The Gift of Steve Foltz
The grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. --Thomas Merton Steve Foltz In [...]
Allen Bush
Herpes Weed and the Curse of a Garden’s Promiscuity
There was an illuminating Patti Smith Instagram post on August 19th entitled: “This is weeding.” The poet, musician, author, and activist had returned from a European concert tour and [...]
A City and Garden of Subdued Excitement
I flew to Seattle a few weeks ago to visit my daughter Molly and her family in Bellingham, Washington—a two-hour drive north of Seattle. Give me Liberty took flight [...]
Global Warming, Darkening Skies and a Gardener
Global warming is worsening, and the sudden realization that gardeners cannot do much about it alone knocked the filthy air out of me last week. The science of carbon [...]
Peas on a Podcast: Jared Barnes and Thomas Rainer
Our home-grown snow peas bought the farm a few weeks ago, but I found agents of inspiration to take the edge off summer heat. Jared Barnes and Thomas Rainer [...]
Some Like It Hot
Heat arrived in Kentucky last week. I knew temperatures in the 90s would arrive sometime but hoped climate change would cut us some slack until July. Climate change is cutting [...]
The Little Nurseries That Could
I was reminded of Christopher Lloyd ‘s fondness for unpretentious nurseries on a beautiful drive to Lexington, Kentucky, last week. My destination was the 121-year-old Michler’s Florist, Greenhouses & [...]
Louisville Celebrates FLO’s 200th Birthday and Feels the Love
There have been FLO parties in Buffalo, New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, and more the past few weeks. My hometown joined the fun. Louisville celebrated Frederick Law Olmsted’s [...]
The Most Beautiful Place in the World in April and May?
I have many favorite places but will recuse myself on the question of the most beautiful. I am biased by Kentucky’s natural beauty in April and May. It is what [...]
A Once Mighty Pine and the Silver Lining
A mighty 150' tall white pine fell in a strong windstorm last Thursday night in Salvisa, Kentucky. My friend Otis Knox planted a dozen of these white pine seedlings [...]
Flooding, Flowering, Snowing, Skating and Hellebores
I am repeating an extraordinary tale I heard over 40 years ago, one that deserves retelling. In 1979 I was working for Will Ingwersen, the alpine plants expert and [...]
Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith—Flowers, Poetry, and Light
Young artists Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe met on a New York City street in 1967. They were newcomers to town—short on cash, hopeful and passionate about art. Robert [...]