Colorful and enticing plants fill every table and rack at garden centers in May. Even the most experienced gardener may feel a little overwhelmed with so many interesting choices. Annual or perennial? How big will this get? Will deer and bunnies eat it? How long will it last? 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 season?...
Seed bombs, also known as earth balls or seed balls, have roots in classical Egyptian agricultural practices. The method may have been widespread in the ancient world as an efficient way to sow large amounts of seed quickly, with minimal tools, especially after floods and other disruptions. Available sources indicate that some Native Americans used this method for sowing seeds. It is an effective way to sow seeds in areas with little rain. A seed bomb is made with clay...
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. ...
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...
November and December in Williamsburg bring beautiful fall colors to my backyard which include my blooming camellias. There are two popular types that are late fall/winter bloomers, sasanqua and japonica camellias. Although caring for them is easy, there are a few things I recommend you do to encourage healthy plants. Your efforts will be rewarded with beautiful flowers and luscious greenery. Mulch Add three to four inches of natural mulch to protect your plant from the cold winter winds. Mulch...
Did you notice bees and other insects feeding later than usual last year? And did you notice how many were out feeding on warm days last winter? Our roller coaster weather affects insects, birds and other animals. They may be out and about on warmish days in months when we don’t expect to see them. And, of course they are hungry! Increased activity translates into an increased need for calories. Providing winter forage for pollinators and birds presents gardeners...
For most of human history, families relied on gathering foods growing in their environment for some portion of their diet. And many of these delicious and nutritious foods grow on long-lived trees or shrubs, from persistent perennials, or from plants that readily self-seed. This very sustainable form of agriculture allows for food production with few inputs of water, fertilizer or labor, once the plants establish. Perhaps most importantly, there is minimal disturbance to the soil’s ecosystem.
An older woman made her way slowly through the aisles of the garden center’s outdoor display area, leaning heavily on a cane. As I turned, hands loaded with small pots, she was behind me. She smiled and asked whether I had seen any bee balm on the display of herbs I’d been scanning. We began to chat, and it turned out that she wanted to attract hummingbirds to the balcony of her apartment. Someone had told her that hummingbirds...