#and tatyana is pretty great too

[ladystrallan]

My girls <3

[tea-with-eleni]

This week in Barovia...

My players, DO NOT READ FURTHER.

So the players debated, then continued to read the Tome of Strahd. Revelations were made. A very uninvited guest showed up. Relationships progress.

The short version: they read the chapter where Strahd mildly lost his mind, made his dark deal, and drained Alek Gwilym.

Not much to say about that one; if you know, you know.

The funny thing happened AFTER...

So, if you're in the minority that read The War Against Azalin, remember how Strahd got around the geas against Darklords going to each other's domain? He possessed a guy. The problem was that the guy fought back.

Well.

Now Tatyana has gone to Darkon and Strahd must follow. It takes time to brew the potion again, time to dig out those old notes, but who's on hand who would never fight back? Who's expendable?

Hi, Escher. Sorry dude.

It's almost like your master is a dark lord and not a great guy.

It gets worse.

The wizard has had a crush on Escher for a while.

And Strahd, being Strahd, has been extremely interested in the wizard. Like, he will kill the rest of the party. But the wizard really is interesting. He's kept a single adventurer from a party before, if they're interesting enough. (Side-eyes Volenta...)

I think the wizard was way too wrapped up in his own head/Vampyr whispering in his ear Dark Urge style that it would be so easy to kill a party member who so utterly trusts him, that it would be so easy to follow in Strahd's footsteps and embrace vampirism without the risk of a sire that may or may not allow you your free will afterwards. He didn't notice that Strahd's portrayal of Escher was anything but perfect. Either that, or he didn't care.

(Strahd did actually, maybe even sincerely?, warn him about Firan Zal'honen, on the grounds that he recognized the description and do not trust Firan Zal'honen. Pfft. Pretty sure Firan might very well prove a very, very, VERY interested ally if they actually approach him...but he's a little busy, he has a dinner party of his own to go to. Something about Lord Darcalus and vengeance for his son. If you know, you know.)

Anyway, this is a long way of saying that Strahd banged the wizard and my players might actually kill me when they find out, because this is like the third time Strahd has been acting via a false face to get close to them.

Fool me once, amIright?

Meanwhile, I really ought to write a short on how Ludmilla and Volenta and Ireena are coping with the aftermath of having read Tatyana's introductory chapter of the Tome of Strahd.

[tameblog]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[alexha2210]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[angusstory]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[tumibaba]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[romaleen]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[monaleen101]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[iamownerofme]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[shelyold]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[tea-with-eleni]

Story Time is a Great Idea

You refuse to hear another chapter of Strahd’s book. You’re tempted to burn the damn thing, but it might yet have something that can help kill the author. Although, right now? You’d cheerfully kill him with your bare hands.

It probably wouldn’t work.

Probably.

You would still try, if he waltzed into your camp right now. Based on how still Ludmilla has gone, you suspect she would try to help. Volenta pulls her aside and gives you a confused look. Ludmilla shrugs her off and snarls at the darkness and the distant lake.

“I knew he lost his damn mind over you, but hells!”

“What happened?” Volenta asks. Ludmilla is ready to tear someone to shreds. You sit down and bury your face in your hands.

“We got to hear Strahd’s memories about Tatyana,” you say. “It was… I was…”You trail off and start again. “He was convinced I was madly in love with him and with Sergei in turns.”

“I take it you weren’t,” Volenta says. It isn’t a question, but you shrug a reply anyway.

“I think I could have been in love with Sergei, eventually,” you say, “But Strahd was old enough to be my father.” Volenta snorts and sits next to you. She gives an all-too-toothy grin.

“I’d point out that didn’t stop me,” she says, “Or Mila. But I think it’s also safe to say that was a really, really, really bad idea in the long run. So, was it just that he remembered you as some kind of weird goddess or something? Gross, but kinda what we expected?”

“No,” Mila says. “Volenta, we said yes. We agreed to be with him. We sought him out. She wasn’t at Ravenloft for him, but he was going to give her a damn love potion. In front of everyone. She was younger than fucking Escher, the only reason she was even in Ravenloft was because the church was interested in her magic — I think I have that right?” You nod. “And he was going to force her to love him. Which, as we have established over and over, she would rather actually die.” Volenta winces.

“That is pretty bad,” she agrees. “I also can’t believe I’m the voice of reason right now, but you need to calm down or get out of here, Mila.” Volenta glances at you. “Ireena, you should maybe not sit so close? Mila, go find someone we don’t like if…”

“I’m not going to kill anyone,” Mila says. “Except Strahd.”

