Plant Sales in the Spring

  • Post published:05/17/2014
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The Bridge of Flowers Plant Sale is Today, Saturday, May 17, 9 am - noon.  Don't Be Late. Plant sales are a sure sign that spring is here. When spring arrives plans and projects to spruce up our outdoor spaces, in our yards and in our towns, are set in motion. The Bridge of Flowers is a big beautiful public space, but other public spaces are getting their spruce up, too. The Bridge of Flowers is one of…

Seeking Spring at the Leonard J. Buck Garden in NJ

  • Post published:05/11/2014
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  I went to New Jersey, the Garden State, to search for spring and found it at the Leonard J. Buck Garden in Far Hills. My brother Tony and his wife Joan took us to the 29 acre garden which was originally part of Mr. Buck’s estate. In the 1930s Buck began working with Zenon Schreiber, a well-known landscape architect, to create a naturalistic garden that incorporated the various rock outcroppings, the sinuous Moggy Brook and two ponds.…

Primrose or Primula- Spring Delight

  • Post published:04/30/2014
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Primroses are a wonderful early spring flower. Last weekend I toured the Leonard J. Buck Garden with my brother and his wife. Spring has been slow there, as well as here, but a few of the primroses were in bloom.   There are many types of primroses, but all of them are hardy and  like a damp site and humusy soil. I have even seen them growing in the water at the edge of  a temporary spring stream.…

Pansies for Remembrance

  • Post published:04/21/2014
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Pansies are for those of us who are too impatient to wait for the flowers in our gardens to begin blooming. Of course, we need the help of flower growers  and garden centers before we can pot up  a few pansies to brighten our barren landscape. I became curious about the history of these early spring bloomers and was amazed to find out how ancient a flower they are. An early forerunner of the pansy was the viola…

View From My Bedroom Window – March 2014

  • Post published:04/01/2014
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The view from my bedroom window on March 1 was snow covered and cold. 5 degrees at 7 a.m. March 9 and the view wasn't much different. 20 degrees at 7 a.m. but daytime temps haven't gotten much above freezing. Because it is so cold the snow is not melting. No reason to take more photos. It remains cold and the view doesn't change much. 22 degrees at 7 a.m. and windy. 30 degrees at 7 a.m. but…

First Day of Spring – Just for the Record

  • Post published:03/20/2014
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It snowed and rained last night. As the first day of spring dawned the plow came through, but mostly they were sanding the road because things were a bit icy outside. The temperature was already 34 degrees - and climbing. More showers. The rain stopped!  Only the roofs are dripping, dripping. The sun came out and raised the temperature to 45 degrees. The snow will melt some today. I am not discouraged because I know it could always…

In the Pink at the Lyman Plant House, Smith College

  • Post published:03/09/2014
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Banish the winter blues and get In the Pink at the Annual Bulb show at the Smith College Lyman Plant House. This annual show, always fabulous, is running from now until Sunday, March 16. It is no surprise to me that the powers that be would choose In the Pink as the theme for this year’s show. I love pink, as anyone who strolls down the Rose Walk can attest.  But there is something spring-like about all shades of…

Birds That Sing in the Spring Tra La

  • Post published:02/26/2014
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Here are the birds that sing in the spring. Robins are joining the blue jays - and other birds that I can only identify as Big Birds and Little Birds. Sunday the temperature reached a high of 46 degrees, and gentle breezes are wafting across the hill. Birds have been flying in and out  of  the staghorn sumac grove across the lawn. The snow is still deep in  spite of warmer temperatures these last few days. Birds are…

Monday Bloom Record June 3, 2013

  • Post published:06/03/2013
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One 2013 resolution is to keep a good Bloom Record this year, noting bloom twice a month on the 1st and 15th of every month. After a lot of rain, about 4+ inches, and then hot! weather, things are really moving in the  garden. This is high rhodie season. Rangoon is nearly done, Boule de Neige is in full flower and Goldbusch is not quite blooming. Calsap is just beginning to bloom. I transplanted it a couple of…

My Wisteria – Before and After

  • Post published:05/28/2013
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Wisteria is a mysterious plant. I am not good about taking Before and After photographs, but above you can see my wisteria in early May last year. This is my wisteria yesterday. My husband and son cut out the main trunk which  was dead, leaving us with a young, lively trunk. There is another shoot coming up from the root that we will allow to  join this trunk.  I am glad it is not totally dead, and hope…