Plant Profile: Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera)
Karen Paper mulberry is deciduous tree or shrub native to Japan, China and Polynesia where it has been used to make paper, cloth, and medicine. It was introduced into eastern United…
How to Care for Bonsai: Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
This native of India and Malaysia is a tall evergreen tree with drooping branches and light to deep green leaves with wavy edges. The short trunk has smooth, silvery-grey bark…
Plant Profile: Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)
Blue vervain, also known as marsh vervain, is a clump forming herbaceous perennial native to most of the United States where it grows in moist soils such as wet meadows,…
Book Review: The Art of Simple Food II
If you are tired of traditional cookbooks try Alice Waters’ book, The Art of Simple Food II. Waters is a well known chef in Berkeley, California who has a special…
Plant Profile: Russian Vine (Fallopia baldschuanica aka Polygonum baldschuanicum)
Russian vine is a rapidly growing deciduous woody vine from Asia that is often used to cover large objects such as pergolas and walls as well as eyesores such as…
Six Heirloom Tazetta Narcissus for Warm Climates
The heat in Zones 8 and warmer are difficult for spring bulbs but there are some that will do well and even return and naturalize in zones 8 and 9…
Plant Profile: Thornless Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
This deciduous tree is native to parts of central United States where it often occupies bottomlands. It is a member of the pea family, Facaceae, that also includes, beans, lupines,…
Book Review: MiniFarming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre
The concept of self sufficiency in a small space is very appealing as more and more horror stories circulate regarding the use of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides in commercially produced…
Plant Combination: Upright Goldenrod (Solidago rigida) and Japanese Anemone (Anemone hypehensis) ‘Hadspen Abundance’
Just when the garden looks like it is winding down in autumn goldenrod and Japanese anemone come into bloom adding bright color with their winning combination of gold and pink.…
Plant Profile: Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)
This bushy herbaceous perennial is a native of Mexico and Central America and is grown in the United States either as a perennial in warm climates or as an annual…