Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Making arrangements

I don’t think I have been nearly noisy enough about the cutting garden this year. It is so knock-your-socks-off bloomerific. I’m also not sure I’ve mentioned just how fun it is to pick flowers from … Read more.

Equanimity

It feels like the pendulum has paused exactly mid-swing, balanced between seasons, temperature extremes, and in the high blue sky between dewy mornings and golden afternoons. Right here, right now, everything, except maybe my raging … Read more.

Where are all the butterflies?

The airspace over and through the gardens should be all aflutter right now. The garden is alive to be sure — it buzzes and hums; it zings and whooshes and pips (we still have hummingbirds), … Read more.

Kaleidoscope

I am always reluctant to say goodbye to summer but this morning, as I type with cold hands for the first time in months, I have to acknowledge a shift. The capricious weather has been … Read more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARJORIE LYON!!

September was traditionally a month of celebrations for Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon, beginning with Labor Day when Blithewold was the gorgeous setting for Marjorie’s annual Labor Day Party.  The party gathered its own reputation and … Read more.

Distractions

It seems to me that this has been the busiest week all summer. There’s so much going on in the garden! But I have to admit that very little of the work is being done … Read more.

The best news

As much as I love getting away for a summer vacation, coming back to work is not so bad when it looks like this. While I was gone the gardens grew even more beautiful. So … Read more.

How to slow summer down

I wish I knew that trick because once again summer seems to be flying by — despite long days in May and June spent planting; despite what felt like an interminable heatwave in July. But … Read more.

Slow gardening

This week has to have been the prettiest week of the summer so far. The sky is clear as a bell, a slightly lower humidity level has made it easier for internal thermostats to function … Read more.

Missed stakes

By now we have a pretty good idea of what plants in the garden are going to fall over by mid-summer and we usually plan way ahead to prevent floppage. We have whole sets of … Read more.