We had two long hot and dry spells in the DC area this summer, and their impact can be seen all over town. Lots of dead conifers, especially Yews and Arborviteas. (Junipers seemed to thrive.) The drought also killed some broad-leaf evergreens, like these Cherry Laurels. And these grand old Rhododendrons. Which made me … Read more
The front yard captured in a 2022 Google map photo. There’s a red brick house behind all the vegetation, and it’s one of the 1,600 units in my co-op. The owners (actually, we’re “members” since don’t own our units; we just buy the right to live in them) had spent years creating all that screening … Read more
This year I grew some Petchoa – a cross between Petunias and Calibrachoas. They sold themselves to me by the amazing virtues of not being sticky. Unlike petunias. And not needing deadheading in order to keep flowering. You can see the droopy deadheads above. Charles began by removing them but soon gave up. We have some … Read more
Just 10 miles south of D.C. in Alexandria, Va. is Hollin Hills, a 450-home community famous for its Mid-Century Modern houses. From its website: Winner of many design awards, Hollin Hills is considered one of the most beautifully-designed and well-preserved modernist communities in the United States. Built between 1946 and 1971, it was the brainchild … Read more
Last week I visited my beach home-away-from home – the Rehoboth Guest House in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I try to go every spring and fall for the best weather and rates, and more tolerable crowds crowds. This B&B is stylish and charming inside but the exterior is best of all, the front being a destination … Read more
I’d venture to say the vast majority of Americans want their home landscape to be “low-maintenance.” Indeed, as low as possible! When I was garden -coaching, at least 95 percent of my clients asked for that. Which is why I’ve never understood the popularity of perennials, which in my experience are vastly more work than … Read more
A while back I ranted about the inclusion of my alma mater, Ohio’s Oberlin College, in its list of Most Beautiful College Campuses. So let’s pause and ask what makes a college beautiful, anyway? In perusing other such lists I found one that described a beautiful campus as “Picturesque natural features such as green spaces, … Read more
We recently visited some friends for an amazing supper. And were touched to be told, when we admired their sitting room, that they had removed their television so that it would look better. It’s the kind of thing I’d actually do myself for visitors, but I don’t usually have the bottle to say so. I’m … Read more
It took a while for me to realize that almost all the gardens we were visiting in and around Madison, Wisconsin, had one feature in common. It finally sunk in as we were admiring the serene – yet striking – Asian-inspired prospects at the Brazill/Golbach garden Saturday afternoon (above and below). It was then that … Read more
Over the past couple months, I’ve been more of a garden gawker than usual. In June, I was one of a group of garden communicators touring private gardens in Madison, WI. And last weekend I browsed a couple local garden walks. In Western New York, we have 13 smaller garden walks in area towns and … Read more