What’s in a Name?

Well, what is in a name? A rose by any other name might smell as sweet. But if you’re in New England and the rose’s species name is Rosa multiflora, you have stumbled upon an invasive and better get rid of … Continue reading

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Whose Woods These Are I Surely Know (The Trees, Not So Much)

You know what I like most about winter? It’s the one time of year when I don’t have to feel guilty about neglecting the garden. It’s my duty to neglect it! But I can never let well enough alone, so this winter I signed up for several more courses offered through the Native Plant Trust. Most recently completed: one course on soils, one on trees of New England. Continue reading

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Classify This!

You see, I came to think that if I am to continue writing about Nature and all that jazz, I’d better know more about it. So after some cursory exploration, I decided to pursue a Native Plants certificate through the Native Plant Trust. Two certificates, in fact: basic and advanced. Starting, you may be astonished to learn, with Basic. Continue reading

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What bugs me

Don’t worry; this isn’t a rant.
No, I’m just going to talk about bugs. Real bugs. Or, to be more precise: insects.
Let me tell you about the reeducation I’ve been getting as I pivot towards more native plants in the garden. Continue reading

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Spring Fevers

Does this ever happen to you during winter? You start out with all these ideas about how you’ll make the winter cozy and/or productive and/or b-e-a-r-a-b-l-e, and before you know it, none of that has happened and the seed catalogs have piled up and there has been no knitting, barely any pickles or chutneys made, and no chestnuts roasting by an open fire. Nor has the stack of must-read books receded by one millimeter. Continue reading

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