Assigning grades: the best native perennials for a front yard
August 31, 2023
The garden has peaked. The climactic moment has passed. This is a good time of year for taking stock. Did projects go as planned? Did I get the results I wanted? Taking a moment to review and remember, hoping to inform my decisions as I approach fall planting.
How to make organic lawns look good
August 1, 2023
New gardeners who wonder why their lawns died this summer and what to do about it might be especially interested in this post.
Michael Pollan says the garden is more an arena than a refuge, and this month finds me facing off against a killer. My grass died. And while replacing lawns with plants with more ecological value is much discussed these days, for many of us getting rid of our lawn entirely isn’t a realistic option. We’ll always need to have some grass, even if it’s just mowed strips between the other plantings. I would like that grass to look good.
Dreams come true: visiting the chateaux of the Loire
June 29, 2023
Although not exactly gardening-focused, our trip could be considered gardening-adjacent. After all, the Loire Valley is known as the garden of France! One highlight was the bouquets of Chenonceaux, the work of floral artist Jean-Francois Bouchet.
A conversation with Talis Bergmanis
May 19, 2023
A visit to this garden is an extraordinary opportunity not to be missed.
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(It’s spring, but doesn’t feel like it yet)
March 21, 2023
Spring has sprung, but progress has slowed. I waited all winter for March. Now it’s here and all I want is for it to be April. Slow progress isn’t no progress, though, and I’ve been battling rabbits, coaxing seedlings to life, and smothering sod for a new bed.
Wintry mix: first signs of spring
February 16, 2023
Welcome 2023! It may not seem like it now, but spring is on the way. I kickoff the new season with a recap of what I’ve been doing since I last posted in December, and what I’m planning for the new year.
Saving pollinators, one yard at a time
December 15, 2022
Recently I happened upon this article from the New York Times. “They Fought the Law. And the Lawn Lost” describes a Maryland couple’s fight against their homeowners’ association over their pollinator garden. Guess what happened?
Certifiable: Why you should get a sign for your garden
November 8, 2022
People are more likely to appreciate native plantings if they recognize that they’re intentional. For this reason, experts recommend presenting unfamiliar plantings with familiar elements, called “cues to care.”
