Category: gardening
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Fireflies
Wildfire smoke has kept me indoors for three days now. The temperatures are perfect for opening windows and working in the garden. But alas, windows are closed and I’m sure the plants are trying to cope with the smoke as well. We are living in a world of hazy grey skies and the smell of…
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Persistence
The one thing gardening has taught me is persistence. I do get discouraged when I go on my morning garden walk and see the deer and rabbits have eaten some plants to the ground. Part of it is my fault for not being diligent about spraying and spreading the deer and rabbit repellent. And part…
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Noticing
Summer is finally here. Lake Michigan isn’t at her summer best just yet. She still holds some of winter. An early morning drive revealed fog along the lakeshore. The water and air temperatures are not yet aligned. As seasons change, whether from spring to summer, or a season of life, I can feel a bit…
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Travel
I just got back from a twelve day trip to Scotland. We visited chefs and weavers and gin/whiskey makers. People who use the ingredients of their area to create something beautiful and delicious. We visited a garden in northwest Scotland that was created by Victorian plant hunters and brought back plants from North America, South…
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It’s Been A While
Winter is still here near the end of March. We headed to St. Augustine the first week of March for some sun and fresh seafood. We came back to a slight melt. The snowdrops were starting to push their way through the soil. Then we had a two-day blizzard and three feet of snow. The…
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Play In The Garden
I went to a creativity workshop yesterday and the theme was Play. As grownups, do we play? What does play feel like now compared to when we were kids? How can we play more in our lives? I thought of my garden and how I can play in my garden and how my garden can…
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A Long Winter
Winter started at Thanksgiving and hasn’t really let go. We have a few feet of snow on the ground. My gardens are buried. I’m wondering when will snowdrops come up? They are under a few feet of snow. I’m going to have to transplant the daffodils I planted in the shade. I thought the ground…
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Keystone Plants
The term ‘keystone plant’ has been popping up in my reading and in my native plant research. Keystone plants are native plants that form the foundation of an ecosystem. These plants are essential for the lifecycle of many species. They support a high percentage of caterpillars, insects, and birds. Fourteen percent of native plants support…
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Garden Planning
I’ve written a few pieces for Wild Ones on native plants to consider adding to home gardens. I like writing these pieces because I learn about native plants and the benefits they bring to the landscape. So as the temperatures are close to zero and a few feet of snow covers the ground, I’ll read…
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Wonder
In a moment of quiet as I gazed out the back window, the word ‘wonder’ came to me and the hymn: I wonder as I wander out under the sky And wonder is my word of the year. As a gardener, when I stop with my list of garden tasks and simply stand or sit…
