What can we say? We are here because we love plants. You’re probably here because you love plants. We talk a lot about the plants we love, covet, admire, have watched grow happily in our gardens, tried and failed, the ups and downs of tending our own gardens and visiting others. It’s a happy place here, join us.
We're getting a terrific break in weather out here in the Pacific Northwest. It's perfect for gardening--coolish, cloudy mornings, and sunny afternoons. Yesterday, we had rain, and it's supposed to last a few days--much to the chagrin of William, the household...
The gardens, they are exploding. Bingo Bango Bongo With a little assist from the bench. Tall ones. And short ones too. Have a great Fourth. And may all your neighbors be the considerate sort. Cheers
How could I have even considered taking out our apple tree? This is why you shouldn't make big decisions after you first move into a place. Ms. Mulch Maid discouraged me mightily, and I'm glad she did. No matter how determined I was at times to get that tree gone, Ms....
I love introducing new gardeners to a great nursery they've never heard of, even better when they make the trek and later tell me how impressed they were -- usually with tales of many plants bought. Such is the case with Secret Garden Growers, its name is apropos. ...
Flower or seed head: debating which I like more. As you can see, it's a tough choice. Right now I've got Cirsium occidentale planted next to Echium wildpretii, a happy accident, aka a place where I could still see dirt. I've got a feeling both plants will have seeded...
Last week Patricia mentioned her foray into tomato growing. Since she'd previously asked about my "candy tomatoes" -- a reference to the fact everyone was eating them like candy at the open garden last August -- I thought I'd share what I'm growing this year. I think...
Get your Sputnik on here. Pronounced: Miss-SHOW-ee-a. Hah, I've been saying it wrong all this time. It pays to do a little research--which in fairness, I do. Constantly. But with a catalog of some 34,000 plant and growing, it hard to keep an eye on everything. Of...
I love a challenge, especially when combined with bargain hunting. Last week, gardening pal Alan posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew a good source for metalwork to use in the garden. Say no more. In the early days of trying Craigslist, I couldn't find anything....
Well designed gardens are known for their sweeps and swaths of the same plant. Onesies are frowned upon -- plant in groups of threes, or better yet five or even seven. But how can I possibly have room for all the cool plants if I do it that way? Thus I’ve resigned...
Do you ever play that game? I hope so, that I'm not just some nutty outlier. I'm going to guess you do, at least once in a while. Though I stand ready and willing to be corrected. Sometimes to make the game more manageable, I try narrowing to just one genus. That...