Stevie Tries Gardening | Part Two
Wow! To everyone who came to my rescue with feedback on my first gardening post, I can't thank you enough! You all brought up so many ideas and considerations that I never would have thought of. Aside from a ton of great perennial and annual suggestions, I received so many great tips like:
- You have to research the mature size of each plant you choose, you can't just design a garden based on the size you want it to be. (i.e. interior designers do not make the best landscape designers...unlike furniture, plants have a will of their own!)
- Allow room for growth and fill in with annuals while your plants are still small.
- Measure twice, plant once
- Less is more, and mulch is your friend
- Consider the blooming season of your flowering plants so that you can have blossoms in spring, summer and fall.
- Plant tall things in the back, shorter things in the front
I've been thinking about my garden plan pretty much non-stop since that last post and I've come up with a second draft that I think will work way better. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Over the last week, I've been going back and forth about what type of garden I want. While I considered planting a tree to provide some shade, after looking at the space between my house and our neighbors to the left, I just don't think there is enough room. If you read Part One, you know that I was having trouble finding plants I liked that were sun tolerant enough to thrive in this south-facing flower bed. But since there are two sun-loving flowers that I do love, hydrangeas and peonies, I think I'm going to go all out with them.
As a designer, I'm drawn to more symmetrical, formal arrangements. But I also love the sort of wild, English cottage garden look that my mom and some of my friend's mothers have created for their gardens. So my new plan is kind of a mash up of the two. Romantic, cottage garden style plants but placed symmetrically across the front of the house.
The thing I like the most about this plan is that the bushy plants will create more of a buffer between my porch and the sidewalk. The porch is on the same level as the street, so I think having a denser garden will make it more enjoyable for this introverted lady to spend time out there. In order to do this, I'm going to have to dig out another foot or two to expand the width of the garden from 3' to 4.5' or 5'.
Again, the triangles are supposed to represent space for annuals. This drawing shows the mature size of each plant, so for the first year I'll have a bit more space in between for annuals. I'm hoping that the white candytuft will eventually all grow together to form a more or less solid border across the front.
After I saw the inspiration photo I used at the top of this post, I started to think it might be nice to instead plant blue or purple salvia in the middle ground between the candytuft border and the peonies and arborvitae bushes (not cypress! I looked at too many plants before writing my last post and got confused). The salvia would help to add color while the peonies aren't in bloom, which I've found out will be most of the year. That's ok with me though, I don't mind have a mostly green and white garden. It's worth it for the couple of weeks I'll have peonies to cut and make bouquets with! Also, I do plan on eventually extending my garden around the side of the house. I'll have room there to try more varieties and colors in a more free-form layout.
What do you think of my new plan? Is there anything I'm missing?
Cross Quarter Club gathered on Sunday, October 18th in celebration of autumn and Samhain/All Hallows. Unforntunately, our workshop had to be rescheduled at the last minute, but we enjoyed the pavilion for the afternoon, sharing good snacks and good conversation! Anya Peters of Hedgerow Photography also did mini sessions for anyone who wanted them. Enjoy this photo recap of the event!
Our fourth gatherin of 2024 was held on Sunday, November 3rd at the pavilion at Yoe Park in Yoe Borough, Pennsylvania. This season, we poured our own soy candles into vintage vessels with instruction from Lindsey Dohm from This Little Light of Mine, LLC.
Exciting news: I was interviewed for a podcast! And not just any podcast, but Becca Piastrelli’s podcast, Belonging. Becca’s work has been an inspiration to me for many years, and it would mean so much if you’d give our conversation on the Sharing Table a listen!
Our third Midseason Gathering of 2024 was held on Sunday, August 4th at the pavilion at Yoe Park in Yoe Borough, Pennsylvania. This season, we tried something new and hosted a Club Social in addition to our summer Sharing Table tradition of a Garden Bounty Share. Read on for a complete recap!
Our second Midseason Gathering of 2024 was held on Sunday, May 5th at the pavilion at Yoe Park in Yoe Borough, Pennsylvania. Our workshop this season was was a plant walk and spring tonic oxymels led by Calyx Liddick from Northern Appalachia School of Herbalism. As always, we enjoyed a spread of seasonal snacks and drinks and our cherished Sharing Table tradition. Read on for a complete recap!
What could be more relaxing on a Friday evening than a sunset stroll around a beautiful garden, yummy snacks, herbal tea, and good conversation around a firepit? Nothing! And that’s why you should come to Cross Quarter Club’s Garden Walks at Little Farm Flowers East this year.
Looking for where to buy plants in York, PA? Here’s a list of my favorite independent, locally-owned, family run greenhouses and plant nurseries so you can support small business and your gardening hobby at the same time!
In my opinion, no party is complete without a little background music. Whether it’s a simple dinner with friends, the holidays, or any kind of celebratory gathering, the right playlist can set the tone and add a thoughtful touch. I’ve gotten a few questions and comments about the music I play at Cross Quarter Club’s Midseason Gathers, so I decided to share my playlists here!
