Recently neighbors of mine went on vacation and asked me to feed their tropical fish and water plants in their garden in case there wasn't any rain. Their home is currently on the market, so they wanted to make sure the yard was looking its best for prospective buyers.

While their tropical aquarium is nothing short of fabulous, their backyard is outstanding! Since they're moving, I decided to take some pictures on my last day caring for the property. Talk about a backyard oasis, they were happy to let me share the snapshots with you.

When you first step through the sliders off the dining room onto their covered deck (with skylights, of course), you can't help but be taken with the whole scene, but first let's start with the patio off the deck to the left ...
A chimnea sets the focal point in the corner surrounded by various ground covers and a bird bath. Just past is a hand-crafted pergola complete with Wisteria vine framing an alcove planted with irises, lillies and two clematis. Follow the path to the right up to the quaint gardening shed, surrounded by hostas.

Beyond that in the far corner sits another hand-crafted item - an exquisite suspended swing offset by more hostas and yet another pergola atop the back gate. (There's one more pergola on the other side of the front-facing part of the also hand-crafted privacy fence, complete with another Wisteria vine. It doesn't get more fabulous than this folks!)
All the plantings are just so ... the complete opposite of my garden. I tend to over think and over plant, as everything at my neighbors' seems to have been put just in the right place, with just the right amount of statuary for accent. There's also hand-crafted bird feeders and houses (have I written "hand-crafted" enough?) Yes, they're also very handy with power tools and wood work.
So if there's something they think would be perfect in a certain spot, unlike me who will search the net for it, they'll just make it themselves!

Check out this serene scene along the back fence, what bird wouldn't want to take a break and get a bite or bath in this pleasant setting? These are also the people I mentioned in a past blog entry that have taken broken lawn statues and placed them on their side in the garden, creating a natural rustic look.
And the best part about all this for you is ... it's for sale! While I'm going to miss my neighbors greatly, this oasis could be yours. I forgot to mention, there's also a pool, and if you think the yard's fabulous, just imagine the interior ... It's available via Century 21 Agent Sharon Sapp and can be found on the web thru her site www.berkshomebuying.com/ Check it out for more photos.

Coming up this week: Round 2 with the Muck-Vac (and other pond stories), Daylillies, Salvias and the Musa Basjoo (oooh what's that?). And remember, if you're planning a cookout for the 4th, cut your grass at least 24 hours ahead of time to cut down on possible allergies and green feet!

Sorry, it's been awhile, but when I last blogged, I said I was going away for a couple days. And you know how that goes ... take a few days off and pay for it when you get back. So it's taken my a couple more days to clear the piles off my desks (yes, I said "desks," I wear more than one hat at work).


But work's not the only thing that I needed to catch up on when I got back. Although my family did a great job of watering the gardens while I was gone, things needed to be tended to when I got back ...


Like the pond: It seems that another vacuuming is in order. Unless you experience it yourself, you'll really never know how much waste 30-odd goldfish can make! And there's eggs hanging onto the roots of the floating water hyacinths! Not sure if they're from the fish or the frogs, but I can only hope that the fish are making a smorgasbord out of them!


At least I came home to find a couple of beautiful waterlilly flowers! Aren't these blooms beautiful? And the water Canna are coming up nicely. They'll be blooming in a couple weeks.


Hopefully (and I know I've said this before) this weekend will be the weekend we FINALLY install that new waterfall (weather permitting, of course). It seems that every time I try to schedule this task, it rains or the temp is way too high to be doing it in the hot sun. I'm thinking Sunday might be better since Saturday's going to be a scorcher!!


The "hill" where the waterfall is going is really getting out of hand, since I really haven't done any gardening and/or weeding there. I figured why plant anything new there, it'll just get ripped out doing the waterfall. So it's getting quite overgrown now.


Weeds are invading the stone path and brick patio. This happens every year, yet it always seems to just appear overnight. I'll have to buy some extra vinegar at the store this weekend.


The petunias are in desperate need of dead-heading. And we're fast approaching July, when in my garden the petunias get leggy and the blooms are few. Every year I vow to figure out exactly how all those wave petunias in the professional beds at the malls and businesses, not to mention in the hanging baskets in downtown Pottstown, stay so full and blooming, maybe this'll be the year it works for me!

And if that's not enough, I'm not in the middle of a HUGE computer issue at home ... I can't open any programs. I can already tell that fixing this will take a pretty big chunk out of my weekend.


Well, it's not all bad ... I was happy to come home to a pretty established pepper on one of my plants, and there are also some cherry tomatoes and a couple of early girls on the stems. My cucumbers are coming along great this year. They're really taking to the twine-vine I stapled to the shed for them.


And the daylillies! What can I say about one of my faves? They are a great plant that needs absolutely no care at all! They don't take a lot of water and when they bloom, it's show-stopping! I'll blog more about these fantastic plants next week. But for now ... take a trip to Manatawny Creek Daylilly Farm in scenic Oley.


