Category: Country Living Gardener

Goody gumdrop tree – making Christams decorations with candy – Brief Article James A. Baggett What could be more fun than a Christmas tree laden with yummy candy materials 12″-tall Styrofoam cone form Scissors 4″ garden pot Small handful of rocks Large gumdrops (75 to 100 candies, 1″ in diameter) 40 to 50 wooden toothpicks […]

A room with a view – Brief Article How to organize your garden’s layout Garden designers intimidate me. All their talk of “scale,” “contrast,” “texture,” and “balance” is a foreign language, as far as I’m concerned, utterly incomprehensible and intended sometimes, I suspect, not to inspire but to quell. exterior decorating Fortunately, I’ve found a […]

Gifts for gardeners – Brief Article Perfect presents for everyone on your list When gardeners dream, they dream in Technicolor-of seed catalogues and the flowers and vegetables that will flourish under their care. The tools of gardening-those things that help the gardener make the garden grow or record the results of all that hard work-are […]

Landscape design basics – Brief Article Tom Christopher I Winter is the perfect time to assess the structure of your garden Visiting the garden at this time of year is like peering into the mirror in early morning before you apply any makeup. Winter doesn’t flatter, but its honesty is invaluable. With flowers and even […]

Mull it over – mulling spices – Brief Article – Recipe Susan Wittig Albert Mulling spices are wonderful to have on band for those winter evenings when the clan gathers ’round the fire. Mix 2 cups dried orange peel, 2 cups broken cinnamon sticks, 1 cup whole allspice berries, 1 cup whole cloves, 4 broken […]

Homespun holidays – using plants to create Christmas decorations – Brief Article From dried-and-gilded foliage to festive garlands, let nature be your inspiration for handmade holiday decorations home for the holidays: It’s where we want to be. Often, our most cherished memories of childhood yuletides feature homespun scenes: baked goods cooling on the kitchen counter […]

Flight of fancy – festive tabletop display – Brief Article Zazel Loven Feathers and flowers unite for a festive tabletop display What’s red and green and white all over? The answer to our holiday riddle is this stunning tabletop tree. Delicate rosebuds bundled with sprigs of rosemary and hypericum berries update the Old World charm […]

Biscotti Herbal – Brief Article Crisp, delicious biscotti are perfect to have on hand during this busy time of year for snacking, to accompany meals, or to set out when entertaining. And since these sturdy temptations travel well, they can be packed up in any number of clever ways for gift-giving. We’ve added a new […]

Tips for tree buyers – Christmas trees – Brief Article Jennifer M. Jones With the help of our friends at the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), we’ve c compiled this advice to help you choose and care for your cut tree this season. Measure the height and width of your space before driving to the […]