CL Fornari

I Love Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’ aka Major Wheeler Honeysuckle

Apr 7, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’ aka Major Wheeler honeysuckle Type of Plant: A variety of our native vine, Lonicera sempervirens, that produces coral-red flowers. This twining vine grows to about 10’ tall and wide. Why I Love This Plant: First of all, I’m...

I Love Heath and Heather

Apr 1, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Heath (Erica cinerea) and Heather (Calluna vulgaris) Type of Plant: These two plants are commonly called “heather” but they are two different species. Both are in the family Ericaceae, however and they like similar growing conditions. Why I Love This Plant:...

Gnomeinkulture

Apr 1, 2023 | Lifestuff

Move over hugelkulture and hay bale gardening…there’s a far better, centuries-old way to create productive gardens with the practice of burying of gnomes. Began long ago by monks at Notre Dame De Manie Des Plantes, this means of building up the landscape in order to...

What A Wonderful Weed

Mar 27, 2023 | Gardens

I see rosettes of green In lawns and gardens too They are healthy food For me and you And I think to myself What a wonderful weed. Apologies to Louis Armstrong, but the site of Cardamine hirsuta, aka bittercress, in my gardens has me humming happily. This is what...

I Love Mountain Magic Tomatoes

Mar 24, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Mountain Magic Hybrid Tomato Type of Plant: This F1 hybrid tomato is larger than a cherry but smaller than the typical sandwich slicer…but it is one of the tomatoes that I would never be without in my garden. Why I Love This Plant: Let’s cut to the chase and...

I Love Viola x wittrockiana aka Spring Pansies

Mar 17, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Viola x wittrockiana aka Spring Pansies Type of Plant: The most popular cool-weather annual. Why I Love This Plant: For those in the northern regions, this is the first annual we can plant outside in the spring. In fact, in many areas they can be planted in...

Spring Foraging on Cape Cod

Mar 16, 2023 | Garden Travel

Join us! Nationally known forager, Ellen Zachos, is on-Cape in April for a class on spring foraging. (Note: Rain date is Thursday the 20th)

I Love Borago officinalis aka Borage

Mar 10, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Borago officinalis aka Borage Type of Plant: An annual herb native to the Mediterranean. Why I Love This Plant: While this plant is grown on a commercial level for the oil in the seeds, I grow it because the bees love it, and the blue flowers are beautiful in...

I Love Eurybia divaricata aka White Wood Aster

Feb 24, 2023 | Love This!

Type of Plant: Perennial that’s native to the Eastern North America, hardy in zones 3 to 8 Why I Love This Plant: This is a groundcover plant, one of the best weed-smothering, drought tolerant plants for shade. It’s a support plant for butterflies, and a...

I Love Hybrid Primrose

Feb 10, 2023 | Love This!

Name: Hybrid Primroses Type of Plant: These gift plants are widely sold at this time of year to remind us that spring is coming. They are bred for compact size and brightly colored, cheerful flowers. Why I Love This Plant: I love these plants because they are...