It has come to the attention of the Garden Guru that some have questioned his credentials. He admits to not being a true “guru”, but has been told he has many guru-like tendencies. Most importantly, he has a garden. Beyond that, the resume is thin. Read ahead at your own risk. As always, feel free…
Category: ponds
Hitched without a glitch
For those who followed this journal in past weeks you might recall that our eldest son was to be married on Sunday. Not in our garden, but we were expecting out-of-town visitors to drop by the house, and if you drop by you’re probably going to tour the garden. I discovered midway through the rehearsal dinner that…
Love me not
Every unfortunate soul professing to be a gardener has experienced a disastrous error or two, and perhaps more than they care to recall. I know I have. Today we’ll delve into a comedy of errors, some of the spectacular failures from my more than thirty years in the garden, and end on a more positive…
A September wedding …..
thank goodness it’s not in our garden. Our eldest son is to be married this weekend in the garden of the Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, a fine old formal garden considerably more appropriate for a wedding than my jungle. Since our home is only a few miles away, I’m certain that we’ll have out-of-town guests drop by,…
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…
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…
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…
How does my garden grow?
Disorder abounds! If an area of the garden should seem too mannerly, too structured, there must be room for a dozen more plants. Or more. In my garden, not yours. Certainly you have more sense than to plant so that one neighbor tumbles over the other, that perennials requiring sun are shaded because some ignoramus…
Lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer
Okay, I’m finally willing to admit that Summer’s upon us. Nearly twenty inches of rain have fallen in northern Virginia over the past seven weeks, accompanied by clouds and cooler than average temperatures. But, the party’s over. The garden is a lush jungle, ripe for disaster. So many plants have performed splendidly that there should…
Will wonders never cease?
Most people enjoy their gardens from afar. Park the car, stroll down the front walk and notice the daylilies are blooming. How nice! Maybe even give the roses in the backyard a sniff. If your home has a “landscape”, return on investment and curb appeal are most important. The bed edges must be sharply cut,…
Funky flowers
And maybe a few leaves too. I’m not very funky. I’m not so sure what it is to be “funky”, but I’m not, I can assure you. But I know funky when it comes to flowers. And so, late May through June must be the funky season, because the garden is full of flowers that…
Ain’t no cure
…. for the Summertime blues. I beg to differ. I have a Virginia garden full of plants that stand up to drought, heat and humidity, that withstand torrential rains and hurricane gusts. And for the poor, heat-stricken gardener? Plop down on that mossy boulder beside the pond. Dangle your toes in the cool water as…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 