Edible Flowers: English Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)
Karen Although known as English lavender this strongly aromatic shrub is not native to England but to the western Mediterranean especially the Pyrenees and northern mountains of Spain. It is a…
Shakespeare’s Garden: Parsley
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial native to the Mediterranean area. It grows wild from Sardinia east to Lebanon but is cultivated throughout the temperate zones. It belong to the…
Growing Plants from Seed: Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill is an annual in the celery family (Apiaceae) and native to the Mediterranean and southern Russia. It is a tall, 3-4 foot, beautiful plant and deserves a place in…
Edible Flowers Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
Sweet cicely is a herbaceous perennial up to three to six feet tall and wide, native to southern and central Europe but has naturalized widely in Europe and Asia. It…
Plant Profile: Southernwood (Artemesia abrotanum)
Also known as Old Man, Lad’s Love and Maiden’s Ruin, this bushy sub-shrub is native to southern Europe, parts of Asia, and Africa and is a member of the aster…
Book Review: Gardening the Mediterranean Way
A mediterranean garden has mild, relatively wet winters and long, hot dry summers which offer unique challenges to gardeners that live in such climates throughout the world. Heidi Gildenmeister’s book,…
Book Review: My Pantry
Alice Waters, known for her use of organic, locally grown ingredients shares her home experience in her book, My Pantry, written with her daughter, Fanny Singer. Believing that a well…
Plant Combination: Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) and Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
Rose campion provides a long season backdrop for many plants and Spanish lavender is one of the most striking. Both plants have attractive silver gray foliage all season into winter…
Edible Flowers: Violets, Johnny Jump Ups, and Pansies (Viola spp)
These three members of the genus Viola are spring blooming plants known for their pretty five petaled flowers. The common violet (V. odorata) also known as sweet violet is a…
Botanical Latin: Hypericum
Hypericum (hy PER i cum): The genus name, Hypericum, is from the Greek word hypereidon and is derived from hyper, meaning above, plus eikon meaning picture. The plant was believed…