Book Review: The 30-Minute Gardener
Karen Meyers In his book, The 30-Minute Gardener, author Greg Loades shows readers how 30 minutes a day can be used to produce and maintain a garden. With a focus on enjoying…
Edible Mushrooms: Field Blewit (Lepista saeva aka L. personata aka Clitocybe saeva)
Less common than wood blewit (Lepista saeva), field blewit is native to Europe and the British Isles. It often appears in groups or fairy rings usually in chalk or limestone…
Plant Profile: Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis)
Karen Also known as cucumberleaf sunflower, and East Coast dune sunflower, this short-lived tender perennial is a native of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the US where it grows in…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Chives (Allium schoenopras) “Our Lady’s Garlic”
The association between Mary and chives or garlic is illusive. Both plants are in the same genus, Allium, along with onions, shallots and leeks. The Bible does not mention chives…
Plant Profile: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon)
Known since 1568, this herbaceous perennial is a native of Europe and Asia. It is a member of the Liliaceae plant family that also includes tulips, fritillaries, and Quamash. Plants…
Book Review: Guide to Growing Organic Food
Tanya Denckla Cobb’s book, Guide to Growing Organic Food, is a comprehensive guide to growing food crops by sustainable, organic methods. Cobb covers a wide range of science-backed practices with…
Edible Mushrooms: March Wax Cap (Hygrophorus marzuolus)
The March wax cap grows singly, scattered or in clusters in the siliceous soil of mixed forests in the mountains of North America, Europe and Asia. It appears in the…
Book Review: How NOT to KILL Your Houseplant
Veronica Peerless’ book, How NOT to KILL Your Houseplant, is a guide to successfully growing houseplants. With a unique format, the book offers basic information on growing plants indoors, profiles…
Plant Profile: Prostrate Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata)
Also known as beach sand verbena and purple sand verbena, this tender perennial is often grown as an annual and is a member of the four o’clock family, Nyctaginaceae, that…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Quaking Grass ( Briza media) Our Lady’s Tresses
At the time of Christ, women’s hair fashions were determined by both cultural practices and religious laws. Covering the hair with a scarf, veil or other fabric was considered a…