Seasons

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…

Softening silhouettes and nascent pastels have replaced the once austere and barren landscape.  Nodding daffodils bob in the breeze as new life emerges in the warming sun. Spring is undoubtedly a lovely time of year but can also be incredibly trying.  Lawns and gardens require our attention under the looming shadow…

The water was utterly still, glass-like, and the deepening sky reflected off its surface as the fog rose slowly and tumbled towards the shore. The water made not a sound as the wind fizzled to a whisper, and the lake and the sky and the shore seemed as one, devoid…

  The weather teetered between lovely and tumultuous as if someone, unknowingly, kept leaning against the light switch.  In a moment, a lovely Spring day became a stormy Winter day, and back and forth it went.  Nature’s apparent confusion would not sully the efforts of a landscape ready to burst…