It’s been an interesting winter for sure. Record low temperatures and extreme winter chills have kept furnaces running ’round the clock. Frequent messages from service providers, as well as newspaper articles and TV reports, have warned about the dangers of frozen pipes. However, on Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow, which supposedly predicts … Continue reading February Updates →

December is a wonderful time of the year. As families decorate their homes for Christmas and the holidays, poinsettias are a popular addition to the decor. Pink poinsettias have always been a favorite in our home. Incidentally, December 12 was officially declared “National Poinsettia Day” by an Act of Congress in 2002. For me it’s … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season →

The Forbes House Museum in Milton invites visitors to its newly-renovated garden, The Island of Infinite Pleasantness,  that includes many species of trees and plantings native to China and Asia. Charles D. Webster created the Chinese-inspired garden in the 1990s in memory of his late wife, Natalie Peters Webster, president of the Garden Club of America, … Continue reading Memorial Garden Reopens at Forbes House Museum →

The recent hot and muggy weather has everyone talking rather than singing. Most say that they don’t remember such a long, suffocating hot spell interspersed with frequent thunderstorms, torrential showers and flooded streets. It is summer, after all, and some say they rather enjoy their air-conditioned homes than having to worry about shoveling snow. Amazingly, … Continue reading We’re Having a Heat Wave! →

As I type this column, I am reminded of the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein song, “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over!” from the hit musical, “Carousel.” Our June gardens are definitely bursting with blossoms. Some of the highlights are Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea), various Clematis, Climbing Hydrangeas (Hydrangea anomala petiolaris), Roses (especially Rosa ‘Zephirine Drouhin’), Blue … Continue reading Bursting With Blossoms →

The gardening season has returned. No more freezing temperatures and snowfalls. It’s a time to celebrate for sure! Signs of spring are everywhere. Especially pretty are the flowers of the bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis), creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera), the purple-leafed cherry trees (Prunus cistena), and the various daffodils, to name but a few. In the … Continue reading Dreaming of Summer →

As I type this column, I’m reminded that Spring (The Vernal Equinox) has officially arrived and that this should be a time of celebration. Instead, however, we are preparing for the fourth March nor’easter, which is expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon. The last storm brought us lots of heavy, wet snow and strong winds, which … Continue reading Ready for Spring →

Recent weather patterns in the Greater Boston Area have been chilly and challenging. A few Sundays ago we set a record-low temperature of two degrees below zero, which was followed by record-high temps just days afterwards. And then, there’s the snowfall. Although not so bad as a couple of years ago, it hasn’t been fun, … Continue reading February Chills →

We’ve had our first major snowstorm of the year and we weren’t even finished raking our leaves. While we don’t fuss and pick up every single leaf like some people do, we like to get them off our walks, as leaves can be slippery, especially when wet. We are told that this fall was one … Continue reading Ready for Winter? →