Bumblebees are everywhere! The sad, troubled story of the honeybee has been well documented. Their absence was noted in mid-March when they failed to appear with the blooms of Pieris japonica, and through the year I have spotted a few only occasionally. But there’s no shortage of bumblebees, more than ever in my garden. A stroll down…
Category: gardens
At pond’s edge
As a visitor wanders down the stone paths in this garden they are greeted by the splash of fleeing frogs into the stream and shady ponds. In the water, perched on a lily pad or mossy stone they are less fearful. Here, they are comfortable enough to pose for photos. Of six ponds in the…
Beauty by accident – August ’09
In such a large garden as this (one acre plus) half a dozen blooming crapemyrtles are sufficient to elicit cries from passersby of “how beautiful” and admiration for the gardener’s grand design. Nonsense! The trees are splendid, the gardener fortunate this day to have placed them for all the world to see. In this garden…
Steak and potatoes
One look and there’s no doubt, I’m a steak guy. I’ve earned my two-fifty plus. And hard times or not, I haven’t been tempted to grow my own. The challenges of an ornamental garden are difficult enough for me without growing edibles. With my dogwoods, Japanese maples, hydrangeas, viburnums, mahonias, and perennials I can manage the creatures without spraying poisons…
Floating is better than weeding
When I built the swimming pond I anticipated spending lazy hours floating that could have been wasted on more productive pursuits. Today was such a day. I’m certain there were worthwhile tasks desperately needing attention, but none came to mind. (An excellent reason for avoiding written to-do lists. Then, I would have to misplace the…
Rule number one is ….
… do as I say, not as I do. I wouldn’t dream that you should follow me through my day in the garden in Summer. I control the photos that go into this journal, so I can tell you that the garden is completely weed-free, lush and green. I’ve been working my skinny little butt…
Foliage and flowers in mid-Summer
Today, the garden is dominated by the huge flowering pannicles of crapemyrtles and hydrangeas. The large growing white crapemyrtle, Natchez , bloomed first, followed by Sioux, Burgundy Cotton, Pink Velour, Centennial Spirit, and Arapaho. The dwarf Cherry Dazzle has begun to show a bit of color, and is covered with buds, assuring a delightful display…
Ben Franklin’s tree
Most plants in the garden are of humble origin, with no remarkable tale to tell. Not so Mr. Franklin’s tree, Franklinia alatamaha. The curious large shrubs on the banks of the Altamaha River in Georgia were observed by noted botanists John and William Bartram in 1765. William Bartram collected seeds on a subsequent visit, which…
A perfect magazine garden?
Not mine, not a chance. Where do the gardens in magazines come from? Perfect plants with spotless leaves with amazing plant combinations spaced just right. If I photograph anything more than a closeup of a flower there are leaves torn to shreds, holes from black spot or slugs, yellowing, brown, and broken. Plants are crammed into impossibly small…
The dog days of July
The new hound in the neighborhood came to visit Sunday, foraging through the garage for tasty treasures, skittering away when I opened the door on my way to the garden. His small, fur ball companion lingered to yap a bit, then scurried back to the calls of the neighbor. Down the path to the rear…
Beat the heat
I’ve returned from two weeks on the road for business. The garden seems to have survived, though barely a drop of rain has fallen in the three weeks of July. While other parts of the country swelter in extreme heat, thus far my northern Virginia garden has experienced moderate temperatures and low humidity (at least…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 