An initial spray of a deer repellent that promised six month protection has resulted only in attracting deer to decimate foliage of many of the garden’s hostas. The repellent used in the past had been successful, that is, as long as I remembered to spray once each month from April through November. But of course,…

On this cloudy, not so hot but still humid afternoon, I’ve waded into the mass of tall Verbena bonariensis to rescue several toad lilies (Tricyrtis spp., below) that are fading beneath the increasing spread of neighbors. Terrestrial orchids (Bletilla striata) and red hot pokers (Kniphofia spp.) flower successfully in spring, then tolerate the tall verbenas…

The summer began in an extended period with little rain and a substantial yearly shortfall. I feared this would repeat the recent dry summers, but the past month has seen repeated storms that have recovered much of our deficit. Still, there has been enough summer heat to stress some parts of the garden while others…

A year ago, the tall Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) in the side garden uprooted in a storm, falling to the ground with a small section of roots still contacting the ground. A wide but shallow tree throw (hole) was left, and of course the shallow roots contributed to the tree’s falling in the gusty wind….

Occasionally, I consider eliminating the small area of front lawn. Already, it’s a fraction of the original, and a year ago another section was cut out. As the huge purple-leafed beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropurpurea’, above) and yellow flowered ‘Elizabeth’ magnolia (Magnolia x ‘Elizabeth’) grow wider and shade deepens, the lawn beneath them continues to fade…

A single blackberry lily (Iris domestica) flowered into the last week of August while most are long past and seed pods are splitting to reveal their clusters of glossy black seeds (below). Many flowers topped six feet with abundant summer rainfall and unfortunately, all are flopping despite my efforts to stake them upright. For several…