Kristin Green's Blog: trench manicure, page 4
September 10, 2015
Early morning night-herons
Threeblocks away from ourhouse is a scrappy little pond, the Tanyard Brook Reservoir, completely enclosed by a barbed-wire topped chainlink fence and a mishmash of native and invasive shrubs and vines. There are keyhole views through the fence that reveal muddy banks dottedwith litter, and asurprising array of wildlife. I’ve seen muskrats and a mink, […]
September 4, 2015
Freak of nature
The first time I saw a fasciated stem on an otherwise normal plant — a rose — I tried to propagate it. Given my soft spotfor weirdosand misfits it’s no surprise I’d want an entire plant constructed of flattened and twisted (crested) stems dotted with midgetleaves and topped by mutant flowers. But it didn’t root […]
August 31, 2015
Not goodbye
A couple-three weeks ago, just as I set out on vacation, I learned thatI wouldn’t be returning to Blithewold. Like many humans, I’m not a huge fan ofchange — whether self-inflicted, foisted upon, or a combination. But change happens, so they say. And everyone (including me) who’s been through some claimsthat it’sgood. The worst part […]
August 1, 2015
Down to earth — all creatures
(Originally published July 22, 2015 in East Bay / South Coast Life newspapers.) In the last couple of weeks a friend and then a neighbor (also a friend) mentioned seeing a snake in their garden as if that was an unusual and freaky occurrence. I have another friend, a professional gardener who refuses to work […]
June 28, 2015
Down to earth — stop and smell the roses
(Originally published June 24, 2015 in East Bay/South Coast Life newspapers.) There’s so much going on in the June garden my choice of topics is overwhelming. I could share my latest list of impulse purchases, which includes ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) number three, a moundy-roundy purple-flowered mint-scented tender perennial I’d never heard of (Hesperozygis), and enough […]
June 9, 2015
Move it or lose it
One of the trees I was given and impulsively planted in the wrong spot was a Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’); a super sweet tree with deep green plumageand limbsspread like it’s stuck doinganinterpretive dance. At the time it was given to us, by EB who happens to bethe arborist in the family, it seemed […]
June 1, 2015
Down to earth — room for improvement
(Originally published on May 27, 2015 in East Bay / South Coast Life newspapers.) My garden is as full of mistakes as it is of plants. When I’m feeling extra critical or envious of picture-perfect gardens in magazines I see all of the stupid ideas, misplaced plants, egregious wonkiness, and weeds. And then I pick […]
May 18, 2015
Down to earth — keep the love alive
(Originally published May 13, 2015 in East Bay / South Coast Life newspapers.) I try not to go out into the garden without my pruners. If I wasn’t vain about over-accessorizing, myholster would remain clipped to my front pocket from daybreak to sundown because, like most gardeners, I’m apt to bolt outside suddenly, mid-sentence and […]
April 27, 2015
Down to earth — early spring wish list
(Originally published April 15, 2015 in East Bay / South Coast Life newspapers.) I have a lot of plants in my garden. (One might even describe it as “Plantiful.”) In fact, I have so many plants that on any given May through October day when the lion’s share are blooming or being otherwise interesting I […]
April 5, 2015
Creative clutter
I started preparingmygarden for spring today. The urge to banish winter and get busy outside comes over me every year around this time — if notearlier — andfeels just like all ofthe times I have suddenly become desperate for a haircut right-this-minute. I can’t stand to look at its mess any more. And just like […]
