As winter days tick down and spring looms ahead, it takes very little to get gardeners excited. A brief snowdrop sighting, a few brave early crocuses, or even a stalk of rhubarb in the market make hearts beat faster. So does witch hazel. Up until a couple of generations ago, witch hazel was a widely … Read more
At this time of year, all it takes is a few balmy days to trigger the gardening itch. As soon as the temperature hovers above 50 degrees and the wind abandons howling in favor of murmuring, I have one foot out the door. I am fooling myself, of course. February thaws are among of Nature’s … Read more
Yesterday I was absolutely beside myself because I saw the first snowdrops of the season. These brave early-appearers are double-flowered, with pale green tips on the outer petals and pronounced green blotches on the inner ones. I have forgotten their varietal name and the plant tag is currently submerged under a cover of dead leaves, … Read more
Every day in New York and Los Angeles, any number of aspiring actors toil in obscurity, awaiting the moment when they will be “discovered” by someone who can launch their stage and screen careers. Once upon a time, a flashy horticultural performer with the ungainly name of Eschscholzia californica, had a story much like that. … Read more
My husband, David, never failed to give me a card and a bouquet of roses on Valentine’s Day. When we were starting out in the suburbs, those roses were more likely to come from the vendor at Penn Station than the local florist. The thought was just as lovely, but sometimes those end-of-the-day roses were … Read more
