I like how these flowers fade. They add a little color as they head off into the sunset of their season. Helleborus niger. The Christmas Rose. By now, most of us have put away our Christmas and holiday decorations. I have, though I do still have poinsettias and amaryllis bulbs blooming here and there. My method for getting rid of the poinsettias is to just stop watering them. After a while, they drop enough leaves to remind me that I did indeed stop watering them. Then I feel justified … [Read more...] about I like how these flowers fade
books
Every Gardener Eventually…
Every gardener eventually... So many ways to finish that sentence. Every gardener eventually kills a plant or two or one hundred? True. Every gardener eventually has a few weeds they let grow a bit bigger than they should. Also true. Every gardener eventually has to... go to the bathroom. Also true. And according to my friend Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener, my books, including Seeded and Sodded: Thoughts from a Gardening Life, are perfect for taking with you into the … [Read more...] about Every Gardener Eventually…
Children’s Book Week April 29 – May 5 Book Giveaway!
This week is Children's Book Week, a time to celebrate children's books and reading for kids. Up at the North Pole, the Christmas Cottontail has just discovered that the book about his life won an award in the Woman's Press Club of Indiana 2019 Communications Contest. Let's look in the window of the potting shed as one of the underbunnies comes rushing in with the good news. ****** The Christmas Cottontail was sitting in his potting shed admiring all the pictures of spring gardens sent to … [Read more...] about Children’s Book Week April 29 – May 5 Book Giveaway!
An Exciting Day for the Christmas Cottontail
The Christmas Cottontail was taking it easy one fine spring day as he sat in his greenhouse waiting for the underbunnies and chipmunks to bring in reports of spring flowers. In many ways, this time of year, more than Christmas and the months leading up to it, was his favorite season. He didn't have nearly as much to do except review reports of spring flowers that grew from the seeds and bulbs he had planted on Christmas Eve. And there were many reports to review even though the spring … [Read more...] about An Exciting Day for the Christmas Cottontail
Gardeners are nice everywhere!
Check off Michigan as another state where the gardeners are just as nice as you could imagine! They join Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Iowa, and Florida on the list of states I've spoken in where the gardeners have been the nicest people. Ha. No, I will not rank those states in order from nicest to really nicest to the absolute nicest. I am no fool! So, back to Michigan. Every year, the staff of the Taylor Conservator and Botanical Garden host the Growing Great Gardens symposium which … [Read more...] about Gardeners are nice everywhere!
“Brrrr” and Books!
"Brrrr". The last few days have been the coldest-feeling days of winter, says me. And that's the end of what I care to say about this little cold weather snap with a coating of snow on top that we are having because this is a family-friendly, G-rated gardening blog. Yes, G-rated, even though I did teach everyone a special "gardeners-only" cuss word. This weather might call for the use of that particular word. It's madness, this weather. March mayhem. To add balance to the universe, I … [Read more...] about “Brrrr” and Books!
