Frost

Over the summer, friend and photographer Ellen Hodges has captured all sorts of wonderful moments--from insects and birds to buds and flowers--in Wildwood, my garden. Although frost and a few evenings of below-freezing temperatures this month have finished off the last of the fall flowers, there's still beauty to be found in the lingering colors and textures, especially when dusted with early morning frost.  There's still time to get out in your garden or in a public garden to enjoy the show. 

Photos (c) Ellen Hodges 

Word-free Wednesday

Celebrating the Solstice

My garden is part coloring book, part laboratory.  There are the plants and ever-changing color combinations to muddle with. And, there are the experimental plants that are magnets for butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds. The garden is part art, part science.

Cedar waxwings, robins and the occasional chipmunk have pilfered the serviceberry fruits this week. The black swallowtail caterpillars are chomping the common rue. And the hummingbirds have discovered the lantana.  And today is the last day of spring.  Plenty of time to explore more plants combinations, and visit one of many gardens that will be on walks this weekend and through July.  For a list of Garden Conservancy walks near you, check out www.gardenconservancy.org

Part Coloring Book

Part Science:  These Cotinus (smokebushes) have been hit hard by Verticillium wilt. 

The Unfurling of Spring

Magnolia stellata has suddenly sent forth its pink buds, which are slowly twirling themselves open. The bluebirds are building a nest in the big perennial border and a towhee has reappeared.  Other spring migrants--many warblers--are making their way through the woods and our garden.  It's finally arrived...

What's Wrong with this Picture?

That's right...nothing!  I went to a local garden center to buy some seed packets. Castor beans, kohlrabi, sunflowers and nasturtiums.  A great selection of seed suppliers from around the country. And then I discovered their .10 seed packets from 2012.  The germination might not be 100% but that's ok.  749 seed packets later...look out 2013 garden...you're gonna ROCK!

Planning this Year's Garden

Planning the Garden from the January 1906 issue of Garden Magazine

This time last year it was 80 degrees. Way too warm for an early March day in northeastern Illinois. Now we're back to almost a real winter--24 degrees and big gusty winds. And that sends me back to the seed catalogs.  So many things to order that I can't find in the garden centers just yet.

A seed blocker so I can make my own cubes of soil (and thus skip the pots). And some Painted Lady runner beans. And some new zinnias for the butterflies.  And chardonnay.  For when everything is blooming in June.

It's the Chicago Flower & Garden Show this week.  The Art of Gardening.  Looking forward to it as the last bit of snow melts off the vegetable garden.

Winter. Birds. Robins to be specific.

A fork in the road.  A pair of robins have been in our garden since Monday.  A few more weeks and the red-winged blackbirds will be back by mid-February.

Thoughts on a Winter Day

"Memory is the power to gather roses in winter."  -- Unknown