The side garden is suddenly naked, at least it looks that way with the ground layer of decaying leaves and other debris washed away by torrents of rainwater in a series of July storms. The leaves will be replaced with a new batch in autumn, but without the debris, I notice that the wide spreading…

The huge ‘Jane’ magnolia that spreads over the driveway annually displays a few scattered flowers in midsummer. These are most ornamental before opening (below) as they fade quickly in the heat. I suspect each flower’s peak is before sunrise, the morning it opens. In retirement, I pledge never to rise so early, so I must…

Barbara disputes my claim that I spend little time laboring in the garden. No doubt, there is some truth to her disagreement, but my slight exaggeration is intended to counter popular notions that demand lengthy monthly lists of necessary chores. Certainly, this densely planted acre and a quarter is larger than average, but I’d wager…

There’s good news and not so good, but little that’s truly bad. After a pessimistic start in very early spring, I’m now more positive about the garden’s hydrangeas. Typically, flowers of Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia, below) fade gracefully to pink then tan despite scorching summer temperatures. But, not this year when they have quickly turned…

There are many native plants in the garden, but these alone are not adequate to fulfill my passions. While varied selections of redbuds and dogwoods are arguably native (with some non-natives), the numerous Japanese maples, several magnolias, beech, and others originate from other parts of this glorious planet. I must have these, and many more….

Seeds of Blackberry lilies (Iris domestica, below) have been directly sown to spread through sunny parts of the garden in recent years. With effortless germination, gaps are now overfilled, so I no longer harvest the abundant seeds. Still, I’ll consider starting seedlings to pass along to visitors or one of my volunteer groups. I am…

Visitors often question if I am able to maintain this acre and a quarter garden without outside assistance. Perhaps they note the untidiness and are politely suggesting the necessity. Unquestionably, there are times when this bursting-at-the-seams garden verges on returning to nature. I prefer plants that collide with neighbors in rambunctious wildness, but there must…

Apologies are due for my failure to recollect the variety of pineapple lily (Eucomis, below) that is performing with such splendor at the moment. In a few years, it has multiplied in an out-of-the-way nook to demand my attention, but most notably the pineapple lily is shorter in stature than others so that it does…

I will soon plant a Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) in the garden (if I can find one before Christmas). Of course, it is not cold-hardy but I’ve been inspired after seeing towering pines on our recent vacation in the Azores. Norfolk Island is not native to the islands, but it has been prominently planted…

After two weeks of travel, Barbara and I have returned home. We were aware of the flooding rainfall while we were away, and while there was some damage nearby, we suffered no serious issues. But yes, after a brief stroll, I can see that parts of the garden turned briefly to raging rivers that swept…

When leaving the garden untended for two weeks in early summer, the gardener is assured of one thing. There will be plenty of weeds to pull when he returns. I can live with that, and since I depend only on rainfall to water the garden little else is necessary. Yes, a tree could fall in…

As I age, my brain efficiently disposes of what it deems to be extraneous information. There’s a lot. Apparently, visitors to the garden remain impressed by my recollection of plant names, so my lapses and the quantity of “I don’t remember” utterings must escape their attention. Certainly, a part of my failing is due to…