Last week I went to the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association (RINLA) Winter Education Seminar and Trade Show, held on January 25and 26, and it got me thinking about Tiverton’s efforts to deal with storm water. Chuck Carberry, president of Cleanscape, Inc. in Providence, gave a great talk on managing storm water with rain gardens and bioswales, which are essentially large rain gardens, designed for the purpose of slowing down water flow in areas where runoff is a problem. Slowing the water down is important because the slower speed of the water allows it to be caught and …
I have always had a secret dream of being a farmer. In my mind it would be a romantic, bucolic life, where it was always sunny, the weather always perfect, and I could work at my own pace when I felt like working. I would always get just the right amount of rainfall, and it would always be warm outside. I'd always have chickens for eggs and goats for cheese and I could easily live off the land. My hives would be teeming with bees and I would make delicious lavender honey. I would always have pretty flowers to cut and ripe juicy heirloom tomatoes to eat. And I would grow lots of berries and …
The Nature Conservancy launched "The Campaign For The Sakonnet Landscape" in 2007, a major fundraising effort with a focus on the Tiverton and Little Compton area. Partnering with groups like the Tiverton Land Trust, The Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust, the Sakonnet Preservation Association, and private donors, the conservancy had a three-year fundraising goal of $4 million. Pam Pomfret, associate director of philanthropy at the Conservancy’s Rhode Island Office, said on Thursday that the campaign has reached and exceeded its original goals. Funds were used to save 1,078 acres …
The Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge on Seapowet Road is a great place for a winter hike. With 50 acres of color-coded trails, there is plenty to see and the paths are easy to navigate. The parking lot was deserted on my recent visit, but footprints in the snow showed me there had been many visitors before me. I took the yellow trail, which led me through the woods. Dozens of birds were flying back and forth overhead, eating the berries of Oriental Bittersweet when they landed. I saw a lot of Bittersweet, Japanese Honeysuckle, Privet and other non-native invasive plants along the path. These …
Deer are often out grazing on the side of the road. I see them frequently, munching away. When the ground is covered with snow, they get closer to the road, searching for bare patches where they could find acorns or vegetation. The other day I was lucky to get close enough to take some pictures of these beautiful, gentle creatures. I spotted them some distance away, rolled down my car window, and got my camera ready. I drove forward slowly. They looked up, stepped back a little into the woods, and when I stopped moving they came back and continued to eat. Luckily, the road was deserted. I …
Finally, things are quiet, if only for a few moments. It is the perfect time to steal away, take a long-overdue time-out and connect with nature. I can hardly wait. I used to be a winter gym rat. Between rushing to the gym and being bombarded with loud music, it didn't feel like much of a break from the frantic pace of the season. This week, especially, I'm experiencing sensory overload. All I want to do is get out my warm socks and boots, dress warm and get outdoors. I want to leave my phone and my MP3 player at home, and just walk. The only things I want to hear are the rustling of grass …
On Sunday morning as the snow began to fall the birds were out foraging for food, trying to store lots of calories before the storm. There were hundreds of starlings in the open patches of grass, scavenging for insects or seeds. Robins were in the branches of the Winterberry Holly, or Ilex verticillata, gobbling up the red berries. To survive a storm like this, the birds need to keep their body temperatures up, which means they need to expend little energy and consume lots of food. They also need to find some type of shelter in the worst parts of the storm. Nesting boxes, thick shrubs or …
Plants make great holiday gifts - they bring festive color and life to celebrations and parties and brighten up the dreary days of winter. I know I really love to have something growing indoors when the days are short and the sky is gray. Yesterday I went out searching for gift plants in Little Compton. I was delighted to discover that Peckham's Greenhouse had hundreds of beautiful, affordable choices and stunning higher end items to choose from. I went in with a list of five plants that I thought would make perfect gifts, and came out with tons of new ideas inspired by the creative displays …
A few special touches can give your ordinary wreath a designer look. Start with a purchased balsam wreath from your local garden center or grocery store, or make your own by wiring bundles of greens together. Add some extra greens and decorations; finish with a pretty bow, and voila! Your holiday wreath will be unique and gorgeous. You will need: Extra, colorful greens, like variegated boxwood, juniper, Port Orford Cedar, white pine, or incense cedar. Many of these greens can be found in your own backyard. Garden centers and florists stock them at this time of year. Florist wire and a glue …
When I was very small, I went to bed on Christmas Eve in a bare, undecorated house. I woke up on Christmas morning to see a resplendent, lighted Christmas tree with all the trimmings. Underneath the tree was a pile of shiny presents. Clearly, this was the work of a very great magician. Santa Claus brought every detail of Christmas to us in one night - while we were asleep, no less. Our tree stayed up until New Year's Day, and we spent the first day of the year disassembling it. We carefully removed the angel from the top, peeled off the leaded tinsel, and returned the glass ornaments to …
