Book Review: The Levantine Vegetarian
Karen Meyers In her cook book, The Levantine Vegetarian, Salma Hage, an expert on Middle eastern home-cooking, draws on the diverse culinary traditions of the Levant, an Eastern Mediterranean area that includes…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to the Southwest
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Acanthus balcanicus aka A. hungaricus aka A. longifoliius
Karen Endemic to the Balkan peninsula, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the Acanthaceae family that also includes mostly tropical plants such as polka-dot plant and Thunbergia. Plants grow 4-5′…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium martagon) Our Lady’s Tears
The tears of Mary are linked to several plants including lily of the valley, larkspur, and spiderwort, as well as Turk’s cap lily. Tradition tells us that the tears of…
Plant Profile: Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliana)
Native to the Great Plains of central North America, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. With a rhizomatous…
Book Review: Complete Starter Guide to Bonsai
David Squire’s book, Complete Starter Guide to Bonsai, provides an introduction to the art of bonsai. Written with the novice in mind, the author covers all the information needed to…
Wildflowers: Iris Native to New England
Iris is a genus of 310 species and is in the plant family Iridaceae that also included gladiolus, crocus and freesia. The plants are all perennial and grow from rhizomes…
Plant Profile: Fernleaf Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina) ‘Coronation Gold’
Fernleaf yarrow ‘Coronation Gold’ is a hybrid resulting from a cross between Achillea filipendulina and A. clypeolata and is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisies,…
Plants for a Mary Garden: Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia paniculata)
Baby’s breath is a relatively new introduction in Mary gardens. It was first introduced to European gardens in the early 19th century as an ornamental plant and was absorbed into…
Plant Profile: Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum)
Known as rush broom and weaver’s broom, this flowering deciduous shrub is native to southwestern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Azores where it grows on dry, sandy, sunny sites. It…