Old habits die hard. The Winter Solstice is in sight, but I still look for flowers when I take my daily walks. After all, hope, unlike the spring season, springs eternal. Even more surprising than my stubborn optimism is the fact that lately my hopes have been rewarded. Ornamental cherry trees are flowering at several … Read more
I am having a bad case of holiday envy. As I walk my neighborhood, I see that my neighbors have spent the past weekend arranging extravagant holiday displays. Twinkly lights sparkle from trees and shrubs, wreathes adorn multiple windows, over-the-door arches welcome visitors to various homes, and holiday inflatables of every size and description sway … Read more
Succulents, especially the rose-form echeverias, have been in vogue for the last fifteen years. They have flirted with the public in botanical institutions, teased onlookers from the tops of show house coffee tables, and beguiled shoppers in garden centers. Sometimes, especially in winter, they seem to be everywhere. Though I am prone to falling in … Read more
“Streptocarpus” is an awful plant name, suggestive of sore throats and other maladies that can only be cured by antibiotics. In reality, if a plant lover is infected with a yen for streptocarpus, the malady may prove to be long-lasting and pleasant. Streptocarpus is commonly known as “Cape primrose”, a much better name that invokes … Read more
The stores went into holiday mode right after Halloween, but I am not ready to put up the wreaths, adorn the house with poinsettias, or hang greens from the mantelpiece. I don’t like to rush the December holiday season, because if I do, it will be Valentine’s Day on January 1. I do, however, need … Read more
