Rabbit tracks

I woke at dawn and looked out the window to see three rabbits frolicking on the nowy lawn. Hardy rabbits. The temperature was 8 degrees. They were no where in sight when the sun was fully up.

White birch in winter

When the sun had gotten a little higher and the temperature had reached 16 degrees my husband and I decided to take a walk down the road. We passed our neighbor’s house with this beautiful tree that I have always admired.

Another neighbor has equipment in front of his house. I have always admired his way with a motor. Magic hands.

Corner of Rowe Road and Knott Road

We strolled all the way down to the end – or more accurately the beginning of Knott Road. It is just under one quarter mile from our house, and not much of a road.

Snowy roadside

On our way back up the hill, I stopped to admire the snowdrift next to a culvert. There is often water trickling down here, but not today. It is cold and silent.

Elm tree stump

Nearly home to the end of the road. The road turns here and leads us to the door. For many years we enjoyed the company of a magnificent elm. It finally succumbed to disease and had to be cut down. The stump is left, and although it is hard to see it has a sprout growing from the stump.

In the city there were more mice ( and cockroaches and even rats) than in the country. The children didn’t like this ornament very much, but you have to work with what you’ve got.

Heath Schoolhouse Museum

I live in a ruraltown of 750 souls in the western corner of Massachusetts that sits on the Vermont border. On the Fourth of July in 1981 I happened to meet two other friends at the spinning wheel in the town museum. We were celebrating the holiday, but got to complaining that we never went out to dinner, we  couldn’t afford to, and besides there were no good restaurants closer than 40 miles. Actually there were no restaurants  at all closer than 25 miles. So, on the spot, we invented the Heath Gourmet Club that has been meeting ten times a year ever since, beginning that September. We don’t meet in August because we are all too busy with the Heath Fair, and we collapse the November/December dinners into one.

Gourmet Club Anniversary

Here we are celebrating again. Each month the host picks a theme and lets the other four couples know the entree. Then, Sheila, our record keeper, assigns us each a course, appetizers, bread and soup, side, salad, and dessert, or whatever combination suits the meal. Hosting and courses rotate so we all get a chance to do everything.  This keeps down the individual labor and cost for each meal, some of which have been really spectacular. Salmon Coulibiac, Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourginnone, Mock Turtle Soup (made with muskrat), Peking Duck, and many many more. Spanish, Italian, British, African, Japanese, Indonesian and more, especially French. I love French. Sometimes we have Guest Eaters who feel themselves really lucky to be invited.

Obviously we all love to cook and try new things, but we also like to use local produce. Long before we heard of the 100 mile diet we raised our own pork and chickens and eggs, bought good Heath blueberries, apples and milk. We gardened and grew and put up our own vegetables.

Minestrone

We don’t think every meal has to be fancy, but anything made with good healthy ingredients is a pleasure and delight.

Seeds of Solidarity Farm

We have all been able to buy fresh produce at local farms and orchards, but over the past years the number of small farms has increased selling their produce at farmstands and through this new thing called a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture which allows all of us to share in the risk of farming, the unpredictability of weather and pestilence, and farmer’s markets. This increase in the production of local food is good for the farmers, good for the environments, good for the community and good for us of us eaters.

Seeds of Solidarity Farm is a working farm, specializing in greens and garlic, but Ricky also teaches garden workshops and his wife Deb works to create school gardens, and get fresh produce into institutions like schools and hospitals.

Garlic and Arts Festival - The Festival that Stinks

Along with neighbors, Deb and Ricky founded the Garlic and Arts Festival that takes place the first weekend in October. This is a solar powered, grease mobile run, festival. Who cares if it stinks? After the 10,000 people leave and the field is cleaned up, there is only three bags of trash to dispose of. Everything else is composted or recycled. They have proved that we can live more lightly on the land that we usually do. Then they sell some of the compost at the next Festival.

Organizations like CISA have grown up to help farmers be better businessmen and involve all of us in supporting local agriculture.

