I have a passion for collecting gardening and horticulture books. In this column, I share a few I’ve read and others I plan to read soon. Some of my suggestions are recently published, while others are decades old.
All in Gardening
A Walk Around the Borough
When I talk to friends, family members, and colleagues, we often try to find silver linings to the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, one is my now ritual weekly walk through the borough, up to Swarthmore College and Scott Arboretum, then back home. I have lived in Swarthmore off and on for 34 years, and I continue to be amazed by the incredible diversity of gardens and plants grown by local residents.
Cool Days, Long Blooms
This spring has been one of the coolest in memory. Cool days without excessively cold nights have extended the blooming seasons for many plants. These include Swarthmore’s profusion of magnolia trees, especially the incredibly floriferous saucer magnolia, Magnolia x soulangeana. Some saucer magnolias have bloomed for three to four weeks this spring! Likewise, tulip season has seldom been better.