Blue Hedgehogs

Scent is important to me. I have been known to stop in my tracts to insert my nose into a particularly alluring rose or inhale the intoxicating fragrance of a blooming linden tree. I didn’t expect much when I got up close and personal with an echinops or globe thistle, but to my surprise, the … Read more

Globe Thistle

Most of the time I strive for a garden where mounds of perennials and annual flowers meld together in a colorful tapestry.  Plants are staggered by height in an artistic manner and tranquility reigns.  The image, at least in my mind, is idyllic. Right now though, I am looking for a little more excitement. I … Read more

Cardinals and Thistles

I am being stalked by cardinal flower—Lobelia cardinalis.  Otherwise known as red lobelia, the plant is tall and handsome, rising just shy of three feet and producing brilliant red flower spikes in mid to late summer.  The flowers are so red that they knock you for a loop when you first see them. That happened … Read more