We are now entering the daisy days of early summer, when Shasta daisies, coneflowers, Gaillardia daisies and a constellation of other Asteraceae or Compositae family members burst into bloom. I love them all, because they are strong growers, attract loads of butterflies and other pollinators, and are equally useful for ornamenting the garden or filling … Read more
There are some commercial locations that just seem jinxed. Businesses move in, last for a year or so and then die, only to be replaced by other businesses that repeat the pattern, sometimes for years on end. I have a garden bed like that. Every year I try to find a perfect landscape solution for … Read more
Late spring is geranium time—hardy geraniums or cranesbills, that is. A multitude of tough, low-growing perennials are currently flaunting their five-petaled blooms and lobed, dissected leaves in beds, borders and containers just about everywhere. While they will probably never eclipse the popularity of their flashy cousins, the pelargoniums, of front porch and window box fame, … Read more
Not long ago I was on a road trip just as the mid-spring flowering trees were bursting into bloom. Cascades of white, wisteria-like blooms billowed from many of the trees along highways in central New York State. They stood out, even as we whizzed by at highway speed. Every once in awhile, a pink-flowered tree … Read more
In his novel, An International Episode, author Henry James says, “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” I agree with him, but the flip side of that quote might be something like, “Rainy weekend, rainy weekend; to me those have always been the … Read more
