Dig It! Winter Dreams About Spring Gardening
by Sage and Snow Garden Club
January 31, 2009
What garden interests do you have? Do you want to learn about shade gardening, xeriscape (low water) gardening, vegetables that grow at high altitudes, plants that benefit bees and butterflies, composting, how to make a window box or cold frame, how to prune lilacs, or how to deter insects or deer from your garden? What are your dreams for your spring garden? Do you want to plant tulips or daffodils, do you want an all-white flower garden, do you want to plant all purple vegetables, do you want to plant a vegetable garden that will give you produce all during the growing season or prize-winning vegetables at the County Fair, or do you want to do minimal work for maximum flowers and vegetables? It’s always been the same for gardeners when winter arrives. We put our tools away and watch from the warmth of our homes as the beautiful winter landscape takes hold. We enjoy walks in the crisp, bright days. Yet, while the Wyoming winds blow and temperatures drop below freezing, gardeners can continue their gardening interests in several ways. One way is by attending local garden club activities. Another is to sit by the fire and dream, plan, and simply enjoy perusing the many seed catalogs that describe new and heirloom varieties of plants.
Another way takes us out of our tall stacks of seed catalogs and can literally put us "in the garden" with a simple click of the computer mouse. Going online is free, quick and in color! The possibilities are endless and can include latest research, free e-newsletters that are delivered directly to your computer, products, educational videos, online certifications, plant identification, community projects and activities for children. A very small sample of online gardening resources follows. Don’t have a computer? There are computers for public use in the Sublette County Library in Pinedale and Big Piney and staff will help you get started.
• Sage and Snow Garden Club at http://www.pinedaleonline.com. Click on the link under "clubs". Here, you can find copies of our past DIG IT! articles written by club members that are pertinent to the season and address the joys and challenges of gardening at our altitude. If you would like a list of available articles or any particular article, you can also contact the Garden Club directly (see below).
• National Gardening Association at http://www.garden.org offers the Web's largest and most respected array of gardening content for consumers and educators, ranging from general information and publications to lessons and grants. There are also free e-newsletters for adults and children.
• Language of Flowers Database at http:://www.thelanguageofflowers.com. The site covers the history and how every sentiment can be expressed by using specific flowers in a bouquet or arrangement. You can literally "say it with flowers" (joy, love, hope, goodbye, humility, etc).
• eNature web site at http://www.eNature.com offers Audubon Wildflower Guides online with descriptions and photos. The website is operated by the National Wildlife Federation and you can also browse mammal, tree, and bird guides.
• Most seed catalogs and gardening publications. In the browser window (such as Google) type in the name of the catalog or magazine, such as "Burpee", "Organic Gardening" or "Better Homes and Gardens" and click on the links that appear. You can also use this method for other searches, such as "xeriscape gardening" or "composting" or "high altitude gardening". You will be amazed at all the information right at your fingertips!
Note that while the Library is undergoing renovation, meetings will be at the Cooperative Extension Service office in Pinedale at 621 South Pine Street. Contact us at Box 2280, Pinedale, WY, 82941, by email at sageandsnow@yahoo.com or call 307-859-8606.
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