FRAGRANT BOUQUET Every gardener needs a holy grail. For years mine was a hardy geranium called Geranium renardii. It had softly lobed, felt-like leaves and gorgeous five-petaled flowers that were white with purple veins. I saw Geranium renardii for the first time in the pages of an English garden magazine. It was love at first … Read more
BLACK KRIM In fashion everything old eventually becomes new again. This is why women have been wearing platform shoes on and off for centuries. Fashions and fads come and go in the world of horticulture too, and with the rise of electronic communications, the fashion cycle has speeded up. Right now, vegetable gardening is hot … Read more
THINGS LEFT UNDONE If I had my druthers, I would work in the garden for many hours every day. I would do it at least three seasons a year. When not working in the garden, I would spend another large chunk of time writing about gardening–ideally for a large and appreciative audience of like-minded individuals. … Read more
TINY PETUNIAS Petunias are ubiquitous, but not in my garden. For some reason, I have never warmed up to them, even though I seem to be in a distinct minority among gardeners. Maybe my antipathy stems from the fact that the delicate blooms ball up and turn brown when it rains. Maybe it’s because petunias … Read more
IRRIGATION The recent dry, extreme heat spell left my garden looking like a corral of crispy critters. The normally boisterous hostas have grown pale, their leaf edges tinged with sepia. Daylilies that bloomed last week now sport foliage that is already brown. The roses are sulking and even the Japanese beetles seem torpid. In short, … Read more
