Sometimes I think it would be useful to have an alias, or maybe even several. A false name allows you to try on other lives and opinions without scaring the people who know you best. The practice has certainly become increasingly popular. People on social media do it all the time. Alicia Amherst, who lived … Read more
Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is one of my favorite garden destinations. For the price of admission, you can spend a day wallowing in world class horticultural splendor and, unless you venture into the less cultivated areas, you will never see weeds. The beds are meticulously tended and if any weed dares to raise … Read more
Garden centers are catnip to me. I watch for them when I travel, and if at all possible, stop in, even if only for a few minutes. In winter, I make note of promising places, aiming for return trips when the days lengthen and the sap has risen. I have passed a particularly tempting garden … Read more
The rock band Deep Purple was formed in the late 1960’s and named after an old, popular English song. The first line of that song goes, ‘When deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls…” The rest is a wistful remembrance of lovers coming together as day fades to night. I think of “Deep Purple” because … Read more
This year has been a great one for monarch butterflies—at least in my neighborhood—and that makes me feel hopeful. In fact, the news about climate change has been so dire that every monarch sighting is a celebration. Some butterflies are rapid flyers, navigating the air in a blur of beating wings. But monarchs often float … Read more
