Primula elatior, the English Oxlip simple yet so rarely seen in American gardens. If you want your garden to look like the hundred acre wood, this is the plant to seek out. Will you find it? Probably not unless you raise it from seed or join the American Primrose Society. It isn’t rare. Just hard… Continue reading The Perfect Spring

New spring. growth on pomegranate trees in the greenhouse emerges very early, even have a freeze. It’s often our first sign on spring. Trees can be kept on a very cold porch or even in a garage bare all winter and rather dry if the temperatures don’t drop below 20 degrees. Their new growth always… Continue reading Create An Original Spring, Indoors and Out

Various cattleya-types lead the Orchid Extravaganza – the annual orchid show held at Longwood. (I’m so rusty when it comes to identifying orchids!) OK…me,me,me…..Before I start oversharing, know that the photos in this post are all from Longwood as I stopped there while driving back from my book signing tour to rest and to photographed… Continue reading Where I’ve been and where I am going. Yes, a New Job!

It’s citrus season here in New England! At least, in my greenhouse where at least 10 varieties of citrus can be picked on any day in February. While easy to grow in a cool greenhouse, indoors, citrus need a little extra special care – here are my tips. I’m often asked about how to grow… Continue reading The Joy (and Pain) of Growing Citrus Indoors

There are still endless lists of garden chores for those who garden where winter is mild – California, the Pacific coast, the British Isles, or the US south, but here in New England – winter gardening can often be defined by most people as dreaming and planning. Ordering seeds, starting seeds, making lists with nursery… Continue reading Winter Gardening Ramps Up – Book Reviews Pour In

My first gardening book Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening had to be different, unique and special. Published January 1, 2019, it’s available on Amazon pre-sale now. My hope is that you will find that it offers accurate and useful advice all wrapped up in a gorgeous package. Hundreds of my photos, personal pictures, even… Continue reading Sneak Peek – My first gardening book is published – Pre-orders are welcome!

Forced winter vegetables like this Belgian Endive in my garden may be the next hot food trend home gardeners and chefs haven’t  rediscovered yet. Think about it – there was a time, and really not that very long ago  – like a hundred and fifty years or so ago, when there weren’t any supermarkets. There was… Continue reading Forcing Winter Vegetables

Tomato tomahto? With squash and pumpkin, it’s much worse than that timeless debate. Without even daring to step into the omnipresent ‘Pumpkin Spice’ arena (I wouldnt dare), this post does demonstrate how we humans sometime just get carryied away with perception and marketing. My point here is this: There is no such thing as pumpkin… Continue reading Pie Wars – Pumpkin or Squash?

As Food and Wine magazine wrote this month – ‘The Cabbage Craze is Officially ‘Real’. I would add “The cabbage craze is real again.”. Of course, there are other family members to thank for this resurgence in total-brassica-love such as the kimchi ‘kraze’, (or any fermented brassica for that matter), cauliflower (both in it’s ‘steaks’… Continue reading Hey Kale, Your Closest Relative is Crunchier, Yummier and Even Healthier. Oh, and Apparently It’s Cool Again – Some Cabbage Love

‘Hypertufa Containers – Creating and Planting an Alpine Trough Garden is a new book by Lori Chips that addresses a very specific gardening method which while old-fashioned, may have found its time given climate change and a gardening audience which is growing more and more aware. I’m excited to be introducing you all to a… Continue reading A New Book on Alpine Trough Gardening May, and Should, Change How You Container Garden