Plant Profile: Beach Naupaka (Scaevola sericea var. taccada)
Karen Also known as beach cabbage and sea lettuce, beach naupaka is a dense, spreading evergreen shrub growing 3-10’ tall and native to beaches and tropical coastal habitats such as salt…
Book Review: Embroidery pour le Jardinier
Embroidery pour le Jardinier presents over one hundred designs by Sylvia Blondeau, a French artist who specializes in craft and illustration. The designs are simple, modern, and suitable for a…
Poisonous Plants: Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lily of the valley is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the asparagus family, Asparagaceae, that also includes scilla, yucca, and hosta. It is native to Europe, except the…
Plant Profile: Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)
Native to the mountains of southwestern China, this deciduous to evergreen shrub grows 2-3’ tall with a spread of 3-6’. It is a member of the rose family, Roaseae, that…
Plant Combination: Sage (Salvia) ‘Mystic Spires’ and Dahlia ‘David Howard’
The smashing perennial combination of dark blue and apricot makes a dynamic statement in a sunny border from early summer to fall. Sage ‘Mystic Spires’ begins blooming in late spring…
Plant Profile: Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Also called crimson columbine, this herbaceous perennial is a native of western North America from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains where it grows especially well in moist rocky…
Book Review: The Book of Greens
If you are tired of eating the same old greens in the same old ways and want to try something new, Jenn Louis’ work, The Book of Greens, is full…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Mountain Wine
The Spanish city of Malaga is known for the very fine raisins they produce from Muscatel grapes. These Muscatel grape is very sweet and has anintense flavor; It originated in…
Plant Profile: Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese barberry is a thorny, deciduous shrub growing 3-6’ tall and a member of the barberry family, Berberidaceae, that also includes heavenly bamboo (Nandina), Oregon grape (Mahonia), and barronwort (Epimedium).…
Edible Flowers: Sunflowers (Helianthus annus)
Sunflowers are annuals native to North American but introduced into Europe in the sixteenth century by the Spanish. They are now widely grown for their oil and seeds. Sunflowers belong…