My soil test results contradict everything a gardener is told to do. As promised, I received a letter in the mail less than two weeks after submitting the soil samples to the lab detailing the ...
Callery Pear Is the Unfortunate Harbinger of Spring
It's that time of year when you're hungry for green, searching for reassurance that spring is near. The Callery pear tree delivers in late March/early April in the Chicago area, peppering landscapes ...
Most Recent Posts
Tough Plants for a Driveway Garden
Every once in a while, I surprise myself. As I was looking back at last year's garden, I found this shot of my driveway garden and thought, "Hey, that's pretty good!" I don't do that as often as I should. The driveway garden is a miserably hot place and since I'm not the most reliable waterer, the ...
Featured Posts
Calamintha nepeta: A Pollinator’s Smorgasbord
Calamintha nepeta wasn't a plant I chose. It chose me. Several years ago, I attended a writer's conference and received a plug pack that contained a mixture of Summer Beauty allium and Calamintha nepeta. Neither looked very impressive. But being the plant junkie that I am, I found a sunny sight for ...
A Traffic Stopping Front Yard Garden
In all my garden scouting, I very rarely saw front ...
Saying Goodbye to My Dog Stella
My plan was to kick off 2020 with a post about all ...
Japanese Beetles and Fond Childhood Memories
My daughters have been trained killers since the ...
10 Tough Plants for Dry Shade
I have a love/hate relationship with dry shade. ...
Eight Houseplants for the Beginner
I used to think dust was the only thing I could ...
An Urban Backyard Reimagined
One of the perks of my job is receiving permission ...
