I have a bad case of ceanothus envy. For those of you who don’t know this (mostly) western groundcover or shrub, it goes by the common name “California wild lilac.” Its flower panicles, especially when seen from a distance, look similar to those of common lilac (Syringa), though the leaves differ. Every spring it flowers … Read more
BOOK REVIEW: THE QUEST FOR THE ROSE One of my favorite horticultural subjects is roses and I have lots of books on them. In Search of Lost Roses, Thomas Christopher’s 2002 book on “rose rustling” and the discovery of old rose varieties in out-of-the-way places, is one of the best. Another is A Rose … Read more
I just spent an afternoon walking the High Line, New York City’s vertical park built on the remnants of an elevated freight line on the West Side. I have heard people sing its praises since the first section opened in 2009 (a subsequent section opened last year, with another still to come) and those praises … Read more
Having just finished seasonal pruning of a rambunctious and assertively thorny rambling rose, I am reminded of the movie title, “There Will Be Blood.” The rose in question, which grows wildly, suckers aggressively and would take over the world if given the chance, also produces hundreds of winsome single, rose-pink blooms over the course of … Read more
Every once in awhile, a specific plant will have an absolutely wonderful year. This usually happens the year after you give it up for dead but are too lazy or preoccupied to dig it up and hurl it onto the compost pile. My tradescantia were not in any danger of that fate, but up until … Read more
