Monthly Archives: April 2014

April 14, 2014 · 7:40 PM

Finally, rain to water in the vegetable garden and wash away the pollen!

Finally, after a week of warm weather and an onslaught of pine and oak pollen we are receiving rain!

Pollen has covered everything and has played havoc with my allergies. Sinus headache, an upset stomach, and a hay-fever attack have all visited me during the past week .

So much is growing and blooming I don’t know where to begin!

Ferns:

Ghost Fern ( Athyrium ‘Ghost’)

Kerria climbing up into the Southern Magnolia.

Kwanzan Cherry

And the vegetable garden!

I also had the chance last week to visit Sarah P Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham :

and The North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill:

And the annual Spring open garden on a The North Carolina Executive Mansion’s grounds (the governor’s mansion) :

Thank goodness it has begun to rain which will clear the air of pine and oak pollen, water in the vegetable garden, and ease my allergies!

Xxx

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April 10, 2014 · 11:57 AM

Yellow clouds and the planting of the vegetable garden.

As I am planting the vegetable garden my eyes begin to burn and sting then I remember: pollen!

The North Carolina State tree is the Loblolly Pine. They are the most common tree and in the past they made the British colonies wealthy with the production of tar, pitch, and timber.

They also produce pollen in abundance. They are wind pollinated and the Spring breezes blow the pollen from the male to the female cone. The cones mature in two seasons producing the nuts the wildlife depend on to make it through the winter.

Unfortunately, the yellow clouds of pollen are very messy and I like to blame my allergies on it but the scientist say oak pollen is probably worse! It covers everything!

With any case, everything is yellow for a week or two. Keep the windows closed!

Each spring I add a fresh bag of soil to each of the vegetable garden raised beds.

I then rake it out even and attempt to remove twigs and refuse.

The tomatoes and cucumbers are grown on A-frame trellises so I plant them very close.

The A-frames are placed on the raised beds. They create a great shady place to grow heat sensitive vegetables during the summer. Although, the high humidity here in The South doesn’t help you with lettuce or radishes! I do have to add that I love how the radishes become hot and spicy when I attempt to grow a crop during hot weather!

I am on staycation this week so you’ll probably hear from me again!

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April 7, 2014 · 3:03 AM

Inspiration is everywhere.

As I walk around Downtown Raleigh and North Hills I see many things to inspire some Spring projects.

I love these low planters at NorthHills Shopping Center.

I also like the combo of wood and concrete on an angle. We see this often on the coast and most buildings are cheaply made for tourist and Northerners. I would like a short fence or screen along the patio inspired by this shape.