Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
While December has been colder than normal and we have had a couple of snows, the last being nearly 4 inches, there are still harvests to be had from the garden. I have two large cold frames holding a half dozen different cold-tolerant greens. Carrots, Swiss chard, and sorrel are on their own as are […]
An unexpected snow after a much needed rain greets us this morning. Remaining greenery and tree branches are coated with a thick, heavy layer of snow fattening up each plant and object in the yard. The birds are particularly put off as they no longer have the luxury of snacking on coneflowers, sunflowers, and other […]
In November, there are still many fruits about if you just look carefully. Five of my favorites are within feet of each other in my back yard. My most favorite is the beautyberry of which I have the Japanese variety. (I tried to grow the American species (Callicarpa americana) but my yard is just a […]
It’s a cold start on an otherwise perfect day to ride from Brewster to Hopewell Junction on the Maybrook Trail. The sky is clear and the air dry and crisp. The trail has few travelers giving the impression that I am alone save for the sound of the wind rustling the seed heads of dormant […]
This time in November, the only flowers that are typically still in bloom sit on the branches of the witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Unlike most understory trees, witch hazel blooms in the late fall with delicate, little buttery yellow bundles of soft, slightly sweet smelling flowers. At the end of the season, all the leaves […]
Many people think of crocuses as a Spring flower but my favorite ones emerge in Fall. And my most treasured among those is the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Dormant through Summer, it pops out of the soil in early-to-mid October with a colorful display of purple leaves, yellow stamens (male) and bright red stigmas (female). […]
Last year, I needed to divide a huge Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum) that was crowding out the asparagus and adjacent strawberry patches. There were tons of baby plants that I harvested and placed along the fence that protects my yard from the deer. My efforts were rewarded this year with a line of flowers untouched […]
Rather than let the birds and bugs attack my sunflowers with abandon this year, I decide to harvest and dry them early on. Olivia loves this as she gets to dispatch the disk florets with abandon. These tiny yellow flowers are arranged in clockwise and counterclockwise patterns spinning their way around the large flower head. […]
It’s time to harvest the tomatoes. I can’t wait any longer as I must plant the Fall and Winter greens in the two cold frames, one of which is full of mutant tomato plants. Anyway, I don’t think the fruits will ripen much more on their own as the chill of autumn arrives. This has […]
It has been a great year for hydrangeas. The blooms have been numerous and large. As we start to cut them down for the season, Olivia wants to make her own bouquet to bring home to her mother. I think she has done a wonderful job.