[iammeandmy]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[januishstory]

Happy Monday GPODers! We’ve seen an assortment of fabulous garden retrospectives over the years, but I think this submission breaks the mold. Last year, Tatyana Searcy in Washington created a container display so unique and exciting that it deserved its own spotlight. With the help of some local talent and experts, she was able to create a garden focal point that became more and more magical as the growing season went on. Tatyana graciously gave us an in-depth description of how this container display was created and maintained, as well a fantastic assortment of photos that document the evolution from empty artwork in March to end-of-season delight in September. This is Tatyana Searcy (@tatyana.mysecretgarden – my IG account), and my garden is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the state of Washington. The garden was previously featured on the GPOD in 2013 and 2019 (Tatyana’s Garden in Washington State, Tatyana’s Blue Poppies, Tatyana’s Gazebo in Winter, and A Front Bed Looking Its Best). Today, I’d like to share one of my garden containers from 2024. This container was the favorite among my open garden visitors and my personal favorite too. Monthly pictures below show how the plantings looked through the season as well as how the metal sculpture looked empty. The facts that the planter doesn’t have solid walls and moss dries up quickly required regular watering and misting. I’m very conscious about water consumption in my garden. Thoughtful use of water in other parts of my garden made me feel better watering this special container several times a week. This year, I might try to grow different plants in this structure. Winter is a good time to dream and plan! The rusty metal sculpture is the creation of the talented local artist, Ray Hammar (BlueCollar Art Work). It is a great piece on its own. It is all made of repurposed metal: an old auger, links of a 100 plus year old marine chain, a heater’s band and a car’s wheel rim. Chain links are welded to a sphere. Upper part of the sphere was taken down and set on the pedestal (car’s wheel rim) to create a separate bowl-planter. We obtained the 6 feet metal sculpture from the Crazy Hill Garden & Botanicals in Belfair, WA owned by Michael Kerkes and Elton Busby. Michael thought about filling it with plants while it was exhibited at their nursery, and I liked that idea too, so we ended doing that exciting project together! Michael, a Certified Professional Horticulturist, provided his extensive knowledge and experience, and I selected the plants and the potting mix. The process started from the bottom and went up: lining walls with soaked moss, adding potting mix, then inserting plants (repeat till the bowl got full). Slow-released fertilizer was added to the potting mix and some smaller plants were added through the bowls’ openings later. One of the things I learned from Michael Kerkes while working on this project was not to fluff the root balls excessively to prevent different plants’ roots from tangling up. It helped to disassemble the plantings when temperatures went down and tender plants needed to be moved to our unheated garage. I didn’t make a special shopping trip to buy the plants for this project, but used what was already in my garden. Some of the plants came from my favorite nurseries and others from our local plant swap.The planter location seemed to be pretty good for the plants I had: it faces east, gets morning sun and a bit of afternoon sun, and it has the rest of the day in bright shade. Filling the planter was done in late May. It was fun to see the plants grow, bloom and take turns as a star in that fabulous structure. All the plants grew considerably and were healthy. Little hardy fuchsia starts developed tall sturdy stems and gorgeous multiple blooms, golden lysimachia (creeping Jenny) reached the ground, ferns turned to beautiful luscious mounds, tiny Viburnum plicatum in a 4-inch pot adopted at a plant swap became a two-foot nice fellow. There were no casualties, all the plants survived. The only issue was slugs that managed to climb several feet to enjoy coleus leaves. It was exciting to see new beautiful licorice ferns (Polypodiym glycyrrhiza) appear and spread on the mossy walls of the bowl (moss was responsibly harvested on a private property). The assortment of the plants, most of which are foliage plants, included: Ferns: Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 11–12), cretan brake fern (Pteris cretica, Zones 9–12), ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 5–8), blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum, Zones 9–11) Hardy fuchsias Plectranthus (with golden and green foliage) Creeping saxifrage (Saxifraga stolonifera, Zones 6–9) Hosta ‘Curly Fries’ (H. ‘Curly Fries’, Zones 3–9) and others Coleus Senecio ‘Jose Puig’ tradescantia (T. gibasis ‘Jose Puig’, Zones 9–11) Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9) Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum, Zones 10–11) Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum, Zones 5–8) (a tiny start) A close up of the bowl planter gives a better look at the moss used to contain the soil. While the moss has a practical purpose, it also adds to the overall beauty of the design. In July, the planters were really filling out and bursting with all of those fabulous foliage plants. It’s absolutely incredible that Tatyana was able to pull this together with plants she already had in her garden. And closes ups of both halves of this display. While distinctly different in the plants used, there is a certain cohesion of the foliage-centric designs. It also made the overall display more exciting to see different plants above and below, rather than exactly matching. It’s a testament to Tatyana’s maintenance that the display looked this lush and abundant in August! The plants have filled in and trailed out so much that it’s even hard to see the baskets they’re planted in. When in the ground, lots of people tend to cut back hosta blooms to encourage more foliage growth or simply because their often floppy height does not flow with the rest of their design. However, when planted in a container (like the H. ‘Curly Fries’ Tatyana has here) the flowers can add some additional late-summer color while commingling perfectly with other plants growing up and out. By September, the plants have all but taken over the metal sculpture that once drew your eye to the design. While red started out as a minor accent color in June, it has taken over and become the signature color of this combination. The bright red coleus had an amazing growing season while the hardy fuchsias had in the pot are finally putting on their floral show. The openness of this sculpture allows for 360-degree views, meaning the back side of this container display is just as exciting as the front. What a transformation over the course of five months! We all know that a lot changes in the garden from May to September, but it puts it all into a different perspective when you hone in on one container, area, or just one plant in particular. While this planting was equally as amazing in May, it’s fascinating to see the evolution that took place. Thank you so much for sharing this spectacular container creation with us, Tatyana! The design is so captivating, I’d think it was stolen straight from a botanical garden or art installation. It’s clear why this creation was a your favorite, and adored by all of your visitors. Did you have any containers that looked more and more magical as the growing season carried on? Or did you make updates so your containers evolved with each season? As we dream of the growing season to come, we could use all the container inspiration we can get! following the directions below to submit your container photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products XLUX Soil Moisture Meter Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. - Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read - Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly - Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs. The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach. Source link

