Sneezewort

It is late February, and the air is bone dry. That atmospheric condition will not last forever, and soon enough my part of the world will see a return of humidity. Eventually we will also experience hot weather. Now that the new season catalogs and online offerings are available, I am thinking of adding a … Read more

Cerveza and Lime

When many people see or hear the word “cerveza”, they think of a cold bottle of beer, as in “cerveza fria”. Since it is now high summer, some people think of that a lot—in Spanish or in English. When I think of “cerveza”, I summon a picture of my back garden, where a healthy ‘Cerveza … Read more

The Incense Rose

Rose lovers owe a lot to English breeder, David Austin, who over the past several decades has led a movement among breeders that has re-introduced fragrance into the world of garden roses.  For several decades after World War II, rose growers focused on other traits, especially the long stems and large, high-centered blooms that characterized … Read more

Golden Buttons

It is clear that plants are generally much wiser than I am. Tansy proves this point. Somehow, early on in the life of my current landscape, tansy or Tanacetum vulgare, made its first appearance by the hedge in the front garden.  I overlooked the plant when it sprouted, but by mid-summer of the first year, … Read more