Annual Harvest Meal in Greenfield, MA

Every year our larger community celebrates the bounty of our area with a giant FREE Harvest Meal. Farmers donate the produce, restauranteurs donate their labor, musicians come and play and we all celebrate. You can make a donation of course, and that money goes to fund vouchers that are given out at the food pantry, to be used at the farmers market. Everyone deserves fresh healthy food. This year 800 people gathered for this feast, some making generous contributions, and others enjoying the meal freely. $4000 was collected for food vouchers.

And everyone deserves to grow their own healthy food. Just Roots is the new Community Farm that has been form on the site of the Greenfield Poor Farm. This is a wonderful opportunity for many people who don’t own land and who like working with others – who can be a real help with advice.

We are fortunate in our area to have Greenfield Community College which is offering a new course this fall on food systems. It is oversubscribed! Read about that here. It is a joy to see the support given to potential farmers.

We wish our good food fortune to everyone. Bon appetit!

For more about Blog Action Day click here.

Ann Varner Daylily

In spite of the warm fall, with only one real frost, the garden is beginning to die. Its demise seems to have been hurried by the three days of rain we just had. All these photos were taken in the rain. This is the very last daylily of summer. Ann Varner is a real trooper. Behind her you can see there are a few Buttercream nasturtiums crawling around, and it has been so warm that even the canna foliage isn’t completely fried.

Double Red Knockout roses

The double red Knockouts on the Rose Bank are still putting out a few blooms, as is Pink Grootendorst and ‘The Fairy.’ Too few to photograph.

'Thomas Affleck'

‘Thomas Affleck’ on the other hand is still blooming and budding, right near the entry walk. I got a lot more than I bargained for when I bought this rose.

This chrysanthemum, one of six (only three survived a spring bunny attack) is just beginning to bloom amid a tangle of black netting (against the bunnies) weeds and morning glory vine.

Its sister mums have been blooming for a while and the rain is making them look a bit bedraggled.

Love Lies Bleeding

Most of the potted plants are pretty well gone. I did not get the show I expected from Love Lies Bleeding, but I did not expect it to survive our frost either. You can see the petunias behind are still blooming.

Neither did I expect the lantana to be blooming still. I couldn’t resist that funky, wiry grass, but you can see I have a lot to learn about container planting design.

I love this annual salvia, my faux lavender hedge around the roses in the Shed Bed. The photo might be slightly out of focus, but I am going to blame the softness of focus on the rain.

The cascade of morning glories was still blooming in the dim showery light yesterday morning. ‘Granpa OttI’ is one tough old guy. I am really going to miss him, and they cannot go on much longer.

The rains were torrential yesterday afternoon, but it looks like we might have some sun today.  It is trying to peek out the patches of blue sky.

To see what else is bloom around the country be sure and visit our gracious hostess at May Dreams Gardens.  When I first began participating around three years ago I never dreamed that I would be creating a wonderful, and useful, record of what the garden was doing in every season. I send grateful thoughts to Carol every month.

Color may be all gone from the garden, but the last few days have finally started bringing a vivid blush to our woodlands. I had to drive to Springfield and even in the rain, on the highway, the drive was a pleasure.

Thomas Affleck

A few roses are still in bloom, most notably ‘Thomas Affleck’ which I pass dozens of  times a day as I go in and out of the house.

Meidiland red rose

This Meidiland red rose is the rose I used on the cover of my book, The Roses at the End of the Road. Pink Grootendorst, Carefree Beauty, the Knockout double red roses, and the white rugosas are still putting out blossoms.

Roses and lilies are a standard combo. These Stargazer lilies are hardly more than a foot high this year. What happened? I think they need more sun; they are growing next to and in the shade of a cotinus.

The ‘Black Beauty’ lilies and crimson bee balm in the Herb Bed are looking raggedy, as is the lawn, but they are putting up a good show – especially the lilies.  This year the Casa Blanca lilies have escaped the deer which makes me very happy, although I don’t have a good photo this morning.

The scarlet bee balm down in the Potager will need a major dividing this fall. Maybe the flowers will then be a bit more substantial.

Renee’s hot color zinnias, right next to the bee balm are looking great.

