I saw the season’s first grape hyacinth yesterday. It was a little early, but clearly it was positioned in the best possible spot and flowered bravely despite making an appearance on a day when temperatures were more wintery than spring-like. Had I been willing to get down on my knees to sniff its small flowerhead, … Read more
I am an inveterate walker and when I hit the pavement I am on the lookout for lovely gardens, interesting plants, and trees engaged in the daily miracles that make them essential to the planet’s existence. Right now everything is about to rev into high gear as spring looms ahead. You can almost hear the … Read more
Seeing the first small snow crocuses each year is akin to discovering that someone scattered jewels over your garden at night. My first tiny, goblet-shaped flowers usually peek out from under the privet hedge on the north side of the house. Later, a few appear in the front strip, generally alongside the somewhat showier snowdrops. … Read more
The fall bulb packages have arrived, nearly submerged under a high tide of holiday catalogs. Since I have long since forgotten most of what I ordered at various times during the summer, the boxes are full of glorious surprises. Unpacking them gives me a feeling akin to opening the boxes of Christmas ornaments in December. … Read more
At this time of year gardeners in cold winter climates talk about “putting the garden to bed”—a series of tasks that mark the official and psychological end of the growing season. Shorter days make most of us feel like putting ourselves to bed as well, and garden chores reinforce that idea. The earth grows colder … Read more
