In early afternoon it is seventy degrees on this mid-August day. Yes, the humidity is ninety-one percent, so today cannot be mistaken for a pleasant October afternoon, but with a thick cover of clouds and a slight breeze I won’t quibble over details. The recent ten days have been wet, not only with occasional thunderstorms,…

Extended periods with minimal rainfall are typical of our summers, so there is no reason to whine when hostas that were foolishly planted in too much sun turn crispy along the edges. Though I could hardly care, the lawn begins to brown with clover and crabgrass gaining greater prominence. And then, rain comes, and again…

It is unclear if seedlings of ‘Tardiva’ hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’, below) are identical to the parent, but there is no doubt that seedlings derive from this late summer flowering hydrangea. Flowers of the seedlings, in two places bordering the koi pond, are not ideally placed, but roots are solidly entrenched and difficult to get…

Most of the garden’s terrestrial orchids are simple to spot, with prominent foliage and flowers. These are easily placed, particularly Bletilla cultivars, vigorous growers that spread readily, and with pleasant, grass-like leaves. Several orchids are flowering in early August, and though all have been given priority positioning, their small flowers and stature do not provide…

The garden was blessed with more than an inch of rain near the far western edge of this week’s tropical storm. Thunderstorms in the week earlier were helpful, but cracks in exposed ground remained that were finally filled by the steady rainfall. Gardens much closer to coastal areas might have had too much of this…

Despite a month of heat and drought until the recent week, the garden is quite glorious to my eye, in particular for early August when the worst is expected. Yes, the lawn is worn, part brown, at least those areas not overrun by lush expanses of clover, but that is not much of a bother….

My wife tells me I am too old to be moving boulders without assistance. Often, her resistance to projects derives from her insistence that no more lawn be converted to garden, but I think she sort of likes this small addition, and today her concern is for my nearly sixty-six year old body rather than…

The planting bordering the granite cobble and bluestone path leading from the driveway to the rear garden is a bit sparse until very late spring when a variety of toad lilies (Tricyrtis) become shrub-like hulks. With a mid-May freeze stunting spring growth, toad lilies lagged a few weeks slower this summer, and when an overly…

I returned from two weeks of travel expecting to see the peak blooms of one Downy Rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens, below) and flowers of others that are slightly behind. Unfortunately, a beast of some sort severed the tall flowering stalk of the native orchid, so I must wait another week for others to reach their…

A keen memory is required when planting in winter to avoid injuring dormant bulbs and perennials. It is long established that I possess no such powers of recollection. On occasion, a bulb is unearthed or sliced, or one thing is planted within inches of another. Usually, these minor conflicts are easily corrected, and again I…

I can’t help myself. I’m traveling through the mountains of North Carolina, shopping for evergreens and trees for the nurseries (my day job), but always with an eye watching for something, anything of interest to add to the garden. Without question, there is no room for another tree, but here’s one I must have. This…

As I travel on business for a few short weeks, I’ll miss the garden, even as I search for new treasures to plant. There will be flowers that will be missed, with ones budding today past bloom when I return. No doubt, an abundant crop of weeds will greet me, and this I’m not anxious…