This weekend will be a perfect time to see most of the daylillies in bloom. The farm is located at 64 Fisher Mill Road, right across the street from Glick's Greenhouses. Or visit their web site www.manatawnycreekfarm.com for more information. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday.


Also next week, I'll be featuring my neighbors fabulous garden ... here's a sneak peak.
Well, it looks like my weekend's all planned, see you Monday.

I'm going away for a few days, so I'm trying to get in a little garden maintenance before I leave.

First up is staking the lillies. Now that the peonies are finished blooming, I can use the peony cages to give the towering lillies some support. Nothing more disappointing than having a big beautiful lilly stalk hit the ground because the stem can't support the weight of all the blooms. A few of my lillies have gotten so big over the last couple years, that I need to tie them to metal fencing stakes to give them enough support. But it's worth the extra effort when they bloom.

Something else to keep in mind is tying up some of your taller grasses. My zebra grasses are having a great season so far, but their great size is taking its toll on the smaller plants around them. After it rains, the grasses hang over the annuals, blocking out the sun and causing them to wither. So, it's my "magic ball of twine" to the rescue! I can't tell you how much I rely on this gardening rope.

Each year, as I dig out the gardening stuff, I look for the magic ball of twine. The longer it takes to find, the more anxious I get. This year I splurged on some new twine and was thrilled when I found it in the color of green!! (Surprising, the older I get, the odd things that excite me.) But you fellow gardeners know what I mean ... when you find something that works, you stick with it.

Anyway, it doesn't hurt the grass at all to tie it up. My zebra grass along the path gets tied right to the fence. This photo was taken this week. Just look how big it is already!

The zebra grass around the pond just gets twine wrapped around it twice for extra support. I always seem to underestimate how much the grasses will grow, and grow, and grow. When I first put it around the back end of the pond, I made a little foot path between the grasses and the pond edge not only for enjoyment, but so I could get back there for maintenance. Well, the grasses are hanging pretty far over the path, the dogs can still get thru, but, as you can see, tying them up was the only option for the humans.

Moving on, now is also the time to cut back those mums. Actually you should have cut them back at least once by now, and be sure to do it again on or before the 4th of July. That will keep the blooms back until late summer-early fall. Also cut back your daisies, phlox and bee balm. I know it sounds crazy, but cutting them back will encourage them to branch out and ultimately lead to more blooms.

And now that the irises are pretty much done blooming, you can cut all that green foliage back to 6-8 inches if you desire a cleaner look in your flower beds or just to make more room for upcoming flowers. Also, cut back your Columbine, they should be done blooming by now, and it's goodbye to the bleeding hearts till next spring. And yes, I've relented and cut back my daffodil greens. I'm willing to take the chance that they've had enough sun to build up they're blooms for next year.

And make sure you get those tomato cages out on the tomato plants. It's a lot easier to put them on when the plants are small, rather than wait till you actually need them. You can usually find tomato cages at your local nursery or big box garden center (Lowes/Home Depot).

So have a great weekend and enjoy the great weather in your backyard oasis!!

P.S. - This Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. is your final chance to get to the Oley Valley Perennials Open House Sale, 675 Covered Bridge Road, Oley (one mile north of Yellow House). For information check the Garden Gal archives.

OK, got your theme yet? Here's a few suggestions with a little help from the Associated Press, to get you started.

A Colonial garden: modeled after old-style New England. Divide a small patch of ground into squares separated by walkways and inter-planted with vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers.

Or divide with shrubs, instead of or in addition to walkways, and form a more traditional English Cottage garden with a fountain, bird bath or statue in the center as a focal point.

Make a special perfumed garden near a bedroom window or anywhere you spend time outdoors. Go heavy on the lavender, lilacs, heritage roses, sage, or any other fragrant plant that you wish.

How about a Tea Garden using an herbal brew of plants that can be converted into enjoyable teas. That includes the flowers and foliage from basil, peppermint, rose hips, chamomile, lavender and lemon thyme, to suggest a few.

With the Fourth of July just around the corner (yes, it is ...) plant an explosive mix of the old red, white and blue with flowers patterned as a flag for a Patriotic Garden. The red, white and blue is a color combination I like to use in my garden each year.

Why not construct an Alphabet garden, a good learning tool for the whole family. Start with alyssum and work your way through the letters to zinnias.

A Friendship or Hand-Me-Down Garden can easily be created using clippings, seeds or divided perennials given to you by friends and family. Each plant becomes a reminder of that person. Keep a book with the date and name of each plant to share with your loved ones.

A Roof garden (for the more ambitious gardeners) can be put atop a sturdy outbuilding with a layer of sod sown liberally with wildflowers. Or use succulents, cactus and other drought resistant plants on the roof. Which reminds me ... how about a Southwest Garden? Use the aforementioned drought resistant plants, covered with gravel and maybe a coyote, gecko or sombrero statue to complete the look.

