The Serendipity of Spring Bulbs

  I never feel a perennial garden is complete without the addition of spring bulbs. The wonderful serendipitous quality of bulbs make the early spring garden truly come alive — a vivid reminder that we can bid adieu to the long cold and grey of winter. Whether you are just a beginner or a more

Hydrangeas — The Flower of Tranformations

In most parts of New England, this has been a glorious year for hydrangea shrubs and it’s about time! The past two years has been inhospitable to these shrubs with excessively cold temperatures for long periods causing the tender buds to be killed. In the very early spring of 2016, it looked promising but unfortunately

Artist in the Garden: Maggie Dean

“Another lovely day in your garden. Thank you so much for the inspiration. I am attaching the photo my student took of me painting yesterday afternoon, along with several paintings started there. Many thanks for your open invitation.” — Maggie Dean, Painter

Make It Tulips!

Tulips are truly a breath of fresh air — like taking in the fragrance of sheets off the clothesline. For early spring color and sheer garden abundance, nothing beats a bed of willowy tulips in full bloom. A undulating sea of tulips will certainly lift your spirits after any lingering grey of winter. Generally, tulip

Readying Roses for Spring

April is a great time to prune roses. Start by removing the dead and diseased canes. Since this was a severe winter, there may be a lot of winter damage on roses. All the more reason to prune out the dead stems to stimulate strong growth. Cut rose bushes down about 50% — this will

Getting Ready for Spring!

When the first warm days of this long awaited spring arrive, it will be pure joy to go outside and work in our gardens! With the continuous snow melt and warmer temperatures it will be important to check the status of your plants — gradually uncover the winter debris to reveal emerging growth. The abundant mounds of

Sure Signs of Spring

Savor the shadows of spring. Welcome her first blooms (tommy crocus). See sunshine in everything (yellow amur adonis). These sure signs of spring mean it’s time to start thinking about your gardens. Spring maintenance plans, enhanced gardening beds, new flowers and shrubs, adding pathways and patios. It’s time to imagine the possibilities!

Planting an Interior Spring Garden to Feed My Soul

It might take a little more time before our abundant snows melt and we see spring bulbs, so I decided to plant an interior spring garden as a reminder that spring can bloom inside no matter what the weather is outside. Since all my nice large containers are buried in snow right now, I needed