A Visit to Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, China
Karen One of the great places to visit while staying in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak, also known as Mount Austin, and located in the western half of Hong Kong. Whether…
Plant Profile: Broad-Leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
I admit up front that I have never deliberately grown dock. I have never had to because it has been a weed everywhere I have wanted some…and yes, it is…
Plant Profile: Weeping Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana)
Leucothoe is one of the rare plants that really loves the shade and is beautiful growing with azaleas, rhododendrons, and other ericaceous plants with its graceful arching stems, leathery shiny…
Plant Profile: German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Read the word “chamomile”, and I think tea and sleep but German chamomile is also a charming garden plant having a feathery foliage and bright white daisy-like flowers with gold…
Plant Profile: Snowbell ( Styrax japonicus)
A short allee of snowbells form the entrance of our formal rose garden. The small size and dainty texture of the trees standout against the Japanese Privet hedge that surrounds…
Plant Profile: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare aka F. officinale)
Fennel is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae, that also includes celery, sea holly, and dill. It is native to the shores of the Mediterranean…
Plant Profile: Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles x superba)
I first became interested in flowering quince because of a Japanese print I was given as a gift many years ago. The irregular branching pattern and the simple red flowers…
Plant Profile: Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
Tansy is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to Europe and Asia but was introduced…
Plant Profile: Kalenchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
When I saw a bright yellow kalenchoe plant at one of the local dollar-stores I could not resist buying it. Yes, it was small but it is such an easy…
Plant Profile: Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla syn. A. citrodora)
The scent of lemon is always welcome in my garden and lemon verbena is one of the most delightfully lemony. Just brush by the plant and it will release its…