Rebecca Salomen Witt

Rebecca is the commander in chief of the Greening of Detroit.   Should you be unfamiliar with this organization, they sponsor some 1500 urban farms in the city of Detroit.  In the past 21 years, they have planted 70,000 trees-every year, year after year.  They teach a variety of classes from growing herbs for tea-  to how to grow great tomatoes.  Each summer they hire 200 young Detroiters whose other prospects for a job are slim-to haul water one bucket load at a time to newly planted trees.  To weed-to work.  They teach people how to garden. They teach these kids what it means to have a job-to be on time, and do good work.  They teach them how to open a bank account, and manage their money.  They teach them to smile, and say hello to the residents in the community where they are working.  They teach good works, and then importance of community.  This program aims at teaching young Detroiters how to grow a life.

The tab for these 200 summer jobs is one million dollars.  Wages, truck payments, gas-it adds up quick.  Every year the Greening has to raise this money-no grant covers this.  I am astonished at Rebecca’s unwavering determination that Detroit be a better, and greener place.  They tackle the overwhelming job of teaching the children in an industrial city about the importance of the environment.  The importance of good food.  The importance of community.  We hope to help with that one million dollar bill.

This is my fifth year, sponsoring a tour of landscapes and gardens of my design to benefit their educational programs.  A tour ticket is 35.00-a tour and reception ticket-50.00.  I donate the staffing of the shop, the dinner reception, the garden cruise website hosting, the tee shirts, and the advertising of the tour, so 100% of every ticket purchase goes directly to the programs for which they need funding.

OK, I am a member of the board, a commissioner, of the Greening of Detroit.  But I am not so great with meetings. My contribution?  I sponsor this tour to raise money for them.   Should you buy a ticket, you get a lot more than a garden and landscape tour for your money.  You get the satisfaction of knowing that your money is going to support the programs of an organization whose aim is to remake Detroit.  One neighborhood, one urban garden, one young person at a time. Rebecca is awesome.  Her devotion and energy to a very tough cause is astonishing.  She has a vision of the future. A vision for the future of our city.

Interested?  the tour website:  www.thegardencruise.org. Not available to take the garden tour?  The Greening of Detroit has memberships available for 25.00.  Do your gardening soul some good.  Sign up.  Go here:  http://greeningofdetroit.com/  You will not be sorry.  Rebecca and her staff deserve my support.  I am asking for your support.

Redbecca is a pioneer.  She is a spokesperson.  She has energy that puts me to shame.  Whenever I talk to her, I want to help.   Should you live in the greater Detroit area, sign up for our tour.  The gardens on tour this year are beautiful.  Your contribution to this big cause-absolutely necessary, in my opinion, to the survival and health of our city.  I would invite you to get involved.  Being involved feels good-you’ll see.

Posted on: June 20, 2012 2 Comments
Filed Under: Detroit Garden Works, Garden Stories Tagged With:

The 62nd Birthday

pruning boxwood

Pruning.  As in Mindy, who owns M and M Flowers with her sister Melissa, sent her crew to prune the boxwood and Techny arborvitae at the shop, on June 15,  my birthday.  If you pruned your boxwood in early April, ahead of that string of killing frost nights in late April, I can only say that better things come to those who wait. Next year, wait until the spring growth on your boxwood fully flushes out-this means the first week of June-and then prune. We only do this once a year; it is a day worth waiting for.  Not so much frost damage is visible now.

Poem. As in a gift from Jenny.  Jenny handles all of our internet inquiries, sales, and shipping.  She keeps the website updated via her photographs, and writing.  She wrote this poem as a gift to me for my birthday.  If you read the poem, you will see clearly that she sees me.  She is good at that with many people-not just me.  I can only say it feels good to be seen.  I could never pay her for what she is worth-that part of her is a gift to me. She has an astonishingly inventive artisanal publishing company which produces great work for clients, in her off time.  I wish you could hold the paper in your hand, and study the type.     

