Woodland Peonies for Great Seasonal Drama
I couldn’t imagine a Garden in May without Peonies. From the days of my youth, I remember their vibrant flowers, accompanied by a wonderfully sweet scent that my mother and grandmother always revered! The flowers range from single blooms with one ring of petals to the full doubles displaying countless petals. The abundant petals of the doubles pique the interest of most gardeners, yet the weight of the flowers following a spring rain often brings the floral stems to the ground…
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Gardening Notes for April 2024
COVID certainly changed our lives in many negative ways yet, one positive change remains our renewed interest in gardening for both exercise and fresh air. Many of us have come to appreciate the beauty of plants and the calming act of working in the soil. Winter sales of vegetable and annual seeds continue to remain strong as we eagerly await the warmer days of April for seeding! As the sun and warmth of April unfold, take a deep breath and prioritize what must be completed vs. what could be postponed for a day or two. Also, spring is a time to begin anew, so give thought on…
April 2024 Plant of the Month – Jeffersonia diphylla
A Flowering Ode to Jefferson
Botanical plant names often prove to be a stumbling block for gardeners. They are meant to impart descriptive details about the plant, yet understanding the Latin or Greek roots of the names can prove troublesome. To add to the confusion, in some instances the botanical name honors individuals who were important in horticulture. This can be equally as mystifying since many of these honored individuals lack widespread recognition. However, one plant that should instinctually draw recognition for the honoree is Jeffersonia diphylla, commonly called Twinleaf. The name pays tribute to Thomas Jefferson…
Gardening Notes for March 2024
March can be such a finicky month! Several years ago, there was a long warm spell followed by two nights of extremely cold temperatures. The result was a massive dieback of Hydrangeas and a resulting loss of blooms for that year! Some years we see snow storm after snow storm, while some years it is merely rain. So far it has been a somewhat warmer winter with less than average snowfall. Keep referring to your notes or diary from last year as to when you sowed seed and performed other chores as you need not reinvent the wheel.
March 2024 Plant of the Month – Adonis
No Mere Mortal of a Flower!
Try as we must, there will always be more plants than a dedicated gardener can possibly learn in a lifetime. Trust me, I am trying! Of course, when you consider the diversity of environments found worldwide and the diversity of plants that have resulted, it is certainly understandable! The challenge is further complicated by spring ephemerals whose lifecycle dictates a 9-month period of dormancy following flowering and seed set. Garden Centers are hesitant to offer such plants, since they will appear as an unappealing pot of lifeless soil throughout the summer and fall.
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