The humidity enveloped the landscape, constricting ever tighter, until flora and fauna wilted. Breathless, lifeless, and defeated, Summer had officially arrived in all its oppressive glory.  Oh, and we have cicadas. Heat stress is a real thing and can adversely affect our plants. When temperatures start to top 85 degrees,…

  The landscape lay waste to March’s warm arrival and took on a most pathetic look. Yet life was beginning to sprout, and with it, winter damages made themselves apparent. As the landscape below the mounds of snow began to reveal itself, it was evident that even mild winters can…

Nascent Summer seems to have settled in nicely, replete and contented.  Yet her once dewy, fresh face begins to grow sallow and somber under the impossible weight of hot, humid temperatures and lack of meaningful moisture. Her youth, vigor and novelty are starting to wear thin. As season’s change and…

Dripping with the scent of honey-drenched blooms, the branches bowed under the bountiful weight, as if curtsying to an eager and appreciative crowd.  The same could not be said for the neighboring evergreens. Winter scorch, thanks to an extremely cold and snowy winter, has affected many evergreens, like Boxwood, Yew…

The landscape lay waste to February’s warm arrival and took on a most pathetic look.  The once beautiful, pure white blanket of snow had been reduced to the dirty, grungy spoils of a Winter warming, but that wasn’t all that remained in the receding snow. As the landscape below the mounds and mountains of snow began to…

The Evergreen boughs arched and flexed as the Oaks stooped and ached, arthritic under the grievous weight of the heavy, wet snow.  Conditions were treacherous.  Nature steeled itself while we were left helpless and seemingly ill prepared.   As we begin digging ourselves out and clearing our walkways and drives, we…

November extinguished the landscape ablaze, leaving only a few smoldering embers amongst the ashes.  The trees stood unadorned and humbled as their Autumnal attire laid at their feet.  The great sentinels now stood vulnerable and exposed.   With Winter nipping at our heels, and the threat of consistent hard frosts, our…

Their convergence was neither peaceable nor passive.  Divided – the land met the water in a cataclysmic collision.  Jagged, crude rocks formed an undulating backbone along the banks as the soothing waters flowed effortlessly over and between, uniting the elements into one powerful and picturesque landscape.   Although unity is a sought after…

All seasons tell a tale of woe and wonder as the landscape bares witness.  Although we cannot deter or determine, we can listen to the narrative and interpret the anecdotal evidence before us.  That is, our grass is struggling. Why oh why, in one of the wettest Springs and early Summers, is our grass…

The long, languid days of Summer and the unfettered rhythm of the season will soon give way to the bustling, fractured schedule of school, and all its extra curricula.  Even though the calendar says otherwise, we all know that Summer is about to hit the wall as Fall scrambles up its…

Standard operating practice dictates that I must once again complain about the weather.  Holy hot!  I guess these are the dog days of summer.  For those of you that enjoy the warmth, enjoy and savour while I pout.   But, I digress. Many of you out there might be thinking your green thumb…