Winter has gone on long enough for most of us, and I am thankful that daylight is now making its tentative return. Right now the remains of the last snowstorm have kept many of my slumbering plants under a white blanket. Despite that, I am starting to feel the seasonal urge to get out and … Read more
Not long ago a friend called me with dramatic news about epimedium. For those who might be wondering, this is a plant, not a medical condition. Epimedium might occasionally induce euphoria, which is a psychological condition, but that is another story. Epimedium is, in fact, a shade-loving, spring bloomer that covers ground in a very … Read more
Long ago I heard an old recording of Marlene Dietrich, early twentieth century German chanteuse and style icon, singing one of her signature ballads. The words go, “Falling in love again, in love again. Falling in love again, can’t help it.” I know the feeling. On my recent vacation a dwarf bearded iris caught my … Read more
When it comes time for a spring break, many people head far south to places like Florida. Last week I headed south too, but only as far as the Brandywine Valley, a place where northeastern Pennsylvania melts into Delaware. The Brandywine was the site of a famous Revolutionary War battle and gained additional fame in … Read more
After all the grayness of winter, it is an absolute revelation to see yellow-flowered plants springing up in the garden. Usually the yellow blooms in my part of the world appear in sequence. The little yellow miniature daffodils come first, eventually to be succeeded by their later flowering narcissus relatives. Once the mini daffs are … Read more
