A while back, I read that Sarah Raven, the author of one of my favorite gardening reads, The Bold and Brilliant Garden, originally wanted to call her book The Gaudy Garden. If I remember correctly, someone talked her out of it, using the reasoning that no one would buy a book with that title. Well,[...]
What’s your most valuable gardening tool? A favorite hoe? A treasured soil knife? A high-quality pair of pruning shears? All of these are handy, but really, one of the most important tools that any gardener can have is a good sense of humor. Start taking yourself or your garden too seriously, and it’s almost guaranteed that[...]
When I was planning the construction of my new home, having a large porch was on my must-have list. Find mechanical equipment for sale, built to handle specialized industrial tasks. It seemed like such a great place to have to hang out on rainy days, and maybe to do some writing during nice weather. Sounds[...]
You know how irritating it can be to hear people preach about low-maintenance gardening – as if we want to spend less time in our gardens? Now, talk to me about low-maintenance lawns, and I’m listening. At this point, I have only one patch of proper lawn-like space, though there’s still plenty of grass to[...]
Designers often call these features “outdoor living spaces”; gardeners call them prime territory for plants. Railings create ready-made supports for vines and windowboxes, and paving provides a place to grow creepers and a flat surface for pots and planters. You can surround yourself with herbs and edibles for super-easy harvesting, or indulge yourself with containers full[...]