The weather has not been very good lately. Since the 25th of June, my farm has received only 0.5 inches of rain. The heat has made the dryness of summer even worse. I’ve lost track of how many days it’s been above 100°F; the worst we’ve had at home is 115°F. It’s frustrating to watch…
I am also designing my own farm in this very space, and considered how he could plant the right plants, in the right places, with such precision? I’ll be talking about how the tiniest details of perception will determine which plants will go there. Of course, this skill takes time and practice, as well as…
My first wish for my farm was to plant an orchard. It didn’t have to be huge. I just wanted a place where we could go out and pick some fresh fruit that would ripen in the summer sun. Fruit trees take a long time to grow and bear fruit, so when we first moved…
New gardeners like to complain about the weather. New Englanders like to complain about the weather, too, but this year, it really has been a perfect spring, at least in New England, and at least for plants. What is a “perfect spring”? A long, slow and gradual thaw with few extreme swings. I might add…
Last Friday night was one of the highlights of my life. The grand opening of our new 5,000 sq. ft. experimental garden in our arboretum, the Plantery. This project has been in the works since we applied for a $30,000 grant from the Centre for Applied Research and Rural Innovation last fall. We requested funds…
The rare yellow petunia Ipomoea hederifolia var. yellows was a new discovery for me this year. It does have yellow tubular flowers, which I love, but it quickly outgrew its container and I had to plant it in the garden.Spanish flag vine, always a favourite of mine. I mean, come on, Ober! It looks almost…
Puffy Vine Love may be more original than anything else, but if you prefer a more natural effect, it grows easily from seed and adds an authentic Victorian look to the garden.Fluffy Vine Love is a real old-fashioned plant that is fun to grow, even if it’s not an heirloom plant, because of its fluffy,…
Every year I like to build a trellis for the canary vines because of the golden flowers that are as enticing as gold! The foliage of the canary vine Tropaeolum perigrinum suggests that it is the root of an arid lily, but once it flowers it can surprise even the experts.Tropaeolum perigrinum is a natural…
Artichoke farming is actually not easy, at least in the North, and very few people are able to grow artichokes as well as they do, but things are changing as new methods and varieties become available. It will take some time for this to catch on, but as more and more local growers discover the…
It’s finally autumn and after a hot summer I’m certainly celebrating this year. It’s amazing how different the garden looks. A few rainfalls, cooler nighttime temperatures and shorter days have had a big impact on plant growth and my sanity. It’s a miracle the plants survived after such a harsh summer. Native plants are fortunate…