No Fail Flower Garden

Today I'm looking through No-Fail Flower Garden: How to Plan, Plant, and Grow a Beautiful Easy-Care Garden, edited by Joan Benjamin and Barbara W. Ellis (Rodale Press; Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1994). I'm looking for inspiration for our upcoming landscaping project. The book is from my mom's library (part of her downsizing efforts), and I'm the lucky recipient. As always, I love coming across her notes in the margin, and her bookmarks (such as the one left in the section called A Hardy Northern Garden and another in Add Appeal with Varied Textures). My folks used the book to design several garden beds in their Southeastern Alaska landscape, and their planning and labor pay off each summer as bulbs and perennials appear as soon as the snow is gone.

The book starts with the question, "What is a No-Fail Flower Garden?" The short answer is that the garden looks great and grows well for you. It should please you, use low-maintenance plants, brighten and improve the landscape, provide color and interest through the seasons, be pest- and disease-free, and cost what you are willing to spend. If it meets your criteria, it is a no-fail garden.

No-Fail Flower Garden is divided into two main sections. Part 1: Designing a No-Fail Flower Garden takes the reader through the process of assessing the site, choosing flowers that are right for you, combining plants, designing your own garden (16 pre-designed gardens are provided for inspiration), and adding hardscape and other touches. They also provide design principles such as scale and proportion, balance, repetition, plant forms, texture, and the warm/hot color palette. Part 2: No-Fail Flower Gardening Techniques educates the reader on planting and propagation, caring for your garden, dealing with pests, and working with the garden through its lifecycle. The back matter provides a plant-by-plant guide for flowers, sources for information and products, recommended reading, the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and an extensive index.

I like this book's straightforward approach to garden design. It helps the reader accept the benefits and limitations of the garden site, and then plan a garden that works well with it. The book focuses a lot on flowers, but it also emphasizes the need for foliage and for seasonal interest. I like that plants are recommended at the species level (spp.), so that the gardener can choose species that are native to the garden location. I enjoyed looking at the plant groupings for particular situations, such as "Lush Leaves for a Shady Site", "A Mixed Border for All-Season Interest" and "Herbs and Shrubs for Easy Care". The gallery of garden designs was also inspiring, with several favorites that included "Two Native Prairie Gardens", "A Corner Herb Garden", and "A Brilliant Butterfly Garden". Even though we plan to work with professional landscapers, this book gave me a lot of ideas for planning the garden that we want. 

Jensen-Olson Arboretum

On a recent trip to Southeast Alaska, my Aunt Char and I met up with my brother Dave and sister-in-law Karen to visit the Jensen-Olson Arboretum. The day was cool and overcast, perfect for roaming about the garden beds and taking in the dramatic scenery. By the time we left, the sun was starting to shine!

Welcome to Jensen-Olson Arboretum

The public garden is located on Pearl Harbor, 23 miles north of Juneau just past the Shrine of Saint Therese. The Arboretum was the former home and garden of Caroline Jensen, Juneau resident and Master Gardener. She bequeathed her property to the City and Borough of Juneau with the vision that the gardens would provide the people of Juneau a place that teaches and inspires learning. The Arboretum opened to the public in 2007. Merrill Jensen, the garden's first manager, documented its plants and obtained National Accreditation Status for its collection of the genus Primula. He also worked with community members and volunteers to expand the collection and infrastructure.

What's in Bloom?

A drift of Blue Cowslip (Pulmonaria 'Azurea' Blue) 

Besides the sweeping views of rugged Alaska scenery, the garden includes flower beds, a poetry garden, and a kitchen garden that donates food seasonally to The Glory Hole. The garden also hosts native plant walks, plant sales, art programs with local artists, youth programs, and garden celebrations.

Grand view of Pearl Harbor and beyond

Poetry garden

Kitchen garden

Exploring the flower beds

The Arboretum actively propagates new plants and plants from their collection (some of the Primulas are quite rare). The plants are used in the garden beds, and are periodically available for purchase through Plant Sales. 

Cold frame with starters

Drumstick Primula (Primula denticulata)

Pink Corydalis

Friends of Jensen-Olson Arboretum is an active partner, dedicated to raising funds for ongoing projects and maintenance. Volunteers also pitch in to maintain the grounds and garden beds. I highly recommend visiting the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in all seasons to enjoy the views and seasonal change of the gardens. It's a great place for solitary visits or visits with friends and family.

A shelter for taking in the beauty (out of the rain)

Buy a brick, support the garden

A good time was had by all

Studio Updates: Tooling Up for Indigo

This year we are dyeing with indigo, a historical dye that has been used for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. Dyeing with indigo is quite different from our previous dye projects. The reduction and fermentation processes required for natural indigo dyeing makes it more akin to wine making than extracting dye with heat. Part of the fun of a new project is figuring out the supplies that you need and "tooling up" in preparation. 

Dye Kit

I decided to take the easy route for my first go at dyeing with indigo and plan to use the Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit (Natural Dye Method). The kit includes everything I need to mix the dye vat. The indigo has been pre-reduced, so will be much easier to work with. The Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit (Natural Dye Method) contains:

• Water-soluble, pre-reduced Indigo dye crystals
• Soda ash – fixer that raises the pH level and helps fabric better absorb dye
• Sodium hydrosulfite – reducing agent that converts indigo pigment into a water-soluble form
• Latex gloves
• Supplies for resist dyeing, such as tiles, and rubber bands in two sizes
• Instruction manuals

Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit (Natural Dye Method)

The kit contains everything needed to dye with indigo

I’m content to use the water-soluble, pre-reduced indigo dye crystals to create the dye bath, rather than tackle the whole reducing and fermenting process. I prefer to experiment with different resist techniques such as Shibori, Batik, and tie-dye. Once mixed, the dye will keep for up to several weeks if sealed properly, and will dye 15 yards or 5 pounds of fabric, or 15 shirts.

