Early spring plants to banish winter
In February 2018 I have grilled out while wearing shorts and flip flops, and I’ve chiseled ice off the cars at 5:30 am. I’m more than a little bit done with winter. The good news is that spring is right…
Dangerous curves ahead
Seeing the trailer for The Incredibles 2 has me so, so excited. The first movie had wonderful characters and a great story, and naturally my favorite character is Edna Mode – a designer with a strong point of view and…
Gearing up for grilling and outdoor kitchen season
When I left the gym this afternoon it was a balmy 65 degrees, and I drove home with the windows down. I haven’t completely given up on snow, but it’s starting to feel as though the standard winter colors of…
The fastest way to learn new plants
I moved to Virginia from Arizona in the summer of 2005. After a couple of weeks of job hunting, I got hired as a landscape designer and hit the ground running. The only hitch was that the plant material was…
How to plan and build a screen porch in Virginia
You probably never gave all that much thought to everything needed to plan and build a screen porch. Build a deck, add a roof, staple some screen to the side, BAM! Screen porch. While a screen porch is still a…
Should I use weed fabric under mulch?
When asked if you should use weed fabric under mulch, I think of P.T. Barnum. Before P.T. Barnum was known for circuses (circii?), he operated the American Museum in New York City. While it had some legitimate exhibits, like taxidermied…