A Rose is a Rose

  • Post published:06/29/2019
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Gertrude Stein said “A Rose is a rose is a rose,” suggesting that “it is what it is”, in modern parlance. However, there is evidence that the rose existed 32 million years ago. Clearly it has changed over those millions of years, first by Mother Nature, and later by explorers, horticulturists and gardeners who found new roses and the magic of hybridizing. My own view of the rose has changed radically over the years. Early on I had…

Garden Conservancy and Open Days for Gardeners

  • Post published:06/21/2019
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“The mission of the Garden Conservancy is to save and share outstanding American gardens for the education and inspiration of the public.” That is the simple mission of the Garden Conservancy. In practice, it means providing financial support to protect selected American gardens chosen for their beauty and significance. There are a number of these beautiful historic gardens not too far from us. Ashintully in Tyringham is the only one in Massachusetts. It is the creation of John…

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day – June 15, 2019

  • Post published:06/15/2019
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After long wet and cold months we may finally celebrate the arrival of official spring on Garden Bloggers Bloom Day here in Greenfield, Massachusetts. All of a sudden the budded roses burst into bloom, and before the weekend is over I think even more roses will be blooming. Paprika is  one of the two low growing landscape roses in the garden. Peach Drift is the other. Both were eager to welcome the spring. Siberian irises are blooming here…

Woodslawn Farm and National Dairy Month

  • Post published:06/13/2019
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June is National Dairy Month. I could not think of a better person to celebrate it with than Bob Purington. Purington is the eighth child of the late Herb Purington and his wife Barbara. He is also a member of the seventh generation to tend the Woodslawn Farm, founded in 1784 in Colrain. This 385 acre landscape includes woodlots, fields for corn and hay, and pasturage for about 75 cows, each one with a name.  For over 200…

Friends of the Forbes Library Garden Tour – June 8, 2019

  • Post published:06/07/2019
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The Friends of the Forbes Library Garden Tour ushers in the garden tour season in our part of the world. The seven gardens on this year’s tour (I’m counting four neighboring community garden plots as one garden) offer many different styles and features that make each garden unique. I cannot say that I was surprised by the number of gardens that are filled with plants that will support our pollinators, from the bees and bats to butterflies and…

Book Reviews – “Earth has no sorrow that earth cannot heal”

  • Post published:06/01/2019
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"Earth has no sorrow that earth cannot heal," said John Muir known as the father of national parks. The three books I've written about this week surely prove the truth of his words.Three book reviews follow. Attracting Birds, Butterflies and other Backyard Wildlife Every day, in the newspaper or on the evening TV news, there seems to be a story about the continuing extinction of one million creatures and plants. The United Nations just released a report about…