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FRIDAY FINDS: Bees, bulbs and books
Like much of the country we have been in a deep freeze this week. This kind of weather is such a challenge this time of year because by mid-February we fool ourselves into thinking that spring is right around the corner. I’m going to a gardening seminar this weekend so I’ll get my dose of spring in that way, I ...
EXPERIMENTS IN HORTICULTURE (WINTER BOREDOM EDITION)
I have a few horticultural experiments going on in my house right now. This is unusual for me because I rarely have the patience for such things, but this time of year calls for finding new things to amuse ones self. All of the cuttings are currently residing in one pot, but if they root successfully I’ll pot them on ...
BOOK REVIEW: FIND YOUR GARDEN STYLE
I had two thoughts when I first saw Rochelle Greayer’s book Cultivating Garden Style: that this book was completely different from every other gardening book I’ve seen, and that it must have been an incredible task to pull it together. Maybe it’s more helpful to tell you what Cultivating Garden Style is not. It’s not a book that will tell ...
CONFESS YOUR PLANT-SHOPPING SINS NOW FOR SPRING ABSOLUTION
Yesterday Matt Mattus outlined his theory that there is a dahlia shortage on his blog Growing with Plants. (Sidenote: There are a very small number of gardening blogs that I consider to be the cream of the crop, and Matt’s is one. Check it out if you’re looking for serious advice on how to grow plants). He based this on ...
A GRAND SEED-STARTING SCHEME
It is mind boggling to me that last year was the first in my life that I have started seeds indoors to give the garden a jump start. I’ve done a lot of growing from seeds planted directly in the garden, but I last year was the first year that I’ve started things inside. I can’t tell you how much ...
FRIDAY FINDS
Well, in case you didn’t figure out it after the absence following my last post, I did make it to Florida, although by the time you read this I’ll be on my way home. It was a short trip but at this time of year, any bit of sunshine and warmth is welcome. Speaking of warmth, the USDA has changed ...
A SNOWY WRINKLE TO A DRIVEWAY IDEA
Remember back in fall when I shared my idea to line the apron of the driveway with containerized trees? I wouldn’t say that the reaction from readers was enthusiastic. I completely understand why. It’s not entirely congruous with the rest of the yard and several people had warranted concerns about the care that containerized trees would require, to say nothing ...
A MOST LOVELY GARDEN SURPRISE
Rarely do I have occasion to see my neighbors’ yards in daylight these days. On weekdays most dog walks happen at dusk or later and on weekends we head to the beach whenever possible. So it was a most pleasant surprise when I spotted something surprising in a neighbor’s yard when stiff winter winds forced us to walk on the ...
FRIDAY FINDS: DESPERATE TO GARDEN EDITION
The gardening bug is biting so hard these days it’s not even funny. I’m even planning to check just how frozen the ground is in an area where I want to do soil test. It’s sort of ridiculous. Anyway, this week’s Friday Finds proves that it’s gardening that’s on my mind these days. The All-American Selections winners are interesting. These ...
BRITISH GARDENING TELEVISION FANS, HAVE I GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU
I can’t tell you how happy I am that so many of you have been enjoying the British gardening television shows I’ve been linking to for the last year. It makes me feel like a normal human being, because when I see a new show pop up on my Youtube feed, I get downright giddy, immediately drop everything I’m doing ...
HOW TO RESEARCH PLANTS
One of the great things about this time of year, when northern gardeners have no choice but to dream rather than do, is that it affords the great luxury of spending a great deal of time on research. I used to just go to the garden center and buy whatever struck my fancy that day. Sending a gardener to a ...
QUELLING THE GARDENING URGE WITH GARDENING TV
I am SO ready to garden. I’ve started researching plants, planning garden chores and pulling out old copies of gardening magazines for inspiration. And judging by some of the comments I’ve gotten on Facebook, a lot of you are feeling the same way. Sounds like it’s time for a little dose of some great British gardening television. Sadly there have ...
A DIY SIDE TABLE RESCUED FROM THE LAND OF UNFINISHED PROJECTS
Have you ever started a project and then finished it three years later? I do it more often than I care to say. I remember when I got this table. After my grandmother died, a lot of the furniture from her house was shifted to the family cottage and some of the furniture from the cottage was up for grabs. ...
FRIDAY FINDS
It is deep, dark winter here, but the new year always puts me in the mood to get things done. Today’s Friday Finds bears that out. Sow & Dippity has a great list of things a gardener can do to keep busy until spring. I have to check out some of the gardening apps she mentions. North Coast Gardening image ...
PERENNIAL OF THE YEAR IS ONE WORTH GROWING
Sometimes the choices for plants of the year befuddle me. I feel like maybe the people who choose them ran out of options (which is ridiculous because there are so many great plants out there) or maybe were wooed by something gorgeous but difficult to grow. I’m very happy to say that that’s not at all the case with the ...
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR GARDENERS
Traditional new year’s resolutions are for the birds, as far as I’m concerned. I gave up making them ages ago. Basically, I try to be a better person than I was the year before. But I thought it might be fun to make a few resolutions for gardeners. These are specific to me, but I suspect they translate well to ...
Letters from the Garden
Letters from the Garden
