Matthew’s Laboratory | Little Mount Vernon

Despite what has been a completely crazed start to the construction season, I have made working in my own garden a priority this spring; it’s really the only way I can unwind from the hustle and bustle of my work week.  Our gardens are a labor of love, and for me there’s just nothing more fulfilling than to work hard at cultivating this little piece of land into something meaningful.   Watching it evolve from day to day throughout each of the seasons is powerful and brings a tremendous sense of purpose to my life.  I don’t always create the right plant combinations on the first try, but sometimes my mistakes end up being some of the most dazzling parts of the garden.

I’m definitely not going to share the many photos of the weedy parts of my yard, which seem to be decently managed by an adorable baby bunny, but I do want to post a few photos I took this past weekend of a few of my favorite scenes.  My Gillenia trifoliata is literally erupting into a spectacular white cloud right now, and as ubiquitous as Nepeta faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ is, I just can’t get enough of it after a winter like the one we just experienced…  My irises are finishing up and my peonies are fully budded; what more could a guy ask for?  Happy gardening everyone!