Oct. 12. [1778 ] brought an olive tree from Colle. it is a shoot from an old root, being one of many brought from Italy in 1773. they stood the winter of that year and the remarkeable frost of May 5. 1774. also the winters of 1774 & 1775 planted in the open feild & without any cover. in Decemb. 1775 & Jan. 1776. there was a frost of four or five weeks duration, the earth being frozen like a rock the whole time. this killed all the olives; the others totally, this one alone sprung up from the old root. it’s height now is 21 3/4 I. took a cutting from it and planted it. when an olive tree is killed in Italy and a new shoot puts out, it is ten years before it bears.
Oct. 22 [1782] seventeen bushels of winter grapes (the stems first excluded) made 40 gallons of vinegar of the first running, & pouring water on yeilded gallons of a weaker kind.
Nov. 25. [1814] carrots made this year 18. bushels
salsafia............... 11. bushels
* * * * *
Thursday, 1 October 2015. Back from England after three-week trip. No hard freeze. Rain gauge in back yard indicated 3.5" rain while we were gone. . . . Alum Garden looks good. Kendra [student assistant] did great job keeping everything neat and orderly. The Judson statue [“The Little Gardener”] arrived and I set it in “G”–around bend so it’s in a relatively quiet, unobtrusive spot. May surprise people who discover it. The crab apple trees are loaded with small orange fruits–an unexpected fall bonus. Asters are at their peak, their diverse shades of purple providing much of the garden’s current drama. It will be hard to determine which ones must go, but they are absorbing too much space. Many of the big ones need trimming in June so they become less dominant and don’t overshadow so many smaller plants. The small Hy-Vee mums I planted last fall are just beginning to bloom. . . . Bulbs from Bluestone and White Farm arrived and are in the garden shed. I’ll plant them next week.
Friday, 2 October. Sunny, windy, temp in low 60s. At Alum Garden planted three Belamcanda from Bluestone, ones ordered last spring. Note from Bluestone said these had not been true to color so they were sending without charge and would ship more in the spring. My AHS garden plant encyclopedia indicates they need regular moisture but not wet in the winter, so I planted them on the berm above the rain garden. . . . Another job for today was assembling the 4th compost bin. . . . In the afternoon to Wickiup garden, first visit since 7 Sept. As I expected, pole lima bean plants are growing vigorously, with many blossoms but not many limas. I did harvest 35 egg plants, 25 green peppers, enough green beans for a meal, some miniature melons, a bunch of nice radishes, and a few limas.
Monday, 5 October. Beautiful fall day, sunny, temp in 60s. All day in Alum Garden. Planted in “G” three hostas I bought Saturday at Home Depot. Began building up berm behind Leopold bench in “G” and filled in southwest corner of rain garden, which showed signs of subsidence. Brought in rocks to cover landscaping material at west end of both rain garden channels. . . . Main task this afternoon was moving plants in “K” bed. I dug up two Joe Pye weeds and moved them to the back, placing them in front of the yews. Dug up several coneflowers and replanted around other coneflowers. These changes really open up the bed, but now it needs new mid-sized and front border plants.
Wednesday, 7 October. Another perfect fall day; temp in 70s. In the morning I cleaned up the “L” bed, removing roses and weeds that had spread around daylilies planted this spring. I had not foreseen the old roses would be so resilient. Planted three more large ornamental onions. A couple of the red hot poker plants in “C” and “H” have really grown–bigger than the daylilies. I hope they survive the winter [they did not]. This afternoon I trimmed the rugosa rose bushes in “G” and “H”. Planted red tulips in “G” (along north rain garden channel) and in “H” in the round daylily/daisy bed. Tulips should add energy to the east end next April and May. Next job was digging out a mix of Joe Pye, asters, spiderwort, and coneflowers in west end of “D.” I had already removed a large tansy. That area now looks much less cluttered. The back row of “D” is already in decent shape with Joe Pye, ornamental grass, dwarf lilac, and the goatsbeard.
