Germinating Meconopsis
Growing this blue poppy is joy. True blue happiness. I was delighted when my first Meconopsis bloomed last May. The color is a shimmering radiant blue that reflects the heavenly color of the sky and sea. It’s such a contrast to all the others flowers around that one can’t help but fall in love with this flower. As soon as mine bloomed I was already … Continue reading Germinating Meconopsis
November Days
I’ve often wandered through gardens in November thinking, ugh, it’s all dying! There is nothing beautiful left as the cold and the rains disassemble the plants, breaking them down and washing away the vibrant color and energy of spring and summer. At first glance it seems to be true. What is special about November? A birthday, Thanksgiving, maybe the first snowfall? But on closer inspection … Continue reading November Days
Arbutus menziesii
Arbutus menziesii, or the Madrone tree, is a beautiful tree native to Western Washington. On a recent trip to Orcas Island I didn’t see any Orca whales but I kept spotting this amazing tree. The most striking feature is the cinnamon red peeling bark in contrast to the young chartreuse green bark. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, oval and leathery. The flowers are white, urn-shaped … Continue reading Arbutus menziesii
Summer Watering
Now that the hectic pace of spring has come and gone, it’s easy to think that all the hard work is over. The planting, fertilizing, trimming and clean-up are all complete, shouldn’t we just sit in our Adirondack chairs and gaze serenely at the garden? We can’t forget one of the most difficult tasks a gardener faces, summer watering. With our Northwest summer drought, plants … Continue reading Summer Watering
Ladybug Summer
Today I was so excited to find ladybug larvae on my roses. I was making the usual weekly rounds, dead-heading, checking things out, snipping out leaves with black spot and scouting for aphids. Normally when I find a cluster of aphids I strip them off the leaves with my fingers (yes, I wear gloves). Today as I was brushing them off I noticed a few … Continue reading Ladybug Summer
Rainyleaf 