The first day of spring – announced by a full sun, no clouds day! The temperature is having difficulty agreeing, with yesterday morning’s low of 16! If you’re into biking (or hiking bike trails, especially the ‘Rails-to-trails’ routes, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the several trails that run through Xenia (roughly ten miles west) one of … Read more
The daffodils are up and blooming; that’s probably not new news to those of you who live in more densely populated areas. Neither is the fact that the hellebores are also holding forth, likewise cyclamen and the tiny yellow flowers of Cornus officianalis. Yes, tiny; yes. yellow. Now that I’ve said that perhaps I should … Read more
Dear Gardening Friends, Here we are at such a lovely time of year – end of January, early February – cold, grey, dreary, probably too wet, ugh! In a past life, we might have opened the greenhouse and made Hellebores available. It’s too early for blooms in the garden (unless you’re lucky enough to have … Read more
Well, I must admit, after nearly two years of writing nothing for this web-site, I’m feeling a bit adrift and unsure of where to start. But I have been inspired to do something by a wonderful little poem recently sent to me by a long-out-of-touch friend from college days (in Wichita, Kansas) who now resides … Read more
Ohio breaks snowfall record in Dayton, 120-year-old record in Cincinnati. MSN.com No Garden work today. Sitting in the office and thankfully watching the snow fall off the leaves of trees and bushes weighted down almost to the ground. Here are a few shots around the garden. Mostly of the flowering trees and bushes to show … Read more
Around the Garden Hellebore in bloom. Of note is the ‘Spanish Flare’ shown here. Taken from Wikipedia: Helleborus genus consists of approximately 20 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Various species of this genus originated in Europe and Asia. It’s a mixed blessing having the Hellebore in bloom so early … Read more
Day Lilies in bloom taken morning of Saturday, June 27, 2020. We encourage visitors. We are open to the public. It is easy to maintain social distancing. There is over 2-1/2 acres of Garden. Please bring and wear your Mask, as needed, when in the Garden.
Here we are in the middle of Holy Week and I haven’t touched the keyboards of an organ or directed a single note from a choir……there have been no public services of worship in Ohio since March 16. It seems extraordinarily odd to not be doing this after something like 56 years of it! Without … Read more
1 APRIL 2020 AND this is no joke! In the past several years, I have often wondered to myself whether or not having a garden the size of Ashdowne was worth it or not. Those doubts have been erased by the COVID-19 event. If one must be sequestered in situ, I must admit that being … Read more
A few weeks ago our neighbor graveled the driveway. When it rains hard drainage is a problem. So over the years original gravel gave way to soil which turned to mud even after a moderate rain. We discussed ways to drain the excess water but given the cost and considerable work and disruption to other … Read more