Gardens in Art: Introduction
Karen Have you ever noticed that many paintings include gardens? The garden is usually the background for some person or activity that is featured in the foreground but sometimes the garden…
Facts about the “Partridge in a Pear Tree”
The partridge in a pear tree is a familiar image at Christmas time especially during the twelves days afterward commemorated by the famous song. But have you ever thought about…
History of Christmas Greens: Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Few plants evoke images of the South like southern magnolia. The tall evergreen trees are native from coastal Virginia to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma and it is…
Winter Solstice for Gardeners
The winter solstice isn’t just for gardeners, of course, but it does have special significance for their plants. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day and longest…
History of Christmas Greens: White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Decorating for the Christmas holidays inevitable leads to using white pine, valued for its long, flexible needles that stay on the branches for weeks after being cut. The bluish-green color…
History of Christmas Greens: Holly (Ilex spp.)
Christmas would not be the same without boughs of holly decorating the mantle, chandeliers and tables. Both English (Ilex aquifolium) and American Holly (I. opaca) are used, each with their…
The Food of the First Thanksgiving
What would Thanksgiving be without turkey and pumpkin pie? Most Americans will eat turkey at their annual feast and many will also enjoy pumpkin pie. In addition, most Thanksgiving dinners…
History of Christmas Greens: Cedar
Of all the Christmas greens you can buy, Cedar can cause the most confusion. Several different greens are sold as cedar and none of them are true cedars. True cedars…
What is an Heirloom Plant?
With the recent interest in heirloom plants many books, catalogs, and on line sources of plants are using the term so a clear definition of heirloom plant would be a…
The Shamrock; What is it?
The history of the shamrock is given with some horticultural facts.