The Master Gardener, the Spring Chick, and a Little Lesson.

Last weekend it was warm & sunny so I pretty much planted myself at my potting bench!  That was then - when I started writing this post - & this is now when I'm finally publishing!  Those little things called "Life" and "Internal Error" tend to put things on hold so my apologies for the delay.

Meanwhile, back at my bench....you might want to go grab another cup of Jo....it's a long one.

photo Lisa Porter

What to do, what to do?

Around here they say,

"Don't fill your outdoor planters until Derby!"

photo Lisa Porter

Who are they kidding, that's not until the first Saturday in May.

  They're not kidding!

Peace In the Garden-Hose by Collier Porter

I remember our first Spring here in the Bluegrass and the suggestion of waiting till May to fill my patio & deck with flowers did not settle well with this Spring Chick.   So I went from nursery to nursery - well, actually only two - certain that someone had given me the wrong information!

photo Lisa Porter

Nursery #1

I was pretty much the only one there.  Ok, so the owner was there too.  I strolled through the main shop pretending to be a master gardener on a mission!

She looked at me like I was from Mars but could not have been nicer.  It was freezing outside and before I knew it, this sweet woman was offering me coffee.  The other option was to wander outside down desolate pea gravel paths yearning for velvety green boxwoods and the scent of sweet magnolias.  Let's just say I never left the main shop.  A good visit with a wise gardener & some new gloves later & I was on my way.

Now, not to be a doubter but I can be a bit persistent so I made just one more stop.

photo Lisa Porter

Nursery #2

The same plan of action but with a bit more confidence because Nursery #1 had taught this spring chick a thing or two.  Again, I appeared to be the only customer.  I could see a woman unpacking boxes in the shop and I noticed a gentleman outdoors in denim work clothes preparing for the first shipment of trees & shrubs to arrive.

Gosh, he was a handsome rugged man with such a friendly broad smile.  I decided to keep my coat on and follow him around for a bit.  Even though he was quite busy, he acted as if he had all the time in the world for me. 

Handsome rugged man: "Welcome how can we help you?"

Spring Chick: Oh, I was just dropping my kids off at school and decided to stop by for a look...

You see, I have stacks & stacks of garden books from the local library and have been planning & plotting all winter long!

I want a raised garden, a shade garden, a sun garden, a scented garden, and I live in hardiness zone 6, with annual temperatures ranging from -10 to 105 F : )

He smiled his broad smile, removed his hat & gloves and introduced himself.

Handsome rugged man: "Are you new to the area?"

He put me so instantly at ease that I decided to wise up, drop the master gardener act and start asking questions.  However, he wanted to begin with mulch. 

Spring Chick: Mulch, don't you mean dirt? I've got plenty thank you.

As I mentioned earlier, he seemed to have the time & I had till the 3:15 dismissal bell so we continued on.

By the time I left I was a master of mulch & had ordered my roses!

photo Lisa Porter

Little did I know that I was in the company of Kentucky gardening royalty!

This kind man was master gardener,

Louis Hillenmeyer.

It was in the spring of 1841 that the Hillenmeyer family's first shipment of fruit trees arrived in Lexington.  This set into motion what is now six generations of his family in the horticulture industry making Hillenmeyers one of the oldest continuously operated family-owned landscaping companies in the country!

photo, Joseph Hillenmeyer & Associates 

Today "Louie" continues to provide the best to Lexington gardeners at his delightful Flower Power Shops.  The selection and service are consistent and always delivered in style.  Beginner & master gardeners are given the same generous amount of time, knowledge, and great conversation with Louie and his beautiful & talented wife!  She has a green thumb & great style & will gladly help you pair any of the incredible baskets or pottery that she buys in France with beautiful healthy herbs, ivy, plants, and flowers. 

   photo Lisa Porter   

One of the ways that the Hillenmeyers are contributing towards keeping Lexington "green" is by selling many of their smaller plants in simple terracotta clay pots, the way nurseries used to!  I like that!

Petersham

So if you find yourself driving up & down Tates Creek a million times a day like I do, take the time to stop by Louie's Flower Power Shop!  Whether I'm picking up a gift basket full of geraniums or Christmas greens, I always grab a coffee at Fresh Market and stroll over to Louie's to enjoy the classical music, visit with all the nice people there and start planning for the season.  I always leave feeling like a happy gardener!

 

photo Lisa Porter   

I'll admit, I'm a bit partial, as Louie's daughter is a dear, sweet friend! 

For many wonderful years we were little league moms huddled together up high in the bleachers under wool stadium blankets in early spring & umbrellas in late summer.  We were faithfully cheering our sons on & upholding the family pride!  Taylor was often working the concession stand & our husbands were coaching their Minor League Texas Rangers down in the dusty dugout!

photo Collier Porter

Back to gardening, sorry!

Since the weather continues to be predictably unpredictable, before we head over to Hillenmeyers, we head to the forest.

The forest? Yes, it's down the road just up past the ballpark!

I know you're probably lost.....

When we moved here from So Cal ten years ago, our children only knew sand and saltwater. That first Spring  I was excited for them to discover dirt that was hard as clay, soft green moss, sticks & stones.  Our first gathering produced burlap bags filled with moss & enough sticks to start an arbor! 

photo Lisa Porter

A few months later sweet Clematis took over and began to blossom, a feathered friend moved in & the arbor felt like it had been there for years. 

photo Lisa Porter

So you might be wondering where this story is leading to...not the ballpark.

photo Lisa Porter

I'm heading back to my potting bench because as I've mentioned in a post before, it's where I go to relax!

