Dirt Therapy

I'm doing a big happy dance today because last night we got 4" of rain! I went to bed grumpy because it had thundered and rained around us all evening and all we got was a sprinkle. This is not the first time this has happened. Anyway, I was awakened by a severe thunderstorm around midnight. This morning - a big 4" - and possibly some more tonight? I was talking to my friend Rebecca last night who said that she was going to do a nude rain dance. I must call and thank her for that!

This morning I dug up a dead azalea and I'm afraid that it won't be the only garden casualty this year. I have a large garden and I've had my sprinkler on for the past week. Despite the continuous watering, some plants are barely hanging on. I can't remember the last time we had a significant rainfall and we just had a record 12 days in a row of 100 or higher temperatures. And although we are approaching the end of August, September and October and usually hot and dry months here. I'm ready to move to Seattle! One of the few plants that seem to be snubbing their noses at the weather are the ornamental grasses. I just planted "Adagio" in 2005 and they really took off this year. This grass is not as tall as others (its maximum height is 3') and the plumes are pretty spectacular. I should also add that these are planted near a large yoshino cherry which shades it most of the day. Some of the other grasses are not looking their best. "Mornin...

In addition to gardening, I love baking. I've made a lot of cheesecakes over the years (they are delicious and not that difficult to make) and I have to say that this recipe is one of the best I've come across. It reminds of the one they serve at a popular Italian restaurant chain (I'd better not say the name). White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake INGREDIENTS: 1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs 3 tablespoons white sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 cup water 2 cups white chocolate chips 1/2 cup half-and-half cream 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup white sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. 2. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 mi...

The last garden that I want to share from my Washington D.C. trip is the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, part of the Smithsonian Gardens. This tiny garden, located in an alley between the Mall and the neighboring street, exudes charm. It was packed with perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees and each plant was labeled.

Here is another fabulous garden, also located in Georgetown, close to Dumbarton Oaks. Ms. Post apparently had enough money to feed a third world nation and the house is filled with Russian antiques and French porcelain. The gardens were immaculate and the best maintained of any gardens that I saw on my trip to Washington D.C. The majority of the plantings were azaleas which were not blooming of course. It has to be a most spectacular sight in the spring. This is the driveway (yes, the driveway!) Nice backyard A pet cemetery The French Parterre Garden - this was on the side of the house and Ms. Post had a view of it from her upstairs bedroom window. The Rose Garden A personal golf course! This was one of the prettiest Japanese gardens I've ever seen. In fact, I've never really desired such a garden until I saw this one. It was very impressive, on a steep hillside, and tons of water. I kept wondering what size pu...

My main reason for visiting Washington D.C. was not to see the White House or the Lincoln Memorial or any of the other monuments - I wanted to see Dumbarton Oaks, a garden that I've studied and revered for years. I reviewed a book about the creation and history of this fabulous garden - Dumbarton Oaks: Garden Into Art - and I highly recommend it. From the photos I'd seen and what I'd read, it was my ideal garden. It has inspired me in my own garden and I couldn't wait to see it with my own eyes. Granted, August was not the ideal time to visit but the opportunity was there and I took it. I was not disappointed in the least - this is a garden known as much for its brilliant architecture and tactile elements than for the plants that adorn it. I do want to go back and see it again, both in the fall and spring, so I hope this won't be my first and final visit. I was disappointed that no one seemed familiar with Dumbarton Oaks. The concierge at our hotel g...