Plant Profile: Joseph’s Coat (Amaranthus tricolor)
Karen Amaranthus tricolor is not for the timid. Its very bright, perhaps gaudy, colors are sure to catch the eye and enliven any border. Frankly, I love it. Plant several tall…
Flowers for Holiday Arrangements: Scarlet Plume (Euphorbia fulgens)
For a unique and festive look in holiday arrangements, try Euphorbia fulgens. You probably won’t find it at your local grocery store but it is available from florists, although you…
Plant Profile: Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias)
If you know this shrubby perennial by its common name, Mediterranean spurge, you probably know that it thrives in dry hot climates. And you can probability guess that it languishes…
History of Christmas Greens: White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Decorating for the Christmas holidays inevitable leads to using white pine, valued for its long, flexible needles that stay on the branches for weeks after being cut. The bluish-green color…
Plant Profile: Bishop’s hat (Epimedium grandiflorum)
What a blessing this plant is for the shade garden! In addition to growing well in limited light it competes well with the roots of trees and can grow in…
How to Make a Christmas Star Ornament from Sticks
Outside our kitchen window are several bird feeders that attract a variety of our feathered friends that we enjoy watching as they cavort and eat their favorite seeds and other…
Plant Profile: Brazilian Vervain (Verbena bonariensis)
This is not a plant that will catch your eye the first moment you look at a garden but it creates a subtle mood especially when planted as a “see…
Top Six Live Christmas Trees
Over 27 million real Christmas trees were sold last year in the US. That’s a lot of trees! Many different kinds of trees are used as Christmas trees but some…
Plant Profile: Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria)
Dusty miller is a half-hardy perennial native to the Mediterranean area and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It grows 12-24″ tall…
How to Make a Flower from a Lemon, Lime, and Strawberry
When company is coming over you may want to dress up a tray of hors d’oeuvres or appetizers. Sure, parsley will add some color and texture but how about something…