MONTAUK DAISY Nothing says “small world” like a plant that originated in Japan, bears the name of a Native American tribe and flourishes happily in many parts of the United States. The plant in question is the Montauk daisy, sometimes known as the “Nippon daisy.” Back when about a million species were included in … Read more
AUTUMN JOY ‘Autumn Joy’ is a beautiful sedum, with big flattened heads of tiny pink flowers that darken to rose as the season progresses. Liking ‘Autumn Joy,’ the plant, is easy; maintaining an “autumn joy” state of mind is harder. Autumn has much to recommend it–moderate temperatures, mellow light, and gardens that still … Read more
GLAMOR SQUASH If you want to be truly fashionable these days, turn yourself into a squash. These curvaceous vegetables are showing up everywhere–pictured in handsome coffee table books and shelter magazines, not to mention the pages of every garden catalog. If Hubbards and butternuts, which already seem to have publicists, also had legs, they … Read more
CLEAN-UP My beach garden in the Finger Lakes is home to a lovely, fall-blooming sedum with the varietal name ‘Black Jack.’ It is a tall and similar in configuration to the well-known Sedum ‘Autumn Joy.’ The difference between the varieties is that ‘Black Jack’ features leaves and stems that appear almost black. The combination … Read more
BAD TASTE Several weeks ago, I wrote about this year’s local wildlife explosion and my neighbors’ agitation over the small deer herd that has taken up residence on our block. The deer are still with us and were last seen chewing indiscriminately though some overgrown wisteria on the other side of my back fence. … Read more