The Daylily Bank is still going strong, with strong colored daylilies, and a few tender yellows and pinks.

Tansy

Tansy is such a pretty plant – but horribly invasive. Never plant it! I have a field of tansy and it is coming up through the layers of cardboard and wood chips in the Potager paths. It is a nightmare.

For other beautiful garden in bloom around the world log on to May Dreams Garden. Thank you Carol!

Achillea 'Terra Cotta'

Three perennials that get A plus grades in my garden are achillea, otherwise known as yarrow, antirrhinum or snapdragon and astilbe.

My first awareness of achillea was the roadside weed, or wildflower, depending on your point of view. Roadside yarrow is usually white with the typical achillea flat topped cluster of tiny flowers. The ferny green foliage is pretty even when the plant is not in bloom.

When I began to learn about perennials from my garden mentor Elsa Bakalar, she introduced me to two standard yellow achilleas that she always had in her garden. ‘Coronation Gold’ has large dense flower heads in a rich deep yellow on stems that can be three feet tall. It is a yarrow that is good for drying and using in autumnal arrangements.

‘Moonshine’ blossoms are clear yellow, a much softer shade. It is usually only two feet tall. Both of these hybrids have foliage that is a grayed green.

Since then I have discovered a whole world of achilleas that come in bright and gentle shades. Right now in my garden I have a deep rosy achillea (name lost) as well ‘Terra Cotta’ which begins with a pale peach shade and deepens to a rich orange; and ‘Paprika’ which is a bright orange red.

Some new achilleas are shorter. The pastel rose ‘Heidi’ is only 18 inches tall, and ‘Snowsport’ with its white flower and deep green foliage is only 16 inches tall.

There is even a dwarf wooly yarrow, Achillea lewisii ‘King Edward’ that forms a gray-green mat with flowers only six inches high.

Achillea ‘The Pearl’ is a different variety of yarrow with double white flowers that somewhat resembles Gypsophilia or baby’s breath.

Achilleas are very hardy and while the clumps will need to be divided every three years they are not aggressive growers. However, you will often have divisions to give friends or to donate to fund raising plant sales. They can be divided in either the fall or the early spring.

Achilleas are sun loving plants and will give a long season of summer bloom, especially if you manage to keep them deadheaded. I have been told that they can self seed and spread through the garden, but I have to say that although I don’t always keep up with the deadheading, I do not find seedlings spreading everywhere.

Astilbe

Astilbes are generally considered to be shade loving plants, but since it is so cool here in Heath, they don’t seem to mind being grown in full sun. I love the plumy flowers that can be held on plants between 18 to 36 inches tall, but there are dwarf varieties that are only  between six and twelve inches tall.

In my garden I have the pink ‘Rheinland’ and the white ‘Deutschland,’ both of which are nearly two feet tall, and both of which have similar upright plumes. ‘Red Sentinel’ is similar in form, but has the deepest red I have seen.

Next I want to try taller astilbes. ‘Ostrich Plumes’ bloom a little later and the slightly taller coral plumes droop gracefully. I did plant the pink ‘Bressingham Beauty’ last year and while it is supposed to reach three feet it isn’t there yet. It won’t bloom for at least another couple of weeks, so maybe it will be taller then. The Taquetii hybrids are also tall bloomers in a pretty shade of lilac.

For those who prefer petite forms there is ‘Sprite’ named the Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year in 1994. It blooms from mid-to late summer in a pale shade of pink and is only a foot tall. ‘Pumila’ is still shorter and can be used as a lavender groundcover.

Astilbes are not fussy. Plant them with a good shovelful of compost in a spot that gets some shade and where the soil is moist. They will need dividing every three or four years.

Tall astilbes and achilleas should be planted two feet apart because they both grow to form large clumps in a short amount of time. I think planting to allow for expected plant growth is one of the most difficult chores we gardeners face.

This year I found that tall Rocket snapdragons were easier to find in single color six packs. Snapdragons, more properly known as antirrhinums, are tender perennials but most of us treat them as annuals. They come in a full range of colors from pastels to a deep red. I bought a six-pack of pink (what else?) snapdragons on impulse: when I got them home I really had no good place to put them in the garden so I potted them up, three to a pot.

