Dirt Therapy

I don't know how I managed this but I have two presentations next week on the same topic. And I don't even do this sort of thing that often! Procrastinator that I am, I will be busy this weekend putting the finishing touches on my Powerpoint programs and I also realize we will be having nice gardening weather this weekend PLUS Sunday night is Oscar night. Anyway, I digress. Monday night (Feb. 28th) I will be at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens talking to the Birmingham Rose Society about the evolution of our garden and the roses that we grow. On Thursday, March 3 at 11:30 a.m., I will be at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library for their gardening series "Get Dirty In The Library" (don't you love it?). My program will be on growing roses. The FLPB has a slew of good programs coming up. Click on the flyer below for more details (also check out their website ). I hope to see you there! Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

{{Read an update to this post here}} For the past month or so, I've noticed that our big Japanese Cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ) has been turning brown. I know that it usually does this but I don't recall seeing it to this extent. The entire backside of the tree looks completely brown and the opposite side is slowly turning brown also. Is this normal??? I can see new growth sprouting out from some of the branches. I hope this is a good sign that nothing is wrong. If any tree experts can weigh in on this, I'd appreciate it! Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

This past weekend was sunny and beautiful with temperatures reaching into the 60s, quite a change from the relentless cold, rain (and snow) that we've been having. These temporary warm spells are great opportunities to get out in the garden and get some chores out of the way. One of these is trimming back ornamental grasses. Late February and early March is the best time for this in north Alabama. You want to cut the grass back before new growth begins in the spring. Leaving the dead remnants will not affect the health of the plant but it can present an ugly picture. Of course, some people cut the foliage back in the fall but there are two good reasons to wait. One, leaving the foliage brings winter interest to the garden and it is attractive (although some folks may disagree with that). Two, leaving the grass stalks will provide protection to the plant during the winter. Ornamental grasses are easy to grow and almost fool-proof but one thing they will not tolerate is excessi...

I can't recall a winter with this much snow. Last night we got another inch or two and the roads are very icy this morning. Michael called within five minutes after leaving for his salon and said that he slid really badly and almost hit another car when he pulled off of our street onto Dr.Hicks Blvd. UNA had initially planned to open at 9:30 but after reviewing the road conditions they decided to stay closed all day. I just went outside to take these photos and to fill the birdfeeders. The birds were out in full force this morning. There were several red-winged blackbirds and another huge group of black birds that I didn't recognize. We rarely see them at the feeders.  The sun is out but it is very cold outside. My fingers felt like they were getting frostbit while I was out there. I'm glad to be back inside. But look at these little daffodils coming up. A sign that spring is surely on the way! Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

As a big fan of both Katharine Hepburn and brownies, I've always wanted to try this recipe. I finally got around to making them this past weekend and they were well worth the wait. In fact, this will now be my "go to" recipe for brownies. They have a crackly crust but are wonderfully moist and chewy on the inside and deliciously chocolaty. And best of all, very easy to make! Ingredients: 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 cup white sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Butter and flour an 8-inch baking pan. 3. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter over very low heat in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about ...