I've also had many inquiries as to what I'm going to do with all that moss!

So with a little help from my friend...

photo Lisa Porter

I'll show you.

Over the years at Easter, my kids have gone from coloring & collecting eggs, to "I was wondering if there was any chance of us going to the late service & are we going anywhere for brunch?"  Every year I bring out special items that we have cherished for years but those brightly colored Easter baskets, (still love them) now consist of gifts gathered from God's green earth in celebration of Easter, Earth Day & Arbor Day too!

Now, if you're still with me, gather a few garden supplies and your Mother Earth imagination!

photo Lisa Porter

I use these lightweight half-barrel planters - that Taylor had painted white - highlighting the black straps.

Then I place a couple of plastic pots inside them but upside down. 

photo Lisa Porter

The upside-down pots create a raised flat area for the moss to sit. Since you don't need much soil for this project, you can fill in around the edges with anything you like, I use the left-over pinecones gathered at Christmas. They retain moisture keeping this all very low maintenance. photo Lisa Porter

I then take a couple of large round biodegradable coconut liners and pull them apart to the diameter that I want.  These are optional but they do create a natural kind of nest & help retain moisture which the moss thrives on. You can fray the edges a little or go crazy pulling every which way.  I use this stuff year-round.  If you like the look, it's a great filler for any container like my favorite basket on my front door!

photo Lisa Porter

Now for the fun part.  This is when I grab a sweet tea & turn up the volume on my garden mix! When I collect the moss, I visualize sort of a woodland theme at my front door so I grab anything interesting on the forest floor. Twigs, fungus, twisty curly things, bark, nuts, and grass.

You didn't know I was so green, did you? 

Actually, I give the MR. full credit for providing this lush green backdrop. 

He is master of the lawn!  : )

I kept having to move out of the sun to photograph all this so carting it around in the wagon made things easier.  Rustoleum spray paint in high gloss John Deere Green gave the old girl new life so now she Runs like a Deere!  My high gloss black lab Gracie did not run like a Deere & instead stayed right in the middle of it all.  I like that though.

photo Lisa Porter 

Back to the planters.  To give things a boost, I found a couple of gnarly logs from what's left of the woodpile and plopped them on top.

photo Lisa Porter

I added handfuls of soil and started planting around & up onto the log.

photo Lisa Porter 

photo Lisa Porter

Then I just started playing with all the different varieties of moss, tucking some into a split in the log, and another variety around the base of the grass and so on to help hold the soil in place.

Remember these guys from the potting bench?  Being that these are Easter planters, I borrowed a flat mossy stone from the patio for one bunny to sit on.

photo Lisa Porter

More layers of moss with some blue-green fungus, some tree bark, and some twisted vines to finish it off!

photo Lisa Porter

The other planter was more wild & woodsy. Once again I started with a big old split log for height and then added some grass & some long-stemmed wild garlic.

photo Lisa Porter

I piled more soil upon a section of the log and then layered some sheets of moss over the top.  This log was actually kind of pretty & had the perfect spot for a bunny to sit so I left that part exposed. More moss, some nuts & twigs and twisted vines gave this one great character!

photo Lisa Porter

What I really love about these is that they change, daily.  Little clovers & ferns from the forest floor have been known to sprout up overnight!  Now it's time to grab my latest Veranda and another sweet tea, relax &  let Mother Nature take over for a while.   

Don't forget to water!  Thank you, Collier : ) 

photo Lisa Porter

For some of the finest gardening in Kentucky by one of the nicest families in the world, I invite you to visit the Hillenmeyer family.

photo,  Joseph Hillenmeyer & Associates

Using both, classical hand-drawn plans and renderings, as well as state of the art computer animation, Louie's son, Joseph Hillenmeyer and his professional staff, offer professional care and advice for all of your horticultural needs.

"We often find that our clients feel they have gained much more than just a garden. They have added a whole new way in which to relax and enjoy the beauty of their home." Joseph Hillenmeyer

Central Kentucky has a fine reputation for being home to the most beautiful horse farms in the world and Hillenmeyers has been providing their services to many of them for more than 100 years!

photo, Stephen Hillenmeyer Landscape Services

Lexington also has a fine reputation for being home to some of the most beautiful gardens in Kentucky.  Well known for his high standards, Louie's brother, Stephen Hillenmeyer offers professional landscaping services that are tailored to fit the needs of both commercial and residential properties of every size.

This stunning garden is a collaboration between Stephen Hillenmeyer, and local resident Georgia Rodes.

photo Hirsheimer & Hamilton for Beautiful Gardens of Kentucky

You can see more of the private retreat & many others in the extraordinary book,

Beautiful Gardens of Kentucky by acclaimed garden designer, Jon Carloftis.

Book Cover by Hirsheimer & Hamilton

Now if you're not exhausted from all the gardening & baseball & if you have time, walk with me down through Lexington's Historic District.   Tour the private porches & gardens of Ashland residents. And visit Gainesway Farm, one of the most beautiful horse farms in the world.                                 

Enjoy & Happy Gardening!