All my potted plants have struggled this spring. First it was so cold and then heavy rains battered them. Now it is so hot I have to water the pots twice a day. At least the heat is encouraging all the container plantings so they look as if they might actually start enjoying themselves soon.

It is still possible to buy many perennials at local nurseries.  Just remember to keep any newly planted item well watered while it settles in.

Between the Rows  Jul 9, 2011

Salvia 'May Night'

The past few days have been cool (50s) and wet. Sometimes very wet. We got another 2 inches of rain. The sun came out for a few minutes last evening so just a portion of my Bloom Day photos show that summer light. This is Salvia ‘May Night’ in full bloom in the northern Lawn Grove. The new tree, only partially seen, is a weeping cherry. We moved the Sourwood tree that has been in that spot for at least three years because while it seemed healthy, it showed no growth. Maybe it will do better in another spot.

Dianthus - Cheddar pinks

In the same bed as the Salvia, these Cheddar pinks are just beginning to bloom.

Campanula glomerata 'Joan Elliot'

Also in this Lawn Grove is ‘Joan Elliot,’  a great plant. It is nearly indestructible, reproduces well which means I always have some for plant sales, AND it is beautiful.

Martagon lilies

The final bloomers in this Lawn Grove are the white martagon lilies. I thought they would be a little bigger, but maybe next year. The ‘Purple Sensation’ alliums planted next to the lilies have gone by, but other alliums are budding up.

Troillus and Snow in Summer

The southern Lawn Grove holds the new Blue and White arrangement that includes touches of yellow. Both of these plants have increased greatly since I planted them last year. I can see that the Shasta daisy to the left of Snow in Summer is looking pretty crowed with the cotoneasters encroaching on the other side.  This is just one place where I am having trouble calculating seasonal growth so that things look delightfully jam and crammed, but not overcrowded. I’m working on it.

Centaurea montana

We planted this perennial cornflower about 25 years ago. Even thought the plan for this spot has changed, the Centaurea montana as been persistent. Neither the unweeded roses, or the weeds have discouraged it.  I will have this area weeded before the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour on June 25 and 26.  For more information about this great annual tour click here

Columbine

Years ago a dear friend gave me this purple columbine. I almost killed it planting it in hot sun, but it has thrived in the shade next to the Cottage Ornee. When I took this photo I noticed that some of the columbine are purple, and some are blue. I have not seen that before. I don’t know what is happening. Any ideas?

Culinary sage

The Herb Bed in front of the house has blooming sage, chervil and chives. Other herbs will bloom as the season progresses. The Thomas Afleck rose in this bed is also just about ready to bloom.

Yellow loosestrife.

This yellow loosestrife was growing in front of the house when we moved here in 1979. We love knowing it came with the house. I added ‘Terra Cotta’ achillea last year and this spring I added an ‘Orange Julius’ spider daylily that I bought at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale last month. I think this will make a nice combination if they all bloom together. We’ll see.

The tree peonies have come and gone. The herbaceous peonies are just beginning. First by chance, and then by design, I have many later blooming peonies to be an extra treat during the Annual Rose Viewing – or this year – the FLT garden tour.

Rosa glauca

So of course we come to the roses. Rosa glauca is usually one of the first to bloom, but not this year. I think I can count the number of tiny pink roses so far. But it is the foliage and magnificent size and shape of this rose that make it notable.

Rosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert'

The rugosa are also early bloomers. Oddly, these hardy tough roses are the ones who suffered the most winterkill this year, but the blooms, on diminished bushes, are as lovely and fragrant as ever. ‘Scabrosa,’ Dart’s Dash, and ‘ Belle Poitvine,’ are also blooming, as is Harrison’s Yellow. I’ll show which roses are blooming shortly before the garden tour, but I can tell you now I think we are in for the best Rose Season yet.

Thank you Carol for hosting Bloom Day at May Dreams Gardens. Stop by and visit and see what is blooming around the country.

Bridge of Flowers entry

The Bridge of Flowers is blooming and blooming, ready for admiration, but you can see that greens are important too.

