The musings and adventures of an enthusiastic grower
Growing up, I have fond memories of my mother's Lily-of-the-Valley. Whenever it was in bloom, she would pick a small bouquet for the house, and the kitchen filled with the flower's intoxicating scent. In my mind, those flowers and their fragrance will forever have a connection to my mother, and I will always think of …
According to a 2018 study funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, consumers in the United States waste nearly one pound of food per person per day! Globally, the numbers are staggering, with an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food, roughly 30% of global production, lost or wasted annually. Food waste accounts for 19% …
Creating a toad habitat in my garden has been on my "to-do" list for quite some time. I've had an affinity for these creatures ever since reading the Frog and Toad Collection of children's books by Arnold Lobel both as a kid and then again with my child. You can't help but fall in love …
It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, I'm not talking about the holidays, I'm talking about that other magical time of the year when the peonies start to bloom. I anxiously await this event each year, prepared to pull up a chair for the mesmerizing show. I eagerly watch for when they first …
I lay on the couch, unable to get up due to back pain, an unfortunate result of spending the previous afternoon bent over weeding in my garden. Muscles I didn't even know existed are aching, making it difficult to carry out the activities of my day. As I lay there in agony, a question comes …
The phrase 'Variety Is the Spice of Life' implies that interacting with all sorts of people and participating in different activities makes life more enjoyable. William Cowper coined this phrase in 1785 in his poem 'The Task.' He wrote, "Variety is the very spice of life that gives it all its flavor." I love his …
When I first started gardening, I quickly developed a voracious desire to learn everything I could about the subject. I poured over every magazine and garden book I could get my hands on, taking careful notes and making sketches, trying to absorb all of the information and then applying it in my gardens. Over the …
I was never much of a houseplant collector, as I didn't have an outstanding track record for keeping them alive. I much preferred caring for perennials outdoors in my flower beds, believing them to be much hardier for my style of gardening. I told myself to stay away from anything in a pot, to focus …
Who doesn't love going on a field trip, filled with opportunities to visit different places, learn something new, and have an adventure? I hope to share some of my field trip adventures with you, whether it be a visit to a park, a garden, a greenhouse, or a flower show or festival. However, with the …
If you could be any flower, which would you be and why? This was a question posed to us by the instructor of a gardening class I was attending, intending to help us get to know one another better. What a thought-provoking question! I could picture myself taking days, perhaps even weeks, to pour over …
THISTLE BE THE DAY 