Boston Ivy puts on a show

The classic look of ivy covered walls really comes to life in the fall, when adorned with Boston Ivy. Boston Ivy is a long-lived, rather fast growing perennial vine, and a great choice if you want the ivy-walled look. It’s perfect on this brick apartment building a happened upon in south Minneapolis. I wouldn’t recommend…

Dusty Miller saved my gardening butt this summer

An accent plant that has always bored me a little worked its way into my heart this past summer and I now declare “I love Dusty Miller.” Botanically speaking, its Senecio Cineraria. Native to southern Europe (but with less attitude), it is a perennial to zone 9, but an annual up in these parts. When…

Heart Stump

My dad once said “There is nothing sadder than a sick or dying tree.” Walking around the neighborhoods of Minneapolis, you can get pretty sad these days. The “Ulmus Americanus” are being felled pell mell. We learned our lesson, hopefully. Diversity of tree varieties is a good thing. I was out walking and happened upon…

Kiss my aster

I could kiss my perennial aster I love it so much. I am not sure of the particular variety , but I believe it is ‘Purple Dome.’ It is hardy to zone 4 and was purchased at Home Depot when it was in bloom. All the tag gave me was “Hardy Aster.” I used to…

Anyone can have a pond in their backyard

If my diminutive back 40 can support an aquatic ecosystem, anyone’s can. My patio pond area started with a store-bought, maybe 25 gallon pre-formed container that I dug (and dug!) a hole in the ground for. Then I added water and stirred! The fountain is an old cistern pump from the farm I grew up…

This is our dog Uli… she eats cucumbers in the garden

And we’ve given up trying to stop her. I figure, there are worse things a dog could eat. And they don’t seem to upset her tummy. As a matter of fact she looks great and she has so much energy. I grow the cucumbers up a trellis in my small space vegetable garden, which works…

Basil Hay Day

Whenever I see a bouquet of basil at the grocery store for $5, I say a little thank-you prayer for my stand of it out back in my veggie garden. I will always overplant basil. Undoubtedly, some will bite it on that first killing frost, but even then, it is rather like freeze-drying a batch….

Late Summer Garden Memories of the Minnesota State Fair

Do you have an iconic garden image or landscape design that sticks in your head, maybe even inspiring a plan that you have incorporated into your own home? I hold memories of a late-summer garden that was installed by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society at the Minnesota State Fair, sometime in the very late 1990s….

To catch a butterfly photo

Have you ever chased a butterfly around the garden in attempts to capture just that perfect garden photo? I danced with this little fellow around the zinnia patch for about ten minutes and he was having a lot of fun with me. I was tickled that he flirted as long as he did. Capturing that…

Garden Firebowl

Bringing the element of fire to the garden adds heaps of drama to your outdoor space. A fire is mesmerizing and the containers to hold fires are striking garden elements, even when they are not ablaze. In this photo, a Smith and Hawken copper bowl from Target, turns amazing patina shades from the heat. The…

Zinnia Fireworks

I snapped this photo on, ten guesses, the 4th of July. Relaxed fireworks ordinances in Minneapolis (although I was sure someone’s roof was to be set ablaze) have created opportunities to celebrate without leaving one’ s own backyard, which is where this was taken. It made me think, if you are familiar with Zinnia ‘Fireworks…

California Poppies are welcome in Minnesota

I had been toting around a few packs of California Poppy seeds for several years. Last season, I decided to throw them in as a border along my back path that flanks the vegetable garden. They were slow to get started, but wow, they took hold and a drift of them along the back path…