The usual directions for making a compost heap call for a lot of physical effort on your part and quite a bit of your free time. You’re advised to prepare the heap just so: Quantity of Leaves All this may be just fine and dandy, provided your file of compressed leaves measures only a few … Read more
One rainy day last spring, two ladies visited me at Breeze Hill. One of them came from Harrisburg, and the other from Syracuse. They were equipped with large umbrellas and galoshes, and so shielded from the rain, they accompanied me, similarly protected, around the garden. They were in no hurry, and neither was I; we … Read more
For distinguished achievement in horticulture” is the bold line across JL the top of a parchment citation which was bestowed upon Hulda Klager of Woodland, Washington, by the Oregon Federation of Garden Clubs at its annual convention in Bend, Oregon, on June 18, 1947. Mrs. Klager, just past her 84th birthday, could not make the … Read more
Have you ever been told that to keep birds around your house all winter, you should see that they have a constant drinking water supply? And have you ever tried to do this, only to have the water freeze about as fast as you put it out? We got around the difficulty of using a … Read more
Plump amaryllis bulbs, ready for potting and forcing into bloom indoors, are available now from seed and mail-order firms or from local garden centers. Prices vary according to size, quality of bloom, and color. The best Dutch hybrids will provide wide-petalled flowers in solid deep red, pure pink, or clear white. The largest bulbs often … Read more
At present, surprisingly few plants native to this country are of any considerable value as food plants. It is worthy of more than passing note that aside from the comparatively few nut trees and such bush berries as blackberries and raspberries in this category, two of the natives that soon come to mind as very … Read more
You can have the bright red berries and dark green leaves of holly in your garden if you observe these three keys to success: Choose varieties likely to succeed in your climate, select a favorable planting location with good soil, and provide a reasonable amount of care after planting. The hardy northern varieties of American … Read more
This low ground cover with a tongue-twisting scientific name, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, is native across the North American continent and in Europe and Asia as well. Not many plants are found over such a wide part of the globe—proof enough that this plant finds many places where it can flourish. It grows on the sandy banks … Read more
Empty bird feeders are almost as commonplace during winter as dry bird baths in summer. When the first ice storm rages there is a sudden feeling for birds, but as snow deepens and it is harder to reach feeders, sentiment often vanishes. ‘‘The squirrels are getting most of the seed, so why bother?” Benefits of … Read more
The answer to this question is not as simple as it appears. To some people, it may mean a tree propagated on any of the East Mailing rootstocks. To others, it may mean a tree propagated on a specific stock, such as East Mailing IX; others still think a dwarf tree has an East Mailing … Read more