What's the best thing about gardening in Humboldt
County?
The variety of plants you can grow.
What's the worst thing about gardening in Humboldt
County?
Not being able to grow some, like herbaceous peonies,
which need a long winter deep chill -- but that might be changing
judging from the weather this winter.
Why do you garden?
Are you kidding? No, really, it's like creating
art with living things, so the outcome is always somewhat unpredictable.
It's also great exercise and anyway, we gotta do something with
the yard.
Who taught you how to garden?
I started out reading books by English gardeners
like Penelope Hobhouse, Rosemary Verey, Christopher Lloyd. I
visited a bunch of gardens in England like Great Dixter and Sissinghurst.
We've stayed at a B&B in the New Forest in England quite
a few times with a woman who is a demon gardener. She taught
me to be ruthless.
How much time do you spend in the garden?
Not enough, probably. This is my second garden
and I'm trying to be selective about how many high-maintenance
areas I have. It's a new garden, so it can use all the time I
can give it. By the end of March, I'll be trying to do something
most days.
Are you organic? Not organic? On the fence?
As organic as I can be. Always have been. No chemical
pesticides at all. Ever. I let botanic Darwinism take its course.
I keep some Round-up type stuff on hand for real nasties like
dock and buttercup, but use very sparingly as a last resort.
And never, ever where there might be frogs. I'm totally organic
on anything we intend to eat.
Most dreaded gardening chore?
Weeding the same darn thing repeatedly. And by
the 350th bulb last fall, I'd kind of had it with bulb planting
for awhile.
Favorite gardening activity?
Fussing over my David Austin and heritage old roses.
Worst pest, weed, or disease?
As it's a new garden in an area of the county I
haven't lived in before, I'm not sure yet. It probably will be
the French snails, same as for everyone else. Iron phosphate
rules!
All-time favorite plant?
My Austin and heritage old roses. I dug up over
a dozen of them at the old place and maintained them in pots
for almost two years while we built our new house.
Least favorite plant?
Variegated phlox. The combination of the pinky-purple
flowers and the green and white foliage defines tasteless vulgarity
for me.
Most overused plant in Humboldt County?
Pieris japonica (a shrub in the Heath family).
Favorite gardening book?
The Well-Tempered Garden by Christopher
Lloyd, who has unfortunately gone to the great garden in the
sky.
Favorite tool, gadget, or toy?
Felco pruners.
Favorite garden somewhere else in the world?
Montisfont Abbey in England, home of the National
Rose Collection. One sees the photograph of their Constance Spry
rose with the white bench in front of it in lots of catalogs.
It's Mecca for rose lovers.
If you could garden anywhere, where would it
be?
Humboldt County is just fine, thank you very much.
What would you most like to change about your
own garden?
I'd like to snap my fingers and have it all nicely
mulched and ready for planting.
Favorite nursery, garden center, or mail-order
catalog?
Miller Farms, hands down.
Biggest gardening mistake or regret?
Not getting all the beds mulched quickly enough.
Best gardening advice or tip you can pass on
to other Humboldt gardeners?
Do a little every day so it doesn't get away from
you.
Dow's
Prairie artist Susan Fox [pictured at left with her collie,
Niki] has spent just one year in her current garden, but
she's spent most of her life in Humboldt County. (To see her
art, check out her show at Miller Farms in April.) Here's what
she has to say about her life as a gardener: