Pucker up Baby

That’s right, whose idea was this? I am not talking about kissing a horse. That wasn’t so bad. I am talking about a gardening blog. Aren’t there enough already? Do I think I really have something to say that hasn’t already been said?

Cornus controversa

It all seemed like a wonderful idea in the winter. Less daylight, colder temperatures, and snow cover add up to more time to spend writing blog posts. The only problem is the lack of blog material. In the summer, it is just a matter of looking out at your garden. There is always something new happening. In the winter, much more creativity is needed to craft a meaningful post.

Southern Magnolia

Spring’s arrival offers more than warmer temps and pretty flowers. Potential blog fodder increases. The great aspect of early spring is that there is still plenty of darkness to keep you out of the garden and at the computer writing.

Tree Peony

Then late spring and early summer hit. So many subjects to write about, so little time.

I am a professional gardener. I am also a hobby gardener. Plus, I help friends with their gardens. This all adds up to a dawn to dusk gardening life.  It also adds up to not much time for my blog.

Grecian Foxglove Digitalis lanata

In a perfect world, I would be posting once a week. My last post was in early May.  I am letting my thousands of followers down. Every day, hundreds go to the site looking for new and wonderful gardening insight. This weighs heavily on me. It’s like an unpaid bill. Pure torture.

WOW! What a Smoke Tree

Blog topics too numerous to list have passed. Whole genera of plants have come into and out of bloom for the season. Wonderful gardens have been visited. One day, not long ago, I found an Emerald Ash Borer adult on my kitchen floor and a Brown Marmorated stinkbug on my elderberry bush. How could a person not write about finding two of the most destructive pests to come along in recent history in a single day?

Nation Champion Burr Oak --- Photo: Meg Hanrahan

There is hope. The solstice is here. My gardening life starts to shift to a little less hectic pace. I have several new postings started and a long list of ideas. Hopefully my next posting will be soon. If not, maybe I will be writing another bunch of excuses in two months.