Butterflies delineate the transition from early to late fall. Choice food plants–asters and butterfly bushes—are in bloom in my garden now, in mid September, and Monarchs and skippers dance among the flowerheads. Summer’s swallowtails are mostly gone, but the ubiquitous Cabbage Whites persist. A few stragglers remain from the horde of Painted Ladies that descended … Read more
There is something very valuable in getting down on your knees and weeding or planting bulbs. Today when I was putting in some fall-blooming crocus, I noticed what I thought was a patch of clover right by a large clump of Helleborus x orientalis (Lenten Rose). On closer inspection, the “clover” turned out to be … Read more
My back porch, which overlooks the garden, is awash in color right now. My daughter’s collection of pelargoniums, portulaca, purslane and assorted other summer bloomers are in their glory. Looking at them is a treat, even though I know that it will be something less than a treat to get all those geraniums in the … Read more
I used to think there was no earthly use for perilla (Perilla frutescens). No garden since the beginning of time has ever had just one plant. True to its mint family heritage, perilla spreads and spreads and spreads. Of course, it is quite decorative, with its purple-black ruffled leaves, but some of the similarly colored … Read more