And there's also a growing trend in Bible gardens. Yes, Bible gardens. Although a Bible garden is not a theme recommended for the casual hobbyist. Cultivating every flower, shrub, food crop or fruit mentioned in the Scriptures is a daunting objective, especially if you're trying to be exacting about plant choice. Some suggestions for plants are grapevines, date palms, dill, olive trees, and apples (you remember the story of Adam & Eve).
I don't have a Bible garden, but I do admit to owning two statues of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animalsm birds and the environment (according to wikipedia). I think it's good luck to have him watching over my garden and the wildlife that comes to visit. I have one out front and one in the back yard.
So go ahead and have fun with whatever theme you come up with. Gardens are meant to be enjoyed, a labor of love, for everyone lucky enough to spend some time there.

Up next, time for a little maintenance ... Stake those lillies! Trim those mums! And tie up those grasses!

Not sure what to do with that clump of dirt that you thought would make a great garden? Try adding a theme to it.

Theme gardens are a way to add interest to your landscape while expressing yourself creatively. They can also provide a local "escape" to your favorite vacation place. And for some, they're a reflection of values.

Take, for instance, my beachy lighthouse garden, pictured here with my bichon-mix Bailey. I have always had a love for the shore and chose to add the lighthouse to a troubled spot in my garden. There used to be a beautiful Japanese flowering cherry tree at this spot. Shortly after our beloved Rudy (a maltese) passed away, the tree died too. We like to think that Rudy took the tree with him, as under it was his favorite spot to sit in the yard.

After adding the lighthouse, we planted ornamental grasses and surrounded it with Malibu gold stones to suggest that "beach" feeling. We added a spotlight to highlight the lighthouse at night (it also has a bulb in the windows at the top). I love to sit on our patio and look out at the lighthouse. It reminds me of my favorite vacation spot.

We have mostly shade along the back end of our yard. So after losing 23 8-ft. tall Arborvitae during a drought a few years ago, we built our two shade gardens. And I, like many of you out there, had taken to collecting Boyd's Bears ... so after the company started making lawn ornaments out of them, I had to get a few.

At first I scattered them all throughout the yard, but last year, I decided to concentrate them all in our longer shade garden and voila - the Teddy Bear garden was created.

When creating your theme garden, don't just think of the plants, add statues, a bird bath, small stones, bigger stones, gravel, pavers or even sand - it's up to you. Even old broken lawn ornaments can add interest. Turn something on its side ... I have a friend who picked up an old push-mower at a yard sale, painted it bright colors and put it in the middle of his garden. It looks whimsical. You might also want to include lighting in your plan, it'll make the garden intersting at night too.

At yet another end-of-summer sale I purchasedd a Buddha statue, so I had to create a Zen garden to go along with him. I chose the spot under the arbor we had erected two years before. It was always a pain to mow around the posts of the arbor, so with a couple of bags of river rock and some retaining wall blocks to hold it all in, the Zen garden came to life.

I don't know if I've ever confessed this here, but my whole motivation for starting the gardens in the first place was less grass to mow! We do have less, and hopefully, there will be even less in the future. You don't have to do everything all at once. Just add something new each year and before you know it, you'll have a garden to be admired!

Look for Theme Gardens Pt. 2 tomorrow.

Just a quick announcement that came across my desk last week ...


The North Coventry Environmental Advisory Council, in Conjunction with Chester County and Penn State, will be providing a compost barrel, free of charge to North Coventry Township residents. The only requirement is that you attend a composting training session on Saturday, June 28th at 9:00 AM.

The training will be given by a certified Master Composter at the North Coventry Township building. There are 50 compost barrels (about 40 gallon capacity) available and will be given out after the training session on a first come first serve basis, limit one per household. Contact Bill Cannon at 610-326-3918 to reserve a barrel and a seat at the training.

Composting is an environmentally friendly way to decompose plant material. Fruits, vegetables, leaves, tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells, grass clippings are common items that are easily composted. Composting these items keeps them from ending up in landfills, saving transportation costs and landfill space. It is estimated that about one third of landfill space is taken up by organic yard and kitchen waste.You end up with free nutrient rich compost, which can be used to improve soil in gardens, lawns and flower pots. Using compost can eliminate the need to add fertilizer to the soil. After all, the fewer chemicals we use, the better off the environment is.



Wish I was a Norco resident, I could use some tips on composting myself -- look in my blog's archives for my composting history ...



And, I stand corrected! My mom pointed out to me this weekend that I did not purchase the Earth Boxes at the QVC Outlet store. They were ordered at the end of last summer (Labor Day weekend, I think) from the Home Shopping Network. So if you were looking for them at QVC, sorry, check out http://www.hsn.com/ for info.

Yes, just when you thought it was safe to relax in the garden ... the onslaught of Fall planting catalogs arrived in the mailbox!!

