We're moving

Philly Garden Girl is moving over to Garden Kitchen Home. Check it out!

There's a new look, new adventures and much more. Enjoy!

Garden inspiration from Elle Decor

I was poking around Elle Decor and came across some gorgeous pics and photo albums. I can't get enough of them, so I'm sharing them with you.

A succulent wall garden that will make you think of the plants in a whole new way.


Decks and gardens that will make you drool.


Potted plants and all you could ever want to know about them.

Brad Lidge at Headhouse Square Farmers' Market?

Lights Out Lidge and his wife went to last year's opening day for the farmers' market at Headhouse Square. The two have a partnership against obesity with the Food Trust (the group that oversees the farmers' markets across Philly), so it's entirely possible that they'll be there again this year. Plus, the Phillies are playing in town at 8 p.m., so he should be available...
There's only one way to find out, I guess: Be there, Sunday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Headhouse Square Farmers' Market opens May 1

Time to get excited: The farmers' market in Headhouse Square opens on Sunday!

I once spent an entire summer without setting a foot inside a grocery store a single time because I got everything I needed from the farmers' market. They have the requisite fruits and veggies, but there's also lots of meats, cheeses, dairy, etc. The only other things you're gonna need are trash bags and light bulbs, and there's a CVS across the street, so you're set.

This year, vendors include:
Birchrun Hills--yummy cheese and meats, if you eat that kind of thing (and I do)
Busy Bee Farm--raw honey and lavender
Buzby Farm--fruits and veggies
Culton Organics--organic fruits and veggies
Happy Cat Organics--seeds, plants, tomatoes
Hillacres Pride--cheese!!!
John & Kira's--chocolate
Longview Farm--flowers
Love Bar--chocolate

And so, so many more. Personally, I think the highlight of the vendors just might be Talula's Table--the much adored farm-to-table restaurant. I'm not sure what they're bringing on Sunday, but I do know it'll be good.

I'm definitely stopping by on opening day (after I go for a little run).

Even the birds are tough in Philly

I walked out to my deck the other day to find this, the remnants of my tulips--my gorgeous, lovely tulips.

Look, you can even see a lone petal caught in the leaves.

Le sigh...

Anyway, I figured that it'd been all the wind we've had lately, and I wrote it off a live-and-learn experience.  That is, until I heard some commotion going on outside. I peeked out the door and saw this--the real culprits behind my de-feathered tulips.

 

Don't you love how the guy on the left is looking right at the camera. It's like he's challenging me: "You wanna come out here so I can show you whose flowers these really are?" Sheesh, that bird is a real jerk.

Apparently, they're using the petals to line their nest, which is on the top of the building across the alley from me. Honestly, I'm not too upset about it; the birds have good taste. My purple tulips were gorgeous, so I understand why they'd want those at home. Besides, the rest of my flowers have been pardoned so far, and no one has pecked at my peas or herbs, so for now we're at a truce. But that could change quickly if the birds get too greedy. We'll see how it goes.

Anyone else have to deal with this? How do you keep the birds at bay?

More Arbor Day madness!

It's true! There are more ways to get your tree groove on.


At the Philadelphia Orchard Project, you can help sow seeds at three different locations this week.


According to the site, here's what you can expect:

"We invite you to participate by planting with POP, working alongside volunteers from our community partners to plant orchards all over the city. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome. These events involve digging, planting, and spreading compost and mulch, so expect to get dirty. We can't guarantee tools for all; if you bring your own, it is advisable to write your name on them. Snacks and beverages to share are also welcome.

"Planting events can generally be expected to last three or four hours. Please sign up for our volunteer email list for up-to-date info on events. We recommend that you check your email the morning of a planting to confirm whether if will be postponed to the raindate."

The locations are:

• Roxborough High School, 6498 Ridge Ave., Roxborough, April 27, 3 p.m.
• Greenfield Orchard, 23rd & Sansom avenues, April 28, 1:30 p.m.
• Happy Hollow Orchard, 4800 Wayne Ave., Germantown, April 29, 1 p.m.

