Vaijanti Mala (Indian Prayer Beads)
Karen As we entered the foyer of the Lalit Hotel in Khajurho, India, we were welcomed by greeters who placed a necklace of gray beads around our neck. Made from the…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘Mme. Plantier’
The many petaled flowers are borne in clusters of five to twenty flowers and are at first pink before fading to white. The petals are often arranged around a small…
Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses
The use of ornamental grasses is becoming increasingly popular and pampas grass, Japanese silver grass, and feather reed grass can be found in nurseries, big box stories, and from online…
Plant Combination: Milky Bellflower (Campanula lactiflora var. coerulea) and Montbretia (Crocosmia) ‘Lucifer’
This tall combination makes a striking focal point in the back of the border during the summer. The violet blue of milky bellflower complements the scarlet red of ‘Lucifer’. The…
Plant Profile: String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
This tender evergreen perennial vine, also known as rosary plant, is native to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland where it grows in well-drained soil in some sun but is commonly…
Ornamental Grasses with Fragrance
Most gardeners do not think of growing grasses for fragrance but there are some available. The fragrance may be in the flowers, the roots, or the leaves. Grasses with fragrant…
Plant Profile: Perky Sue (Hymenoxys scaposa aka Tetraneuris scaposa)
A native of southwestern United States where it inhabits dry plains and rocky hillsides, Perky Sue is an evergreen herbaceous perennial also known as four nerve daisy and slender-stem bitterweed.…
About Arachnids
Spiders and their relatives may seem scary but they are fascinating animals and play an important role in our environment. Cathryn Sill’s non-fiction book, About Arachnids, introduces young children to…
Plant Combination: European Wild Ginger (Asarum europaeum) and Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia)
European wild ginger makes a beautiful woodland ground cover that is evergreen in most areas. Add fringed bleeding heart to it and you have an enchanting combination that provides color…
Plant Profile: Rosa Louis Philippe
Named for the French king that ruled from 1830 to 1848 this rose is held in more regard than the king it’s named for. It has bright crimson flowers with…