The daisy or Compositae family is so large—950 genera, 20,000 species and even more cultivated varieties and hybrids—that you could fill hundreds of gardens with family members without even thinking about plants from outside the clan. Over the last three decades or so, individual daisy genera, including coneflower, asters, Shasta daisies and blanketflower, have caught … Read more
Lately the morning news is full of breathless anchor people announcing that someone in some suburb has sighted a coyote. Easterners thought coyotes were romantic back when they howled at us long-distance from the West; it’s different now the feral canines are here among us. The coyotes are keeping company in our backyards, parks, train … Read more
MOCK ORANGE Plant breeders and merchandisers are working hard to create the perfect garden plant and I am sure someday they will do it. This paragon of horticultural virtue will be easy to care for, pest and disease resistant, adaptable to a wide range of conditions and perform equally well in sun and partial … Read more
Gardeners may swill champagne along with the rest of the world at 12:01 on January 1, but most of us don’t truly feel the New Year’s spirit until the temperature starts to rise and the first snowdrops, crocuses and winter aconite pop out of the still-frozen ground. Even if a bit of snow lingers in … Read more
The horticultural world—past and present– is full of big personalities, including a colorful cast of plant fanatics, design divas and fastidious flower arrangers. Each adds a bright strand to the tapestry of horticultural history. My recent trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show inspired thoughts of one such big personality, J. Liddon Pennock, Jr.—1913-2003— a longtime … Read more
