Posts Tagged ‘deer’
The New Forsythias
My dog-eared copy of Dr. Hessayon's book Trees & Shrubs (1983 edition) states that "Gardens are brightened each March and April by the masses of yellow flowers on the leafless branches [of forsythia]." It then goes on to warn of its two enemies; birds who eat the buds and gardeners who hack the shrub to…
Read MoreBringing Sunshine to Winter Days
There are only so many grey days I can take. Seattle isn't exactly known for its winter sunshine, but after several days of relentless freezing fog I'd had enough. I even went to the lake for a swim – usually a panacea for all things grey, and while it was wonderful in its zingy 'now-I-know-I'm-alive'…
Read MoreNew(er) Shrubs That Still Perform
It generally takes a few years to assess new shrubs. For example, the habit can initially be nicely compact yet after a few seasons they may resemble a gangly teenager. Or what you thought was going to be a low maintenance, drought tolerant, and deer-resistant specimen proved to be a demanding primadonna. As the gardening…
Read MoreBest Flowering Groundcovers for Full Sun
The term "groundcover" was new to me when we moved to the USA over 25 years ago. My English gardens never had any bare earth showing, every conceivable space both horizontally and vertically being planted in casual layers of annuals, perennials, edibles, shrubs, and more. There was no additional earth that needed to be covered!…
Read MoreSurprising Melt-Proof Annuals
Seattle is better known for its rainy climate than searing temperatures, and it's a local joke that our summer begins on July 5th (the day after we huddle around bonfires to stay warm as we celebrate Independence Day). So when we hit well over 100'F for several consecutive days last week there was an initial…
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