Like most couples, my parents compromised on various issues throughout their marriage. One of the most significant centered on flowers. My mother wanted flowers in the house 365 days a year. My father did not want to go broke providing them. The compromise, which took place before I was old enough to know about it, … Read more
Every year I put off the inevitable—bringing houseplants indoors after their long summer vacation outside. I would like to think that my procrastination is motivated by a desire for the plants to soak up sunshine for as long as possible. Really though, I fear that my indoor spaces will be inundated by a high tide … Read more
A generation or more ago, fall was a time when you would clean up the garden, put out a few mums, and plant the spring flowering bulbs. In the midst of all that, there was ample time to lose yourself watching the little wrens flitting through the aster stalks in search of delectable seeds. The … Read more
There is no use trying to avoid it any more—the houseplants are well past the vacation stage and must be brought in. Night temperatures are descending and even though the geraniums, African violets, plumbago and even the potted Abyssinian glads are still blooming gaily, the summer porch party is really over. This year I have … Read more
Nearly two centuries ago, Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, an English physician and amateur botanist, made a surprising discovery. Ward liked to study moth chrysalises, which he kept secure in sealed glass containers. Inspection of one such container revealed that seeds embedded in a bit of dirt inside had germinated and sprouted. He left the container unopened … Read more
