Edible Flowers: Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
Karen A native of southwestern China, this hollyhock is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae, and related to hibiscus, cotton, okra, and cacao. It may be an annual, biennial, or…
Soapworts for the Garden (Saponaria spp)
Saponaria is a genus of annuals and perennials in the pink family, Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe and Asia. Of the thirty to forty species in the genus, three perennials are…
Edible Flowers: Dianthus
The genus Dianthus includes three kinds of common garden plants: pinks (D. plumarius and related species) , sweet william (D. barbatus), and carnations (D. caryophillus). They are herbaceous biennials or…
Growing Plants from Seed: Basil
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual native to India but is more closely associated with Italian food. Most basils available in the US belong to the species basciliucum with…
Plant Profile: Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Comfrey is coarse perennial herb native to Europe and Asia where it inhabits rich moist soils. It is a member of the borgage family (Boraginaceae) along with forget-me-not, lungwort and…
Book Review: Groundbreaking Food Gardens
As more people want to grow their food the need for new methods and garden designs become more pressing. Niki Jabbour’s book, Groundbreaking Food Gardens, presents a collection of essays…
Plant Profile: Borage (Borago officinalis)
Borage is an annual herb native to south eastern Turkey but has naturalized in the Mediterranean area, North America, and parts of Europe. The Romans fed it to gladiators and…
Edible Flowers: Capers (Capparis spinosa var. inermis)
Caper is a broad leaf evergreen creeping shrub native to the Mediterranean, East Africa, Madagascar, parts of Asia, Himalayas, the Pacific Islands, Indomalaya, and Australia where it grows on lean,…
Plant Profile: Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi)
Originally from the Mediterranean region this annual is widely grown in India, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. It is a member of the parsley family (Apiaceae) and related to…
Growing Plants from Seed: Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley is a biennial native to the Mediterranean area where it grows wild from Sardinia east to Lebanon. It is usually grown as an annual by those who just want…