May 10, 2009 | Life's Gardens, my gardens, plants I love
With one exception, my entry garden has been delightful this week. The Spirea ‘Ogon’ at the end of the garden was in full bloom, with flowers and yellow foliage wispy enough to compliment, not dominate, the spring garden. Blue Anemone blanda flowers open during the...
Apr 28, 2009 | Life's Gardens, my gardens
The fence around the vegetable garden at Poison Ivy Acres is almost finished. It is a rustic enclosure, created out of some black locust trees that fell in a winter storm. It is said that locust posts last one year longer than cement… being optimistic, and...
Apr 15, 2009 | growing the spirit, Life's Gardens, my gardens
I was clearing out the front garden last week, pulling oak leaves from where they had caught in the stems of ‘Carefree Celebration’ Roses and Russian sage. I piled the brown leaves in the garden cart and once it was full, pulled them to the side yard where they...
Apr 7, 2009 | growing the spirit, Life's Gardens, my gardens
It is spring and I’m thinking about what I want to grow. As the plants stream into the garden center, I stop frequently among the perennials, shrubs and trees, thinking, do I want to grow this? Sometimes, under the spell of that potent combination of spring fever and...
Apr 5, 2009 | Life's Gardens, my gardens, Pet Peeves
I’m a sucker for plants with unusual or interesting names. As I glanced over the Digging Dog Nursery catalog this morning, I had to order Uvularia grandiflora, not just because it’s a pretty native plant for shade, but for its common name: great merry bells. I was...
Mar 18, 2009 | growing the spirit, Life's Gardens, my gardens
It was just above 50 degrees the other day so I finished cleaning out the flowerbeds. Although the air was cool, the sun’s warmth allowed me to remove my jacket as I cut the perennials and grasses to the ground. My work was accompanied by the spring mating calls of...
