All the Dirt on Gardening

Felder Rushing’s gardening talks are always delightful. Despite being in the U.S. Navy, and having a horticulturist position with U.S.D.A., in his talks he tells the audience to ignore the rules. Now Rushing lives in England half the year and travels the U.S. doing speaking engagements the other half of the year. He has written 16 successful gardening books filled with his opinions about gardens, plants, bird feeding, water gardening and garden art.  “Gestalt Gardener”, his call-in radio show, has been on air for 30-years. You can listen to several shows at http://mpbonline.org/gestaltgardener and podcasts are available for download.   “Garden writers, experts, and books make gardening sound complicated,” said Rushing in a telephone interview. “OK has had some horrible weather – heat, blizzard, ice – and yet there are tough plants doing perfectly well at cemeteries and old home sites. Ride around. You’ll see 150 to 200 plants doing fine. Plant those in your yard.” This w...

Have you met Felder Rushing yet? Here's a link to his website. Rushing spoke on Saturday at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. He entertained us with his presented topic, Slow Gardening: Less Input and More Rewards. Before the event and during the break everyone took advantage of the home cooked treats. The Flower, Garden and Nature Society of Northwest Arkansas organized the event and put on a very impressive brunch for the 100 plant lovers who attended. Lynn Rogers, garden writer for several NW Arkansas publications, and a friend of Rushing, introduced him. Gail Pianalto, the co-chair of BGOzark's programs committee, spoke about the many great events at BGOZARK . Pianalto was awarded the 2008 Garden Crusader Award for Education. Gardener's Supply Company created the award to recognize individuals like Gail, who make a difference in their community through their passion for gardening. Any child or adult who has been in Gail's presence understands why she deserves ...

Very little in the way of gardening can be done when it is 105 outside. Today we watered and checked on things but plants struggle to survive the kind of soil temperatures there will be over the next few days. Even some of the shade garden plants in moist soil are desiccating. Poor dears. For a hot weekend, some quality time on the Internet or with a book will fill the gardener's time. FELDER RUSHING On the gardening side, check out Felder Rushing's website. Rushing's books include some titles you may have read, "Tough Plants for Southern Gardens", "Passalong Plants", "Gardening Southern Style" and others. Rushing's website is http://www.felderrushing.net/ . Click on links that interest you but be sure to click on the Felderphotos link on the left side of the page for some entertaining shots of his yard, friends and places he has visited. UBC BOTANICAL GARDEN at http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/ offers a botany photo of the day. The link...