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When Solutions Become Problems: Course Correction in Gardens and Policies
Photo by David Trinks on Unsplash The beautiful blooms on my bigleaf hydrangeas this year were the direct result of my not doing something stupid. More precisely, they were the result of my not repeating the mistake I made several seasons ago. This year, I listened to the experiences of others, read the established guidelines, and took a more strategic approach to pruning. Instead of hacking away at every branch, I carefully removed only the dead wood that had no blooms. The result of that course change was a set of shrubs covered with large blue flowers. Spoiler alert: my course
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When Wildlife Won’t Behave
I planted a young kousa dogwood in my front yard after admiring a row of blooming ones near a parking lot in Berkeley Heights. The white bracts looked proper and sweet—it was the sort of ornamental tree that would soften my small suburban lawn without overwhelming it. Illustration generated with ChatGPT. The spot looked right: part sun, dappled shade, decent soil, and I had a place where I could see it from the bay window of my home. I watered the tree, watched it settle in, and imagined the future version—a round little tree, maybe ten feet tall, covered in white
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A Gracious Welcome: Why This Small Garden Works
Every time I get out of my car and walk toward my chiropractor’s office, the landscaping gives me a polite and gracious welcome. It sits beside a dark gray building, a parking lot, and a busy street, yet the garden itself feels calm. The colors, textures, shapes, and gradual rise of the plants catch my attention every time I pass. Why does this small garden work so well? Is it the strong red-and-green contrast? The mix of soft foliage and heavy stone? Or the way the planting rises from low groundcovers to rounded shrubs, then to the rose and tall evergreen
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Pergola vs. Gazebo: Finding the Right Shade for My Backyard
I was explaining my plan to upgrade the storage shed in my side yard when my boyfriend interrupted. We were in the backyard under my aging black pergola. “If you really want to improve your backyard, consider replacing this old thing,” he commented, tapping on the aluminum pole. I tried not to notice the rusty flake of metal that fluttered to the ground. After a day of brushing against the pergola’s aluminum poles, I would often find small pieces of rusty metal lying on the deck and in the grass, and, later, tangled in my hair. The structure creaked during strong
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My Dwarf Zinnias Grew Way Too Tall
I’ve grown zinnias before. I know how easy they are to grow from seed and how gorgeous they can be during their midsummer bloom. For about two dollars, a packet of seeds can produce an abundance of cheerful summer flowers. The problem with zinnias is that their height does not fit every garden. I knew that when I planted the seeds — I knew they grew very tall, so I purposefully bought a dwarf variety. My grow boxes are designed mostly for low-growing plants, and the seed packet promised these zinnias would grow only 6–8 inches tall. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
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Growing in the Place with the Right Light and Space
A truly happy plant is one that thrives over time. It settles into its location, grows into the space around it, and returns year after year looking as though it belongs exactly where it is. Much of that happiness comes down to two basic things: the right amount of sunlight and the right amount of space. Not all of the plants in my yard have achieved happy-plant status. A few have made it very clear that I chose the wrong place for them. Some are hanging on for dear life. Some survive but never really flourish. The row of Rose of Sharon trees along the side of my yard has proved to be different. These are happy plants — and they’ve been blooming reliably for…
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Summer Color in an Unexpected Place
There are so many everyday artists in my neighborhood. As I drive around town, I am continually mesmerized by beautiful displays of landscaping artistry. Some are created by experienced landscapers, and others are the work of humble homeowners — or, in this case, a creative gas station attendant. I came across this garden while filling up the tank last week. This fantastic display sits at a Shell gas station close to the entrance to a busy highway. When I asked about the flowers, the attendant explained that he grew the zinnias and marigolds from seed. The focal point in this flower box is color — and more specifically, a contrast of color. The bright purple-pink zinnias and yellow flowers demand attention, made bolder still by…
