A theme for my travels this year: Gardens intentionally created as places for renewal. Such a meditation spot appeared by chance, appropriately enough, on an impromptu trip to visit my cousin in California. One morning as I walked a trail along the Pacific in Half Moon Bay, I came upon a stone…
Yearly Archives: 2011
Garden of a Thousand Buddhas
Near Arlee, Montana, on the broad ochre land that expands out across the Jocko valley to butt against the Mission Range, The Garden of a Thousand Buddhas would be one of those ‘different’ places. When I visited in September, it was still in the process of being built, but they’re…
Contemplating the conclusion to NYC’s gardening season
The weather stayed in the 80’s through most of September allowing me to pretend a little bit. But now it’s December–-cooler and darker–and the inevitability of the approaching Northeastern winter is starting to sink in. “Summer lasting forever”, was a wish I had, especially this year. [portfolio_slideshow id=4194] Even in my…
Buy Local This Holiday Season!
Before running off to the mall to load up on foriegn-made gifts or jumping on your computer to order from a large on-line retailer, check out your local retailer! Giant Asian factories have provided Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply-produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of…
Vicky’s Victorious Veggies
Just when my friends in Florida are putting in their fall gardens, here in Springbrook, Wisconsin, it’s over! We are on almost exact opposite schedules. Our first frost was September 16th, when we had killing frost temps of 28º at night, daytime highs on the 60s. Everything in the garden is…
Knock Out Roses- Roses for Dummies!
‘Knock Out’ Roses have been criticized as being colorful but generic– the McDonald’s of the rose world. If you are living in blackspot central, where fungus-among-us runs rampant, ignore the critics. Very few people have the time or inclination to grow award winning roses. ‘Knock Out’ Roses are easy to grow,…
Picket Paint-a-thon fundraisers
For our latest community enhancement project, the Garden Fairies are lending our skills to the SHAMc (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center). It’s lucky the Fairies are an outdoor-loving group because we have have done two SHAMc fundraisers in the past month, braving rain, summer heat and hostile humidity to…
Easy Does It roses?
The garden press is raving about the ‘Easy Does It’ rose, giving it all kinds of accolades including “the seductress of the garden”. Introduced just last year, ‘Easy Does It’ might be hard to find. But if you do score one, you will find this rose has many fine attributes, making…
Growing roses in a sand pit
Early on in my adventures in Florida gardening, I’d decided that I wanted to try my hand at roses… eventually. You know, because my mom made it look so easy in Connecticut in the ’60s. (No wonder she can’t watch Mad Men… strikes too close to home.) I kept putting…
Create Drifts of Roses
If you are looking for a low growing plant that is maintenance free, blooms from spring to fall and only has to be planted once– remember two words; Drift Roses. A cross between a miniature rose and ground cover roses, Drift Roses pack a petite-sized punch. They inherited their manageable size and…