Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
There is little more joy for me than when my grandchildren embrace my garden as do I. When Charlotte was barely one, she was bending over the sides of the raised beds to grab a handful of lettuce. And now 11 years later, Olivia is doing the same. It is a warm sunny day and […]
Breaking in new help is always a challenge, especially when it is my granddaughter Olivia. 🥰 Mid-March is when I need to start up my seedlings for the Spring. The first batch is a combination of microgreens, herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, stevia) for my horticultural therapy classes and some greens to put into the cold […]
The irony was not lost on either Juana or I. After over six weeks in the tropics where the temperature never dropped below 70 degrees, we come back home to a Nor’easter and 6 inches of snow. The first thing we did upon arriving late in the day was to don our snow boots and […]
Every year we time our visit to the Keys so we can attend the Upper Keys Garden Club garden walk. Each year five different gardens are opened to the public for a tour. It is both a joy and humbling experience to attend. A joy because of the collection of exotic plants that are on […]
I watch now for the mail truck to come by so that I can quickly grab the latest garden catalog, peruse its pages and dream of plants and seeds to buy. The inherent emptiness of the garden creates a palette for the imagination. I have already ordered flower and vegetable seeds from Fedco, but there […]
Olivia tugs at my jacket indicating she wants a trip outside with her grandpa. Her first favorite stop is the swing set where I sing songs to her pushing her back and forth gently. A mostly toothless smile and chubby red cheeks greet me with each cycle. Next we head to the greenhouse where we […]
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 […]
The Christmas fern is aptly named, this very green sample nestled in the leaf litter in the back. In the cold of Winter, eyes seek any type of color in the landscape and this native North American fern pops sitting among the grey, rotting leaves. Unlike the larger and more showy natives like the royal […]
The garden in December continues to deliver meals. This dinner—potato-leek soup,Swiss chard-ham quiche, radish and greens salad, potato bread—came out of the garden fresh as could be. The salad was particularly amazing with new greens emerging and the radishes holding up against the daily frosts. We still have some leeks in the garden that have […]
My September seeding of claytonia (miner’s lettuce) is paying off in the cold frame as its leaves are ready to munch on. Though some of the more delicate greens are fading, this one pops back even after the coldest of mornings. I place a heart-shaped leaf into my mouth and bite down. A slight sweetness […]