Last fall we bought $80 in bulbs and planted them literally days before the first snowfall. I set some of the smaller bulbs aside to plant in pots, as I worried that they would be lost in a yard that is still so blank. Together, Davin and I planted the pots and placed them in …
This week has been a frenzy of cleaning, selecting plants and planting. As hard as I try, I’ve got perpetual dirt-under-the-nails. I should have thought to take a picture to show what I mean. I haven’t been up to much in the side/street garden (it really needs a name) so I’ll start there. Earlier in …
Guest post by “The Bulb Lady” Debbie Van Bourgondien Mention a grandmother’s garden, and a mental picture inevitably forms. Somehow bearded irises (Iris germanica) always seem to be part of that picture. Perfect flowers for cutting, as showy as orchids, they seem to fit into any kind of grandma’s garden, from the cottagey style that …
In this part of the world (southern Ontario) it isn’t uncommon for people to begin craving springtime as early as February. People reach out to brighter days and warmer weather anyway they can. One of the easiest ways to satisfy this need is to purchase forced bulb plants such as crocuses, tulips, narcissus and hyacinths. …
Guest post by Beate Schwirtlich More than any other, these tough and lovely plants signal the true ending of winter. They couldn’t be hardier, surviving frost and late snowfalls, unwiltingly waiting to open on a sunny day. But you’d never know it to look at their delicate blooms. These are no hothouse beauties. That’s why …