Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Sage Wine
Karen Herbal wines can be made from the leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots of any edible herb from lavender, elderberry, elderflower, chamomile, and parsley to ginger, aloe vera, tea, peppermint, and…
Plant Profile: Widow’s Iris (Iris tuberosa aka Hermodactylus tuberosus)
Also called snake’s-head, black iris, and velvet flower-de-luce, this herbaceous perennial is native to the Mediterranean region and a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also includes crocus, gladiolus,…
Winter Blooming Shrubs
Winter can be bleak but it doesn’t have to be. With judicious planting a winter garden can provide welcome relief from the gray cold day that plague most of during…
Genus: Clethra for the Garden
Clethra is a genus 75 species of flowering shrubs and small trees in the Clethraceae plant family, in the order Ericales that includes azaleas. There are two recognized species native…
Plant Profile: Sternbergia candida
Native to the edges of cedar woods in south-west turkey, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the Amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes agapanthus, daffodils and onion. The plant…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)
Also known as Old Man, Lad’s Love and Maiden’s Ruin, this bushy evergreen sub-shrub is native to southern Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, and is a member of the…
Plant Profile: Spring Starflower (Ipheion uniflorum aka Brodiaea uniflora aka Triteleia uniflora)
Also known as springstar, Mexican star and starlikes, this herbaceous perennial is native to Argentina and Uruguay and is a member of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, that also includes onion,…
Drought Tolerant Plants: Annuals and Perennials with Blue, Lavender and Purple Flowers
Water is essential for plant growth but plants vary greatly in their need for it. Since the amount of water on earth is finite but the demand is not, we…
Plant Profile: Winter Flowering Clematis (Clematis cirrhosa)
Native to scrubby woodlands of the Mediterranean area, this delicate evergreen to semi evergreen woody vine is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, columbine, and…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Carrot (Daucus carota)
The carrot is a herbaceous biennial in the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also included celery, anise, and parsnip. It is probably native to Persia where it was cultivated for its…