Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
Garden chores are more sporadic and infrequent in November. Rather than deal with constant growth and the cutting back of different plants, I tour the property every other day to see what had faded and needs removal. Today it was the asters, some of the hydrangea and a mandevilla that had entwined itself around a […]
By the middle of Fall, most of the yard work is done. A cold spell or two has crushed the hostas wilting their leaves in a prelude to a collapsed desiccated skeleton. The golden rod has gone gray and the remains of astilbe stalks poke through the accumulating leaf litter. Most of the tree leaves […]
Different seasons stimulate different senses. The Spring shocks the sight into recognizing colors that could only be imaged a few months prior. Early May is the apex of that stimulation with the simultaneous flowering of trees, shrubs and bushes. We get some teasers of color in early Spring with different colored crocuses or the blue […]
“Isn’t the Spanish moss lovely? I just love the ways it hangs from the trees,” said Nancy, looking upward. We were at Lake Seminole park, a short 15 minute drive from where she lives in St. Petersburg, FL. This morning when I came to visit her I suggested that we have a picnic to take […]
White birches are one of those trees that make their best mark in the winter. Against a landscape of grey detritus, they offer a clean and differing diversion to the eye. One of the nicest stands of betula papyrifera is on the way to Boston via I84 in the upper east corner of Connecticut (known […]
November is often when we get the first snow of the season. It arrives in different ways, sometimes as a simple flurry other times as an unanticipated storm that halts fall clean ups for the rest of the year. Today’s first snow was between these extremes as it was an unexpected fall with a few […]
Winter has come by date but not by nature. Record warmth has taken its place. Without frost or snow the gray and brown tailings of fall lie exposed. The birds, squirrels and other creatures that should be asleep scamper around finding seeds and other food easily. The bird feeders don’t require refilling daily. The wood […]
The beginnings of Fall have long since passed by time but only in the last week have the temperatures started to drop. It has been a warm season that makes one believe that the cold will be delayed indefinitely. There is a seasonal constant, however, that does not waver in its reminder that Winter is […]
This morning we had our first snow of the season. It was the type of snow event that you can appreciate and enjoy. The shovel remained in the garage as the snow didn’t stick to the driveway or roads. Lovely white flakes floated down coating the bird feeder with a thin cotton like blanket. Titmice, […]
As we continue with another drought-ridden Spring, the desire to plant is tempered against the need to water what we have planted. But there are always commitments that we make in advance and that is what I did back in mid-March when I decided to buy Christmas tree seedlings from Musser Forests and start my […]