People generally ignore trees. This is because most of the time trees quietly present us with gifts like shade, cleaner air, erosion protection and beauty while asking little in return. On the rare occasions when trees break the surface of our consciousness, we generally criticize them for shedding branches in storms, dropping leaves and/or litter … Read more
An old French fairy tale recounts the heinous exploits of Blue Beard, a nobleman with an imposing castle and a penchant for murdering his wives. Outwitted by his final wife and dispatched by members of her family, Blue Beard lived and died by the sword. Clearly, they don’t make fairy tales like they used to. … Read more
When the majority of people and gardens are young, they can get by on natural beauty and freshness. Nothing matches the dewy allure of humans in their twenties and perennials in their first few years. But when maturity sets in, good grooming makes all the difference. My grandmother and lots of other grandmothers have said … Read more
I saw a woman at the Farmer’s Market last week with a bouquet of huge dahlias. They weren’t quite dinner plate-size, but they would put the average butter plate to shame. It occurred to me then that mid-summer is no time for subtlety. The big, bright colors and shapes of zinnias, cannas, Mexican sunflowers and, … Read more
Bumblebees, those ace pollinators in the fuzzy yellow and black suits, are very fashionable at the moment. And since they are fashionable, the plants that attract them are also extremely popular. I thought of that as I returned from vacation last week and drove by the many swathes of purple-flowered wild bee balm or Monarda … Read more
