Friday is Valentine’s Day. February 14 also means there are just 34 days until spring — the vernal equinox at 11:49 pm, March 19, to be more precise — and for keen gardeners, this may be a better reason to celebrate. Bouquets of tulips or carnations are always welcome, of course, but cut branches of forsythia or crabapple in a tall vase says spring is near. It’s not … [Read more...] about Forced branches say spring is near
crabapples
Crabapples and critters
From a bedroom window I can look into my weeping ‘Red Jade’ crabapple tree and see all the pretty red fruits hanging in clusters. And it doesn’t take long for the garden critters to notice, too. First come the robins in aggressive groups, three or four together, hopping through the branches and ripping off berries. They spend almost an hour going through the tree, swallowing … [Read more...] about Crabapples and critters