It is no secret that I love books. Especially those heavy bound photo books of gardens and plants. Nothing beats a quiet morning, steaming cup of tea by the side table and the weight of a new gardening book in my lap. While plenty of those have been added to my collection with the holiday …
Continue reading 4 Vintage Gardening Books to add to the collection
As I stepped outside into the cool morning, I realize that fall has truly come and gone and winter is not likely to pass quickly. The garden has that misty silence to it, that only cool nights and wet mornings can bring. The coleus has not survived the recent night temperatures - those nights that …
The late Ryan Gainey had called Fall the "forgotten season" in the garden. He was an advocate for all fall blooms, especially chrysanthemum and asters. I was lucky enough to find his 4 namesake mums at the wonderful Woodlands Plant Sale and added them to the garden to commemorate his passing. And, of course, enjoy …
There is little that moves you like going home again. You can almost be a child again - throw yourself on the terrace furniture after a fun filled day, your mother has already made you dinner, your laundry has been washed, dried and folded and your father reminds you that you forgot to take your …
I made coffee this morning, not tea. I knew I would have to steel my nerves a little for the inspection laying ahead of me. Every year, I take a one month vacation at the worst time possible. For my garden, I mean. I go home. It is such a privilege to me that I …
There is nothing quite like the smell of tomatoes that clings to your hands and arms after working in the vegetable garden. The sight of green tomatoes ripening on the vine brings me immense happiness. But oh, if one goes missing, and then another one and then another one. And nothing makes me quite so …
When the roses end their season and the lilies go into full bloom, I know it is officially summer. At least that is how I define it in my garden. And the lilies are blooming, beautiful red and yellow turbin lilies first, followed by the heavily and heavenly scented white regalis and trumpets. Some days …
We all love those rose blooms - they remind us of summer and romance. They are no doubt the queen of garden flowers. Nothing quite compares with a rose. Unfortunately, they also require quite a bit of our attention when it comes to garden maintenance. Most new cultivars do not require the deadheading of spent …
I recently had the chance to help a fantastic client renovate her front yard. A few years earlier, when she first bought the house, a large landscaping company had come in and completed one of their typical plantings - Knock out roses, hydrangeas, hosta and gardenia. Good back bone plantings that were great for structure, …
It is a rainy day outside, one of those grey and drizzle kind of days that I have come to appreciate so much. An excuse to rest and reset instead of being out in the garden. I instinctively slow down and take time for other tasks or just to sit and read and enjoy the …
Lakeshore Garden 