Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
This first weekend of Fall is apropos given its cold, rainy start. The heat comes on as we wake to remove the dawn’s chill now that temperatures in the low 50s put us to sleep each night. The clicking and gurgle of water in the radiators replaces the morning chirps of birds now that windows […]
This is the year of beach plums. Rather than having to fight off deer and other foragers for a slight handful of these tasty fruits, they are in obscene abundance. Every bush has clumps of these deep purple pitted fruits waiting for the taking. And take I do. Grabbing a bunch, like so many grapes […]
Last week I had the opportunity to walk a new property that will likely be donated to Ridgefield as open space. What makes this parcel special is that it is smack in the middle of undeveloped State land, which together would add up to over 40 acres of pristine forest that is adjacent to another […]
Shadblow serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) is one of my favorite native small trees. It is interesting to look at in all seasons. Lovely blooms in the Spring, vibrant Fall foliage and early Summer fruit that is loved by birds. But this year is unusual: the birds have not come to eat the fruit. Typically, I carefully […]
Whenever I find an amphibian, like a frog, toad, or salamander, on the grounds I care for it pleases me. It means that I am being a good steward as the lack of these creatures often means there is something wrong with the environment. Happy hopping little ones! 🐸
Where do you go after a long, dusty bike trip? The beach, of course! A lovely day after my sister-in-law Rosana’s art show in Cherry Grove.
Everything is flowering in Sunken Forest. This microclimate hosts many native trees and shrubs that the wind keeps attenuated and gnarled in form. Beach plums, blueberries, raspberries, and chokeberries sport tiny blossoms. Clumps of beach heath with their distinctive yellow flowers are thick between patches of beach grass and Virginia creeper. Many vines of poison […]
This appears to be the year of the rhododendron as all of ours are spectacularly full of flowers. This one, adjacent to the driveway, has hundreds of blossoms hosting a similar number of pollinators that leap from flower to flower.
This pocket guide of “common” Connecticut wildflowers published over 55 years ago is a good indication of how “uncommon” many plants have become. In skimming through its pages, over half of its entries I have never seen. Some like coltsfoot, fleabane, daisies, mullein, pokeweed, skunk cabbage and wild strawberries are plentiful and in plain sight. […]
Taking a short bike ride along the East Branch Reservoir in Brewster, NY, Juana and I hit the jackpot of wildflowers over a short 3.5 mile stretch of bike path. They are lovely but many, unfortunately, quite invasive. I also needed to reach well into my reference material as nearly half were unknown to me […]