Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
Upon opening the door to the greenhouse, Juana and I discover flowers on the rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) bush that I left in the greenhouse over Winter. I rub the leaves and inhale deeply. Amazing! Spring must be around the corner.
My class on microgreens is the largest of the Winter with 25 clients. They all seem excited about shaking off the Winter chill and getting their hands into the soil. “Though it seems early, we are just a bit more than a month from the equinox,” I start out. “So if you have a south […]
Juana decides to spruce up a vase holding fading flowers with a couple of cuttings from outdoor bushes. The buds on both the forsythia and flowering quince (Chaenomeles) are swelling in concert with the warm weather we have been having.Taking out my Felco pruners, I snip off heavily budded branches for Juana’s use. She asks […]
Strong winds blow off one of the plastic panes covering the cold frame. Luckily nothing shattered so I am able to easily replace it. But upon close inspection, I discover that I am not the only one who is lucky. There is digging in the soil and the tops of all the carrots (Daucus carota […]
Working with Rosana on the illustrations for my book has been a real pleasure. Many of the plates she has created represent an amalgam of the stories crafted for each month. Occasionally, however, being at the right place at the right time serves up the perfect idea. Can you figure out the inspiration for the […]
A sure sign that Spring is on its way is the appearance of deer nearby. We rarely see many against the snowy ridge that defines our back yard. Typically the herds stay further down the hill toward the Titicus River or the Great Swamp. But this morning two female deer, both looking somewhat with fawn, […]
Juana was cleaning out the closet the other day and found two of the many bibs she made for Charlotte years ago. The first, with vegetables and fruit, and the second, with farm animals, had been stored with the hope that someday another grandchild would be able to wear them. And that day is now […]
Every other week, I set up a horticultural production line to ready materials for my clients at Ann’s Place @annsplaceinc. This week’s chore is particularity taxing as I have two dozen bags of materials to kit up for my class on microgreens. Luckily, Juana is helping me put everything together. Though it is a bit […]
With unseasonably warm temperatures and clear skies, I decide to hop on my bike for a 22-mile circuit from my house around the Titicus Reservoir and back. You don’t get many of these days in February so you have to take advantage of them when they pop up. My bike needs little maintenance beyond filling […]
The pickings are slim for fresh greens in February. After a long spate of very cold weather that was below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the cold frame is not serving up much. But a break in the cold gives me a chance to look things over. Both the corn salad (Valerianella locusta) and miners lettuce (Claytonia) […]