Maine Travelogue

Maine Travelogue

July 30, 2019

Our summer vacation this year began in Somerville MA, a comfortable driving pause enroute to Newburyport and Maine. The bonus was lunch with my son and his fiancée. Caught up in a whirlwind of late fall wedding plans as they are, we figured the best way to get their attention was over a meal.  It worked really well! After lunch, we drove to Newburyport for an overnight at a bed and breakfast called the Essex Street Inn, close to downtown. Great location. Lovely people. The following day we drove to Harrison ME to catch up with old friends. Harrison is
Read More

Teak, Citrus and Tung Oil

Teak, Citrus and Tung Oil

July 20, 2019

Wood finishing ingredients with a seductive ring to them. For some foolish reason in updating our house, we surrounded ourselves with outdoor materials that demand protection from the elements. Mahogany decks and bamboo fencing require sun/mold protection almost every year. A wooden statue and Asian door made for tropical weather were not created for Zone 5- Connecticut. What were we thinking?  Last year we added two more items- teak deck chairs in need of re-finishing. Sheer insanity. I know it, you know it. What could make it more complicated? Sealing with natural products of course. Last year, I used a combination of Tung
Read More

It’s Summer- We’re Headed to Maine

It’s Summer- We’re Headed to Maine

July 16, 2019

Can’t wait! We’re headed north to visit old friends in Harrison Village. Never been, but the allure of Maine is intoxicating to this CT resident. I can’t WAIT to get out of Dodge. ( Sorry, Dodge) The hot sun has required watering the garden twice daily to keep the newly replanted Golden Carpet shoots hydrated. The hanging baskets get soaked every afternoon. It’s summer- and it’s just that time of year. Besides. As long as the IMAC remains unusable, no way can I pick up where I left off with my new Morning Glory scarf- Midnight will be its name.  What
Read More

Summer Work Delivers Beauty

Summer Work Delivers Beauty

July 9, 2019

A few days ago when my one year old IMAC crashed I was smack in the middle of birthday party fatigue and a bout of rabid gardening. Can you say “Apple Care Protection Plan?” It was the price of sanity. Summer work helps to cool the angst of dastardly computer troubles. I’m pleased to say that even as hosta flowers emerge all over the garden, I’ve also shaped three Japanese willow bushes- albeit a little late. It’s better to do them mid- June here in Connecticut and give new growth solid recovery before cold weather…but I think they’ll be fine.
Read More

Welcome to the Tropics of Connecticut

Welcome to the Tropics of Connecticut

June 26, 2019

Have you noticed? It’s hotter and wetter in warm weather, and less cold in winter. Still, every gardener welcomes rain as an alternative to being eaten by mosquitoes when you’re trying to water thirsty plants. And it’s wonderful to look out at the lush greens, especially as the lilies haven’t quite burst into bloom yet. It’s an almost-water feature! I adore my new water hyacinths that live in a small metal pot embedded in one of the flower beds. And you don’t have to water. What a concept. Water plants are new to me and I find the leaves with
Read More

Mother Nature Rules

Mother Nature Rules

June 18, 2019

Is that deck finished? You can see the red stain somewhat. The beauty shot of a newly refinished mahogany deck will have to wait until the next day the sun shines- this weekend? It sure may look tranquil but the before and after shots of ten hours playing nursemaid to a deck tell another story. This has been the year of repair. The lovely metal railing on the front deck had started to rust. Sanding, primer and spraying. I learned the hard way that shaking a can of paint VERY WELL is obligatory. And once you’ve checked the brand and
Read More

Summer is Ushered in Courtesy of April and May

Summer is Ushered in Courtesy of April and May

June 11, 2019

April is the name I gave to my new Paola scarf. Early spring after all brings narcissus, daffodils and early baby sedum greens.  Love the softness of color this time of year.   These days, most of my time is spent in the garden -from weeding to watering to pruning and mulching. Today, I bought some bone meal to supplement a stubborn rhododendron that refuses to flower. I pruned the plant carefully, applied the bone meal around its base and layered on some compost bought expressly to hold it close around the roots. The plant sits on a steep hill
Read More

Rewarding Garden Endeavors

Rewarding Garden Endeavors

June 8, 2019

I don’t know about you, but after my delight at the start of azalea season, I was terribly discouraged by their poor showing. A friend told me about this site and when I reached out, I was helped through some ideas for garden improvement by an awesome horticulturalist, Carol from UConn Home and Garden Education Center. Apparently, lots of people struggled with this problem this year. I strongly suggest you ask your questions of UConn. Help is not far away if you’re ready to do the work. Real life takes time Did you ever watch a show on TV and
Read More

It’s Azalea Time Again

It’s Azalea Time Again

June 2, 2019

Did you know that azaleas and rhododendron are in the same family? Both members of the genus Rhododendron. My azaleas usually start blooming first here in CT, followed by the rhododendrons. Evergreen vs. Deciduous Azaleas Most azaleas are evergreen and offer good winter landscape interest. The deciduous azalea -typically orange or yellow, is taller and drops its leaves for winter. I think they’re adorably unusual in a landscape. However, they’re adorably unusual in a landscape. This year was not a good one for our azaleas tho. Large sections of the plants had what looked like tiny brown, dry flower buds
Read More

Memories of the Garden

Memories of the Garden

May 28, 2019

During our home renovation in 2012, something about the land outside the kitchen windows spoke to me. I knew instinctively it was the perfect siting for a very special garden. When we first bought the house in 2009, my husband was beside himself realizing that the cars visiting the neighbors splashed their headlights across the entire side of our house. We quickly found and installed a tall bamboo fence that’s evolved into an important landscape feature. The fence screens the front of the property but given its height on top of the hill, it also offers a beautiful flourish above
Read More