The clouds gave chase and rushed overhead as the wind swirled and roiled, ratting each leaf and limb.  Petals littered the ground like confetti while immature acorns tumbled freely. The landscape seemed almost celebratory in the wake of much needed rain. Nature is dynamic and adept at change.  Plants come…

Weighted down with the heavily perfumed blooms of early Summer, the Linden’s boughs, like a Southern Belle’s hoop skirt, seemed in full curtsy.  She was decadent and lavish, but it wasn’t long before she began to slump and shed her regalia in an effort to conserve her beauty and vigor….

Every flower awaited its turn, like an eager dance partner, as the bees flitted and twirled amongst them. Summer’s arrival finds our gardens and landscapes in full bloom.  It’s no coincidence that Summer’s arrival coincides with National Pollinator Week.  A wonderful time to revisit the importance of pollinators and how…

The Coreopsis bloomed above the garden as if they were floating, like tiny orbs of sunlight sprung out of the soil.  They were proud, boastful, lovely, and happy, yet below them in the grassy expanses lurked an invader.  Welcome the grub worm. Grub worms are the larvae, children, if you…

The delicate, silvery strand caught a splinter of light, momentarily shimmering and glistening in the early summer sun.  As the wind began to roil and swirl, the spider’s silk became untethered, taking flight upon the breeze.  An almost invisible moment became apparent.  A shared secret to keep. What surely is…

Spring finally seemed to settle in, yet the promise of rain has gone almost entirely unfulfilled.  Her once dewy, fresh face began to grow sallow and somber under the lack of meaningful moisture. It’s not even Summer yet, and we find ourselves in the early stages of drought. As season’s…

  The bee floated amongst the flowers, hovering and bouncing between the blooms, landing and lingering upon only the most appealing.  He made several passes, returning to some, while ignoring others.  He seemed discerning in his quest, much like today’s home buyer. Landscaping, or the lack thereof, can help or…

The sun dappled and danced upon the lawn as it beamed through the lush canopy.  Although temperatures have been mostly mild, the sun is still a major factor in our yards and gardens, even if we don’t always feel her warmth.  In fact, it is the most essential element in…

  With Mother’s Day fast approaching, our “safe” planting date has finally arrived!  This generally marks the beginning of warming temperatures, which in turn means my outside exposure gradually begins to decrease as temperatures and humidity rise.  When I do find myself outside, I tend to seek out the cool,…

With May’s prudence and eventual benevolence, we will finally be able to exhale as warming temperatures mean we can soon begin to plant.  May, after all, means Mother’s Day, and Mother’s Day means flowers, so what better way to honor Mom than with native plants and flowers that are as…

  The air was slight and gauzy one day, and leaden and damp the next as Spring fought to get a foot hold. Nevertheless, trees were beginning to leaf out as spring ephemerals faded, and plants were pushing forth green shoots and buds.   Unfortunately, weeds were only too quick to…

Sloughing off the final olive-drab layers, downy-white flowers unfurled upon the Bradford Pear as the Redbud’s ethereal blooms cast a cheery glow unto the scene. Swelling buds and spring ephemerals dotted the landscape as the grass grew green and lush.  Nature was fully engaged. It’s no coincidence that we celebrate…