Portrait. A graphite portrait of the Corgis.   Pete and Tine are the sum total of my blood family-they live far away.  They commissioned Sheona Hamilton Grant, a Belgian artist who specializes in equestrian and canine portraits, to draw my beloved Corgis.  Apparently Rob provided photographs.  The drawing captures their spirit, and my love for them.  I was so shocked and so delighted-having unpacked the crate. They are the best blood family any girl could hope for, and Sheona is a very talented artist.     

 

Providence.  As in the protective nature of Of God, or of nature, as a spiritual power-this from Wikipedia.   17 years ago, Rob hauled a concrete statue of the Madonna up to the north side of my house-he placed it under a rough roof supported by pipes.  I was certain that structure was a shrine to the Madonna.  She would look out and after me, and my garden.  But a few years later, my Madonna was stolen.  She has been gone for 9 years, this year.  For my birthday, Buck replaced that statue.  Why at 62 does this mean so much?   I am a Catholic of the sort that believes in the miracle that is nature.  As for God-oh yes, I am a believer.  I so believe the stories of all of the saints, but I especially treasure any sculptural expression of the Madonna.  My life and garden is once again under her protection now, thanks to Buck.             

Playing it forward.   20 years ago Rob came to work for me.  16 years ago I bought a building, and made plans to open a shop devoted to all great things for the garden. Rob was there every step of the way.  Cheering the both of us on.  Shopping overseas.  Giving his all.  Those early Detroit Garden Works years were tough.  We worked day and night.  He loaned everything he had to this project.  His eye, his talent, his energy and his heart.  Back then, there were no shops devoted to fine ornament for the garden.  We were foolhardy, and patient.         

Detroit Garden Works is quite a place.  Have you been there?  If you go, you will see Rob’s influence everywhere.  You will not get better help with a project or an issue in a garden anywhere better than his help-of this I am convinced.  On the afternoon of my birthday on Friday, I went to my attorney and put the shop in trust for Rob.  It will go to him.  Saturday night Buck cooked up a birthday dinner for all of the Detroit Garden Works staff.  I had a special tee shirt made for everyone to commemorate the event.  Everyone at work was in on the plan-Rob had no clue what was coming.  Needless to say it was a very emotional and happy occasion.  Becoming 62 meant to me it was time for him to know the shop would eventually be his, when I am  still around to help.  With him more involved the the DGW business, I might have more time to spend on writing and taking photographs-and myy first love-the landscape.  I am happy and to say I have I have made a change that makes turning 62 worth it.  The best part-I paid it forward to a person with whom I have had an important relationship for 20 years.  I cannot tell you how good this felt.

Party-as in a true cause for celebration.  The Detroit Garden Works staff is very fond of Rob-this was a move they approved.  One birthday present from Rob-glow sticks.  We all wore them.  Buck cooked brats, and made potato salad. 

Present.  As in we were all present, and Rob had another present that so tells the story of what a remarkable human being he is.  Wish lanterns-have you ever heard of them?  I had not.  He regularly advises me about things I have never heard of-this is just one of the thousand reasons that I treaure him.  They look like a small paper version of a hot air balloon.  You light the base on fire, wait for the warm air to fill the paper balloon, and gently send them skyward.  Make a wish.   Go for broke.  Launch something.       

 

I sent no wish aloft for Rob.  He doesn’t need any wishes-He is chock full of talent.  My wish was entirely for my own 62nd year-hopefully full of surprises, challenges, and meaningful work.  This was my happiest birthday ever-no kidding.  

 

 

Posted on: June 18, 2012 22 Comments
Filed Under: Garden Stories

The Last Day Of My 61st


By coincidence, Melissa from M and M Flowers came to do her yearly pruning on the boxwood on the last day of my 61st year.  As this is just about my favorite day of the gardening year, I felt my previous year was coming to a close in a way that made me very happy indeed. 

topiary yews

 

pruning boxwood

 

 

 

green velvet boxwood

 

 

 

 

isotoma fluvialitis

My garden is a place very near and dear to me-it looked beautiful last night.  Spotless.  As is her usual way, the boxwood is beautifully pruned.  Her crew did not finish until almost 7 pm. All my thanks, Melissa and group.

