Planting anything is an investment in hope and optimism. You put a seed or young plant in the ground because you believe that with time and care, it will turn into something that resembles the gorgeous specimen on the plant tag or catalog page. It might also give you flowers, food, or shade. The whole … Read more
I have nothing against onion grass—except for the fact that it is invasive and springing up throughout my yard and garden beds. I have nothing against gray squirrels, which are similarly ubiquitous. During this time when we are all “sheltering in place”, the battle against both has taken on a new dimension. I went all … Read more
The spring beauty of star magnolia flies in the face of epidemics and uncertainty. They are the first magnolias to open their petals as the air warms up, offering up cascades of “stars”–actually showy flowers composed of multiple slender petals. Most often those petals are white, but occasionally you will see a pink-flowered specimen. All … Read more
In 1928, a year before the onset of the Great Depression, the Carter Family, of folk and country music fame, recorded a song, “Keep on the Sunny Side”, that was originally written as a hymn. It became one of their standards and has lifted spirits ever since. The refrain is as follows: Keep on the … Read more
Coronavirus has turned the world upside down. This is not the first time that the world has turned upside down, but it is the first time in just over a century that a contagious disease has threatened so many people. Gardening might seem frivolous in the context of a global pandemic, but in reality it … Read more