Azaleas are just beginning to blossom, and Solomon’s seal is still blooming.

Iris season is just beginning.  That’s a dramatic combo with a yellow iris and orange  azalea.

The Bridge of Flowers loves azaleas.

Bleeding Heart

Surely it is clear by now that the Bridge of Flowers does not depend on a single type of flower.

Double impatiens

The bulb season is about done. No more daffs or tulips. Perennials and flowering shrubs take center stage, but annuals have their place too, promising bloom all summer long.

It is always a pleasure to run errands on both sides of the Bridge and take a few minutes to enjoy an ever-changing panorama.

Bullitt Homestead - Fall 2010

The Bullitt Homestead in Ashfield is beginning to offer programs and I am happy to pass on information about workshops.

Putting Down Roots–May 28-29th from 8am-5pm Explore a different type of garden. We will install a native landscape at Bullitt featuring a variety of annuals and perennial plants, including edibles and plants that encourage wildlife. This will be a hands on experience planting trees, shrubs, flowers and more. The weekend will consist of two days of planting, running from . Just let us know what day(s) you want to attend. Lunch will be provided.

Workshops are hands-on, so bring work clothes, gloves and appropriate shoes. Both also have limited space, so please call to register and for weather-related updates. Contact us at 413 628 4485 or email Layla at lhazen@ttor.org

If you are a seasoned gardener, these workshops can help you to “garden with your whole yard,” and explore resilient diversity in your garden. So come join us and be part of a remarkable change! Our workshops are hands-on, family friendly and free.

my daughter’s daughter – newborn

crying in my arms

That she may walk the Woman’s Trail unafraid

I name her Rising Moon.

by Carol Purington    #41 in The Trees Bleed Sweetness: A Tanka Narrative

This poem by my friend Carol Purington is from her book of tanka written in the voice of a Native American woman who might have lived in these hills where her family has farmed for more than 200 years.  I chose it because it is spring, a time of new beginnings and the poem has a grandmother making a prayer of what she wishes for her new granddaughter.

MorningSong: Poems for New Parents

This poem is an especially appropriate choice this weekend because Carol, along with her good friend Susan Todd (who served as teacher to Carol’s nephews years ago) held a publication party at the Purington farm to celebrate a book of poetry that they edited for new parents. Morning Song includes poems across time and cultures, some of which are old favorites like Christopher Robin Is Saying His Prayers by A.A. Milne and some of which will be new to many readers. Authors included are as famous as Richard Wilbur and as skilled and talented as our local Amy Dryansky and Susie Patlove.

The intent of the book is to take parents through the whole sequence of a child’s life from conception on  in a way that will give them hope and encouragement to persevere through all the doubts that parents inevitably suffer.

I have used several of Carol’s poems for Muse Day and I have written about her here. Celebrating a different kind of Muse Day with her, her family, and others who were instrumental in the making of this book was a great joy and honor. I mentioned to Carol that because our friendship is so new I had nothing to do with the creation of this wonderful book, but she sighed and said, “But you walked through the publication process with us.”  That is true and it has certainly been an instructive walk through the publishing world.

Carol will have signed the copies of the book that Susan will bring and be signing at The World Eye Bookshop on Wednesday, May 4 from 4 t0 6 pm. Don’t you know a new parent who will need and enjoy this book?

To see what other Muses are abroad visit carolyngail at sweethomeandgardenchicago.

For

'Apart' a rugosa in my garden

The March-April issue of The American Gardener published by the American Horticultural Society includes a wonderful article about the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden and its curator, Peter Kukielski, by Patricia Taylor. The article explains how this famous rose garden at the New York Botanical Garden became sustainable.

I interviewed Peter Kukielski in the fall of 2009 and wrote about him here. The article gives the names of rose breeders who have developed disease resistant roses, roses that need no coddling. The NYBG website gives a list of the 115 rose varieties that are top performers. I am happy to say that I have a few of those roses.

I am expecting the arrival of more roses for my garden and you will be hearing more about hardy, disease resistant roses as the season progresses.