Book Review: Your Eco-Friendly Yard
Karen Author Tom Girolamo presents an innovative approach to creating an environmentally friendly sustainable landscape. He points out that since we have many demands on our time and financial resources, why…
How to Scarify Annual and Perennial Seeds
Have you every bought a packet of seeds that recommended nicking the seeds or soaking them overnight in water before sowing? Morning glory, moon vine, and lupine seed need this…
Plant Profile: Woolly Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa )
This semi-evergreen, mat-forming perennial is native to the lowlands of Europe and western Asia and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, goldenrod and lettuce.…
History of Valentine’s Day Flowers
Flowers and candy seem to pop into mind at the thought of Valentine’s Day but it was not always so. Florists view Valentine’s Day as one of the most profitable…
Book Review: Whole in One
Author and chef Ellie Krieger sets out to produce a collection of healthy recipes that are both tasty and delicious but are also cooked in just pot, sheet pan, or…
Plant Profile: Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)
Agrimony is a perennial herb native to Europe and sothwestern Asia where it grows in moist woods, damp meadows, pastures, and along stream banks. It is a member of the…
Book Review: Culpeper’s Color Herbal
For historians and herbalists alike, this book is informative as well as entertaining. It gives a brief account of almost 400 herbs from the perspective of a 16th century herbalist…
Plant Profile: Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata)
Not all orchids are persnickety prima donnas and this one is definitely not. A native of Japan, China, Korea, and Burma, this hardy, terrestrial orchid was introduced into to England…
Six Native Woody Vines For an American Cottage Garden
Scrambling over a wall or up a pergola, attracting birds, or adding color and fragrance vines can be an important part of an American cottage garden. Vines not only add…
Plant Profile: Devil’s Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa)
With common names like Devil’s walking stick, and Hercules’ club this plant is bound to attract attention. It is a deciduous small tree or shrub with spines on its trunks,…