Opportunist plants lurk in every garden, even those well maintained oases of perfection that routinely knock visitors’ socks off. Some of those opportunists we tag as “weeds”, but others are perfectly respectable plants whose only sin is seeing the main chance and taking it. In fall, some of the most prominent of these plants make … Read more
My father used to call them “salad birds”. Reference guides refer to them as Spinus tristus. Most of us know the bright, acrobatic birds as goldfinches. Though they look as colorful as parakeets, guidebook authors sometimes damn these songbirds with faint praise because of their ubiquitous presence among us. All I know is that American … Read more
Every year at this time I take great joy in paging through the paper bulb catalogs and perusing the websites so that I can overspend on spring bulbs in the most discerning and intelligent way. One of my longtime favorite catalogs is Old House Gardens, which describes itself as “Heirloom Bulbs—So Much More Than … Read more
A few weeks ago, at a really good restaurant, I splurged on a dessert of buttermilk panna cotta with raspberries. That ethereal creation came garnished with preserved linden leaves and fruits. I had never eaten anything from a linden tree—Tilia–before, and was intrigued. The leaves and tiny, nut-like fruits were sweet from the preserving liquid … Read more
Now that the Olympic Games have focused the international spotlight on Rio de Janeiro, all manner of things Brazilian have reached the collective consciousness. As I—and the rest of the world—glued myself to the competitive cavalcade of sprinters, gymnasts and fencers, I thought of two things—getting myself into better shape and Roberto Burle Marx—1909-1994—the great … Read more
