Rose breeders are always looking for something new—blue roses, continuous bloomers, roses that flower in the shade and plants that are absolutely impervious to climate change, pests and diseases. This has been going on for centuries, but in an era when breeding advances can be communicated around the world in an instant, the hunt for … Read more
Jane Austen introduced Pride and Prejudice with the line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” If Miss Austen wrote about gardening, she would certainly have said, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of … Read more
When I was growing up in western New York, we generally had the annual January thaw after a prolonged cold snap. In my part of the world this year, we had a prolonged thaw first, followed by a daunting cold snap. It hardly seems fair, and is, in fact, downright disheartening. To avoid the blues, … Read more
Alan Titchmarsh is quintessentially English, from his last name to his loves—gardening, dogs, country life and the Queen. Best known to Americans from the imported gardening makeover series, Ground Force, Titchmarsh is a celebrity in Britain. He hosts the BBC’s round the clock coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show every year, has written numerous garden … Read more
I always make New Year’s resolutions. I also tend to make resolutions at the beginning of each month and the beginning of each day. This sounds like a ritualized form of punishment, but I find that making resolutions is a little like panning for gold—most of what turns up is useless, but occasionally you find … Read more
