Author: Ruth Happel

This week is the height of bloom for bloodroot both in the woods and in my garden. As the plant emerges, the new leaf wraps around the flower bud, then the flower rises on its own stem, leaving the sheltering leaf behind. They are the Goldilocks of flowers, only opening if the day is not… Continue reading Goldilocks Flower

Last week my town had a record high of 79. At the start of this week, the low tied the record of 14 and dropped even lower in my yard. This extreme fluctuation is tough on plants, both wild and in the garden. There was 4” of snow which helped protect the shorter plants, but… Continue reading The Other Pachysandra

I imagine most gardeners have a favorite flower. For me it is the unassuming Shortia, also known as Oconee Bells. I have grown it in all my gardens, and this week one of my plants here flowered. For me this is always the high point of every gardening year. My photo shows the flower backlit… Continue reading Enchanted by Shortia

The first trout lilies have started to flower, just a hint of the thousands that will bloom in the coming month. They are part of the reason I named my garden Trout Cove. I was inspired both by the trout stream running through my property with its tiny coves, and these beautiful blankets of wildflowers… Continue reading Trout Lily Lessons

Though I have planted a variety of daffodils since moving here, the first to flower are always the ones that came with the house. They are the classic showy bright yellow blooms, and either the previous owners were wildly ambitious, or they have seeded themselves into many new clumps. The first blossoms opened this week,… Continue reading Sunny Daffodils

Hellebores come from Eurasia but have happily settled into gardens across the world. Mine came with the house, several plants flanking the sidewalk and largely shaded except for a few hours of angled sun. Though showing buds for nearly a month, the first flowers just opened this week. Their blossoms are highly specialized, and not… Continue reading Hardy Hellebores

In winter I am always impatient for spring. No garden can equal the tide of new life provided annually by nature, but I try to offer flowers when nothing is available in the forests or fields. One of my garden goals is to have something blooming every day of the year. Already I have seen… Continue reading Eye-Catching Dwarf Iris

My property is bisected by Sinking Creek, a 10-mile tributary of the Watauga River. The Watauga River originates from a spring at Linville Gap in North Carolina. It starts from the western side of the Continental Divide and ultimately its waters flow to the Gulf of Mexico, while the Linville River on the opposite side… Continue reading Great Blue Heron

I visited Cuba in 2016 on a botanical trip, visiting beautiful gardens and searching for endangered plants. One of our destinations, Viñales, is known for amazing geological formations. Limestone hills called mogotes rise steeply from the valley. With their isolation, they have many endemic species. A week into our trip, I arranged with our local… Continue reading Seeds of Friendship

I heard Kelly Dodson on a podcast last year, who along with his wife Sue Milliken runs Far Reaches Farm nursery. Of course, this led to a virtual visit to his website. One thing led to another and in October I received a box full of amazing plants, all lovingly wrapped and in wonderful condition.… Continue reading Little Plant with a Big History