Right now the soil in my garden is dry as dust, despite rain late last week. I generally do not irrigate, but it is time for the sprinkler to come out. Watering the containerized plants continues as a matter of course. In addition to combating the dry situation, I am feeling grateful for the plants … Read more
In my part of the world it has been raining ceaselessly—or so it seems—for days on end. The diminishing minutes of daylight are further diminished by the perpetual cloud cover. The garden is not just soggy, it is drowning. If this weather keeps up, some of us will be starting our annual bout of seasonal … Read more
Back in the 1930’s, British writer Margery Allingham introduced a new amateur sleuth to the world of whodunits. His name was Albert Campion, a gentleman detective in the mold of Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey. Pundits differ on how Allingham arrived at Campion’s name, but there are references in the books to rose campion or … Read more
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
In the winter I tend to avoid doing necessary things, like cleaning out closets, in favor of wallowing in garden catalogs, shelter magazines, and my large collection of garden and horticultural books. I was indulging myself the other day, when I found out, courtesy of one of the better shelter magazines, that carnations are unfashionable. … Read more
