As I drive home each day and gaze upon landscape after landscape (including my own of course), I tend to wonder many things…
50 Shade Of Yellow - The Sequel
It should be no surprise that in the last few weeks of the year I would take one more opportunity to promote the allure and value of golden foliaged plants. As we move into the dark months of the year, these beacons of light become absolutely essential in keeping our interest in the garden. This hit home for me the other day as I…
50 Shades Of Brown
First off, my apologizes to writer E.L. James for riffing on his popular novel title “50 Shades of Grey”. I rather doubt that my comments here will ever make it to the big screen. Just the same, the month of December in my garden is a pretty steamy mix of tan, brown, or black (and all the shades in between) emanating from foliage, seed heads, and bark, and frankly, I find it pretty stimulating…
On Being "Thank-full"
Daylight Saving Time — Can we please just make up our minds?
It was 20 years ago in the spring that I wrote my first diatribe about the ill effects of daylight-saving time and how, while I love being on daylight-saving time, it is the change that gives me so much grief. The same can be said for the fall when we go back onto standard time. I don’t know how you feel about all of this, but I still feel the same as I did 20 years ago and for me the…
Leaves: To Leave Or Not To Leave, That Is The Question
Fatsia Japonica: a versatile evergreen shrub for the northwest
Don't Panic, Seasonal Needle Drop Is Normal
In my front yard is a mature White Pine that currently looks like it is about to die. The entire tree has a yellow cast to it caused by bundles of 2-year-old needles that have finished up their life cycle, have turned yellow, and are now dropping and blanketing my lawn. If this were a different plant I might be concerned, but…
The Magic Of Fall Colors
Albert Camus, the French philosopher that developed Absurdism once said: “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” While Albert didn’t attach any meaning to this annual event (since according to Albert everything is meaningless), at least he recognized that fall color is a pleasant experience that reminds us of…
October In The Garden - Time to tuck and roll
I am not sure what happened to “Fall”. It seems like in September we went from summer to winter in a matter of just a few days. The current cool and rainy days feel more like November than September and I can only wonder what the month of October will be like. I am hoping for a few more balmy, sunny days with some spectacular fall color. Whatever we get, it is important to…
For generations of gardeners, and certainly for me, Rhododendrons represent the arrival of spring in our local landscapes. Everywhere you drive this time of year there is a stunning Rhododendron in full bloom to catch your eye. These flowering beauties come in all sorts of…