CL Fornari

I Love Tropaeolum majus aka nasturtium

Apr 16, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Tropaeolum majus aka nasturtium Type of Plant: An annual in most areas of the USA, that is grown as a summer flowering annual and edible leaf and flower. Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love this plant because it is easy, bright and cheerful. I especially love...

I Love Hamamelis vernalis ‘Amethyst’ aka Amethyst vernal witch hazel

Apr 10, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Hamamelis vernalis ‘Amethyst’ aka Amethyst vernal witch hazel Type of Plant: A shrub for full sun to part shade that flowers in March and April Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love most of the witch hazels, but this one is pretty spectacular in the late winter...

I Love Allium Schoenoprasum aka Garden Chives

Apr 6, 2021 | Gardens

Name: Allium schoenoprasum aka garden chives Type of Plant: A perennial herb that grows from small bulbs, hardy in Zones 4-8. Why I Love/Hate this plant: For me, this is one of my favorite early-to-grow plants in the spring. It is the first herb that I can cut fresh...

Treehouse ~ The New Social Networking App For Plants

Apr 1, 2021 | Lifestuff

Ever since the development of the Google Plant translation service, people have been listening in on plant conversations, often with a devastating response. So, it was with great apprehension that many have downloaded and joined the newest social media app, Treehouse,...

Timetable for Starting Seeds on the Cape and Islands

Mar 28, 2021 | Gardens

Indoors under lights or in a very sunny window: February-March: Peppers. March-April: Tomatoes, eggplant, kale, broccoli, cannabis. (The earlier you start these seeds, the better lighting you will need. Keep plants about 3” from lights so they don’t get too leggy. A...

I Love Corydalis lutea – aka Yellow Corydalis

Mar 26, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Corydalis lutea – aka Yellow Corydalis Type of Plant: A short-lived perennial with soft, ferny foliage and bright yellow flowers that bloom for most of the summer. Hardy in Zone 5 to 7. Why I Love/Hate this plant: Yes, it’s short lived, but it’s worth growing!...

Kerria japonica aka Japanese Kerria

Mar 19, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Kerria japonica aka Japanese Kerria Type of Plant: This is a shrub with bright green stems and bright yellow flowers that is hardy in Zones 4-9. In most areas this plant grows to about 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Some have single flowers, but ‘Pleniflora’ is a...

My Personal Sign That It’s Spring

Mar 13, 2021 | Gardens

Recently, on a local gardening group Facebook page, I posted a photo of a skunk cabbage flower poking up out of the soil. I said that this was how I knew it was spring. Then I asked others to comment about their personal signs of spring. I distilled their comments to...

Plant A Tabletop Spring Garden

Mar 13, 2021 | Projects/Crafts

Let’s face it. Often spring is a tease. “I’m here! I’m gone! I’m back…wait, not yet!” We are bounced from 60° days to 15° nights in a blink of an eye, so we must savor the outdoors when we can, and provide our own spring cheer...

I Love Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’

Mar 12, 2021 | Love This!

Name: Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ aka tete-a-tete miniature daffodils Type of Plant: This early flowering spring bulb is a mini-daffodil that is commonly sold in pots at garden centers in the early spring. Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love how this plant is widely...