Sunday, November 11, 2007

Garden Bloggers' Carnival - Day Three


Welcome to Day Three of the Garden Bloggers' Retro Carnival. If you've been following the Carnival you'll know that people have been sending in links to posts on their blogs which they want to revive, and that every day I'm publishing a lists divided (very roughly!) by theme. Today's theme is gardening in winter.

We're starting with a Hallowe'en post. Hallowe'en was originally a Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in), marking the Celtic New Year - which started on November 1st. The festival of Samhain on October 31st marked the end of the old year and the beginning of winter — the “season of cold and darkness.”

If like me your idea of carving a Hallowe'en pumpkin is a gash for a mouth, three holes for the eyes and nose and a left hand covered in sticking plasters, then see what they produced over at
An eclectic garden

I don't know about where you are, but here we're still having bright sunny days and it doesn't seem like winter at all yet. But if you’re in the northern hemisphere and the ever-shorter days and dropping temperatures are starting to depress you, check out this post on Gardening for winter interest by Jessica at
Garden Detective

And if like me you don’t have a greenhouse but still start getting itchy to plant just after Christmas, you’ll love Angie’s post at Gardens-n-Junk.

Winter is the ideal time to rethink your garden design for the following year. What colours predominate in your garden? Do you go for subtle pastels? Cool blues and whites? Bright reds and yellows happily clashing away ? Kris at
Blithewold won’t mind if you break the rules.



And while you're at it, why not get some inspiration from some historic landscaped gardens. Cave Hill Gardens has some suggestions as to where you might look.


You might also want to revamp your gardening wardrobe - throw out some off the stuff that's just too far gone and downgrade those tatty jeans and that old jumper that you're starting to feel conspicuous in at the supermarket. Deciding what to put on your feet when you’re gardening can be a delicate choice too. Here’s a review from Ellis Hollow on the ideal footwear for use when shovelling, mowing – and as a rodent repellent. It’s the smell you see...)

But don't get too depressed by the winter. At least most of us know the long sunny days of summer will soon be back. Anne of the Tundra Garden has no such luck - she even has snow in July, but she still manages to grow things. Check out how at her blog on the northernmost garden of the North American continent.


That's it for today, but the Carnival will be back midweek with more links. And this time the theme will be - well, buy one, get ten free.



4 comments:

AnneBrygger said...

This Carnival is fun (and much appreciated from the frozen North). Thanks for putting it together!

I've linked to you, since a lot of northern gardeners do need to do the container thing for part of the years.

Angie said...

This is a lot of fun. I am having a blast checking out all of these posts! Thanks again for hosting this!

gardenmoma said...

Sue,

Hi! Thanks for putting the "Garden Bloggers' Carnival" together. Perhaps we can another before Easter and Lent in "Carnival Season."

I really like what you've accomplished with your Balcony Garden Blog...it looks and reads as smart (as in stylish) and appealing.

Georgene / AKA Gardenmoma

Sue Swift said...

I'm really glad you're enjoying the carnival, and yes - I do have an idea for another one. With a slight difference. I think the idea of doing it in the "real" carnival week is excellent. Will organise it.

And thanks for the comments on the blog :)

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