January Post Delayed Due to Snow

Snow is as rare as hen's teeth here in North Carolina but getting a 
dusting of 2 inches causes immediate chaos.   Schools and businesses close and the supermarket is busy with shoppers stocking up.  I know that people up North think we're all crazy and laugh about our frantic antics , but hey, they don't live here or they'd understand.  Its the fear of black ice more than the snow. After living in Chicago for 4 decades I know something about snow but for the life of me could never understand the locals need to reserve their parking spaces with chairs, buckets, etc.  Instead of helping their neighbors dig out the entire block so everyone could find a spot they go to great lenghts to stake their claim, even flattening tires or breaking car windows.  

January has been unusually cold here and saw the lowest temperatures and most snow in 14 years.    But the nice thing about it is no matter how bad the weather it will change in a short time.  So from 7 degrees one day it went to 65, bringing everyone out to enjoy the sunshine.  

Soon we will be able to enjoy the beautiful dogwoods and azaleas such as the ones above at Duke Gardens.  I have two dogwoods in my garden that I can't wait to see bloom.  No azaleas yet as deer dine on them but looking for Rhododendrons they may leave alone.

Farewell, January, or good riddance is more like it.   You made us more appreciative of the coming Spring.

FIRST CHRISTMAS IN MY NEW SWEET HOME AND GARDEN

November was filled with renovations -2 bathrooms were totally gutted and redone.  New ductwork under the crawlspace, water heater replaced  and major re-grading of backyard to improve drainage .  The dismantling of  a huge mound of dirt and boulders created the future site of a rock garden.

December came with some very cold and then warm days which lured me out to the garden center where I managed to blow all my money on holly, dogwood and crape myrtle.   I managed to plant them on a warm day and now I have something to look at .  I have to totally change my way of thinking about planting.  Here a shallow bowl-shaped hole is recommended as is planting high .

Near the driveway entrance I started my wildlife garden with a bird feeder, bird house and bath .  I love to watch the bluebirds, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Woodpeckers and Wrens .

This month's renovation project was a tear off of the old porch and a new one built of cedar. We also had a cedar shed installed for extra storage and a workshop since we don't have a garage.

I have continued spreading the huge mound of mulch from over 30 trees taken down .  The rain doesn't soak into the ground here and forms puddles and run off everywhere, so the mulch will help slow it down and eventually improve the soil's drainage.  I need to bring in loads of top soil and compost and plant the bare spaces so that rain water will be absorbed better.   I'm also planning to buy a garden tiller/cultivator since the soil is difficult to dig and I need to work in some compost and manure to improve drainage and absorption.

Christmas has arrived and with it Lea's grandparents from Ireland.  She is 5 now and loves to entertain them with made up stories and Christmas songs.    This Christmas the weather hasn't been as warm as Christmases past when they arrived for their visit.   I do believe they brought the rain from Ireland with them.

Soon December will come to an end and the New Year will begin.  I hope that 2014 will bring much joy to our Sweet Home and Garden Carolina.

NOVEMBER AND NEW BEGINNINGS

This November 1st my husband Simon and I celebrated our golden anniversary and moved into our forever home here in Chapel Hill.  It is a small little cedar house of about 1400 square feet and set on a wooded lot.  There's at least 30 ' or more on each side between neighbors, so unlike Chicago where you could just holler out the window if you wanted to talk to them.  The house is set back almost 50 feet or so from the busy roadway and the many trees buffer the sounds of passing cars.

The house was built in 1980 and not much has been done to it since so our  " to do " list is very long.   One thing I do like is its tall ceilings and exposed beamed ceiling downstairs.    There's also a sunroom with floor to ceiling windows to look out into the backyard.

The first thing we did was demo the upstairs outdated bath and  nstall a new one.  I kept it simple -white walls, dark wood and nickel hardware. I dislike curtains so I chose to cover the bathroom window with decorative film that has  a leaf design as you can see in the last row below. It allows in light but provides privacy and I like its clean , crisp look.

There was no sign that a gardener had ever lived here as it was hard to see any kind of plant other than those of  Mother Nature.   Many dead longleaf  pines were throughout the 1/2 acre so we had them removed, along with some other weed trees, which added up to around 30 trees or more.

The  first thing I did outside was to have an 'Appalachian Spring ' dogwood planted that my girls bought me for the new house and our anniversary.

That's Mike from Trees to Go and the dogwood is behind my head.    He planted the tree that was sent as a gift, first time I've allowed anyone to plant anything in my garden but me .

There are many boulders and  stones on the property which I plan to utilize to build a retaining wall along the back property line to prevent water runoff from my neighbor up the hill.

