Green Scene of the Day: Relaxing Summer Blooms
For today’s green scene of the day, I’ve chosen an image from my garden. My Crispa spiraea (Spiraea x bumalda ‘Crispa’) is an unusual spiraea because it grows these crinkly, toothy leaves, which is very unlike a spiraea. But what it shares with other spiraeas are those gorgeous summer blooms.…
#17 A Bee on a Wildflower Is Wonderful Stress ReLeaf
You know how in summer you might notice a bee on a wildflower, collecting pollen and getting nectar? Usually the temperature’s warm and the sun’s out. The flower glows with color. You may hear a faint buzz, the song of birds. At that moment, you often feel a brief interlude…
#12 Memories of Summer Make Winter Fade For a While
Today I hit a wall. It’s still rainy and cold in Seattle and I couldn’t deal with the gloom. Do you ever get that trapped feeling at this time of year? You feel like spring should be coming but it isn’t quite. So I started just flat out daydreaming of…
The Easy-to-Grow Wonderful Hydrangea
If you’re new to gardening and don’t know what to plant, consider a hydrangea. I’ve been thinking about them as mine are in bloom now in late summer. They’re graceful in form, not difficult to grow, and decorate the garden with profuse, showy flowers. Here are five reasons I love…
A Stargazer Hydrangea to Gaze at
This Sunday was sunny and warm, the kind of Sunday where you just want to set up a lounge chair and read a book. Instead, I worked in the garden. I weeded for a while and then transplanted my Stargazer hydrangea, a lovely pink shrub with pointed flowers.
Might and Main Monday: Struggling Not to Wilt in Summer
The heat of summer is intensifying. The sun beams a hotter radiation on Earth and challenges all growing things. Plants wilt, dogs pant, people sweat. I sit down at dinner and drink a large glass of ice water, then return to the fridge and refill. As dusk settles, I water…
A Hectic Vacation
Whether I like it or not, I’m inundated right now with work and visitors. August is always a month of visitors for us because two of my children were born in August and relatives like to come for their birthdays — which for me means cleaning and guests and cake and…
