Just prior to this wave of summer heat, Barbara and I left to hike in the French Alps. This was my first vacation since retiring, and soon, I’ll follow up with photos of the glorious alpine meadows and rocky slopes and perhaps a picture of snow-covered trails that are horticulturally relevant since many plants are…

Unfortunately, I had to stop developing construction of an ill placed ground nest earlier in the spring. While bees hardly acknowledge my presence when feeding, they are understandably defensive near their nest. But, the destruction of the nest that was barely started seemingly has had no effect on the abundance of bees in the garden….

Long ago, I discovered that the best remedy for my impatience, waiting for a plant to grow or flower, is to plant something else. Yes, this is a temporary distraction, but by the time the effect wears thin, the gardener’s attention is likely to be diverted by another shortcoming, or perhaps a beauty that calms…

I have nothing against periwinkle (Vinca minor) despite its reputation as an invasive. Its seeds are not carried into the wild, and in the garden, it covers only as much ground as it’s given while it serves to minimize weed growth. While periwinkle’s spring flowers and a yellow leafed form are enjoyed in the shaded…

How fortunate that the garden where I volunteer has two trees with flowers that will not be seen in this garden. The Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla, below) in my garden was obtained years ago from the nursery of a longtime acquaintance in Tennessee. The magnolia, ten feet tall and one-of-its-kind in this nursery and a…

I find it difficult to plan ahead in the garden. I believe that my career was driven by efficient organization, but in the garden, there’s little doubt that my attention is as scattered as a child’s. Perhaps that’s what I enjoy most. While there are sporadic visitors, the garden is mostly for me, though I…

While two ‘Aphrodite’ sweetshrubs (Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’, below) grow at a moderate pace in a dry shaded location, a third in brighter shade at the forest’s edge but with little direct sunlight grows with remarkable vigor. Also, the brighter aspect encourages increased flowering. All three flower several weeks after blooms of other sweetshrubs in similar shade…

The increasing shade in the garden is most evident on the circle patio in recent weeks as trees have come into leaf (below). Planted containers annually moved from the basement, where they are overwintered, to the patio, once flourished here with a few hours of midday sun. Today, a fraction of the small patio gets…