I blame it on the sunshine. If the sun hadn't been shining, I wouldn't have had the overwhelming urge to get outside and DO something. Because, really? February is too early for garden cleanup. But of course, this hasn't been a normal February. A normal February looks like this: So, in a normal February, I [...]
northern-gardening
Mud Season Chores: Cleaning up
March 24, 2009 – Posted in: Garden chores, Mud SeasonI hate to admit it to you Southerners, but when the snow melts, what it invariably reveals is…a mess. I'm not just talking about the dead vegetation that needs to be cut back. There's human-made messes that ought to be dealt with, too. But let's talk about the plants first. Cut back and clear out [...]
Really northern gardener looking for a shade plant
June 26, 2008 – Posted in: MailbagWyn 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 [...]
Juneberries, the northern garden’s answer to flowering dogwood
May 11, 2007 – Posted in: Plant infoI spent my childhood in climates where the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) flourished, and I loved its elegant simplicity. When we moved here, I was dismayed but not surprised when my new neighbor told me that she had twice planted a flowering dogwood in a protected corner of her house, and twice it had died. [...]
A Garden Labyrinth
April 26, 2007 – Posted in: DesignAnd what is retirement for, if not to make a few dreams come true? And what is a garden for, if not to satisfy the longings of your heart? I have learned a lot from watching the garden of my best garden buddy, Bub, develop. The most satisfying garden, for the gardener and for others, [...]
Northern Gardener Magazine praises Cold Climate Gardening
April 13, 2007 – Posted in: About this site, Recommended LinksLook at the hardiness map for Minnesota and you will see that the whole state is in zone 4 or colder. The Minnesota State Horticultural Society, which publishes Northern Gardener Magazine, is devoted to helping northern gardeners. If you join the society, besides the magazine you will get borrowing privileges at the society's library (they [...]
The Intimate Garden: Book Review
April 8, 2007 – Posted in: Book reviews, DesignThe Intimate Garden: Twenty Years and Four Seasons in Our Garden by Gordon and Mary Hayward belongs to the rare breed of landscape design book that is actually helpful: One private residential garden--not little glimpses of a dozen gardens The garden was developed over many years. (They figured it out as they went along) They [...]
Blooming in March
March 15, 2007 – Posted in: Weather, What's up/bloomingI took this photo yesterday, a day ahead of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I knew that rain was predicted for Wednesday afternoon and throughout today, but late yesterday morning it was merely overcast and quite mild, and I thought, "Go looking for flowers now, or forget about it." So I went galomphing about in the [...]
Tough Plants for Northern Gardens: Book Review
February 13, 2007 – Posted in: Book reviewsQuite a while back I cast aspersions on the ability of a southerner to write a book about northern gardening. I take it back. Felder Rushing has done an excellent job writing Tough Plants for Northern Gardens: Low Care, No Care, Tried and True Winners. Mr. Rushing, sir, I apologize. Turns out the man has [...]
The Million Dollar Garden
December 6, 2006 – Posted in: Book reviews, DesignI've often thought my biggest hindrance to becoming a professional garden designer is my aversion to spending money, mine or anyone else's. Consequently, I tend to filter out great-but expensive-ideas almost as soon as I've thought them, even at the risk of being penny-wise but pound-foolish. So it should surprise no one that I find [...]
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