The Rootbound Holiday Garden Spectacular
A Look Back at my Favorite Garden Tours of the Year
An authentic British garden growing in Western Pennsylvania? A library of obscure daffodil varieties? A hidden bamboo grove in my neighborhood? It’s hard to choose a favorite from all the local gardens I got to visit this year.
Photographer Scott Danka and I met half a dozen gardeners and saw the amazing spaces they’ve created as part of our Summer Garden series for CBS Pittsburgh.
I’ve shared these stories with you as they aired over the last year but I thought it might be nice to collect them all in one post. Maybe you want something fun to watch while you’re wrapping gifts? Or maybe you want to get cozy in a comfy chair, ignore the season’s sub-freezing temperatures and immerse yourself in summery content? Either way, enjoy!
Also, I’ve got a little poll at the end of this post so even if you don’t watch all the videos, make sure to scroll all the way down to share your opinion.
A Library of Historic Daffodils
Pittsburgh garden guru Doug Oster introduced me to Joe Hamm and his incredible “daffodil hortus.” What started as a way to keep deer away has turned into an obsession for this Washington County gardener.
Un-paving Paradise
These gardeners were inspired by a multi-acre historic estate though their backyard is much smaller than an acre. It’s also mostly paved. Could they create the multi-roomed garden of their dreams in a city lot?
How to Grow Your Own Pharmacy
For this former nurse, a garden is more than just a collection of beautiful blooms. It’s the source for countless tinctures, lotions and medicines.
A Garden Planted with Memories
Every corner of this garden brings back a memory for Mark. There are ponds that remind him of his grandfather, tomatoes that recall his father’s vegetable patch and blooms that transport him back to his grandmother’s flower beds.
The Garden That Sprouted in a Library
Julie Witmer is a British gardener who was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. Her love of English gardens is on display at her breathtaking garden in Grove City.
A Little Help?
With the new year about a week away, I’m thinking about switching things up a little on Substack. I’ll be posting more about that in January but in the meantime, I’d love to get some feedback from you.
And if none of these options are speaking to you, feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!
And one more thing: I was fascinated by this article in The Guardian about a team of researchers who are hoping to popularize perennial wheat which takes fewer resources to grow than the standard annual wheat that’s in most of our foods. Read the article here.
I like all the topics you listed and don’t want to choose just one.
I’m with Aa and choose “All of the above.” I appreciate a variety of posts and hope you will write about what’s most interesting to YOU each week, because your excitement about your topics will surely lead to the posts which are interesting and fun to read.