Book Review: We Are the Gardeners
Karen Meyers We Are the Gardeners, written by Joanna Gains of HGTV’s Fixer Upper fame, is a story about a family starting their backyard garden. Written for children 4-8 years old in…
Meadow Garden: Mid-Sized Native Flowering Perennials for Mesic to Wet Soil in Sun
The use of mid-sized native flowering perennials in a meadow garden adds color, texture, and biodiversity while blending well with the grasses that characterize a meadow. In addition, the plants…
Plants for a Mary Garden: English Holly (Ilex aquifolia) Mary’s Sorrow
The association between English holly and the Virgin Mary has its origins in pagan times. The ancient Romans used holly in their celebration of the Saturnalia, a festival honoring Saturn,…
Book Review: Garden Wild
Andre Baranowski’s book, Garden Wild, celebrates the aesthetic of the the new movement in contemporary landscape design that rejects manicured lawns and tightly pruned hedges and embraces the wilderness. The…
Meadow Garden: Tall Native Flowering Perennials for Mesic to Wet Soil in Full Sun
Including tall plants into a meadow garden enhances its ecological value, aesthetics, and functionality, while also supporting local biodiversity. Tall plants add visual interest and texture, create depth and dimension,…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Mary’s Bedstraw, Mary’s Humility
For thousands of years thyme has enjoyed great respect and usage. As early as 2750 BC the ancient Sumerians used thyme as a poultice and antiseptic and the Egyptians used…
Book Review: Seed to Table
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…