Home keeping I like, but housekeeping is a chore.  That's why my house isn't spotless, but my kids get good dinners most nights. A couple of years ago, I realized why I don't see deadheading as a chore any longer. For those of you who don't garden incessantly, deadheading is not only following The Grateful Dead around the country. It is pruning away those parts of the plant which have finished blooming to give the garden a neater appearance and to encourage the plant to rebloom (if it has that ability). I find when I take a few moments every morning or evening to deadhead blooming shrubs like spirea, roses, irises and later daylilies, I begin to slow down and allot myself the space to think, and an interval opens up for me to truly "see." Sometimes, I plan my next blog post, and the garden tells me what to...

Sweet cool rain brings even sweeter flowers. As I step out on the deck every morning to drink hot tea and survey the back garden, mingled scents of rose and Japanese honeysuckle drift toward me on the very cool breeze.  Our weather this spring is much, much cooler than normal, but the plants are grateful for the respite from our regularly scheduled hot and humid May weather. Yes, Japanese honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, one of the most hated and beloved vines in our area and much of the south grows on a latticework panel.  When I was in Raleigh for the GWA symposium, I saw miles and miles of the stuff choking out native vegetation.  I almost feel like I should apologize for its presence in my yard.  However, before my mea culpa, I want you to know I didn't plant this beastie, and yet, it hangs out on the back...

As a garden writer, it's that time of year when I'm sent plants to test in my garden.  Yesterday, I came home to a large box with David Austin Roses written on the side.  I nearly whooped with excitement because these roses were ones I'm excited to evaluate. A few months ago, David Austin Roses contacted me and asked if I'd like to try some newer varieties, and I could choose those I wanted.  Normally, plant testers are just given certain plants with no input. I explained how I no longer spray my roses and asked if there were any varieties which performed better in the blackspot ridden south? I fully expected company representative, Michael Marriott to come back and say, "Thank you very much, but we'll take our business elsewhere," but he didn't.  Instead, he responded with a long list of roses from which to choose. Michael suggested the...