Plant Profile: Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Karen Also called yellowcress, this aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial is native to Europe and Asia where it grows in cold lakes and reservoirs, and along slow-moving streams and rivers. It is…
Butterflies in the Garden and How to Attract Them: Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) CHECK BEFORE POSTING
The eastern black swallowtail is found in eastern US from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rockies into Arizona and and Mexico. It inhabits open areas such as suburbs, gardens, farmland,…
Plant Profile: Soapwort (Yucca glauca aka Y. angustifolia)
Native to dry rocky soils of central US and Canada, this evergreen herbaceous perennial has many common names including beargrass, Great Plains yucca, narrowleaf yucca, and Spanish bayonet. It is…
Plant Combination: Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) ‘Royal Standard’ and Sneezeweed (Helenium)‘Moerheim Beauty’
The strong thrust of the tall poker ‘Royal Standard’ provides a striking contrast to the daisy-like flower heads of ‘Moerheim Beauty’ while the colors of ‘Moerheim Beauty’ echo the changing…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘Gold Medal’
Orange yellow buds with medium-long sepals open slowly to large, full flowers that are high centered to cupped and reflexed. The petals are yellow with coral pink edges before fading…
Plant Profile: Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum)
This herbaceous perennial bulb is native to the Balkans and Middle East and has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years dating back to the Bronze age Minoans on the…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines:Orange Wine with Raisins
Although wines known today as orange wines have nothing of the citrus fruit in them, my paternal grandmother, Helen S. Wright, included several recipes in her book on wine making…
Plant Profile: Bottle Tree (Brachychiton populneus)
Commonly known as the kurrajong, this small to medium-sized evergreen tree is native to Australia where it grows in diverse habitats. It is member of the mallow family, Malveaceae, that…
Gardens in Art: Medieval Monastic Garden-St. Gall
The plan of St. Gall dates from 820-830 AD and showed an ideal Benedictine monastic compound including buildings and gardens for a total of 110 monks, 115 visitors, and 150…
Plant Profile: Scrub Oak (Quercus gambelii)
Also known as gambe oak, oak brush, and Rocky Mountain white oak, this deciduous small tree or large shrub is native to the foothills and lower mountains elevations of western…