In Minnesota, pansies are a desperate gardener’s gamble. By the time spring rolls around, most of us are so hungry for color we buy as many pansies as our gardens and wallets allow. We plant them out when the weather seems too cold and — at least in my experience — the plants sit there a good long time. Then…
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I was introduced to martagon lilies only in the past couple of years, but have really become a fan of these unusual lilies. It helps that they like dappled shade, of which I have an abundance, and that they are rock-solid hardy in Minnesota. It helps that bees and hummingbirds love them and frequent the blooms in my garden. It…
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While I’ve battled with a variety of four-legged marauders over the years, including voles, moles, pocket gophers, beavers and rabbits, I’ve always counted myself lucky that we did not have deer nearby. Until now. We live near drainage ponds near a natural area that leads (eventually) to the Carleton College Arboretum. In the 11 years we have been here, we’ve…
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On Saturday, I was fortunate to be invited to Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping in Northfield for a special visit of the Rochester-based Shades of Green Hosta Society. These dedicated hosta enthusiasts were on a bus tour that included a visit to Leif and Deb Knecht’s garden and a chance to meet Northfield resident Jerry Williams, the man who discovered and…
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I have always pronounced peony as Pee-a-nee. So I’m surprised at how many gardeners I know who say, Pee-O-Nay (accent on the nay) when they pronounce peony. And, even though my Iowa husband often accuses me of speaking with what he calls “the Roseville O” (for non-Minnesotans, it’s a long O that you’ve probably heard Garrison Keillor use when he…
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