Hobbit House

Wouldn't this be fun?! House in Wales, with lots of surprises inside. Handmade of natural materials at very little cost.

Click here to see more photos and a plan.

Post-Tulip

Crazy year for tulips...a late spring and lots of rain made for a simultaneous burst of early and mid-season blooming varieties against an Irish-green backdrop...on a weekend that was record-breakingly hot. The heat shortened the bloom period; but for a few peak days, wow!

Folks have asked what to do after bloom time.

Tulips don't come back reliably the next year. With that in mind, on most of our properties we lift the bulbs after the flowers are gone, plant new ones in the fall. If you wish to leave them in the ground, take chances on their return with bloom, then cut off just the spent heads. Leave stems and foliage to wilt. This is what will nourish the bulb below. When the foliage can be removed very easily (without a tug), also remove the stems.

At that time sprinkle Bulbtone on the surrounding soil.

Repeat in the fall.

Tulips are the divine extravagance!

Rare Finds

This is a destination not to be missed, I promise you!! It's jaw-droppingly beautiful. And the folks at this nursery are entertaining, knowledgeable and passionate about what they grow.

The nursery is located about one hour's drive from Philadelphia.

From Hank Schannen and the Rare Find Gang...

"Over the next 3 to 4 weeks our five acres of rhododendrons will be coming into peak bloom. Help us celebrate a glorious spring by visiting and strolling through our woodland garden and appreciating the thousands of different rhododendrons and azaleas we grow. We offer the largest variety of hardy rhododendrons, evergreen and deciduous azaleas in the country. Now is the time to visit and see the plants in our garden, and choose from the wide variety of sizes we have for sale.

"Our garden and nursery are open to the public Wednesday thru Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. We are closed on Sundays. We carry almost 1,000 rhododendrons and 2,000 plants in other genera, including rare shrubs, Japanese maples, magnolias, conifers, grasses, and perennials.

"If you cannot visit us, you can order through our web site; shipping is in full swing. If you need directions and a map, you can download it by clicking here.

"We look forward to your visit or hearing from you."