Hold on, eager gardener! Sure, days are shrinking, football season is under way, and the kids are all back in school, but let me remind you: Summer isn’t over just yet. I understand. I, too, have collards, fall foliage and sweaters on the brain. However, once Summer is gone, and with her, tomatoes, sunflowers, basil and straw hats, we’ll miss her. We always do.  So, this Labor Day throw yourself and Summer, the dynamic gardening duo, a farewell party to remember. After all, from the looks of your rose-thorn-scarred arms, poison-ivy rash and grubby fingernails, you deserve it!  Your tomato …

  Unless your head has been buried in the compost pile (I wouldn’t blame you; amazing things happen there), you know that this week marked the 100th anniversary of Julia Child’s birth.  Why should we celebrate her here, in a gardening column? Well, delve into the details of her life, the wisdom she exuded, and you’ll find a bona fide gardening guru wielding a rolling pin rather than a trowel. In fact, it seems her memoir, “My Life in France,” thick with personal perspective on self-acceptance, openness to new experiences and recipes for amusement, might be the only “gardening” book a gardener…

  Maybe her invite was lost in the mail. Or, perhaps, out of exhaustion, she’s entered semi-retirement. After all, being the premier symbol for all things remarkable, honorable and victorious must be taxing. And sitting atop thousands of sweaty athletes’ heads century after century is, surely, off-putting. Whatever the reason, the bay laurel has been sorely missed in this summer’s Olympic Games. Laurus nobilis, from the Celtic word, laur, meaning “green,” and the Latin word, nobilis, meaning, “notable,” is also known as sweet bay, Grecian laurel, Roman laurel, noble laurel or Apollo’s bay …

  At forty years of age, I’ve amassed relatively few skills. Nothing to write home about, I can dig a hole like nobody’s business, grow a salad or walk you through the foreign nature of a fancy-pants restaurant menu. And why my stellar organizational skills have not won some sort of prestigious award is beyond me. However, the skill I rely on most, thank my lucky stars for and can’t imagine life without, is my ability to cope.  No matter what curves life throws my way, be it fear, uncertainty, despair or boredom, I can comfortably cope. All I need is a little time to assess, reconsider …

  Sunflowers are the life of summer’s garden party. Watermelons and tomatoes can no-show, but if sunflowers fail to attend, the party might as well be cancelled.  Look at her! There’s not a crass cell in her body. Just being in her presence makes me want to be a better person. And she’s so undeniably cheerful, she sometimes makes the cynic in me skeptical. I mean, what’s she hiding under her ever-present gleeful expression and classic good-looks, anyway? Turns out, she’s not hiding anything. In fact, she’s been prancing around the world for centuries, freely offering to the masses her cure …

  Alright, so you’ve graced your garden with a Meyer lemon tree and a fig tree. What’s next in your home orchard?  Blueberries! (Jinx! You owe me a coke.) Clear some space, dear gardener, ‘cause you’re going to want more than two of these. And not only for its juicy jewels. This is an all star plant we’re talking about, here. To glaze over its other fine features would be a crime. Its punishment? A blueberry-less summer. *Gasp*  I mean, forget the berries for a minute. A difficult task considering its evidence is all over your fingers, lips and tongue. This plant’s spring foliage emerges the …

  What if I told you I knew of an incredible story containing equal parts ancient history, coevolution, botany, devotion, exotic travel, mystery, symbiotic relationships, manipulation, love and death? You’d put it at the top of your summer reading list, right? Well, I do. But you don’t need to rush off to your local library to grab a copy; just spend a bit of time under the shade of a fig tree. You’ll find the story, there, hanging from its branches. Have you ever smelled the alluring scent of a fig tree in bloom? Well, no. You haven’t. That’s because they’re located--hundreds of them--within…

Taking a stroll through my mother’s garden is like taking a stroll through her very soul: a colorful patchwork of love, shaped by dedication and good will. In fact, it seems a day hardly passes without smudges of dirt accompanying the smile on her face.  A nurturer by nature, she suits the garden well. And more often than not, she can be found there, tirelessly weaving her masterpiece with sweat on her brow and optimism in her heart.  My mother is a superb gardener, forever catering to her garden’s needs while simultaneously fulfilling her own. She supplies nutrient-rich soil and life-giving …

Very few things in the world of botany are as remarkably mind-blowing to me as seeds. In fact, if I thought I could get away with it, I’d change the name of this column to, “Seed Head,” and write about them for evermore. There’d be themed bumper stickers, of course, that read, “Heed the Seed,” and t-shirts that asked, “What would a seed do?” On pure aesthetics alone, they’re fascinating! Occurring in a huge array of shapes, sizes and textures, and in as many hues as a box of crayons, seeds deserve an art genera all their own.  But it’s the majesty that lies within that keeps me in a …

Hands down, the Meyer lemon is my favorite fruit. Ne’er has there been a fruit more versatile in its use, nor more darn cheery to look at. It’s sunshine on a branch! And its blooms? So pleasantly aromatic, you may faint. But you’ll be smiling all the way down.  Native to China, the Meyer lemon is thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, hence its round shape, deep-yellow color and sweeter juice. Too cold sensitive to be planted permanently in our (zone 8a) gardens, their dwarf growth habit means they’re perfectly suited for growing in outdoor containers, most months of the…