I used to long for a larger garden when I lived in Chicago and now that I have one I find it can be overwhelming as to where to begin .  I just got out the shovel the other day and started removing grass from near the curb to plant some Spring bulbs and I stacked some of the stones around to form a little garden goddess  and rock wall.

I want to make my new garden a woodland sanctuary and fill it with plants that are either native or look like they're at home here. I have a very long list but I plan to tackle each project one at a time.

We are fortunate to live a few blocks away from our daughter and granddaughter.    Next year she will be going to first grade at the school across the street from us .

This is a total lifestyle change for us but I feel right at home in this community -a mixture of local Southerners and people from all over America.  It makes for a nice diversity .

I just met my neighbors up the hill and they tell me that there's a great garden club for the community and of course I was delighted to hear that.   I'm looking forward to setting down roots in this land that my first Scots-Irish ancestors chose when they came to America in the 1700's .

IT WASN'T PERFECT BUT IT WAS FULL OF THE GARDENER'S CONFFIDENCE

It's always delightful to visit other people's gardens but on a recent Saturday I set out to see THE garden in these here parts -Helen Yoest's Raleigh garden that she calls ' Helen's Haven. '    Her book in my hands I asked her to autograph it and she did.  Then she laughed and told me she couldn't believe she put two 'F's ' in confidence.  I said don't you dare touch it because like the U.S. mint those sorta things can someday be worth money.  So the extra F in the post title above was deliberate.

I went along with garden coach Meghan DeCooke May from nearby Pinehurst .  As we entered the garden we couldn't help but "ooh  and ahhh " at the lovely vistas before us.  As the post title says - it wasn't perfect - she didn't fluff the mulch or fuss too much,  there were perennials needing to be deadheaded, etc. but as gardeners we know that this is a natural part of the garden and Helen's Haven is a wildlife sanctuary.

                                                Yours truly, Helen Yoest and Meghan DeMay Cooke


In the midst of the busy city we stepped into a lush paradise filled with a vast assortment of perennials, trees and shrubs, both native and exotic .   Vistas were beautifully framed by vines and trees that beckoned you to enter.

   
               On the right side of the house the entrance to the garden has a wonderful crape myrtle ,  surrounded by holly and boxwood.  Love the colorful orbs.

                                                             Love this vine covered pathway .

Art was placed so naturally in Helen's garden it was if the artist had created it for that very spot.

And as we always like to steal  borrow ideas from other gardens lookee here :

      You may not be able to see them but there's chickens in there .

And of course no visit to Helen's Haven would be complete without getting to sit in the ' Loveshack . "  This is the awesome view from it and below is moi enjoying this wonderful  retreat .

I want to thank Helen for the cordial invitation to experience her delightful garden .   She promised me some passalong plants when I start my own garden in Chapel Hill and I hope to take her up on that offer soon.

THE SIX PLANTS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT - SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE- REPRINT OF AN ARTICLE BY STEVE BENDER

THE SIX PLANTS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

Upper row : Pyrus 'pyrifolia'
Second row left to right : Magnolia liliflora 'betty',
Clematis maximowicziana 'sweet autumn' ( on fence ) Hydrangea
Paniculata 'limelight' ( behind statue;) Acer japonicum 'autumn moon '
last row : Rhododendron 'poukhanense '

( click to enlarge )

At the request of Steve Bender of Time, Inc.'s Southern Living I am participating in the April 20 Blogathon. All participants are to write about the six plants they can't live without. As avid gardeners we all realize that this is not an easy task.Only six ? This is a heart- wrenching decision because it means I'm leaving out a lot of my beloved evergreen favorites such as the Chamaecyparis family.

Following are my selections :

Rhododendron Poukhanense. I love the graceful arching branches and the soft lavender blooms of this cultivar from the Poukhan Mountains of Korea where it grows without any assistance.Korean cultivars are hardy for the Chicago area as their climate is very much like ours. For all of those who've said they have no success with azaleas this is one that you will.

Magnolia Liliflora 'betty. ' It's a nice small magnolia hardy to Chicago . Of course it can't compare to the Southern Magnolia; no tree can in my opinion. Betty is one of the "little girls" hybrids that the hybridizer named after his granddaughters.

Acer Japonicum 'autumn moon .' The autumn moon japanese maple because its breathtaking and pretty hardy. In autumn its chartruese leaves turn a bright pink.

Prunus ' pyrifolia ' or Asian pear tree. It's a dwarf, reaching only 12 feet and its also a graft of two varieties of pears -one side bears smaller fruit early and the other size large fruit late in the season. Unlike the regular pear the Asian pear keeps well and is crisp and sweet . It's used in Asian cuisine to add some tartness and it's good sliced in salads.

