Plants for a Mary Garden: Blue Passionflower (Passiflora caeruleae)
Karen Also known as bluecrown passionflower and common passion flower, this vigorous vine is native to South America from Bolivia to Brazil and northern Argentina. It is a member of the…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Palestinian Tumbleweed (Anastatica hierochuntica)
Also known as rose of Jericho, Maryam’s flower, flower of St. Mary, St. Mary’s flower, Mary’s flower, and white mustard flower, this annual herb is native to the deserts of…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Christ’s Knee (Tigridia pavonia)
This tender perennial bulb is a native of semitropical to semi-alpine climates of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Hondurus. It is a member of the iris family, Iridaceae, that also…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Common St. John’s wort is a herbaceous perennial known for its medicinal properties from ancient times. It is native to Europe, western Asian and North Africa where it occurs in…
Old Time Recipes for Home Made Wines: London Sherry Wine
Karen Meyers Sherry wine is a fortified wine made from white grapes that originated in the Cadiz area of southern Spain when the Phoenicians introduced the first vines to Jerez in Andalusia,…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Crown of Thorns ( Euphorbia milii var. splendens aka Euphorbia splenden)s
Native to Madagascar, this evergreen semi-succulent shrub is a member of the spurge family, Euphorbaceae, that also includes pointsettia, croton, and castor oil plant. The plants grow up to 6′…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Lungwort (Pulmonaria saccharata)
Also known as Bethelehem sage, Virgin Mary’s milkdrops and Mary’s milk sile, this herbaceous perennial is native to France and Italy and is member of the borage family, Borageacea, that…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Native to woodlands in colder parts of Europe and Asia, this herbaceous perennial grows 6-12″ tall from a rhizomatous root system and often form large colonies. Each plant has one…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Common Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
Also called Granny’s bonnet and European crowfoot, this herbaceous perennial is native to woodlands and meadows of Europe. It is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Apple (Malus domestica )
Apples originated in Central Asia and were domesticated 4000–10000 years ago in the Tian Shan mountains. From there they spread and by 1300 BC the Egyptians were planting orchards along…