Inarguably, errors are to be found in the garden. Many somethings are too close to another something and there are clashes of color and one variegated leaf beside another. But, there is much more right than wrong. Of course, I  am the gardener and also declaring this verdict, so make your own judgment. A garden…

Doubts induced by the bareness of winter dormancy are now forgotten. By this first week of May, the garden bursts against the stone paths and patios with little open ground. Gaps imagined with the month long cover of snow are now overflowing, occasionally with a newly planted mayapple alongside a delightful clump of trilliums. I’m…

Halfway into the second spring since the renovation of the planting surrounding the upper circle patio, I am overjoyed. The tear out and replanting started to make room for construction of the sunroom that replaced our shabby two level deck. The sunroom has been a four season joy, and I haven’t regretted the planting renovation…

Occasionally, plans for the garden are successful, nearly as often as joyful accidents and blunders that eventually work out for the best. Discussion of failures will not intrude on this beautiful spring day. Two Pagoda dogwoods (Cornus alternifolia, above) are evidence that I do not only cram plants into any available open space. The two…

With trees and shrubs fully leafed and many perennials looking their best, the garden is at its best, but no doubt, short of perfection. And what fun is perfect? Things are going to go wrong. There will be weeds, sometimes it seems in the same spot I weeded yesterday. If this upsets me, I need…

Despite cypress spurge’s (Euphorbia cyparissias, below) reputation for invasiveness, it is a favorite in the garden. Perhaps you’ve heard the story from several years ago when the spurge was rescued weeks before it would have succumbed to the relentless spread of a geranium. Some tough guy, that spurge, and while it’s valued more since it…

A few weeks ago, a large branch of the tulip poplar that shaded much of the side garden was cut out. This involved a ladder and electric pole saw in a non-OSHA approved stunt, but gardeners are free to be idiots on their own time. In this case, the idiot survived to attempt even more…

While the majority of Japanese maples escaped the recent freeze with only minor damage, the bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) are a disaster. Ten days earlier, new growth indicated the point to which stems were cut back, most severely and certainly including all flower buds from last year’s growth. While older varieties will not flower after…

Recurring acts of negligence in previous months too often result in today’s disappointment. I long ago lost my excitement for blooms of the common evergreen azaleas, so I am not overly bothered by the sparcity of flowers as deer nibbled lower branch tips over the winter months. Still, a more regular spray routine with the…

Certainly, I’ve done something from the many published checklists of chores to be completed in the garden in April. The tasks are extensive, but I’ve accomplished only a few. I ignore the lists and most of the chores since the majority are necessary only in tbe tidiest gatdens. Perennials have been cut back. No doubt,…

Today, Barbara and I headed to the mountains in search of trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum, below). In fact, despite spotty recollections overall, I can pinpoint exact placement and timing of trilliums and many spring ephemerals from previous hikes. I think my attention to detail has always been very selective. The trilliums along this trail flower at…

The results are in, at least I hope that I can now confirm that no major damage was done by last week’s freeze that coincided with the most vulnerable period for emerging leaves of Japanese maples. I think that rainfall and a few days of clouds were helpful minimizing the damage, but warm and sunny…