Angela S. Judd has just given me - and you - the great gift of useful information about How to Grow  Your Own Food in an Illustrated Beginner's Guide to Container Gardening. (Adams media $20.) This bright and colorful book begins with basic information about growing food in containers, the principles and benefits for success. Most of us will know that it is important to consider the amount of adequate light and temperature plants need. Information about the…

On this Bloom Day I wanted to give you an idea of the garden, with its spring blooms. I have a clump of small blue irises (don't ask me which type) The beautiful 'Goldheart' bleeding heart, a peek at the last of the grape hyacinths on  the other side of the bed,  the low growing bistort next to the fothergilla and the blue of an energetic creeping phlox groundcover. Epimediums are wonderful plants. I have several epimediums that…

Mother's Day arrives and daughters and sons often choose flowers as a gift. You can buy roses and other beautiful flowers at the florist. Or, we gardeners could walk through our spring gardeners and choose bright and sunny flowers and make a unique bouquet. The wood poppy is also known as the celandine poppy that will bloom now and into June. The 18 inch plant will be covered with sunny golden blossoms and will be sure to to…

Phenology is the science dealing with the relationship between climate and the recurrent natural events in relation to seasonal climatic changes. That may sound difficult to understand, but those who watch for the arrival of migrating birds, or the opening of flower buds are studying phenology. Centuries ago the Chinese did not know about the science of phenolgy but they did understand that spring was recognized by plants before the farmers did. Eventually farmers around the world learned…

The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook by Susan Mulvihill (Cool Springs Press $26.99) is a book that will be useful to experienced as well as beginners in the garden. First there is information about the whys and hows of organic gardening. The brief beginning reminds us that that it is vital to pay attention to the needs of the soil including the needed organic fertilizers for healthy growth of your plants. The dangers of herbicides and insecticides are clearly…

With The First Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers by Sean and Allison McManus ($29.99 Cool Springs Press) new or new-ish gardeners will find lots of information about working in the garden. During this long pandemic year many of us have taken another look at our back yards and our gardens. So much of our chores around town, and pleasures with our friends have been put aside during these long, sometimes lonely months. Starting a garden or taking…

Husband working in the new Stroll Garden - Native trees and plants for bees, birds, butterflies (July photo) Earth Day, an event born in 1970, is a day that encourages us to take stock of the way we live. This year the Earth Day organizers  have named the theme Restore Our Earth.  "Workshops, panel discussions, and special performances will all focus on Restore Our Earth™ — we’ll cover natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can…

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day is finally showing off some of the early spring bloomers. Grape hyacinths are such vigorous plants that I have divided them and moved some to the other side of the garden, and given a couple of clumps to friends. They are amazing plants, with foliage that waits for the flowers all winter long. I bought about 100 Mary Gay Lirette daffodils last fall. My intention was to create a river of the same daffodils…

Last fall I wasn't thinking about National Gardening Day, but I was thinking I wanted more early flowers. The answer was 100 daffodils to create a daffodil river in front of my rose bushes, who won't give me bloom for two more months. Actually, I didn't know anything about National Gardening Day until it jumped up on my computer. Thank you computer! I think April 14th is definitely the day that wakes us up and says it's time…

Hydrangeas are  the first shrub we thought of when we bought our Greenfield house. It would provide privacy between us and the house next to us, and it  would  take up a lot of room. It was a major part of our garden plan to include plants that would not need a lot  of work. However every shrub will need some work and pruning is the major need of hydrangeas.  We planted three hydrangeas, Limelight, Angels Blush, and…