Too Much of a Good Thing

It is certainly possible to have too much of a good thing. My relationship with carrot cake comes immediately to mind. Right now I am in the same situation with the bearded iris, sometimes known as Iris x germanica, in my garden. Many years ago, when my current garden was just getting off the ground, … Read more

In the Green

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches every year, people start to talk about “the wearing of the green”. Individuals who eschew green clothing and accessories 364 days a year, paw through drawers and closets to find green apparel or jewelry to wear in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. They also eat the green, as … Read more

The Clutches of Spring

    Summer is here, but many of us are still locked in the clutches of spring.  Why?  Because the remnants of the swell garden party that was the spring growing season are still with us.  Think of all the flashy “guests” at that party—roses, clematis, peonies and iris of all sorts.  They thrilled us all, … Read more

The Garden Surge

The other day I received a rather surprising email from the owner of one of my favorite online/mail order nurseries.  I expected that it would be like many that I have gotten recently, using words like “in these troubling times”, “in this situation”, or “as we face an uncertain future.”  I also expected that after … Read more

Sustainable New Year

The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that they are usually too big to be manageable for more than a few weeks.  Change—whether it is weight loss, curbing bad habits or de-cluttering your home environment—is best done in easily attainable increments that take human nature and time constraints into account. I like to think about … Read more