Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
It’s time to start seeding! Because I am not sure about being able to get all the plants for my Ann’s Place clients wholesale, I am starting up what they will need for one of our classes in late May. In this class we make herbal hanging baskets. For it I am growing four herbs […]
It’s time to shift from growing microgreens to regular greens for the garden. The soil under the cold frame is still as hard as rock (or ice) but I am hoping that the increased temperatures and bright sun that is predicted for the next week will create a quick thaw letting me plant my seedlings […]
Looking as fresh as possible, projections of saffron (Crocus sativus) leaves emerge from the melted snow. Appearing more like leaves of grass, these appendages are getting the last bit of energy they can before the corm goes dormant. Given this density of leaves, the corms need to be separated and placed in new cages so […]
Picking up some supplies at Ann’s Place, I stroll toward the back to see how the grounds have fared this Winter. It is the time of year, between the melting of the last hoped-for snow and emerging growth, when the bones and architecture of the gardens can be examined and appreciated. It’s easy to spot […]
My class on microgreens is the largest of the Winter with 25 clients. They all seem excited about shaking off the Winter chill and getting their hands into the soil. “Though it seems early, we are just a bit more than a month from the equinox,” I start out. “So if you have a south […]
Strong winds blow off one of the plastic panes covering the cold frame. Luckily nothing shattered so I am able to easily replace it. But upon close inspection, I discover that I am not the only one who is lucky. There is digging in the soil and the tops of all the carrots (Daucus carota […]
Juana was cleaning out the closet the other day and found two of the many bibs she made for Charlotte years ago. The first, with vegetables and fruit, and the second, with farm animals, had been stored with the hope that someday another grandchild would be able to wear them. And that day is now […]
Every other week, I set up a horticultural production line to ready materials for my clients at Ann’s Place @annsplaceinc. This week’s chore is particularity taxing as I have two dozen bags of materials to kit up for my class on microgreens. Luckily, Juana is helping me put everything together. Though it is a bit […]
The pickings are slim for fresh greens in February. After a long spate of very cold weather that was below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the cold frame is not serving up much. But a break in the cold gives me a chance to look things over. Both the corn salad (Valerianella locusta) and miners lettuce (Claytonia) […]
In writing A Therapist’s Garden, I have received so much help from so many people. But in certain ways it is a family affair with my sister-in-law Rosana @artbyrosana drawing a wonderful cover and plate illustrations and Juana my wife tasked with providing two dozen spot illustrations that appear within the book’s pages. Botanical illustrations […]