Plant Profile: Hop-Flowered Oregano (Origanum libanoticum)
Karen A native of Lebanon this ornamental oregano is a herbaceous perennial prized for the masses of shrimp-like, papery chartreuse bracts that hang from the wiry stems. Small pink to mauve…
Book Review: How Do You Know It’s Winter?
Lisa Herrington’s book, How Do You Know It’s Winter? introduces young children to the activities and changes in the environment that are associated with winter. Written for preschoolers, this non-fiction…
Rangoli
If you are lucky enough to visit India in the fall you might find a abundance of beautiful folk art designs in front of doorways and in the lobby of…
Plant Profile: Rose ‘High Hopes’
The shell-pink flowers are borne singly or in small clusters of 2-5 blossoms and fade to pale pink but always have a deeper pink center. The upright shrub produces and…
Botanical Latin: Hesperus
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…