I read an essay titled "Talking About Bicycles" in a book of essays, Present Concerns: Journalistic Essays, by C. S. Lewis, and my thoughts turned to gardening. As they do. "I think there are these four ages about nearly everything. Let's give them names. They are the Unenchanted Age, the Enchanted Age, the Disenchanted Age, and the Re-enchanted Age. " We enchanted gardeners find it hard to believe, but there are people who are unenchanted with gardening. They can take it or leave it. … [Read more...] about Talking About Gardening: The Enchantment Ages
gardening
I’m so February…
For the first time in quite some time, we had enough snow and cold that I paid someone to shovel out my driveway. Normally I clear it off myself but we had at least eight inches of snow the other day, if not more. That alone was a lot to shovel, but what made the decision to hire out the work easier was the two foot mountain of snow at the end of the drive left by the snow plow which came through twice. And it has been well below freezing all week. I found the guys who did the job when I … [Read more...] about I’m so February…
EIP… Just as Important as NPK?
One of the first lessons gardeners learn about plants is they need NPK—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—to grow into healthy, strong plants. But just as important might be the EIP that gardeners bring to the garden. EIP? Yes, EIP—Enthusiasm, Imagination, and Perseverance. Allow me to explain. A gardener needs to bring their enthusiasm to gardening. No half-hearted attempts allowed. Bring it all. Your energy, your cheerful attitude, your belief that your garden will be an overwhelming … [Read more...] about EIP… Just as Important as NPK?
Summer Collapsed
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” - Oscar WildeI notice as I walk around the neighborhood these days that some trees are already shedding their leaves—river birches and ash trees primarily. (Yes, there are a few ash trees still growing in my neighborhood, protected from the Emerald Ash Borers by their owners' judicious use of systemic insecticide treatments.)Is there anything better than shuffling through fallen leaves? I love the sound of them crunching under my shoes.The pine … [Read more...] about Summer Collapsed
I must not allow
I must not allow this redbud tree seedling to continue to grow and take over this flower bed. I will cut it out today.I promise.Ugh. Such an ugly picture. I am only showing it here to illustrate how if you do not attend to your flower beds by removing tree seedlings, you'll soon see small trees everywhere.I do realize that some gardeners like to keep the tree seedlings that randomly show up in their gardens. Goodness gracious. If I kept every tree seedling that rooted … [Read more...] about I must not allow
My Next Quest
Now that I've don't have bags of mulch nagging me from the patio, I feel a bit at loose ends, deciding what my next gardening adventure is going to be.I have many options—quests—that I can undertake. I could go buy those additional bags of mulch I need. It would be a good test of my intentions to not let those bags languish, age properly, before spreading the mulch.I could move around a few plants that I think are simply in the wrong place. But I think it is a bit early for that. After … [Read more...] about My Next Quest
