A HISTORIAN’S GARDEN VIEW . . . .

Posted on May 12, 2023April 25, 2025 by Betty Hanselman

“The garden, historically, is the place where all the senses are exploited. Not just the eye, but the ear – with water, with birds. And there is texture, too, in plants you long to touch.”

~ William Howard Adams (contemporary garden design historian and author)

Hanselman’s passion for traditional design is reflected in our work on Japanese garden walls, as well as in our custom water features, handcrafted stone pathways, and artistically pruned plantings. Learn more about our landscape design services here >

GLIMPSES OF ETERNITY . . . .

Posted on May 5, 2023May 5, 2023 by Betty Hanselman

“One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever . . . . One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and stands alone and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky sky slowly changing and flushing . . . until the East almost makes one cry out and one’s heart stands still at the strange, unchanging majesty of the rising sun . . . .And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries . . . Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night, with millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone’s eyes.

And it was like that with Colin when he first saw and heard and felt the Springtime inside the four high walls of a hidden garden. That afternoon the whole world seemed to devote itself to being perfect and radiantly beautiful and kind to one boy. Perhaps out of pure heavenly goodness the spring came and crowded everything it possibly could into that one place.”

~ Frances Hodgson Burnett (In her classic children’s novel, The Secret Garden)

Jubilantly shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& seeker of Eternity in the everyday)

MARVELOUS MOSS

Posted on May 5, 2023October 4, 2023 by Betty Hanselman

On our family hikes, our little granddaughters are fascinated by the varied textures, colors, and appearances of the mosses we find along the trails. We like moss so much that we now enjoy it daily in our own garden! In addition to its sensory beauty, I am discovering that moss is noteworthy (and valued) for a number of interesting reasons:

– There are close to 10,000 species of moss which can be found on all seven continents, even in ice-covered Antarctica.

– Although most commonly seen in moist, shady locations, some species of moss are found in deserts.

– Many species of moss draw moisture from the air through leaves, rather than through roots. Desert mosses use tiny, pointed mechanisms on the leaf tips to gather any hint of humidity from the surrounding air.

– In the past, native tribes across the globe used moss to line skin or fur underwear in lieu of disposable diapers for their little ones. Because moss can absorb 20 times its weight in liquid and is disposable, “it was the perfect choice for ancient tribal parents on the go,” writes Bruce Maisy (in Ranker; see website below).

– Ancient people groups also used moss to cleanse and heal wounds. As recently as WWI, surgeons resorted to moss when cotton was in short supply. Apparently, Europe and America produced millions of moss bandages to treat their wounded over the course of the war, taking advantage of peat moss’s absorbency and antiseptic qualities.

– In Japan, moss is a highly-prized garden feature. In fact, Saihoj-ji, Kyoto’s famous 35,000square-meter moss garden, features 120 species of moss and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Japan’s continuing love affair with moss is now evidenced by moss-themed drinks and jewelry.

Shared by Betty Hansleman

Gardener’s wife (& moss enthusiast)

Interesting facts credited to: https://www.ranker.com/list/amazing-moss-facts/bruce-maisy?fbclid=IwAR1LFOlKJgvC8QryjMjA0akG1_PAgqekOCdscxeNjFXzx7SHFvMlqpSZLEQ

DON’T KILL YOUR PLANTS BY OVER-MULCHING!

Posted on April 28, 2023October 4, 2023 by Betty Hanselman

Although mulch can help to control weeds and erosion, retain moisture, and increase soil nutrients, it can threaten the well-being of any plant if applied too heavily. There are two important requirements to keep in mind when applying mulch:

1. PLANT STEMS SHOULD NEVER BE COVERED BY MULCH.

–The stem (or trunk) of a plant is prone to insect entry and rot when in contact with mulch or soil. Also, when plants are mulched too deeply, girdling roots tend to grow from the bark of the trunk above the root collar, following the soft mulch around the tree; they eventually harden into a noose that can strangle the plant. It is extremely important to keep mulch away from plant stems.

–To find where the stem or trunk begins, locate the root collar. This collar is the dividing line between the stem and the roots, usually found at the flared portion of the trunk to which the roots attach. NO MULCH SHOULD BE APPLIED ABOVE THIS POINT. If the root flare is not be visible and the trunk looks like a telephone pole when it disappears into the earth, the roots are buried too deeply.

2. MULCH SHOULD BE POROUS.

–The smaller roots of a plant (just below the soil surface) need to breathe. When mulch is too deep, the flow of water and air to and from the roots is cut off. The finer the mulch, the thinner the application should be. Fine, soil-like mulch should only be applied about one inch thick; coarse mulch can be applied to a depth of three inches. Previous years’ mulch should be raked away from plants before adding new mulch, as it will have become compacted and, if not removed, can build up and suffocate plants.

At Hanselman Landscape, we regularly use Pine straw mulch (pictured below) in our gardens, since it provides attractive, breathable coverage and is easier to spread than hardwood mulches. For the benefit of our clients and their valuable plants, we are pleased to offer this healthier mulch option. Call us if you are interested in this healthy option for your garden plants: 717-653-1273.

Contributed by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& Pine straw mulch enthusiast)

SPRING CELEBRATION

Posted on April 28, 2023May 5, 2023 by Betty Hanselman

“Look the winter is past . . . The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.”

~ Song of Songs 2:11, 12

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife

THE LURE OF APRIL DAYS

Posted on April 21, 2023April 21, 2023 by Betty Hanselman

“Hark, I hear a robin calling!

List, the wind is from the south!

And the orchard-bloom is falling

Sweet as kisses on the mouth.

In the dreamy vale of beeches

Fair and faint is woven mist,

And the river’s orient reaches

Are the palest amethyst.

Every limpid brook is singing

Of the lure of April days;

Every piney glen is ringing

With the maddest roundelays.

Come and let us seek together

Springtime lore of daffodils,

Giving to the golden weather

Greeting on the sun-warm hills.”

~ Lucy Maude Montgomery

(Canadian author of beloved Anne of Green Gables series; 1874-1942)

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& eager spring celebrant)