Thomas Jefferson collected many things, including plants. But there was one specimen that he could never lay hands on: Vigna caracalla or corkscrew vine. Writing to one of his plant suppliers, Jefferson described the flowering vine, a member of the legume or Fabiaceae family, as “the most beautiful bean in the world.” I think of … Read more
The selling of souls is serious business; just ask the poets and playwrights who have explored that theme over the centuries. Gardeners generally have little time for such existential considerations, because they are busy weeding, watering and doing other garden chores. But every once in awhile, a plant comes along that is so alluring, it … Read more
Not long ago I was on a road trip just as the mid-spring flowering trees were bursting into bloom. Cascades of white, wisteria-like blooms billowed from many of the trees along highways in central New York State. They stood out, even as we whizzed by at highway speed. Every once in awhile, a pink-flowered tree … Read more
