Today I spotted this lovely Iris reticulata, which has always been a harbinger of spring, blooming in my garden. This is the fourth time I have noted this bloom on the blog, and not surprisingly given our strange weather, the earliest. Last year, I first saw Iris reticulata in bloom on April 4; in 2010, I saw it on March…
Read More
A few random notes on phenology from a spring garden. I left for a visit to the Chicago Flower and Garden Show on Friday and the front bed was devoid of greenery — just dirt and old leaves. Not surprisingly given our warm winter, I came home to lots of tulip shoots poking their noses above the soil. Since I…
Read More
A Gardener’s Reading, 29 of 30 By Alan L. Detrick (Timber Press, 2008) Back in 2007, I had a chance to take a day-long photography course with Alan L. Detrick as part of a Garden Writer’s Association event in Kansas City. Even though I was using a point-and-shoot camera (I’m embarrassed to admit that!), Alan was a true gentleman and…
Read More
When the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum announced it was sponsoring a contest to name 10 plants that changed Minnesota, my first thought was…Asian milfoil? Creeping Charlie? But enough of that late-winter negativity! The U is looking for plants that improved Minnesota’s landscape, and fortunately, there are plenty to consider. My garden is full of Minnesota hardy plants, many of…
Read More
A Gardener’s Reading, 28 of 30. By Beth O’Donnell Young (Timber Press, 2011) Beth O’Donnell Young A couple of years ago, I started to notice more and more gardens that seemed to be built around wildlife. Maybe this is a trend; maybe I just opened my eyes, but it seemed that more people were concerned with providing the water, food,…
Read More