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the best hydrangeas aren’t blue

peegeeI‘VE NEVER ACTUALLY GROWN A BLUE HYDRANGEA. There, I’ve confessed. But my garden features perhaps a dozen large specimens of Hydrangea from late summer into autumn. They’re all panicle types, or H. paniculata, a somewhat-rangy breed but oh, so delightful to have around now as things wind down. [Read more...]

love-apple sauce, and real applesauce

YOU SAY APPLE, AND I SAY TOMATO. Welcome to Food Fest Week 9, where the subject is apples…real ones over at the Dinner Tonight blog, or in my case Love Apples, which is what tomatoes were still called in Victorian times. Though actual apples were scheduled as this week’s topic, I’ve still got the last batches of red sauce to finish before I get to the even-sweeter pink stuff. But come to think of it, both tomato sauce and applesauce are made by the same basic method in my kitchen: skins on. So let’s make some sauce, shall we? No peeling required. [Read more...]

bookends to a great gardening season

WE OPENED THE SEASON HERE WITH A SALAMANDER, whom I’d fished from the little pool out back while mucking out debris.  Trusty garden helper and small-game handler Susan held him for his portrait, and we both enjoyed the moment (not sure he did), a special kickoff to spring. This week, as we began fall cleanup, another omen: The littlest frogboy ever hijacked a ride indoors.

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longtime companions: good-keeper squash

IF YOU WANT COMPANY FOR A DAY OR WEEK, grow a zucchini. If you want company for a year or longer, grow a “good keeper” like these two winter squash who have lived in the house with me since September 2007. Really. Welcome to Food Fest 8, a weekly share-your-recipes event with the Dinner Tonight blog.

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your 12 favorites from our first 6 months!

THE FROGBOYS AND I WERE ABOUT TO PREPARE FOR HIBERNATION when we realized it’s our 6-month blog-a-versary. That woke us up! This one’s lining up to be a ribbet-ing celebration, with a guest appearance on ‘Martha’ Wednesday. Urp. To thank those of you who have helped us get this far, and as a best-of tour for newcomers, we offer this: a recap of the 6 most-commented posts so far, and also the 6 that were most-viewed. Our Top 12 (ta-da!): [Read more...]

frogboys not on ‘martha’ show wednesday

BUT MARGARET IS. YIKES. Any suggestions on what I should wear to the appearance (details of which will be found here)?

‘a way to garden’ in the washington post

I WASN’T SURE WHAT TO THINK when the frogboys invited Washington Post garden editor Adrian Higgins over for lunch not long ago (well, except I was sure that I’d be doing the cooking, or we’d be eating slug sushi).  But charm him they did, apparently, and Thursday’s story in The Post about us is likewise charming (as is its horticulturally expert, dapper and wickedly droll author). [Read more...]

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The Confessional

Some stuff really gets A Way to Garden-ers going. Weigh in, or just lurk while everyone else shares about these hot buttons:
resources

Juicy Bits

name that weed I KNOW A LOT OF PLANTS by their proper names, but my “weeds,” not so much. These great weed-identification websites are helping me finally address them with the proper (dis)respect.

everything old is new VINTAGE 'GREEN' POSTERS from the WPA 1940s look fresher than ever.

shrubs to covet THE OLDER THE GARDEN and I get, the more we love these shrubs.

plants that perform 21 POWERHOUSE PERENNIALS you will love for your garden.

herb-garden help GROWING AND STORING a year of parsley.

berry peachy-keen CLAFOUTIS BATTER how-to (the solution for easy fruit desserts).

rex, rhizomatous and more FANCY-LEAF BEGONIAS, beauties for indoors and out.

crispy refrigerator pickles WHAT IS IT ABOUT refrigerator pickles that makes everybody so happy? Get those cukes ready!

winged victory THE GARDEN as bird habitat: 11 tips on what birds like.

forum

keeping deer out DEER FENCE: I tried every anti-deer potion and trick till I got real and fenced. Strategies for every garden.

secrets to great tomatoes TOMATO TIPS, seed to harvest: Dozens of tricks for a better crop.

yes, even in dry shade MY 4 TOUGHEST GROUNDCOVERS perform even in the worst spots, like dry shade.

5 great small trees GARDEN-SIZED TREES can’t just be the right scale; they need to have multi-season interest, too. Have room for one of my favorites?

10 underplanting do’s and don’ts MAKING MOSAICS—that’s what I call good underplanting of trees and shrubs with a tapestry of plants. Here’s how.

making a 365-day garden THINK FALL (YES, FALL): Don’t get sucked in by spring-bloomers only at the nursery. A great garden happens 365 days: Shop smart to make it so.

the facts about bulbs SOMETHING UP with a flower bulb? Paltry bloom, or wondering when to feed or cut off the foliage? It’s all here.

must-read garden poem MY FAVORITE POEM celebrates loss, one of gardening (and life’s) realities. It does it with humor: "Why Did My Plant Die?” is a must-read. orchid rebloom made easy I REBLOOMED MY FIRST ORCHID recently (finally!) and it turns out to be pretty easy going. Here’s how.

can-do pruning REPEAT AFTER ME: I can prune. I can prune. If you follow this simple method for starters, your woody plants will thank you.

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