Book Review: Culpeper’s Color Herbal
Karen For historians and herbalists alike, this book is informative as well as entertaining. It gives a brief account of almost 400 herbs from the perspective of a 16th century herbalist…
Characteristics of Formal Gardens
Chuck A formal garden is a beautiful sight and has been popular for thousands of years. Granted, it is not to everyone’s taste but it creates a certain dignity and stability…
Plant Profile: Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)
Not all orchids are persnickety prima donnas and this one is definitely not. A native of Japan, China, Korea, and Burma, this hardy, terrestrial orchid was introduced into to England…
Six Native Woody Vines For an American Cottage Garden
Scrambling over a wall or up a pergola, attracting birds, or adding color and fragrance vines can be an important part of an American cottage garden. Vines not only add…
Plant Profile: Devil’s Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa)
With common names like Devil’s walking stick, and Hercules’ club this plant is bound to attract attention. It is a deciduous small tree or shrub with spines on its trunks,…
Name This Plant Game: Native Plants 2
This simple game tests your gardening knowledge by identifying five plants shown in photos from a list of possible names. Photos of each plant are accompaned by a clue describing…
Gardens in Art: Parterres
If you have visited colonial gardens such as those in Williamsburg you may have noticed the low beds edged with boxwood often with a tree in the center. In the…
Plant Profile: Seckle Pear (Pyrus communis)
Seckle pears are a great dessert treat if you can find them. They are not easy to locate but are unusual and well worth a search. The fruits are borne…
Garden Style: Formal or Informal?
One of the many choices involved when planning a garden is whether the garden will be formal or informal. You may not make a conscious decision about this and let…
Plant Profile: White Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
This native of woodland edges, stream banks, and roadsides from Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Missouri south to Florida and west to Texas, is a small deciduous shrub or tree with a…