Collaborative Stitching & Garden Necessities

This is the Drawn Thread's "". My Aunt Sandie won this cross stitch at a Button Club meeting.  The design calls for a star atop the tree and two fat white birds at the base.  I am going to stitch two red birds at the base and attempt to design a bird to rest atop the tree.  Sandie will them embellish the tree with an assortment of "Bird Buttons" from her extensive collection.  I'll post a 'finished' picture when our collaboration is complete.    

The weather has turned, and the rain has returned.  An gray day will not stop me from joining the Garden Party over at an Oregon Cottage.

I put together a list of my Garden's Work Horses - The Dirty Dozen.

1. Small Greenhouse
My lean-to greenhouse is very small - 75 inches long, 26 inches wide, 63 inches tall at the front, and 77 inches tall at the back.  Though small it qualifies as a true Work Horse.  I have three plastic racks inside and was able to over winter close to 4 dozen plants.  In cool springs it acts as a holding area for 'hot weather' starts like peppers and tomatoes. 

2. Garden Cart
I bought my garden cart several years ago.  I was certain I'd use it, but I truly had no idea just how often.  The large tires and flat bed combine to make moving heavy loads easy.  I load up containers and flats of plants, I truck potted plants to the Front Porch and Back Patio, I haul plastic trugs of garden debris to the compost pile.  I use it constantly and continually during the gardening year.

3. Plastic Trugs
Strong, flexible, easy to carry - I load 'em up with garden tools, soil, rocks, Winter Squash...

4. Work Station
I'm embarrassed to show this picture of my potting bench.  It's a Mess in Progress!  I use an old picnic table that belonged to an elderly neighbor, Dorothy McBeth.  She was the type of Country Gardener who never bought a plant - her old fashion garden of roses and lilacs and forsythia were all gifts - cuttings from fellow gardeners.  She and her husband had two vegetable gardens - the largest one started circa 1940.  70 years later, my sister uses the same space as her Dahlia Garden - that's Heirloom Gardening!         

5. Nitrile Gloves
For most of my gardening life, I gardened  'bare-handed'.  I could not stand the restriction of gloves.  Then came along Nitrile gloves - they are so flexible!  I'm a believer.

6. and 7. Trowel and Clippers

I've had my trowel and clippers for years now - good tools last.

8. Assorted Pots and Containers

I like both clay and glazed pots.  Over the years I've amassed quite the collection.  I think the container is an important part of the presentation of the newly potted plant.

9. Potting Soil / Mulch
Asking a plant to live happily in the confines of a pot requires that the gardener do all that she can to provide a Happy Home.  I think it is worth investing in 'good' potting soil.  And as the soil in pots tends to dry out quickly, I use a mulch like fine hemlock bark to top dress my containers.   

10. Osmocote 
Back to the theme of providing the plant a Happy Home.  I don't like to mess with liquid fertilizers.  I prefer a time release fertilizer like Osmocote.  In the Spring as I set out my container plants I trim them up, refresh the soil, and add the time release fertilizer to keep them happy for the next several months.  

11. Whimsy
In my book, no garden should be without whimsy.  I received this large metal Grasshopper for my birthday and I will site him somewhere on the Front Porch - place of pride.  

12. Garden Helpers
Lastly, how could I garden without the companionship of my trusty Garden Helpers?  My Mom, my Dad, my sister, and my Outdoor Cat Crew all help to make playing with plants fun!