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FRIDAY FINDS
What a crazy week here. So much that was supposed to get done, didn’t. Work was nuts, the garden needs attention and there is this little voice in the back of my head that keeps whispering, “Hurry up and get on with summer.” This is standard operating procedure for this time of year for me and so many other people. ...
WHAT’S KILLING MY BOXWOOD? MYSTERY SOLVED
As you know, I’ve been working on the circle garden. I’ve not showed you much progress lately, but I hope to finish up the planting this weekend and I’ll be able to show you some real progress. I have, however been planting bits of it, including the first thing that went in: a centerpiece boxwood in each section. Almost immediately, ...
WHY I DO STRANGE THINGS IN THE GARDEN
I grow an apple tree smack dab in the middle of the main part the garden, in one of the most noticeable places. It’s on one of the very dwarf root stocks so it won’t get huge and it has a somewhat wonky shape, as I think is somewhat common in apples. Apple blossoms are the prettiest. Almost ...
A LAVENDER-LINED PATH DREAMED FULFILLED
The long path that now extends all the way to the garage was originally a short path that cut through an existing garden when we first bought our house. At the time, I’d never planted anything in the ground, only containers. I don’t even know where or when I first saw a lavender-lined path, but I knew I wanted one ...
CRAZY TIME IN THE GARDEN + FRIDAY FINDS
We’ve officially hit the height of Holy Crap There’s a Lot to Do in the Garden season. I’ve been taking it chunk by chunk, trying to completely finish one area before starting on another. The problem with this plan, of course, is that the other areas of the garden farther down the list are turning into jungles while they wait ...
HIGH SEASON FOR HOSTAS
Hostas, at least the ones in my garden, are just about at their peak. They thrive in the cool nights, (semi) warm days and constantly damp soil thanks to spring rains. The armies of slugs haven’t hatched to attack them yet and so far the deer have been (mostly) thwarted by my preventative measures. Their leaves are brilliantly colored and ...
THE QUEST FOR ‘SHROOMS CONTINUES
A while ago I showed you the rather odd loaf-like object taking up space in my refrigerator. Well, I’m happy to report that I was able to free up that space in the fridge this weekend, as the mushroom spawn has been planted scattered strewn. The process of growing these Wine Cap mushrooms is less than exciting, and since I’ve ...
HOW TO PLANT A TREE (THE NEW WAY)
Prepare yourselves. I’m about to tell you how to plant a tree in a way that may go against everything you’ve ever been told about planting a tree. But bear with me because I’m also going to tell you why it’s a good idea to plant a tree like this. Plant a tree for life, not for the short term. ...
THE FOLLY OF SHORTCUTS IN THE GARDEN
Last weekend I dug a hole that was large enough that I figured any neighbors who might have stopped by would probably slink away assuming I was digging a grave. I’m not kidding. This hole was about 6 feet wide by a good 3 feet deep and almost 3 feet wide. When I was finished moving all that soil out ...
How to choose a memorial tree
For many years I resisted the idea of planting a tree or shrub to memorialize a loved one who has passed. I can’t imagine something worse than planting a tree to remember someone and having it falter. It would be like revisiting that loss all over again. And then I planted a tree as a memorial and I changed my ...
How to choose a memorial tree
For many years I resisted the idea of planting a tree or shrub to memorialize a loved one who has passed. I can’t imagine something worse than planting a tree to remember someone and having it falter. It would be like revisiting that loss all over again.And then I planted a tree as a memorial and I changed my mind. ...
PLANT DEATH HAPPENS; GARDENING GOES ON
Plant death happens. But it sort of stinks when it happens to you. Every spring I check in with all my plants. It doesn’t take but a minute: Dead or alive? Sometimes it takes some time so this is a question asked frequently. Sometimes all that remains is an empty spot in the garden where I could swear a plant ...
ORC WEEK 5: MORE TIME, PLEASE!
This is the part of this six-week challenge where I’ve come to the full realization that there will be no major reveal in a week. Not a complete one anyway. This has been a frustrating project in that regard because nothing is seeming to come easily. I would guess this is more typical of most projects people do than when ...
HOW TO BUY PLANTS THE DEER WON’T EAT
One the biggest challenges gardeners face, particularly in certain parts of the country including the Midwest, is wildlife damage. It is soul crushing when you go to your formerly beautiful garden to find plants mowed down overnight by deer. The deer in our neighborhood are so bold they basically give you the stink eye if you interrupt their meal. There ...
MESSAGE FROM MOTHER NATURE RECEIVED LOUD & CLEAR
I hate to complain about the weather, but this weekend was complete garbage. The end of last week was cold and dank, and things have only gotten worse from there. I spent Saturday frantically working in the garden because I knew there would be no gardening on Sunday with 3 inches of rain predicted to fall and temperatures hovering around ...
ORC WEEK 4: EASY + BEAUTIFUL DIY FLOOR
I knew the floor would be the single biggest change in our basement renovation. The old floor was just so terrible that it absolutely could not stay, not to mention we needed a floor to not just change the look of the space, but add warmth, sound dampening and be durable. I can’t tell you how happy I am with ...
Letters from the Garden

Letters from the Garden
