Reflections Archives - Page 5 of 48

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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Annual Pilgrimage to ICFF, NYC -May 2019

May 25, 2019

Every year we go to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) to see what’s trending in home décor. As an international venue, many products are quite extravagant but the show also includes new materials and ideas just barely fleshed out by architectural students or young companies in search of distribution. The show showcases all aspects of home décor- inside and out. A must-see. I pulled a few to show you. The Italians are coming! Every year, there’s an extensive display of Italian companies- traditional leathers to very modern materials and high line designs. Worth the visit. There are many styles-
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Mothers and Spring

May 7, 2019

Spring flowers always offer something special. I never tire of looking for them, am thrilled to see them come up and yet, how quickly they pass! Raising children is much the same. You seize those special moments, even as they’re a prelude to another story you never fully expected. This has been my experience as a mother and it’s somewhat bittersweet. Here today, gone tomorrow. Mother’s Day can be an occasion for making time to be alone, holding out for quiet. For me, that’s often time spent in the garden. People who know me know I sometimes prefer plants to
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