Kristin Green's Blog: trench manicure, page 2

Down to earth — arachnophobia to philia

Originally published in EastBayRI newspapers October 12, 2016. I just spent an hour scrolling through dozens of images of spiders — some of them much too close-up for comfort — to answer a question that must be at the front of your mind if it’s plaguing mine. Why are there so many spiders around in… Continue reading Down to earth — arachnophobia tophilia

Down to earth — got bulbs?

Most of this was originally published in EastBayRI newspapers September 14, 2016. This was a tough summer. Too stupidly hot, humid, and rainlessto maintain momentum after work. I avoided my own garden, only ducking outside periodically to water containers and catch night breezes from the deck. I wish I could say I spent my time… Continue reading Down to earth — gotbulbs?

Down to earth – sem(pl)antics

Originally published in EastBayRI newspapers July 6, 2016. I had a friendly debate the other day (weeks ago now)with a fellow professional gardener that might have devolved into a heated argument if I hadn’t capitulated. We were talking about one of my favorite plants, African blue basil, which she described as an annual. I call… Continue reading Down to earth –sem(pl)antics

Buy local

My tastes range too far-and-widelyandI have too little impulse control when I’m plant shopping to ever be calleda native plant fanatic. But I ama big fan. (You know I beat their drum every chance.)I have always valued nativesfor their common sense usefulness:forbeing likely to survive and thrive theclimate and soil profile in my garden with… Continue reading Buy local

Only the lowly

Those of you who read my column in the actual paper or who possessthe secret key for reading it online (here— but it’s not there yet) whenever I don’t repost it, know I got on a soapbox last week about the hideousness of lawn chemicals and the beauty of the weeds those chemicals kill. And… Continue reading Only the lowly

Malacology is cool

File this one under learn-something-new-every-day. It’s not often that a book rocks my little world. Which is saying something considering I’ve been a book addict ever since the code was revealed, and now that I work part-time in a library, I cross paths with life-altering literatureat least twice a week. But a few weeks ago… Continue reading Malacology is cool

Down to earth — madness

(Originally published in EastBayRI newspapers sometime in March. I have been remiss in reposting! Butbecause it is currently snowing outside, I thought I might as well make up for misplaced intentions. What’s written below isn’t old news — although I really-really-really wish it was.) I spent the entire Sunday of the time change outdoors soaking… Continue reading Down to earth —madness

Make way for sweet peas

There’s not a lot of room out in the plantry. I try very hard to keep the entrances onto the porch and into the houseclear of plants and tools but inevitably the backyard door will only open so far, impinged by areluctantly coiled hoseand a tubtrug full of debris. The rest of the space, all… Continue reading Make way for sweetpeas

Down to earth — thaw’s hope

(Originally published February 10, 2016 in EastBayRI newspapers right aftertwo snowstorms andbefore the negative digit descent into thisabysmally cold weekend. I wrote ita week prior to all that, backwhen I had much higher hopes forwinter.) Is it possible this February won’t be like last February? Will we not have to spend weekend after weekend shoveling… Continue reading Down to earth — thaw’shope

Down to earth — for the fun of it

(Originally published January 27, 2016 in East Bay RI newspapers. I think I might have missed posting a piece or two— it’s been longer than I thought. Happy New Year/Ground Hog’s Day!) I read an article last week (a few weeks ago now)by Valerie Easton, avid gardener and Seattle Times columnist, whose New Year’s resolution… Continue reading Down to earth — for the fun ofit