In a Vase on Monday: Blowing Its Own Trumpet

AS SHE OFTEN DOES, naturalist and nature writer Nancy Lawson—perhaps known better to some of you as the Humane Gardener after the title of her first book—caught my attention the other day.

Iris can be seen growing in early spring and throughout the summer months. Its appearance can be very different from one another with various heights, characteristics, and blossom/leaf color.

Little is more discouraging than discovering healthy and recently-planted spring borders and developing vegetable crops damaged or eaten by rabbits; it’s enough to bring the Elmer Fudd out in the mildest of gardeners. Annoyingly rabbits are most active feeders early in morning and at dusk, and so often hard to spot; they also seem attracted to newly-planted areas. But by employing a range of tactics it is possible to reduce problems. 

With bold floral prints and themes coming back for 2024, now is the perfect time to add the most striking kind of decor to your space: a living plant wall.

In his classic book Mormon Country, author Wallace Stegner noted that nineteenth century Mormons planted rows of Lombardy poplar trees wherever they established settlements in the territory that is now Utah. The trees served as windbreaks and boundary markers, but they were also the flags that marked the advance of Mormon civilization in a hostile territory. In my hometown and lots of other towns all over the United States elm trees served a similar function, marking the spread of middle class residential neighborhoods during the end of the nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth centuries. In the 1960’s almost all of those tall elegant trees fell prey to Dutch Elm Disease, making each municipality a little poorer.

How to Grow and Care for Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii

Asian fruits bring a tasty adventure to your palate! From sweet bananas packed with vitamins to figs' earthy aroma, each fruit has unique flavors and health benefits. Try juicy lychee, creamy jackfruit, or sour starfruit. Dive into the crunchy snake fruit, sweet mangosteen, or the delightful Asian pear. Don't forget the king of fruits – the mango, known for its unbeatable taste and fragrance. Enjoy these delicious treats from Southeast Asia!

I am not quite sure where the thoughts of the Orient came from, although the witch hazel at least has oriental ancestry – it may simply be that the yellow, cream and yellow-green contents brought this little perfume bottle to mind, thus bringing thoughts of the Orient to me even if no-one else…

There are exceptions, as may well be imagined, among the wonderful variety that is found in roses at the present day. The first exception is found in those varieties that make vigorous growth even when hard pruned; this would seem to indicate that the orthodox method is not for them. Neither, in fact, is it suitable.

Gardening for a Holistic and Sustainable Lifestyle: Combining Insights from GardenAdvice’s Latest Initiative on growing your own fruit and vegetables based on the meals you love to eat.

Today was a day off! I know it sounds odd, but I tend to have the third Monday of the week off at the moment (I’m sure that’ll change soon), so as the weather was fabulous again I went back out into the garden to finish off those things I couldn’t get done yesterday.

At this time of year a couple of my client’s only need me for a half day tidying their garden, where as most still need me to be in their garden for a whole day. When I get half days I take the opportunity to get bits done in my garden and this afternoon was no exception.