Weed or Not?

One of the sad realities of my suburban life is that lawn grass grows best in a single segment of my property—the garden beds.  The green blades struggle in the backyard, perpetual losers in the never-ending competition with ajuga, clover, wild violets and broadleaf weeds.  The grass issue in back is exacerbated by the fact … Read more

Having It All in the Garden

The economy is showing some signs of recovery, but news from various parts of the horticultural industry remains ominous.  One of my favorite nurseries, Matterhorn, in Spring Valley, New York, closed abruptly in April of this year, after struggling to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Heronswood Nursery, which had been purchased by Burpee Seeds in … Read more

Beauty for its Own Sake

The October issue of Fine Gardening magazine features an Editor’s Letter from Editor Steve Aitken, defending his commitment to focus on ornamental rather than edible plants.  It’s high time someone extolled the virtues of creating a garden simply for beauty’s sake.  Growing edible plants is wonderful, if that’s where your interests lie, and most people … Read more