August 2010

Saturday, September 25 at Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia, NY. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. - Noon. Adrian Bloom is a world-famous garden designer, plantsman, author, lecturer and chairman of Blooms Nursery, Ltd located in England. Adrian will present two talks and have a book signing. $45 per person [...]

Yes, I started blogging on this date eight years ago. So much has changed. I've been through three different publishing platforms, adopting WordPress in 2005. Felt so alone when I started, so began a blog directory to keep track of other garden blogs. Now my directory is only the tip of the iceberg! Zanthan Gardens [...]

A brook borders the northern edge of our property, and several clumps of Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) grow along the banks. I love the silvery mauve blossoms, which are large enough and tall enough to be seen across the chicken yard, a good seventy feet away. Allan Armitage, in his Native Plants for North American [...]

After two days of much-needed rain, I decided to walk around the garden to see what I could see. I wasn't really expecting to see colchicums blooming, because they usually start in September. Perhaps the extended hot and dry spell, followed by the cool, rainy weather encouraged them to break dormancy early. At any rate, [...]

Editor's note: Starting seeds is usually something cold climate gardeners do in the wi-- no, I won't say that word. But some seeds can be started now. Guest blogger Lisa Ueda shares her method for starting cannas from seed. My winter vacation destination of choice has always been the Florida Keys, where I usually fantasize [...]

Tomatoes Pesto Tomato-Pesto Pizza Here's how we make this pizza. Three for Thursday: playing along with Cindy of My Corner of Katy.

Most of the garden looks a bit unkempt. Browned foliage, browned, undeadheaded flowers, interspersed with plants that like August. Bring on the heat, they say. What's a little drought to a plant like me? The garden would look pretty terrific if I had been deadheading and deadleafing right along. But as usual, I am pulling [...]

Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangea anomala, and Hydrangea paniculata are three terrific hydrangeas for cold climates. Remember those names. Write them down on the inside of your arm with a pen if you have to before you visit your local nursery, so that you will not be seduced by the flashy macrophyllas calling to you from every [...]

I join Helen Yoest of Gardening With Confidence this week to talk about Colchicums on Web Talk Radio. They will be blooming in about a month, you know.