Plants of the Bible: Leek (Allium porrum)
Karen Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, leek is a biennial and are related to onion, garlic, and daffodil. It grows 2-3′ tall and consists of a bundle of…
Butterflies in the Garden and How to Attract Them: Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Red admiral are found from sub arctic Canada to Central America where they inhabit open spaces such as forest margins, shorelines, gardens, parks, fields, meadows and roadsides. A warm weather…
Plant Profile: Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)
Native to the hot, humid coastal lowland forests of India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, this evergreen tree is a member of the family Ebenaceae that also includes persimmon. The tree…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: Peach Wine
The appearance of the first fresh peaches at the Farmers’ Market always brings happiness but long lines whether you eat them as is or use them in cobbler, icecream or…
Plant Profile: Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Also known as absinthe, this wood-based subshrub is native to Mediterranean Europe, temperate regions of Asia, and northern Africa where it grows in dry open areas, often on rocky slopes.…
Plants of the Bible: Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
A native Iran and Iraq, the pomegranate is a deciduous tree or shrub that has been grown since ancient times and is widely cultivated for the juicy seeds of its…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wine: Palermo Wine
If you do an Internet search for Palermo Wine you will probably find that the most prominent result is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley made by Orin Swift Winery.…
Plant Profile: Bridal Veil Broom (Retama monosperma aka Genista monosperma aka Spartium monosperma aka Lygos monosperma)
This deciduous flowering shrub is native to the Mediterranean region where it grows in coastal scrub often on sand dunes, and is a member of the pea family, Fabaceae, that…
Gardens in Art: Lovers in the Garden
This manuscript illumination by Pietro Crescenzi show two lovers siting on a turf bench inside an enclosed garden. The garden has high walls that provides both protection and privacy. The…
Plant Profile: Colocynth (Citrullus colocynthis)
This evergreen tender perennial vine is native to the sandy arid soils of the Mediterranean Basin and Asia, and goes by many common names including bitter apple, bitter cucumber, desert…