summer

It’s no secret to even casual nature observers that we are having a butterfly free-for-all this year.  Red admirals, those fast flyers with the distinctive orange wing bands, are everywhere.  Experts differ on the reasons for the unusual numbers.  The most common explanation is that the Red Admirals are tourists, lured up from the South … Read more

            The ajuga that infests large parts of my back garden is blooming and its blue spires light up the entire planting scheme.  The plants also attract a lot of attention.  Bees of all kinds are rampant, as are butterflies.  Earlier in the week I saw five red admiral butterflies, distinguished by the broad orange … Read more

GRACEFUL DRAPES             One of the most fashionable structures in any up-to-the-minute landscape is the low, dry-laid stone wall.  These walls, which can be remarkably sturdy, are lineal descendents of the stone fences that have marked property boundaries for centuries.  Now, some people use them to make terraced beds on gentle slopes.  Others install them … Read more

KNIPHOFIA             Every year the color gurus at Pantone, Inc. do all kinds of secret research to come up with the “Color of the Year,” which then inspires a multitude of merchandising initiatives.  Since I always aspire to be fashion forward, I make it my business to know the “Color of the Year.”  This year’s … Read more