Seeing the first small snow crocuses each year is akin to discovering that someone scattered jewels over your garden at night. My first tiny, goblet-shaped flowers usually peek out from under the privet hedge on the north side of the house. Later, a few appear in the front strip, generally alongside the somewhat showier snowdrops. … Read more
As I look out on my winter-weary garden, I am reminded of the newest fashion in gardening–”rewilding”. It is popping up with increasing frequency in gardening publications, especially those emanating from Great Britain. Clearly as far as “rewilding” goes, I am fashion forward. In fact, at this moment, considering all that I neglected to do … Read more
Not long ago the mailman dropped off the wonderful snowdrop catalog that my friend, Hitch Lyman, puts out every year. As you might expect, Hitch always waxes poetic, practical and whimsical about his line-up of unusual snowdrops, but he also has a long history of including inspiring quotes on the back cover. This year’s quote … Read more
In the winter I tend to avoid doing necessary things, like cleaning out closets, in favor of wallowing in garden catalogs, shelter magazines, and my large collection of garden and horticultural books. I was indulging myself the other day, when I found out, courtesy of one of the better shelter magazines, that carnations are unfashionable. … Read more
When the winter world resembles a gray, cold veil of sleeting tears, I turn to my library of garden books for psychological sustenance. One of my favorites is Beautiful Gardens in America, a book written in 1915 by Louise Shelton—1867-1934–of Morristown, NJ. I have the second edition, a hefty volume with a gold embossed title … Read more
