Gardening and Gardens

Outside a restaurant that's tucked away between shops, the outdoor seating area is surrounded by these big, gorgeous containers: Each large, square container was filled with a fully blooming Scotch Broom ( Cytisus scoparius ) in the center, surrounded by Pansies ( Viola ), Sweet Alyssum ( Lobularia maritima ), Ageratum ( Ageratum houstonianum ) and Summer Snapdragon ( Angelonia augustifolia ). Certainly once the Scotch Broom is finished blooming, it won't look quite as spectacular. Hopefully, someone will replace it with something equally as impressive!

For a long time, I didn't like Hostas. But then again, I was only familiar with Hosta lancifolia and it's little purple flower spikes above skinny, medium green leaves. It seemed to be in everyone's garden, along the side of buildings and even along the road as if they were a common wildflower. But somewhere along the way, I was introduced to new varieties of Hostas and my opinion began to change. I saw plants with big leaves, small leaves, white flowers and so many different leaf colors: blue-gray, lime, green/green variegation, green/white variegation - just to name a few. Now, I'm a converted fan. I love seeing the plant emerge from the ground in the spring. The tightly rolled leaves standing straight and tall until they finally burst open and spread their wings, I mean leaves. And then, their mound of color and texture begins to brighten even the shadiest spot. When it rains, the water droplets hang onto the leaf a bit longer than necessary to create...

It's been raining here all week. I can't remember the last time it has rained five consecutive days in a row. And not just a little drizzle, I'm talking about full fledged downpours! So needless to say, by yesterday, I was feeling down in the dumps. The weather certainly has a big impact on my mood and state of mind. In between showers, I passed these Poppy buds in a neighbor's yard. I love the fuzziness of the stem and bud, but also how their heads droop downward. Their "droopy" state was sort of symbolic to how I was feeling. I couldn't help but smile when I passed them. Hopefully, in a few days, the sun will come out, the Poppy's bright orange flower will be on display and I will be in a much better mood! The other thing that helped me feel better yesterday was weeding. The soil was so wet, it was very easy to weed the vegetable garden. The repetitive nature of the weeding, coupled with the rich smell of the wet earth was simply meditativ...

Courtesy of Rob's Plants Around there, the Lilacs ( Syringa vulgaris ) are in full bloom. Just a short walk outside and their perfumed scent hits you before your eyes can even find them. But what does it mean if the shrub doesn't bloom? I was asked this question last weekend by a friend. Last year she pruned it serverely after it flowered, with the hopes of rejuvenating it so it would be overflowing with blooms the following spring. However, this year, not one bloom appeared. There are a few reasons I can think of as to why a Lilac shrub wouldn''t bloom: 1. Pruning New flower buds are formed soon after the current year's blooms die back. To ensure abundant flowering the next year, spent blossoms should be cut off and the flowering stem should be pruned back to a set of leaves. Waiting too late to prune will remove the new buds that have formed for the following year. 2. Immaturity Most varieties of Lilacs need three to four years to grow and develop befo...

As I mentioned in an earlier post , I'm on the Garden Committee at my son's elementary school and this week we worked with the 4th grade classes planting the "Three Sisters" - corn, beans and squash. The Native Americans have passed down the legend of the Three Sisters, as well as the knowledge of growing, using and preserving the crops through generations. The legend describes three maidens (corn, beans and squash) who, despite being very different, love each other and thrive when they are near each other. For this reason, the Native Americans planted these three crops together. The corn provides a natural pole for the bean vines to climb. The beans fix nitrogen on their roots, improving the overall fertility of the soil. The squash leaves provide shade for the soil, deterring weeds and preventing loss of soil moisture. Image from Park Seed Co Nutritionally, this combination also complement each other. The corn provides carbohydrates, the beans provide pr...

100,000 bulbs, over 500 varieties in bloom. With beautifully landscaped grounds and so many things blooming, this garden reminded me of Keukenhof in Lisse, Holland. But it was actually the private home of my friend Deb Van Bourgondien on Long Island. Debbie is the executive vice president of Van Bourgondien and Sons, which sells bulbs via its Van Bourgondien catalog and website dutchbulbs.com . Every fall she plants more and more bulbs on her property - a task I'm sure her neighbors thank her for every spring. Pulling into the driveway I was met with a sea of yellow daffodils, beds of tulips and two enormous cedar trees. The side bed was anchored by two gorgeous Saucer Magnolia trees ( Magnolia x Soulangiana ) in full bloom. Because of all the different varieties, the bloom times were different. Each bed had some tulips or daffodils that were blooming, some that were still in bud and others that had just finished. Everywhere I walked, some...