Plants for a Mary Garden: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon) Our Lady’s Tears
Karen Meyers 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…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Cranesbill (Geranium maculata) Our Lady’s Pins
Early European settlers learned about the medicinal use of G. maculata from the indigenous people of North America where the plant was native and they incorporated it into their own…
Book Review: Meat-Eating Plants
Mari Schuh’s book, Meat-Eating Plants, introduces young readers to 6 plants that obtain their food from insects or small animals. Written for children 6-9 years old in grades 2-3, the…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Pacific Coast
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: Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Hawthorn has a long history in folklore, religion and herbal medicine. In ancient times it was associated with fertility and used as a charm to ward off witchcraft and vampires…