As the winds blow and temperatures drop, it's a relief to know that all (or most) garden cleanup chores are done for the season. I never seem to get as much done as I'd like, but sometimes you must say, "This has to be enough." Safeguarding the boxwood hedges occupied most of my concerns this… Continue reading Fingers crossed…
Author: jstout2024
Preparing for winter…
If you have been following the blog for some time, it's no surprise that autumn is my favourite season... especially after the heat and drought of recent summers. These conditions have fueled forest fires and soon after the winds blew in smoke that lasted for days. And allergy season is coming to an end...what a… Continue reading Preparing for winter…
Another Summer comes to an end…
Most of you will agree this was a challenging summer for the garden... Fighting the weather, (drought, heat and wind) is not a battle we will ever win. Struggling after a most unusual winter, many trees and shrubs could not recover to their previous glory and in my case, many didn't make it.… Continue reading Another Summer comes to an end…
Perennials in containers…
This is not a novel idea for many of you, but it's a fairly new concept for me. It happened almost by accident last year when I bought a lot of perennials, and because I wasn't ready to plant them in the landscape, I added them to my containers. In the fall, I transplanted them… Continue reading Perennials in containers…
Keep Calm and Carry On…
Really! And to be honest, this is not my gardening mantra, BUT, I have no choice. Ideally, I love an instant, mature garden...a garden that magically looks like the image I have in my mind. That pristine image has been horribly altered by the unusual weather over the past winter, which wreaked havoc on the… Continue reading Keep Calm and Carry On…
Is it time for a rain dance…
As I was working in my garden over the weekend, the song "Rain Dance" (1971) by The Guess Who spun round and round in my head. I'm not even sure what the lyrics mean, but it has a catchy tune, and I was taking it literally, ready to do a rain dance to end the… Continue reading Is it time for a rain dance…
Curb Appeal…
I'm not sure I've ever considered my home's curb appeal. We are not planning on selling our home, and honestly, I haven't given much thought to seeing the house and garden through someone else's eyes. We live on a quiet street, so automobile traffic is limited to those who live nearby. However, there is plenty… Continue reading Curb Appeal…
Round one of Spring Cleanup…
The scariest part of Spring (for me) is removing the burlap on the boxwood hedges. Immediately, it's evident how the boxwood fared under the difficult winter conditions. This winter, in particular, was tough on shrubs, trees, and everything else. There was no snow on the ground to insulate the plants when the deep freeze struck,… Continue reading Round one of Spring Cleanup…
Dirt-y Wellness…
Was I surprised that "Wellness Gardens" is a Spring 2024 trend? No, not really. A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on how gardening can boost our health and longevity. What does surprise me is that so many people (including health experts) are just now realizing that gardening is a tonic for both body… Continue reading Dirt-y Wellness…
Follow Up to Preserving the Past…
Last week's post, Preserving the Past, was about gathering the photos I'd taken on my phone and creating photo books. The only book ready to order was for the "pop-up boutique" I operated during the pandemic. I received my book in the mail today, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out...especially… Continue reading Follow Up to Preserving the Past…