House Fixing Solutions

Cold Climate Gardening Resources You May Not Know About

I was just helping out a gardener who moved from California to upstate NY. (I think she’s over the shock.) It made me realize that not everyone who stops by thinks to look at the top menu bar to see what else is here. So come along and take a tour with me. And just remember that I take suggestions for these pages from my readers, as long as they meet my criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is a blog category that I’ve singled out in the top menu bar to make it easy to find. If you are new to cold climate gardening, you may find the answer to your question here. If

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Rock On

Yes, it’s on the pricey side — okay, the wildly pricey side — but isn’t this Federica Stingray wood rocker by Thomas Pedersen a showstopper? The shape of the rocker, which is available at Huset, is inspired by a stingray moving across a seabed. It is available in oak, walnut and makassar, an African wood. It is also available in an upholstered version. Price is $4,495.

Getting Unhinged

Details can make all the difference in a renovation or updating, making a room go from wow to pow! We can often overlook things like drawer pulls, switchplates and door hinges and other door hardware. That’s a mistake. If you’re in the market for unusual hardware, check out this House of Antiques Hardware. This site has everything from rustic wrought iron strap door hinges like these below, to push and kick plates, screen door hinges, parliament hinges, etc. The site also has cabinet and furniture hardware and lighting and electrical goods. Hap

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Mudseason Miscellany

The eighteen inches of snow that had fallen on the night of March 6th had finally melted this past weekend. (For a few dramatic pictures of that storm, visit Cold Climate Gardening’s Facebook Page.) And now it’s snowing again, to the tune of five or more inches. This is demoralizing. But cold climate gardeners are hardy souls, and we face these mud season snows with stoic perseverance. So I thought I’d share a few interesting tidbits that weren’t big enough to merit a blog post of their own, to pass the time and take my mind off the weather.

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First blooms of the year: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day 2011

Clumps of winter aconite, the red foliage of bergenia, and two Helleborus niger.

Above is the view from my bathroom window, only reversed, as I took this picture outside and the window is out of sight at the back of the image. Even though it is the north side of the house, water from below thaws the soil and gives these plants an early start. It took me several years to notice this and then capitalize on it by planting early bloomers here. Now, though most of the crocus and snowdrops are still buried under snow, I can enjoy a few choice blooms from the comfort of the house. Read full post…