The Flower Brigade

  • Post published:05/14/2011
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The Bridge of Flowers is a blooming wonder. Starting in April and through October it is in flower from the bright crocus and daffodils of early spring, through rose season and then dahlia season. I could not possibly give you a list of all the flowers that take their turn on the Bridge, bulbs, annuals, perennials, blooming shrubs and trees, all making life in Shelburne Falls a delight and attracting over 35,000 visitors from across the country and…

Spring Promises

  • Post published:05/12/2011
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More spring promises every day. The rugosas are the first roses to leaf out. This is Dart's Dash. The Thomas Affleck rose in front of the house is leafing out, too. But look what is budding up  . . . alliums - I don't remember which one. Lilacs. These are the old white variety here when we bought our house. Troillus.  I know there will be troillus at the Bridge of Flowers Plant Sale on Saturday. Soon the…

The First Mowing

  • Post published:05/09/2011
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Grass loves cool weather and rain. We have had both in abundance which means it was time for the first lawn mowing. The strip of lawn in front of the house looks neat, and so does the main lawn. Henry even managed to get into the Sunken Garden. I thought it was still pretty wet.  The late Elsa Bakalar, friend and mentor, said one of the tricks to preparing a garden for a Garden Tour is to keep…

A Surprise

  • Post published:04/27/2011
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I picked these Van Sion daffodils myself, and son Chris and Michelle brought these beautiful tulips to put on the Easter dining table, but the surprise came when I went to water the houseplants and saw that the little geranium plant I salvaged last fall had suddenly sent up a lovely blossom that was all but lost in the dead foliage of the jasmine.  A surprise is always welcome when it is so pretty and pink. Can you…

Bridge of Flowers Is Open

  • Post published:04/12/2011
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The sun was shining when I walked across the Bridge of Flowers last Friday. The Flower Brigade, those devoted volunteers, were raking and weeding. They were nearly done when I arrived and the Bridge looked terrific. Gone were all the wisteria seed pods, and the crocuses were in their glory. The Bridge of Flowers Committee is very busy right now planning the Annual Plant Sale, the season's big fund raiser, and a great opportunity to buy some modestly…

First Monday Report for Spring 2011

  • Post published:04/11/2011
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Temperatures soared above 60 degrees and this was the first weekend we could actually work outside, so let me give you a brief tour to set the scene. The snow is still melting and revealing that the winter has been kind to the rhodies. No breakage. Lots of buds. The "Limelight" hydrangea was not so lucky.  The snow plow dumped a lot of our enormous snowfall at the edge of the lawn and broke more than half this…

Foliage Follow-Up

I don't have any unusual foliage, but I had to participate in Foliage Follow-Up this time because of all the vigorous growth I have seen over the past month. The days are longer and the plants have woken up. My scented geraniums are full of new foliage. This pelargonium is from  a cutting I took. I think I'll move it to a regular pot  in a couple of weeks. This jade tree is over 20 years old, but…

Bloom Day March 2011

  • Post published:03/15/2011
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You must all know that the abutilon is blooming this Bloom Day, as it always is.  The only other blooms I have are  Narcissus bulbocodium conspicuus, and Baby Moon miniature daffodils from Brent and Becky's bulbs. I brought the more floriferous pot to church on Sunday and left them there in the hopes that there would still be a good amount of bloom for next Sunday. It is wonderful to have such a sign of spring to share…

I Am Fascinated

  • Post published:02/18/2011
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After Bloom Day, wanting to preserve the tulip blossoms as much as possible in order to use them Sunday at church, I moved the pot of Pieter de Leur into the sitting room which is very cool. This is where my few houseplants live all winter. The jasmine dries up slowly over the season, but when I cut it back it always revives with the arrival of warm weather. I have been fascinated watching these forced bulbs as…