We are approaching the vernal equinox, when, as the name suggests, the hours of daylight and darkness are equal. It happens again in the fall with the autumnal equinox, but I think the spring event is happier and more hopeful, because the days continue to lengthen afterwards If the word “equinox” is full of possibilities, … Read more
At this time of the year we celebrate spring by rushing out to the garden centers and buying flats of pansies and violas. We breathe the warming air and fill up our window boxes, pots and borders with these spring avatars. And then we turn around and try to exterminate their cousins, the common violets, … Read more
Some people love Atlantic City, New Jersey, that enduring combination of gambling mecca and seaside resort. It is a place where breathtaking Atlantic coast scenery is locked in a pitched battle for tourist attention with artificial environments designed to shut out the outside world. Atlantic City is a paradox with hotel rooms. I was on … 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
When I made my first forays into wild plant identification as a child and teenager, a handy field guide always lurked somewhere nearby. My trusty and well-used Peterson’s Guide—actually Peterson Field Guides: Wildflowers—still sits on my office shelf. Some of the plants have been reclassified and renamed since it was published, but its arrangement, descriptions … Read more
