In 1928, a year before the onset of the Great Depression, the Carter Family, of folk and country music fame, recorded a song, “Keep on the Sunny Side”, that was originally written as a hymn. It became one of their standards and has lifted spirits ever since. The refrain is as follows: Keep on the … Read more
Garden spiderwort or Tradescantia x andersoniana is one of those plants that invariably pops up on lists of flowering specimens for partial shade. To say that it flowers is an understatement. It actually rampages. A mature clump of spiderwort may boast scores of flowers, but it conceals another talent—self seeding. Right now I am up … Read more
My county has some of the loveliest public parks around, with long, winding roads, beautiful trees and winsome water features. The paths through these parks are among my favorite walking routes. I was out walking not long ago and spotted a clump of yellow flag iris or Iris pseudacorus on the edge of a large, … Read more
Solidago and symphyotrichum are a perfect couple. You might not recognize their tongue-twisting names, but I guarantee that they are now appearing side by side at locations near you. Those locations might be railroad rights-of-way, country roadsides and other untenanted spaces, including overgrown suburban lots. When hanging out in such information settings, solidago and symphyotrichum … Read more
I love to walk—in my neighborhood, my town and wherever I vacation. I never wear headphones or talk on my phone, because I like to save my senses for the small worlds that I encounter on my way. Good suburbanite that I am, I always take stock of the neighbors’ gardens. But I am also … Read more