[rugbybraincell]

WXV1 Week 2

USA v France

Prediction: France by 22 Tl;dr: Thinking about vibes here: week 1 went quite well for US given their opponent was #1 team in the world England, while France lost by a surprisingly large margin to Canada. Expecting US to be feeling a lot of confidence and France, while they have something to prove, have shown some vulnerability and a lack of variation in attack. Players to watch: (US) Gabby Cantorna comes into 12 and moves Alev to 13, a move designed to offer a second playmaker but one that could expose them on defense without Emily Henrich's solid positioning at 13 controlling the outside channels. Alev was huge last weekend on attack so expect US to try a lot through her. (France) Alev's French opposite Konde #13 will give her a real run for her money. France's 15 Jacquet is critical to their kicking game, which will be an interesting test for Mac in the USA's double fullback set-up.

2. Canada v Ireland

Prediction: Canada by 17 Tl;dr: I think Canada is underestimating Ireland with their roster, though I still bet on them to get the win on the strength of their overall squad and how well their system suits them. Canada makes changes at #3, 5, 7, and 11; who all had strong performances last week. But Ireland have a big psychological test to get back to business after such a historic win, they're used to defending other European teams who play in very predictable patterns off 10, and they don't have the depth/interchangeability of Canada. The Ireland 9s were also driving me crazy last week with some of their decision making, or lack thereof, I think because they're primarily 7s players. Players to watch: (Canada) Gabrielle Senft was really good at #8 last week. #9 Justine "Petty" is a great fit with their style and one to watch for how we want to play. I hadn't seen the #13 play 15s before and wow, Shoshanah Seumanutafa has INSANE FOOTWORK.(Ireland) #3 Linda Djougang, #6 Erin King coming off the bench, and #7 Aoife Wafer were stand-outs last week. Shoutout to Djougang and #1 O'Dowd for both playing 80 minutes at prop last week (truly insane), though that doesn't signal good things for Ireland's depth and means they must be a bit tired. Djougang defends like a pesky lock/backrow in open play, especially keen on blowing up rucks. 3. New Zealand v England Prediction: England by 19 Tl;dr: These teams faced each other in a pre-WXV friendly and England won 24-12, though that scoreline looks a bit generous to NZ since they were never within a try. I expect a similar outcome this time or bigger. The Black Ferns' talk after the Ireland game was about taking too many quick-taps and not trusting their set piece enough; so expect them to try to game/territory manage more but I think have less success since they're competing against the best set-piece team in the world. Players to watch: (New Zealand) I don't like the changes here. Kaipo Olsen-Baker coming into #8 - a strong carrier but pretty one dimensional. Demant moves to #12 with the young Hannah King at #10, bumping Du Plesses off the roster which I think is a shame. (England) Big guns are back for England. Their preferred 9-10 combo are back after resting last week: Hunt and Aitchinson. Marlie Packer your favorite mom/loud-mouth bully is back at #7. Both locks are icons of the game. #12 Tatyana Heard is worth paying attention to as they've begun to have her do more and more playmaking on attack, whereas she used to be there to just beat defenders.

[dexadin]

What's your opinion on female Strahd/"Strahdyana"? I know it's a popular way of reducing the creep factor inherent in the CoS module, but it always rubbed me the wrong way somehow.

