I have a desperate situation on my hands. Three roses in my garden stand in dire need of rescue before it is too late. Each one has a different sad story, but if I don’t intervene, they will all suffer the same tragic fate. The first rose has a romantic name—‘Julio Iglesias’. ‘Julio’, is, of … Read more
Normally, when I think of lace, my mind settles on images of brides and babies’ christening gowns. Artist James McNeil Whistler’s mother famously wore a lace-trimmed cap in his “Arrangement in Grey and Black No 1”, but she certainly did not look happy about it. At this time of the year, the lace that I … Read more
For some people, the word “vacation” means trips to the beach and hours spent wallowing in trashy novels. Others wouldn’t go near a beach or a trashy novel, but love to tramp around historical sites, museums or battlefields. It all depends on your definition of another important word— “relaxation”. My husband and I used to … Read more
Whenever I go to the movies, I am very aware of the fact that you have to be a superhero to get any box office traction these days. The horticultural world is full of superheroes—past and present. Most of them would look rather lumpy and feel downright uncomfortable in masks, tights or body armor, so … Read more
We are now entering the daisy days of early summer, when Shasta daisies, coneflowers, Gaillardia daisies and a constellation of other Asteraceae or Compositae family members burst into bloom. I love them all, because they are strong growers, attract loads of butterflies and other pollinators, and are equally useful for ornamenting the garden or filling … Read more