You know what I mean. You've just finished planting for the summer season, you've mulched, fertilized, watered and, maybe, prayed a little, especially during Tuesday night's storms. And now, just when you wanted to sit back and admire the fruits of your labor -- it's time to think about Fall planting!

And yes, you need to think about it NOW -- afterall, if you don't order soon, everything you want will be out of stock, including the stargazer lilly pictured above. Take heart in knowing, that after you make your decisions and place your orders, you can relax at least until late September, when the shipments of bulbs and bare roots will start arriving. And remember, items must be planted shortly after they arrive!

Here's a rundown of some of the catalogs I get. Fortunately they all have web sites, so you can look online or just go there to order your own catalog. And then take the time to get some iced tea or other cool beverage, find a comfortable seat in your oasis, and peruse the catalogs dreaming of next year's garden ...

Michigan Bulb, www.mibulb.com -- has almost everything you could want, affordable prices. I've ordered from them before with a 50-50 rate of success.

Spring Hill Nurseries, www.SpringHillNursery.com -- currently having a Super Sale on fall planting. I have no personal experience ordering from them, but I'm thinking of ordering Allium this year, and they're also having a sale.

Breck's, www.brecks.com -- They're Fall sale is currently in full swing.

Van Engelen Inc., www.vanengelen.com -- the "Best Dutch flower bulbs at the best prices!" Anything you could imagine, check them out.

John Scheepers Inc., www.johnscheepers.com -- "serving America's finest gardens for 100 years!" Their Beauty From Bulbs Fall 2008 catalog is very impressive.

New Holland Bulb Company, www.newhollandbulb.com -- Tulips, Daffodils and Lillies, oh my! I never knew there were so many varieties, it's hard to choose!

Also many of these companies offer complete garden packages and combination and/or variety packages of fall bulbs/bare roots. Take advantage now and save. Just think how great it will look next spring!

Personally, I'm hoping to add some Allium and Frittillaria (Crown Imperial) to my collection this Fall. But I classically wait too long and they're usually sold out. But, hopefully, not this year ...

As I stated yesterday, relief not just from the heat, but from the endless filter cleaning I've been doing lately. Yes, it was a pleasure to get up this morning, open the curtains, look out at the pond and see a fully functioning waterfall! And I owe it all to the Muck-Vac (http://www.muckvacdirect.com/).

As I've stated before (just a brief history), last year our pond went from 16 fish to over 30. (It's hard to get an accurate count when they're all constantly moving around.) While we were pretty proud and flattered that our pond was comfortable enough for our fish to let nature take it's course, this has obviously more than doubled the amount of fish waste in our 240-gallon pond. Not to mention that over the winter I spotted two more wee ones swimming on the shelf.

So, this spring, needless to say, there was a lot of "muck" (the common word for pond waste) on the bottom. I've read many pamplets, websites and blogs, and they all say, once you hook up your filter, let it do its job and it will clean up the pond in a couple weeks. Well, while the water has stayed very clear, the endless amount of muck caused the filter to clog daily and I've been cleaning it every morning for about three weeks.

The expert at my local pond store laughed at me and said, didn't you vacuum your pond yet? Of course, I'd seen the vacuums they had for sale (starting at $200) and hoped I could find a cheaper way, if you know what I mean. Afterall, last year we had caught all the fish, put them in our 20-gallon pond, emptied the pond and power-washed it, using a wet-vac to suction all the debris out.

But I didn't look forward to trying to catch all the new fish (they're a bit smaller, especially the two newbies from winter). Oh yes, they swim leisurely on a daily basis, but when you're chasing them with a net, it's amazing how fast they can go. There had to be a better way.
So I Googled "pond vacuums," and came upon the very reasonable muck-vac ($69.95 plus $10 shipping). After a little research I decided to order one. And I arrived Monday, about a week after ordering.

According to www.muckvacdirect.com: "The 'MUCK VAC' is another innovative product designed to aid the back yard pond keeper as well as fountain and water feature owners. The product vacuums out dirt and debris without causing turbidity so that fish and plants do not have to be removed during cleaning. It has no moving parts and works simply by harnessing the power of ordinary garden hose pressure. "Utilizing the laws of fluid dynamics and a standard garden hose, Muck Vac Cleaning System is an easy and versatile vacuum cleaner for ponds and spas, etc. "Muck Vac Cleaning System is easy to use and assemble. Operated by the existing water pressure in most residentail faucets (50 psi is usually standard), Muck Vac can suck up most muck and waste from the bottom of any pond or spa. In fact, higher water pressure can create more vacuum power. "Muck Vac Cleaning System will not cause turbidity in pond. No need to displace fish or plants. Muck and waste is vacuumed up the telescopic pole and discharged to waste right out the end of the discharge hose. You can allow it to go into a bucket or right on the lawn, garden or a deck drain. Muck Vac does not put any water into the pond or spa, the water from the garden hose is purely for creating the suction under water. However, some water will be displaced from the pond or spa along with the muck and waste."

