The butterfly weed, or Asclepias tuberose, in my garden is obviously the result of wish fulfillment, because I never planted it. For years I thought about it, but was always distracted by the horticultural equivalent of brighter, shinier objects. My plant dollars went for all kinds of specimens, but never for butterfly weed. Still, as … Read more
Not long ago, Scott Kunst, founder of heirloom bulb purveyor, Old House Gardens, wrote up his simple rules for gardening. Among the most notable were: “weeding is endless–learn to love it”; and “editing is more important than planting. “ I may not love weeding, but most of the time I enjoy it and relish the … Read more
The past couple of weeks have seen an explosion of the opulent flowers of late spring—gorgeous, multi-petaled roses, big fluffy peonies, and the complicated, twining blooms of double clematis. The abundance is magnificent, but almost overwhelming. Now that a couple of downpours have put paid to all those petals, I am refreshed by the simpler … Read more
Every day in New York and Los Angeles, any number of aspiring actors toil in obscurity, awaiting the moment when they will be “discovered” by someone who can launch their stage and screen careers. Once upon a time, a flashy horticultural performer with the ungainly name of Eschscholzia californica, had a story much like that. … Read more
Over the centuries, humans have had a complex relationship with members of the tobacco—Nicotiana—family. We have praised them, vilified them, smoked some species, distilled others into insecticides and burned still others in various rituals. One thing is clear. When it comes to ornamental or flowering tobacco, there is much to praise and almost nothing to … Read more