Dye Vat

Unlike our previous experiences, the indigo dye vat can be kept sealed and the dye used when desired. There is no heating or keeping the dye at a particular temperature with indigo, as there is with other plant dyes we’ve used. It is important to seal the dye from the air, to keep it from oxidizing as much as possible. This 5-gallon bucket with a sealable lid should provide the seal and storage space needed for our dye vat.

Five-gallon bucket with sealable lid (Source: Amazon)

Other supplies include:

• 36-inch-long paddle for stirring the vat (or similar)
• Rubber gloves to protect hands (the dye is not toxic so not required)
• Tray for placing dye objects as they transform from yellow-green to blue (I'm using a box lined with a garbage bag)
• Drop cloths to protect the work area

Long paddle for stirring the dye and removing oxidized dye (Source: WebstaurantStore)

Resist Dyeing

The Indigo Tie Dye kit includes supplies for both Shibori and tie dyeing. Both are resist-dyeing techniques, where the dye is blocked from reaching the fiber, so the fabric is not dyed where blocked. The Shibori supplies include:

• Tiles in various sizes and shapes (the kit includes some wood tiles, and I purchased additional acrylic tiles in various sizes)
• Large and small rubber bands or clips

Additional acrylic tiles for shibori dyeing (Source: Amazon)

I procured tiles in additional sizes and shapes. I’m looking forward to using folding techniques and tiles of various shapes and sizes to produce patterns, and using the rubber bands tie dyeing.

I’d also like to try another resist dyeing technique – Batik. Batik is traditionally done with wax, but I decided not to invest in any specialized equipment. Instead I plan to use common household items that are easy to obtain. Washable glue sounded like a practical and clever alternative to wax.

Washable glue as an alternative to wax

Fabric

For fabric, I’ve replenished my cotton dish towel stash, and I’m using what I already have (cotton, linen, silk and wool). With indigo, there is no need to mordant fabric, but it is still important to scour the fabric to remove any coatings or impurities that might prevent dyeing. You can use the hot water or overnight soak techniques [see Scouring your Fabric and Scouring your Fabric (Soaking Method)].

Cotton dish towels (Source: Amazon)

Fabric collected for previous dye projects

If there is time and enough dye, I might try overdyeing to see what colors would be produced. I have dish towels that were previously dyed with weld and cochineal. (Do you suppose a dip in the indigo dye vat will produce green and navy)?

Possible overdye experiment with weld

Another possible overdye experiment with cochineal

I’m looking forward to working with indigo dye and seeing for myself the magical transformation process from yellow-green to blue. As usual, I have lots of ideas and plans, but may run out of time or dye strength. Whatever I decide to do, I’m tooled up and ready to dye!

Learn More

• Indigo - A World of Blue, by Maiwa Productions (2008). 

• Maiwa How to Dye with Indigo (A World of Blue) – downloadable.

• DIY Shibori Tie Dye Techniques Tutorial (For Beginners), by Sarah Johnson.

• Glue Resist with Indigo and Washable Glue, by Katherine Rual. Onyx Art Studios.

Birthday Flowers: Lily of the Valley

The birth flower for May is the lovely woodland flower, lily of the valley. They are native to Europe and Asia and an early bloomer. Their delicate cascade of sweet smelling, bell-shaped flowers, sheathed in bright green leaves are a welcome sign that winter days are coming to an end and spring has finally arrived. The flowers are perfect for welcoming a baby born in May and for celebrating new life and fresh beginnings.

May - Lily of the Valley (Photo by Matti Virtaa) 

The lily of the valley plant signifies joy, love, sincerity, happiness or a return to happiness, sweetness, humility, purity, fertility, and luck. Flowers are typically white, but pale pink and purple varieties can be found in the trade (the blooms of the latter can be very toxic). References to lily of the valley can be found throughout literature, the Bible, mythology, and folklore. Despite its name, the plant is not in the lily family, but in the asparagus family, Asparagaceae.

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) are shade-loving plants with flowers appearing in early spring and vibrant orange berries in late summer. Although delicate looking, the plant is hardy. The plant is safe to handle but is mildly toxic (especially the roots), and should not be eaten by humans or animals. Lily of the valley contains glycosides which can affect the heart if eaten. The compound has been used by professionals to treat heart disorders, urinary infections, epilepsy, kidney stones and burns.

More Portraits in Lichen

I've been marvelling at the lichens in our yard this rainy season. With the ongoing and sustained moisture levels, they have flourished and expanded. Lichen is a composite of algae or cyanobacteria living among fungi species with yeast being a possible third partner. They all live together in a mutualistic relationship (we humans should take note of the possibilities). Here are a few more lichen shots from our yard (see Portraits in Lichen for more).

Lichen and moss living side by side on an old fence

Lichen and ivy sharing another fence
(the lichen is lignicolous - grows on wood stripped of bark) 

In previous years of drought, the lichen remained but was not as plumped up and spongy. With the extra water this year, the lichen is thriving.

This greenshield lichen thrives on an ancient rhodie branch

A saxicolous lichen (grows on rocks)

With our landscaping project this year, I'm concerned about preserving as much of the moss and lichen as possible. Lichen is very slow growing, and takes time to establish.

Lichen and moss flourish on an informal rock planter

Another saxicolous lichen

Even with my preservation plans, next year might be a prime time to experiment with dyeing with lichen. Reading Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book by Karen Diadick several years ago, piqued my interest in all the dye colors that lichen can produce, including shades of red, gold, brown, yellow, and purple. Even if the local lichens turn out to be colorless, lichen can also be used as a mordant. Until then, enjoy these portraits in lichen from our Bay Area yard.