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Most of us, male and female, know what it is like to be overdue for a haircut. One day you wake up and your hair is going in all kinds of new directions. Old cowlicks return like bad checks, curls straggle over earlobes or shoulders. Waves are in the wrong places, and creating the usual arrangement, which is as automatic […]
Hill Side Gardening Dealing with steep slopes can be one of the hardest tasks when it comes to garden design. Mowing a lawn on a slope can be treacherous, and plant borders a real nightmare to weed. The Challenge The original garden had no terracing and the slope of the lawn was proving too difficult to maintain. When the client […]
The world is full of odors, and some of them are not good. Then again, “good” is a relative term. The source of one person’s aromatherapy is the cause of another person’s allergy attack. The human nose is a complicated thing, and the human brain is even more so. Still, most gardeners are fond of fragrant plants, a fact […]
It is both irritating and encouraging to have a string of rainy days during the busiest season of the gardening year. Irritating because there is so much to do outside, and so little time to get all the planting, weeding, mulching and other chores done. Encouraging because the rain is needed, and, frankly, so is the respite. I like to […]
Each year the best of the new annual flowers (those that only live for one year) are judged, and the winners given the All-America Selections (AAS) designation. In the past these have all been grown from seeds, but starting in 2015 those grown “vegetative” from cuttings were included as well. This year’s annual flower winners, grown from seeds, include a […]
It’s a shame to waste space in a garden, but so often there is an area beside the house that becomes redundant, especially if it’s close to a wall. We like to see maximum use of all the space available and this design really illustrates how this can be achieved. The Challenge Our brief was to use a wide variety […]
Outdoor Garden Fountains If you have not yet considered an outdoor fountain for your garden, you are missing out on an extremely versatile and aesthetically pleasing addition. Many people have a rigid and out-of-date conception of garden fountains. They do not have to be large and bulky or be the centerpiece of the yard; although that is an option, if […]
Tool Time I often get asked the question, “What are my favorite things to use in gardening?” After giving the matter some thought, I came up with the following list of tools and other items I use the most. So, I guess then that makes them my favorites! I used to use the least expensive pair of fabric gloves I […]
NATIVE FERNS By Dr. Leonard Perry Extension Nursery and Greenhouse Crops Specialist University of Vermont Northern New England’s ferns are spectacular, both in the wild and in cultivation. The variety of size, form, and texture is remarkable, and the various habitats where these ferns thrive are somewhat surprising. These ferns are usually available at garden centers although you may have […]
Rose Hips By Dr. Leonard Perry Extension Nursery and Greenhouse Crops Specialist University of Vermont People have grown roses for many centuries and for many reasons. Today we grow roses mainly for the beauty they bring to our yards and homes. But in centuries past, the rose was revered for its value as food and medicine, as well as its […]