Plant Profile: Shoo-fly Plant (Nicandra physalodes)
Karen Also known as apple of Peru, apple of Sodom, Peruvian bluebell, this annual is native to northwest Argentina, Bolivia, north and central Chile, and Peru where it grows in disturbed…
Plant Profile: Lewisia ‘George Henley’
Lewisias are herbaceous perennials native to north facing cliffs in western North America. They are members of the Montiaceae, a family that also includes Claytonia and purslanes. This cultivar is…
Plant Profile: Candy Corn Plant (Cuphea micropetala)
Native to Mexico, this tender evergreen or deciduous perennial shrub is often grown as an annual or houseplant. It is a member of the loosestrife family, Lytharaceae, that also includes…
Plant Profile: Rose Pink Perpetue
Vigorous, compact plants bear upright clusters of 5-7 flowers in flushes throughout the summer. The flowers are almost 3″ across and have short petals that are clear pink on their…
Plant Profile: Strawflower ( Xerochrysanum bracteatum aka Helichrysum brateactum)
Also called golden everlasting, this short-lived tender perennial or annual is native to Australia where it grows in grasslands. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also…
Book Review: Family
Family is a vegetarian cook book based on the belief that at the heart of every family there is a complex story of food. Chef and author Hetty McKinnon believes…
Plant Profile: Statice (Limonium sinuatum)
Also known as sea lavender, sea pink, and notch leaf marsh rosemary, this tender short-lived perennial is often grown as an annual, and is a member of the leadwort family,…
Plant Profile: Annual Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia elegans)
A native of the Caucasus, this short lived annual is a member of the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae, that also includes pinks and campions. Plants grow 12-18″ tall, tend to branch…
Plant Profile: Larkspur (Consolida ajacis aka C. ambigua)
Also called doubtful knight’s spur and rocket larkspur, this cool weather annual is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes…
Book Review: The Grouchy Ladybug
Eric Carle’s book, The Grouchy Ladybug, tells the story of an ill-tempered ladybug who doesn’t like to share and challenges 13 other animals to a fight. The animals range in…