Shakspeare’s Garden: Myrtle
Karen Common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean area. It grows up to fifteen feet high but takes well to shearing and so is often kept…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Onion
The common onion (Allium cepa) is in the same genus as chives, garlic, and leeks and the same species as shallots. Onion is native to Asia but is grown throughout…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Holly
Holly is in the genus Ilex, a member of the plant family Aquifoliaceae and consists of 400 to 600 species that include evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers. Shakespeare’s…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Box (Buxus sempervirens)
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), as it is called in America, is a slow growing evergreen shrub or small tree (15-30 feet tall) native to North Africa, western Asia, and Europe where…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Almond
The almond belongs to the genus Prunus made up of 430 species of trees and shrubs including plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines and apricots. It is most closely related to peaches.…
Red Hybrid Tea Roses for Cutting
Roses that are good for cutting should have good form and color and be carried on fairly long stems that are neither too stiff nor too flexible. Fragrance, size of…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Poison Hemlock
The poison hemlock, Conium maculatum, is an herbaceous biennial in the carrot family, Apiaceae that includes parsley and Queen Anne’s lace. It is not related to the evergreen, coniferous hemlock…
Butterflies in the Garden and How to Attract Them: Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
With a wing span of up to 6.3 inches the giant swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies in North America. It is found from southern Canada east of the…
Water Gardens: Oxygenators
Call them oxygenators or submerged, these plants are essential for the good health of a pond especially if you have fish. Typically, they are rooted in pea gravel or the…
Rose Garden Themes: Beverages- Liqueurs
There are many liqueurs but there only a few roses named for them. There are even fewer roses that are readily available but I could not resist including two that…