Book Review: What is Climate Change?
Karen Gail Herman’s book, What is Climate Change?, provides a basic introduction to the subject for young readers 8-12 years old. Beginning with a brief introduction to climate change and the…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Carnation
Shakespeare’s carnation, also called gillyflower and clove pink, was probably the herbaceous perennial Dianthus caryophyllus. The genus Dianthus is in the family Caryophyllaceae and has over 300 species including pinks…
Plant Profile: Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
Golden Alexander is a short lived herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes parsley, celery, and poison hemlock. It is a native native to…
Invasive Plants and Their Native Alternatives: Chinese Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)
Also called Chinese bush clover, this semi-woody perennial is native to China, Korea, Japan, Formosa, and the Himalayas but was introduced into North Carolina from Japan in 1896 and was…
Plant Profile: Common Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes)
Common water hyacinth is a floating perennial and a member of he pickerelweed family, Pontederiaceae, a small family of 34 species of tropical and subtropical aquatic plants. It is native…
Book Review: The Modern Cook’s Year
In her book The Modern Cook’s Year, Anna Jones presents more than 250 vegetarian recipes that demonstrate her sensitivity to the relationship between food and the seasons and further to…
Fragrant Spring Blooming Shrubs for the Garden
The onset of spring is time of awakening and joy and with the many flowering shrubs that bloom then, why not indulge yourself in the beautiful scents that many provide?…
Plant Profile: Purple Dragon Head (Physostegia parviflora)
This herbaceous perennial is also called western false dragon head is a member of the deadnettle family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, monarda and ajuga. It is native to Manitoba…
Plant Combination: Rocky Mountain Beard-Tongue (Penstemon strictus) and Yarrow (Achillea x) ‘Moonshine’
This yellow and blue combination is a striking duo in a sunny, well-drained border in early summer. The spiky form of the beard-tongue contrasts with the flat heads of the…
Plant Profile: Scouler’s Corydalis (Corydalis scouleri)
Scouler’s corydalis is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the fumatory family, Fumariaceae, that also includes bleeding heart and Dutchman’s breeches. It is native to western North America where…