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2016-04-04

Unfurling and Uncurling -Spring growth

As the days lengthen and the temperatures increase the pace of spring growth increases. Buds open. Shoots emerge and elongate. The pace of change is dizzying. Capture these fleeting moments in photographs to enjoy year round. Photos above: Leucojum vernum – Spring snowflake – dangling white and green flowers Veratrum – False Hellebore – fresh…

2016-02-29

More Witch Hazels for winter into spring bloom

The Hamamelis season is in full swing here at Northview. Many of the witch hazel flowers are out earlier this year as the weather has been mild this winter, although combined with one of the heaviest snowfalls recorded in Philadelphia. I have been thinking about witch hazels for the last few weeks. I was lecturing at…

2015-02-27

Philadelphia Flower Show 2015

The largest indoor flower show in the world opens tomorrow at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The annual taste of spring for all of us gardeners who are starved of the color and smell of the earth and flowers is a treat that we look forward to all winter. The Theme this year is ‘Celebrate the…

2015-01-25

Preventing snow damage to evergreen trees and shrubs in the snow

With one heavy wet snow this week and two more larger snowfalls expected, it is time to think of ways to prevent snow damage to your trees and shrubs. The first way is smart plant choice, and coniferous evergreens with needles are one of the best for a snowy climate. Not only are many of…

2015-01-11

Snowy details in the garden

We had several snow falls this week accompanied by bitter cold. Trips to the compost heap were about all the garden visiting possible until today when the temperatures have risen to around freezing. The winter garden is shades of sepia and white. The tiny details of old plant stems are outlined in relief against the…

2014-09-09

The poisonous caterpillar gets attacked

The Saddleback Slug Caterpillar featured in the previous post now has troubles of its own. It was attacked by a female parasitic wasp which laid eggs on the caterpillar. The eggs hatched and ate the insides of the caterpillar. The eggs were present inside the caterpillar in the previous photographs, we just did not know it. The young parasitic wasps (in their pre adult form) have emerged as little oval cream colored pupae all over the back of the caterpillar. The pupae will hatch out and will have changed (undergo metamorphosis) into adult parasitic wasps and the cycle will start again. It is a rather gruesome sight that seems stranger…

2014-07-24

Weird parasitic plant – Thyme Dodder

I found an unusual plant called Thyme Dodder (Cuscuta), in the Sunset Garden today. It is a parasitic plant that has no chlorophyll and so relies on getting water and nutrients from its host plant, which in this case is a thyme. I remember this plant from childhood holidays at an English pebble beach in…

2014-07-21

Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Maryland

The gardening world is firmly divided over the question of topiary. Should you prune a tree or shrub into a shape to resemble another object or shape, or should you leave the pruning shears safely in the shed? This type of garden decoration has gone in and out of fashion many times in gardening history,…

2014-07-10

Rocky Mountain Wildflowers at 12,110 feet

2014-06-29

Today is Poppy Day

Northview Gardens Moon Beds – Poppy Parade at last. I dreamt about this day in January whilst nodding off by the fireside; a sparkly June morning and poppies in full bloom. We sprinkled tiny poppy seeds onto the melting snow and waited. The reward is a plethora of poppy blooms in shades of pink, coral,…

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