Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Dahlia Dreams

October is secretly a beautiful month in the garden. The moderate daytime and nighttime temperatures make for an extended season of blooms. Dahlias especially appreciate this change of pace. They are no lovers of our … Read more.

Showers and flowers

April showers (and May showers and June showers) bring lots of flowers!  Yes, I know it’s been a chilly spring full of rainy days and nights, but all the rain is a blessing to our … Read more.

From planning to planting

I am so ready to see the sun!  After the drought last summer, I didn’t think I’d ever grow tired of rain again, but here I am.  It’s not so much that I don’t want … Read more.

Dreamy dahlias

Happy autumn!  The light shifts and the nights get cooler, but there is still so much color here in the gardens.  A lot of that color comes from dahlias and sages (Salvia spp.), which are … Read more.

Garden fireworks

Happy Fourth of July weekend!  It’s that time of the summer when we finally begin to take a step back from our full-speed-ahead mode of May and June.  Just when Gail, Sean (our intern this … Read more.

Ranunculus are here!

  Spring is definitely in full swing here and already hinting at summer!  It was so warm this week that the lovely spring blooms we’ve been anxiously awaiting buckled a bit with the first blast … Read more.

Springing into action

Despite the wretched weather this week, we ushered in May with a flurry of activity.  The volunteers helped us pot up 100 dahlias in preparation for planting out in the gardens next month.  They also … Read more.

The Charmingly Resilient Daffodil

  Snow.  Freezing temperatures.  Rain.  Wind.  I think it’s safe to say that the weather this week has dampened the spirit of gardeners and flower enthusiasts, but hopefully not for long.  Six inches of snow … Read more.

The light is changing, but the heat isn’t

Hello again gardeners and garden admirers!  It’s Betsy here.  Just wanted to reintroduce myself and say that it’s a pleasure to be updating you on the state of the gardens.     Labor day has … Read more.

North Garden inventory

I’m asked often enough to name my favorite plant and season that it’s a little strange that hardly anyone* ever asks which is my favorite garden. Not that I could possibly pick a favorite (the pollinator garden). But since I … Read more.