Friday, 9 October. Sunny but 20 degrees cooler than yesterday. Went to Earl May this morning. Bought more daffodil bulbs; two compact spiderwort, Shenandoah switch grass, lungwort, cranesbill, and a globe yew. I had seen a globe-shaped evergreen at Holehird [garden in England’s Lake District] in the midst of perennial flowers and liked how its spherical contrast to vertical perennials. Aim for similar effect in Alum Garden. In afternoon picked up the shredder/chipper from Home Depot, a real workhorse. . . . The Hellers walked thru garden this afternoon. Linda asked about a plant with white flowers that we think might be a boneset, but none of us knew for sure [eventually, I determined it was an Eupatorium serotinum, a “late boneset”].
* * * * *
Jefferson writing to Samuel Vaughan, Jr on 27 November 1790:
We have lately had introduced a plant of the Melon species which, from it’s external resemblance to the pumpkin, we have called a pumpkin, distinguishing it specifically as the potato-pumpkin, on account of the extreme resemblance of it’s taste to that of the sweet-potato. It is as yet but little known, is well esteemed at our tables, and particularly valued by our negroes. Coming much earlier than the real potato, we are so much the sooner furnished with a substitute for that root. I know not from whence it came; so that perhaps it may be originally from your islands. In that case you will only have the trouble of throwing away the few seeds I enclose you herewith. On the other hand, if unknown with you, I think it will probably succeed in the islands, and may add to the catalogue of plants which will do as substitutes for bread. I have always thought that if in the experiments to introduce or to communicate new plants, one species in an hundred is found useful and succeeds, the ninety nine found otherwise are more than paid for. My present situation and occupations are not friendly to agricultural experiments, however strongly I am led to them by inclination. But whenever I shall be more free to indulge that inclination, I will ask permission to address myself to you for such seeds as might be worth trying from your quarter, freely offering you reciprocal services in the same or any other line in which you will be so good as to command them. I have the honour to be with great respect & esteem, Sir Your most obedt. & most humble servt, Th: Jefferson.
* * * * *
Saturday, 17 October. Sunny, temp into the 50s. No evidence of freezing at home, but many flowers froze last night at the Alum Garden: zinnias all lost their color; most of the dahlias were finished; basil all brown, morning glory gone.. I expected the fence would provide more protection. . . . I moved some sand/compost mixture into “K” bed where I had removed a clump of coneflowers and planted 20 narcissus.
Friday, 23 October. Cloudy; temp in 60s. Opened up compost bin #1 and dug out a wheelbarrow load of fresh compost. Spread it at west end of “F” bed. Ran shredder/chipper and filled one bag with aster and cosmos tops, including zinnias from “E” bed.. New machine makes great compost material.
Monday, 26 October. Lovely fall day; cool this morning but warmed up by 10. At Alum Garden Mark was working on fountain lights (which has been drained til spring). Water gets thru gaskets of underwater light fixtures, which are now over 20 years old. One light goes bad, the whole system goes down–just like our old Christmas lights. . . . I moved the Beardtongue Penstemon Dark Towers, which I had planted in rain garden. Roots had grown, but I read this penstemon needs dry home in winter. The rain garden was not going to work. So I moved it to higher ground in “F” bed, next to the south channel. Spent most of the day working in “D” bed, removing taller plants from mid-border. Combined two clumps of Joe Pye on east end and consolidated a group of cone flowers, digging them away from front border–where they were crowding stonecrop and cranesbill. Bed looks a lot better.
Tuesday, 27 October. Started raining this morning about 11:30 and has continued all day (now a few minutes after 8 pm). Steady rain, not hard, no wind; it’s going to be a notable amount [Alum Garden rain gauge had 2.6" the next morning]. Worked for three hours before it started raining. Ran chipper/shredder, two bags full of shredded asters, zinnias, & hostas. Cleaned up miscellaneous small stuff in “F” bed and unloaded one wheelbarrow load of compost. Pickup is still full of hardwood mulch from Evergreen. Trying to get compost laid out before mulching. Still a few solitary plants in bloom: white snowdrift in “F”; daisies in “G” & “H”; the burgundy mum in “C” (in its prime), one tall aster in “H”; the red spikes of the Persicaria firetail in “G” (which has been blooming for several months); one lone balloon flower in “G”; a few stella d’oro daylilies; two small mums at west end of “I”; the white obedient plant in “A1"; one remaining tithonia bloom in “A1' (even though the plant looks brown and dead after the freeze); a few salvia blooms. Many of the grasses are now at their best, particularly the Shenandoah switch grass planted earlier this summer in “H” near the pergola.
