The month of June is the gateway to Summer. Here’s a glimpse of summer so far in the hardware life.
The Mountains are calling and I must go….
Other June Favorites
An Overview of Hardware Store Happenings in June
June Memories Photographed
Category Archives: flowers
May Days are Gardening Days… Garden Reflections
May is a prime gardening month. May flowers are in bloom, the vibrant colors are abundant. For me, the month of May means spending time in the garden preparing for the beautiful blooms of summer and waiting for the growth of each young tender plant.
I must confess and fully admit that my garden is always a work in progress… flowers coupled with growing weeds amongst them. This time of the year, the challenge is to keep up with the pace of weed growth, I usually fail miserably. But, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. The memories and the sweat equity of what has been accomplished so far in the garden.
My style of gardening is a rustic cottage charm. The cottage garden style is less structured and not as formalized. The plantings flow seamlessly together. This style allows for a diverse mix of plants that I love. Viewing from a distance, the pattern of my gardening style is probably not evident to anyone but me.
The ultimate story behind the gardener and garden itself is revealed walking amongst each flower variety, enjoying the blooms, connecting each flower with its own unique story and legacy.
The garden story is each flower itself. I have a garden of true memories passed down from generation to generation. My personal connections to my garden flowers and what I have planted is deeply rooted and linked to my personal life experiences and memories of those who I love. So each May I work to bring the garden story back to life, creating a garden full of beautiful memories and vibrant blooms. Nothing could be better!
All this being said, I do have a few plant friends that I love to plant each year. The striking colors, the scents, the aesthetics, and durability(long lasting nature) of the plant definitely impacts my decisions to continue to place these into my garden. But, many of the reasons why I pick the same type of flowers each year is due to my associated memories with these flowers… past celebrations, or memories of strolling through family gardens so many years ago.
So here’s to celebrating this month with a few beautiful blooms. Enjoy the bounty of the blooms that are amongst you at the close of May 2024.
Gardening Challenges this month:
1. Critters crawlers… snakes and lizards 😳 stories and more!!! Read more about them in the latest blog post, find the link below.
2. Rapid weed growth- May showers have brought an abundance of weeds! Yikes! Time to get out there and get some weeds pulled and sprayed!
3. Excessive Rainfall- My peonies and roses took a beating this month with all the rainfall. It was time to deadhead rose bushes after the rainfall, and I have cut back my peonies after they finished flowering.
4. Deer and rabbits oh my! – I have been extremely lucky this spring and little activity has been noted around my garden, but the nibbles have begun by the end of May😬! Time to grab the granular and the spray!
Gardening Successes:
1. New garden plants finds!
2. Garden totem pole in progress
3. Planting on the “good garden days”
Yes, I have read up on my almanac for the BEST days in May… find the link below for May Planting BEST Days. June best days are coming out soon on the blog!
4. Beautiful Blooms!
5. Tomatoes are coming soon!
I hope your month of May gardening has brought you joy, and great memories. No matter what state your garden finds itself in, Just get growing!
Majestic May
Just simply marveling in the magic that May brings each year. The month of May brings an explosion of color and beauty as the glory of Spring fully emerges. Sharing a few of my photo favorites from this month’s captures.
Visiting the hardware store
May 2024 Gardening Guide
May is a wonderful time to be in the garden! Here’s a quick rundown of some of the BEST days according to Blum’s Almanac to plant, fertilize, harvest, or weed. Mark up your calendar to remind yourself, save this link, and head on down to Wilkes County Hardware to begin the Gardening season strong! Let’s get growing!
Get growing with a fantastic potting soil medium. This potting soil is “the workhorse of potting soils” and hands down my favorite! A MUST Use for transplanting!!!
Baccto is definitely in order to refill your planters this Spring. Yes, you should replace the potting soil in your planters each year by switching out the old, spent soil.
Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!!
Here’s an interesting fact… Other potting mediums price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! Baccto is priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! The price point, $8.99, for 25 pounds, $13.99 for a 50 pound bag, both competitively priced! It might be time to make the switch in 2024.
LASTLY, As a FULL service hardware store, we will LOAD these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!
May Garden Tips:
1. Water well, especially small containers… these small containers act like a “crock pot” on a warmer day, cooking those plants inside! Yikes! Go big when it comes to container gardening. You will water less. When watering with your water hose, water at the soil level not directly on the plant surface.
2. Have a plan when it comes to making your garden Deer Resistant
Be proactive in keeping pests at bay. Wilkes County Hardware has a good selection of deer repellents. Be vigilant about your routine when it comes to spraying your plants. We recommend spraying your plants at least every two weeks… AND more frequently after heavy rainfall. I have also found that my deer became “immune” to the pods… If one method doesn’t appear to be working well for you, then it is time to switch it up. I’m currently using the deer spray and granular to keep activity to a minimum in my yard.
3. Insects are inevitable as the weather warms up… these creatures come out of their sleeping slumber. Don’t wait to see what happens next, stop by Wilkes County Hardware to learn about your options.
4. You have Gardening Power! You can do this in your own time and space. Do what works well for you and keep on growing and improving.
Your garden is not only the outward sign of beauty for your home, it’s also a reminder of hope and resilience to bloom even in difficult circumstances.., and lastly an opportunity to showcase cherished memories of those you love. Let’s get planting!
Hummingbird Season
Excitement and anticipation… emotions from a few weeks ago upon the first spotting of a tiny hummingbird! My first little hummingbird zipped right by me as I sat on my back porch. It signaled my brain that it was time to get busy and get my feeder out ASAP! I busily hurried along to find my feeder, throughly cleaned it, and began my first batch of clear nectar.
Are y’all ready for hummingbird season? Here in North Carolina our season officially begins each year around Late March – mid April. Ideally, it’s a good time to place your hummingbird feeder out around tax season, April 15th as they are warm season birds.
If you haven’t prepared for your tiny visitors yet, you can visit us at Wilkes County Hardware for a great hummingbird season. We have already had a few questions regarding hummingbirds… feeders, etc.
Did you know that hummingbirds tend to return to the same areas as the previous year? Hummingbirds are migratory birds and they will be eager to find a full feeder. Hummingbirds will return to the same source of food each and every year, if it is readily available. Be ready with a clean, full feeder for your favorite little hummers.
Creating A Hummingbird Habitat in your own backyard
1. Hummingbird feeders ideally should be placed 15-20 feet from a window. Shrubs and trees nearby for resting areas for hummingbirds as they feed, and a have water source close by like a bird bath or a fountain.
2. Hummingbird Feeders should be cleaned out every few days as the temperature begins to warm up and feeder should not be placed into full sun.
3. Hummingbirds will be attracted to all the beautiful colors in your yard/garden. Bright and vibrant flowers that can attract hummingbirds like Vines, and tubular flowers and some perennials are welcome sources of nectar.
4. Your Hummingbird feeder should be easily visible for your enjoyment and easy to spot by the hungry little hummingbird.
5. Be patient, it may take several weeks before you notice any little hummers at your feeder. Leave your feeder in place for a least two weeks before moving it to a different location.
6. Lastly, use CLEAR nectar in your feeder only. Yes, hummingbirds love the color red, but nectar is clear in its most natural form like the beautiful red, tubular flowers that hummingbirds love to feed from in nature. If you wish to attract more hummers, then go for a red hummingbird feeder and clear nectar.
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 