The Queen of the Prairie looks more like the Queen of the River in this photo. She is attended by hundreds of handmaids and courtiers. As a member of the Bridge of Flowers committee many people ask me about when it is open and when is the 'best' bloom time. Those questions are easy to answer. The Bridge of Flowers is open every day, all day from April 1 to October 30. There is no 'best' season. The…
Daylily season has begun here at End of the Road Farm. The Daylily Bank is going to have it's first spectacular year. My idea was to have a collection of pale and pink daylilies on the Bank. Still, I couldn't resist some of the deeper colored daylilies. Each day more are blooming and each day I am happier with this project. I thought I could count three bloomers in one photo - 'Connecticut Yankee' delphiniums, shasta daisy and…
To me the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour this weekend was really an extended Rose Viewing. Hundreds of people visited the garden, and many of visitors had the same questions. Some asked "What is that plant on the Rose Walk?" Well, it's a rose. I understand why some people were confused. The foliage is very unusual, and the tiny flowers don't look much like Roses, but it is indeed an ancient rose. When I bought it…
Saturday dawned gray and misty. At 10 am those driving up to Heath for the Franklin Land Trust Farm and Garden Tour found themselves driving through thick Shangi-La fog to the mythical land of Heath with its fields and forests, blueberries, maple syrup, its country gardens, its history, and of course, its roses. The air and the grass were wet, flowers somewhat rain battered after a week of downpours, but enthusiastic gardeners came from across the state, from…
What is a garden for? It depends on the garden, of course.Vegetable gardens are for feeding us. Herb gardens are for bringing us extra savor and health. Meditation gardens are to give us moments of serenity. Ornamental gardens are to give us pleasure. But all gardens can be shared --- doubling their pleasure and utility, of whatever sort. Sometimes sharing our gardens can also support a noble project. That is what will be happening in Heath and Charlemont…
The word 'alba' means white, but there is a whole family of roses named alba - and not all of them are white. I'll begin with Alba semi--plena which is white. Mine grows in a shady spot which is not ideal. It is kind of leggy, but very pretty. Mme Plantier is also white. Peter Beale says is 'capable of climbing' but definitely not in my garden. Mme Legras de St. Germain will not climb either in my…
My eldest daughter, Diane, arrived with her middle daughter, Caitlin, and set to the clipping and weeding that Betsy couldn't finish. Now the Peony Bed is weeded and clipped, the Cottage Bed is clipped and the front of the house is neat because my husband came home early to do a final mowing before the promised rain falls. I was forced to stand straight and supervise. I am very fortunate to have such good daughters - and granddaughter.…
On Monday I tripped over a hose and fell. On Tuesday I hobbled to the doctor for X-rays to prove nothing was broken and that the titanium hip was hold firm. The doctor said, "No gardening - for two weeks!" Talk about impossible. My husband has been out in the garden every evening, and yesterday daughter Betsy arrived to put in a full day clipping the grass around the roses on the Rose Walk. She did some other…
What is a garden for? It depends on the garden, of course.Vegetable gardens are for feeding us. Herb gardens are for bringing us extra savor and health. Meditation gardens are to give us moments of serenity. Ornamental gardens are to give us pleasure. But all gardens can be shared --- doubling their pleasure and utility, of whatever sort. Sometimes sharing our gardens can also support a noble project. That is what will be happening in Heath and…
The past few days have been cool (50s) and wet. Sometimes very wet. We got another 2 inches of rain. The sun came out for a few minutes last evening so just a portion of my Bloom Day photos show that summer light. This is Salvia 'May Night' in full bloom in the northern Lawn Grove. The new tree, only partially seen, is a weeping cherry. We moved the Sourwood tree that has been in that spot for…