My favorite rose (and the only one that survives) is the
Fairy Rose is a Polyantha which means it has many clusters of blooms and
there are many sub-varieties.
It is a low growing shrub which is absolutely
smothered in blooms from spring right through to autumn. It grows to about 2 or
3 feet in height and spreads up to 4 feet in width, so when you put it in, give
it plenty of room.
It has a slight fragrance, but its blooms make up for
that. Each cluster of blossoms always has shades of rose pink, pale pink and
white as each flower head goes through its birth to death phases. This may mean
a lot of deadheading, depending on your taste, but I never had to deadhead mine
even once, except after the flowers finished. Some pictures show up a lot of
dead blooms, but I never saw that many on my bush. This rose is very prickly –
its only downside. So just wear thick gloves when working with it.
It is resistant to rust, powdery mildew and even black spot
(ideal for South Dakota). It is also shade tolerant; ideal for at the base of a
tree or in a corner (although it must have good air circulation around its
base, like all roses).
The Fairy Rose needs very little attention. It is hardy,
drought and disease resistant and blooms ‘as if it meant it’. Wherever you put
it, it asks for only one thing: good drainage. Like all roses, they hate wet
feet. It loves a good organic or compost mulch, and if you must give it
fertilizer, use a slow release, occasionally. Early pruning after the flowering
season will promote new growth and deadheading will extend the life of the
flowers well into autumn.
As long as there have been farmers and gardeners, there have been birds trying to eat their crops. And throughout the ages, farmers have tried to come up with ingenious ways to scare them off. Nowadays, scarecrows are familiar sights, not only in gardens but in autumn decorations, with no end to the cute (or scary!) possibilities.
From ancient Greek wooden sculptures of Priapus placed
around the garden, to the German bootzamon or “boogeyman” (often accompanied by
his wife, the bootsafrau), scarecrows have always been familiar figures in
gardens, orchards, and vineyards. And in some cultures, scarecrows were
actually live people, hired to shoo the birds away!
In modern gardens, we most often see the typical stuffed
human-shaped scarecrow, perhaps accompanied by an assortment of rubber snakes,
owls, and foxes. Because they don’t actually harm the birds, they’re popular in
organic gardens, where the idea is to scare birds away from the crops while
still allowing them in other parts of the yard to eat insects and grubs.
Like deer and rabbits, birds are wary but adaptable. While
they will steer clear of anything that looks suspicious or out of place, if it
stays put for a while, they’ll get used to it, and eventually you’ll find them
roosting on it!
A basic scarecrow, placed in your garden and left alone, is
likely only to be effective for a few days. So in order for your scarecrow to
work, it needs to be ever changing. You can accomplish this by:
Moving the scarecrow around.
Attaching reflective or noisy accessories that
flash in the breeze.
Changing up your scarecrow’s wardrobe from time
to time.
If you’re also using rubber snakes and the like, keep them
moving too, so the birds will be fooled into thinking they’re real.
You can make a basic human-shaped scarecrow from scraps you
probably have lying around the house. It could be a hat on a wooden tripod.
Frame: A “T” or cross stuck into the ground can serve as a
simple frame for a scarecrow. Simply lash or screw together two scraps of wood,
pipe, or straight tree branches. Make the vertical piece about as tall as you
are, and the horizontal piece at shoulder height, at least as long as the shirt
sleeves the scarecrow will be wearing.
Clothing: Dress the frame with old clothing you have lying
around. Use hot glue, safety pins, or simple yarn stitches to hold the clothing
together. Plaid shirts and overalls are popular choices but be creative! Add
gloves, shoes, bandannas, or whatever you like. Loose clothing or scarves will
add movement to help scare birds away.
Stuffing: You don’t have to stuff your scarecrow; but you
can use old rags, straw, leaves, or newspaper if you do. Plastic garbage bags
are helpful for holding stuffing in shape and keeping fragile stuffing (like
newspaper) from falling apart when it gets wet. Your scarecrow will last longer
if the stuffing can stand up to the elements. You can always add a little straw
sticking out around the sleeves for the traditional scarecrow look.
Head: A head is optional too, but you can easily make one
out of an old pillowcase, milk jug, pantyhose, fabric, pumpkin, or gourd. If
you like, you can add hair and a face using markers, yarn, buttons, twigs, or
whatever you have on hand.
A hat is another way to keep your scarecrow working. You can
put it on your scarecrow’s head, or directly on the top of the pole. Rotating
several hats frequently can help keep your scarecrow fresh. In one yard I
spotted a scarecrow that was nothing more than a wooden ladder with a wavy
straw hat on top, which was regularly moved around the garden.
Bob
Accessories: To keep the birds guessing, add some changeable
accessories to your scarecrow. Aluminum pie pans, old CDs, and strips of
plastic can be tied to the scarecrow to flash in the sun. Wind chimes, bells,
spoons, or sticks can be dangled to clack and ring in the breeze. Wheelbarrows,
bicycles, garden tools, hay bales, and other accessories can also be added and
removed.
First year in growing purslane. I have planted a couple of plants in a cement block and they are doing good.
In the Mediterranean, it is used in soups and salads and has
lots of potential health benefits. It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
levels because of its omega-3 fatty acids. In Mexico it is often used in
omelets, stews and many other recipes. For a very intense flavor, the wilder
varieties are much tastier. Some say it has a lemony taste, or is similar to
watercress, but I’ve also heard people compare it to the taste of spinach.
Portulaca oleracea, the green and wildest variety, has tiny yellow flowers. It is a serious weed to most farmers and gardeners, they want to get rid of it, but it’s very difficult to do. It reseeds itself when you disturb the plants. The best way is just to eat it. Portulaca sativa is golden purslane and it’s often found in herb gardens and is the favorite among chefs.
Ornamental purslanes you see hanging in baskets at the nurseries. There are dozens of varieties with bright colorful blooms and the benefit of being a drought-friendly plant. Ornamental purslane produces flowers all summer and into fall.
