Despite the wide availability of relatively cheap cut flowers, a rose in winter always seems like a small miracle. It seemed perfectly fitting last week that I glimpsed some of those miraculous winter blooms adorning a church Advent wreath. The roses were pale purple, in keeping with the Christian tradition of using that color for … Read more
For several years, one of the big mail order nurseries has touted a lovely combination of climbing plants: the stalwart, yellow-flowered rose, ‘Golden Showers,’ and the purple clematis, ‘Etoile Violette.’ The two make a lovely color combination when they grow together; the buttery color of the rose contrasting with its color wheel opposite, dark purple. … Read more
The weather for the last few days has been as gray and sticky as the slugs it seems to generate. The most pervasive scent in my dripping garden is the smell of honeysuckle drifting over from the neighbors’ yard. I let my nose revel in the sweet fragrance, even though I have done my best … Read more
The masters of the color universe at Pantone have decreed that “Radiant Orchid,” a shade of rosy purple, will be the 2014 “Color of the Year.” The promotional copy is effusive, describing Radiant Orchid as a shade that “blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination.” Not only that, … Read more
