Happy Thanksgiving

It's a busy week for all those of us who celebrate Thanksgiving, so I'm going to keep this weeks blog post simple and repeat my closing words in a recent newsletter.

Choosing Gratitude

It's time to dig up parsnips and carrots for this weeks Thanksgiving dinner, and roast the butternut squash to turn them into "pumpkin pie". Planting those seeds last June was to plant hope. Harvesting now elicits gratitude. It's the little things, right? When the world seems too big, or our worries overwhelming, the garden is a good place to be. It keeps me humble for sure, teaches me patience, and reminds me to look at the bigger picture as instant gratification is rare. Wishing you all peace in your hearts as you choose thankfulness.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone

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Spring Celebration in the Woodland

May 14 2024

My woodland garden has three seasons of color with spring and fall being the most vibrant and summer being a cooler oasis of green. Since I rarely venture out into that part of the garden during winter I haven't included things specifically for winter interest although there are plenty of evergreen conifers, shrubs and perennials.…
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Spring Ideas from RHS Harlow Carr

Apr 30 2024

I'm just back from England where I spent two weeks visiting very special friends. It was wonderful to spend quality time together,  bumbling around my favorite villages and towns, hiking in the Yorkshire Dales, swimming in the Solent, and drinking lots of  'proper' tea. While in Yorkshire my friend Jill suggested an outing to RHS…
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Zinnias: how to grow and use them

Mar 26 2024

It's not too late to grow zinnias from seed! Which is just as well because I goofed. Let me explain. Zinnias hate cold, wet weather almost as much as I do. In the Seattle area we need to wait until night temperatures are stable at 55'f or above before planting out – which is typically…
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Creating Abundance: Lessons from Great Dixter

Mar 5 2024

If there is one word that sums up traditional English gardens it is "abundance". You won't find individual plants separated like little islands by oceans of bare earth. Nor will you see the extensive use of groundcovers that we are so accustomed to in America. I often describe English gardens, especially cottage gardens as "friendly":…
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Two Daisies to Know and Grow

Feb 20 2024

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Inspiration for Dry, Sunny Gardens in Temperate Climates

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Garden Screen Solutions

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Garden Design: Mimicking Nature

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Heligan: History, Romance & Adventure

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Forget Hallmark movies for the Holiday feel-good factor. I've got a better story for you: The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Once upon a time, there was a vibrant estate in Cornwall, England called Heligan. The original Heligan Manor had been built in the 1200s, with Heligan House built in the Jacobean style in 1603, then…
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Pears & Parrots in Paradise

Nov 28 2023

Tucked away down a dusty rural lane in the Franschhoek Valley, South Africa is one of the hidden gems  we visited on our recent tour. In all fairness, we arrived shortly after unseasonably heavy rains had caused devastating landslides so visitors would normally have a much less adventurous arrival! Le Poirier is a small farm…
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Welcome to My Garden Adventures

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I'm a serious plant-aholic. In other words I'm usually covered in a layer or two of soil, I drive everywhere with a large tarp for impromptu plant purchases and I'm truly passionate about sharing the joys of gardening.

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