Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Temporary solutions

The guys wasted no time finding a replacement fountain vase among old Christmas decorations in the barn. Although it’s a perfect fit and we’re all impressed with their quick thinking and ingenuity, it’s not perfect … Read more.

All Points Bulletin!

We noticed yesterday that one of our favorite fountain features was stolen and we are all sick about it. The copper Art Nouveau urn with a lotus motif was purchased for the original North Garden … Read more.

Totally tuliped out

I think we outdid ourselves with tulips this year – we planted 300 (Angelique and Cool Crystal) in and around the Rose Garden and 600 (Cistula, Blushing Beauty, Black Hero and Creme Upstar) in the … Read more.

Longshots

You all know by now that I love taking plant portraits. I especially like the up-the-skirt close-ups, the Georgia O’Keefe abstracts and the soft focus glamour shots. The wide angle shots are harder to compose … Read more.

Middle of May day

I can hardly believe it’s mid May already and time once again for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Check out the gajillion comments on her bloom day post to … Read more.

Minutiae

It’s all about the little things again. Yesterday Gail spotted an adorable flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting on inchworms and pooping on me (nailed twice, lucky me!) and today Gioia spied the Oriole sweetly serenading … Read more.

Outside in

This time of year I absolutely live for the softly warm spring days that get me out in the garden. But after a few days of that I’m always ready for the rain days that … Read more.

Phenology is cool

If you learn how to read the looks of things in nature you can figure out just when it’s the right time to do just about anything in the garden. — You can be your … Read more.

I challenge you

Yesterday, the Rockettes and I were walking back to the greenhouse from planting teeny poppies and blue woodruff in the Rock Garden and I finally saw a tree that my eyes must have bounced off … Read more.

The touch

Gail has been focused – I’d say “fixated” if that didn’t have a wrong sounding tone – on getting the seedlings transplanted by May 1. So yesterday I worked on basils and Nicotianas and thought … Read more.