And I'm here to say that it actually does work! I do recommend wearing your bathing suit, however, when using it. I got soaked! Due to the water pressure, the discharge hose did not stay in the 5-gallon bucket I wanted it to empty into ... it flailed all over the patio until I shut off the valve! (That was my fault) So I just positioned it in various places in the garden and used the water/waste to fertilizer the plants.

While I'm very pleased with my first-time results, I plan to go over it again on Saturday when the sun's high and I can actually see the bottom. Because, when I first started vacuuming, all the muck on the bottom got a little churned-up and I couldn't properly see what I was doing. But I'm happy to say that I didn't suck up any fish, just some smaller stones from the bottom.

I probably worked on it about 30-45 minutes. The water was pretty cloudy afterward, but I added some Accu-Clear and the following morning, the water was crystal clear again. I could actually see the pretty malibu-gold stones on the bottom of the pond! I can also see the fish a lot better, even the all-black ones show up now against the malibu-gold. But the best part by far is that now I can get back to just cleaning the filter once a week!

Thank you Muck-Vac!!!

Up next -- just when you thought it was over -- the Fall catalogs are arriving -- aaarrrrgghh!

Mike McGrath, host of "You Bet Your Garden," will present a discussion on "The Role of Beneficial Insects and Critters in Organic Gardening" at 7:30p.m. tomorrow night (Wednesday, 6-11) in Rose Hall, 1601 Pughtown Road, Kimberton, Pa.
Mike McGrath was editor-in-chief of "Organic Gardening" magazine from 1991 through 1997. He is the author of several books, including "Kitchen Garden A to Z" and "You Bet Your Tomatoes." He is also the Garden Editor for WTOP News Radio in Washington, D.C., and his "You Bet Your Garden" column appears in every issue of "Greenprints." McGrath was the garden expert for theSaturday edition of "The Today Show" from 1993 through 1997, and chaired major exhibits that won four consecutive "Best of Show" awards at the Philadelphia Flower Show. His radio program is broadcast on WHYY 91 FM weekly.
The event is offered through the Sakanac CSA (a community-supported organic and biodynamic garden). Suggested donation is $5. The Camphill Cafe, adjacent to Rose Hall, will be open from 6 to 7:30p.m. for coffee, tea and dessert. For more information visit www.camphillkimberton.org or call 610-495-7295.

And, finally, some relief!! And I'm not talking about the heat -- the muck-vac arrived Monday!! The pond is clean, the fish are stressed and I don't have to clean the filter daily anymore!! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow!

Before I had my pond, I had my flamingos. Three tall boys, molded in iron and outlined with pink rope lights, they are my favorite outdoor accents. From the moment I first saw them at Boscov's, I knew they had to come home with me. And, at $29.99 minus register roulette, the price was right too.

The first year, they stood dutifully around our inground 20-gallon fountain. It was under their pink glow that I first saw Hank, mistaking him for a "frog statue". (I quickly realized as I walked past, that I didn't have a frog statue.) Hank loved the flamingos too. Night after hot summer night, he sat by them, waiting for their hot pink flare to attract insects for dinner.

And even though I've been told that rope lights only have so many hours in them and then they're done, I thought my boys would last forever ... sadly, this year it was not meant to be. I should've seen it coming, only last year one of the guy's legs didn't light. I cleverly hid it behind some dwarf fountan grass and no one was the wiser. But this year, the really big guy on the end's whole head and neck won't light and even the third guy has lights out. It is with a heavy heart that I'm going to put them out for trash pick up tonight ...

The pond just isn't the same without the flamingos. I have some kind of special lighting for around the pond for each season. Sure we have a light in the pond, but the lighting around the pond makes it more festive. I have Jack O'Lantern and skull lights for the fall, giant Christmas bulbs and/or candy canes for winter and giant Easter eggs for spring. (The Easter eggs were still up until this weekend, because I can't find a suitable summer replacement!)

But yesterday, I finally caved and put up some decorative patio lights on green fence stakes hidden in the tall grass. It's a bit dull and I'm on the lookout for something better. Oh sure, I can find more flamingos easily online, but they've gone up in price too. Now they're about $24.99 just for one! Maybe I'll check that old standby eBay, if you can't find it there, they don't make it!

Don't feel to bad for me, there's still that 7 ft. rope light palm tree in the basement (it's a bit bright when fully lit), and, I do have a rope light crab at our vacation home. Maybe he'd look pretty good up against the grasses ... hmmmm. I'll let you know.

By the way, I put out the solar tiki lights and they all lit up last night! They'd better, they were just brand new last year!

