We all have to get through the dark months of the year, when the absence of daylight, the prospect of damp, chilly weather inspires little more than a desire for sleep and sweaters. When we celebrate during at this time of year, we emphasize light in all its forms. I do this as my mother … Read more
The stores went into holiday mode right after Halloween, but I am not ready to put up the wreaths, adorn the house with poinsettias, or hang greens from the mantelpiece. I don’t like to rush the December holiday season, because if I do, it will be Valentine’s Day on January 1. I do, however, need … Read more
I love giving plants at holiday time. It fits with my horticultural sensibility. Most people appreciate a blooming plant, especially one that will continue to add color and/or interest after the holiday baubles go back in their boxes. But with plants as with all gifts, it is important to match the gift to the recipient. … Read more
Nine chances out of ten, if you are reading this, you have an amaryllis in the house. Maybe it arrived ready to bloom just before the December holidays. If so, you may still be enjoying the last of the bright flowers. Or it might have come to you as a kit. If you followed the … Read more
You can tell a lot about a culture by the word its citizens use to describe the insect we call “butterfly”. German butterflies have such a weighty-sounding name–“schmetterling”—that it’s a wonder they manage to take to the air. The French and Italians allow their butterflies to float along as “papillon” or “farfalla”. Spaniards delight in … Read more
