The name ‘Dr. Huey’ may be unfamiliar, but if you grow roses, I’ll bet you have met him. The doctor is really quite a handsome rose, with a semi-double array of about 15 crimson petals and a center of golden stamens. It grows vigorously, shooting up from the roots with wild abandon. The doctor is … Read more
I love lavender or members of the rather large Lavendula genus, as do most sane gardeners. All the above-ground parts of the small, shrubby plants are fragrant—including leaves, stems and flowers. Of course the tiny blossoms, which are usually shades of purple or blue purple, but may also be pink or white, are the stars … Read more
Common plant names can be romantic, like “kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate” or fanciful, like “yellow archangel”. They can even be menacing, like “wolfsbane” and “bloodroot”. Most often though, common names are descriptive. In the case of “bluebells” this is both helpful and confusing. I know of at least three plant species that go by “bluebells”. All bloom in … Read more
It is now officially mid-spring and everything has burst into bloom. The last magnolia flowers are colliding with the first of the dogwood blooms, not to mention the unfurling of the first lilacs. Fluffy double cherry blossoms weigh down branches, while ornamental plums and pears strut their stuff in slightly more decorous fashion. Amid all … Read more
I went to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, last week to relax for a few days and see the wild horses made famous in author Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book Misty of Chincoteague. I caught sight of some of the horses, along with a wide variety of shore birds, wildflowers and gorgeous ocean scenery. It was inspiring and … Read more
