Time to take a shallow, messy dive into What’s That Fern? First, some terms that might be helpful and a diagram that maybe isn’t. (It helped me, though. Enjoy!) Frond: full structure from the ground up. Stipe: the “stem” or “stalk” on the frond that stretches from the ground to […]
Author: Jennifer
Mr. Handsy
All I want is a life-sized thingy like this to stand in the yard and hold hoses. I am even willing to give up the magnifying glass that has nearly set fire to my desk on several occasions if I fail to move it out of the morning sunlight. I […]
Gaywings
When we were looking at this house and walking through the 4.4 acres of “eclectic” conditions (wetland, dry infertile areas, clay soil, sandy soil, full sun in some areas, surrounded by woodland, bunch of boulders pushed around by glacial force and the whims of the builders) we walked along […]
The Return of Fountain Frog
He’s baaaaaack. Fountain Frog knows a good thing when he sees one.
Water feature: new draft
Up to now I’ve mainly used whiskey barrels for water features for aquatics but the past couple of years it has not worked for the water lilies which apparently need annual dividing and plenty of room to roam (also fertilizer) so I am experimenting with a larger set up with […]
Notes on tropicals and some May highlights
Most of the tropicals that overwintered as houseplants above. The colocasias, alocasias, Bird of Paradise, Society Garlic and the not-pictured lemongrass overwinter in dishes filled water. I do have a NOID colocasia I overwinter as a tuber as I do with dahlias – cut the foliage off, let it dry, […]
Simple guide to tree root structures and types
….no reason, I just thought it was interesting. Above, Japanese Stewartia in fall, a heart root system I believe. The guide in question. And another post on root systems.
Visitors Early Summer 2025
Front yard filled with golden alexanders and serviceberries and elderberries and other virtue-signalling native pollinators and my friends here have chosen Rodgersia (compliments of China) and a snake plant (compliments of west Africa.) I plant a lot of non-natives/non-invasives I’m comfortable with, but this is a bit like cooking a […]
The Hostas
I think I’m making this post entirely because I’m in the mood to shop for hostas, feeling inspired having just picked up some for L (shopping for others is absolutely intoxicating.) So I am making this post as an excuse to take inventory, learn names of the ones I’ve inherited, […]