The musings and adventures of an enthusiastic gardener
Each year I like to try one or two (or ten) new varieties in my garden that I’ve never grown before. In doing so, I keep the garden new and exciting year to year and have the opportunity to learn about growing different plants. One of the latest additions to the garden this season was …
In June, you may remember that I attended a peony workshop at Bear Creek Farm in Upstate New York. Well, imagine my delight when I discovered they also offer a dahlia workshop! Since it was my first year growing dahlias, and I had already completely fallen in love with them, I decided attending the workshop …
The temperatures are dropping, the leaves are starting to change, and the growing season is slowing; it is officially Fall. It’s hard to believe that another month has passed; time does fly. September has been another busy month, both at home and in the garden. My Nikko Blue Hydrangeas Are Turning from Brilliant Blue to …
Continue reading "What’s Growing on in the Garden- September Edition"
Who doesn’t love flowers? Capable of eliciting various emotions, from smiles of joy to tears of appreciation, flowers brighten our lives. We are so enthralled with blooming plants that they have become entwined within our culture, present in our celebrations, rituals, and everyday lives. When given as gifts, they have become symbols that express our …
When a plant catches my fancy, and I decide to give it a grow, I’m all in. I dive in feet first and don’t look back. Sure, the smart thing to do would be to try growing one variety first and see how it goes, adding more types in subsequent seasons if all goes well. …
“Eww, gross! What is that thing?” I exclaim as I spot what appears to be a bizarre alien creature resting on a leaf in my garden. A strange mix of disgust and fascination well up inside me as I move in for a closer look. It’s big, green, and squishy, but other than that, I …
It’s hard to believe that another month has passed so quickly, but here I am writing the August edition of ‘What’s Growing on in the Garden.’ Just as in July, it has been a busy month, as chores such as weeding, watering, and harvesting continued to occupy most of my time. These peak summer months …
Continue reading "What’s Growing on in the Garden-August Edition"
In last week’s blog post, I discussed creating a pollinator playground garden by planting flowers that support pollinators. This week, I’d like to place a spotlight on one of my favorite plants from this garden, the zinnia. They come in a seemingly endless variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and have won my heart many …
If you have been following this blog and reading my posts, then you know that I am passionate about pollinators. Since learning how vital pollinators are to our planet, I have tried to be more conscientious in my actions to protect them. I started planting more natives in the garden and made plant purchase decisions …
This week, I had the opportunity to judge vegetable and herb entries at the Ulster County Fair. I was excited, as I have fond memories of attending the local fair through the 4-H program when I was a child. Back then (an undisclosed number of years ago), I would often enter several of my craft …
Continue reading "Judging Vegetables at the Ulster County Fair"
