Learning In BLoom
Every plant tells a story
Learning in Bloom
Learning in Bloom is the practical side of the garden. It’s where observation meets experimentation — a record of what’s growing, what’s changing, and what I’m still figuring out. Here you’ll find plant profiles, experiments, and the lessons unfolding in real time. It’s less about perfection and more about curiosity in motion, the way growth teaches through both success and revision.
Plant Profiles
Plant Profile: Inkberry
inkberry holly Common Name: Inkberry Holly (Shamrock) Botanical Name: Ilex...
Read MorePlant Profile: Heuchera
heuchera Common Name: Heuchera (Coral Bells) Botanical Name: Heuchera spp....
Read MorePlant Profile: Mayflowering Tulip ‘Kingsblood’
Opening Observation Every spring, when the Kingsblood tulips open, I...
Read MoreToss First, Ask Later — The Experiment
What Sparked My Curiosity I found myself standing in the...
Read MoreMesh Onion Bags: One Small, Clever Structure
What Sparked My Curiosity The idea began, as most of...
Read Moregarden experiments
Working Knowledge
Essential Garden Tools: The Small Things That Keep My Garden Running
Jump to the Tools Mentioned The Small Things That Keep...
Read MoreEvergreens That Work for You
By January, the garden looks like a pause: bare stems, frozen soil, and the one patch of green that refuses to quit. That is where...
Read MorePlant Profile: Inkberry
inkberry holly Common Name: Inkberry Holly (Shamrock) Botanical Name: Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ Hardiness Zones: 4-9 Height: 3-4 feet Spread: 3-4 feet Foliage: Dense, glossy, small...
Read MoreToss First, Ask Later — The Experiment
What Sparked My Curiosity I found myself standing in the garden in late November with a bag of decade-old seeds, wondering how anything ever managed...
Read MorePlant Profile: Heuchera
heuchera Common Name: Heuchera (Coral Bells) Botanical Name: Heuchera spp. Hardiness Zones: 4-9 Height: 8-18 inches Spread: 8-18 inches Foliage: Mounding; copper, caramel, plum, silver,...
Read MoreEssential Garden Tools: The Small Things That Keep My Garden Running
Jump to the Tools Mentioned The Small Things That Keep the Garden Running Gardens may be shaped by the big decisions, but the daily work...
Read MoreMesh Onion Bags: One Small, Clever Structure
What Sparked My Curiosity The idea began, as most of the good ones do, with a simple conversation. My sister was visiting a tulip farm...
Read MorePlant Profile: Mayflowering Tulip ‘Kingsblood’
Opening Observation Every spring, when the Kingsblood tulips open, I think back to high school lawns in Skagit Valley, when students would use spent tulip...
Read MorePlant Profile: Perennial Delight Tulip Mix
Opening Observation Although I grew up where tulip fields were part of the spring landscape, someday I’d still like to see the ones in Holland...
Read MorePlant Profile: Fosteriana Tulip ‘Flaming Purissima’
Opening Observation I grew up in Washington’s Skagit Valley, where tulips weren’t a novelty; they were a season. Spring meant rows upon rows of color...
Read MorePlant Profile: Buckwheat
buckwheat Common Name: Buckwheat Botanical Name: Fagopyrum esculentum Hardiness Zones: Annual — all zones Height: 2-4 feet Spread: Varies by seeding density Foliage: Heart-shaped green...
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