Much of gardening is about improving the presentation. We remove some plants while adding others. We amend the soil and mix in a heaping dose of pruning and trimming. And all the parts of our labor combine to give us the confident feeling that the end is an improvement over the beginning. Garden satisfaction comes […]
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Author: John
To Cut Or Not To Cut
The large maple tree which has adorned our front yard for the past thirty-three years is no more. After much discussion and with heavy hearts we called in the tree crew to remove it. That tree was gone in minutes as a chain saw ripped through the trunk so that a crane could lift the […]
Flourish or Fizzle?
As the remaining bed locations are finalized and the connecting paths take shape I can shift focus to the plant content at Paths of Hope. A new development has triggered the need for negotiations in choosing the jewels that will adorn our landscape, though. Shawn is becoming quite possessive of “her gardens.” She has opinions […]
Moving the No Dig Garden
Recently I shared our design for a No Dig Garden using a cedar raised bed outer shell with ten one cubic foot growing sections inside. The sections can be removed for planting or maintenance, and the entire garden is easily transported to a new location should such a move become necessary. Well, now that Shawn […]
Coleuses from Cuttings
Most of the gardeners I’ve met are people of vision and faith, people with a future-facing disposition. Certainly setbacks and adversities are encountered in the garden, but gardeners learn, adjust, and hope for a better outcome in the next go around. No wonder I like being around such optimists who lower my blood pressure, reduce […]
Grow Your Own
Japanese maples bring an elegance and beauty to the garden. My late brother, Jeff, and now my son-in-law, Daniel, have influenced my feelings toward these trees. The foliage is beautiful, and the growth is easily controlled for most varieties. Some trees sport bark in vibrant colors while others grow limbs in patterns that force the […]