All through October the town of Salem, Massachusetts is awash in witches. They are all dressed in black with pointy hats and try to look as forbidding and dangerously magical as possible.Though the word witch has assumed the dark cloak of evil, there are white witches as well, and witches' gardens could as easily have included healing herbs as well as herbs that are a little more problematical. Of course, as with so much in life, how a…
Need I say more?
Heath woke up in the clouds this morning. There was a very Brigadoonish feeling in the misty air as I drove to the Transfer Station with my trash and recycling. The dim headlights of oncoming cars could very well have been flickering torches as the hunt went on for the the missing Harry Beaton whose flight threatened to destroy the magical village.But the only tartans are on Henry's and my flannel shirts as we prepare to tackle the…
Many of us in our area are still mourning the close of Blue Meadow Farm, a nursery that sold so many wonderful annuals and tender perennials as well as their sturdier relatives. Now they have come out with a beautiful and useful book published by Storey about overwintering all kinds of tender plants including bulbs and tubers.The book begins with a general discussion about gardening with tender perennials, both in the garden and in containers. The second section…
We went away for the weekend to join a friend in her birthday celebration. Everywhere we went we saw brilliant burning bushes, Euonymus alatus. It is easy to understand the popularity of this shrub. It is dependable and long lived, tolerant of many soils and able to grow in sun or shade, as well as having desirable fall color. However, it is an invasive plant, native to Asia, able to crowd and shade out many other plants. Because…
When I go to the Farmer's Market I see all the abundance that our rocky New England soil can produce. What is not so obvious to the public is all the abundance of our home gardens. Some of us like to concentrate on a small plot with everything we like to put in our salads, a mix of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes. Some of us are lucky enough to have the space, not to mention energy and…
My garden may be slowing down, but my schedule isn't so I crept out with my camera a day early. Here's the inventory, The autumn crocus (colchicums) are still giving pleasure. The Fairy is indomitable. And there are a couple of blossoms here and there on the other roses. Double Knockout has buds, and the hips on Rosa Rubrifolia are beautiful. The dahlias are still going strong. Funny Face is a knockout! I was able to make up…
All the festive events for the holiday weekend actually began on October 8th when friends gathered with Elsa Bakalar, our most famous and generous local gardener, to celebrate her 90th birthday. It's been a difficult year for Elsa with two broken hips and other injuries, but she was as ready for her party as any of us. Judy (left) worked with Elsa for many years in Elsa's house and gardens and Marie (center) has known Elsa since she…
In China the Lantern Festival begins on the 15th day of the first lunar month, or about the end of Spring Festival which is also known as the Chinese New Year. It is easy to understand how lanterns might be a part of a celebration welcoming the lengthening days.However, there is also a Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also sometimes called a Lantern Festival. In Montreal September and October are the months when over 1000 elaborate lanterns made in…
Journeys can be planned, but they usually hold many fascinating surprises. We set off to enjoy the beautiful autumnal foliage, which seems particularly beautiful this year, zip through Vermont and land in Montreal. We were enjoying the foliage, but stopped at a Rest Area in Vermont. First we were surprised by the big sign, Free Wi-Fi. Oh why hadn't I brought the laptop?! We found that all the Vermont rest areas had Wi-Fi and many also had fax…