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 […]
Plants
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 […]
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.
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, […]
Spring 2025 highlights (March to May 1st)
This gorgeous creature (below) showed up a couple of years ago under a random viburnum in a nowhere place in the yard, where no one would ever see it, and I told myself firmly that I would move it and of course I didn’t for two years. But this is […]
Snake plant gets fancy
The 25-year-old snake plant/mother-in-law’s tongue/sansevieria has decided to put out a flower. I hear they smell lovely in bloom; guess we’ll find out. Nice end to the houseplant-focused season. In a month or so they will all be outside, or most of them, which is great because by March I’m […]
Seed starting with Ruthie the cat
This is the first time she’s shown much of an interest in horticulture.