I hate to brag, but my African violets look glorious right now. They are blooming abundantly, the leaves look healthy and I am proud to say that they have even been watered recently. As the motivational speakers say, “It’s all good.” Except for the watering, I had nothing to do with it. All of the … Read more
If I wanted to, I could fill the entire yard with roses of Sharon. So could most people, because roses of Sharon, or Hibiscus syriacus, are among the most prolific garden shrubs. All you need to launch a rose of Sharon world domination campaign is one small specimen anywhere on or near your property. If … Read more
In 1797, Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge may have had an especially vivid opium dream that resulted in the production of a now-famous poem called “Kubla Khan.” One memorable stanza described Kubla Khan’s estate: So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: And there were gardens bright with sinuous … Read more
The late Joan Rivers often started comic riffs with the words, “Can we talk?” It’s time to follow her lead and talk about getting through the winter. Some of us give thanks when hard frosts arrive, because we can take a well-deserved break from garden chores. We tend our houseplants, decorate for the holidays and … Read more
Pity the poor parlor maple. It is not a maple tree by any stretch of the imagination and its days of houseplant stardom peaked back when people still had parlors. It’s a sad predicament for a lovely plant. The plant taxonomists will never assign parlor maples, more formally known as Abutilon x hybrida, to the … Read more
