When you see or hear something—plants, animals, situations—several times in a short span of hours or days, the universe is probably trying to send you a message. This past week, the message I received was about buttonbush, known to botanists as Cephalanthus occidentalis. On three separate days, I saw buttonbushes in three separate parks in … Read more
I have always wanted an arboretum. The world is full of beautiful trees and woody plants and if someone were to hand me a few extra acres—say 50 or so—I would grow more of them. Right now, as the great spring flowering continues to unfold; I feel the lack of an arboretum most keenly. I … Read more
This year has been a great one for monarch butterflies—at least in my neighborhood—and that makes me feel hopeful. In fact, the news about climate change has been so dire that every monarch sighting is a celebration. Some butterflies are rapid flyers, navigating the air in a blur of beating wings. But monarchs often float … Read more
In spring you notice all the flowering trees that have been hiding in plain sight for the rest of the year. Right now, the striking Kousa dogwoods or Cornus kousa, are strutting their stuff, with large, white, four-petaled flowers that boast green centers. The trees are anonymous to all but their most loyal followers three … Read more
I love the moment in spring when all the flowering trees and shrubs seem to burst into simultaneous bloom. Depending on the weather, that mass flowering can last a few days or more than a week. It always ends in showers of petals that rival the snow flurries we had up until about three weeks … Read more
