Hello Gardening Friends! Happy New Year! January has arrived and it offers a fresh start. This month is a great time to plan your garden for the year ahead. Make the most of this quieter time to do the following garden admin from the comfort of your armchair ...
Scroll down for helpful monthly gardening "to do's" (ok, so you can't do a lot IN the garden, but there are gardening related activities you can do) and more. Plus discover what's new and blooming at FlowerChick.com for more gardening advice, tips, and inspiration for your 2021 gardens ...
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Table of Contents - January Newsletter |
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Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year, for gardening begins in January with the dream. |
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~ Josephine Neuse
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Garden Gift of the Month |
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January Garden Gift of the Month
Tree of Life Trellis
This beautiful metal garden trellis with the Tree of Life Design will bring out the natural beauty of your yard or garden. Whether supporting flowering vines and climbing plants, or left naturally unadorned, you'll love the look it adds to your landscape.
The Tree of Life is a metaphor for the interconnection of all life on the planet. Graceful branches lift upward, reaching for the sky and calling to mind the complexity of life and the unending nature of the afterworld. A nice touch are the birds added to the tree ...
Made from lightweight, sturdy tubular steel, this Tree of Life Trellis will grace your garden (or that of your gift recipient) for years to come. The laser-cut inset features a burnished bronze finish that glimmers in the sunlight, while the frame is finished with a black powder coat.
This wonderful design is also available as a garden arbor, stand alone gate, edging and more lovely garden accents ...
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Latest Flower Chick Posts |
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What Type of Tree is That?
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Wintertime is the perfect time to bone up on various gardening topics! It’s cold outside, your garden is dormant, why not increase your knowledge base and/or discover a new hobby?
Recently I took a Basic Tree Identification course at our local arboretum. I learned a lot, enjoyed the format, and highly recommend it to "spruce up" your gardening expertise.
Explore the many options available and take a short quiz to test your tree smarts by clicking below ...
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Winter Protection For Evergreens
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Winter can be very unkind to needle evergreens and the broadleaf variety … especially those evergreens that were recently planted in the ground.
High winds and winter sun increase moisture loss which stresses the plants, leaving them open to winter drying and wind burn.
Read on for tips to help your evergreens survive and thrive ...
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January Garden "To Do" List:
- Give Houseplants Some Love - if they have dusty leaves, give your plants a good rinse in the kitchen sink or shower, trim off brown or problem parts, and top off the soil with fresh potting mix. But don't fertilize houseplants this month. With less daylight, their need for food is reduced.
- Help Our Bird Friends - it’s fine to place feeders close to the house, but avoid placing them too close to large picture windows that can trick birds into colliding with the glass. Placing feeders near thicket shrubs or evergreens gives birds the cover they need for protection from predators. January 5th is National Bird Day!
- Start Seeds - by the middle of January you can start the slow to germinate plants such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, and sage. Also start the early cool season vegetables such as chives, onion and leeks. Light from your windowsill may not be enough in January. You may need to supplement with a grow light.
- Water Evergreens - if it gets warm enough, water the evergreens and rhododendrons to prevent desiccation.
- Expand Your Gardening Education - public gardens, master gardener groups, university extension services, and nature centers frequently host educational conferences and classes in winter and early spring. Glean some practical advice from local experts to help plan your garden or start a new hobby.
- Free Mulch - when shoveling or blowing snow, get more for your effort by spreading the fluffy white stuff onto your planting beds as free mulch. Just be careful & don't use snow pushed up from the street; it may contain plant-damaging salts.
- Check On Bulbs / Branches That You Are Forcing - keep soil lightly moist and once the bulbs have sent up shoots a half-inch to 1 inch high, take them out and put them in the sunniest, brightest spot possible. indoors.
- Evaluate Your Landscape For Winter Interest - now's the time to note good places to plant native grasses, evergreens or shrubs with interesting bark. Then you'll be ready with a plan when you're itching to plant in the spring!
- Be Careful When Using De-Icers - pay attention to ice-melt products you use to avoid damage to trees, shrubs, perennials, and your lawn. Most products contain salt (sodium chloride). Potassium chloride or sand is less harmful to plants.
- Recycle The Christmas Tree - after the holidays, you can recycle your live Christmas tree by cutting off the branches and laying them around the base of roses and other less cold-tolerant plants. Also the boughs can be placed in window boxes and pots for outdoor winter decoration.
- Jot Down Your Ideas - into a garden notebook that will be handy come spring. Dedicate pages for notes and photos of favorite ideas. Include pocket folders for articles & to hold receipts and plant labels for reference purposes.
- Order New Seed / Nursery Catalogs - a fun thing to peruse (and dream about) on a cold, wintry day. Place orders early before coveted varieties sell out.
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Did you know ... 10 Fun Facts About Daisies:
The daisy flower is a symbol of a new beginning and it is a perfect gift for someone who is on the verge of a breakthrough in their life and is ready to make a big step towards the future.
