Seeing the first small snow crocuses each year is akin to discovering that someone scattered jewels over your garden at night. My first tiny, goblet-shaped flowers usually peek out from under the privet hedge on the north side of the house. Later, a few appear in the front strip, generally alongside the somewhat showier snowdrops. … Read more
As I look out on my winter-weary garden, I am reminded of the newest fashion in gardening–”rewilding”. It is popping up with increasing frequency in gardening publications, especially those emanating from Great Britain. Clearly as far as “rewilding” goes, I am fashion forward. In fact, at this moment, considering all that I neglected to do … Read more
Every year as spring approaches, one of my favorite seed companies sends me a free sample of a new variety, along with promotional literature. Sometimes the seeds are for something that I am unlikely to grow—like the latest and best kohlrabi. I happily donate seeds like that to a vegetable-growing friend. This year the seeds … Read more
Not long ago the mailman dropped off the wonderful snowdrop catalog that my friend, Hitch Lyman, puts out every year. As you might expect, Hitch always waxes poetic, practical and whimsical about his line-up of unusual snowdrops, but he also has a long history of including inspiring quotes on the back cover. This year’s quote … Read more
Sometimes the universe sends signals so strong they simply can’t be ignored. In my case, those signals add up to a cosmic call of the Nile. Over the past few weeks, I have been seeing trailers for the latest screen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s great mystery, Death on the Nile. It has an all-star cast, … Read more
