Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Potting bench perfection

Over at Gardening Gone Wild, Debra Lee Baldwin (author of a couple of beautiful books on succulents) showed off a few examples of “potting area perfection”, including her own, and it got me thinking about … Read more.

The urge to keep growing

Despite increasingly frosty temperatures some plants in the garden seem unable to resist the urge to keep growing and are lending a whole new meaning to the idea of “evergreen”. Usually by now have extolled … Read more.

Bringing outside back inside

While the weather is still so mild and the nights still so warm, it feels decidedly premature to bring plants back into the greenhouse. I’d much rather keep enjoying all the color out in the … Read more.

Mixed feelings about mixed containers

On the one hand, I can hardly help but want to group plants together and if there’s a pot big enough for everyone, I’m all for it. And there are places in our gardens that … Read more.

Inside work

We really needed the rain. Not only were the gardens dry – which is hard to believe since it’s been so not-sunny lately – but rain also gives us a chance to get to things … Read more.

Full swing into spring

Blithewold is chock-a-block full of spring and it just keeps getting better – and by better, I mean springier by the minute. And because the weather is forecast to stay on the cool side, the … Read more.

Greenhouse sweethearts

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Another winter milestone

Punxatawney Phil didn’t see his shadow the other day and we all know that means spring is right around the corner. (Wahoo!) Gail and I are definitely feeling winter suddenly pick up speed and are … Read more.

Dark days are brightening!

– Or they would be if it ever stopped snowing and the sun came out. Truth be told, the sun was out yesterday and the vents in the propagation house opened for the first time … Read more.

Gratuitous color for a black & white day

As much as I love and appreciate the meditative quiet of a good snow fall, we’ve had a lot of opportunity to meditate lately and I’m starting to feel a little restless. In order to … Read more.