The Quite Contrary Garden

09/21/2024

Late summer/early fall at The Quite Contrary Prairie.
1. New England Aster
2. Showy Goldenrod
3. Rough Blazing Star
4. Aromatic Aster
5. Little Bluestem
6. Illinois Bundleflower
7. River Oats
8. Mountain Mint
9. Little Bluestem turning red and going to seed
10. Sideoats Grama

07/26/2024

Prairie update: she's thriving. It's less a prairie and more a jungle. Every book told me that it would be 3 years before things really get established but idk seems pretty established to me.

07/01/2024

06/23/2024

Mama 💖

06/21/2024

Summer Solstice

06/09/2024

I've been a bit quiet over here but I thought I'd give an update of what I've been up to. Some of you may remember my posts from last fall and winter where I was working to establish two native plant gardens, AKA The Quite Contrary Prairie and my backyard prairie. I'm surprised and happy to report that both prairies* are going gangbusters and I have thousands of native plants popping up all over. *By prairies I mean native plant gardens but it sounds way more dramatic to say I'm re-establishing a prairie than to say I put native plants in my yard. By native plants I mean plants that are indigenous to Missouri/Kansas and pre-date the introduction of European plants to North America.

I had spent several years learning about native plants and planning to transition part of my farming area into a native garden, and everything I read led me to temper my expectations for the first season. Native plants often have low germination rates or need several seasons to germinate and can be slow growers. I never expected to already have thousands of native plants! So I've been spending my time wandering around the prairies and seeing new plants emerge every day and feeling my heart explode with awe and appreciation.

Pictured: 1. The Quite Contrary Prairie 2 & 3. The patch of bee balm and river oats that started this native plant obsession 4. Gray headed coneflower in my backyard prairie. 5. Brown Eyed Susan 6. American Beautyberry 7. Partridge Pea (and a purple coneflower seedling) 8. Illinois Bundleflower 9. Purple poppy mallow

04/17/2024

01/12/2024

I've been waiting for our first real snow so I could plant my native seed mix. Most native plant seeds actually require a period of cold exposure in order to germinate in the spring. The snow not only provides the initial cold moisture the seeds need, but it makes it easier to see the seed distribution against the white backdrop and make sure I didn't miss any spots. At the end of my seeding exercise, I was rewarded with a nice sunset.

11/08/2023

GARDEN PLAN GIVEAWAY! 🍅🌻🌿

To celebrate the launch of my garden consulting business, I am giving away free garden planning and design services. The lucky winner will receive the garden plan of their choice, up to a $199 value. Enter to win at https://mailchi.mp/eeb01237f2bb/garden-plan-giveaway

Giveaway ends 11/18 and is not sponsored by Instagram or Facebook.

10/09/2023

My first year gardening, I didn't know enough to be nervous. I bought myself a couple packets of tomato and pepper seeds, figured most of them wouldn't grow, so I planted all 100 seeds just to make sure I had a few plants. Every single seedling grew, and I was over the moon. I still didn't know anything, so I made tons of mistakes that year, but every success was a thrill and that feeling changed the course of my life.
My first year farming, I was so perpetually nervous and stressed (and sleep deprived) that I was physically sick. I worried, yet again, that no seeds would germinate and nothing would grow and my farm would fail. I also had much more knowledge, which only gave me more things to worry about. I pored over books and apps trying to decipher if the bugs I saw were beneficial or murdering my plants. I fretted that my pile of wood chips contained black walnut, which can have toxic effects on nearby plants. I spent hours covering plants with frost fabric, uncovering them, and recovering them.
Now, I have even more knowledge than I did in my first year, but I also have more experience, which has made all the difference. Today I am reading an article about how to properly plant a tree. There are several stern warnings about not burying your roots too deep and make sure you water but not too much and use mulch but don't let it touch the tree and and and and. I find myself laughing because I have broken every rule. I ordered essentially twigs from Missouri Department of Conservation, dug a deep hole, stuck them super far in the ground, didn't mulch, barely watered, and guess what? They all survived except the one I ran over with the lawnmower. 
I've been considering starting a garden consulting business for a long time, but I thought that maybe there's no point when everything you could ever know about gardening is on the internet. Then I realized that's the problem. There is a plethora of articles and armchair experts telling you your garden is doomed and if you don't do it perfectly don't bother. And I am here to say worrying will get you nowhere, messing up is learning, it will be fine, and trust me because I have messed up every way you can. ☺️

10/03/2023

EXCITING NEWS: Garden Consulting coming soon!

I am launching my garden planning and design services in the Kansas City metro area for the 2024 growing season.

I will be offering garden planning and design for folks wanting to start vegetable, cut flower, or native gardens in the places they live and work. I work with gardeners of all skill levels and gardens small and large. Detailed plans and pricing coming soon!

Sign up on my website to receive email updates about my garden consulting services and be the first to know when I'm open for business. Quitecontrarygarden.com

09/27/2023

The Quite Contrary Prairie, est. 2023.

09/03/2023

As I was picking peppers, I looked over and saw I had a dragonfly buddy.

08/31/2023

Before ➡️ After

Finally having a good year for peppers. Currently dehydrating this batch of habaneros to use in the coming months. 🧡

08/02/2023

"We will grow our futures on foundations of care."

New month, new page in my favorite calendar. 💖

07/31/2023

🍅🍆🥒🫑🌶️🍊👩‍🌾

07/22/2023

Peeling a pile of heirloom garlic cloves. Can I call it heirloom if it's second-generation saved seed? I don't exactly know the variety because I mixed up the labels first year I planted 😇 and it's been a couple seasons since then. BUT it should be either Chesnock or German Red so if there are any garlic experts here, please weigh in! 🧄🧄🧄🧄🧄🧄

07/18/2023

Summer

07/02/2023

Putting the bee in bee balm

06/30/2023

I just think Bob Ross would have a field day with this dill

06/09/2023

Dahlias on June 9th! 😍 I have successfully overwintered these dahlias for two years straight in zone 6a thanks to system. 🪷🌸🪷

06/07/2023

Shades of yarrow. Spot the tiny visitor in the first picture. Beneficial insects like ladybugs, wasps, and flies love yarrow. So do humans. 🤗💚🌸

06/03/2023

This is the highlight of my life. I harvested cucumbers on June 1st.

06/01/2023

Shirt from . Matching yarrow from me. Hair from the rain. 💛☂️