This morning I woke up and looked out the window to see five deer exiting my neighbor’s yard for a foray into the gardens across the street. My first thought was that the deer looked rather well-fed, probably as the result of dining on plants in my garden. I raced outside to take inventory of … Read more
Real spring is days away, no matter what is happening with the weather. In the meantime, most of us celebrate the signs of the new season that are popping up everywhere. As the giant Dutch crocuses open their trumpets to blast the spring news, I pour used cat litter down the groundhog hole to let … Read more
When is a barberry not a barberry? When it is a bishop’s hat. And sometimes that bishop’s hat is also known as barrenwort, fairy wings or even horny goat weed. In all cases, the plant in question is epimedium, a shade-loving, spring bloomer that covers ground in a very appealing way. When most of us … Read more
In this part of the world, we have paid for the recent mild winter with a long, erratically cool spring. Since March first, I think we have had more snow in the forecast—though not on the ground—than we did during the months of November, December and January combined. The daffodils, hyacinths and tulips are made … Read more
When Europeans first came to America, they found a wealth of exciting plants. Some of the more botanically-inclined settlers harvested a vast array of seeds, bulbs and cuttings and shipped them back to Europe. Their European friends and correspondents were enthused, planting and propagating energetically. The newcomer plants—from goldenrod to native American magnolias—caught on, often … Read more
