People we find clever or interesting in some other way.
Call yourself a Gardener?
What is a gardener? Many years ago Charles would refuse to ‘own’ his part of the garden because he declared that he couldn’t properly claim to be a gardener. He [...]
Seed Savants
Watching a seed cotyledon (sprout) pop through the soil is heaven on earth. I am especially interested in flower and tree seeds, but Rose and I collect a few [...]
The Reigning Queen of Gardening is…Oprah?
By now I'm betting you've all seen this view of Oprah Winfrey's garden, the set of her famous interviews with Harry and Meghan. But look at another shot of Oprah's [...]
A “Brutal” Bonsai Story Gets Curiouser and Curiouser
I'm here to recommend a fascinating article about bonsai in the New Yorker - "The Beautiful, Brutal World of Bonsai" - featuring an American who undergoes a "brutal" six-year apprenticeship [...]
Anarchy and Chaos: Christmas Wreaths and Centerpieces
No one ever called me a nimble-fingered crafts maker. My prospects dimmed as a ten-year-old Cub Scout when our Den mother taught us how to make ashtrays. My parents, appreciative [...]
The Gift of Steve Foltz
The grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. --Thomas Merton Steve Foltz In [...]
A voice from the Northwest joins Rant
Expect to read rants from Seattle-based Lorene Edwards Forkner starting next week. A longtime garden writer, Lorene was the first woman to edit Pacific Horticulture, a quarterly magazine focused on [...]
Herpes Weed and the Curse of a Garden’s Promiscuity
There was an illuminating Patti Smith Instagram post on August 19th entitled: “This is weeding.” The poet, musician, author, and activist had returned from a European concert tour and [...]
A City and Garden of Subdued Excitement
I flew to Seattle a few weeks ago to visit my daughter Molly and her family in Bellingham, Washington—a two-hour drive north of Seattle. Give me Liberty took flight [...]
Peas on a Podcast: Jared Barnes and Thomas Rainer
Our home-grown snow peas bought the farm a few weeks ago, but I found agents of inspiration to take the edge off summer heat. Jared Barnes and Thomas Rainer [...]
The Little Nurseries That Could
I was reminded of Christopher Lloyd ‘s fondness for unpretentious nurseries on a beautiful drive to Lexington, Kentucky, last week. My destination was the 121-year-old Michler’s Florist, Greenhouses & [...]
Louisville Celebrates FLO’s 200th Birthday and Feels the Love
There have been FLO parties in Buffalo, New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, and more the past few weeks. My hometown joined the fun. Louisville celebrated Frederick Law Olmsted’s [...]