The view from the bedroom window on May 5 shows that the grass is greening up, but it is cold, 46 degrees, cloudy and windy. I dug up plants for the Bridge of Flowers plant sale, but then went back in the house to work in front of the woodstove. Now it is hot! 80 degrees. What a difference a week makes. We had a little rain and warmer days - although with strong breezes it has still felt…
When did you start gardening? I was 25 and we had moved into our first house on Maple Street in Canton, Connecticut. It was a big old Victorian with a large front yard shaded by the maples that marched up and down both sides of the street. It had almost no backyard, just an 8 foot wide cement patio between the house and a steep weedy bank. My first plantings were marigolds planted on either side of the…
My plan to have a twice a month bloom record is off to a slow start, but the tree peonies are right on time, beginning to bloom on the first of June. This is Guan Yin Mian. Guan Yin is the Goddess of Mercy, and the work 'mian' is face. Not hard to see the face of a goddess in this beautiful and hardy plant. Next to her is a deeper pink tree peony, name lost, that was…
On April 16, 1989 my husband Henry and I left NYC for Beijing . We never imagined the events of June 4 that were even then beginning. Our only thought was about taking up my year long post as 'polisher', a kind of sub-editor, for Women of China English Monthly Magazine published by the All China Women's Federation. We arrived at 2 a.m. Beijing time, exhausted, but met by excited members of my work unit. They drove us…
On this Monday morning I can report on a full weekend beginning with a New England Wildflower Society member Plant Swap at Nasami Farm. I brought waldsteinia and tiarella and came home with Jacob's ladder, an unusual epimedium, more tiarellas, a spicebush plant (very tiny) and an unusual native sedum. There was a big crowd and a big tent for for the Greenfield Community College graduation Saturday afternoon. Granddaughter Tricia was graduation with honors and an Associate Degree…
“Container gardening is such hard work!” a friend said to me the other day. Work I thought? A lot of thought which is in itself a lot of work, but I didn’t think that is what she meant. I soon learned that the work she had taken on was lugging a heavy watering can to the end of a long country driveway to water a hanging basket. That is work! And it has to be done because container…
Even though I am a day late for Wildflower Wednesday, I wanted to show off my native columbine, Aquilegia canadensis. I bought this last spring from Polly French in Shelburne Falls. She has been propagating wildflowers for many years to fund her conservation efforts, but this year she realized it was time to put the propagation beds to bed. Because of her there are many, mostly spring blooming native plants in gardens throughout our hill towns. I had…
As a member of the New England Wildflower Society I have been invited to the Plant Swap at Nasami Farm in Whately at 9 am on Saturday, May 31. While the invitation said bringing native plants was encouraged, it was not necessary. Invasive plants would be sent away ignominiously! At least one identified plant is required to participate. By bringing 6 plants I can bring home six new plants. I bought my original Waldsteinia fragarioides at Nasami some…
Gardening with kids is being taken to a whole new level at the HawlemontElementary School. They have received a grant that is allowing them to establish themselves as an AgricultureElementary School. This means that the schoolyard will have a variety of raised vegetable and flower beds, including a story garden that is being sponsored by the school library. But the schoolyard will also become a farmyard with a cow, sheep, goats and chickens. And yes, that means a…
I just learned about Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week (May 19-23) which is almost over, but I did want to remind everyone about the necessity to watch for EAB damage. The Emerald Ash Borer has been found in Berkshire County and most recently (Dec. 2013) in Essex County. I wrote about the EAB in 2012, before it had arrived here. The US Forest Service has an excellent website about this dangerous pest that can kill ash trees within…