You may have heard that we got an unusual bit of snow here in the Pacific Northwest. This is a rare event, and many of us have no idea what to expect in the aftermath. There are a couple opinion camps on snow itself. Those who abhor it--they've often moved here from...
It's happening all around the garden...new growth is appearing on the evergreen ferns, shrubs and trees. Plants that disappeared for the winter are making a return. A new gardening season is upon us! Some of my favorite foliage to appear each spring belongs to...
Travel to different regions inevitably means discovering new-to-me plants (like a Loquat in Berkeley, and a Schefflera in San Diego). A recent vacation "lunch stop" in Carpenteria, California – along with a brief detour to take in the ocean view – lead to a parking...
Have we complained enough? It's been wet here in Portland, way beyond the norm, as in over 10.22" since the beginning of December, where as normal would be 2.80". Before the month is over (there's nothing but rain in the forecast) we will have set an all time record...
Last week I shared the spiky side of the Kennedy School gardens, but there is so much more to see! Walking the grounds is always a mix of checking in on old friends, to see how they're doing, and discovering new things. Sometimes I have a pretty good idea what they...
I’m curious, have you ever been tasked with writing a description of your garden? On the surface it sounds simple, but then emotion gets in the way. All those things you see (they’re out there in the future, you can see them clearly), that others might not. You need...
It might be the first time in history that I didn't stab myself on this Yucca whipplei, but I was determined to snap photos and not sustain injuries--or pull weeds. It's mushy in the garden. Even Pumpkin declined her invitation for a walkabout. Several plants were...
My garden is finally a place where I find myself winter engaged. I don’t advert my eyes but rather intentionally partake. Getting to this point involved a lot of visiting gardens and nurseries during the winter months. How better to see what looks good this time of...
On the short list of ways I enjoy spending my time, and money, traveling comes right after buying plants. Or maybe they should be equal, because while traveling I can buy plants? Wherever I venture I make a point of visiting neighborhoods. Walking up and down streets...