Book Review: Seed to Table
Karen Meyers Luay Ghafari’s book, Seed to Table, is a cook book, gardening book, or both. With a focus of feeding your family with nutritious food from a home garden, it includes…
Meadow Garden: Mid-Sized Grasses
Grasses are the backbone of a meadow garden and the mid-sized ones will blend especially well with the many mid-sized perennials that are also essential to a meadow garden. The…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Garden Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) “Our Lady’s Eardrops”
The name Our Lady’s Eardrops for Fuchsia magellanica is relatively recent and is based on the shape and appearance of its flowers. The plant was introduced to Europe in the…
Book Review: The Seven Step Homestead
In her book, The Seven Step Homestead, Leah M. Webb shares her experience establishing a mini-farm in her backyard. Motivated by the desire to grow her own food as well…
Meadow Garden: Tall Native Grasses
Tall native grasses are usually associated with the natural prairie ecosystem of central US. This area has rich loess soils and moderate rainfall of 30-35 inches per year and are…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) “Our Lady’s Fingers”
The name ,”Our Lady’s Fingers” for Stachys byzantina probably arose from Christian folklore and plant symbolism. The soft, velvety texture of the plant’s leaves suggests the gentle, comforting touch of…
Book Review: The Secret World of Plants
The Secret World of Plants by Ben Hoare explores the plant kingdom through the unique stories of over 100 amazing plants. Written for children ages 7-9 in grades 2-4, the…
Meadow Garden: Low Growing Native Flowering Perennials for Part to Full Shade
Low growing perennials in a meadow garden add color and textures as well as the opportunity to extend the bloom time. Also considered groundcovers, these plants will grow in the…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Spotted Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum) “Madonna’s Milk”
The name “Madonna’s Milk” for Lamium maculatum probably arose from Christian folklore and medieval plant symbolism. The white markings on the leaves of spotted dead nettle probably suggested drops of…
Book Review: How to Keep Your Plants Alive
How to Keep your Plants Alive, by Kit Carlson and Aaron Carlson, is a brief guide to successful houseplant gardening. After discussing the basics of growing plants indoors from light…