Establish A Community -- Part 2: Design Principles - The Site
For the past week my study of plant communities for shade gardens has led me into rereading Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s book Planting In A Post-Wild World. It’s an interesting read, a satisfying mix of philosophy and how-to advice for the novice as well as the professional who is looking for a way to …
Out the Kitchen Window
I regularly volunteer at our library’s used book sales. It’s fun sharing recommendations with fellow readers and I find that many readers tend to be gardeners as well. In my mind, that’s the perfect combination of characteristics! This past weekend I was chatting with a young couple who had just bought their very first …
Rethinking Lawns - Part 1: History of Lawns in the United States
My water bill came yesterday. I know that compared to some peoples’, mine isn’t enormous, but it still is taking a bite out of my summer budget. I’d much rather spend that money on some new patio furniture or specimen plants I’ve had my eyes on all season, but paying the bill has priority. I’m …
Why Just Landscape When You Can Rainscape?
It has been pouring here, off and on, for the last week. We seem to have a river running down the middle of the street and matching tributaries by each curb. I’m sure that the sewer system is struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Having seen the applicator trucks throughout the neighborhood the last …
The Best of the Best: Perennial Plants for Rain Gardens
For the last few weeks we have had almost nonstop grey, rainy days. It’s been unpleasant weather (although nothing to compare to what both coasts have experienced!), but it has also had its benefits. We definitely needed the moisture; much of the state has been just one small step away from drought conditions for a …
Digging into Dirt: Part 4, Nurturing the Soil
In 1937, after witnessing the havoc and economic desperation that the Dust Bowl had wreaked on our nation, Franklin D Roosevelt sent a letter to all of the governors of the United States, asking them to oversee the adoption of legislation that would create soil conservation districts. In his letter, Roosevelt wrote, “The nation that …
Digging into Dirt, Part 3: The Soil Water Connection
As strange as it may seem, I’d like to start the third blog in our soil series thinking about water. Soil is our economic base, but water is our lifeblood. And the reality is that soil and water are directly connected. The earth’s surface covers about 197 million square miles. (As a reference …
Digging into Dirt, Part 2: What Kind Is It?
If I were a soil scientist (and that does take a huge stretch of your imagination), I would be presenting you with a list showing the taxonomy of 12 different soils, all having totally unfamiliar and unpronounceable names. Each soil group would be determined by one or two major characteristics chosen for how the soil …
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