I’ve planted nearly a dozen magnolias of varying sorts in my garden, yet none are native to northwestern Virginia. There are hybrids and cultivars from east Asia, and two that are native to the United States. The Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla, below) is native to states just to the west of the Blue Ridge mountains,…
Month: January 2012
365 days of blooms
For the first time in my years of gardening there will be flowers in the garden every day of the year. Yes, outside in the garden, in northwestern Virginia! In most years I’ve had blooms in eleven months (though usually not every day in February), and in a few years there have been a few…
The beauty of pollination
I was reading a blog this morning with a link to a YouTube video (below) that demonstrates the essence of why I garden. No further commentary is needed, but this is all the substantiation anyone should need to include more native plants into their garden to attract specific butterflies, birds, and other beasts. To enjoy…
Native, or not
The Vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis, below) is native to the United States, but not to Virginia or the mid-Atlantic region. Its native habitat is on moist, shaded banks of creeks and rivers in the southern half of the midsection of this country, though it is sturdy and dependable through most parts of the United…
Spring planning
I’m an idiot! This is not open to debate. My wife has decided and it’s final. Now, I don’t believe she thinks I’m a complete idiot, just mostly, and certainly concerning anything to do with the garden. There are way too many plants, she says. They’re too big, and she can hardly get around where plants…
The little hellebore that could
The south facing garden is sandwiched between the house and towering tulip poplars and maples so that only a bare amount of sunlight reaches the garden floor. The soil is choked with roots, and only with great effort is a hole dug to add new plants to this dry, shaded garden. A shallow, rock lined…
My garden’s winter worklist
Nothing. There’s no worklist (written or mental). No plans. I might do something in the garden this winter, I might not. It depends. Is there something else to do? Anything? My wife volunteers that she can prepare a list of indoor projects in a heartbeat, but she knows it would be a waste of her time….
Snow today, short sleeves tomorrow
This January afternoon was not supposed to be snowy, but temperatures were a bit chillier than expected, and what was forecast to be light rain turned to a late afternoon wet snow. Fortunately, it didn’t amount to much, though when I pulled into my snow covered driveway this evening I could hear the kids next…
It was a very good year
Another year, and bothers with bugs, weeds, weather, and whatever have not yet driven me to drink. Well, no more than usual. The economy, traffic, and more aches and pains than a year ago are nothing in particular to whine about, and I don’t dare to pretend that my troubles are of any consequence compared…
Spring has sprung … in early January?
This afternoon I was prowling about the garden, enjoying the glorious January sun despite occasional raindrops from dark clouds that raced along on a stiff breeze. I wasn’t planning to stay outdoors long, but was caught up in the warmth, and stayed until the soil’s wetness had soaked through to my socks. In recent days…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 