Plant Profile: Statice (Limonium sinuatum)
Karen Also known as sea lavender, sea pink, and notch leaf marsh rosemary, this tender short-lived perennial is often grown as an annual, and is a member of the leadwort family,…
Edible Mushrooms: Plums and Custard (Tricholomopsis rutilans)
Found singly or in clumps from summer through fall, this plum-streaked fungi grows on stumps and logs in coniferous woodlands in the northern temperate zone including North America. It grows…
Plant Profile: Annual Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia elegans)
A native of the Caucasus, this short lived annual is a member of the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes pinks and campions. Plants grow 12-18″ tall, tend to branch…
Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to Urban Farming
Urban farming is not new but to many it is daunting and outside their comfort range. Nicole Faires shares her knowledge of the subject in her book, The Ultimate Guide…
Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: Common Yarrow (Achillea millifolium)
A native of Europe this herbaceous perennial is widely distributed in the US growing in disturbed soil such as roadsides, old fields, and waste sites. The plants spread rapidly by…
Plant Profile: Larkspur (Consolida ajacis aka C. ambigua)
Also called doubtful knight’s spur and rocket larkspur, this cool weather annual is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes…
Genus Ligularia for the Garden
Ligularias are herbaceous perennials native to central and eastern Asia, and Europe where they grow in cool areas with consistently moist soil and sun to partial shade. They are a…
Book Review: The Grouchy Ladybug
Eric Carle’s book, The Grouchy Ladybug, tells the story of an ill-tempered ladybug who doesn’t like to share and challenges 13 other animals to a fight. The animals range in…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Hyssop
Hyssop belongs to the genus Hyssopus in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, sage, and beebalm. Shakespeare’s hyssop has been identified as Hyssopus officinalis, a compact native Asia…
Plant Profile: Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
This Mediterranean native is a thistle-like tender perennial and a member of the Aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and artichoke. Plants form an impressive 3′ tall clump…