February 2006

I myself would like to meet Death in the flower garden--falling facedown onto a cushion of Dianthus gratianopolitanus, if it's not to much to ask. ~ Elisabeth Sheldon, Time and the Gardener : Writings on a Lifelong Passion But last and best, I'd like to thank my grandmother Elizabeth McIver, long dead, who when told [...]

Ever since the Bookish Gardener posted this meme on her blog, I've wanted to try it, but with the additional twist of limiting it to gardening books. Then Judith of knitagarden tagged me, and I figured if I'm ever going to get around to it, winter is the time. It seems there are two versions [...]

Donna Marie emailed: I am desperate! I have recently bought a property with a huge front and back garden. Both gardens are completely overgrown. Huge bramble bushes and unidentified shrubs loom out at me each time I walk out onto the tired old patio at the back of the house. The property is on the [...]

Forget the weeding. That was an anomaly. Back, sort of, to the real February. I say "sort of" because yesterday and today the temperature is hovering a bit above freezing, which is on the warm side for February around here. (Average high for the month is 30F, and my outdoor thermometer registers 35F right now.) [...]

Is there anyone in North America not having an atypical winter? These twigs were photographed by Justin in January. After I took the photos for the preceding post the first Saturday in February, I was able to spend a good two hours weeding before being chased inside by rain. For those of you who live [...]

I took all these pictures on February 4th, when I was trying to decide on plant orders. It was mild enough to go outside and take a cold hard look at what's out there. The photo above is the section of the Birthday Garden where I have uprooted 5 Malva alcea 'Fastigiata' and innumerable self-sown [...]

With apologies to John Gerard... Oh faire Rosemary, There's never enough thyme To write fines valentines. Oh rue the mind that's dill not sage And leaves undone this pot de fun. Chive me knot for I mint well, And woad you true, my savory one. Ye are free to lovage you wish, But please, a [...]

It being Valentine's Day, I thought I'd tell you about my favorite garden tool company. Lee Valley Tools is based in Ottawa, Canada. It was started in 1977 by Leonard G. Lee and his wife Lorraine, and their son Robin now runs the company. They sell woodworking and gardening tools, though you will also find [...]

I've wanted a birdbath for a long time, but most birdbaths I've seen just didn't appeal to me. They either seemed too crude or too faddish, and every single one that didn't look shoddy was too expensive. I really liked the classical good looks of this one, but it was $375 in an upscale catalog, [...]