Ever read the book or seen the movie “Misty of Chincoteague“? They’re about wild ponies living on barrier islands off Virginia and Maryland, the destination of my latest road trip. (About 3 hours from the DC area, and an hour south on the Delmarva Peninsula from my usual beach haunt – Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.) … Read more
I have a theory that most gardeners and every person who has hiked somewhere in the eastern North American forest will at some point developed an infatuation with pawpaw trees. Mine occurred somewhere in the early 1980s and it hit me hard. Went all in and never drifted. And over the decades, I’ve learned enough … Read more
For perhaps the 15th consecutive autumn let me TRUMPET THE MOST UNDERUSED PLANT IN HORTICULTURE HISTORY OK, calm down Bob..Bob.. But I’m telling you, it is underused. These pictures were taken yesterday as the rest of our garden shades Autumnal to Outta Here. The Korean mum is truly hardy. Very easy to grow. It … Read more
There are a couple of magnificent, one hundred-and fifty-year-old gingkoes across the Ohio River in Louisville. Visitors to Cave Hill Cemetery and the Peterson-Dumesnil House make annual pilgrimages to see the colorful leaves. You can’t help being awestruck. My gingko in Utica, Indiana doesn’t draw big crowds, but it holds magic. Good to the last … Read more
Thanksgiving has arrived! The cool season annuals are finally going out. As I put them in their places, Charlie Brown tunes pop into my head. We’re all feeling festive. Bill’s inflatable turkey sits outside bouncing in the breeze, delighted to be the focal point of a front yard instead of the dining table. “Eat more … Read more
I’m happy to tip readers off to a terrific documentary about people with extraordinary connections to trees, premiering on HBO and streaming on Max starting Tuesday December 12. All of which I know because HBO’s smart marketing people reached out to the garden media (me and I’m sure others) with the offer of a preview … Read more
Last week wasn’t great. I won’t go into why, but suffice to say that if sometimes you get to see the best of humanity there will also be times when you see selfishness and bad attitudes. I was looking forward to getting away from it all on Friday with a lecture by the Head Of … Read more
I’ve bought a lot of plants just to learn them or to see how they compare with other, similar plants. So it is beyond frustrating when I lose the labels and can’t remember what they are. Is it Echinacea Sombrero something or Adobe something? Hibiscus ‘Hoy Malloy,’ ‘Holy Grail,’ or something else completely? And what … Read more
(L) Coleus in front of ‘Little Joe’ Joe Pye Weed; (R) Persian Shield with sweet potato vine. About a year ago I asked you guys – the savvy, experienced gardeners who read this blog – for what “Potted Annuals for Pollinators” you’d recommend. I was unhappy with some annuals I’d been growing near my front … Read more
Yes, I’m starting the new year with a rant, right out of the gate! It’s about some old junipers I saw recently that have been sheared into sheer ugliness.Another view from the sidewalk. I wish everyone could see what old junipers could look like, if planted in the right places and pruned correctly. (Just say … Read more