Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
When Covid hit nearly a year ago and Juana and I hunkered down, part of that exercise was to cancel my horticultural therapy classes at Ann’s Place. By early summer, however, I opened sessions that were socially distanced outside to a small number of clients. After the typical hiccups of any new setup, the classes […]
With over a foot and a half of snow on the ground, this does not seem the time to think about planting. But when it comes to carnivorous plants, now is exactly when you want to think about the year ahead. It is now that sellers of pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are dividing their larger specimens, […]
Looking outside at my snowy backyard I am comforted by the indoor greenery and flowers that sit in our solarium and throughout the house. This year is the first in quite a few where we have much growing inside this time of year; typically we are in the Florida Keys appreciating the tropical vegetation. But […]
River birch The end of January in New England signals that Winter is in full swing. With the exception of a few oaks (Quercus), all the deciduous trees have shed their leaves and without snow, a persistent grey often coats the ground. Though we wait for a more vibrant Spring, there are still many interesting […]
January is too soon to expect to see any of the early Spring bulbs to flower, but this can’t be said about Lenten roses (Helleborus). After the snow melt last week, a few buds emerged under its leathery dark green leaves from one of my plants in our side garden. A few flowers had started […]
Before After As we find ourselves accepting the arrival of Winter with its chilly winds and cold precipitations, garden pests are not top of mind. But for those of us who have cold frames or store prior harvests, this is a mistake. I have been nursing a wide variety of greens in a cold frame […]
The snow storm of a few days ago was an early reminder of (perhaps) the season to come as Winter can be highly variable in Connecticut. Some years we have but a few trace dustings of white while for others over 100 inches of packed snow that don’t disappear from the landscape last until mid-April. […]
The winter garden has a different view than any other season. It is a resting garden, biding its time to launch into growth when the weather suits it. Among the populations, some of the bushes and trees hold onto reminders of warmer days. The crabapple is adorned with tiny, pendulous, dull red orbs, shriveled by […]
With most deciduous trees and bushes devoid of leaves (save some species of oak (Quercus)) the green background of the forest has morphed into muddled shades of brown and gray. But if you look hard enough the lack of foliage reveals a rich crop of fruits that wintering birds, mammals (and the occasional human) can […]
The unusual snow we had yesterday came and went in a flash. Fluffy, tasty looking specks of snow drifted down yesterday morning coating the brown ground and the few remaining leaves on the trees. Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are one of the few trees holding onto their leaves resisting the urge to abandon their perches. […]