The spring beauty of star magnolia flies in the face of epidemics and uncertainty. They are the first magnolias to open their petals as the air warms up, offering up cascades of “stars”–actually showy flowers composed of multiple slender petals. Most often those petals are white, but occasionally you will see a pink-flowered specimen. All … Read more
In 1928, a year before the onset of the Great Depression, the Carter Family, of folk and country music fame, recorded a song, “Keep on the Sunny Side”, that was originally written as a hymn. It became one of their standards and has lifted spirits ever since. The refrain is as follows: Keep on the … Read more
Coronavirus has turned the world upside down. This is not the first time that the world has turned upside down, but it is the first time in just over a century that a contagious disease has threatened so many people. Gardening might seem frivolous in the context of a global pandemic, but in reality it … Read more
Cold, rainy days on the edge of spring are a big challenge. My gardener’s heart wants to be outside, clearing debris, uncovering the green shoots and pruning the roses. Common sense says that the beds are muddy, the leaves and debris are wet, and the return on garden effort will be minimal. I could clean … Read more
I am absolutely ridiculous about the first flowers of spring. I start checking the beds around New Year’s, hungry for even the smallest bit of color in my drab slice of suburbia. When I do spot something—crocus, snowdrop or winter flowering jasmine blossoms—I feel my spirits lift. It may be 25 degrees and sleeting, but … Read more
