I am absolutely ridiculous about the first flowers of spring. I start checking the beds around New Year’s, hungry for even the smallest bit of color in my drab slice of suburbia. When I do spot something—crocus, snowdrop or winter flowering jasmine blossoms—I feel my spirits lift. It may be 25 degrees and sleeting, but … Read more
This year, Presidents’ Day marked the first foray into the winter-struck garden. The temperature was finally above 45 degrees, the endless rain had stopped, and it was a Federal holiday. That trifecta of events was the winning combination that sent me out of doors first thing in the morning. I reconnoitered, pulled out the garden … Read more
Last week I was considering dahlia selections, because I want to plant lots of them in my front border come spring. Dazzled by the sizes, colors and configurations of the available dahlias, I was especially struck by one, ‘Café au Lait’. The catalog quoted a description from Brides.com that characterized its color as “creamy pink, … Read more
Once every couple of weeks I get an email from Terra Nova, the innovative plant breeder and wholesaler that has enriched the gardening world with scores of new, colorful garden perennials. The most recent email announced the arrival of ‘Alexandria’, a new variety of Brunnera macrophylla or false forget-me-not. Common forget-me-nots or Myosotis scorpioides are … Read more
Every year the Pantone Color Institute introduces its “Color of the Year”, reflecting what the Institute thinks is the zeitgeist or prevailing mood for a particular 365-day period. The 2020 color is “Classic Blue”, a shade lighter than navy blue, but deeper than sky blue. On the large Pantone color chart, it is number 19-4052. … Read more
