Living and gardening in an older Hudson Valley home
Posts about the yard and gardening
Spring is a magnificent time of year. We relish the end of winter and the arrival of spring in all its glory. Spring gardening is some of the easiest gardening. The cold of winter causes magic to happen inside the many bulbs and tubers, causing a cacophony of color. We anxiously await the first blossoms. […]
In warmer months, I get to indulge my creative passions by working in the garden. In colder months, I invent projects that are fun and creative, especially gifts to give away. I will probably never stop making things, because I derive a lot of pleasure in the planning, sourcing, execution and giving of personal gifts […]
When one of the tree peonies bloomed this past spring, in the oriental garden, it spurred me on to continue development of this part of the garden. The blossom proved the viability of the area for the plants I hoped to grow. The oriental garden has taken longer to develop than other areas of our […]
Autumn has begun in the Hudson Valley. The days are shorter, and much cooler. The leaves are changing colors and beginning to fall. However, the weather is still good enough to continue projects outside. One of my projects is changing out deer protection on certain plants. A few years ago, I planted oak leaf hydrangeas […]
Plant friends are the best. Plant friends listen to you carry on about your garden and plants, they give you extra plants from their garden, they share their secrets, and they tell you your garden is beautiful – even when it looks more like a semi-organized patch of weeds. When I moved to Newburgh in […]
Seeing other people’s gardens and speaking with them about their gardening experience is satisfying and rewarding. On June 24, 2023, Andrew and I organized a garden tour. We hosted a brunch for 12 people at our house, followed by a tour of our yard. Here are a few photos of the gardens we toured. We […]
Last week, I had the pleasure of being in London for my Goddaughter’s graduation from high school. It was a brilliantly triumphant day for her, celebrated in a beautiful venue across from Westminster Abbey. I was very honored to be invited. She graduated from the American School in London. A tony school located in St. […]
Most gardening advisors will tell you to design your hardscape and then your plantings. I usual do this by putting in paths, building structures or walls and then plant around them. My latest garden is developing in the opposite manner. I have placed a few plants to see how they will grow and will then […]
Winter is so much bleaker than the rest of the year. In Spring and Summer, flowers are lovely and make for wonderful photographs. There are new projects outside to write about and photograph. In Winter, the landscape is barren and largely gray. A dear friend of mine, Tim, commented the other day, that it was […]
This may look like any other tree decorated with Christmas lights, but it represents much more. A few months ago, my neighbor approached me about decorating a 4o foot Canadian Hemlock tree in my yard with Christmas lights. She would buy the lights and have them installed, if she could use my tree. I immediately […]
