Plant Profile: Apple (Malus domestica aka M. pumila)
Karen The domestic apple is a deciduous tree native to central Asia and has been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. It is a member of the rose…
Plants of the Bible: Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Also called herb of grace, rue is an evergreen mounding subshrub native to the Balkan Peninsula where it grows on dry hillsides, often on limestone. The ancient Greeks used rue…
Edible Mushrooms: Fairy Ring Champignon (Marasmius oreades)
Also known as Scotch bonnet, fairy ring champignon are well known in Europe and North America where they appear in rings, troops, or arcs from late spring to fall in…
Plant Profile: Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)
Also called nard, nardin and muskroot, this aromatic herbaceous perennial is native to the montane and subalpine zones of the Himalayas where it grows on steep, grassy slopes. Growing 4-20″…
Gardens in Art: Medieval Secular Garden- Emily in Boccaccio’s Teseida
This scene by Barthelemy d’Eyck is from the manuscript, Teseida, an epic poem written by Giovanni Boccaccio c. 1340-1341. It shows Emily, the younger sister of the amazon Hippolyta, sitting…
Plant Profile: White Anemone Clematis (Clematis montana var. grandiflora)
Native to China, this deciduous climber is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphnium, columbine, and hellebore. The vines grow up to 40′ long and have…
Plants of the Bible: Bay (Laurus nobilis) or Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)
The Hebrew word אזרח (ereh) has been translated in various ways but actually means native born, i.e. a tree not transplanted, but growing on its native soil. Some authors assumed…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Rhubarb
Rubarb (Rheum spp) is a genus of about 60 species and in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, that includes sorrel, sea grape, and the pesky Japanese knotweed. Rheum species have large…
Plant Profile: Japanese Hydrangea Vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides)
Native to the moist woodlands of Japan, this deciduous woody vine belongs to the hydrangea family, Hydrangeaceae, that also includes mock orange and Deutzia. The vines grow 20-30′ long and…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Rosary Pea (Abrus precatorius)
Rosary pea is an evergreen woody vine native that grows ten to twenty feet long and often climbs over small trees and shrubs. It has a deep root system, slender…