The ups and downs of the gardening world.
One summer day working at a client’s garden doing routine maintenance, I caught a whiff of wonderful fragrance on the breeze. After searching for the source, I came upon a mid-sized shrub full of narrow, spike-like creamy white flowers with an extremely sweet fragrance. Alive with insects darting in and out, the shrub swayed in …
Continue reading "Clethra: Deer Resistant, Fragrant, and Pollinator Catnip"
Still chilly outside and you are starved for color? Plant dahlias for late season color. It is like money in the bank. You are glad you did it early on as you know good things will happen later. Gardening in all about anticipation! Ordering Dahlia tubersOrder your dahlias now. I recommend Longfield Gardens for all …
Continue reading "Plant Dahlias Now for Late Summer Color"
I love it when I see an old-fashioned shrub, one that has not been tinkered with by hydridizers, at an established property in all it's glory. These shrubs require a lot of space, at least 10' x 10' or more to grow unfettered and spread out in all their glory. The pink one below I …
Continue reading "Deutzia-Deer Resistant and Colorful"
One of the most beautiful species of spring ephemerals are Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). Perennial Ephemerals simply mean they appear in all their glory for several weeks and then disappear from sight to go underground and reappear next spring. Virginia Bluebells are relatives of more familiar species -Lungworts, Comfrey, and Forget-Me-Nots - and are so …
Continue reading "Bluebells-My Favorite Native Wildflower"
Have you seen a little yellow flower that you think is very cute blooming on your property??? It forms a ground covering mat of glossy green heart shaped leaves punctuated by buttercup like flowers. You might have looked at it and thought it was the first sign of spring! If your answer is yes, get …
Continue reading "Buttercup Invasive- Lesser Celandine Runs Rampant"
Do you live in an apartment or condominium? Or maybe a townhouse with a very small yard? You still can have a Victory Garden in containers. Just choose the right plants, the right containers and the right structures. Plants The emphasis is on plant selection - ones that are compact and will do well in …
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Bouquet of the Day includes Daffodils, Hellebores, Forsythia, contorted pussy willow, Star Magnolia, and Tulip in a majolica vase
Victory Gardens are in vogue again after 70 + years. Social upheaval like wars and pandemics bring on staying close to home and family, and your mind automatically turns to food and how to keep yourself well fed. Gardening skills, rusty as they might be, can help you out! My last post - Gardening Hasn't …
Continue reading "Rebirth of the Victory Garden"
Extra warm spring weather and lots of time home...... a great combination to try your hand at planting a veggie Victory Garden. My gym is closed and I want to limit my trips to the grocery store which has lots of empty shelves, so I am ramping up for a large produce-filled garden this season. …
Continue reading "Gardening Hasn’t Been Cancelled – Start a Victory Garden"
Flying under the radar for many people, Indian Pink, or Spigelia marilandica is coming into its own. A long-lived perennial that brings stunning colors to the summer garden, hummingbirds flock to these red and yellow tubular flowers arranged in clusters. Similar to firecrackers exploding in the garden, this unique native plant stops people in their …
Continue reading "Grow Native – Indian Pink Should Be On Your Radar"