This will also probably be a long one because I have been shaking it around in my brain like a snowball.

So first off, I do not actually care if you make your Strahd a woman, I know that there are Big Name D&D players who do it successfully. I believe Ginny Di runs a female Strahd, and what I've seen of it from over on Twitter seems pretty neat. That being said, I think about Strahd, like, too much, and also spend a lot of time on CoS reddit and twitter, and I do think a lot of DMs use female!Strahd as a quick & dirty way to reduce the creep factor, like you said, without really considering the power imbalances and forces at play that allow Strahd to be a creep. I think that might be why it rubs you the wrong way the same way a lot of it rubs me the wrong way. It isn't actually the gender swap that's the core problem, but the lack of assessment that goes into a lot of these types of games. I'm going to go into Probably Too Much Detail as to why below the cut

CW for discussions of sexism, sex/gender based violence, suicide, and homophobia, as well as major spoilers for Curse of Strahd below the cut

As written in the module, Strahd is a horrible fucking monster. He acts like an incel and is a manipulative, jealous, psycho-sexual creep. Strahd works as a timeless villain, because he's more than just a bogeyman. He is not only the monster under the bed, but the monster sharing the bed. He's deeply pathetic and deplorable and terrifying all at the same time. I think this is something a lot of tables don't want to tackle headfirst for obvious reasons, but still want to enjoy the classic gothic horror of CoS, and I think that's great! D&D is supposed to be fun, and as written, CoS is a meatgrinder that can be a pain in the ass to slog through at times. But in my opinion, it requires a lot of work on the part of the DM to really look through the module and see what needs to be kept, what needs to be reworked or reinterpreted, and what needs to be scrapped.

I think that it's very easy to see a character like Strahd whose main plot revolves around gendered, sexual violence (pursuing an unwilling Tatyana to and through her death) and say that changing him to a her will fix that gendered violence in a way I really do not vibe with.

For example, simply changing Strahd to lady!Strahd isn't going to make finding a 16-year-old Gertruda in her bed any less terrible. Lady!Strahd might make the initial discomfort of the pursuit of Ireena less uncomfortable, especially if you change the subject of Strahd's pursuit to Ismark, but it doesn't actually change the immorality of the actions. And obviously, lady!Strahd will not fix the fact that she pursued Tatyana (or even guy!Tatyana) until she is driven to suicide.

If you change Strahd to a woman, are you also going to gender-swap the rest of the characters, or are you just going to have a woman be responsible for the torture and killing of so many women and children? In the same vein, are you going to consider the potential homophobic implications of having a lesbian predator treat women the same way as-writ Strahd would? Are you going to dismantle the power structures that exist in CoS just as diligently as you would with a male antagonist? Are you going to make sure that your changes aren't diminishing or making light of gendered and sexual violence perpetrated against men by women? Will these changes alone be enough to make CoS enjoyable by you and your players? Obviously, if the answer is yes, then go off! Use your safety tools and keep communication open. I just think that sometimes DMs, especially on Reddit, think they're doing a lot with lady!Strahd without doing much at all.

That said, I do think there is some interesting potential in CoS having a woman antagonist, though. I think it could be fun to explore some antiquated gender dynamics-- is it really Tatyana that Strahd is after, or is Strahd jealous of Sergei because he's the male heir who received their parent's keep, while Strahd had to go out and fight for her respect? How would Strahd's relationship to Rahadin, or Fiona Wachter potentially change? I think a woman Strahd would make a great baseline to bring Baba Lysaga to the forefront as a more prominent, plot-important enemy than she's written as. I'd love to see what could happen with that maternal dynamic with a hardened woman instead of an entitled man. From what I've seen though, that's not the kind of thing most DMs who gender swap Strahd are looking for. I could be wrong though!

TLDR: lady!Strahd can be a fun way to challenge preconceived notions about the module, and to revamp (heh) the story a little. It can also give your players a new way to simp over Strahd, because BBEG-fuckers come in all genders and sexual orientations. However, I think a lot of DMs use it as a way to fix the module through 'girlboss-ifying' Strahd instead of confronting its many, many issues, and I don't think it should be used as the DMs primary method of 'fixing' the module. In fact, I think it can actually open more ideological cans of worms than running it as written.

On a lighter note, I do think Strahdyana von Zarovich is a silly name. Like, Strahdyana doesn't feel particularly Slavic, it's not good to look at or say, and it feels weird especially when you are keeping Tatyana's name Tatyana. But most importantly, it should be von Zarova because that's how Slavic surnames work. The naming conventions are frustratingly inconsistent in the book, but if you're gonna do it at all, I say do it better LMAO