Gardening in southwestern Connecticut is a punishing task.
It is a dozen rocks for every square foot of dirt dug.
It is a matrix of tree roots.
It is a far cry from the dreamy topsoil of my Midwestern roots.

Here, in Hardiness Zone 6b, precipitation levels differ from the northern end of town to the southern because of our proximity to Long Island Sound. So after two decades, I’ve kind of just learned to guesstimate a forecast based on the forecast.

Then there are the deer, eyeing up every scrumptious corner of your labor.

But I persist. Because I want cut flowers!

Below is a list of gardening projects on our acre of very shady property:

GARDEN LOCATIONS

SIDE YARD

MAILBOX

DRIVEWAY

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OTHER PROJECTS

GARBAGE BIN GRAVEL PAD

GARDEN BLOG