The name ‘sneezeweed” seems akin to “ragweed” and immediately conjures up visions of runny noses, watery eyes and seasonal misery. Most people would not deliberately plant something with that kind of unsavory reputation. There is nothing to be done about horticultural guilt by association. It is reassuring to know that “sneezeweed” does not have ragweed’s … Read more
In my part of the world it has been raining ceaselessly—or so it seems—for days on end. The diminishing minutes of daylight are further diminished by the perpetual cloud cover. The garden is not just soggy, it is drowning. If this weather keeps up, some of us will be starting our annual bout of seasonal … Read more
On mornings in the late summer and early fall, I wait for the sun to rise high enough for the asters and other flowers to open. That magic moment should be heralded by trumpets, but since I live in the suburbs, that will never happen. Even without trumpets, though, the daily grand opening of the … Read more
Previous generations had no “second season”, just as they never experienced the Halloween industrial complex or the curse of perpetual screen time. Fall used to be a leisurely affair that included harvesting whatever was left in the vegetable garden and replacing the fading pots of annuals by the front door with plump chrysanthemums. It also … Read more
In a memorable scene from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, the character of Emile de Becque sings: “Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger, You may see a stranger across a crowded room,…” I had a similar feeling one semi-enchanted afternoon, when I saw a bush clematis across a crowded garden center. … Read more
