Author Archives: dirtynailz

  HerbDoc recently bought more butterfly-friendly plants: A few weeks ago a group of Master Gardeners took a road trip to a favorite nearby garden center which offers monthly lectures on topic of interest. This one featured a talk and … Continue reading →

The fetching little bird in the photo is a Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus. I was leaving the house early to walk with my neighbor, and I heard a “different” bird call. This is the time of year when birds begin migrating … Continue reading →

This is my neighbor’s hibiscus. These are not the ones you buy for indoor growing – the ones that almost always succumb to spider mites. This shrub is also known as “Rose of Sharon” here in New England. Like everything … Continue reading →

HerbDoc has an update on the progress of her “fairy garden.” I’ve been working on my fairy garden for about three years now and wanted to offer some advice for those who are in the process of establishing one. My … Continue reading →

The snap peas in the photo are “Golden Sweet.” I ordered them from Baker Seeds,  and apparently they were originally discovered at a market in India. I grow snap peas every year, and I am always rather late in planting … Continue reading →

The orchid in the photo is one of my beloved miniatures. Stenoglottis Woodii is native to South Africa, and it is deciduous. When I bought it, there were just a few dead leaves on top of the soil. I followed … Continue reading →

Above is a photo of what my garden is up to these days. Everything is so far ahead of where it would normally be that I can’t even remotely plan a succession of bloom. It’s futile. I have a fondness … Continue reading →

The New York Botanical Garden provides an oasis of relaxing green in an intensely urban setting. I have been nattering on about the ornamental plantings I saw – and they are beautiful – but the trees are spectacular. This is  … Continue reading →

The above photo might give you an idea of the size of the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. I say might, because you have to see it to  understand the scope of this display. Designed … Continue reading →

In my previous post, I gave you an overview of the 250 acres that comprise New York City’s magnificent botanical garden. In this post, I’ll get more specific. For starters, check out this dusty miller (jacobaea maritima) in topiary form. … Continue reading →