Last year I joined theNational Gardening club. One ofthe benefits of membership was a subscription to their Gardening How-To magazine. It's a great magazine and I read it cover-to-cover when it arrived every other month. Unfortunately, for other reasons, I decided not to renew my membership, but I will miss the magazine.
It was in the first issue I received last year that I read about about the Perennial Plant Association and their pick for Perennial of the Year. I was delighted to discover that it was a purple flowering plant called Catmint, because I had just purchased two.
So I was again pleased this year to read the the 2008 Perennial of the Year is the Geranium "Rozanne." Remember, I had ordered a perennial geranium mix from Breck's a few months ago? Well, one of them was the Rozanne. Pictured here, the plant was chosen for its vibrant 2 1/2-inch violet-blue flowers, long bloom time, attractive deep green foliage, lack of pest or disease problems, and low maintenance. Just what I was looking for when I purchased it. As you can see here, it's doing very well in my garden, along with the other geranium varieties it came with.
Here's more about this versatile plant: It's hardy in Zones 5-8, grows 18-20 inches tall and 24-28 inches wide, has mounded deep green foliage that turns red in the fall and grows best in sun to partial shade. It can also tolerate summer heat when given ample moisture, will bloom continuously from late spring to frost (shear plants to 3 inches to rejuvenate), attracts butterflies and is resistant to deer and rabbits and is a good companion for both early and late blooming plants. And, if all that weren't enough, the Rozanne is great in front of garden beds or borders, but also makes an excellent ground cover or container plant.
And getting back to last year's winner -- Catmint. I purchased two quart-sized plants last year at Glick's and here's a recent photo of how much it has grown this year. And this photo is just ONE of the plants. It's 2-ft. tall and just as wide. It's come back fantastic this year, I only hope I have this good luck next year with the geraniums.

And speaking of Glick's, I was there yesterday (yes, I know, it's an addiction), and they still have plenty of plants left, all on sale, many half-off.
Also, today and tomorrow the Oley Valley Perennials sale is still on, and they're right on the way to Glick's. I blogged about this great sale about two weeks ago. You can check the archives for directions. Their address is 675 Covered Bridge Road, Oley.

And if you're looking for something different to do Saturday, from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. you can check out "William the Gardener" at historic Pottsgrove Manor off King Street in Pottstown. Costumed Living Historians will discuss the uses of period plants for fabric dyes, food and period decorations and perhaps arrange some flowers while having tea. Weather permitting. Admission is free.

Have a great weekend and try to stay cool!! Remember, no planting in the high sun or afternoon heat, wait till the sun goes down. I don't even recommend early morning planting, because then the distressed plants have to suffer the extreme heat of the day. Best to wait till early evening.

Solar lights, aaahh, they make it seem so easy. You can place them anywhere and don't have to worry about connecting them to a power source. Just as long as they get a few hours of sunlight a day. And they come in so many shapes and sizes, amber or white lighting, brass or stainless steel, heck, I've even got fake rocks with solar spotlights emitting from them!

QVC has devoted entire blocks of time to solar-powered garden items called "Powered by the Sun," which, I have to admit, mesmerizes me every time I come across it. Which one of you hasn't seen something solar-powered and said, "I've got to have that"?

As any garden enthusiast eventually comes to realize, everything looks better lit at night. It adds a whole other feature to your backyard oasis. Now you can enjoy the evening view as well. Soft, subtle lighting, or maybe one of those huge lighted palm trees to light up your deck.

When we first built our garden path, we went to the local big box home store and carefully picked out new electric lights to light it up. We also decided it was the perfect time to upgrade the landscape lighting out front of our home. We spent somewhere close to $300, but figured it was a good investment. Then we got down to laying and burying the electrical wires, installing the lights, attaching the power boxes to the house and so on. And when we were done, it really looked great.

Then we discovered solar lighting. New and improved from earlier versions, now solar lights were brighter, with white light instead of that dull amber. So we got 16 stainless steel small post lights from QVC. I don't remember how much they were, but we dutifully waited until they were "Today's Special Value."

When they arrived, I couldn't wait to place them around the back gardens, as we had no electricity back there. Although they didn't provide nearly as much light at the electrical ones, they still looked really cool and provided enough light to make it interesting. The solar spotlights followed, uplighting trees and the arbor in the backyard (along with a special light on our Buddha statue in the "zen" garden).

My absolute favorites are the new LED solar lights that change color. We again patronized QVC for the Victorian Gazing Ball solar LED light, which I still love. We even got a floating LED solar light for the pond from a local pond store. Then came the solar rock lights -- again, bought from the QVC Outlet store in Rehoboth Beach, Del. They were so cool and cheap, I couldn't resist!

And finally, last year, the "piece de resistance," the solar flickering tiki torches!! I got a really great buy on these at Home Depot. I think they were $11 on sale. And when I put them around our pond/patio area and they lit up at night, it felt like Tribal Council on "Survivor"!

