Beneficial Insects and How to Attract Them: Soldier Beetle
Karen Soldier beetles belong to the Cantharidae family of insects with about four hundred seventy species in North America. They are also known as leatherwings because of their tough wing covers…
Plant Profile: Arrow Arum (Peltandra virginica)
Also called green arrow arum and tuckahoe, this aquatic plant is a member of the arum family, Aracaeae, that also includes Jack in the pulpit, peace lily, and skunk cabbage.…
Book Review: The Gardener of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles with its garden has a certain mystic and conjures up visions of grandeur and an extravagant life style, but is that the true picture of the…
Chihuly at Biltmore
The works of American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly have been admired for many years and in the summer of 2018 an exhibition of Chihuly’s works came to Biltmore in Asheville,…
Plant Profile: New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
New Jersey tea is a deciduous shrub native to eastern and central North America from Quebec nd Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas where it grows in open woods, rocky…
Plant Combination: Dwarf Coneflower ( Echinacea) ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’ and Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) ‘Big Ears’ (aka ‘Helene von Stein’)
The traditional tall coneflower has a lot to offer but have you ever wished that it came in a smaller form? If so, take a look at this dwarf coneflower,…
Plant Profile: Thompson’s Aster (Aster thomsonii)
Thompson’s aster is a herbaceous perennial native to the western Himalyas. It is a member of the Asteraceae family that also includes sunflowers, daisies, and lettuce. Hairy stems carry dark…
Book Review: Eat your Drink
The phrase “farm-to-table” is familiar to everyone who enjoys fine dining but how about “farm-to-glass”? In his book, Eat Your Drink, author and mixologist, Matthew Biancaniello, shares his experience in…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Rhubarb Wine
Rhubarb is one of those wine foods that you either hate or love and rhubarb wine is not at the top of most people’s favorite wine list. There is, however,…
Plant Profile: Silk Bay (Persea humulis)
Silk bay is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to peninsular Florida where it grows in sandy low woods, and margins of swamps and ponds. It is a member…