The garden never stands still. I rediscovered the truth of that axiom when I came back from two weeks’ vacation and found the garden in a disreputable state. There should have been a warning sign hanging over the driveway emblazoned with the words, “Crabgrass gone wild.” Early summer brought drought in our part of the … Read more
Revisiting a celebrated garden after a long absence is like rereading a classic book. The second—or third or fourth—time around, you build on existing impressions, incorporate your own increased knowledge and perspective and come away with a deeper appreciation of the work. I had that experience recently when I went back to Sonnenberg Gardens, a … Read more
I spent part of the day weeding out an old rock garden by the side of the stone staircase that leads down to the terrace by our summer cottage. Grass from the small adjoining lawn had invaded the rockery, almost obliterating it. As I dug out the stubborn tufts of grass, exposed spots ripe for … Read more
I have been thinking lately about good, easy to grow low hedges for my upper back garden. A garden center display reminded me about an old favorite–Teucrium chamaedrys or wall germander. This evergreen member of the mint (Lamiaceae) family has long been used in herb and knot gardens. From my perspective, part of its value … Read more
Hostas are so reliable, easy to grow and useful that they have become ubiquitous. If they weren’t beloved by slugs and deer, they would probably be the most popular plants in the world. I use them in my garden, but I frequently take them for granted. The leaves–plain or variegated; large or small; apple … Read more