Or if you're looking to socialize and grow your garden, check out the opening party and preview of the Jenkins Arboretum plant sale. Tickets are $30, but if you want to shop for free, you can wait until Saturday or Sunday when there's no admission fee.

• Opening Party--Friday, April 29, 6 to 8 p.m.
• Plant Sale--Saturday, April 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Plant Sale--Sunday, May 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There's also a similar sale at Tyler Arboretum on Saturday, April 30. Admission is free. Doors open at 9 a.m. You'll be able to get your hands on hard-to-find trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and herbs, with a focus on both edible plants, and deer deterrents.

And at Winterthur, you can shop from a collection of local nurseries all at once. The event will bring together experts from area stores to help you find rare and heirloom plants in the Greenhouse area. You can shop from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

Spent too much...

I love my mister, which I got from Terrain a couple of months ago. I'm not sure if they still have them, but I do know I wouldn't buy it there again. That's because you can get the EXACT SAME THING from Lowe's for literally half the price. I paid $14 at Terrain. Yesterday it was just under $7 at Lowe's on Columbus Boulevard.

Oops.

Learn from my mistake.

Celebrate Arbor Day

Trees = excellence. Celebrate that simple equation at the Morris Arboretum on Saturday April 30th for the Arbor Day celebration.


This isn't just a tree-huggin' event; you'll get a treasure map and explore Out on a Limb--the elevated deck that weaves through the tree canopy. You'll learn a ridiculous amount about tree care, and even get a few seeds to take home with you.


Click here for more information, or call 215.247.5777.

My trashy little secret

 We have a serious trash problem in my house. The once-a-week, standard city pick up means that we either live with stinky trash, toss it in the city's cans, or put it out on the balcony. (And the balcony is where my gardening lives, so that's not much of an option.)

Let's just say that this arrangement is not working for me.


I'm kind of intrigued by this--a compost pick up service. For $15 a month, Bennett Compost will come out to you and pick up your organic waste like cardboard, paper, coffee grounds and filters, cotton and wool rags, dryer lint, flowers, tea bags, yard trimmings and fruits and vegetables. The things they won't pick up are charcoal/coal ash, dairy products, fats, meats, pet waste, and trimmings from yards treated with chemical pesticides.


I don't know about your house, but in my world we have very little of what can't be composted. In fact, I've tried doing it on my own several times. Unfortunately, it always ends when I fill a bin, and then I have no where to put it to let things break down. I've considered one of these automatic composters, but since it requires electricity (and space), I've never really given it much thought.

But the idea of a compost pick up... I'm intrigued.

I first heard of it from a friend in Fishtown who uses the service. She always raves about it, and loves that she sends less waste to sit in a landfill. She's a gardener, too, and I think that in a perfect world, she'd rather compost herself and use it at home. Unfortunately space is a commodity, and it's just not a reality right now.

So less trash, less guilt, and very little cost. The only thing that's left to consider is where to put the extra can--and in my itty bitty kitchen, it's a very real concern. I'll let you know if sign up and actually put my money where my keyboard is.

Phillies take root

The other day I was lucky enough to make it to my first Phillies game of the season, and daaaayum was it good--one of the best I've ever seen. There were big hits for the Phils, a temporary comeback from the other guys (just enough to get your heart racing), and lots of good friends and beer.

The game got me thinking back to 2008, to when the Phils won the World Series, and the whole city charged Broad Street. It's one of my favorite nights I've ever had in this city; there's not much I would change about it. That said, one thing has left me with a funky aftertaste for two years now. In the fury of the win, people were grabbing at anything they could, climbing, shaking and pulling--including the little trees in planter boxes along the road. I remember thinking that there's a difference between fun and destruction, but I guess with enough excitement (and beer?) that line gets blurred.

Anyway, that made me curious about the state of those trees. I know that some got ripped out, but what about the rest? So I marched my tooshie up to Broad and checked it out. Not surprisingly, things are in good standing. There are trees in each planter on the south side of City Hall, and they all seem to be about the same age, so all's well that ends well, right?

Hopefully, this year *when* the Phillies bring it all home again, it'll just be the light poles that fans hop up.