Long House Benefit in the New York Times

Long House Benefit in the Wall Street Journal

Longhouse Benefit

I wish that each and everyone of my friends could have shared this divine night - there was so much to appreciate...


Longhouse Benefit in the Wall Street Journal

Now this is EXOTICA! These strange and wonderful Madagascar palms as seen in Dennis Schrader's wonderful private collection and on view for one night only at the LongHouse Benefit - July 17 - more than just a tickle

That’s What They All Say

I bet there isn’t one gardener on earth who hasn’t uttered the words “But you should have seen it yesterday”….Well , that might be considered charming when there is still some remnant of the aforementioned show-stopper, but how about “Oh, you should have seen it two months ago” Do you think that will be of any satisfaction whatsoever to the Garden Conservancy contingent that comes to call on September 11.

It is July 15 and there is bloom on the Lespedeza! ….the Vitex is about to burst and the Beautyberries are already turning that wonderful cold-violet luminescent color……there will not be a thing to show them on September 11

WOOF WOOF or No Hot-Shot Show-Me-The-$ Gardens A gardening month extraordinaire! Garden tour upon garden tour…public ones, private ones…I am left invigorated and if possible, even more dedicated… The near and dear to my heart ARF Animal Rescue Fund Garden Tour of The Hamptons was woofier than ever. Not even one of the seven gardens was a See-How-Much-Money-I-Can-Spend garden or a "landscaper’s garden" — they were all real gardens made over time and with incredibly distinct personalities…I loved this one of John Stedila fashioned around an old fire house But the best woofy story was the realization of how the participants came together to make it a great day. Erika Shank, garden #2, sliced through her hand with a jack-saw on Memorial Day weekend. From elbow-up, she has been totally out of commission, so what could she do about dressing up her garden the week before hundreds of avid and hungry garden tourers were about to descend? Well, what Erika did was rely on her friends……Ngaere Macray, garden #3, and her band of angels to the rescue. Her garden looked beautiful, here is my friend Mary Busch in front of Erika’s lovingly sculpted hedges. Woof Woof Woof And here is Lys with Eileen Catalano, garden #5, snacking on fresh delicious black-podded peas — one of the many delights of Eileen’s garden/farm where special teardrop birds nests hang in profusion to attract martens, bees buzz and a fabulous assortment of chickens provide food, fertilizer and a gigantic dose of personality.

So what is happening? My garden is about to burst with lilies, there are grapes ripening on the vinesand the vitex is filled with buds. And this is only the end ofJune.… and most unusual. Even more disturbing are the dry crackly leaves falling in droves from the London Plane and other Trees. What this means for my garden on September 11 (Garden Conservancy) I cannot say, but what does it mean for the planet? It is not good.

GREAT SEED POD DEBATE This extremely controversial matter has me flummoxed. There are those who contend — remove the seed pods — remove all seed pods. These deadheaders who believe in lopping off any bulging after-flower parts unless you plan to propagate are on the side of putting all the plant’s energy into flowering. In other words, not letting it go to seed. Well… I have no plans (or space or time and not much patience) to breed even my most beloved plants from seed but I Love the Seedpods. I love them on daffodils, I love them on Iris, and I especially love them on peonies. Look at these fat velvety apparitions: So, what to do? With these lovely tree peony seed pods.......... The seed pods are as enthralling— or maybe more so — than the flowers. In nature, of course, the seed pods don't get cut off – so unless someone can present me a good reason for decapitating them…I'd rather leave them... Though all good advice is welcome…