Design

An (almost) entire summer away this year reminded me of our experiences many years ago, returning home to Southeast Georgia and our small college town after summers of research (at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland). One memorable summer, we arrived home about 10 pm, to a grubby and mildew-edged house (it was too expensive to run the ancient, non-energy efficient AC even at a high temperature, and we didn't have the money to upgrade it then). We set about scrubbing the walls in our bedroom, airing the house out, and cleaning the kitchen before finally falling into bed quite late.  I don't remember worrying about the landscape, however.  Since it was dark, I guess I wasn't worried, and I was a botanist and plant ecologist then, not having added 'gardener' yet to the hats I wear. This year, we returned to a house slightly aromatic from low-VOC paint and plaster mudding on the ceiling.   Since the last time we were here (to do the fin...

I put in a pollinator border next to the Nature Center (at the Botanical Garden where I work) about seven years ago. Needless to say, it's now in need of renovation and restoration. This photo is from better days. A primary problem is a weedy Bermuda grass patch (brought in with some leaf mulch). Rudbeckia hirta and R. fulgida gone wild (although the finches are happy) is another issue. And the volunteer Solidago isn't a particularly desirable element. So I've come to the conclusion that I need to have a renovation project (inspired by all of the participants in a Home Gardening Fundamentals class - 3/4 of whom are coping with overgrown landscapes). My home garden is in need of some updates, too. I need my gardening companion (AKA my husband) back, now that his final book manuscript is about to be sent off. Hooray! Our gardening assistant, Mocha, is not very helpful, alas, only providing moral support. But that's invaluable.