Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
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 […]
Finally! The Christmas tree and nativity are up. The tree was cut a few weeks ago when snow still coated the ground. For the last five years or so, we have been harvesting our tree from the yard, where I planted a dozen Norway spruces a few years back. (The softer needled fir stands little […]
Winter is still a few days away and the back yard is poised to accept its seasonal role. Nearly all of the leaves of the deciduous trees have abandoned their prior homes, settling down and providing a blanket for the soil. The first significant snow of the season covers the ground creating a clean, clear […]
Though it appears that the rhododendrons are cowering, they are just reacting to this morning’s cold. At 17 degrees F, they are not the only things that appear to be shivering. Rhododendrons are nature’s thermometer as their leaves shrivel the colder it gets below freezing. There are manny reasons cited for this, but there is […]
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 […]
Crisp and clear nights show off the lights we have positioned around the house. Last year, for the first time, I put Christmas lights on the greenhouse and was pleasantly surprised on its festive appearance during the night. The microgreens and rosemary bushes within its space sit transfixed by the reflective light penetrating its insides. […]
Now that we have reached December, the beds have been cleaned, the bulbs planted, the flowers have faded, and the garden is desolate. Even the long persistent yellow flowers of witch hazel are gone following the examples of all other deciduous shrubs and trees. Seed heads of our coneflowers stand alone, waiting to be eaten […]
I am often amazed at the inventiveness of my clients at @annsplaceinc The latest class we finished was packed with 21 people to create seasonal wreaths out of spruce cones, acorns and other things collected from the outdoors. The cones were easy to collect though I needed to purchase acorns for the first time ever. […]
It is time to harvest the last of the leeks (Allium porrum). This vegetable takes longer than any other to reach maturity but it is worth it as it helps make a savory and yummy potato (Solanum tuberosum) leek soup. The top crust of the soil is frozen though below is still warm and grainy. […]