The musings and adventures of an enthusiastic gardener
It's almost May, one of the busiest times of the growing season for those gardeners in my neck of the woods. There are many items on the to-do list, from sowing seeds to caring for seedlings and harvesting early bloomers. Add to this the big job of garden cleanup from weeding, preparing the beds, scrubbing …
Continue reading "What’s Growing on in the Garden: April 2022"
Do you ever splurge, indulging in a luxury that you wouldn't usually buy? As a gardener, have you ever splurged on a plant? Has a specimen been so alluring that you couldn't leave it at the nursery? And have you ever wondered if money was no object, and you had the perfect growing conditions, what …
I can’t believe that it has been two years since I made the life-changing decision to start a little blog called Thistle Be the Day. It all began in April of 2020 when the world was on lockdown during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt the need to connect during those tumultuous early …
The April showers have arrived, and they are doing their best to bring the May flowers. Everywhere I walk outside, I notice that nature is waking up. Delicate buds about to break open and determined shoots pushing up from underground. Ahh, Spring, how I missed you. These signs tell me that it's time to dust …
It’s officially Spring! At least according to the calendar on our wall. So, I’m saying goodbye, winter, and hello garden season! It‘s finally time to get my hands back into the soil, and I couldn’t be happier. All that time spent planning, seed shopping, and dreaming of the garden over those long, cold winter days …
Continue reading "What’s Growing on in the Garden: March 2022"
In the winter, I love watching birds enjoying a snack at the bird feeders and playing in the heated birdbath. They are both entertaining and fascinating to watch. However, when springtime comes and the birdseed-loving bears are waking up from hibernation, I take down the feeders. Initially, I worried that I would no longer see …
Ahh, spring. A season where gardeners breathe a sigh of relief that winter is ending and a new growing season is beginning. We are rested, revived, and ready to get back among our plants. But, as spring weather can be fickle, I've learned to look to Mother Nature for signs that spring is most definitely …
I know that spring hasn't quite sprung, as there is still snow on the ground, and the temperatures remain below freezing, but is spring at least springing? Please say that it is. It seems that each year, about this time, I decide that I am done with winter. I am done throwing on ten layers …
Having lived in the Northeast for my entire life, I am used to the changing of the seasons. As we parade through each calendar year, I enjoy the subtle and not-so-subtle transitions in weather and nature. Growing up in Vermont, I had experienced record-setting snowstorms, often trudging through several feet of snow, negative temperatures for …
Over the past two weeks, we have been playing the favorites game. In part one, we focused on naming our top five favorite houseplants to grow, and in part two, we discussed favorite flowers. In this, the final week of our favorites game, we look towards edibles. As with the other two categories, choosing just …
THISTLE BE THE DAY 