It is almost axiomatic that children tend to rebel in some way against their parents. The offspring of nonconformists buy houses in the suburbs and fret about their perfect lawns. Children of traditionalists pursue alternative lifestyles in ways guaranteed to alarm their parents. I rebelled with geraniums—specifically hardy geraniums. I came from a family that … Read more
Last week a major change happened in my garden. For many years four giant holly shrubs dominated the south side of my house. Two were probably planted deliberately by a previous owner, and two were likely self-sown, including one that was too close to the house. I am quite sure that the hollies started as … Read more
I am a modern gardener—at least sometimes—but I still have a soft spot for old-fashioned printed garden catalogs. Fat ones used to flood my mailbox beginning just after the winter holidays. Now, with the rise in e-commerce, thin ones begin to flood the mailbox in December. I welcome them all the same. I am not … Read more
It is late February, and the air is bone dry. That atmospheric condition will not last forever, and soon enough my part of the world will see a return of humidity. Eventually we will also experience hot weather. Now that the new season catalogs and online offerings are available, I am thinking of adding a … Read more
In the aftermath of World War II, roses, loved for millennia by gardeners, artists, and everyday people, became divas. The hybrid tea rose, with its long stems, plump buds, and opulent petal configurations, reigned supreme in American gardens. People, including my rose-loving father, planted his first garden with peachy-pink ‘Peace’, blood red ‘Mr. Lincoln’, and … Read more
