In 1985 (could it be that long ago?) Elsa Bakalar, my Heath neighbor and friend, and I started writing an article about color in the garden for Horticulture magazine. One summer day in 1986 the brilliant photographer, and gardener, Garry Mottau arrived in Elsa's garden at dawn. That's when I learned about the importance and desirability of that early morning light for photography. I even got to hold a piece of shiny Thermax to throw some gentle light on Elsa's…
The bumbleebees are buzzin' in the wisteria blossoms, and all kinds of bugs are biting me around my eyes, behind my ears and in the middle of my back where I can swat or scratch. It got so bad that in the heat of the day yesterday, I retired to the house for iced tea and a dip into Insectopedia by Hugh Raffles (Knopf $29.95). I was entranced the first time I picked up this book and began…
"What, if anything, do the infinity of different traditional and individual ideas of a garden have in common? They vary so much in purpose, in size, in style and content that not even flowers, or even plants at all, can be said to be essential. In the last analysis there is only one common factor between all gardens, and that is the control of nature by man. Control, that is, for aesthetic reasons." Hugh Johnson Hugh Johnson created…
I celebrated the arrival of my friend Kathryn Galbraith's new book Arbor Day Square and then I saw My Garden by Kevin Henkes on the New Book shelf at the Heath Library. As a former librarian I know it used to be difficult to find books for young children about gardening, whether real gardens with real information, or about imaginary gardens, but happily that seems to be changing. Kevin Henkes is one of my favorites authors and illustrators…
The name Constance Spry doesn't mean much to most Americans. Gardeners may know the Constance Spry rose, one of the first of David Austin's English roses, but not know the woman behind the rose. Constance Spry was born in 1886. She had varied careers in health, joined the civil service during World War I and was headmistress of a school teaching young teen aged girls who worked in factories. It was not until the 1920s that she began…
I met Cheryl Wilfong at a recent Garden Writers (GWA) meeting in Boston. The meeting was excellent with good advice about blogging and writing given by Richard Banfield of freshtilledsoil.com. The speaker gave me more than I ever expected, but one of the reasons I attended was to meet other writers, some of whom I already knew through their blogs. Cheryl brought her book, which I bought, and information about her website, meditativegardener.com. In spite of a weekend…
In preparing for a Fashion in the Garden posting I have been reading the spring issue of Vogue magazine. Strictly business you understand. Besides, Tina Fey was on the cover. Although I wasn't looking for it, there was a little feature on page 370, The Green List, with John Patrick's (whoever he may be) five latest (fashion everywhere) faves. There is seedlibrary.org for heirloom seeds; Emiliano Godoy, an industrial designer who focuses on sustainability; Magnus Larsson, a Swedish…
Robert Nicholson, Manager of the Lyman Conservatory at Smith College complained about the challenges of all the cloudy weather we have been having, but, once again, he and the crew more than met the challenge of forcing 5000 bulbs to bloom all at the same time. The Conservatory is a Turkish Delight of flower and fragrance, with all the usual bulbs, but also many freesias and delicate species tulips from Turkey. On Friday evening I attended the lecture…
I didn't need all the talk about 'nature deficit' to think that children can be entertained, educated and nurtured by spending time in the garden, with and without adults. As a child I spent a fair amount of time watching the bugs on my aunt's black seeded simpson lettuce, while I daydreamed in the sun. I don't know how that affected my personality development, but I am sure it was in many good ways. Black Dog Publishing also…
The annual Smith College Bulb Show at the Lyman Conservatory will begin with a free lecture by Lynden B. Miller (Smith '60) in the Carroll Room at the Campus Center at 7:30 pm on Friday, March 5. Miller is a noted public garden designer and will be talking about her new book Parks, Plants and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape. She feels that "beautiful parks and gardens are essential urban oases with economic benefits and the power to…