Colin Cabot was standing at the edge of a steep ravine in the gardens of Les Quatre Vents (The Four Winds). A swaying Nepalese-style rope bridge hung in a downward arc between the ravineâs precipitous banks. âWho wants to go first?â Colin was leading forty of us garden writers and photographers on a private tour […]
Meadowbrook, a 25 acre-estate in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, was designed and created by the floral artist, J. Liddon Pennock, Jr. Â Mr. Pennock grew up in Philadelphia, where his family had operated a florist shop for over 100 years. He attended Cornell University, but was called home to help save the family business in 1933. That business […]
Now is the time I have to steel myself against the autumn gardenerâs worst enemy: complacency. Weâre having lovely weather at the beginning of October, with clear blue skies, low humidity and days in the upper 70s or low 80s. Though most flowers except the toad lilies, the last anemones, turtlehead and a few unwary […]
Summerâs ending. Tomatoes are still on the vine, but they take longer to ripen now, as the days grow shorter. Iâve pinched off the blossoms so my plants can concentrate on ripening the fruits they already have and not setting new ones. Basil still puts on new leaves but not with the abundance of July […]
Americaâs first horticultural library, a major breakthrough in plant science, and the founding of an important American cultural institutionâall these and more occurred in the same spot, what was once a bucolic farm in North Philadelphia. The neighborhood has changed, but I was fortunate recently to participate in a day-long tour of Philadelphia sites that […]
When you grow your own fruit, vegetables and greenhouse crops you fully understand the time and effort that is invested into every mouthful. The Grow Your Own fanatic is not going to waste a morsel; every tomato, bean and cucumber will be devoured with relish, or simply pickled, jammed or chutneyed, or just eaten fresh […]
There are so many tasks for a gardener to be getting on with in the summer that it can be perfectly understandable if a couple of things are overlooked in favour of more exciting considerations – such as choosing which plants to maintain throughout the summer period. At this time of year, some of you […]
If you are looking for a plant that will offer great soil coverage for a relatively long period of time, then the forget-me-not could be a fantastic choice. Their binomial name is myosotis – and this comes from the Greek word for 'mouse's ear', so named after the shape and soft texture of the plant's leaves. […]
One of the biggest decisions a gardener has to make can often come before he or she has even started to do any work – what plants to grow. This goes double for those who are taking advantage of the controlled environment offered by a greenhouse, as this makes it possible to grow species that […]
I just got back from a week in southwestern Michigan, which is to Chicago what Cape Cod is to Boston. Sandy beaches with freshwater waves to splash in and spectacular sunsets are the main attractions, but they come with all the accessories of beach towns everywhere: ice cream stands, art galleries, antique shops. There are […]
Itâs not often I get to interview two expert gardeners while they are actually gardening. On this hot Oregon summer morning, I meet Marietta and Ernie OâByrne, developers of Winter Jewels⢠hellebores, at their wholesale Northwest Garden Nursery. Next yearâs hellebore crop is already sheltered in a row of greenhouses beside the garden where Marietta […]
Greenhouses have a great deal to offer gardeners. Because they are a controlled environment, they make it possible to grow a much wider range plants than would necessarily be supported by the immediate climate. As such, it is important to ensure you know exactly what you want to use the space for and maintain a good […]
