Bonnie Semmling

As we enter the dog days of summer and seek out shade and cool hollows, the plants seemingly heat up. Gone are the pastels of spring; enter the brightly-colored flowers of summer. Starting in the meadows, drifts of butterflyweed – Asclepias tuberosa - are buzzing with activity. Orange flowers are relatively rare in nature and this shade seems particularly special, lifting the spirits at first gaze. One cannot praise this indestructible plant too much: aside from providing food for a diverse...

By Bonnie Semmling The thing about time is that it keeps ticking. While we try to preserve what we can, all collections are subject to the processes that break them down. As stewards of the history of the site, we have an obligation to spiritually continue the work of those that started it. Chionanthus virginicus, our native but uncommon fringe tree, was planted both by Robert Tubbs and Benjamin Blackburn at different points in time. But time ticks on, and those specimens have since left us...

This spring has certainly lent credence to that old adage: “in like a lion, out like a lamb”. Now that we’ve entered the realm of April spring is progressing rapidly; each morning I see a new flowering face. Even the oddly named ‘Peeping Tom’ Narcissus is a welcome sight after such a harsh winter. Its reflexed petals are so unique! It’s been a wonderful year for Magnolias. At Willowwood I’m especially partial to our older specimens, such as the ‘Royal Star’ in the cottage. Flowering at the...