Hori Hori Tool

May 20, 2013
IMG_9394I RECENTLY PURCHASED A HORI HORI KNIFE. It's a Japanese gardening tool with a concave center (like a trowel), and a sharp, serrated edge. Would you like to see what this nifty gadget can do? Read more »

Awesome Almond Biscotti

May 17, 2013
IMG_9453WHAT’S CRUNCHY, only slightly-sweet, and perfect for dunking in a cup of hot coffee? The Almond Biscotti you see pictured above. If I can make these awesome Italian biscuits on a busy gardening- and housekeeping-day, I’ll wager you can, too. Here’s the super-simple recipe: Read more »

My Garden in Mid-May

May 14, 2013
IMG_8982IN MAY, when the days are warm, the air is fragrant, and the phlox subulata (above) is in bloom, I like to take Lily the Beagle on leisurely walks. Would you like to see what we see when we tour the gardens here? Join us. Read more »

Grow Fruit Naturally – The Winners

May 14, 2013
IMG_8633I'D LIKE TO THANK all 301 of you who entered my latest giveaway -- Lee Reich's fabulous Grow Fruit Naturally. If only I could buy everyone a copy of this great book! Alas, I used the little number gadget at Random (dot) org to select the following three winners: Read more »

Rustic Rhubarb Tart

May 12, 2013
IMG_9100TAKE SOME SWEETENED, DICED RHUBARB, pour it onto a round of buttery Pate Brisee dough, bake the two until bubbly and golden, and what do you get? A simple springtime dessert that everybody loves. Read more »

Grow Fruit Naturally/A Giveaway

May 8, 2013
IMG_8771IN THE SPRING OF 2002, I planted five heirloom apple trees on the south-facing hill behind my house. Can you guess what happened? The trees were promptly devoured by every pest and disease known to botanists. Too bad I didn't have fruit-expert Lee Reich to help me out. His latest book, Grow Fruit Naturally, is the subject of this month's giveaway: Read more »

How to Smother Weeds with Newspaper

May 7, 2013
IMG_8602WHEN WEEDS INVADE MY PERENNIAL BEDS, I don't get mad -- I get newspaper. Newspaper-mulching, as we have discussed before, makes weeds disappear instantly. And it prevents them from re-emerging for an entire season, if not longer. I newspaper-mulched one of my weed-choked beds just this morning. Would you like to see the easy procedure? Read more »