This Thanksgiving day was a wonderful event. Henry and I got all the children together! We see them all often – except for Kate down in Texas, but we see her via ZOOM often. And when we see our ‘children’ we often get to see their children, although we have to remember that their children are starting to have children. And beyond that Granddaughter Tracy has given us two Great-granddaughters! What a world!
Autumn means falling leaves, but there are some shrubs like Fothergilla that show brilliant faces before there is heavy frost. It truly is glorious when the late afternoon sun is shining on the leaves. This particular plant is Fothergilla major which is Fothergilla large, between 6-12 feet. But there is more to Fothergilla than a brilliant color. (more…)
Clarkdale is the first fruit farm we ever went to, but you will also get to visit the Apex farm, and the West County Cider house here. First we tried to make choices of apples for us at Clarkdale. Very difficult. They have 40 types of apples, but they have pears, peaches (yum), nectarines and plums. We enjoy these many flavors, but on Cider Days we get to see how cider is made. (more…)
There is nothing like Cider Days! The Apples are ripe! The fruit has many flavors and there are many many ways to eat, drink and cook apples. There is lots to show off at the orchards, lots to see, and lots to learn. I will mention that favorite Orchards of mine are the Apex Orchards, Clarkdale Fruit Farms and West County Cider. (more…)
After a dry summer the rains are falling – and we are enjoying the brilliance of autumn. (more…)
There is joy in the early spring when colorful plants, like grape hyacinths, surprise us. The foliage did not mind resting on the soil all winter, but the blue grape hyacinths amazingly shoot up through the foliage and thrill us. But there is a surprise. (more…)
Boltonia is a wonderful flower because it comes into bloom towards the end of summer and continues into the fall. Even now in mid-October after drought, and unexpected heavy rains, my Boltonia is in full bloom. The marigolds have a longer blossoming season, beginning in early summer and continuing. They also keep us bright and cheerful. (more…)
American Roots is a useful and wonderful book about many gardens in the Midwest, the East Coast, the South and the West. Naturally I turned first to the East Coast. The first gardens I saw were designed and planted by John Gwynn and Mikel Folcarelli who live on the Sakonnet Penninsula in Rhode Island.
Last week I travelled to UMass with members of my Greenfield Garden Club to visit one of the permaculture vegetable gardens. UMass has wanted to create an international model to inspire permaculture projects in campuses around the world, and it certainly looked like a great idea to me! (more…)
Autumn is a good time to collect leaves to make compost to feed the garden. We have found different ways to do this. The photo shows a wire ‘barrel’ which we pack with leaves every fall. There is also a regular store bought bin where I put kitchen scraps and leaves along with some soil periodically, which helps make very good compost. Behind that bin is another bin that we can use to wait for the first bin to finish the compost. You will also notice that the bottom sheet on top of that bin has holes, evidence that rats were eating through it to get to food they like. (more…)