Category Archives: Sustainable Gardening

Beating The Winter Blues

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

As I weed and edit in my garden, I find myself leaving a lot of what definitely looks messy. Those battered, fallen logs often shelter slumbering bee larvae and sagging plants can be protecting butterfly cocoons. I’ve found dormant frogs nestled in heaps of old leaves and little bats hiding in deep cracks in leaning dead trees. However, while some kinds of mess looks naturalistic, others just look like crap. As I age, I’m experiencing the twin pulls of appreciating order and valuing the wild. I do get daily pleasure and satisfaction from Continue reading →

Posted in composting, Garden Prep, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Weed Control | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reviving Frozen Plants

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

After The Freeze As a series of cold fronts ripped through the Northwest, many of us struggled to shelter and protect borderline hardy plants. Draped with floating row cover cloth, sheets, or bubblewrap, temporary structures can provide a few degrees … Continue reading →

Posted in Easy Care Perennials, Garden Prep, Health & Wellbeing, pests and pesticides, Pruning, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Winterizing | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Wonder Of Winter

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Like most gardeners, I’m a firm believer in celebration. Almost any event or occasion can be taken as an excuse both to make merry and to be consciously grateful together. The first snowdrops, the first flower on the hardy cyclamen, the first bright bells on the nodding hellebores, the first spangle of stars on the winter jasmine, all are cause for shared pleasure and appreciation. But sometimes the world seems too dark to be brightened by a bud or blossom. When I forget to celebrate, I forget to be grateful. When I stop experiencing gratitude, I also lose heart, strength, and courage. Continue reading →

Posted in Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged | 8 Comments

The Ancient Art Of Braising

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Ann Lovejoy
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

First Sizzle, Then Slow And Low For those of us who try to eat something fresh at every meal, the cole family is definitely our best friend in winter. When the markets are full of imported produce, it’s especially pleasant … Continue reading →

Posted in fall/winter crops, Health & Wellbeing, Recipes, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment