AGC’s Heirloom gardeners worked today in the North Mountain Park Heirloom Garden. The garden is looking good, but there’s always more weeds to pull! Today was perfect weather for gardening. ~Lynn ~photos by Lynn McDonald
AGC’s April tour of Marydee’s gardens
Photos by: Lynn McDonald, AGC Member
The condo complex called Ridgeview Place is the Ashland Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for April 2024. The 12-unit development faces Mountain Avenue just southwest of the corner with East Main Street. The five homes that are numbers 51 through 59 face the street and the other seven homes are behind. The complex was built in 2015 by KDA Homes. KDA’s owner, Laz Ayala, hired landscape architect Laurie Sager (now Thornton) for the initial design.
Since then, owners have taken opportunities to express their individuality, occasionally with professional help. Note, for example, the wonderful use of magnolias to heighten the screening from the street at numbers 51 and 59.
The use of yuccas along Mountain Avenue, part of the original design by Sager, provide a unifying theme and present a stunning sight when in full bloom each summer. Boxwoods, choisya, day lilies, and daphne were also liberally specified. Common areas are maintained by Miguel Cabrera and his crew from Promack Landscaping.
Each unit has a private patio where owners can plant whatever they want. Other changes must be approved by the homeowners Board. A fountain was added later for the soothing sound and lovely sight.
Article by Ruth Sloan, AGC Garden of the Month Chairperson
The Untended Garden in March!
Excuse the weeds, but the bumbles bees like them.
~Garden and Poster by Goly Ostovar, AGC Member
Gardening Tools used and recommended by Ashland Garden Club Members
Japanese Hori Hori Knife: For weeding, digging, cutting roots, dividing perennials, removing plants from pots. Unbelievably versatile!
Nejiri Gama Garden Hoe (Japanese garden hand tool): Narrow end pushes deep into the soil helps with weeding, planting seedlings, aerating the soil, making seed trenches, and breaking up clods & soil.
Hand Plow Ho-Mi Digger (short-handled): A Korean tool that’s an all-around hand-digging tool, useful for planting, weeding, rock-removal and finding irrigation lines.
Kneelon Knee Pads – Flexible, Waterproof, durable, machine washable.
Sheep Shearing Tool: Large long blades are useful for clipping & trimming small shrubs .
Garden Bucket Caddy: Slips into a plastic bucket and holds garden tools.
Long Handle Spading Fork (48″ Handle): Dividing perennials, digging out trees, shrubs & perennials – Easier on the back when using long handle as leverage.
Flexible Buckets: Great for hauling weeds, plants, hand tools around the garden.
Felco Pruners, 2 sizes: Pruning, quality pruner, replaceable blades & parts, easy to sharpen. Right or Left handed offered.
Felco Pruner 7: Ergonomic heavy duty pruner with spinning handle – great for arthritic thumb joint issues.
Florian Ratchet Pruner: Ratchet-cut mechanism increases hand strength, prunes branches up to ¾ Inches in diameter, has a Lifetime Warranty. Right or Left handed offered.
CircleHoe – For weeding & cultivating close to plants.
Hoop Hoe, Stirrup Hoe, Action Hoe – All Similar hoes for weeding around plants.
Winged Weeder, Scuffle Hoe, Triangle Hoe: For weeding, cultivating, edging, aerating and making furrows.
Balling Spade: Ideal for cutting deep and slicing through roots.
Potlifter: Lifts 200 lb – Saves your back when lift pots or rocks.
Pro Potlifter lifts 350 lbs
Leaf Luster Digital Soil Thermometer: to measure Soil temperature for germination and transplanting.
Leaf Luster Soil Tester: Contains tests for ph, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels.
Rapitest PH Meter: Easily checks the pH level of your garden soil and potted plants.
Mico-tip Pruners, aka Floral Pruners: For deadheading & pruning smaller plants & flowers. Fiskar Softough Mico-Tip Pruners: Recommended by Arthritis Foundation – Easy-to-use for people with arthritis or limited hand strength.
Roto Digger Auger: For planting bulbs, bedding plants, seedlings, deep water aeration, fertilizing trees & shrubs.
Corona AC 8300 Sharpening Tool: 5-Inch super carbide file for sharpening straight edge tools.
Fiskars Softouch Weeder (7060) – Ergonomic weeder with forked tip cuts deep to remove weeds by the root.
Yard Butler RKT-1000 Rocket Weeder or Grandpa’s Weeder: Pull weeds from the roots, organic weed control, ergonomic handle, ejector button pops off the weed-keeping your hands clean.
Leaf Rake with longer “York-style” bent tines: Good for scooping leaves, great for cleaning leaves out of ponds.
Tru Temper Narrow Garden Fork D-handle: For digging and mulching.
Tru Temper Miniature Shovel: [Size 27 x 6 x 8.5 inches] For planting bulbs and weeding.
Leaf Scoops: Multi-purpose hand-held leaf scoops.
Corona Clipper Folding Pruning Saw: Sturdy, easy to use, easy to store. Lifetime warranty.
In the Garden: October 22
Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member