Winter Comes Suddenly and Treacherously

Kansas Country Garden

November 2015

We have enjoyed a long, mild autumn.  On Thanksgiving I was pleased to find that the sage plant had not yet frozen meaning that I could add fresh sage to the dressing, something I don't recall doing other years. A gentle, much needed rain began to fall. We were thankful. 

Worth Doing: Save your Sweet Potato Vines for Next Year

Kansas Country Garden

It's coming! You knew it was. We all do. One day soon there will be a freeze and the garden will be over. As that day approaches a scramble ensues. 

Pick the last of the veggies! Prepare houseplants to return indoors! Save the ornamental sweet potatoes for next years vines!


Preparing for a winter inside

Farewell to Summer

Zinnias add a splash of color and charm to the garden

A Kansas Country Garden

September 2015

We bid farewell to summer with a mixture of relief and regret. It was a wonderful summer, but I should have gotten a few more projects done. Leaving blistering temperatures behind is easier than knowing that the relaxed summer schedule is coming to an end.  But I have to admit that the approaching autumn is a delightful time of the year. 

Summer Slump

Old fashioned phlox need to be well-watered to thrive. Less water won't kill them, but they will not look good. 
Tiger lilies contrast with cheerful hibiscus. 







A Kansas Country Garden

August 2015

All is not wonderful in the mid-summer garden. Unlike spring when each day is a new adventure in the garden and new things continually pop into bloom, summer moves a little slower and a little harder. 

June Ushers in a Splendid Summertime

A contrast in daylilies with the tall single orange towering over the Stella De Oro with cheerful Shasta daisies in the foreground. 


A Kansas Country Garden

May 2015

I am pleased that these lilies have multiplied over the years.
There is both a sameness and a newness as summer begins in our country garden.  Many plants have been in our garden for years breeding familiarity but never contempt. Perhaps that is because their visit is short and never quite the same.  Each year is unique. Even in the best years, there are plants that fail to thrive. Even in the worst years, there are pockets of loveliness. 

A Poem for the Garden

My Garden by Thomas E. Brown

Written sometime in the  1800's, this poem transcends the passing of time and feels quite at home in my 2015 garden. I found the poem years ago, loved it, and copied it by hand into a little journal where I keep quotes that I like. Simple, yet profound, it always makes me smile. I share it with you today along with recent photos from the garden and hope that you like it too. 




Quick Mix Strawberry Shortcake for Two

There's a certain luxury to having strawberries. So pretty! So delicate! So wonderfully delicious! This is what the rich and famous should dine on (and they probably do) and yet here I am, neither rich nor famous, with lots and lots of strawberries. 

Martha is a Mama

A country garden is not a silent garden. Very early, as dawn breaks, the birds begin a symphony. Who knew there were so many? From the sounds of it, they are all happy to be alive. From the chicken pen we can hear contented clucking. The evening closes with an intense chorus of frogs. Recent rains have restored their pond and they are delighted. They're telling everyone in a volume so loud, you can still hear them inside with the windows closed. But until recently there was a sound that was missing.

Beautiful Name

A Kansas Country Garden

May 2015

After several meager years this  Dave Austin rose, Heritage, is in top form this season. 



May Bursts Forth in a Crescendo of Life

Kansas Country Garden

May 2015

Poppies and iris are a May delight.
There is nothing dull or boring with the month of May. Instead it bursts forth in a crescendo of life. 

The Adventure of Taming Kitty (Part 2)

When we last left Kitty (Part 1) she had just escaped from the laundry room where she was supposed to be adjusting to her new home. If you haven't already, you may wish to read part 1 before continuing.

In the morning the couple searched in vain in the laundry room. They looked throughout the house. Could she be under the sofa or bed? There were lots of hiding places in their house for a cat. When they realized that the door to the storage area in the basement had been left open, the hiding places increased exponentially. They didn't find the cat. 
Kitty has lots of friends. 

A Closer Look

Candytuft, iberis, up close and personal. This plant is about 6 inches high.
This tiny unnamed bulb is quite charming.

A Kansas Country Garden

April 2015

It might seem that not much is happening in the garden. Glancing from a window the garden is a blur of green with subtle splashes of color here and there. But let's take a closer look.
White tulips brighten the garden.

The Adventure of Getting Kitty (Part 1)

Once upon a time there was a couple who were at an impasse. It was not a particularly serious impasse, but it went on for some time. It was in regard to cats.

Comfort and Joy

Good Friday is the most solemn day on the Christian calendar. 

We remember and we grieve. 



I believe these blossoms are flowering plum.

The Dead Stuff Must Go

A Kansas Country Garden


Suddenly it seems that spring has arrived. We are never 100% sure that it is really here to stay, but as days go by with delightfully warm temperatures, it certainly seems like a possibility.


After months of winter banishment from the garden, the heart and the hands yearn to return. First order of business is cleaning up the flower beds. Last year's garden was one of the best; generous rains brought a truly outstanding display that was all the more treasured because it followed several years of drought and intense heat. 

Love is in the Air! Guinea Love That Is!

I am happy to report that Martha is no longer single. You've been waiting for that announcement I know. Martha is a guinea, the daughter of our beloved Hank and Edna who was no doubt traumatized by the deaths of the rest of her family. She's been alone for well over a year roaming the neighborhood, occasionally disappearing for weeks at a time and then just when we think she's gone forever here she is back again.