As I’m writing this, the wind is howling, the furnace hasn’t stopped and the current temperature is -26F in the Chicago area. With the wind chill…-47F. Ugh. The dog is resting at my feet in a sweater to which she’s reluctantly adjusting and all I can think is how grateful I am that the garden…
I used to think dust was the only thing I could grow on my windowsill. Houseplants were not my thing. So you might be wondering, after such an admission, why the heck you should trust me on this one. My answer is simple. I haven’t killed these guys. And that’s saying something. I’m not the…
One of the perks of my job is receiving permission from homeowners, many of whom I’ve never met, to poke around in their gardens. I imagine it’s a lot like getting a backstage pass to a concert. The thrill is real because I have absolutely no idea what I’ll find. I get a little giddy…
I’m not a resolution kinda gal. Perhaps a vow to initiate the dormant cycle on my growing collection of amaryllises in September instead of December is a good starting point. After all, they’re supposed to be holiday flowers. But I find I’m most in need of flower power in February when holiday magic seems a…
Fifteen years ago, leaves weren’t as plentiful in my garden as they are today. Two maples planted in the parkway and a Bradford pear smack dab in the middle of the front yard were the only vertical elements, aside from the house, on our property. All three were chosen and planted (in their cages) by…
Nothing like waiting until the eleventh hour. But in the case of my Scarlet O’Hara peony, that’s exactly what I did. I received a bare root peony tuber as a door prize at a garden event about ten years ago. The planting spot I chose was visible from the house and rather close to a…
