The Darwinian Gardener looked out the window above his kitchen sink and frowned at the sight. It was the backyard beautyberry plant, the size of a Fiat Mini. And it was already in full purple. The ...

The Darwinian Gardener stared down the Japanese boxwood partially blocking the entrance to his house. This has no noticeable effect, so he asked himself, “how often do I really use this front door?” ...

The Darwinian Gardener balanced himself atop a riding lawnmower, wrestled the lever into neutral position, hit the brake, exhaled and boldly turned the key. To his surprise, it started right up. The ...

February is the month when the Darwinian Gardener emerges from the house and reacquaints himself with his yard. Yup, everything’s still there. He hadn’t seen it much since the last lawn mowing. That ...

The Darwinian Gardener faces the new year firm in the conviction that he’ll roll with whatever comes his way in 2025. He doesn’t pretend to know what will come his way in the coming months, but he’s ...

The Darwinian Gardener heard a rumble in the distance and picked up the pace of his lawnmowing. He felt no drops yet, so he was still good. He is no early riser, so in the heat of summer, the ...

The Darwinian Gardener has been trying to come to terms with ultrasummer. Ultrasummer came early this year. In a normal year, it arrives with Fourth of July fireworks. But no, this year, ...

The Darwinian Gardener surveyed the advertising postcard with some interest. It was from a lawn care company. The photo was digitally altered to show what his lawn would look like if it were an ...

After a restful winter, the Darwinian Gardener now has set himself back to work. Jaw set, he carried cutters, shovels, saws and other implements of destruction to a section of his backyard that he ...

Keen observer of nature that he is, the Darwinian Gardener always notices when new things sprout in his yard. And this time, he did not like what he was seeing. But wait. “Who is this Darwinian ...

The Darwinian Gardener is not the kind of guy to blame others for his yard. He’s lived at the same address for 30 years, so he takes ownership of all landscaping missteps around his house. With a few ...