Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
It’s daffodil time at Ann’s Place. We have nearly 15,000 bulbs planted throughout the grounds and in the last week or so they have started to flower out. The two main swaths we have are in the back by the labyrinth on the far north of the property and on a rocky knoll on the […]
The typical surprise of Spring growth is more intense this year as we have not had the prior weeks to observe its tiny signs. Instead, the melt of six inches of snow last week creates a fresh show for us. Crocuses planted by squirrels in the lawn have emerged as have the snowdrops. Like in […]
It seems no matter where you travel in the Keys, it is hard not to bump into or spot an orchid. These epiphytes hang effortlessly on trees, fences, strings and anything their often-exposed roots can grab. I am jealous that we have had little luck up North keeping the ones we purchase alive and healthy. […]
Dried flower prints and bookmarks has always been a winning arrow in my quill of horticultural therapy activities. It is one of the few classes that I can do in Winter that surprises my clients with floral color and beauty.
Finally some new color arrives at our home. A long-to-flower amaryllis has finally bloomed. This bulb was purchased prior to Thanksgiving and has taken two months to emerge. It has been worth the wait.
This warm and snowless January leaves me with few things to consider. There is nothing to shovel, no tracks to identify, no squinting at the bright light reflecting off a white background. Thus my last class on forcing bulbs comes at an opportune time for me to break the gray monotony. The class is full […]
Just when all the gardens have been put to bed, it is time to order seeds for the coming year. I get most of mine from Fedco Seeds, which has a great selection of heirlooms as well as good prices. Before I order, I go through the seeds I still have from the prior year […]
Juana reminds me that we could use a line of bulbs along the fence that was extended late Summer. Outside the fence is now inside. All of the local stores are out of daffodils filling their spaces with Christmas effluvia, but great deals can be had from mail order companies. I am able to get […]
We have had more Indian Summer days this season than for the last 10. A fleeting freeze followed up by days of balmy weather confuses not only people but the plants surrounding us. The first seasonal misfit I find is a lone buttercup emerging from the bed of wild strawberry leaves surrounding it. Its tiny […]
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are one of the few trees still holding onto their leaves resisting the urge to abandon their perches. But beyond the maples, there are a still a few colorful trees out there with one of my favorite being witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Unlike most understory trees, witch hazel blooms in the […]