 

 

Posted on: June 15, 2012 26 Comments
Filed Under: Garden Stories, Picture This, Summer, Upon Reflection, Woody Plants Tagged With:

Spring Frost

frost damage

There may have been little in the way of winter weather in my zone, and the 80 degree days we had in March were disturbingly unusual-but the winter weather we have had this spring has been devastating.  Every bloom on twelve magnolias in my yard-and lots of other yards- was summarily frosted off at the end of March.  OK, no flowers this year.  But a week ago Sunday-24 degrees overnight.  The new leaves pushing out past those dead blooms were hit hard.  You can tell from my picture, this Galaxy magnolia does not look good. 

The new growth on the boxwood at the shop-pushed out too early due to an abnormally warm March-was thoroughly damaged by frost.  24 degrees in midwinter-all of the evergreens have gone dormant, and are laying low.  They can shrug off this kind of cold.  Evergreens which have broken dormancy, and are actively growing, are vulnerable.  New growth is soft-as in very tender. A very hard freeze in April-devastating. That extremely cold night proved fatal to every new shoot on this boxwood.   

frost damage

Deciduous material suffered as well.  The leaves on these hops-too pale green, and burned brown.  This plant has cold burn.  I am seeing this damage everywhere-on maples that have leafed out.  Japanese maples planted in open areas have been partivcularly hard hit.  One grower I know feels he has lost a lot of trees.  Terrible, this.

The flowers on our espaliers dropped.  Those espaliers that had already shed flower petals will bear no fruit. Though these fruit trees have leafed out, any chance of fruit was frosted off.   I hear from friends in the gardening business of hostas 8 inches out of the ground, turned to mush.  This old rosemary, just a week out of storage, was hit hard.  The damage is everywhere-so discouraging.   The fruit tree growers in our state-devastating, the losses.    

Finally, the rain we needed so badly in April is falling in early May.  I do think the very dry conditions contributed to the frost damage.  A healthy and juicy plant is better able to fend off trouble than a stressed one.  Water stress-try working in the garden all day without a drink of water when it is hot as blazes.  Big stress.  I welcome the rain.  Rain drops on large foliaged plants is so beautiful.  These Chicago figs are loving the bath. 

Creme Brulee coral bells

Many perennials hold those rain drops.  This Creme Brulee heuchera is looking good. Though its leaves are struggling with the cold, the rain looks like good medicine. 

Water is life giving.  Miraculous, that.  No matter that I had to change my sopping wet socks twice today-I am grateful for the rain.  The difficulty I am having dealing with plants damaged by frost-soothed by the big rains. I am happy about the rain.   

This red lettuce is growing like crazy.  It is somewhat cold tolerant-the brutal frost passed it by.  The fresh leaves soaked with rain-do they not look delicious?  That gardening is not for the faint of heart is abundantly clear this spring.  The tulips bent over to ground encased in ice-this was painful to see.  The rain soaking my dry garden and landscape-a little respite from bad news.  Always, there are those good things, and those bad moments.

As delicate as a pansy bloom appears, pansy plants are very sturdy and cold tolerant. They duck down in inclement weather; they survive.  They are the mainstay of spring-along with the spring flowering trees, the early planted vegetables, and the wildflowers.  Not one pansy or viola sustained any frost damage at the shop.  They are the perfect plant for a season marked by tumult.   What to do about plants damaged by frost-wait.  Be patient. Make no moves before their time.  Many plants will releaf-many plants will handle the killing frost in their own way.  Don’t intervene until you really need to.  Survival is a primal instinct.  Like you, plants have the instinct to survive and prosper.   Give them space. 

 These yews had all of their new spring growth frosted off.  But I am seeing new shoots-they are re-leafing.  The spring rain helps fuel that.  Nature has a way of bringing any gardener up short.  But the will to live is a very strong one.  Should you garden, that natural force is more your friend than your foe.  Enjoy the rain.

Posted on: May 7, 2012 3 Comments
Filed Under: Garden Stories, The Natural World Tagged With: ,