Earlier this season, I inherited a Vermont Garden Way cart and it quickly became the tool that I can’t live without.  The cart I inherited might be older than I am and has already performed duties for a gardener family beyond expectation.  It came to me with two flat and disintegrating tires and the base wood panel completely rotted through.  But with a quick insert of a new piece of wood, (and I haven’t even replaced the tires yet), it works better than any wheelbarrow I have ever used.

(Whoa! her 80’s hair is spectacular!!)

Owning of one of these makes me feel like I am an old school New Englander.   For my hilly, rocky, up and down garden it makes easy work of moving around debris, plants, mulch and whatever I need.   I just ordered new tires and I expect to find that operating the cart with actual inflated tires that stay on the rims will be even easier.  And the best part of the Garden way — when I look out my window and I see it parked here and there all around the garden, it actually looks nice and gives a sense of a gardener at work and, even in the fall, it pulls me forward with a sense of anticipation for what it will do next.

You can buy one — and I highly recommend it for anyone with anything but a tiny garden – at amazon. (Carts Vermont Model 26 Garden/Yard Cart).

Laundry to Landscape?  Hmmmm…..I am still trying to think through whether, in my own home, (which uses well water and a septic system) if capturing grey water is worth the effort as an environmental improvement.   I am however quite sure that for city dwellers and those using town water, particularly in arid environments, making good use of every drop of water is smart.

I read over at HomeGrown Evolution this morning about this easy to install Laundry to Landscape system built using greywater guru Art Ludwig’s free open-source plans.  I am so intrigued.   It certainly requires greater attention to detergent choices and a greater level of understanding about what is needed and not needed in your soil.

I think I have a bit to learn and I will be adding a new book to my ever expanding collection….This guy Art Ludwig has written extensively on the subject in his book called The New Create an Oasis with Greywater: Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems – Includes Branched Drains.

Conceptual show gardens really float my boat.  I love when a gardener of designer sets thier mind free of what a garden should be.   Singapore 2010 is a garden show that I would like to explore in person sometime soon.  It seems to be an exciting and interesting venue for designers to showcase some interesting ideas.

It’s wild and different and I am not sure I totally follow the concept but I enjoy it nonetheless….what do you think?

And one more note…Thanks Chan for sending me these and the other photos from the show I can’t wait to share more!

I am really enjoying the Stepables website.  It it super helpful for picking the right plant for the right place.  I have a couple of projects where I am trying to resolve the best solution for a step-able material.   One is a grass replacement project for a labyrinth and other is my own patio — to use between cobblestone pavers.   I am leaning towards a couple options that I think will be great for both sites. One is Thymus praecox Albiflorus “White Creeping Thyme” and the other is Silene acaulis “Moss Campion”.  Have you ever planted either of these for a walk-on feature ? I would love to hear how they performed.

At the Stepables site, you can choose traffic level, exposure, soil type, zone, color and growth rate among other things.  It leads you directly to a list of plants that will suit your needs.  There are plants for lawn replacement, crevice filling, mulch replacement, pool, kid or pet areas and every other special need you might have.

It is a very handy garden design tool.

Water is scarce and the heat is still on. The grass is parched and while I am not personally on town water and subject to local restrictions. I can certainly feel the dryness. Our well simply can’t muster the amount of water needed to keep the grass completely green — we water the veg and some of the less established flowers and trees and leave it at that. The watering cans are getting lots of use as I try and be as specific as possible.
How is your garden fairing in the heat wave?

image by gluecifer

I found this interesting garden by an obvious watering can enthusiast in the south of France on flickr.  This handy tool of gardeners can be a source of inspiration (as can anything really) so I thought I would collect a few watering can images to ponder.

1. Watering Can, 2. Giant Watering Can, 3. Watering Can, 4. watering can, 5. Watering Cans, 6. Watering cans, 7. Rusty yellow watering can, 8. Watering Cans 2, 9. Watering Cans

One more post before I head out….

Because I just can’t help myself.  Britches and Hoes – who came up with that name?  (I didn’t but wish I did)  Fashion and Gardening — to me, it’s an irresistible mix.

I, not so secretly, want to design my own fashion line for gardeners (specifically women).  It wouldn’t look like this so much, but I am finding this infinitely amusing.  But it has me thinking about my imaginary fashion line….and I am wondering….if you could have some garden clothes that are fashionable, would you be interested?  What features might they have?  I have lots of ideas that I have chewed on for years, but I am curious if all my thoughts are completely self centered, (in that I might be only one who wants or cares about looking cute and hip while being comfortable and practical when pottering in the garden).   Do you care about what you wear in the garden? Do you (like me) wish for something else to wear? What would your ideal garden clothes be like?

found at chaps. images by Tim Sutton