joy in mudville: big frog in a small pond

Red Anthuriums, with their heart-shaped, bold red spathes and dark green foliage, are the epitome of tropical charm. However, coaxing these plants to grow larger and more vibrant isn’t always straightforward. This guide lifts the curtain on some of the lesser-known, specialist techniques used by master gardeners on How to Grow a Big Anthurium Plant!

Have you ever heard that planting a small garden is like writing a short story instead of a novel? Well, I hadn’t either—until Los Angeles designer Adam Sirak said it—and I think it’s brilliant. “Some people might think they can’t have an amazing garden or that it’s not worth the trouble because they don’t have a big space,” Sirak says. “But a small space only means you have to take all your ideas and distill them down to a concentrated big idea.” He adds that, as with a short story, there’s no room for filler, and each choice must be thought of in relationship to the whole. “In this way, a small space can be a very exciting puzzle to put together,” he says.  

‘Autumn Joy’ or ‘Herbstfreude’ sedum is a reliable and attractive perennial known for its ability to emerge in spring as if winter never happened, unscathed and still beloved by all. Its fleshy, green foliage fills in quickly and behaves well, rare

Gardening is one of the most popular pastimes; everyone knows we are supposed to enjoy our garden but do we enjoy gardening or at times does it just feel like hard work? Is it similar to the Joy of Sex or 50 Shades of grey-green?

You can’t throw lilies away if Lily is still wearing them (Lonnie Donegan)

It’s a glorious July Saturday. The sun is showering this corner of the world with warmth and optimism. The earth’s bounty and human toil, and some craic, surrounds us, and you can hear the stream nearby and the birds in the trees. There is abundance and productivity and nature and community and generosity.

Most items that are an integral part of our daily routine are made of plastics. Plastic is an incredibly versatile and durable material, which is why it is so popular today. Furniture, containers, appliances, packaging, and even synthetic clothing can lead to the release of tiny plastics called microplastics into our environment and water systems.

I found this little guy while walking through the woods, scoping out turkey hunting spots. This species spends most of the year high in the trees, so finding it down low is likely a sign that breeding season has begun.

YOU’D THINK HE WOULD HAVE NOTICED when he lumbered up and out of the little garden pond to his favorite perch, that he had an oak leaf stuck to his back, but no. This bullfrog spent the entire day Friday in undercover guise–as if his dull winter skin color wasn’t camouflage enough.

My original piece of Farfugium japonicum ‘Giganteum’ (then known as Ligularia tussilaginea ‘Gigantea’) came many years ago, from a friend at a New York City public garden. Summers, it was lusty and bold, growing mightily in a pot and showing off like crazy. But I could never make the plant completely happy in the offseason, or so I thought, and after torturing it in my house one winter and in my basement (trying to force dormancy) the next, I gave the exhausted creature to a friend with a greenhouse.I kept his likeness here with me, and I guess I pined for him: A mid-century tray I’d bought at at antiques store bore an image of Farfugium, though not to scale. The plant bears ultra-shiny leaves that get to about 15 inches across.When I saw its shining face not long ago in the Plant Delights catalog, which credited the same person I’d got

FROGBOY SENIOR LUMBERED UP OUT of the water two days ago, to catch some rays. “Ice?” he said, looking very much like a sea lion on a glacier.

THE FROGBOYS AND I wish you peace in the pond, baby, in 2009.Categoriesfrogboys woo woo