Many times I have wanted to be covered in the tiny feathers of a junco when caught in a rain shower. I watch the rain drops roll off the feathers as they happily spend their April days scavenging the last seeds from our perennial beds. Why is it that wetness annoys me so much? My rain
Gravitas: One of the Roman virtues, along with pietas, dignitas and virtus. It may be translated variously as weight, seriousness and dignity, also importance, and connotes a certain substance or depth of personality (Wikipedia). Spring is just down the street, bringing promises of ne
Happy New Year! January in the garden: what else could be wetter or colder? I suppose the Pacific Ocean or Hoodoo Ski area. We are blessed with relatively mild winter weather; it’s a great time to rake up storm debris, prune deciduous shrubs and trees, or even plant some new ones. Som
I’m watching Olympic cycling this morning, laptop clicking away with quick glances at the big screen trying to get a glimpse of Box hill Road. If you didn’t know, this month is talk like a Brit month at the garden center. We will be calling basil (known as “bay zell”) “bah zill”, coto
With the sun finally here, the days are longer, the plants grow bigger and the weeds grow faster. I’ve been taking some time off to be with our daughters who have moved beyond the skirts of home. We just got back from Idaho, amazed by the openness, the light, and the abundant fields o
After the monsoon rains of the past few months, I took a breather last week and took a walk through my garden in one of the moments of fleeting sunshine. As I walked around the yard, I discovered that there was no longer a garden or what could be defined as a garden. It was a mass of
In the midst of May’s flowers, hail storms, wind, and sun, garden life slowly awoke and decided to chance sending out new tender green shoots and leaves. It’s a late spring for many things; the alder trees didn’t leave out till the beginning of the month, along with the vine maples an
It’s coming, we see it, we feel it. The Arcadian rhythm of the seasons tells us that spring is almost here. Don’t be fooled by the hail and snow; the bursting buds on the magnolias and flowering cherries tell us that it will be gardening time soon. If you didn’t get a chance to see La