Mar
25
the quiet appeal of columnar apples
There is something very satisfying about a fruit tree that feels more companionable than a chore.
3 min read
Garden Notes
Observations and reflections from a Pacific Northwest garden.
Mar
14
from sungold to purple: this year’s tomato patch
I am not usually looking for one perfect tomato when I plan the tomato patch. One year, I even chose varieties to echo the colors of the companion plants growing nearby. This time around, the patch is shaped by contrast...
3 min read
Mar
07
all the gardens in my memory
Gardens have a way of lingering in memory long after we’ve left them. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to tend a few different gardens, and each one has left its mark.
3 min read
Jun
05
egyptian walking onion: it's not like the others
For those who cultivate the Egyptian walking onion, it is not only a plant of culinary and ornamental significance but also a testament to the wonders of nature.
3 min read
Jun
01
a garden's bubblegum days
...the dwarf kale for salad and cooking, and the thousandhead kale and its gorgeous green leaves were reminders that winter is just a halfway place to pause and rest until the growing season is here again.
1 min read
Mar
20
a prayer in spring
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day; And give us not to think so far away as the uncertain harvest;
1 min read
Feb
27
winter sowing: hope in a jug
As you may already know, winter sowing involves starting seeds outdoors during the winter months. The intent is to take advantage of the natural cycles of freezing and thawing that occur during the winter months to stratify the seeds ...
4 min read
Feb
21
a hopeful journey from roots to fruits, earth to skies
It is likely that we won't see these trees fruit for 3-4 years; there's no hurrying trees, after all. They take their time to root, to grow, to flower, and to fruit.
2 min read
Feb
04
gardening in the dead of winter
It is always exciting to plan the garden at this time of year, to imagine all the possibilities, and to see the dream flower in summer.
2 min read
Jan
27
a bitter wind roaring under old january's bareness
But the wind, oh the wind ... the kittens and I could hear it rumbled on bitterly, wailing and complaining lustily, and we all were too jumpy to get any sleep.
1 min read