Once upon a time when our area was under waterthere were no parks or trails or trees or gardens.I’m thankful that our mountains rose from an ancient oceanso we could enjoy this beautiful place we call home. I’m thankful for the Big-Leaf maplesthat shower me with leaves as big as saucersas I walk in Henry … Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving from The Mountain Gardener
Not long ago I got a call from a home owner with a very bare, vary steep slope behind his house that was in dire need of some kind of erosion control and he needed it pronto. In the rebuild process after the fire the new building pad was created by cutting into an existing … Continue reading Controlling Erosion the Right Way
The calendar says summer starts next Wednesday June 21st at 7:57am. To say it’s been a strange year weather-wise would be an understatement. I, for one, put away the flannel sheets and sweaters a little too soon. But one of these days or weeks our beautiful summer weather will arrive and along with it other … Continue reading Anxiously Awaiting Summer
Nature is amazing. No matter how heavy the rain or gusty the wind, flowering trees & shrubs haven’t missed putting on their much awaited spring show. The nectar these flowers provide for bees and other insects is indispensable for nesting birds and the human spirit. This world would be a dull place without them. The … Continue reading Blooming Plants in a Tough Spring
The daffodils are blooming. Will spring be early this year? When will I no longer need to worry about the danger of frost? How much is climate change affecting our natural world? We can all remember years when there is little rain in January and February and it feels like the Bahamas around here. Then … Continue reading Phenology in the Garden
Hopefully these cold mornings will be a thing of the past by the time you read this. My plants were much happier right after the rainsI when nights were mild. ’m waiting patiently for the buds on my pink flowering currant to start showing color. I saw some recently in Felton that were already opening. … Continue reading The February Garden