Hopeful Signs

I was born an optimist.   I was probably born a gardener, too, though that didn’t manifest itself until after I could walk and talk.  It is in my nature to look for signs of hope, especially in the natural world.  Thankfully, those signs are almost always present, if you look carefully.  As the New Year … Read more

Houseplant Re-entry

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

Plumbing Plumbago

Doris Duke—1912-1993—was a millionaire heiress with multiple homes, a colorful personal life and a peripatetic nature. Whenever she touched down in New Jersey, she came to rest at Duke Farms, a property established by her father in the state’s central region. In Duke’s time, the mammoth greenhouses at Duke Farms contained a series of themed … Read more