My article, The Joy of Slow Decorating, was published in the Winter 2023-2024 issue of Verily Magazine. It was an honor to be commissioned to write about a topic so close to my heart. I feel it is my best piece of writing on the subject of interior design to date. My hope is that it will inspire others to find contentment
At every Cross Quarter Club gathering since the beginning, we’ve put together a spread of seasonally-inspired snacks and drinks. Over the last two years, there have been quite a few recipes that were a big hit! I thought it would be fun to compile all of the most requested recipes in one place for future reference…
Our first gathering of the new year was held on Sunday, February 4th at the beautiful and historic Quaker meetinghouse in downtown York, Pennsylvania. Our workshop this season was botanical needlefelting led by Debbie Mancuso from Teaching Museum for the Fiber Arts and Textiles in Felton. As always, we enjoyed a spread of seasonal snacks and drinks and our cherished Sharing Table tradition. Read on for a complete recap!
Winter has held a different kind of magic for me in the years since I started prioritizing slow and seasonal living. The simple act of observing the changing seasons really helps me to feel more present and grounded. It’s the small, precious things, like the feeling of inhaling my first breath of frosty air as I step outside each morning…
I first met Jennifer Lubman after CQC’ers Sharon and Mel told me about her adorable garden shop in Shrewsbury. Jenn's eye for design is evident in the evolving, seasonal displays she curates for the store, featuring unusual plants, preserved florals, and all manner of garden-inspired home and gift items. It’s like having our own miniature Terrain, here in York County!
Our fourth and final 2023 gathering was held on Sunday, October 15th, at our favorite park pavilion in Yoe, Pennsylvania. We met at 2 pm and enjoyed a lovely fall afternoon with a dried wreath workshop led by Jennifer Lubman of Muhly & Cedar, followed by charcuterie, hot apple cider, and the sharing table. Read on for the complete recap!
On a Friday evening in late-September, we had our last Garden Walk at Little Farm Flowers East for the year. The garden was showing off its beautiful autumn colors and textures. The weather was perfectly crisp but not too chilly. The firepit was roaring and the s’mores and herbal sodas were delicious.
Sharon and I weren’t originally intending to have a garden walk this month, but we decided to offer one as a make-up rain date for those who couldn’t make it last time due to the crazy weather. I’m so glad we did! This time we started a little bit earlier to make time for extended introductions
Five years ago, we decorated this nursery for our first daughter. Now, we are getting ready to turn it into a “big girl room” for our second. Before the crib goes up to the attic for storage and we officially bid farewell to the baby years, I wanted to capture this moment in time.
Our third gathering of 2023 was held on Sunday, August 6th at our favorite park pavilion in Yoe, Pennsylvania. We met at 4 pm and enjoyed a beautiful midsummer evening with our botanical eco-printing workshop, first harvest dinner, and a garden bounty share. Read on for the full recap!
Nestled into the rolling hills of eastern York County, Pennsyvlania is Flying Fibers Wood & Lavender Farm owned and operated by Jeri Robinson-Lawrence and Irina Lawrence-Mathias. Jeri and Irina are a vibrant and hardworking mother-daughter duo, on the farm and in their business.
This summer, we’ve started something new for Cross Quarter Club: Garden Walks at Little Farm Flowers East. Our first one was held this past Friday and it turned out to be such a lovely, relaxing evening!
Eco-printing is a great way to get started with the world natural dyeing. Using plant materials, such as whole flowers, flower petals, leaves, vegetables and nuts, you can easily create beautiful botanical printed fabric at home.
Last night, a few of us from Cross Quarter Club took a field trip to Conestoga House & Gardens in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and I loved every minute. Wandering the picturesque grounds together felt a little like being transported to Europe for an evening…
Our second gathering of 2023 was held on Sunday, May 7th at our favorite park pavilion in Yoe, Pennsylvania. We had the best afternoon filled with locally grown flowers, good conversation, a full spread of seasonally-inspired snacks, hot tea and dessert, and the first ever CQC Member Demonstration by Little Farm Flowers East.
When you are first getting into foraging, a common recommendation for trying new-to-you edible plants is to make a pesto out of it! I certainly didn’t invent this concept, but I had fun coming up with a flavor combination using wild plants readily available during spring in my bioregion.
The sharing table has been a part of every Cross Quarter Club gathering since the start. It’s an idea that fits within our club values, but the inspiration actually came from my grandmother. Today, I’m sharing the story behind the sharing table and why it’s so meaningful t to me.
Over the past year, I’ve gotten to know Sharon as both as a flower farmer and as a real kindred spirit through Cross Quarter Club. Sharon is one of the most kind-hearted people I know and I thought it was high time to put her and her beautiful flower farm in the spotlight!