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Find me in the NEW Spring issue of GreenPrints Magazine!

It’s a privilege to be a contributor during GreenPrints’ 25th year of publication, and I encourage you to subscribe to this very worthy magazine described by editor Pat Stone as “the most unusual,...

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The Merry Month of Mud Time

Whether Robert Frost originally coined the term or not I do not know, but ‘mud time’ must be the simplest and most accurate expression to describe the period from the last snow melt to the first tulip...

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Fickle April

Convalaria shoots are just as fascinating to my Jack Russell as they are to me The crocus and winter aconite have finally appeared, only to find me standing over them, tapping my watch. Everything is a...

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Deck That Deck!

The spring reclamation of patios and decks has begun across the Mid-Atlantic and New England. And, unlike our brother gardeners in sunnier climes, this will involve something more extensive than...

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The Spousal Problem

Father Ted said it best. My husband is frequently annoyed with me that I rarely indulge the ‘dreamer’ who lives deep inside of this pragmatic, 40-something frame. It’s one thing to remain practical...

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The Gnat Hat

We’re on the Virginia side of the river now, but even so, I have read with interest the heroic efforts of a local Maryland citizen who is determined to eradicate our shared gnat problem by enlisting...

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Garden writers share top tips for summertime gardening!

Sunday marks the first day of summer, and a reality check for the garden and gardeners. If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, check out this UK landscaping site, Mainland Aggregates, where I...

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The Garden Remembers

This morning I caught my breath to find new shoots breaking through the soil on a St. John’s Wort I thought had died in transit from Oregon several weeks ago. Hypericum calycinum is not a difficult...

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Farm-To-Fork Loudoun is gearing up! July 23rd through August 2nd!

Image courtesy of Farm-To-Fork Loudoun 2015 A dynamic partnership between county farmers and chefs, Farm-To-Fork Loudoun (and later next month, Farm-To-Fork Frederick) showcases the beauty of local,...

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The Necessity of Underwear

The tricky business of staking is on the agenda chez Willburn; but with the heat, humidity and resulting malaise affecting all forms of life whether flora or fauna, it is difficult to do more than wave...

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HOA Madness – or – Just Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

Yeah. This’ll get the clipboards out. Now I have definitely heard everything. Whilst chatting with a friend the other night over landscaping and other related topics that make others at the table...

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Urban Chickens: The bigger picture

Urban chickens a nuisance? I had four in this coop and no one ever knew… Well, the chickens have won. Not of course the literal chickens, exiled as pets by virtue of prejudice and ignorance, but the...

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Just Wait Until Next Year

By the beginning of September, many gardeners are thinking about next year’s garden. Whatever failures have been experienced this year – whatever insults have been suffered – all are erased by a...

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Hydrangeas for the Confused

http://smalltowngardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hydrangeas-for-the-confused.mp3 There are a lot of hydrangeas out there. A lot. In fact as far as I’m concerned, too many. This is of course, no...

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It’s Time to Get Serious About Your Vegetables

What once was Melones Reservoir in Calaveras County. If you look closely you can see the old bridge once covered by a hundred feet of water. I’m writing from California this week. My whereabouts are...

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Five Smart Moves for Fall

Whether it’s back to school, back to sports, back to work or back-to-back holidays, autumn can get a little crazy. At the same time our schedules are exploding, there’s tons to be done in the garden,...

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When Everyone Is Watching: Garden Design for Non-Designers

http://smalltowngardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/When-Everyone-Is-Watching.mp3 A front-and-center garden puts artwork on display and invites accolades or criticism. I’ve got nothing but...

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HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FOR GARDENERS

In my part of the world, Winter arrives as a gentle jolly spirit and departs like a raving banshee. However, before I start navigating three-inch ice with an ancient Land Cruiser, I plan to enjoy the...

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An Exhausting Autumn

A warm wet autumn means lots of mushroom foraging. Here oyster mushrooms & wood ears, destined for a stir fry. Boy we’ve had it good this season. A fall season that doesn’t just tempt, but delivers...

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Old Man Time Meets Mother Nature

Lately I am of two minds regarding the passage of time. In one, I stare out of my bedroom window in the early morning at tiny junipers and Japanese maples, and yearn for additional seasons of growth...

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