Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
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.
Sound Therapy
An August garden has a unique set of sounds that I look forward to every year. Although I love the quietude of a garden, August’s ensemble of nature’s sounds is a comforting reminder that flora … Read more.
Shady Summer Retreat
In May, we were fortunate to have horticultural interns join our crew to help us with all our spring and summer workload in the greenhouse and gardens. Betsy, Joe, and I mentor these interns thru … Read more.
The Value of a Garden
Lately I’ve been mulling over the importance of gardens and gardening. It will come as no surprise that they are valuable to me, being that I have chosen horticulture as my profession. But what is … Read more.
Old and New Favorites for the Summer Garden
In January, when planning our designs for the gardens on the cold winter’s days, Betsy, Joe and I look for interesting new plants that we feel visitors would appreciate. Our winter plant hunts in the … Read more.
Lotus Love
When August arrives we all take a moment to reflect on the gardens as the heat forces us to slow down a bit. I am so grateful for our tropical plant collection when the intense … Read more.
Plant patience
There are always a couple exceptional plants whose brilliance you wait for from the second they stop blooming the previous year. In the wintertime, it’s the mental images of these plants that keeps you going. … Read more.
Midsummer Magic
I have been overwhelmed with the gardens this week. “Overwhelmed” is a word often given a negative connotation in today’s language. The word originally comes from Middle English with the meaning “to turn upside down.” … Read more.
Observing Nature
Noticing the natural world is an everyday occurrence when you spend time outdoors. As gardeners, we see the strong connection between plants and animals, we happen upon curiosities and are simply awestruck by many new … Read more.