Book Review: The Imperfect Garden
Karen In her book The Imperfect Garden, author Melissa Assaly presents a simple story with a big message. The story is about a mother and her young son who plant a…
Plant Profile: American White Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
Also known as fragrant water lily and beaver root, this aquatic deciduous perennial is a member of the Nymphaeaceae, a family of 75 species of aquatic plants including pond lilies.…
Plant Profile: Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Dames rocket is a biennial or short-lived perennial known by a variety of names including dame’s violet, mother of the evening, and sweet rocket. It is a member of the…
Plant Profile: Rosa Silver Jubilee
Broad peaked buds open to large flowers 4.7″ across with pale pink outer petals, dark pink inner ones, and apricot ones in between. All of the petals have darker backs…
Plant Profile: India Physic (Porteranthus trifoliatus aka Gillenia trifoliata)
Also called fawn’s breath, bowman’s root and American ipecac, this clump-forming herbaceous perennial is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, that also includes apple, lady’s mantle, and pyracantha. It…
Plant Profile: Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar lutea)
Also called brandy-bottle and spattercock, this aquatic deciduous perennial is a member of the Nymphaeaceae, a family of 75 specie of aquatic plants including and water lily. It is native…
Book Review: Seeds of Resistance
As our food supply is increasingly threatened by climate change, the importance of agricultural practices become more important and Mark Schapiro’s book, Seeds of Resistance, examines one of these: the…
Plant Profile: California Sea Lavender (Limonium californicum)
Also called western marsh rosemary, this mounding evergreen herb or subshrub is a member of the leadwort family, Plumbaginaceae, that also includes thrift. It is native to western US from…
Plant Profile: Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata aka Ceratoides lanata)
Winterfat is a long-lived evergreen small shrub and member of the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae, that also includes celosia, spinach and beet. It is native to western North America from Saskatchewan…
Plant Profile: California Interior Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
Also known as eastern mojave buckwheat, this rounded evergreen shrub or subshrub is a member of the knotweed family, Polygonaceae, that also includes rhubarb, dock and sea grape. It is…