Planting Bulbs and Garlic

A special friend of mine gave a talk this past Sunday on bulb and garlic planting. As he shared some of his favorite bulbs, he reminded me of how much they can remind us of our past. He always plants yellow crocuses because they remind him of his old homestead and his mother.

I too remember my grandfather's bulbs blooming each spring. He had one area of his yard that was more of a naturalized area where he would plant crocuses, tulips, grape hyacinth and the annual hyacinth plant we would always give him each Easter. We would walk down there each spring to see if the crocuses were blooming yet because it was a sure sign that spring had finally arrived. Those bulbs are still there today, some 100 years later.

My father still lives on a piece of that property and owns that parcel of land where my grandfather always gardened. He gave up a portion of his father's estate money so he could own that bit of land. He added a huge daffodil bed that contains thousands of bulbs. Last fall we dug up many of them to thin them out and I planted some of them at my new home.

My father also has hundreds of tulip bulbs along his sidewalk and driveway. What a sensational site to see each year. The few tulips that I have planted in my garden must be encased in deer netting to help them survive any attacks from these voracious visitors. But seeing my father's daffodils bloom in my yard last spring made me feel like I had a little part of him with me.

My friend told the guests at his lecture that he tells his own sons that some day they will come back to their homestead and remember planting all the daffodil bulbs and be amazed at how they have colonized throughout their woodlands.

All his stories made me think of my own wonderful memories. Not only did I leave with the ten daffodil bulbs that were given to each attendee, but I also purchased another fifty. There was only one small detail I that I did not really think about while taking my sentimental journey. I have to get out there and plant them all of them before the ground freezes. So much for memories.....back to reality.

Buckeye Barns are wonderful!

I have been searching for a good quality utility shed for over the past two years and have finally found and installed one that I am really happy with. First, most sheds that I have found consist of pressed wood, particle board or plywood. Secondly, most came prebuilt or prefabbed. And finally, the price was so high that I would have to go in debt to afford one.

I did find one company in eastern PA that will deliver these beautiful buildings but they would have cost a small fortune. My last shed was built by my dad and me. It was a salt box pattern that I found in one of my garden magazines. I was at the point of building my own shed again when I found Buckeye Barns out of Ohio.

These barns are absolutely beautiful and made from real natural solid wood. The floor is tongue and groove plank flooring that can hold an elephant or vehicles. The side walls are tongue and groove horizontal siding so that you never get water in the seams like those that are built vertically. The building is built on site from the ground up. There is nothing prefab about it. But best of all is the price is easy on the wallet. Most people have said that they could never afford a shed like this . When I priced several prefab buildings they ran several thousand dollars more than this shed cost me. So if you are near PA or Ohio, by all means consider a Buckeye Barn.

I have attached the pictures of one man constructing our 10 by 12 building with double lofts in one day.