When I was on vacation in August, I saw the most inspiring bioswale I have ever seen. Some people may ask, “What on earth is a bioswale?” The answer is simple. A bioswale is a more sophisticated and ecologically sound version of a drainage ditch. Bioswales are designed to hold, channel and sometimes filter the … Read more
Eleven years ago I bought a beautiful garden book with an intriguing title: The Laskett. Subtitled, “The Making of a Garden,” the book chronicled the creation of a horticultural masterpiece that was also the unique manifestation of the bond between the author, Roy Strong, and his artistic and talented wife, Julia Trevelyan Oman. Sir Roy … Read more
At this time of the year I want to spend every waking minute in the garden. Unfortunately many of those waking minutes must be spent doing the necessary chores of life, like making money. To add insult to that injury, the weather on the majority of recent days has been so wet that Wellington boots … Read more
Around St. Patrick’s Day I like to dip into Thomas Cahill’s wonderful book, How the Irish Saved Civilization. The title is lofty, but the book is very accessible and focuses on how Irish monks helped preserve great works of Classical learning as civilization traveled the path of time from the Roman era to the medieval … Read more
The wind is roaring around the desiccated shrubbery in my front yard, while several robins, their feathers fully puffed, scout the few areas of bare ground for whatever they can find. I am sure they are regretting the irresistible impulse that compelled them to come north so far in advance of spring. I am regretting … Read more
