the joy of gardening

Not Your Typical Garden Story

Not Your Typical Garden Story

It's hard not to think about life and death in the garden because you're witnessing it over and over throughout the growing season. My garden story is that each year  
Gardening with Kids is a Blessing

Gardening with Kids is a Blessing

I like to think that I've done my job as a gardener to at least inspire curiosity in my daughter about gardening. Gardening with kids isn't always pretty, but it's  
The Benefits of Gardening for Mental Health

The Benefits of Gardening for Mental Health

Gosh, the benefits of gardening for mental health are endless. If gardens were a drug, pharmaceutical companies would be fighting to sell it. If gardens were represented by Big Pharma, I'm  
The Life and Times of Growing Boysenberries

The Life and Times of Growing Boysenberries

Are you growing boysenberries? When I was young, we had oodles of berries growing (thanks, birds!), though we never grew boysenberry. My mother taught me never to grow raspberries or  
What Ado About Weeds in the Lawn

What Ado About Weeds in the Lawn

Today's piece "Islands of Clover" gave me a good chuckle today, because it's a story about a husband and wife, and a battle over weeds in the lawn that is  
For the Love of Bees

For the Love of Bees

Our human history is linked with the honeybee. Honeybees and their honey have been used in cooking for thousands of years. Honey was given as a medicine and was used  
The Most Important Garden

The Most Important Garden

"Don't ever let anyone tell you gardens are a luxury," says the author of today's piece, The Most Important Garden, recounting the memory of a mother who sat awaiting an