Got outside and did a bit of spring cleaning this weekend. I wasn’t very diligent with fall clean up, so we still had a lot of old growth hanging around from last year. Things were looking quite drab and dead, however, underneath all of that old growth we have a variety of spring greens emerging. [Read more…] about Backyard Spring Cleaning
A cause for celebration! In late spring, tulip blooms create quite a scene, rows and rows of vibrant colors bring people together for the annual Tulip Time Festival. A short drive north of Chicago you can find Holland, Michigan, host of over 5 million tulips growing all around town. [Read more…] about Tulip Time Festival – Holland Michigan
March marks the official start of spring. Here in Chicago, we generally still get quite a mixture of weather conditions throughout the month, but there is no denying that spring is pushing through. Very early on we begin to see little purple and yellow flowers popping up. The Crocus flowers are always the first to appear in our yard every year and they don’t seem to have a problem taking on the harsh storms of March. [Read more…] about March’s Yard
In the midwest, January doesn’t always feel like a very lively month, at least not in the outdoor garden department. The fall leaves have dried out and plants from last season are sadly drooping under the cold and wet blanket of winter. We are in the thick of hibernation season, but that doesn’t mean that things have completely shut down in the plant world. In fact, this January has been unusually mild and rainy. When I stepped outside to capture these images, I was without a coat wearing sandals, comfortably enjoying the sun and observing the state of the yard. This is not the same January I have grown up to know in the midwest. It’s a little strange that we are seeing some very early signals from spring already, some colorful sites in a generally gray time of year. [Read more…] about January’s Yard
October marks the end of the potted garden of 2016. After six+ good months of Vegetable Gardening, we harvested hundreds of cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, 5 different types of peppers, a handful of herbs, and finally an abundance of rainbow chard. It’s been a good run 2016, let’s have a look at the final update for the year. [Read more…] about Garden Growth in Six Months
One of the best things about fall is witnessing the Maple leaves transform into their many autumn colors. I’ve been watching and admiring Maple tress all my life, every year I look forward to seeing their brilliant colorful display. Fall was starting to feel like it was slipping away and I was concerned that I’d miss the changing leaves, so we headed to a green oasis to soak in some of that magnificent golden sun and take in the beauty of the season. I wanted to share my fall komorebi sightings at the Chicago Botanic Gardens with you. [Read more…] about Fall Maple Komorebi
It hit me that this gorgeous season has been passing by so fast and I have not been taking the opportunity to enjoy everything wonderful about it. So I headed to the Chicago Botanic Gardens with some friends over the weekend and finally soaked up some of that golden autumn sun, took in the crisp air, and admired the sweet colors of fall. [Read more…] about Chicago Botanic Gardens – Fall Visit
September has come and gone, the potted vegetable garden has been growing for five months and is now winding down. While we are still seeing a lot of veggies to harvest, some of the plants have already completed their season. [Read more…] about Garden Growth in Five Months