Colorful flowers and enticing plants fill every table and rack at garden centers right now. Even the most experienced gardener may feel a little overwhelmed with so many beautiful choices. Annual or perennial? How big will this get? Will deer and bunnies eat it? How long will it bloom? Sun or shade? Will it grow in a pot? Will it stand the heat? How much care will it require? And most importantly, will it go the distance and survive all...
Trees enrich our lives in countless ways. Yet we may not pay them much attention, until they are gone. A Million Trees in a Single Day Pioneers in the Nebraska Territory missed the trees they left behind back East. They needed trees for shade from the summer sun, for windbreaks to hold the soil, for fuel and for building materials. They needed trees so much, that Nebraska’s Board of Agriculture planned the first American Arbor Day celebration on April...
The bright flash of a butterfly’s wing brings instant joy. My mind clears for a moment of rapt attention to see what sort of butterfly it is. Where is it flying? Where is it feeding? Will it stay in our yard? Whatever had been churning through my mind evaporates in that moment of pure beauty. Birdsong in the morning gently pulls me back from dreams, and we hear birds chattering and calling throughout the day, flying from shrub to tree. ...
How much do you know already about mosses? They are so common; you will find them growing most anywhere. Take the Moss Quiz, and you’ll find the answers at the end of Part 2 of this post. The Moss Quiz 1. Which will kill moss the fastest? A. Letting it dry out B. Watering it 2. Will moss make new roots if you transplant it? A. Yes B. No 3. Can I share my beer...
Mosses are wild, native plants, and find spots to grow where conditions support them. They reproduce sexually with tiny spores that blow on the wind. They need consistent moisture to transform from a spore to a small plant, but they do it without any interference from the gardener. One way to develop a moss garden is to provide favorable conditions and let the mosses colonize on their own terms. This may take several years, even with consistent efforts to keep...
A fern table needs mosses to serve as mulch, holding the planting medium in place. Moss Garden Resources Find links to some excellent books, informative websites, and good sources for moss listed below: Hamilton, Helen. Ferns and Mosses of Virginia’s Coastal Plain. 2017. Martin, Annie. The Magical World of Moss Gardening. 2015. Nordström, Ulrica. Moss: From Forest to Garden: A Guide to the Hidden World of Moss. 2018 Smith, Richard R. New Methods in Moss Gardening: How to Grow...
What blooms through the snow in your yard? Many older homes in our neighborhood have established clumps of evergreen hellebores blooming from January through April or May. Suddenly, there are delicate pink and white petals emerging in the depths of winter. I asked a new friend about them soon after we moved to Williamsburg, and she generously gave me trays full of seedling plants when she thinned hers that spring. What a wonderful gift! The plants she gave to me...
The swiftest way to find yourself in a rollicking argument with someone you may otherwise count as a friend, is to disagree with them over whether a plant is useful in the garden, or is a noxious, invasive weed. This drama can erupt among those of us passionate about our gardens and the plants we grow. We all know just enough to know we’re right, but these arguments over plants can hinge on nuance and circumstance. Do you know...
Is it possible to fall in love with a genus of plant? Absolutely. Some flowers appeal to us so persistently that we respond to them in ways that don’t quite make sense. Their pull on our imagination, our affections, and yes, our resources, defies reason. Across horticultural history you’ll find characters who left their home continents behind to collect favorite plants. You’ll find those who quit their day jobs to breed and grow them full-time. And you will find smitten...
Did Santa bring you a potted plant for Christmas? Or maybe a neighbor dropped by with a beautiful potted something to spread a bit of good cheer your way? Or do you always linger at the rack of holiday plants and wonder which ones you might be able to keep alive for a few weeks this winter? December and January are a great time to shop for plants. And this week, especially, after Christmas, you’ll find some good values...