A Rose is Not Always a Rose

I was first smitten with scented-leaf geraniums on a visit to the Cornell Botanic Garden in Ithaca, New York.  It was a sunny summer day and I passed a raised bed of vigorous geraniums near the Welcome Center.  The sunshine had warmed the essential oils lurking at the bases of tiny leaf hairs, allowing visitors … Read more

Sweet Alyssum

When I think back on my father’s garden, lots of flowers and plants come to mind—the huge rhubarb in the very back, the Johnny jump-ups that jumped up through the grass every spring under the pine trees, and the long row of pink, rose and white peonies that grew by the back walk.  The property … Read more

Fernleaf Lavender

Surfacing at the end of winter like a horticultural life raft, the week-long Philadelphia Flower Show is salvation for gardeners grown weary of cold weather.  The Philadelphia Convention Center, a cavernous place, is filled with flowers and plants, from tulips to exotic orchids to beautifully grown succulents.  Flowers strut their stuff in display gardens and … Read more