Thursday, 29 October. Temp in 40s; overcast; windy, classic late October day. This morning Kendra and I assembled the two wooden benches ordered from Gardener’s Supply. The instructions were simple, clear. We had both assembled in an hour. We worked in the shed–with the heater on. Fortunately I had cleaned up the shed yesterday so we had sufficient space. We positioned the benches on the walkway in front of the patio; they look okay. They are lighter weight than I had expected; we’ll need to fasten them down so they don’t blow over. . . . Kendra and I walked around the garden and discussed what plants to cut back and either compost or put in dumpster. After Kendra left, I cleaned out compost bin #2. A lot of leaves had not fully composted so I moved half of the bin’s contents to #3. That will leave bins 1, 2, & 4 for new plant material.
Monday, 2 November. Sunny, temp in 70s; even more beautiful than yesterday. Hard to believe it’s November. Worked all day in Alum Garden. Major achievement was digging out old roses along metal fence near NW gate. Area was over-run with foxtail, and roses had not bloomed this year. Tough digging out biggest rose bush roots–probably a garden original. . . . Transplanted a clematis from “M” to the front of the pergola in “H”, next to clematis that did nothing this year. Moved a Joe Pye into space where the clematis had been and planted two “Baby Joe Pye Weeds” in “G” to replace a tansy previously removed. Unloaded the pickup, mulching beds “C” & “L” & “C”–the latter now fully mulched and looking much better. . . . Ran chipper/shredder and filled one bag and used vacuum to suck up leaves in crevice and rock gardens. Planted anemones (blandas) in “F” and two groups of allium in “D”.
Thursday, 19 November. Chilly, windy, first day when winter felt close by; tomorrow it’s supposed to snow. Worked at Alum Garden all day. Met with Kendra and identified jobs for next couple months: soil testing, setting up outdoor thermometer, weeding gravel walkways, assembling plant supports. I drove to Menard’s, Earl May, and Home Depot, thinking they might ave tulip bulbs for sale, but struck out. Tomorrow I’ll go to Evergreen for another load of mulch. I did finish mulching front of “G” and “H” beds. Filled three bags of compost using the chipper/shredder. Did some weeding in “H”–digging up grass, Queen Anne’s lace, thistle, and the irrepressible horsetail. Kendra vacuumed up leaves in crevice and rock gardens, a never-ending job since they catch the oak leaves blowing in from the east campus. Several crevice plants still in bloom, including the Crystal Palace lobelia. I continue to be amazed by its resilience and intense beauty.
Tuesday, 24 November. Chilly but sunny; some melting of snow. Walked around the garden this morning with camera, perhaps 20 photos suitable for website. Northwest beds mostly snow free since they get more direct sun. One creeping phlox still blooming in rock garden. Kendra assembled four metal plant supports. We don’t have space to store them so we’ll set them up in the garden over the plants they’ll be supporting next year. We took four potted plants to Peterson to spend the winter: two ornamental grasses, an artemisia, and our rosemary.
* * * * *
Nov. 1796. less than an acre of pumpkins have fed 9 horses at Shadwell 5. weeks, as well as a gallon & a half of corn a day would have done. equal then to 35. days x 9. horses, x 1 ½ galn. of corn = 12 barrels of corn. besides this a great proportion of the pumpkins had rotted. an acre of pumpkins then is equivalent to 5. acres of corn.
to feed all the work horses, oxen, milch cows from Sep. 1. to Dec. 31. & to fatten the hogs 8. acres of pumpkins should be planted on each side of the river, by themselves.
