Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Maple candy
One day last week it seemed as if the switch that turns on the Japanese maples was flipped. We all noticed it. And I think we all tried to burn their color on our retinas … Read more.
Slow Flowers with Debra Prinzing
You’ve probably heard of the Slow Food movement. I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been making a conscious shift away from processed (fast) food to local, seasonable, sustainable whole-food sources. We’re eager to … Read more.
Day of the dormant
This has maybe been the prettiest fall week ever and we have spent it celebrating the gardens’ downward spiral into dormancy — as well as its eventual rebirth. You know we have a schedule to keep before allowing … Read more.
Not goodbye
I’d prefer to think that the season is in transition rather than ending but when we start throwing some of summer’s best blooms into the bed of Blithewold’s truck, it definitely feels more like a … Read more.
A rabbit’s eye view with Noel Kingsbury
We are so lucky that yesterday’s rain held off just long enough to take a ground-level tour of Blithewold’s gardens with British garden designer/plantsman/author, Noel Kingsbury. He showed us, plant by plant, exactly what to look … Read more.
Moving into fall
It was chilly this morning. No frost yet (perish the thought — our average first frost date falls in early November) but night temperatures in the forties are definitely giving us a taste of what’s … Read more.
Fall idyll
Back when I first started here at Blithewold I remember Gail saying that fall was her favorite season. As a perennial lover of spring I thought that was a little strange and it made me … Read more.
Slow flowers at Robin Hollow Farm
I often tell people that we’re too busy in the gardens to get out much. That might sound like a complaint but it’s not. For one thing, I hate to miss anything here, and when … Read more.
What to do with asparagus foliage
I haven’t spent a lot of time in the vegetable garden this summer — Dan has been right on top of the planting, the weeds, and the harvests — but this week I found myself … Read more.
Constructive criticism
Our to-do list in September is blissfully short. The gardens are as lush as can be and just need to be coaxed along until frost or until we’re ready to start moving plants around (musical … Read more.