Follow Digging on Facebook!

Follow Digging on Facebook!

February 07, 2011 I created a page for Digging on Facebook, and if you’re active there I hope you’ll “Like” my page. It’s an easy way to find out when I have a new post up, or just to talk gardening. Thanks for your support! All material © 2006-2011 by ...
Gardening How-To magazine features my former garden

Gardening How-To magazine features my former garden

July 02, 2010 When photographer and all-around nice guy Rob Cardillo photographed my former garden two years ago, he explained that he’d be pitching his images to a magazine for a story idea about regional or xeric design. I was delighted and flattered by his interest but didn’t really expect ...
Read This: So You Want to Be a Garden Designer

Read This: So You Want to Be a Garden Designer

June 29, 2010 Garden design is often a mid-life-change, follow-your-heart career choice. At least it was for me and for a number of accomplished designers I’ve come to know. I graduated from college with a degree in English and landed my first job in publishing, as an assistant editor at ...
Mule skinning in the Grand Canyon

Mule skinning in the Grand Canyon

October 11, 2009 The mule doesn’t want to die either. That’s what I keep telling myself as I ride Buttermilk down Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, 4,000 feet and 5-1/2 hours below. Her sides are broader than the trail itself, so when I lift my ...
Best of Friends daylily

Best of Friends daylily

May 27, 2009 That mouthwatering, apple-green throat Those glittering, sugar-dusted petals Those blushing, coral stamens topped with golden, pollen-coated anthers Those delicately ruffled petals. I just adore ‘Best of Friends’ daylily. And I adore my best friend of 19 years, my husband, with whom I celebrated our anniversary yesterday. Ah, ...
Leaving your garden to strangers

Leaving your garden to strangers

May 05, 2008 Our first house, in Raleigh, North Carolina, was a 900-square-foot post-war cottage, and along with the charming hardwood flooring and cramped closets we inherited a neglected old garden of azaleas, dogwoods, roses, phlox, camellias, forsythia, and an ancient and beautiful Japanese maple. The garden, or what was ...
From eyesore to asset: New shed evokes fond memories

From eyesore to asset: New shed evokes fond memories

January 01, 2008 Many months after I set out to remodel my garden shed, its makeover is complete. Nearly. The frame around the new screen door still requires painting, but everything else is done, several months after starting this project. Isn’t it amazing how seemingly simple projects get dragged out? ...
What my Christmas tree says about me

What my Christmas tree says about me

December 21, 2007 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in garden-blog land, with numerous posts about holiday ornaments. Last night Layanee’s question, “What does your Christmas tree say about you?” made me pause to consider our tannenbaum. As you can see in the photo above, we hang ...
What makes a gardener? A blogiversary dedication

What makes a gardener? A blogiversary dedication

February 16, 2007 My grandmother and I in her garden, circa 1969 A couple of months ago, Carol at May Dreams posed the questions, “What makes a gardener? Do you consider yourself a gardener? How did you decide you were a gardener? When is the first time you referred to ...
Goodbye, Madison

Goodbye, Madison

May 08, 2006 Madison, our wire fox terrier, died today. Like most fox terriers, she was playful, athletic, fearless, and headstrong. Until recent months, when she began to decline rapidly, she seemed much younger than her 15 years and enjoyed walks around the neighborhood, visitors, popcorn, and the occasional squirrel ...