Every tiny seed holds a bit of life, stored efficiently enough that it can spring into growth in some future time when conditions permit. The saying goes that every acorn holds the potential for a future forest of oaks. Although that acorn will grow into only a single tree, each tree can produce millions of acorns during its lifespan. A ripened seed, the DNA for a new plant, contains stored proteins, carbohydrates and minerals in its cotyledon, and a...
A friend showed me a video she had taken in her backyard of hummingbirds swarming around one of her feeders. She loves hummingbirds and works hard to attract and care for them. She plants containers filled with flowers she knows they like, and maintains multiple feeders kept stocked with sugar water. She told me that she has several tiny feeders on stakes that she places among the flowers in her containers. There were so many tiny birds flying about...
Container gardening is a great way to garden if you have limited space. Have you ever considered growing native plants in your containers? And what might be even better than this, you ask? Why container gardening with native keystone perennials, of course! Why Keystone Plants? Keystone plants are the “powerhouses” of native plants. While all native plants are beneficial, keystone plants are the linchpins for entire ecosystems, providing crucial resources for the greatest number of insect species. These keystone plants...
The Perennial Plant Association has named a new cultivar of the familiar black-eyed Susan as its 2023 perennial plant of the year – ‘American Gold Rush’. Like its older cousin ‘Goldsturm’, this plant is a hybrid among several species of Rudbeckia. It is said to be easy to grow with a long period of bloom in late summer on a compact habit and foliage that is less disease-prone. We are all familiar with the daisy-like bright yellow flowers with dark...
In late autumn, the Williamsburg area woods light up with evergreen holly trees as the hardwoods lose their leaves. It is their time to sparkle in the winter sunshine. Their broad, prickly leaves are waxy on top, reflecting what light reaches them through the forest canopy. Unobtrusive throughout the summer, hollies are among the few forest trees, along with wax myrtle, pines, cedars, and magnolias, which remain bright green and covered in leaves throughout the year. Holly King Legends...
From November through May we can admire the living mathematics of the trunks and branches of hardwood trees. Their leafy crowns have fallen, and their beautiful bark in all its silvery, marbled, textured variety is revealed once again. Looking up, we sometimes see lively green clusters of mistletoe shining in the treetops. These shrubby, evergreen plants have been a part of myth and folklore since ancient times. They live suspended between heaven and Earth, rooted into the branches of...
Cardinals nest in a large evergreen shrub beside my kitchen window. Though the shrub, Ligustrum, is frowned upon by many contemporary gardeners as invasive, the birds don’t know that. They delight in its abundant berries and the insects that visit year-round. We delight in watching the birds come and go, even as they peer in the windows at us. We amuse one another. Cardinals, titmice and other birds also perch in the crape myrtle tree a little further out...
While we are preparing our homes, vehicles, and closets for the cold winter season ahead, let’s not forget about our wildlife friends that bring us so much joy during the more temperate months. Over the next 90 to 120 days, they will endure bone-chilling winds, frozen ground, and limited access to fresh water or easy foraging. It is time to get up off the couch and winterize your backyard for their benefit. The most susceptible of our critters, particularly those...
A sadly spindly ‘mystery tree’ grows on a steep slope in our back fern garden. I first noticed it six or seven years ago. Its top was broken off in a winter snowstorm a while ago, and its odd growth pattern, plain looking leaves and immature bark left me clueless about its identify. My best guess was that perhaps it was a paw paw tree, since the leaves are similar, and we have a stand of those nearby. But...
There’s an astounding amount of waste generated from post-Halloween pumpkins. Instead of throwing your pumpkins out, why not reuse and recycle them? Here are a few ideas on how. 1. Cut up the pumpkin into manageable pieces and throw them into the compost bin. They are 90% water and should break down quickly. 2. Put them in your garden for the wildlife to enjoy. 3. Pumpkin seeds can be scooped out with a spoon, tossed with a bit of olive...