T IME FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF NEWSY BULLETIN-BOARD POSTINGS, to let you know about some fun recent interviews I’ve done and also when the garden will be open for visitors. I had better get to work, I guess, if you’re all coming. Oh, my. Meantime:
Recent Interviews
Rural Intelligence, the indispensable year-old blog that’s a guide to the tri-state area I live in, helped me celebrate my first blog-a-versary this week with a 20-questions meme-type interview. If you live nearby, or you’re planning a visit to this area (maybe to see my garden, details below), be sure to check in with RI first, and make a real day or weekend of it.
A crafty tripleheader: I keep saying I’m not crafty, but throughout my career I’m always surrounded by crafters. Hmmm….Lately, I am grateful to a few new ones I think you’ll want to meet, including:
Diane Gilleland, aka Sister Diane, a real missionary in the world of crafts, created a podcast with me this month on her Craftypod blog on the subject of creative cross-pollination. (I’m sorry, I just cannot stop speaking in botanical terms. It’s a compulsive disorder at this point.) I had such a nice time speaking with Diane (and she’s from Portland, Oregon, prime gardening territory); you can hear the podcast here.
Ann Shayne of Mason-Dixon Knitting blog, while calling me a “zookeeper” (in the nicest possible way), also called AWTG “a rich rich rich gardening blog.” (I didn’t even pay her to say it.) Ann and her collaborator, Kay Gardiner (who in the spirit of her last name recently finished this amazing peony memory quilt) are my new favorite duet. Not to mention hilarious.
And then there’s Posie Gets Cozy, aka Rosy Little Things. While waiting for some bananas to ripen last month, the proprietor Alicia Paulson of the twice-botanically-named blog, mused thus: “I want to be a gardener. Like Margaret.” Thanks to her, and don’t miss her recent post that included the dreamy notion of flower windows, inspired by the paintings of Swedish artist Carl Larsson, one of Alicia’s muses. (Sigh. Gotta get me a flower window.)
Open Garden Tours
Sunday, May 31. Garden Conservancy Open Days. $5 per person, to benefit the Garden Conservancy. Details and directions on their website as the date approaches (or order the directory now from them).
Saturday, August 22. Copake Falls Day. My little town’s second annual such event includes (you guessed it) another open day at my place. Non-townies also welcome. Details as we get closer to the date on their website and mine.
Boy, Margaret, you really wake up after the equinox! Wish I were closer and could come wander through, maybe some year when I retire (that will be 20 plus from now!). I’ll enjoy listening to the podcasts, though. I know you must be planning your very own series of podcasts and will launch them any day now!!!
Margaret – I love your website. I have been asked to share my garden this year on a local garden tour and am very nervous about saying “yes”. If I do it, I want to highlight the sustainable parts of gardening – using natives, my rain barrels, a birdhouse with a green roof (courtesy of the Philly Flower Show). Can anyone tell me if they’ve been on a tour and if the work involved is worth it? Husband Dan feels like it will be too time-consuming and expensive. Any thoughts?
Welcome, Amy. I have been having tours two or sometimes three times a year for 11 years. I love it. Yes, it is work…but frankly I like the garden to be well-groomed anyhow, so much of it is just the usual work. You have to time your mowing and edging and those little details around tour time, but hey, it’s worth it. I learn so much from my visitors, and though I am exhausted at day’s end, I am also happy to have greeted them all.
to all:
a tour of margaret’s yard is “deffo” worth the trip. just sitting in one of the wave hill chairs & looking at her big twisted apple tree is zen-like! i’m not sure whether i’m coming back on memorial day w/e or cupcake falls day…but i promise to bring another bag of kitty treats for jack.
could you please post again the dates for your troy,ny & kingston, ny appearances?
thanks,
dennis r
Thanks, Dennis, and the old story listing appearances locally is here: http://awaytogarden.com/margarets-upcoming-talks-and-events The Troy one is over; Kingston late April.