Rewilding to increase the ecological value

Judith Irven recently participated in a group walk-about at Middlebury College to see their new “rewilding” initiative, whereby they are gradually reducing the hours they devote to lawn mowing, and also shrinking the total lawn area. 

It was a special day last summer when a young family was able to move into their brand-new Vergennes home — the latest project undertaken by Habitat for Humanity of Addison County. 

This autumn has surely been one of the most beautiful I can remember since Dick and I made our home in Goshen — over 25 years ago.

Our greenhouse is much more than a collection of pretty plants. It is a magical space where, even in the depths of winter, we retreat to be immersed in the soothing presence of growing things.

I tend a petite “kitchen garden” right outside my back door, plus a good-sized vegetable garden up the hill which is filled with tomatoes, beans, potatoes, kale and much more. 

After a long snowy winter Vermonters are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring.

It’s mid- January as I write this article. My garden, and most likely yours too, is sleeping under a light covering of snow.

What about the garden in winter, as it sleeps under a blanket snow? This can be equally beautiful. It’s all about the contrast of the seasons — something that I relish about living in the Green Mountain State.

Fall is here — that magnificent but fleeting season when the forests array themselves in their most splendid finery as they bid a final adieu to summer.

As I discussed in my last article — where I talked about the “ages and stages” of a garden — our gardens are living creations that slowly evolve with the passage of time.Surely, one of the delights for every gardener is when our initial creation — or perh … (read more)

Creating a garden is like taking a journey. An adventure which, at the outset, we don’t quite know where it will lead.Gardens are also living creations, first conceived and then lovingly nurtured by their owners over the years. And, like all living creati … (read more)

Peonies surely deserve the title of “June Garden Queens!”With huge blooms, often measuring six inches and more across, in colors from the deepest crimson to creamy white — and even some that are buttery yellow — peonies are a delight to behold.Peonies are … (read more)

When people mention a greenhouse, the image that often comes to mind is a vast hooped structure, 150-feet long or more, filled with growing plants, either to yield food or flowers during the coldest months, or alternatively to be sold at garden centers or … (read more)

Autumn is surely Vermont’s most beloved season.  For me, the early morning view across the misty valley to nearby Mount Moosalamoo, alive with the colors of fall — reds, yellows and oranges — is a sight I will treasure all winter.  And, as I walk through … (read more)

GOSHEN — It’s hard to believe that we are entering the final chapter of the garden for this year. But there is still activity to watch and plenty of flowers to enjoy. Every summer, for a scant three months, a profusion of tiny hummingbirds birds whirr aro … (read more)