Hydrangea Paniculata 'limelight. ' Not only is it gorgeous it blooms early and stays in bloom for the entire season. The dried flower heads make wonderful floral arrangements.

Clematis 'maximowicziana 'sweet autumn ' , a perennial vine that produces thousands of tiny star-like fragrant blossoms for a wonderful show from early August for several months. Its fragrance fills the late summer air. I'm sure there will be a lot of protests about this choice being invasive and I sympathize with those that have had that experience but my particular cultivar hasn't self sown at all.

Please visit the following participants in Blogathon :

Pam at Digging
Meems at Hoe and Shovel
Frances at Fairegarden
Judy Lowe at Diggin' It
Cameron at Defining Your Home Garden
Helen Yoest at Gardening with Confidence
Sunset Magazine's Fresh Dirt
Jim Long at Jim Long's Garden
Steve Bender at Grumpygardener.southernliving.com

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In An Irish Garden

For the first time I got to visit Ireland as a guest instead of a tourist .  It's much more relaxing when you have an Irish host who will gladly show you their beautiful country.  My daughter, her husband and my 4 1/2 year old granddaughter Lea enjoyed a splendid week in which there was little or no rain, very unusual for them.  As a matter of fact I joked that we had more rain in North Carolina , and in fact, it was true.

From the city of Cork we travelled by car to nearby destinations -Kinsalle and Blarney and various other little seaport towns.

The Irish coast at the Atlantic ocean .

     
The rugged beauty of the natural rock outcroppings .

   A street scene on the way to Blarney .

   
     View of the garden from my host's sun room .  I love the Irish stone walled garden .

It has been a great summer in Cork as evidenced by these beautiful flowers in full bloom.

And of course there's always the rainy day when it's best to stay inside.

I really treasured my time in Ireland as a visitor with gracious hosts who enjoyed their little granddaughter as much as I do .

JUNE IS GONE AND SO IS SWEET HOME CHICAGO

Even though it has passed into new hands it will be called the Choi house for many years to come.  I still called my neighbors house the old Carpenter's place years after she sold and moved.   And they will recall the gardener who could be seen almost daily in the garden and the three youngsters who grew up , married and moved away.

We were young and ambitious when we bought the neglected American Foursquare and started the long process of removing the atrocies that had been done to her :  dropped acoustical tiled ceilings, tattered wallpaper, layers of linoleum and asphalt siding.   The garden, too, had been neglected and was filled with weeds and overgrown shrubs.  There was only one full bath for the large, boxy 4000 square foot house.

 During our four and a half decades our house was home to many people.  My husband's mother, whom he had not seen since arriving in America from Korea  15 years prior,  was the first resident, followed by brothers and sisters and their children.  At one time we had a dozen guests.  We housed them for a year or so until they got on their own feet.

The house has been witness to both joy and sorrow -births, marriages, and death.  The house also went through a transformation as we uncovered century-old oak flooring, 11 foot plastered ceilings , and  original cedar siding . We updated the interior with more bathrooms, central air and heating, new kitchen,  a finished lower level and loft.

When our street was in danger of being taken over by greedy developers buying old homes and tearing them down the neighbors formed a committee and had it declared a city landmark.  I was so proud to be a part of preserving our historic homes and neighborhood for generations to come.

The garden was developed and went through many changes as the children grew and left home.  After 30 years I quit my day job and dove headfirst into my two passions -landscaping and art, which I am pleased to say was successful.

Then along came a series of events that upset my apple cart.  I had no intentions or desire to leave my home but the birth of my first grandchild changed that.   When my daughter moved to North Carolina for her job it was the incentive I needed to downsize and move back to my beloved South .  I didn't want to miss being a part of my only grandchild's life.

After four months on the market  my house sold.  It is slowly sinking in and I'm now going through the process of looking for a new home here .

Getting used to life in the South again after a long absence has been an adjustment.  I've been reading NEW TIMES IN THE OLD SOUTH or Why Scarlett's in Therapy and Tara's Going Condo.  This is not the South of my youth nor do I expect it to be.  Because of the University of North Carolina its like a little UN here in Chapel Hill which is a good thing  in many ways .

 Getting used to being callled  'Miz Carolyn ' , people that you don't know striking up a conversation with you , the Southern drawl so lyrical to my ears and yes, grits and BBQ.   Someday soon I want to visit the city of my Irish ancestors - Charlotte .   I want to go to the church they attended in the 1700's  which is still there and visit the old cemetery where many pioneers were buried.

A new beginning in the land my ancestors settled after their long journey to America.   A new home and garden.  My third sweet home -sweet home Alabama, sweet home Chicago and now sweet home Carolina.