Gardening in Tune

I know lots of people who make great use of either noise blocking headphones or devices that feed music, books or other forms of audio input directly into their brains via earbuds.  There are many benefits to both—from blocking out all the extraneous noises that the modern world generates, to, in the case of audio … Read more

Unpacking Spring

Right now it is gray, drippy and chilly outside my window.  Even though the last roses are still shivering on the bushes, I feel starved for color. Grabbing at emotional straws, I peer hopefully through the mist for the  new growth on the scarlet willow or  Salix alba var. vitellina ‘Britzensis’—but the little tree does … Read more

Begonia Bounty

My daughter has fallen love with begonias.  They are not her only plant crush—she is also having a serious fling with caladiums–but they have taken center stage right now.  Our porch is home to an increasing number of begonias—single specimens, as well as those mixed into container arrangements.  The luminous blossoms shine, especially on cloudy … Read more

Garden Resurrection

There is no doubt about it.  Wind and wet snow wreak havoc in gardens.  This past winter wind weakened branches and wet snow brought them down, except on days when wet snow weakened branches and wind brought them down.  The sad results have been visible for the past few weeks on every curb in the … Read more

Heavenly Plants

I have always told people that there are no headaches in the garden.  There are also no social faux pas, ranting politicians or demanding bosses.  Some people, of course, bring those things into the garden because they refuse to be parted from their electronic devices.  I try to avoid co-mingling of digging and devices because … Read more