Gardenscape by Lynne Schwartz-Barker

You have to like a man who starts a mail order nursery called Plant & Gnome and who assigns himself the title Chief Executive Gnome.  It’s just part of Chris Higgins’ dry, British sense of humor, which he’s transported, intact, … Continue reading →

March has certainly blown in like a lion.  The snow is flying as I write this and it seems as though spring will never come.  There are only a few robins about when we usually have flocks of them.  And … Continue reading →

On a winter’s day, many gardeners are making plans for the spring season. I’ve been searching my memory and looking out the window at garden mistakes from seasons past that I don’t want to repeat. Perhaps some of you can … Continue reading →

I drove out to White Sulphur Springs last weekend on a gorgeous, warm, sunny day. I make this trip frequently, so I have my favorite vistas picked out and slow down to enjoy them. I love the change in seasons … Continue reading →

Paperwhite narcissus, those sweet scented indoor bulbs, are grown in pebbles and water on many windowsills and tables at this time of year. These beautiful plants tend to grow too tall and flop over. Last year I read that adding … Continue reading →

A major storm tore through the Charleston area recently, that prompted a long e-mail from Charlie Nichols. Nichols writes that he and his wife “have been addicted to gardening (organic vegetable and flower, plus minor fruits) since our marriage 34 … Continue reading →

White and Yellow Light Up the Shade I’ve always been in favor of using white flowers in shade gardens, where they light up the darkness in summer. A lecture I attended last winter by garden writer Cole Burrell got me … Continue reading →

Two basic gardening questions arrived via e-mail this week concerning how to manage a new garden and how to deal with plant failure. When you move to a new garden, the general rule of thumb is to observe it for … Continue reading →

I think wisteria is one of the more problematic plants in our gardens. Even if your neighbor has one in full bloom, yours may have no blooms at all. Who can say that about forsythia? If your wisteria plant was … Continue reading →

With St. Patrick’s Day only a week away, many of you will be getting ready to plant your seed potatoes. In West Virginia, that’s the traditional planting date. It’s been many years since I’ve grown potatoes. I used to grow … Continue reading →