Happy Earth Day!   I know, I know; every day is Earth Day. That is true, but it’s nice to have a specific day to shine a spotlight on the important issues of environmental health. Every choice each of us makes in our daily lives either helps or hinders our planet’s wellbeing. And Earth Day is a perfect opportunity to consider how our own daily routines affect the environmental big picture.  As gardeners, it’s easy for us to forget how un-green our green-thumbed endeavors really are. From my perspective, the horticulture industry, as a whole, is wickedly degrading to the environment. And our …

  More than anything, gardening is a lesson in humility. For no matter who you are (or think you are) in the outside world, you’ll forever be an eager student in the garden. And, as Alfred Austin said, “Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder.” In fact, all gardens, like their gardeners, are forever a work-in-progress. It’s true, a garden is never as you imagine it in your head. Nor will it ever be. Hopefully, anyway. Because when your garden, in reality, fully catches up with the cleverness you’ve conjured up while …

  Whether you’re a Christian or not, Easter is a time to celebrate new life, creation, rebirth and the regenerative forces of nature. It’s the gardener’s New Year! In fact, Easter was named for the Saxon goddess known as, depending on the region, Eastre, Oestre or Ostara. She was the goddess of fertility, dawn and spring. I bet she had a killer garden! And guess what this fertility goddess’ sacred animal was? Yep, the rabbit.  The decorated egg--bless its little yolk--is synonymous with springtime and Easter in most cultures throughout history. Ancient Egyptians, Persians and Hindus believed …

  There’s hardly a bit of our lives that isn’t made more enjoyable by flowers. And the kitchen is no different. If you’re not using flowers in your kitchen, you should!  Why should you trust me to tell you which flowers in your garden are safe to consume? You shouldn’t. I’m just a little ol’ gardener with a hoe; a gardening hoe, if you will. But this gardening hoe spends a good bit of time talking with others, thumbing through books and perusing the web for credible, expert advice on the topic. However, be smart; conduct your own research as many flowers are toxic. Let's begin in the …

With gardening, patience is the name of the game. In fact, most of our gardening efforts are performed with nothing but a whiff of future gratification. The gardener, whether a novice or seasoned old-hand, is motivated by nothing more than a wish, a hope, or an idea. It’s really all one needs, for these are the seeds from which all rewarding gardens sprout. For me, that’s what has been gardening's greatest lesson; toil away now, for a future payoff. Like life, the best bits are not instant. They require ground-laying, time, care, and forethought. And if patience isn’t your best virtue, there’…

  I’ve found a new love. More than one, actually.  In 21st century fashion, it began with an alluring bit I came across in the Plant Classifieds: Prehistoric gymnosperm looking for longterm relationship. Colorful, strong, dependable and low maintenance. Content on my own, yet work well with others. Let’s make impressions together Yours spring, summer, fall and winter, Conifer. Sounds charming, but I have trust issues. You see, I’ve heard these seductive claims from plants before, only to be left with a hole in my heart, garden and wallet in less time than it takes to say “gullible.” This time…

  I feel a shift occurring. And I’m not referring to the early onslaught of spring. I mean a shift in me, as a gardener. Indeed, it’s a welcome feeling. You understand; you’re a gardener, a lover of nature. We fear the day when there are no more shifts, no more lessons, no more new experiences. For when that happens, our landscapes, and the time we spend in them, become sterile, and gardening becomes just another chore.  In years past, in order for a plant to garner my affections or secure a place in my small garden, it had to be a real performer. By that, I mean it needed to provide at least…

If you and I had a whole day, or even a week, to delve into the meaningfulness of George Washington Carver’s life, it wouldn’t be nearly enough time. In fact, his years were so jam-packed with stories of perseverance, determination, humility, innovation and inspiration, it seems it’d take 80 years, the approximate span of his life, to truly honor this man.  Our lives are hardly relatable to Carver’s, but as gardeners and nature lovers, we do share a common thread: a deep admiration for nature and a burning desire to unlock her secrets. Before his well-documented achievements in art, music, …

I’m not quite sure when or why it has happened, but a muddled dark cloud of confusion, anxiety and doubt has settled over the mere thought of rose pruning. Some gardeners, succumbing to this irrational fear, have even dismissed the idea of growing roses all together. What a shame, I say!  Relax, take a moment to collect yourself and repeat after me: It’s just a plant. Louder! It’s just a plant. Say it like you mean it! It’s just a plant. Now you’re making sense! Pruning roses is important. And lucky for you, simple. Annual pruning not only removes dead, diseased and dying canes, it provides …

Last night, there came a frost, which has done great damage to my garden...It is sad that Nature will play such tricks on us poor mortals, inviting us with sunny smiles to confide in her, and then, when we are entirely within her power, striking us to the heart. --Nathaniel Hawthorne, The American Notebooks Yep, Mother Nature sure threw us a curve ball last night. I think it’s her way of reminding us that although we often think we’re at the gardening helm, it’s she who commands this ship. We’re merely crew members, deck hands, the hired help, if you will. But we’ll adapt. We’re gardeners, …