A great season for greens!

Earlier this season, I thought of replicating a composition I saw online last year utilizing an assortment of lettuces and interplanting them with edible pansies.

I decided to use a cheapo window box from the hardware store and there was even one I got that fits perfectly over a standard deck railing. With that in mind, I planted these up and then took them to the house to share with my housemates who have been encouraged to help themselves with the abundant greens we had for weeks now. Such a tremendous year for them!



A simple and easy idea for those without much space and very little time!

Starting somewhere...

WOW, talk about busy!!  I'm sorry I've fallen behind on this blog. Luckily, I haven't quite hit one month since my last post, but I've got something special in store. It'll be short and sweet, just like my nephews:

This is little Pao. Jean Paolo on his birth certificate; dubbed Pao Pao at home; JP to his classmates. A few weeks back, I took him shopping at the garden center and we bought strawberries, tomatoes, bean seeds and a pepper plant. We prepared a little bed in their backyard to plant and here is after showing him how to take a plant out of a container for planting:

    

Yesterday, I came back to visit to hear and see how things were going. Pao said he'd been watering. However, I noticed that we forgot to plant the pepper. His big brother BJ: Benjohn in his birth certificate: Beej when we're lazy to say another syllable, joined us to plant. A neighborhood friend also came by that they invited and the three of them each took on a task. One was to dig, one was to plant and the other to water in. Pao immediately grabbed my hori hori knife once I got it from my car, but first, I asked him to demonstrate how to knock a plant out of a pot, but with big brother's help:

Couldn't be more proud! =)

Riz

Busy plant sales make me happy!!

It's been so exciting and so incredibly encouraging to see that interest hasn't waned when it comes to buying plants for gardens during this tough economy.

Having sold plants at the Arboretum Foundation's huge FLORABUNDANCE sale and attended the recent King County Master Gardener's Plant Sale, I was quite impressed with the crowds and fellow vendors who were more than happy to restock after only a single day of brisk sales! It was tremendous!

Edibles are flying off the tables and I've noticed several growers who normally focus on ornamentals start carrying edibles in their booths. Marketing strategy? Oh, absolutely! It's like saying "Here's something you can grow and eat, but also looks pretty. Oh and so does that plant. You can't eat that one, but it's so incredibly cool and this is what it'll do for you."

I've even started to venture into more edibles this year, myself. Yes, I'm following a trend, but at the same time, I'm rediscovering the benefits of growing my own food and that anticipation of the harvest after a long season is always thrilling to me.

Keep it up the good work and ongoing sales, folks. Plants are life!


Riz

Defining the "Next Generation Gardener"

I just started to send out email notifications to friends and colleagues about this new blog and I thought it would be appropriate to define and explain the title of this online journal, "THe Next Generation Gardener"

Seattle Times garden columnist, Val Easton, dubbed me as "a new generation of gardener...this child prodigy has grown into a horticultural omnivore whose keen knowledge and enthusiasms bode well for the future of Northwest gardening."

Pretty spiffy, eh? (Ha, my one opportunity to gloat and revel in the success and notoriety of being a horticultural celebrity. NOT!!)

It's actually A LOT to live up to. While I've enjoyed the praise and the attention, I still feel like I'm behind in some respects and lack certain skills and experiences. What needs more attention is the next generation of GARDENERS (not just me); those that can be exposed to nature and have a growing respect and understanding for the environment.

In my view, the next generation has to understand some, if not all, of the many different issues facing our environment. Whether it's sustaining our natural resources, conserving and preserving rare and endangered species, or improving our own personal health and livelihood by altering our wasteful ways: plants, flowers, and gardens are intrinsically linked to each one of those and now is the time for us to be informed about them because each of us can easily play a small role in making these changes to preserve our planet.

The goal shouldn't immediately be to shape the next avid plant snob. That may/will/should come later; however, the whole subject of plants has to appeal to the masses and from there, the true gardeners emerge.

As one of "the next generation", I would like to see technology playing a more direct and innovative role in relaying CLEAR & ACCURATE INFORMATION while keeping up the traditional "grunt work" that's involved in planting and caring for our landscapes. Gardening is a time honored tradition that will always be preserved. Being able to buy plants, dig and amend soil, plant, water, weed, prune, cut back, propagate, etc. is what makes gardening...GARDENING!! HELLO!!

No one sits on their ass to change the environment around them. Seriously!

I would like to see this up and coming generation of gardeners focus on adventurous, yet appropriate plant selections (both native and exotic), edible landscaping, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing design and public gardens.

It sounds daunting to some, but it really doesn't need to be a difficult and strenuous undertaking. Do a little here and there or make an effort to, at least stop by a local garden center and buy something "green", useful and beautiful.

Also, I think it's going to take a few "big names" to help catalyze this entire movement. More on this later...

So yeah, I'm a "NGG", yo!

Peace out! =P


R