If you live in Western Massachusetts, you might be familiar with Pat Leuchtman. She has been writing her column, Between the Rows, for The Greenfield Recorder since 1980. (WOW! — do the math — that is IMPRESSIVE!!). Pat grows over 70 varieties of roses, and every June, she opens her garden for her Annual Rose viewing. Perhaps … Read more
It took me a while, but happily, I found an interesting specimen tree that is native to only one state, in this case Florida. Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) is a beautiful tree that is native not just to South Florida but to Caribbean islands and Central and South America. It is often referred to as … Read more
Snowdrops and Ambivalence Well, I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a happy Christmas. We were both full of cough and were quite unwell. I have not recovered, and I find myself quite unable to write anything new. So I dipped into The Bad Tempered Gardener to offer you a piece on those plants which gardeners … Read more
I once ran with a posse of boys who scoured scrawny woods at the end of a suburban street with cowboy hats and hatchets. We were determined to carve out a tiny settlement of our own. The crew of six-year-olds chopped small trees until fatigue set in minutes later. Building a makeshift eight-foot bridge … Read more
My mom and dad – always hands-on helpers – this time picking epic strawberries from the garden. (but of course, following the strawberry picking rules) When you have picked as many vats of strawberries as we have (this year is just unbelievable!), you find there are a few things that just keep coming out of … Read more
As a container gardener who doesn’t typically partake of the thriller filler spiller mantra, I never the less LOVE THIS COMBO. Muehlenbeckia, Dark Burgundy Petunias and what is that little white flower? (it kinda looks like Erigéron karvinskianus but not quite – I am desperate to know. And these cornucopia baskets hung with plain chain is … Read more
On Tuesday morning – the last of 2024 – I had a phone conversation with Scott Beuerlein, one of my co-editors here at GardenRant, checking in on his mobility after hip surgery this month. With his schedule, I just couldn’t wait for a letter. Somewhere in a conversation that ranged from the sneaky infiltration of … Read more
Since moving to Maine, I have been watching the weather closely to see how cold it is going to be. I also like to compare the temperature here in Boothbay versus that of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, where we used to live. Until recently, the temperatures were relatively similar. Then, last week, something drastic happened. The … Read more
When my wife and I first started dating 16 years ago, she let me in on a secret: her dream car was a fire-engine red Saab convertible. A bold choice, right? Fast forward through four kids, four cats, two dogs, and countless car seats, and that dream stayed alive—even while she drove minivans, SUVs, and … Read more
So you might remember a few weeks ago that I mentioned re-working my blogroll — well I have been struggling with what I want to do over on that page but I have finally sorted it out — at least in my mind. I find that my blogroll has become too long, a bit un-interesting … Read more