Botanical Latin: Hesperus
Karen Hesperus (HES per us) derived from the Greek hesperos, meaning evening In Greek mythology, Hesperos was associated with the evening star, which was the planet Venus in the evening. He…
Plant Profile: Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea/Senicio aureus)
Ragwort is a semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America where it grows in such places as the edges of streams, rivers, and ponds, wet to moist meadows and…
Book Review: The Art of Simple Food
Based on the assumption that high quality ingredients can be cooked simply to produce extraordinary food, Alice Waters’ book, The Art of Simple Food, introduces a unique way of cooking.…
Ten Interesting Facts about Chestnuts
As the Christmas song tells us, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…Help to make the season bright.” To many, however, chestnuts have been a staple food rather than a holiday…
Plant Profile: Hosta ‘White Christmas’
Brighten up a shade spot in the garden with ‘White Christmas’. With it’s white leaves edged with thin green margins it is one of the whitest hostas available. The dominance…
Holiday Feast: Five Great Side Dishes for Duck
I recently came upon this great article by Jamie Highland that gives directions for five delicious sides to serve with duck at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The directions are simple…
Plant Profile: Western Blue Flax (Linum lewisii)
This short-lived long blooming herbaceous perennial is native to western North America where it is found on ridges and dry slopes as well as in mountain meadows and grasslands. It…
Book Review: Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century
The gloom and doom journalism that we read constantly in the media can be unnerving but the book, Worldchanging, provides hope that these problems can be solved. A companion to…
Weeds and Their Control: Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
Also known as creeping Charlie, ground ivy is native of Europe and Asia that was brought to North America by early settlers for its medicinal and culinary value. It has…
Plant Profile: Rosa ‘Mrs. B. R. Cant’
The cupped flowers are borne on long stems singly or in small clusters and come in generous flushes throughout the growing season beginning in late spring and ending with the…