I find it very comforting to think that life is full of symmetry. For example, at this time of year, it is probable that something–rain, sleet, snow or a mix of all three–will fall from the sky several times a week. It is also highly likely that seed and plant catalogs will fall through the … Read more
Some people are fortunate enough to have conservatories or greenhouses. I am not one of them–yet. Instead I have a potting room in the cellar. It’s a former home workshop and not much to look at, but it’s only steps away from the door the leads out into my back garden, so it’s very convenient. … Read more
My mother loved to use antique pots to hold plants and cut flowers, and when I was growing up our house was filled with an assortment of old brass kettles, copper wash boilers and salt-glazed pottery crocks. The crocks were the most interesting because they were “country” pieces, used on farms in the last quarter … Read more
My friend Anne Marie Senior can grow anything. She can also cook anything and make it taste good. On top of that, she is a natural decorator. With the help of her husband, Kenton, she transformed a cinder block garage in suburban New Jersey into a summerhouse reminiscent of country houses in her native Jamaica. … Read more
When I am alone in my garden in November I often think about music, especially Ralph Vaughn Williams’ elegiac settings of English folk tunes. My favorite is the haunting “Fantasia on Greensleeves,” because the musical images just seem right for the season of chilly winds, early sunsets and mornings when the grass glistens with frost. … Read more
