Most gardeners are familiar with florist Cyclamen. They are popular during the cooler times of the year and are usually sold as a table decoration to be enjoyed indoors for a few weeks and then discarded…. However, there is a hardy relative to the florist Cyclamen that is perfect for our climate and every gardener should make some space for a small drift of them…
Fall Is For Planting, Don't Let The Weather Spoil It
I would never have dreamt that I would be talking about such a “dry” subject (pun intended of course) as watering in the middle of October, but here we are, dealing with one of the longest stretches of no rain that I can remember in the 30 plus years that I have lived in the Pacific Northwest. Not only is it dry, but it is also…
Out With The Geraniums, In With The Pansies
Rhizomes, Tubers and Corms, Oh My! (Just call them bulbs and enjoy!)
It's Dry Out There, Water Your Yard... Please!
I will be the first to admit that this extended warm and dry period (100 days with only one-half inch of rain) brings with it mixed blessings. On the one hand, all this sunshine keeps things growing and puts me in the mood to spend time in my garden where my perennials are in their full glory and the yard continues to be full of…
Planting Containers In The 'Shoulder Season'
Something Coming And Something Going
It's Lawn Restoration Month
First off, let me just say that lawns, in and of themselves, are not the Evil Empire that some people would like us to believe. If cared for in an environmentally responsible manner, they are actually a benefit in that they act as a bio-filter, can minimize erosion, and will reduce the temperature around our houses…
Fall - The Second Planting Season
A Few Tips To Get The Most Out Of Late Summer
As we wrap up the end of August, we should for the most part be able to simply sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Yes, there are still beans to pick, cucumbers to pickle, zucchini to put on the neighbor’s front porch when they are at work, flowers to harvest for dining room bouquets, and of course watering. But certainly, there is not the intensity of gardening chores that we face in the spring of the year…
It goes without saying that Japanese maples, in all of their varied shapes, sizes and foliage options, represent some of my favorite botanical treasures. My landscape remains dotted with a number of them that I planted when I first moved in, but over the years I have…