Newsletter

The Bittersweet Windup The "windup of summer" is a glorious way to describe this bittersweet time of year, at least for me. The bitter part comes as I mourn the loss of sunlight as we approach the Autumnal Equinox. But on the sweet side, I relish the last sunny days that are nice, but not too …

Continue Reading about September 2026 Newsletter: The Bittersweet Summer Garden

First of all, I have to say that the quote above is less than half of this sentence written by E. A. Bowles in 1914. My editors would have a fit! There is little to no punctuation. When, exactly, do you take a breath? So, is E.A. right, and is August a bad month for flowers in the garden? It …

Continue Reading about August 2026 Newsletter: Is August a Bad Month for Flowers?

Green Fingers (Green Thumbs) are a Fact Growing plants and making a garden are not mysterious things. They are open to everyone who has a ‘verdant heart’. What a fantastic way of expressing the love of green growing things. Many beginning gardeners think that they do not have green fingers …

Continue Reading about July 2026 Newsletter: Finding Your Verdant Heart

Everything You Can Do In Your Garden This book jumped off the shelf into my hand after a morning of extreme gardening. I was thinking that it would be lovely to have a sit down with a book and a cup of tea. This book entirely fit the bill. I had read it when it first came out, but I …

Continue Reading about June 2026 Newsletter: Everything You Can Do In The June Garden

What Motivates Me To Garden While reading, I came across this quote above and loved it. Only yesterday, I had said to someone, I love gardens because you collect not only plants, but the people who go along with them. For me, it is a powerful personal driver for gardening. I was flipping …

Continue Reading about May 2026 Newsletter: May Gardening Reflections

Resolve to Garden These prescient words were written by the well-revered 20th Century British garden designer, Sylvia Crowe, in the 1950s in the wake of World War II. The world was “noisy“ then, but maybe not as noisy as it is now. These words remind us that gardens have many functions. We …

Continue Reading about April 2026 Newsletter: Resolving To Garden This Year

Poetic Cursings for Gardeners? Oh, what beautiful writing! “Threadbare sayings” and “poetic cursings,” such great phrases by Karel Čapek, the Czech writer in 1929. I agree with Karel’s sentiments, especially after the cold and snowy winter that we have had here in Southeast Pennsylvania this …

Continue Reading about March 2026 Newsletter: Follow Along With My Cut Flower Journey

A New Book from an Old Friend What hopeful words from the wonderful new book by my lovely English-American friend Pam Hubbard. It is published TODAY, so we are going to celebrate. The full title of the book is The Contemporary Cottage Garden, Climate-Friendly, Mindful Methods for Growing Flowers …

Continue Reading about February 2026 Newsletter: Exploring The Future Of The Cottage Garden

I Love Winter Best? The esteemed and prolific mid-20th century American garden writer, Helen Van Pelt Wilson, is a fan of cold winter gardens. As she clearly states in the quote above, she loves "winter best." She enjoys "the unique quality of winter" and thinks that "this fourth season is …

Continue Reading about January 2026 Newsletter: Finding Joy Through Winter

Connecting to the Past - Through Plants! Our quote at the top of this newsletter was written over 75 years ago by Louise B. Fisher, who was one of the early flower arrangers at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I love the way that she thinks about certain plants and flowers as touchstones …

Continue Reading about December 2025 Newsletter: Is It Too Late To Plant Spring Bulbs