Time in the Low Country

The Low Country of South Carolina was naturally a place of coastal rivers, cypress swamps, and maritime forests. Historically, it included rice fields and indigo growing and plantations.A visit today to Magnolia Gardens and Middleton Place (part of a Garden Writers regional meeting) brought largely...

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A brazen woodchuck

If the squirrels eating the kale weren't enough, a woodchuck appeared in the back garden yesterday chewing on buckeye leaves. They're full of nasty compounds.  Amazing.At least the squirrels don't seem to like spinach, Japanese red mustard, or parsley (at least not yet).This is quite a sub-par...

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Moving forward

As we get ready to pass on an old house (built in 1929) and relatively new garden (we've been here 22 years) to the next owners, I'm happy and wistful.  We accepted an offer last weekend, so it's now "contract pending."My dad, not a sentimental sort, reminded me this morning via email of Robert...

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Sassafras and dogwood

The flower buds of sassafras and dogwood are visibly swelling.  Sassafras flowers, both male and female, should be open any day, with the return of warm weather.Today brought chilly and rainy weather as a cold front pushed against warmer air.Flowers on our rabbit-eye blueberries are ready to open,...

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Bloodroot in flower

Coming back to the Piedmont today, I was delighted to see bloodroot in full flower.  I've made so many posts about bloodroot -- it's a favorite early spring flower.  Here's a post from last year.We planted it in various places around the garden, starting with one plant. Ants have spread the...

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A chickadee's view of the garden, indeed

Doug Tallamy has been a passionate advocate for expanding our landscapes to support native insects, and therefore birds, etc.In this piece in the NYT, he made the case, again. Links to the article appear below.http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/opinion/in-your-garden-choose-plants-that-help-the-environment.htmlThis is good stuff.  We need to be good stewards of our gardens, adding back more native...

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Ready for a new gardener

I cleaned up the main vegetable garden in the Piedmont today.  I meant to get a photo this afternoon, but time got away, with pulls of other things.This is what it looked like getting ready a year or so ago.prepped for planting (main vegetable garden)It didn't need much prep, as I'd prepared and...

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