Early Fall Skips

On mornings in the late summer and early fall, I wait for the sun to rise high enough for the asters and other flowers to open. That magic moment should be heralded by trumpets, but since I live in the suburbs, that will never happen. Even without trumpets, though, the daily grand opening of the … Read more

Perilla Camouflage

I used to think there was no earthly use for perilla (Perilla frutescens).  No garden since the beginning of time has ever had just one plant.  True to its mint family heritage, perilla spreads and spreads and spreads. Of course, it is quite decorative, with its purple-black ruffled leaves, but some of the similarly colored … Read more

Late Summer Flowers

Despite my best efforts, my garden has too few late summer flowers.  For years I have been shy about putting in enough dahlias, which will bloom their hearts out given a bit of sunny space and water.  They come in so many sizes, shapes and colors that even those, like me, who disdain the flashy … Read more