stand up better to strong winds (which blow out some of the plastic panels nearly every year). But given that I've had to replace my roof twice since 2000 due to hail, that may just be trading one problem for another.

What I could really use is a portable heated tunnel, which could be placed over part of the garden to extend the growing season. If it could keep temps above 50 F. into November, that would allow me to grow chayote squash, which I really miss from my gardening days in California.

Chayote squash is perennial in areas where the ground doesn't freeze, and given something tall & sturdy to climb on (the vines are quite vigorous) the yield in October can be huge. The pear-shaped squashes will keep without refrigeration for several months (they will actually spoil faster in the fridge).

 

[ducks4you]

Dunno HOW I miss these threads!

 

[baymule]

I've long been considering a glass greenhouse too. It would stand up better to strong winds (which blow out some of the plastic panels nearly every year). But given that I've had to replace my roof twice since 2000 due to hail, that may just be trading one problem for another.

What I could really use is a portable heated tunnel, which could be placed over part of the garden to extend the growing season. If it could keep temps above 50 F. into November, that would allow me to grow chayote squash, which I really miss from my gardening days in California.

Chayote squash is perennial in areas where the ground doesn't freeze, and given something tall & sturdy to climb on (the vines are quite vigorous) the yield in October can be huge. The pear-shaped squashes will keep without refrigeration for several months (they will actually spoil faster in the fridge).

How do you cook a chayote and what does it taste like?

 

[Dahlia]

I've long been considering a glass greenhouse too. It would stand up better to strong winds (which blow out some of the plastic panels nearly every year). But given that I've had to replace my roof twice since 2000 due to hail, that may just be trading one problem for another.

What I could really use is a portable heated tunnel, which could be placed over part of the garden to extend the growing season. If it could keep temps above 50 F. into November, that would allow me to grow chayote squash, which I really miss from my gardening days in California.

Chayote squash is perennial in areas where the ground doesn't freeze, and given something tall & sturdy to climb on (the vines are quite vigorous) the yield in October can be huge. The pear-shaped squashes will keep without refrigeration for several months (they will actually spoil faster in the fridge).

Where did you garden when you lived in CA? I'm interested because I lived in Northern California my young life.

 

[heirloomgal]

Glass greenhouses are so beautiful, they're like architectural masterpieces in a garden landscape. From a practical point of view, I would never get one though. If the panes are not kept impeccably clean it has a surprisingly negative effect on the plants, I once read an article about the science behind that. I have one french door in my house at the end of a hallway which is made of panes of glass and it is a major pain in the rear to clean all those individual panes. I can't imagine cleaning a whole greenhouse of those!

My teeny greenhouse is nothing to look at, but I do like that the sides and roof are a single piece (3 in a row), extremely durable, impervious to dirt/wind/snow. shatterproof and very tough. At 10 years old it's in exactly the same condition as when we installed it. I think the material was called Solexx.

 

[Zeedman]

How do you cook a chayote and what does it taste like?

Chayote is much like a very firm, sweeter zicchini. I like it cubed & cooked alone as a side dish; but IMO it is best added to soups & stews. The single very large seed in the center is basically like a giant pumpkin seed, and is edible too. Once established, the tender vine tips can also be used as a vegetable. Not sure exactly where you are @baymule , but chayote does well in sub-tropical areas where the ground does not freeze, and will bear for many years. A single plant, well cared for, can produce 50-100 squash per year.

 

[Zeedman]

Where did you garden when you lived in CA? I'm interested because I lived in Northern California my young life.

I lived & gardened in both San Diego, and in San Jose. It was possible to garden year-round in both locations. It was in San Jose that I learned about chayote, UC Davis was promoting it & offered detailed instructions on its culture. I obtained my first start (which is a whole mature fruit which has sprouted) from a Master Gardener there.

Wish I'd known about Malabar gourd in those years (aka Fig Leaf Gourd, or Shark Fin Melon), it is another perennial squash with very high yields... and equally rampant vines. I've seen photos of Malabar gourd (which is really a squash that looks like a small watermelon) smothering a small tree. The vines can grow very long, climb aggressively, and branch heavily. They can also be grown without support; grown this way the vines will root where they touch the ground & can cover a large area. The young squashes are best for soups (which is how DW used them); they have INCREDIBLE storage life, often well over a year... and without drying out!
shark fin melon