Rachel's Garden- Robin's Nest

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The Featured Plant- Snowdrops

photo by Greg Neilley

How can you not like snowdrops?  They're like a company of delicate little ballerinas that dance through your garden before the big circus comes to town. And they show up just when you need them the most.

Spring Awakenings

At this time of the year in New Hampshire, gardens are not the only things that are awakening.

In the most recent edition of our once-a-month village newspaper, a "public service" ad appeared that warned residents to bring all of their bird feeders inside by the end of this month.  Living here, surrounded by acres and acres of forest, we're all accustomed to this springtime ritual by now, and the photo below illustrates the major reason why people take these warnings seriously.  It's the end of hibernation season and certain mammals out there are plenty hungry.

The Birds and The Bees

The Beekeepers  Pieter Bruegel the Elder c 1568
Gemaldegalerie Berlin, Germany

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get very nervous about all these so-called anomalies of nature that keep occurring everywhere.  Not long ago, large numbers of birds began falling out of the sky, in more than one location across the globe.  I keep hearing that it was all caused by a series of fireworks that somehow induced a state of confusion in the birds. Well, excuse me if I'm a little skeptical. About the only time I've ever seen fireworks induce a state of confusion was when I once had a little too much to drink at a fourth-of-July celebration.  I'm thinking there might be more to it.

Rachel's Garden- Spring

March Snow

Sitting here writing on this first full day of Spring and watching it snow all day, I couldn't think of a better time to post the following poem by Stephani Franklin. Thanks to Meredeth Allen for passing this along.

“March Snow”
by Stephani Franklin

Icy morning penance
Catches revelers off guard
To their sorrow;
Affirms ascetics
Of their canon.
Snug under a blanket of
Mulch and warming earth,
Smug, biding their time
Reciting pious axioms,
“Good things come to those who wait.” 
“Patience is a virtue.”

It's Maple Sugar Time!

Party In The Maple Sugar Camp
Eastman Johnson, c. 1861-66

In addition to the streams and rivers, which are on the rise here now because of the melting snow, the other thing that begins to run rapidly this time of year in New Hampshire and Vermont is the sap--maple sap, that is.  It started to run here in our neck of the woods about three days ago.

An Inexpensive Gardening Education

There is no better way to learn about gardening and garden design than to go visit some really good gardens.  Every year, at about this time, I'm dreaming green.  I'm tired of black and white.  I'm ready for all the snow and ice to disappear from the New Hampshire landscape and, even though we still have mud season to get through, I can't wait to while away a few perfect summer days visiting some great gardens.

From Mounds of Snow to Mounds of Hay

John James Wilson. Haymaking, 19th cent.

At this time of year, you can usually find me in one of two places.  I'm either in the basement staring at the sump pump or I'm in the barn counting bales of hay.

Out Now

It's the time for swelling buds and melting snow. To see what's out right now in the garden...read more.