June 2008

Reading Carol's description of her plant cataloging project got me thinking about my own efforts to organize my records. When I first started gardening, I used some large index cards to catalog all my plants. I entered the same info Carol did, but didn't include the plant tags. On the back of each card I [...]

Wyn recently commented elsewhere: I live in zone 2 and am looking for a shade plant that is non-poisonous to pets for the north side of my fence. When I entered that info in google it sent me to this site. Lovely pictures and great info, unfortunately not really my zone. LOL. Judging by my [...]

Meet Mr. Terra Cotta. He came into my life on my most recent birthday. I sowed some chives seeds in his scalp, and they have made for him a hairstyle rather complementary to his astonished expression. However, the chives are ready to be potted on, and Mr. Terra Cotta needs a new "do." Can you [...]

Recently someone asked me to recommend a watering can. We have been using this Rubbermaid watering can for over a decade. What I like about it: Holds 2 gallons (7.5 liters). Less trips to the rain barrel but not so heavy when full as to be unmanageable It's easy to fill, not just from a [...]

Poppies, peonies, and iris: the three Grandes Dames of June In a cold climate, the gardening season is shorter and more compressed. By the time the spring flowers get going, boom! it's summer. Consider this: on May 29th we had our last frost. The next day it hit 80F (27C), which we reckon to be [...]

The view from here is wonderful, as long as my back is to the garden, and my gaze goes across the road, across the far side of the valley. Turn around, and--oh! All sorts of plants in pots, needing to be planted. All sorts of weeds needing to be pulled where the plants are to [...]

Endless Summer Hydrangea: Dream Come True--or Nightmare? Hydrangea 'Forever & Ever Double Pink' stole my heart in 2006. This photo was taken September 7 of that yearIt's just like Elizabeth said. We gardeners want to believe that our dream plant is out there, just waiting for us to find it. I know when I first [...]