My new blog

Welcome to my blog - or should I say, virtual garden?
Every other week, I write a gardening column for Coming Home, which is printed in Friday's paper as an insert, or as we say here, a special section.
Inevitably, I find I have more things to say, or am disappointed a particular flower I have photographed finds its way onto a page that is in black and white.
I can just feel the flowers shrinking in shame when that happens!
With this new blog, I can post away with lots of colorful photos, share tips, garden trips, and tid-bits that I come across.
I hope that this will be a venue that avid gardeners can go to so they can share their joys, successes, frustrations.
Feel free to come here to brag, bemoan and share.
Recently, I met a man who will talk your ear off on plants - which is fine with me. But when we were finished with the conversation, he quickly added - thanks for listening!
Here is the place to be, without apologies, gardening freaks.
What's Ahead in Coming Homes:
We all know the mountain Laurel is Connecticut's State Flower. But not many people know that here in Connecticut, Dick Jaynes, owner of Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, has the largest collection of Mountain Laurel in the world.
I will write about my trip to Broken Arrow Nursery, and share tips on growing mountain laurel that Dick Jaynes gave to me.
It is thanks to Dick's breeding that we have smaller versions of mountain laurel for their home landscapes. I love laurels for their colorful blooms that burst with freckles, as well as their neat habit and evergreen foliage. Many times people are surprised to identify the plant that is right next to my driveway as a mountain laurel.
Going to Broken Arrow is an experience not to be missed for gardeners. There are no annuals or hanging baskets - this nursery specializes in trees, shrubs, perennials and the unusual.
It has a wonderful selection of magnolias, and my dream for a southern magnolia was fulfilled when my mom and sister went in together to purchase 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' for me as an early birthday present.
What can I say? Some women crave shoes, I moon over shrubs, trees, and flowers!
Broken Arrow also has many types of dogwoods, and my mother bought 'Satomi' a pink Kousa variety that has a fall flush of color.
That plant was given to her by my sister and I for her birthday - you get how we shop as a family? One stop gorging at nurseries where people's birthdays, mother's day, etc., are taken care of in one fell swoop.
Other highlights of the nursery are almost too vast to enumerate upon. Unusual perennials, especially for shade seemed to be a specialty, as were conifers.
I have posted here a photo of a lady slipper that they had for sale - less than the catalogs, I might add.
Their website is www.brokenarrownursery.com