general interest

Lessons

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LESSONS               Three days from now my garden will be open to the public as part of a local fundraiser centered on art, music and gardens.  The preparation for the event was a big part of my campaign to spend one year, beginning last February, making my garden as lovely as it could be. … Read more

Flowers Everywhere

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FLOWERS EVERYWHERE             Mass merchandising and mass communications have changed the nursery trade, just as they have changed every other aspect of life.  Big companies like Home Depot and Lowe’s put enormous yard and garden departments in every store.  As with everything these discounters sell–from washers to widgets–low prices and high merchandise turnover create consistent … Read more

Mid Century Modern

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MID CENTURY MODERN             If you study shelter magazines, read the home and garden section of major newspapers or watch Antiques Roadshow on television, you already know that “mid century modern” furniture, architecture and accessories are riding the biggest wave of popularity since the original one washed across the United States in the nineteen fifties … Read more

Military Airs

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MILITARY AIRS             July is full of long sticky days, summer vacations and enticing specials on fall-planted bulbs like tulips and daffodils.  I was hot on the trail of those discounts the other day, flipping through the pages of the Old House Gardens catalog, when I noticed an arresting antique tulip called General Ney.  It … Read more

Milestones

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MILESTONES             Eight weeks ago I wrote about my resolution to spend this calendar year making a concerted effort to perfect my garden.  By agreeing to open the garden for a local garden tour in early September, I managed to suspend an additional small but sharp sword of Damocles over my head.  This in turn … Read more