I have always loved plants, especially those with showy flowers, but I did not learn to really see flowers until I took a couple of courses in botanical illustration. During my study of that ancient art, I discovered—first and foremost–that I will never be a great artist. That was a bit disappointing, as from time … Read more
I love lavender or members of the rather large Lavendula genus, as do most sane gardeners. All the above-ground parts of the small, shrubby plants are fragrant—including leaves, stems and flowers. Of course the tiny blossoms, which are usually shades of purple or blue purple, but may also be pink or white, are the stars … Read more
We are well into mid-spring and everything has burst into bloom. In my corner of the northeastern United States, you can drive down local streets and highways and see redbuds finishing their run of bloom as dogwoods get going. If you are lucky, you might also see a silverbell tree—Halesia Carolina—covered with hundreds of dangling … Read more
It is now officially mid-spring and everything has burst into bloom. The last magnolia flowers are colliding with the first of the dogwood blooms, not to mention the unfurling of the first lilacs. Fluffy double cherry blossoms weigh down branches, while ornamental plums and pears strut their stuff in slightly more decorous fashion. Amid all … Read more
This morning I woke up and looked out the window to see five deer exiting my neighbor’s yard for a foray into the gardens across the street. My first thought was that the deer looked rather well-fed, probably as the result of dining on plants in my garden. I raced outside to take inventory of … Read more
