‘Raspberry Rose’ Hibiscus – A Stunning Plant
Imagine: “I need a plant that will be huge in July and August,” she said, looking out her kitchen window at the back patio. “But it can’t be there at all in the wintertime.” “Why?” he said, putting his coffee cup down onto the table. “Because in the winter I want to...
GWA – A Crowdsourced Poem
I belong to GWA: The Association For Garden Communicators. It is the group for those who write, speak, teach, blog, photograph or otherwise communicate about plants and gardens. Whether you’re a farmer, volunteer master gardener, grower, home gardener or plant...
A Violet That Doesn’t Take Over
Imagine: Sandra’s beloved dog, Violet had died. Sandra cried every time she walked into the house and Violet wasn’t there to greet her. She cried when she woke up, and for just a second thought she heard Violet’s tail thumping on the floor. She cried when she spread...
How to Stake A Flopping Peony – Attractively!
Faced with a peony with heavy flowers falling into the dirt, must gardeners stick a heavy stake in the back and wrap a cord around the circumference of the plant. It gets the job done, but isn’t very attractive in the garden. Most people who invest in the...
Saving Something Small
When I saw a hummingbird in my Massachusetts garden shortly before Thanksgiving, I did what many 21st Century gardeners would do: I posted a photo on Facebook. I’ve always believed that migrating birds had their act together. It was my assumption that they all got the...
Tiger Eye Sumac Love
Imagine: “I want more color in the gardens,” she said. “No problem,” he replied. The next day when she got home there was a flock of pink flamingos in her landscape. “That’s not the kind of color I had in mind,” she said. “Those are hideous.” “Well you have to admit...
Make a Garden Lighthouse
I decided to revisit the instructions I wrote a few years ago for creating a lighthouse garden ornament using a galvanized chicken feeder. You can make one for the garden or as table decorations for a special event. You need: The galvanized chicken feeder. Soil for...
Planning A Cutting Garden
You want to be able to cut a few flowers and stick them in a row of bottles above your kitchen sink. Perhaps you want to snip some colorful blooms in the garden and take them in for your desk at work. Or maybe you want to be able to create garden arrangements for a...
I Love American Holly
Imagine: Beth and John loved the stand of American holly trees in their backyard. On summer evenings the light grey trunks were visible as they sat on their patio. In the winter Beth loved how the green holly leaves blocked the view of the bare hedge and her...