May 4, 2023
Evening Primrose
There are about 125 species in the genus Oenothera, and they are commonly called sundrops, evening primroses, or golden eggs, and they are native to North and South America.
April 6, 2023
Smaller Shrubs
If you are planting a garden this spring around a condominium or in some other small garden space, you may want to consider some of the shrubs that have been developed to grow into a compact shape and size at maturity.
March 30, 2023
My Own Garden
There is magic associated with flowers. How can it be, I wonder, that there are so many different shapes, colors, and sizes to delight the senses?
March 23, 2023
18th-Century Gardens
By the 18th century, it was fashionable in the colonies of North America where a garden was essential to feed a family.
March 16, 2023
Not Just Ornaments
In ancient times, roses were not grown for ornamental reasons but for their medicinal and mystical properties.
March 9, 2023
Disguising Bulb Foliage
After the spring bloomers' flowers faded, I used to have day lily plants that grew up in my beds to disguise the decaying and unsightly bulb foliage. All that changed once the deer in my neighborhood came by in droves and ate all of the day lily foliage.
March 2, 2023
Controlling Growth
During the 20th century, growers learned to grow flowers with taller, straighter stems, less blemishes, and, also, to force blooms out of season.
February 23, 2023
Romantic Gardens
Beginning in the early 18th century in England, many quaint new cottages were built surrounded by plantings of fruit trees, honey suckle, ivy, and all kinds of flowers to create intentionally romantic gardens.
February 16, 2023
Josephine’s Roses
Empress Josephine Bonaparte had the first European ever-blooming roses from China, and her eclectic collection allowed French hybridizers to create many new varieties.
February 9, 2023
There's a Fragrance to This Message
Way back when there were no cell phones, lovers used flowers as coded messages to keep their communications unknown to chaperones.
February 2, 2023
Frangipani
In North America, frangipani is often associated with Hawaii because of the lovely leis that are made from their blossoms.
February 2, 2023
Frangipani
In North America, frangipani is often associated with Hawaii because of the lovely leis that are made from their blossoms.
January 26, 2023
Spring Bouquets
Starting in February we can pick garden flowers for indoors.
January 19, 2023
Sanguinaria canadensis
These plants enjoy rich, moist soil that drains well, and if they're happy in their spot, they will form colonies under deciduous trees but will disappear once the trees leaf out.
January 5, 2023
Gardens Preserved
In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, and huge amounts of volcanic ash covered the city of Pompeii. The ash preserved the homes and gardens that otherwise would have decayed or been destroyed over time.
December 29, 2022
Pounding Flowers
Pounding can create emotional release and satisfaction for some, and the resulting images can be quite beautiful.
December 22, 2022
Musings about Flowers
“Hope is like a harebell, trembling from its birth / Love is like a rose, the joy of all the earth... / Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth / But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.”
December 15, 2022
Holiday Remembrances
If you are looking for a sweet gift for a loved one or friend, check out antique stores and thrift shops for miniature vases or cute tiny bottles.
December 8, 2022
God's Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote, "As long as one has a garden, one has a future and as long as one has a future, one lives."
