It is a fact of life. Like weeds. You don't even notice how it creeps up on you, but suddenly it is there and it must be dealt with: Age Two things begat this post, the fact that the heat has forced me to stay indoors and updating a post that had very good advice for older gardeners. Advice that I must now seriously take for myself. Heat The heat advisories would have been laughed at … [Read more...] about When Gardeners and Their Gardens Grow Old
the REAL world
Nature Will Have Her Way
Nature takes no halfway measures. When in balance, with the sure and languorous change of seasons, we are lulled into the belief that our regimes and schemes hold sway, that humanity is all powerful in its display of dominance and power. Our technologies collude in the illusion of control and eminent domain over earths terrain, climate and creatures. But in its circuit through time, Nature … [Read more...] about Nature Will Have Her Way
The Growing Season Review
July looked best You know how people like to summarize their year during December and especially at the turn of the year? Well, this is that time for Gardeners. Premature you say? For me, I will yet again be absent from my garden and al that remains for me to do this year is planting and preparing for the next spring. The vegetable gardening will consist mainly of cleanup, and for some … [Read more...] about The Growing Season Review
Why Your Plants Die
Graves At Dawes ArboretumIf I looked at the list in my Plant Cemetery I might be led to believe I have a black thumb instead of a green one. I've lost that many plants. This is not a confession to relieve my conscience, but an illustration of one of the many realities of working with living things, of what it is to be a gardener- even if you never lose as many plants as I, sadly, have.But instead … [Read more...] about Why Your Plants Die
Too Much Candy Is Probably Not A Good Thing
Too much candy? Why is she writing about this in her garden blog? You can blame it on an article I read on garden writing, Garden Photographs – some problems. And while I am not a big fan of ranting about garden topics, occasionally I read something that resonates with some underground opinion of my own. This essay on today's method of garden writing, which is rampant in garden magazine … [Read more...] about Too Much Candy Is Probably Not A Good Thing
A Curmudgeonly Gardener
It could be blamed on the time of year, or it could be blamed on being cooped up in winter's closed quarters. Or it might be the frustrated attempts to figure out yet another snafu in the maze of computer troubleshooting. It doesn't really matter the reason, but I find everything a bit unnerving and irritating. Because of that it seems that many of my fellow gardeners seem much too … [Read more...] about A Curmudgeonly Gardener
another comment that grew
a brief dialog like this one between ilona and me on the blog comment page is bigger than a txt or twitter, and smaller than an email, a letter or-gasp-a phonecall. really it has already been happening, right before our "screen-tired" eyes. it's the end of the world of communication as we knew it. we have really lost our way, i think. if we must speak of hoping for "meaningful social … [Read more...] about another comment that grew
Rainer's Photo of native biomass exampleI recently wrote a profile on English ivy, and it is with interest that I read this passionate gardener/landscaper's post calling us to throw off the yoke of the groundcover and take on a style of native gardening.I empathize, and am almost persuaded. But there are a few things I still would consider....The vast majority of homeowners are not yet gardeners, … [Read more...] about
The Dilettante’s Lament
once upon a timeThe trouble with my gardening, ..oh let's admit it.. my whole life, is how widely interested, and thus shallowly engaged, I am with so many things. The only thing that gave me depth in my knowledge and experience of gardening has been two factors. I had no money, and having a lot of kids to raise meant I had to find something around the home that kept me sane. Gardening served on … [Read more...] about The Dilettante’s Lament
How Did I Get Here Again? Advice For Older Gardeners
Life Is Good A fellow garden blogger has to cut back on the hard labor in the yard due to medical issues. I can identify. We all grow older, and our gardens grow older... we can move from a garden (or house) that is too much work, but you are sort of stuck with your body. This becomes the next challenge for many of us. Lots of garden ideas and their accompanying pictures are lots of work, and … [Read more...] about How Did I Get Here Again? Advice For Older Gardeners
Season’s End
End of November will mean the final end of my growing season. There have been years I plant and do garden work in December and January, but it is a bit of madness really... and I don't see that in my future at this point. So the end of my garden season, it is. I'm cleaning up around the yard, and I pushed to plant the final fifty tulip bulbs. Turned out to be more difficult than I pictured. Not … [Read more...] about Season’s End
In which I tell you how I fail
Not here, on this blog. I'm not going to rewrite the whole thing. but if you are interested in my tales from the garden you might like "Garden:Fail".... Because I'm not perfect;) I have also written a few things on autumn clematis and "What to do when your garden gets away from you". I'll write some more stuff for here in the coming weeks. … [Read more...] about In which I tell you how I fail