* * * * *
Wednesday, 2 December. Sunny but windy and cold; a little snow overnight. Last four days I’ve focused on website. Today I added another garden tour–photos and commentary on walk thru garden in November of 2013, five months before I started working in the garden Fascinating to see all the weeds and dead plants. So much of the vegetation has been removed. Also big change with cleaning up the walkways and the pavers that now separate the flower beds from the gravel. Everything looks neater, spiffier. And yet the old photos show several lovely moments and it’s evident the fundamental structure of the garden was intact. . . . received a note from K saying the website looked good but I needed a photo and bio of this “Bob guy.” She’s right. Might use a photo I took last year after hiking Pavey Ark in the Lake District.
Friday, 4 December. Today was committed to pruning crab apples. This morning I went online and confirmed that winter was a good time for pruning flowering crab: reduceslikelihood of disease getting into trees thru the cuts. Watched a video showing how to trim branches. Key point: don’t let the falling branch pull off bark. Want a clean, smooth cut a small distance from the trunk. Also confirmed that I need to cut out the vertical water sprouts andimprove the tree’s air circulation. . . . I did major trimming on the of the four quad corner crabs. Took off several large limbs so I won’t have to duck when walking under canopy. Biggest surgery to tree in NW corner, removing two large limbs. Also cut back many suckers. May try covering those roots with fabric and mulch and see if that will control their re-emergence. I still need to cut up branches so they can go in the dumpster.
Thursday, 10 December. Overcast but a nice day, temp in 40s. Worked in Alum Garden this morning. Took additional photos for December garden tour slide show on web, redoing Tuesday photos that didn’t work out. Redid several closeups of herbs and plants in rock garden, particularly the hen and chicks. Keep finding new details to focus on, camera often showing me textures and subtleties I had missed. After camera work, I trimmed big white rose bush in “M” and several smaller pink bushes in “L”. The “M” bush was a serious endeavor: thick branches, major thorns. It had reached over 10' tall; trimmed it down to 4' and took out several dead stems. Trimmings easily filled my lawn bag. . . . Sun came out about 10:30--warm enough I took off my fleece. But then sun disappeared and wind really picked up. Fleece quickly back to work. . . Got four more gardening books in mail today, including another Charles Elliott (A Gap in the Hedge) and Reginald Arkell’s Old Herbaceous: A Novel of the Garden. I suspect humor in Arkell will be dated, but I’m hoping to be surprised. [Note: the humor was dated, but it was a delightful novel, one I really enjoyed reading..] Currently reading Elliott’s Potting Shed Papers: consistently entertaining and informative, certainly one of my favorite garden essayists.
Tuesday, 15 December. Overcast, 40s temp. No rain or snow. Worked at Alum Garden this morning. The remote for the new weather station was not working, the base unit not receiving the remote’s signal. Eventually found a small phillips screwdriver, took off the back cover, and managed to re-program. The station is now working. . . . Main task today was hoeing weeds in gravel walkway in front of “K” and “L” beds. A lot of new vegetation has germinated and emerged in the past two months. I thought once fall weather arrived, we would not see much new growth, but such has not been the case. I didn’t do any raking, hoping a delay in smoothing out the gravel will increase the kill %. . . . Sad to see the NE corner bench has blown over again. I decided to leave it on its back and not set it up until we devise a means for stabilizing it. . . . Overall I find the garden surprisingly attractive at this time of year. The garden wall’s brick is not hidden by foliage and it’s easier to see the garden’s fundamental, formal structure. The garden is simpler, cleaner, reduced to its core. No frills, no distractions.
Thursday, 17 December. I’ve been reading Christopher Lloyd’s Well-Tempered Garden. The detail of his knowledge is astounding. He’s certainly opinionated–and eager to express his opinions--but he’s fun to read, wonderfully efficient prose. One paragraph describes creating a cat’s cradle of string woven thru a clump of plants, upheld by small stakes, to support plants that have a tendency to flop. Late this afternoon I opened up an old issue of Horticulture and saw a photo of precisely what Lloyd was describing. It’s intriguing how the Brits like to employ improvised systems/structures (such as the use of small tree limbs and branches) to create plant supports. Lloyd explicitly disdains the adoption of metal supports you might purchase at a garden supply–precisely the kinds of plant supports that Kendra and I set up in the garden earlier this fall.