Persistent leaves
Japanese maples continue to be the last to lose their leaves. They stubbornly hang onto them almost as long as do oaks. All the large Japanese maples planted on our property started as seedlings on Long Island over 30 years ago. We brought them over in pots and today they surround the house. Other smaller […]
Autumn colors
Autumn light is unique. Spaces that have been in constant shade for months now are illuminated with dappled light and colors. The carpet of newly fallen leaves each day changes with the light of each hour. It is noisier season as a scampering chipmunk sends up rustles of sound with every step and leap. I […]
Rare flowers
In the dark days of Winter many of us keep an eye peeled for signs of Spring. A lone crocus, snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) or grape hyacinth (Muscari) is hoped for. This time of year I look for some of the final Fall flowers. One of my favorites is saffron (Crocus sativus). Leaves of saffron appear […]
A deadly volunteer
New plants pop up in our yard all the time and white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is one of the latest. This native herb, part of the aster family, has a lovely, late-blooming flower that has established itself on the edge of my yard where the grassy/weedy lawn stops and a wide herbaceous border begins. Unlike […]
First frost
Walking down the driveway this morning for the newspaper, I see the effects of the first frost. The raised bed where string beans and sunflowers stood tall only weeks ago is covered with a powder-sugar veneer of white. The sunflower stumps stand erect but appear to shiver at the first extreme cold of the season. […]
Garlic planting time
It’s garlic planting time. It is a bright crisp day with only a few clouds painting the sky and a slight breeze rustling the trees. The trees are still holding onto their leaves, unusual at the time when I plant garlic. My bowl of garlic is a combination of the largest bulbs from the July […]
Stone cold frame
Evening and early morning temperatures in the low 40s and high 30s signal to me that it is time to turn my raised beds into cold frames. Last year’s redesign of the frames with 3/4 inch PVC pipe and couplings let me double their size and create something much sturdier than that I had before. […]
Harvest time
With the rain finally breaking and my knee on the mend, Juana, Olivia and I start to harvest the remaining tomatoes. All the plants have started to shrivel and the fruits are green with little prospect of changing color in this cooling month. Olivia decides to help herself to the basket of ripe, red cherry […]
October
October’s cooling temperatures and fading vegetation represent the last breath of Mother Nature’s colorful splendor before dormancy takes over. The sun is accelerating its drop in the sky, casting long and a lasting shadows. Animals ready themselves for the cold months ahead by collecting nuts and other foods frantically. Gardeners and farmers, too, pick up […]
Droplets
After I finish watering the gardens, I grab the compost bucket to feed the pile. Walking by Juana’s kitchen herb patch, I notice on my left the nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) leaves holding droplets of water that look like tiny, shimmering jewels. Only a few can manage this balancing act. Upon closer inspection, they appear more […]