One more reason to remove dead leaves from flower beds
Actually, pictured are SIX more reasons, and they're just a few of the groundcovers that look just fine here in late November (photos taken 11/22).  My point is that all of them are all  much nicer to look at than dead leaves.  Isn't winter dreary enough without covering up our evergreen groundcovers? Now if you garden [...]

On Paid Blogging, and What I Really do in my Garden in November
For three years I wrote how-to gardening articles for local readers of the Takoma Voice and loved it – til I finally gave it up to focus on activities that would help pay the bills.  Reality, I hear you!  That meant confining the garden-teaching to garden-coaching clients, which brings in a bit, and looking for [...]

The Great Dead-Leaf Debate – who knew?
Who knew there was so much controversy around the question of what's the "greenest" thing to do with dead leaves?  Actually I've gotten more than a hint of the controversy because over on GardenRant people have, of course, ranted about this very topic.  More than a few who follow the "leaf it be" practice of [...]

Say hello to Olive Barn and Jackie D’Elia
I started hearing from Jackie months ago – some comments on GardenRant and the occasional helpful tip ("That link's a dud!"  And for the record, I WANT y'all to tell me these things! )  Then  last summer I asked for eco-dubies to step up and pay my expenses to attend an awesome conference about Urban [...]

How to hurt your back in the garden
Do I know to bend at the knee?  Was I born yesterday?  Of course I know to do that!.  Ditto doing regular exercises to strengthen the big muscles that take the load off our tired old back muscles when we're working hard.  (I use weights and Pilates.)  Now about stretching before gardening, do YOU do that?  [...]