Plants for a Mary Garden: Cowslip (Primula veris)
Karen Meyers Primula veris is known as Our Lady’s Keys due to the appearance of its flower clusters and Christian legend. Early Christians thought that the drooping flower clusters resembled an old-fashion…
Plant Profile: Cape Anemone (Anemone tenuifolia aka A. capensis)
Native to South Africa, this evergreen subshrub is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellabore. It grows 12-24″ tall and has a short…
Book Review: The Levantine Vegetarian
In her cook book, The Levantine Vegetarian, Salma Hage, an expert on Middle eastern home-cooking, draws on the diverse culinary traditions of the Levant, an Eastern Mediterranean area that includes…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Southwest
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon) Our Lady’s Tears
The tears of Mary are linked to several plants including lily of the valley, larkspur, and spiderwort, as well as Turk’s cap lily. Tradition tells us that the tears of…
Book Review: Complete Starter Guide to Bonsai
David Squire’s book, Complete Starter Guide to Bonsai, provides an introduction to the art of bonsai. Written with the novice in mind, the author covers all the information needed to…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to New England
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a relatively new introduction in Mary gardens. It was first introduced to European gardens in the early 19th century as an ornamental plant and was absorbed into…
Book Review: The Succulents Design Book
Kentaro Duroda’s book, The Succulents Design Book, combines instructions for creating living arrangements of succulents with basic information on growing and using this unique group of plants. The book is…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Mid-Atlantic States
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…