A lot of information, and too little self discipline can be a dangerous combination. I speak here, not of matters of grave importance, but of a barely controlled passion for adding new plantings to the garden, no matter that good sense should dictate delaying purchases until spring. As daylight dwindles to just minutes following my…

A succession of nights in the low and mid twenties (Fahrenheit) in mid December has encouraged the reluctant Korean Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica) into near dormancy. Finally. The remaining leaves, showing no coloring, look quite sad, and I’ll be relieved when all have fallen, though I expect no harm will come of it. Today, the…

Until hellebores began flowering the last week of November, I had not considered this late autumn as too much out of the ordinary. Yes, the month was unusually mild, but not far outside the norm, it seemed. But, plants often tell a story beyond my perceptions, and it’s clear that this period heading into winter…

As always, there is good reason to be anxious for spring, though winter has just begun. While camellias, mahonias, and witch hazels will somewhat satisfy the need for blooms, I am particularly impatient for spring’s growth to see what becomes of this year’s additions. As I write, before the idea vanishes beneath other inspirations, I…

The autumn flowering mahonias (Mahonia x media)) are past their peak, a considerable change from a year ago when flowering continued into late January. I expect blooms will remain into this new year, but likely not for long. ‘Charity’ mahonia (Mahonia x media ‘Charity’, above) shows no sign that it will flower this year. Several…

A day after admiring the autumn foliage coloring of the ‘Okushimo’ Japanese maple, a downpour stripped every leaf. Other maples, redbuds, and dogwoods have been bare for weeks, all but the Korean Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica, below). It’s fully leafed and green, which is a more than a bit unusual this first week of December….

Deer have nibbled burgundy leaves of several Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia, below). Others are untouched and leaves will remain for weeks, often into the new year. With few leaves that haven’t fallen to carpet the garden, there is little harm in delaying the winter repellent spray, though deer recently sampled a newly planted dwarf Japanese…

I’m alive and well, mostly unscathed after removing the very tall Blue Atlas cedar that declined in health over several very damp recent years. A couple scrapes were inevitable, and of course the cutting was done while my wife was at work. If I am to be crushed beneath a tree that falls in the…

In part, the constructed garden is intended to portray an idealized version of nature. Though selected plants might be native to diverse areas of the planet, their combination intends to mimic textures and colors the gardener imagines from nature, but with preferred plants. I was not exposed to gardening as a child, but have many…

In mid November, the garden has crashed following a twenty-four degree night. Blooms of autumn flowering azaleas have turned to mush, and leaves that remained on hydrangeas and paperbushes (below, and other shrubs) have faded or fallen. Overnight, even though this was not the season’s first frost or freeze. As expected, flowers of camellias (above)…

Coloring of leaves of the ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple is richest when leaves have newly emerged, and then in the last days before leaves drop to carpet the front walk (below). Today, as the deep red has begun to dry and darken, a fierce autumn breeze has swept the bluestone path clear. My wife stops in…

Two weeks ago my wife mentioned that there was little color on the Fernleaf Japanese maple (Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’, below). A small section turned, but colors were not vivid, and larger areas had leaves turning brown rather than mottled reds and yellows. I advised patience, of course mine is well documented, but I know that…