All the Dirt on Gardening

I went outside today with the camera to see what has survived nights in the 20s, an inch of cold rain and the fact that it is November and the days are darn short. The purple Alyssum Royal Carpet and pink Sweet Williams are holding their own, considering the conditions - under a maple tree. The Alyssum we grew from seed , the Sweet William plants were from Blossoms. The Arugula has some (It's as cold-as-a-freezer-out-here!) burned edges but there is still plenty to make a salad. A few nights ago we had oven fried green tomatoes on a bed of chopped Arugula with a basil sauce. All these plants were volunteers. In the spring, I received some Achillea plants from Blooms of Bressingham . Tutti Frutti Achillea varieties are new for B of B in 2008. They say they were chosen for vivid, lasting colors, compact, full habit and durability even in extreme heat and humidity. So I put them in the ground and treated them the way I treat plants: With the best care I possibly can - given the fact ...