In a complex world, a simple cycle like the return of spring can be reassuring. Nothing beats spring in the Rock Alpine Garden; rock gardens are traditionally at their best in spring as the residents are often native to high elevations and keyed to bloom during the brief alpine summers found around the world.</p> Since I am not able to share the garden with you in person, let’s take a virtual tour.</strong></p> Starting at the east entrance of the Rock Alpine Garden, the crevice gardens to our right and left are filled with a wide variety of mats and cushions from the world’s steppe and alpine areas. Some years Iris iberica</em> blooms; maybe this will be such a year.</li> The troughs on the left side of the path with Primula </em>in yellow and lavender and Draba</em> in yellow bring some of this delicate beauty closer to the eyes.</li> Continuing our virtual ramble down the main path into the Rock Alpine Garden proper, a multitude of Muscari </em>(grape hyacinth), Phlox</em>, Pulsatilla </em>(pasque flower) and assorted mustards (Alyssum </em>and Draba</em>) paint the scene blue, pink, purple, white and yellow.</li> In the upper meadow and lower meadow, species tulips brighten the scene in yellows, magenta and orangey reds—these are the wild relatives of cultivated tulips native to the steppes and high mountains of Eurasia.</li> To the west of the meadows, another crevice garden holds more moisture-loving plants than the one at the entrance. Here Aethionema</em>, Erysimum</em>, Draba</em>, Veronica</em> and Primula</em> are some of the first flowers of the season, creating a vignette of spring pastels in lavender, pale pink, blue, yellow and magenta.</li> Strolling the path along the lower section of the meadow along the stream, the north ledge is full of pink and magenta Erica</em> (heather) and pale purple Pulsatilla</em>, and perhaps even the fuzzy yellowish flowers of several low-growing Salix </em>(willows).</li> Another small crevice garden in this area will be ablaze with color from a wide variety of Primula </em>in yellows, pink and dark violet and Saxifraga </em>in shades of white, pink, magenta and yellow by the end of the month and into May—this comparatively small vignette is one of my favorites in the entire garden.</li> </ul> Spring is truly a special time in the Rock Alpine Garden, but really it is a garden that is beautiful and ever-changing throughout the entire year. I hope to see you soon in the garden.</p>
If you’ve recently found yourself in possession of a lot of free time and the need to stay close to home, this is the perfect opportunity to start your vegetable garden off on the right foot. Here is your checklist for March and April:</p> Garden cleanup: If it didn’t happen last fall, clear out any remaining vegetable debris. Remove weeds that might already be sprouting; start with the pesky perennial weeds, like dandelions and mallow. </li> Freshen your soil: Winter weather can introduce exposed soils to compaction and cracking, which makes sowing seeds and transplanting difficult. If you put off bed prep until the spring, now’s the time to mix in a bit of compost and turn the soil. Prior to direct sowing any seeds, smooth out the surface of the garden bed using the back of a straight rake.</li> Start seeds indoors: Warm season plants like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants should be started indoors from seed in mid to late March. Wait until late April if you are going to start cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. Successful indoor propagation relies on a strong light source (an LED or fluorescent grow light left on for 14-18 hours a day is ideal), germination media with small particle sizes, consistently moist conditions and a space with temperatures ranging from 65-75°F.</li> Sow seeds: Cold-tolerant seeds, like lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, radish, carrots and beets, can all be directly sown into the garden late March through the end of April. Germination on peas can be increased by soaking them in water or placing them in a wet paper towel for 4-12 hours prior to sowing. Wait until early May to sow more tender seeds like bush and pole beans, squash, corn and melons. Just like starting seeds indoors, good germination relies on consistently moist soil.</li> Inspect your tools: Rust can be removed from pruners and other tools by soaking overnight in a half and half solution of vinegar and water and then scrubbing with steel wool or a wire brush. Remember to oil the metal with WD-40 or mineral oil after it dries. Other tool maintenance activities include sanding and sealing wooden handles, checking for loose screws on long handled tools and sharpening shovels, hoes, pruners and other cutting tools.</li> </ul> Don’t forget to involve the children in the garden, as well! Introduce toddlers to earthworms and other soil critters, let them use the watering can on newly planted seeds and use the garden as a space to observe birds and other urban wildlife. Older kids will enjoy helping to turn the soil and plant seeds. Nothing tastes better than a bean or tomato you helped grow.</p>
