Water is vital to a healthy productive garden. A friend, Marie Stella, has put gutters on her house that feed rainwater into this retention pond below the house which sits on a rise. Other gutters feed into a 550 gallon food grade plastic cistern in the little greenhouse she has added to the end of her house. The retention pond is not only utilitarian. She has turned it into a beautiful element, and introduction to her sustainable landscape when visitors drive…
These geese were crossing the street, against the light, in their hurry to look at the newly redesigned and planted Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's Monks Garden. No luck yesterday. The Museum was closed, but the Monks garden is officially open today - a magical woodland stroll garden. Michael Van Valkenburgh, and his associates, are geniuses. For more Wordlessness this Wednesday click here.
It has been quite a summer! Rain all through June. Drought all through July. And a very dry August, so you can imagine how I welcome the 2 inches of rain last week. The garden has been thirsty most of the season so some plants have really suffered, but bloom will entirely be denied. Alma Potchke has just begun to bloom Right next to Alma Potchke is this sedum which I think is Neon. It doesn't look that…
Deborah Madison is well known as a chef, and queen of vegetables. In Vegetable Literacy (Ten Speed Press $40) her new cookbook, I learned she had never been much of a gardener until her mid-thirties. I have always said that a walk down the garden path is a walk into the fields of history, literature, myth and science. In the beautifully illustrated Vegetable Literacy, Madison takes us along on her journey from the kitchen into the vegetable garden,…
When I visited the Boston Public Garden on September 2, I ran into this demonstration right under the magnificent statue of George Washington. It made sense to hold a demonstration for independence under the statue of one of our own founders of an independent nation, promising liberty to all, but I couldn't tell what the demonstration was all about. It was not until one woman held out this banner than I even knew the issue, but still I did…
Definitely a weed! And invasive. But very pretty. Definitely a wildflower, in spite of the name. I think it is a white aster. My ID skills are nil. I think. For more Wordlessness this Wednesday click here.
In August goldenrod fills the fields surrounding our house. It is more than time to get the fields mowed, but for the moment I am enjoying the sunniness of the various types of goldenrod. Therefore, I was taken aback by someone who told me I did not have fields of goldenrod, but with a glare, told me I had fields of ragweed. I am more than willing to doubt myself, so I did not protest. However, it seemed…
Dogs and cats are so 20th century. Chickens are the new trend in ‘pets.’ They are colorful, cheerful, easy to care for, and productive. Think of all those fresh eggs! Dogs only give you sticks you have thrown for them to bring back. OK, sometimes they bring you the newspaper, too. Cats are too independent to bring you anything. Of course, chickens have different needs than a dog or cat if you are going to include them in…
The fall dandelion is making a great show this year, especially at the edges of the lawn where it meets the gravelly driveway. I don't ever remember quite so many in bloom. The fall dandelion is not really a dandelion at all, although the strong similarity explains the name. The fall dandelion is properly known as Leontodon autumnalis, while the common dandelion is Taraxacum officinale. The difference is that the fall dandelion has more narrowly cut leaves with lobes that…
The Boston Public Gardens begin at the foot of the Boston State House. First is the Boston Common where cattle once grazed, then the Boston Public Garden, the oldest botanic garden in the nation, and finally the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Here are a few photos from my recent visit. Frolicking tadpoles in the Boston Common Frog Pond watched over by parents and the frog statues! The Boston Public Garden, established in 1837 is the first botanic garden…