Everything was glowing brightly the first summer, the second summer, we lost some of the stainless steel lights (they just didn't work anymore), and by last year most weren't working. This year, nothing. I haven't brought out the tiki torches yet, I'm afraid that although the lights still work, the woven baskets underneath the lights took quite a hit from the weather last year and need a little glue-gun restoration.

Anyway, here's the dirty little secret (in my experience) that no one tells you about "solar lights." They, like everything else that's not connected to an electrical supply, run on batteries!! Are you kidding me? I knew there had to be a catch! And, they're "special solar" batteries. And, THEY'RE NOT CHEAP!! Big surprise, huh?

A quick check of the Internet finds a 4-pk of Malibu Solar replacement batteries averaging $9.95 at such retailers at Amazon, Target and Google. I know I've purchased them locally at both Home Depot and Lowe's (Lowe's doesn't carry Malibu, but their version is $5-$6).

Before you role your eyes and think "big deal," let's do the math. Each solar light I own takes 2-4 batteries, so that's about $5-$10 a piece to replace. At $5 for 16 stainless steel lights (just for example), that's $80 alone!! And that's estimating on the cheaper side. Not to mention that the batteries are lithium and need to be recycled. So, you can't just throw them out. Although I'm told that you can take dead lithium batteries to Radio Shack and they will recycle them for you.

So think twice about how you want to light up your outdoor space. The electric lights may cost more up front, but are probably worth it in the end. As with everything else, do your research before investing your hard-earned cash!

Tomorrow I'll unveil the 2008 Perennial of the Year and guess what, I just happen to have a couple in my garden!

Yesterday after work, as promised, I planted my EarthBoxes. What is the EarthBox, you say?
According to www.earthbox.com: "The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers and proven in the lab and on the farm. Our maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden-with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort."
Well, they were right about the effort. It didn't take much at all to plant. We first saw the EarthBox on QVC two years ago, and, of course, I had to have it. But it was priced at a hefty $49.95 per box, a little more than I was willing to pay. Fortunately, at the end of last summer, we found two EarthBoxes at the QVC Outlet store while on vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Del. I don't remember specifically, but they were about half the original price. And they've been patiently waiting in my basement every since.

I decided to try tomatoes and peppers. But according to the instructions, you can plant anything you want from flowers to veggies. Just select a sunny spot, keep the cover on and the reservoir full, and you'll have the best yield ever. (We'll see.)

The EarthBox is a resin planter box. Inside you'll find a plastic screen and a small bagof accessories. Remove the fill tube from the accessory bag and press it thru the support. A plant selection chart and planting patterns is also included. After packing the two rear corner cutouts in the screen with moist potting mix, you must pour water thru the fill tube until it runs out the overflow hole.This is the way you'll water your plants after planting.
The next thing you'll find is that it takes A LOT of potting mix to fill the EarthBox -- 75 quarts per box is recommended. While mine didn't take quite that much (who knows, maybe I should've packed it harder), I did have to buy 4 bags of 32-qt. Miracle Grow Moisture Control Potting Soil at about $8 per bag. The good news is, that as long as I take the boxes indoors (the garage should be fine) after this season, I should be able to reuse the same potting mix next year. I'll just need to add more fertilizer and a little "fresh" soil.

For tomatoes, they recommend mixing 2 cups of dolomite or hydrated lime into the top 4 inches of soil (which is included in the packaging). Fertilizer is also provided to put on top of the soil. After putting the cover on top, I followed the planting patterns for the number of plants I chose, and voila! -- the EarthBoxes are ready to bear me the biggest yield of vegetables I have ever seen!
Let's hope, because last year's crop of tomatoes and peppers (cherry tomatoes excluded) was just pitiful. I had great luck with cucumbers, though, and I've planted six vines this year. There really is nothing that compares to home grown veggies. It must be part personal pride and part freshness that makes them so palatable! And with the rising cost of produce (along with everything else), now is a perfect time to start your own "victory" garden.

By the way, the EarthBox is perfect for apartment dwellers or homes with limited garden space.You can find out more by visiting www.earthbox.com. I'll let you know how my EarthBoxes are progressing throughout the growing season.



