Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Continuity meets transition
As the rains finally return to Rhode Island, and the sweatshirts and jeans are pulled from the back of the closet, I can’t help but get excited. Change is inevitable when gardening in New England, … Read more.
Fall Finale
It seems that we have been waiting all season for our dahlias in the North Garden to show themselves. They have peaked out here and there in August and September, but now that October is … Read more.
October Opportunities
It is a magical time in the gardens now, with the weather turning cooler and flowering annuals – cup-and-saucer vine (Cobaea scandens), black-eyed susan vine (Thunbergia alata ‘Yellow’) and white cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) – … Read more.
Monarch Update
About a month ago I wrote about how to make your garden more pollinator-friendly (you can find that here). We had just found approximately 15 monarch caterpillars on the swamp milkweed in the North Garden. … Read more.
Fall’s First
Summer has officially passed and October is just a few short days away. The aroma in the crisp breeze sparks fond memories of playing football with neighborhood friends and raking leaves for my grandmother. In … Read more.
Actions in the Garden
September brings an amazing liveliness throughout the gardens. Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and songbirds are in constant motion. This busy activity is mesmerizing as the gardens come to life with an energetic performance. All this merry … Read more.
September’s Seasonal Celebration
Sunny September days are my absolute favorite. Gail and I are constantly talking about how much we love this month. The gardens are glorious, the weather is very close to perfect, and we (try) to … Read more.
September Burns Brightly
Though summer is beginning to fade, the gardens are bigger and better than ever. The moderate September temperatures bring the best blooms into flower. It is still summer here and the flowers have not forgotten. … Read more.
Far From Finished
Well, here we are as summer rounds the final turn. Temperatures have let up, school is back in session, football season is here again. We can easily to jump into an autumn state of mind … Read more.
Pollinator-friendly
Every garden can be a pollinator garden. It does not need to look “messy” or wild or be composed completely of native plants. (I personally love a slightly wild look to a garden.) I want … Read more.