What is a daisy? The word daisy often brings to mind an image of a flower composed of flat, white petals surrounding a yellow button center.
The most popular daisy in zones 5 & 6 is the Shasta daisy (Chrysanthemum x superbum, syn. Leucanthemum xsuperbum) A favorite border perennial in our area, this classic-colored flower grows on stems 2 to 3 feet tall. Shasta daisies form robust, rounded clumps that prefer moist, rich, well-drained soil, full sun, and uncrowded growing conditions.
- Daisy comes from the Old English “daes eage,” meaning “day’s eye.” The name refers to the way they close their petals in the evening, and open again at dawn, marking the beginning of a new day.
- There are approximately 4000 species of daisies that differ in size, shape, color and type of habitat.
- They are found on every continent except Antarctica.
- There are many meanings assigned to the gentle daisy - from innocence, simplicity and joy to happiness, good luck and new beginnings. In Victorian times, daisies stood for loyalty and trust.
- The center of a daisy is called the flower head or floral disc. Though it looks like one piece, the flower head is composed of many small flowers, called disk florets; they are small and have a tubular shape.
- The most popular types of daisies are the Marguerite daisy, Gloriosa daisy, Shasta daisies, African daisy and Gerbera daisy.
- Daisies have lots of medicinal properties. They are thought to slow bleeding, relieve indigestion and ease coughs.
- Daisy leaves can make a tasty addition to salads (they’re closely related to the artichoke and high in Vitamin C).
- In Christianity, the daisy is a sacred symbol of Virgin Mary signifying her chastity, grace and purity.
- In 2020, Daisy was the 4th most popular female dog name. (For the curious: Bella was #1, Luna #2, and Lucy #3 : )
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Recommended Gardening Book: |
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What Type of Tree is That? |
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A great addition to your gardening library ... this single, portable volume features more than 700 tree species with special emphasis on their leaves, bark, fruits, and flowers. More than 2,000 stunning images show these trees in their natural habitats.
Other features include: a unique identification tip for each tree; range maps showing distribution in North America; How to Identify a Tree section; a detailed glossary of tree parts and leaf, fruit, flower, and bark types; plus quick-flip indexes and a waterproof cover. A handy helper!
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Travel To Midwestern Gardens |
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Need a little gardening inspiration? Looking for some good cheer and vicarious travel? Get inspired by the Midwest’s beautiful botanical gardens, arboretums, and other stunning natural attractions! Join us as we visit these wonderful Zone 5 & Zone 6 sites.
Follow along with us and plan your own trips … you’ll even find a guide of fun, local attractions to enjoy in the various towns and cities. Come back often as we keep adding new posts to our Illinois Gardens , Indiana Gardens, Iowa Gardens, Michigan Gardens & Wisconsin Gardens categories.
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Visit Mabery Gelvin Botanical Gardens
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In this “Visiting Midwest Gardens” feature, Flower Chick spotlights the beautiful Mabery Gelvin Botanical Gardens in Mahomet, Illinois. Join us to discover what makes this picturesque setting so special ...
In 2019, the entire pond and waterfall area underwent a complete renovation. The pond was completely drained and repaired along with removal of six million pounds of silt and debris. The results are spectacular!
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You’ll Love These Indoor Gardens
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Join us as Flower Chick travels to Milwaukee’s Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, commonly known as “The Domes” …
A visit here includes access to all three climate controlled Domes … Tropical, Desert, and Show. The Show Dome changes frequently and hosts rotating creative floral shows.
We are so pleased to spotlight this significant Milwaukee cultural landmark!
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10 Reasons To Visit Washington Park Botanical Garden
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As part of our “Visiting Midwest Gardens” series, we’re pleased to spotlight one of Springfield’s notable attractions. It’s the Washington Park Botanical Garden, located on the city’s west side.
On this most recent visit, we also explored the picturesque Lincoln Memorial Garden. You’ll find this expansive 63 acre site on the city’s far southeast side along the shores of Lake Springfield …
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Visit Friendship Botanic Gardens
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Friendship Botanic Gardens is a local treasure … an oasis of formal gardens mixed with nature trails tucked in an old-growth forest surrounding Trail Creek in Michigan City, Indiana.
It’s located on 105 acres off of Route 12 very near Lake Michigan … just a few minutes east of the Indiana Dunes National Park.
The garden was called International Friendship Gardens, with the theme “Peace & Friendship To All Nations”. A lovely place.
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Dear Gardening Friends, Thanks for reading! Through this past year, gardens brought us stability, refuge, and comfort - flowers bloomed, birds chirped, and bees & butterflies did their thing.
Maybe even more importantly, gardens gave us something to look forward to. Cheers to a new year full of hope, health, and beautiful gardens!
~ Laura a.k.a. Flower Chick
P.S. Click on the social icons below to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest!
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Do you like sharing stories? |
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Is there a botanical garden, arboretum, or nature area you love and would like to see us feature in a future issue? Please share below ...
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