Category Archives: Flora

Harbingers of spring

Posted on 2018-01-30 by Karin Kiontke

Today, we got some more snow. Nothing much, but enough to cast a light blanket over the sleeping garden. Almost everything underneath is still dormant. However, right next to the entrance to the garden grow our earliest snowdrops, and these show the first flowers! A … Continue reading →

Posted in Flora, Garden Seasons | Leave a comment

Before winter arrives

Posted on 2017-11-09 by Karin Kiontke

The forecast is telling us that winter will take its first swipe at our region tomorrow afternoon. The night is predicted to be bitterly cold with temperatures in the 20s. The National Weather Service warns: “These conditions will kill crops and other … Continue reading →

Posted in Flora, Garden Seasons | Leave a comment

Of asters, bees and birds

Posted on 2017-11-02 by Karin Kiontke

Asters are reliable fall flowers. They bloom year after year from mid September until late October without requiring much care. Cutting them down once in early June delays the flowers a little bit and they show up when the summer flowers begin to fade. Now, most … Continue reading →

Posted in Fauna, Flora | Leave a comment

Plant Profile: Milkweed

Posted on 2017-10-03 by Karin Kiontke

Some of our beloved summer flowers are those from the milkweed family. We like them for their pretty flowers and because they are the exclusive food for America’s most popular butterfly, the monarch. We grow a couple of native species … Continue reading →

Posted in Fauna, Flora, Plant profile | Leave a comment

Herbs and veggies flower, too

Posted on 2017-06-17 by Karin Kiontke

When thinking of herbs and vegetables , we usually don’t think flowers (stuffed squash blossoms, artichokes and broccoli excluded). In fact, farmers harvest greens before the plants put on flowers, or they wait until the bees have done their job and harvest … Continue reading →

Posted in Flora | Leave a comment