Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Shedding the springter blues

Just as spring was beginning to assert itself — Iris reticulata opened the other day, the daffodils are up and some are budded, Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) buds have cracked open — winter hurled another … Read more.

March ado

I’m not even going to bother go in search for spring outside today because it looks and feels too much like winter again. Blustery. Bitter cold. Snowy, even (though nothing compared to other parts of … Read more.

Bring on spring

We’ve made room in the propagating house for trays of seedlings. We’ve ordered new tools and can’t wait to use them. We’re ready. Raring to go. Fingers tapping. Meanwhile, there’s nothing better than a bucket … Read more.

Valentine’s Day roundup

I don’t know about you but another dumping of winter white that turned almost immediately to slushy gray has my eyes crying out for spring. As luck would have it (and by luck I mean … Read more.

Wake-up call

I heard a collective groan go out as the groundhog’s prediction was announced and I joined right in. We have certainly endured more unpleasantly frigid weather this winter than seems tolerable or normal. But I … Read more.

Tallying up

Gail and I have spent the last couple of weeks going through catalogs, engaging in deep discussions about next year’s dream gardens and making endless wishlists. Now it’s time to tally up. We are allotted … Read more.

Warm wishes…

…on a rather raw and gray day before… May your Christmas be extra cozy, merry and bright!

Ahead of schedule

I don’t want to crow in case any of you are feeling swamped – either by the end of the garden’s season or in anticipation of the holidays – but as Gail would say, “we’re … Read more.

Keepers

Temperatures dipped into the 30s last night but if only it would frost we’d feel justified in having taken the gardens apart this week. The Rose Garden might have the hardest to let go of, … Read more.

Grand finale

This weekend is the gardens’ final huzzah and I can hardly believe it. The season went by so quickly and it’s quite possible that the gardens have never been prettier than they are right this … Read more.