Planting in a Changing World - Part 2: Climate Change
Gardening has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother had beds of iris and grew roses in her St. Louis back yard, my father had a thriving vegetable patch in the former ash pit of our home and my grandmother always had annuals blooming next to her kitchen …
It's Time For A"Long Winter's Nap"-- For Your Yard
With the temperatures staying so warm this fall — 70 degrees on December 2nd here — I’ve postponed some of my usual end of season yard tasks.With the weather so consistently warm, I was afraid that I would do more harm than good by following my usual routine. To be on the safe side, I’ve checked …
Looking Forward to Spring by Planting Bulbs Now
As the last remnants of summer’s flowers are fading, it’s time to begin some critical end of the year gardening tasks. Yes, it is now time to overseed the lawn, mow fallen leaves into mulch for compost and clean the spades and shovels. More importantly though, it’s time to stare out the windows and decide …
Creating a Sanctuary For the Birds (And You!)
Growing up, the lawn, especially in the front of the house, was my father’s pride and joy. He spent hours and probably a small fortune coddling his grass. Every blade was cherished; it got exactly the right amount of fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide and water. It was mowed, edged and raked profusely. No leaf ever …
Native Plants Are For the Birds!
My grandson is an active, curious and “helpful” three-year-old. On Monday of this past week he decided to help me by filling our empty birdfeeders with my 20 pound bag of black oil sunflower seed. Somehow he managed to undo the bungee cords that held the trash can lid on (to keep critters …
The Relationship Between Children's Health and Time in Nature
Those of us of a certain age probably remember long summer days with a degree of fondness. Those were the days we were outdoors from the early morning until we were called home for family dinner time. They were days spent riding bicycles, exploring the surroundings and sometimes just lying in the grass staring up …
How Much Is Enough? Nature, that is...
A few weeks ago, I thumbed through a half a dozen magazines as I sat waiting for my doctor’s appointment. Each had at least one article about the environment. Most focused on climate change and protecting our fragile world, but one was decidedly different. Instead of the big global issues which can sometimes seem so …
A Place for Healing
I have a young granddaughter who has recently spent quite a bit of time in and out of children’s hospitals. The last time we saw her there, we visited the hospital’s outdoor green space several times. Each time we went, whether it was a sunny or rainy day, my granddaughter visibly changed, becoming more engaged …
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