Coming up: The Truth about Solar Lights

I never realize how much I miss my "outdoor room" until the time comes around again to enjoy it. And now that everything's set up, I try to get up a little earlier during the week so I can sit out by the pond, have my coffee and try to enjoy the "zen" feeling before starting another hectic day.
Of course, right now before I can do that, I've had to add another chore to my morning routine ... cleaning the pond filter. Yes, it's become a daily ritual. Every morning I open the curtains on the sliding glass doors, look out onto the patio, let the dogs out and feel the tranquility ... which is abruptly interrupted when I notice the slow trickling of the waterfall!
So, I trudge out, griping the whole way, unhook the filter and walk it down to the other side of the yard where the hose is (all in my pajamas of course). And, every now and then, one of my neighbors is out and wants to talk. Great.
It's my own fault really.While my planting is done and mulched way ahead of last year, my pond maintenance has suffered. Last year it was all about the green water, and this year it's all about the muck. When your pond goes from 16 fish to over 30, it really makes a difference in waste! One of these days, I'll get around to installing that Not-So-New-Anymore waterfall and cleaning out the bottom of the pond. In hopes of actually getting this done, I just ordered the Muck-Vac from www.muckvacdirect.com. For $69.95 (and that's a LOT cheaper than many pond vacuums), it boasts the ability to clean the bottom and sides of any pond/fountain without disrupting plant life or fish. And according to customer testimonies, "it works great and has cut down pond maintenance time drastically!" I can only hope ...
Back to the morning routine. As I sit and take in my backyard oasis, after getting dressed mind you, I can see two chipmunks running sunflower seeds back to their nest, one of which is on the other side of the pond, down next to the hard plastic lining. I figure it stays nice and cool in the hot summer months, and that's why they "build" it there. I stay still so as not to be noticed. And if I'm real lucky, I can sit pretty close to Hank (the frog), while he sits atop one of the pond plant pots, waiting for me to make my next move.
The peacefulness is interrupted by a scuffling sound, and I look up to find my Bichon Frise Lexie treeing two squirrels. They are giving her heck because they want to come down to the bird feeder, but she won't allow it!
After a few tranquil minutes, I look at my watch and am reminded that it's time to leave for work. Damn, can't it be Saturday already?
Last thing I do before leaving is to plug in the Bubbler. The Bubbler used to be a beautiful Bell fountain, as pictured above (in the bottom right corner). When we had our smaller pond, the fish kept knocking the fountain stem off the pump. I always figured it was because the pond was too small for the size of the fish, and they couldn't help knocking into it. After we installed the larger pond, the fish continued to knock the fountain stem off its pump.
Then I finally realized that while we humans like the Bell fountain, the fish prefer the bubbler effect the fountainless pump has on the water. The air pressure shooting out of the pump creates a "jet stream" of water that splashes up at the surface. For the fish, it creates a kind of water park effect. When the Bubbler is on, they take turns swimming through the pressurized water, sometimes being propelled up and out of the water. So, I like to think of it as our treat to them.
At night, when I turn the bubbler off (to give them a break, I think), they all just kind of hover around it like I just took away their ball and the game is over.

Tomorrow, I promise, the Earth Boxes will be revealed ... I WILL get them done tonight!

No, not THAT Brangelina – my Brangelina. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you remember that I’ve been referring to my "very pregnant" fish as "Brangelina."

Sadly, my Brangelina was belly-up between two pond plants Friday night after I got home from work. I guess she wasn’t pregnant afterall. She was one of my original pond fish, purchased five years ago from Caccoosing Creek Ponds and Landscaping on the other side of Sinking Spring. She was also one of my bigger fish measuring well over 10 inches from nose to tail. A mostly white "red comet," she had become severely bloated towards her tail over the last month (suggesting that she was going to lay eggs).

For the past two weeks, she hovered along the bottom of the pond, lethargic to say the least. We thought this was part of the normal process before a fish lays eggs. Maybe she was pregnant and something happened for the worse. Anyway, I like to think she had a good life. As best as we could make it anyway.

We’ve been very fortunate with our fish, she was only the third we’ve lost so far. And since everyone else seems healthy, we hope that she didn’t die from anything contagious.

Yes, I know, it’s only a fish, and although we enjoy our pond and it’s wildlife very much, it’s not the same as losing a dog, cat or other beloved pet. But the fish have come to be part of our lives too. We feed them, clean the filter, sometimes add a little ice to the water when the temp gets too warm. We even cut up oranges last year and threw them into the pond for a treat that they seemed to enjoy.

There are too many to name, but some have characteristics and/or colors that have separated them from the rest
of the school. Our biggest fish is a huge white "whale" of a goldfish with a little red spot on its nose – hence the name "Moby." Then there’s "Red" the biggest of our Red Comets, almost as big as Moby. Copper, a beautiful mostly black Shebunkin, gets its name from the copper coloring splashed across its body.

Also, Nemo, the first baby ever to survive in our pond. Nemo, who’ll be two years old this summer, is almost seven inches from nose to tail and white with orange/gold spritzes throughout. Frosty, the tiny baby fish (only about 1 ½ inches) who was born, surprisingly, sometime over the winter, is all white and still teeny. And our newest "named" fish is one of last year’s babies – a completely black/grey fish who we can hardly ever see, accept when it comes to the top to get food – the Phantom.

A quick check of www.aquariumfish.com states that the average life span of pond goldfish is well over 10 years, assuring us that, pending any unfortunate disease, we should have our fish for quite a while to come. And if this year’s anything like last summer, we’ll have plenty more. Yikes!


Coming this week I’ll tell you all about those Earth Boxes, the Perennial of the Year, the Bubbler and the truth about Solar Lights.