Naming Rights

NAMING RIGHTS             We have just passed the Winter Solstice, which in many ways is the most important event in the gardening year.  The light begins to return and even though the addition of a few extra minutes of daylight each afternoon is imperceptible at first, we know that it is happening and it gives … Read more

Plant Collectors and Collections

PLANT COLLECTORS AND COLLECTIONS             “When in doubt plant a geranium.”               Margery Fish, who was a star in the British horticultural firmament in the middle third of the twentieth century, said it and lived it.  She was fascinated by hardy geraniums and planted them all over her garden–in beds, wall crevices and anywhere … Read more

The Orchid Sitter

THE ORCHID SITTER Orchids are everywhere in the floral world right now. I saw hundreds of them at the recent Philadelphia Flower Show. The New York Botanical Garden is right in the middle of its annual orchid show, as is Pennsylvania’s Longwood Gardens. If I were a betting person, I would wager that the upcoming … Read more

Winter Lessons

WINTER LESSONS In the eighteenth century English landscape architect William Kent took the advice of his contemporary, poet Alexander Pope, and consulted “the genius of the place” when designing landscapes for his wealthy clients. By doing so Kent helped launch a design movement that eschewed formality in favor of creating landscapes that meshed with the … Read more

Winter Gardener

WINTER GARDENER A couple of nights ago, I got tired of being an armchair gardener. Having overdosed on glossy catalog copy and over-the-top catalog photos, I longed to get out and do more than just walk around my frozen garden. I felt my muscles atrophying. The weather was relatively mild. The butterfly bushes screamed to … Read more