Now that I am fully into the preparation—as opposed to mourning—role for fall, it is time to pick up bulb bargains for last minute installation and forcing. Most bulb merchandisers, large and small, are eager to get rid of surplus inventory and settle in for the winter. Gardeners can reap the benefits. First the good … Read more
I used to mope romantically over the advance of fall, lamenting the loss of my beloved garden flowers, morosely plucking up as many roses as possible when hard frost threatened and generally carrying on as if horticultural Armageddon was just around the corner. The Grim Reaper seemed to step away from the neighbors’ lavish Halloween … Read more
I always think that my gardening life will be more relaxed in the fall, which is yet another example of a triumph of hope over experience. In fact, the fall season is usually fraught with a long to-do list and a sense that time is running out. Life heats up after the relative ease of … Read more
Popular magazines live and die by lists. Stand for more than two minutes in the supermarket check-out line and you will see at least ten different compilations of life-changing tips announced in screaming headlines. With titles ranging from “Sixteen Fabulous Ways to Transform Your Holiday Dinner” and “Top Twenty Hollywood Divas,” to “Five Easy Ways … Read more
Suddenly the scales have fallen from my eyes and I have seen Japanese maples for the first time. They have surrounded me forever, but now, after the clean-up from Hurricane Sandy, when so much has been swept away, the Japanese maples seem to stand out in an especially stark and beautiful way. Known botanically as … Read more
